Indonesia is a land of mountains, volcanoes, dense forests, attractive beaches, spectacular natural beauty, which draws the attention of various tourists throughout the year. With its glorious temples, huge mosques, museums Indonesia is a house of several magnificent Indonesia Tourist Attractions.

Attractions in Indonesia

Java- Jakarta – The capital city of Jakarta retains much from the colonial Dutch and British periods, with many fine colonial-style buildings and the recently restored old quarter. You can visit at The National Monument towers, Merdeka Square, The Central Museum, Portuguese Church, Istiqlal Mosque etc. If you want to shop, then antiques market on Jalan Surabaya and batik factories in the Karet are the perfect place for you. Throughout the island, puppet shows are staged in which traditional wayang golak and wayang kulit marionettes act out stories based on well-known legends; performances can sometimes last all night.

Sumatra- The second-largest island in Indonesia is Sumatra, which is a house of the volcanic mountain range, hot springs, unexplored jungle and extensive plantations. Bengkulu, Gedung Wani and Mount Loeser Reserve are some of the amazing Reserve forests. The popular Indonesia Tourist Attractions situated in Sumatra are, Lake Toba, Lingga village, Bukittinggi’s Fort de Kock that located close to the zoo, market, a refurbished rice barn and the Bundo Kandung Museum and the most attractive beaches on the east coast.

Sulawesi- Popularly known as Orchid Island, Sulawesi is a land of high mountains, misty valleys and lakes, geysers and hot springs like Karumengan, Kinilow, Lahendong, Leilem and Makule. In the south is Bantimurung Nature Reserve which has thousands of exotic butterflies. The island has geysers and hot springs, the most celebrated of which are at Karumengan, Kinilow, Lahendong, Leilem and Makule. Torajaland is known as the ‘Land of the Heavenly Kings’ and its people are noted for their richly ornamented houses and custom of burying the dead in vertical cliffside tombs. Ujung Pandang, formerly Makassar, is celebrated for the Pinsa Harbour where wooden schooners of the famous Buganese seafarers are moored. Fort Rotterdam, built by Sultan Ala in 1660 to protect the town from pirates, is now being restored. Racing is a popular island activity; there is horseracing and bullock-racing and at Ranomuut there are races with traditional horse-drawn carts.

Bali- With its spectacular white beaches, verdant jungle and mountain, Bali is a tropical paradise.

The landscape of Bali ‘is made up of volcanic mountains, lakes and rivers, terraced ricefields, giant banyans and palm groves and, on the coast, bays ringed with white sandy beaches. Bali is famous for its crafts and adventurous activities, which are organized on the southern beaches. The island lies a short distance from the eastern coast of Java, across the Strait of Bali. The tourist areas are in the south, around Sanur Beach and at Kuta, which lies on the other side of a narrow isthmus. The island also has thousands of temples – the exact number has never been counted – ranging from the great Holy Temple at Besakih to small village places of worship.

Lombok- It is a land of temples local handicrafts like rattan baskets and woven fabrics. Lombok is a popular tourist destination where you can visit at the Senggigi Beach, Gili Islands, Gunung Rinjani, and Desert Point well known for surfing. The island possesses one of the highest volcanic mountains in the Indonesian archipelago, Mount Rindjani,. The two main towns are Mataram, the capital, and the busy port of Ampenan; both are interesting to explore. The south coast is rocky. The west, with shimmering rice terraces, banana and coconut groves and fertile plains, looks like an extension of Bali. The east is dry, barren and desert-like in appearance. The north, the region dominated by Mount Rindjani, offers thick forests and dramatic vistas. There are also some glorious beaches, some of white sand, others, such as those near Ampenan, of black sand. At Narmada there is a huge complex of palace dwellings, complete with a well containing ‘rejuvenating waters’, built for a former Balinese king. At Pamenang, visitors can hire a boat and go diving, entering a clear-water world of brilliantly colored coral and inquisitive tropical fish.

Yogakartas- Capital of Java Yogakarta is the centre of educational, cultural and economic activity. You must see the premier university of Indonesia, the Gajah Mada University and various arts centers, markets, galleries, craft shops and bazaars.

Moluccan Archipelago- Also known as the Maluku Archipelago, it is made up of 1000 islands, many uninhabited and the rest so isolated from each other and from the outside world that each has its own culture and very often its own language. Halmahera is the largest island in the Moluccan group and one of the most diverse. Banda, in the middle of the Banda Sea, is often referred to as the original ‘Spice Island’ and is famous as a nutmeg-growing center. At present, the islands are popular for diving and snorkeling.

Nusa Tengara Archipelago- Nusa Penida was at one time a penal colony but now attracts visitors to its dramatic seascapes and beaches. Komodo is home to the world’s largest and rarest species of monitor lizard, while Sumba is noted for its beautiful Ikat cloth. Mount Keli Mutu is one of Indonesia’s most spectacular natural sights, famous for its three crater lakes, whose striking colors change with the light of the day. little since the Bronze Age, yet the islands’ inhabitants are renowned as musicians and palm weavers. The Terawangan Islands is a small group with beautiful beaches and coral gardens. Lucipara has excellent waters for snorkeling. Bone Rate, Kangean, Tenggaya and Tukang Besi is a group of isolated islands in the Flores and Banda seas, epitomizing a tropical paradise.

By: Raman Verma

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