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Indonesia


Indonesia is the fourth most populated nation in the world and the largest archipelago nation in the world, stretching for around 3200 miles between Australia and Asia at the crossroads of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with an amazing 17,000 or so islands, of which only roughly a third are inhabited. The most populated islands are Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Irian Jaya, and Java, and the most popular tourist destination is the island of Bali, famous for its pristine beaches, stunning scenery and friendly welcome. Equally attractive though considerably moiré tranquil is the island of Lombok, fast becoming a popular tourist destination. Alternatively visit bustling Jakarta, see the Komodo dragons on the island of the same name, or go wildlife spotting in the jungles of Sumatra or Kalimantan.
Fast Facts
Capital City: Jakarta
Population: 245,000,000 (estimate), with around 13.2 million living in Jakarta
Area: 742,308 square miles
Geography: The 17,508 islands, of which just a third are inhabited, that make up Indonesia are scattered across both sides of the equator between South East Asia and Australia, in both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The islands stretch over 3000 miles. The largest islands are Java (where the capital Jakarta can be found), Sumatra, Kalimantan (Indonesian part of Borneo), Sulawesi and New Guinea (shared with Papua New Guinea). Java is the most populous island in the world. Indonesia’s location at the edge of various tectonic plates means there is considerable seismic activity, and there are around 300 active volcanoes, including Krakatoa.  
Climate: Indonesia has a tropical climate, which varies between island groups, with distinct wet and dry seasons. The eastern monsoon season (June to September) brings the driest weather and the wettest weather occurs during the western monsoon (December to March). The highest rainfall occurs in the mountainous regions – west coast of Sumatra, West Java. Humidity is generally high (around 90%), though temperatures are constant year round (around 30 degrees Celsius in Jakarta).
Language: Bahasa Indonesian is the official national language though there are thought to be up to 600 other regional dialects still spoken, and the older generation may still speak Dutch as a second language, a hangover from colonial days.
Currency: Indonesian Rupiah Current rate £1 = Rp18,698.84
Time: Varies between GMT +7 and GMT +9 hours (Sumatra, Java and Western Borneo are GMT+7 hours; Sulawesi, Lesser Sunda Islands, Bali and Eastern Borneo are GMT+8 hours; and Papua and Maluku are GMT+9 hours.


Getting To Indonesia
By Air
The national airlines of Indonesia are Garuda International and Merpati Nusantara Airlines. There are almost no direct flights from the UK to Indonesia, with most travelling via Kuala Lumpur (Eva Air do operate one direct flight from London to Denpasar, Bali). Travel time from London to Jakarta is around 20 hours, and from London to Denpasar (Bali) is around 22 hours, including stopovers.
 
Airlines operating non direct flights to Jakarta’s Soekarino airport include Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Thai Airways, Eva Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Emirates, KLM Royal Dutch Airline, Lufthansa, Sri Lankan Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Air China, , China Airlines (Taiwan) and Yemenia Airways.
 
Airlines operating non direct flights to Bali’s Denpasar include Qantas Airways, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Eva Air, Royal Brunei Airlines, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, China Airlines (Taiwan),  and Japan Airlines.
 
Jakarta’s airport, 13 miles north west of the city, is a 45 minute bus ride from the city. Buses leave every half an hour. Bali’s Denpasar Airport is 8 miles south west of the city centre, a journey time of 30 minutes. There are also regular buses from the airport to the main resorts of Kuta, Ubud, Nusa Dua and Sanur. 
 
By Boat
There are high speed ferries that make the crossing from Malaysia to Sumatra, the most popular crossing being the route from Penang to Belawan (Medan), which takes around four hours. There are also ferry services from Malacca in Malaysia and the Philippines. Indonesia, and more specifically Bali, features on a number of Asian cruise itineraries. 
 
By Rail
A daily train and ferry service operates between Penang and Belawan.
 
By Road
Indonesia shares international land borders with Malaysia on Borneo, and with Papua New Guinea on Papua. Generally speaking road access is not a viable method of entering Indonesia – there are no road links with Sabah and the roads between Sarawak and Kalimantan are few and far between, and poorly maintained.


Getting Around Indonesia
By Air
Jakarta is linked with most the larger towns and cities in Indonesia by domestic flight. Garuda International, Air Asia, and Merpati Nusantara Airlines operate a good network of internal flights. It is also possible to get air passes (which must be bought from Garuda prior to arrival in Indonesia).
 
By Boat
The main ports in Indonesia are on Bali (Padang Bai and Benoa), Medan (Belawan), and Batam (Sekupang), as well as Jakarta itself. There are some luxurious passenger ships operating between the main ports, as well as the foreign cruise liners.
 
By Rail
There is a good network of rail services in Sumatra and Java.
 
By Road
Roads in Java, Sumatra and Bali are generally good, but on all the other islands the roads are not so well maintained making travel by road unpredictable. There are chartered buses operating on routes between most towns, and prices are generally low, though you will pay a premium for air conditioned travel. Taxis are widely available in towns and cities. Rickshaws and variants on them are also available throughout the country. 
 
Only Jakarta as an established bus service, and the network is comprehensive.


Top Ten Things to Do and See in Indonesia
JAKARTA, JAVA
Typical of so many Asian cities, Jakarta is a city of contrasts – ancient and modern, rich and poor, and in recent times as shrugged off its negative reputation and transformed itself into an Asian boom town and success story. There are numerous museums, a fascinating port, and a theme park, and at the centre of it all is Jakarta’s most famous landmark, the National Monument, or Monas. 132m high and topped with 35kg of gold, it was completed in 1975 after 14 years in the making. Take a lift to the top for great panoramic views of the city.       
 
BEACHES
Indonesia boasts some of the best beaches in the world, and Bali is perhaps the best known to travellers from the west. Kuta Bay was always one of the most popular beaches, offering cheap accommodation and a great nightlife, but the image of a carefree beach holiday was shattered forever when nightclubs were the target of terrorist bombs in October 2002. Things are recovering now, and tourists have returned to the area. Surfing is also popular on many beaches in Bali (Ulu Watu being one of the best known), as well as on Flores, Java, Lombok, Sumatra, Sumba and Sumbawa. Diving is also popular, and the coast off Indonesia is said to contain around 15% of the world’s total expanse of coral reef.
 
TREKKING
Many companies operate guided treks into the jungles of Kalimantan, the rainforests of Irian Jaya and Sumatra, and up the volcanic slopes of Java, Bali and Lombok. Some of the best trekking trails include a trip to the Bukit Barisan National Park In Sumatra, the Muller Mountain in Kalimantan, and up the slopes of Krakatoa on Java.
 
CAVES
Indonesia boasts some spectacular caves – Luweng Jaran on Java extends for over 125 miles under the Gunung Seuw mountains; Also on Java, Gua Barat is home to the longest underground river system in the Southern Hemisphere, and Gombong features stone towers which soar 40m above sea level.
 
ISLANDS
The Gilli Islands, off the north west coast of Lombok, provide a calm and tranquil alternative to the busier resorts of Bali. No motorised vehicles are allowed on the islands, transport being primarily by pony carriage. The beaches are stunning, and the diving and snorkelling sites numerous and beautiful. Accommodation on the islands is modest, but good value for moneyt. These are truly paradise islands, and there are plenty of other islands to choose from in Indonesia!   For example the Pulau Seribu are a series of 120 coral atolls and tropical islands which are confusingly called the Thousand Islands. Most of the islands are uninhabited and some are privately owned. The most visited islands are Onrust, Kelor, Putri, Ayer, Bidadari, and Kahyangan.
 
 
WILDLIFE
Indonesia is home to some fascinating indigenous species, and these can be viewed at a variety of locations. Just a short walk from the centre of Ubud, on Bali, is the Jalan Monkey Forest, which contains three troops of grey monkeys – you can feed the monkeys, but beware of jewellery and glasses, as they are known to like shiny objects! Recognised the world over as a successful breeding centre for endangered speices, the Taman Safari on Bogor is an 168 hectare safari park that is home to bears, Sumatran and albino tigers and rhinoceroses.
 
 
TEMPLES AND SHRINES
The Borobudur Temple in Java is reputed to be the largest Buddhist sanctuary in the world, and has over three miles of relief carvings on its walls. It is a miracle that it has survived as has over the years been damaged by volcanoes, terrorist bombs and the steady march of tourism. It is constructed out of two million stone blocks, set around a small hill, and was constructed some time between 750 and 842AD, some 300 years before Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. Best visited at either sunrise or sunset, this is a must for any visitor to Java. One of the main sights, if not THE sight on Bali, Pura Tanah Lot is unmissable. It is a little temple on a rocky islet just off the coast, and the view of the sun setting behind it is breathtakingly beautiful. Built in the early 1500s by a Javanese priest escaping persecution, the temple features a number of separate shrines, one of which is dedicated to the priest, another has five tiers and is the home of the Hindu divine trinity (Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu), and another is thought to be inhabited by a sacred snake. At low tide, the temple can be reached on foot.
 
SULAWESI
Unofficially called the Orchid Island, Sulawesi is a stunningly beautiful island, with high mountains, valleys and lakes. Popular attractions include the Bantimmurung Nature Reserve, home to thousands of exotic butterflies; the hot springs and geysers at Karumengan, Kinilow, Lahendong, Leilem and Makule and Torajaland, of the Land of the Heavenly Kings, where the dead are buried upright in Cliffside tombs.
 
SUMATRA
Sumatra boasts a number of popular attractions, including the Bohorok Orangutan Centre, the Karo Batak Highlands, Gunung Sibayak, Indonesia’s most accessible volcano, and Lake Toba, the largest lake in South East Asia, surrounded by towering mountains and with a large island (Samosir) at its centre.   




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