Indonesia Travel and Visit Beautiful Indonesia Today! Welcome to Indonesia!

Capital:  Jakarta

Climate:  Tropical throughout with wet and dry seasons.  The best time to visit Indonesia is during the dry season which runs from May-October for most of the country except for northern Sumatra, and the central and northern region of Maluku which is from November-April.

Background:

The world's largest archipelago,  Indonesia is unbeatable when it comes to variety of terrain.  Equatorial rainforests, volcanoes, and gorgeous white sand beaches complement an equally diverse range of flora and fauna.  Add to this the friendly, smiling people that just adds to Indonesia's over-all charm.

There is a very rich mix of peoples, religions and cultures which have made their mark in the make-up of Indonesia.  It is not strange to run into a Western man toting a mobile phone and hunters clad in loin cloth and feather head dresses in just one place.

Each ethnic group has their own artistic heritage, music, dances, and traditions which only further serves to enrich Indonesia's cultural heritage.

Where to Go:

1. Bali

A stunning mix of beaches, volcanoes, temples, and glorious scenery await visitors to the island paradise of Bali.  With its beaches long famed as a favorite haunt of Hollywood celebrities, Bali offers entertainment for tourists of all tastes and preferences.  Kuta beach can be hedonistic at most with its lively night scene and smorgasbord of hotels, shops, and bars.  People longing for a more laid back stay at the beach may take in the cultural and artsy attractions of the beaches and towns at Ubud.  Sunrise scene enthusiasts may want to go trekking at Gunung Batur at night and reach the peak in time to watch the golden sunrise.

2.  Borobudur

This magnificent, multi-tiered temple in Java is the world's largest Buddhist stupa.  Over a thousand years old, the ruins of this temple still evokes a spiritual response from visitors with over three thousand sand reliefs detailing scenes and daily life followed by the soul on the way to enlightenment.

3.  Lake Toba 

Found in northern Sumatra, Lake Toba is Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake.  Its central island of Samosir is the land of the Toba Batak people and offers fantastic opportunities for scenery photography, trekking and relaxation.

4.  Tanah Toraja  

Home of the Torajan people in the region of Sulawesi, Tanah Toraja offers an opportunity to study the unique, traditional architecture of Indonesia and observe native rituals and ceremonies.

5.  Yogyakarta

The city is the center for Javanese arts ranging from art exhibitions, batik printing,  to performances of traditional music, plays, puppetry, and dance.  Courses for these are readily available for interested visitors.

Things to Try in Indonesia:

1.  Explore the underwater world in one of Indonesia's many beaches.

2. Visit the Orangutan and Komodo Dragon  breeding centers and reserves.

3.  Attend a local festival.

4.  Visit the Prambanan temple complex

5.  Stay in a longhouse in the interior of Kalimantan. The longhouse is the communal dwelling of the indigenous Dyak peoples and is made up by long wooden structures raised on stilts.