Travelling in Indonesia. Which are the unmissable sights and experiences
Indonesia is a huge country, some people call it a continent. Well, it stretches almost 5000 km from West to East and this is comparable to Europe or America. So, there is no wonder – Indonesia is such a diverse countries with so many cultures to enjoy, sites to visit and experiences to have. Indonesia has no less than 6000 inhabited islands and hundreds of languages spoken. Well, I could write thousands and thousands of data about this huge country, but I limit myself to only a few information, as you can consult others here.
Here I want to share and recommend the best experiences I have had in Indonesia during my past travels. Yes, it is impossible to say “I’ve seen Indonesia”. You need years and years to “see it”, but for sure even if you stay a short time, you will be able to have some experiences to remain forever in your mind and heart… So, let’s go.
- Bali. It is impossible not to love Bali. I believe Bali is the place on Earth which is closest to how I imagine paradise. Everywhere you turn your head you see the fresh green of ricefields or just grass in general and there are millions of flowers. Actually, the Balinese use these incredible flowers for their prays and taking into account their beauty is impossible not to give them some Gods-send feeling. What you can do in Bali ? Well, I think this is a highly cultural island – the locals although they are now connected to the whole World and hordes of tourists disembark daily were able to keep their costumes and habits. In many places of the world, local people wear their traditional attire just for the tourists shows, but in Bali, the traditional sarongs are used on a daily basis in the most natural way. You should visit the main temples of the island, including the Mother-Temple Pura Besakih or the Water-Temple (Ulun Danu Beratan), but you should not avoid any of the smaller temples. You should walk or cycle next to the rice fields, you should live the flowers of the Botanical Garden next to the Water Temple and for anything in the world, do not miss the sunset at Tanah Lot. Traditions in Bali are not only expressed by religion or clothes, but also by their dances. Try to go to some shows, there are countless shows in Ubud and not only where you can enjoy the delicate female legong dance or the fierce war-like kecak. You can read more of my stories here.
- Java – this is the most populated island of Indonesia – almost 150 million people live here, but although it is so densely populated, you will find some stunning places – first of all, do not miss the incredible complexes of Borobudur (Buddhist) and Prambanam (Hindu), close to the city of Yogyakarta. Or just visit the Bromo volcano in the Eastern part of the island.
- Sulawesi – it is famous for its deserted, but wonderful beaches and diving sites, but in the middle of the island you will find a population which follows some strange and bloody burial traditions (some parts of it you can find in the neighbouring Phillipines or Malaysia). The area is called Tana Toraja and if somebody dies, the dead person is not incinerated or buried immediately, but the dead is preserved until all family comes from wherever they live and a big feast including the compulsory bulls sacrifices is held – it is the biggest even in someone’s life. Well, I’ve been to one of these ceremonies and what I can tell you – it is not for fainthearted or for deep animal lovers.
- Flores – somewhere on this underdeveloped but wildly beautiful island, near the village of Moni you could find 3 lakes of volcano origin – although they are next to each other, each of them has another colour. On top, their colour changes each 10 years (I’ve seen them in 2004, so, I need to go back :)). There is some chemistry involved, but no chemist was able to explain scientifically this miracle. Forget about explanations – go out and enjoy !
If you want to visit Indonesia (and trust me, it will be a life-time experience), you can book online the hotels. There are so many hotels across the nation, from the basic and cheap to the most luxurious ones. You can stay in good hotels like Crowne Plaza Semarang where you will find both the local touch, but all the amenities you are familiar with.
If you’ve been to Indonesia or Crowne Plaza Semarang Hotel, I would curious to learn your impressions… here, below, at the comments section J . Thank you.
