Indonesia: Updates & Travel

Travel in Indonesia
Updates Indonesia

Travel in Indonesia

Traveling in Indonesia is an adventure and has it all. The diversity is enormous: Indonesia has the fourth largest population in the world, about 265 million people, and consists of thousands of larger and smaller islands. The people are very friendly and helpful. Travel along beautiful rice fields, climb volcanoes, see orangutans in the jungle on Kalimantan or Sumatra and sunbathe or surf on the white or black beaches with the perfect wave on Bali. Go on a cultural tour and get to know the rich history of the country or experience the phenomenal sunrise at the Buddhist temple Borobudur on Java. The sea that surrounds the countless islands of Indonesia offers opportunities for diving and surfing at the best spots in the world.
Do you like volcanoes? Then Indonesia is the right place to go for you. The country has many volcanoes and volcanic areas. Visit and climb Bromo or Merapi on Java or walk to the crater lake at Kawa Ijen, also on Java. Indonesia is a surfers' paradise: many world-class super spots can be found along the coastlines of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Flores, Sumbawa, Sumba and further east.
Eat at local streetfood places: here you will find the tastiest dishes for a low price: satay, gado gado, tempeh, nasi goreng, sate gambing (picknickstyle) and rendang (spiced and stewed beef or jackfruit).
Go in search of orangutans in the jungle of Sumatra or Kalimantan.
Indonesia has many temples and temple complexes, where you can sniff Buddhist and Hindu (in Bali) culture.
Visit Samosir, an island in the middle of crater lake Danau Toba on Sumatra. The traditional Batak live here, with their beautiful houses (where you can sleep).
Bukittingi: a tourist city, centrally located on Sumatra, where there is a lot to see. It also has a cool climate due to its high location. Bukit Lawang: the place on Sumatra from where you can go on a jungle tour to see orangutans.
Visit the Prambanan and Borubodur, the largest temple complexes on Java.
Purah Besakih, a beautiful high-altitude mega temple complex on Bali.
Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia in the center of Jakarta.
Gili Islands (east of Bali and northwest of Lombok). The main reasons to go there are: sun, sea, beach and parties. Gili Trawangan in particular is a great place to stay if you like partying, diving and snorkeling. If you are looking for peace and quiet and are trying to avoid tourists, you should go to Gili Meno or Gili Air. From the harbor town of Bangsal you can get there in 20 to 60 minutes. In addition to the 'outrigger boats' to the Gili's, you will also find many scammers and annoying taxi drivers and captains in Bangsal. To avoid problems, many people choose the long crossing from Sengiggi, Lombok.
Be aware that use and/or possession of (soft) drugs is prohibited and is also severely punished.
Beware of arak, an alcoholic drink that is locally distilled and available locally. There are known cases of people dying after consuming this drink. Other locally distilled drinks can also be dangerous.
Be careful with food and drinks: not everything is equally fresh. Use your common sense. No ice cubes in drinks and preferably no raw vegetables or lettuce if you have any doubts about the way they are prepared.