Exploring Indonesia's Charm: Why It's the Talk of the Travel World
I have heard so much about Indonesia lately between co-workers and social media. I had to know; why is everyone talking about Indonesia? What makes this far-off country in Southeast Asia so exciting and unique?
After some research, I booked a trip to experience it for myself. Now everyone has heard of Bali, the jewel of Indonesia but I wanted to see more than that, so I set out to explore as much as possible. What I discovered is this.
It is incredibly easy to find some of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in the world, you will rarely feel crowded outside of major cities. I found these facts both exciting and overwhelming, what is a girl to do? Where should I go? What do I want to see? With so much diversity in culture and landscape, how does one choose?
I learned that the country is scattered evenly over both sides of the equator. Indonesia is a vast country made up of over 17,508 islands, covering an area roughly the size of the United States. It is the fourth most populous nation globally, but most of the 250 million people live on the island of Java, and only 6000 islands out of the 17,508 are inhabited.
My Plan begins to formulate...
I knew that I could not possibly see everything in one trip. I decided that given Indonesia is lined with a mind-boggling 80,000 kilometers of coastline and the world's most extraordinary biodiversity of coral reef fish; it must have some of the best beaches, snorkeling and scuba diving in Southeast Asia. Boy, I was not disappointed. Indonesia is a truly breathtakingly, beautiful country!
But although the beaches and marine life here are the stars of the show, Indonesia has so much more to offer. For starters, forget the idea of Indonesia having one single identifiable culture; think of Indonesia more like the European Union than one single country. Each island often has its own unique culture, religion, and landscape, varying dramatically from place to place.
While it is true that Indonesia is predominantly Muslim, you will also find significant minorities of Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Confucian, and Animist belief systems, as well as temples and holy sites dotted throughout the Archipelago.
As for Indonesia's topography, it is just as varied as its people and its biodiversity. The uniquely shaped islands created by the most powerful tectonic forces on Earth are why the landscape features so many volcanoes throughout Indonesia. The volcanic ash that has accumulated over the years contributes, in part, to why Indonesia's land is green, lush, and fertile.
Indonesia is becoming much easier to access, with all sorts of budget and luxury airlines serving the nation from mainland Asia, Australia and indirect flights from Europe and North America.
I decided to start my trip on the island of Bali as it is easy to reach, and indeed, the most well-known destination in Indonesia. This little island packs a big punch between the beautiful and gracious locals and Hindu culture, remarkable beaches, countless restaurants, and luxury accommodations to choose from; on top of that, it is very well connected by air and sea via its central city of Denpasar. The right infrastructure from the constant and consistent growth seen over the past 20 years makes it possible for those, even on short trips to see most of what the island has to offer.
Bali has a distinctive Hindu culture, with many, many temples scattered around the island. The temples are open to everyone. Visiting the Balinese temples is number 2 on my list of top 10 must-do activities when visiting Indonesia; filled with statues and sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses and beautiful carvings. The two most famous, also happen to be the most unique seated upon the rough waves. We should all be so lucky to experience the enchanting and intangible qualities of these ancient temples Tanah Lot and Uluwatu.
I experienced so many delicious dishes while in Bali. The delicious but straightforward Nasi Goreng is typically served with fried chicken; found in every restaurant and street vendors cart on the island. Another dish, Bali Guling, my favorite of all the dishes I experienced in Indonesia, this tender suckling pig is flavorful and satisfying. The best place to find this tasty meal is at Warung Oka in Ubud.
Besides its enchanting temples, food, and culture, Bali boasts world-class beaches and a buzzing nightlife in Kuta. Ubud is where you can shop for Balinese arts, sculptures and jewelry as well as watch the enchanting traditional Kecak and Legong dance performances. In addition, there are numerous spas and retreats where you can unwind and enjoy some downtime, surrounded by the beautiful Bali landscape, with lush green hills, mountains, and rice paddies.
From Bali, I opted to head to the Gili Islands by ferry. The journey is beautiful, and the Gili Islands cater to all types of travelers. They are made up of 3 islands side by side: Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno.
Gili Trawangan is a nice balance of budget and luxury accommodation. It is the busiest of the three islands, with a buzzing and fun nightlife, and some good snorkeling and scuba trips available. I had a particularly memorable afternoon of swimming with the resident population of sea turtles.
Gili Meno is located between the other two islands and is very quiet. It caters more to a traveler who wants to relax and enjoy luxury accommodations, but again it offers many scuba and snorkeling trips if you find yourself getting bored! I mostly relaxed and took in the lovely views and spent some quality time with a good book and a few cocktails.
Gili Air is much like Gili Meno but is slowly becoming a little more popular with the backpacker crowd as Gili Trawangan is transforming slightly to cater to couples and families. However, it does have a broad range of accommodation suited to all tastes and has the highest local population of any of the Gili Islands. The nightlife here is much more low-key. From here you can organize plenty of diving and snorkeling trips, just like on all the Gili Islands.
Moving further East, my next destination was Lombok; dominated by the active volcano, Mount Rinjani, the second highest in Indonesia. I decided to schedule a climb with a guide up to the Segara Anak crater. The effort paid off because we ended up mesmerized by the lake at the top, this was truly an exceptional experience. Lombok is known for its surfing beaches, dotted around the island; I attempted a little surfing while there but as a novice cannot report any real affirmation to the quality of surf—all I can say is it was intense, and exhilarating being thrown around by the mighty Indian Ocean.
Once you venture further East of Lombok, you start to get well and truly off the beaten trail. My next stop was Komodo Island, known for the infamous Komodo Dragons; these are large prehistoric creatures that should be respected with a healthy distance between you and them.
It was a fascinating experience to be so close to the animal believed to be related to dinosaurs. I found that trips are best arranged from Labuan Bajo on the nearby Flores Island further to the East, as this has several diving operators and serves as the jumping-off point in the region. I was able to organize a trip to the remote and idyllic island of Seraya, which boasts fantastic snorkeling in clear azure waters just off the white sand beach. I stayed in a sweet little beach hut that could not have been more magical despite the rustic nature of it all.
Flores has a cultural flare that is entirely different from the nearby islands of Bali or Java; Flores cultivates its unique set of rules as 85% of locals are Roman Catholic but with a healthy dose of ancient Hindu and Indonesian traditions mixed in creating a rich heritage and welcoming people. The Flores Islands landscape could not be more remarkable featuring Mount Kelimutu a dormant volcano with three volcanic lakes, all of which regularly change color, from milky white to vibrant turquoise to blood-red; sometimes even within a few hours. We took a trek up for an especially magical sunrise view. Flores is home to Komodo Dragons, pink coral beaches, and turquoise blue waters. What a dream come true!
Few people venture even further East to regions such as West Timor and the Maluku Islands, but I was determined to experience as much of wonderful Indonesia as possible. Let me tell you the effort paid off with spectacular destinations, such as the Kei Islands, with quite possibly the whitest sand in the world, and the Banda Islands had hands down some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world, and they were steeped in colonial history. The Banda Islands are the original spice islands and birthplace of nutmeg and mace.
In fact, the Dutch and British went to war over this tiny Archipelago vying for control of this precious spice, which at the time was more valuable in weight than pure gold. So aside from the mind-blowing beaches and underwater coral gardens (and the chance to snorkel under an active volcano), you will find old fortresses swallowed partially by the forests and nutmeg trees they were once built to guard.
At the furthest point East, I had reached the outpost of Indonesia at Papua. Here I enjoyed hill tribe trekking and the offshore islands of Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat has the highest-level diversity of marine life in the world. It is becoming a mecca for divers, snorkelers, and marine biologists. However, the effort it takes to get here has so far meant it is still remarkably undeveloped, with only a few pockets of luxury accommodations and a sprinkling of homestays for the budget minded. It is a genuinely surreal experience to find yourself in this part of the world, surrounded by beauty in every direction, wonderful people in a nearly untouched natural environment. After a few days of swimming, diving, and adventuring around the Raja Islands I returned to Sorong to begin my long flight home, and this is where I ended my nearly 3-week journey through some of Indonesia.
I had such a life-altering and beautiful journey that I decided to plan another trip to explore the delights of Indonesia. While I have not taken this trip yet, my next journey will include Sulawesi, the star-shaped island in the northern reaches of Indonesia. It is home to hill tribes, fantastic trekking opportunities, and some exciting islands in the north such as Togean Islands, which I hear are much like the Gili Islands, but more remote and with even better underwater activities.
And finally, I will travel to the two most populous islands in the West, Java, and Sumatra, which offer something completely different from Indonesia's Eastern Islands. I look forward to standing witness to some fantastic historical sites like the Ancient Buddhist, and Hindu temples of Borobudur and Prambanan that I am told are on par with the infamous temples you find at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. I dream of the day when I am traveling in the central region of Java, with the highlight being Yogyakarta and the extraordinary landscape of mountains, caves, and waterfalls. Dominated by Volcanoes, East Java is the home of Baluran National Park and Mount Bromo. I am told that Mount Bromo is constantly emitting white smoke. Still, it is possible to climb to the crater, known for its fascinating religious significance to Hindu's, who built a temple at the volcano base and regularly perform rituals at the top.
Sumatra is another spot that is on my list next time I am in Indonesia. It is known to be culturally much more conservative, especially in many parts of the north and is the largest island in Indonesia. The highlights here are all about the rainforests, said to be the most pristine in the world. You bet that I will be exploring the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, home to many endangered species such as the Sumatran Elephant, the Sumatran Rhino (which are on the verge of extinction), and the Sumatran Tiger. It is a vast 3500km area and is also home to the largest and tallest flowers in the world the Rafflesia Arnoldii.
Indonesia is enchanting; it is a country of contrasts. There is something for literately everyone as it boasts diversity in cultures and landscapes that make this a truly remarkable and exhilarating place to travel and get to know. I could not see it all in one trip, but this is why Indonesia will keep calling me to come back again and again. Now I understand why everyone is talking about Indonesia, how could you not?
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