Indonesia Area Guide
Everything you Need to Know about Indonesia
When one thinks of Indonesia one's mind immediately jumps to beach scenes on Bali and the wonderful surfing there but there's much, much more to the world's biggest Muslim nation. 'The Big Durian' – Jakarta – is a hodge-podge of culture, vibrant nightlife and fascinating street scenes while inland on the island of Java is Yogyakarta – the centre of fine arts and puppetry. The islands of Bintan and Batam as well as Lombok are idyllic retreats featuring hidden coves, white-sand beaches and perfectly formed bays while Bali itself is alive with culture, a lively nightlife and world-class surfing. Enjoy Indonesia - it is a land of surprising contrasts and rich hospitality.
Jakarta is often referred to as ‘The Big Durian’ – the popular but rather pungent Asian fruit, banned from hotels and airplanes, but nonetheless unexpectedly tasty. The capital of and the largest city in Indonesia, Jakarta also holds claim to be the most heavily populated city in Southeast Asia, with a headcount roughly estimated at near nine million. Read More...
Bali is unlike any other place. A stunning tropical island bathed in beauty. Mystical temples, colourful festivals, unique arts and crafts. With so many it's no wonder that it's voted the world's favourite island destination by influential travel magazines. Read More...
Lombok is the most popular destination in South Central Indonesia. Visitors head here for both underwater and on-land exploration. Situated east of Bali, it can be accessed by plane or boat. The island consists of virginal sandy beaches and a hilly terrain, fringed by mesmerizing azure shores, making it a favourite destination for trekking, surfing and beach lounging. Read More...
Bintan Island is like a dream. Virtually undiscovered until just a few years ago, this idyllic retreat has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, particularly amongst Singaporeans who, due to the island’s close proximity, have made it their preferred spur-of-the-moment getaway. Read More...
Batam is a small yet charming island, strategically located close to the Malacca Strait and Singapore. Only 45 minutes by ferry from Singapore, Batam acts as a gateway to 3,000 islands in the Riau Archipelago of Sumatra. The island is one of the most frequented tourist destinations, welcoming over one million visitors each year and is second only to Bali in popularity. Read More...
Yogyakarta is often referred to as the main gateway of Central Java and is a popular destination among visitors to Indonesia. The city is renowned as being the centre of Javanese fine arts and culture such as the Wayang Kulit or shadow puppets, as well as for music, ballet, drama, poetry, and batik. It is also one of the most important centres of learning in Indonesia. Read More...
Java is the 13th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in Indonesia. A chain of volcanic mountains forms an east-west spine along the island. It has three main languages, though Javanese is dominant. The island is divided into four provinces, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Banten, and two special districts, Jakarta and Yogyakarta. With a population of 135,000,000 it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Read More...
Sumatra is an island in the western part of Indonesia. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are shared between Indonesia and other countries), and the sixth largest island in the world. To the southeast is Java, separated by the Sunda Strait. To the north is the Malay Peninsula, separated by the Strait of Malacca. To the east is Borneo, across the Karimata Strait. West of the island is the Indian Ocean. Read More...
Kalimantan is the world third-largest island. The other third of Borneo is divided into the East Malaysian provinces of Sarawak and Sabah, plus the tiny oil-rich sultanate of Brunei. Kalimantan, with an area of 540,000sqkm, represents nearly 30% of the nation’s land area, but less than 5% of the population. Many foreign visitors are attracted by its wildlife and the whitewater rapids and the untracked depths of the jungle and many come to see the indigenous people the Dayaks. Read More...
Papua is the official Indonesian and internationally recognised name for the largest and easternmost province of Indonesia. Its capital is Jayapura. Within Indonesia and West Papua itself, 'Papua' usually refers to the entire western half of New Guinea despite its division into separate provinces. A central east-west mountain range dominates the geography of the island of New Guinea, over 1,600km in total length. The western section is around 600km long and 100km across. Read More...
Samosir Island is located in Lake Toba, a large crater lake in northern Sumatra. At 630 square kilometres – slightly smaller than Singapore – Samosir is the world’s largest island within an island. The island was born of a pair of dramatic prehistoric volcanic events, and was technically a peninsula until 1906, when the Dutch dug a canal through the narrow isthmus that attached it to the mainland. Read More...
Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air are three small, picturesque islands off the coast of north-west Lombok that have become popular tourist destinations since being ‘discovered’ by party-loving backpackers in the mid-eighties. Gili Trawangan still boasts an active nightlife scene, but all three islands have now been developed to cater to families and a wide range of other tourists Read More...
