“How many of the 17000 islands that Indonesia has will we manage to visit in 30 days?” This was the question that I asked myself when we chose Indonesia as the next destination after Thailand.
The 30 days visa which we got on arrival at the airport was not enough for us, so we chose to come back in Indonesia and explore it as it should be done. In the months that we spent there, we had the chance to explore Indonesia from north to south and from east to west. But the paradox is that the more time we spent exploring it, the more we wanted to remain in Indonesia because it is a complex country that requires time. The nation’s natural diversity is stunning, seductive and inspiring, from the snow-capped peaks in Papua, sandalwood forests in Sumba, dense jungle in Borneo and impossibly green rice paddies in Bali. Indonesian reefs are a driver’s fantasy while the surf breaks above are the best anywhere.
- Sunrise at Borobudur
The restless little village of Borobudur, may at first seem to be nothing but a fairly inconsequential farming village, but looks tricky because actually it’s home of the most important Buddhist sites in the world and one of the finest temple complexes in SE Asia.
Borobudur is best witnessed at sunrise, when morning mint hangs over the lush surrounding valley and distant hills.
- Gunung Bromo
An amazing landscape of epic proportions and surreal beauty, Gunung Bromo has always been one of Indonesia’s most breath-taking sights.
- Rice fields in Ubud
Bali has many working rice fields and most of them in the center of the island but Ubud is home to the most recognizable rice field, Tegalalang.
- Snorkelling around Gili Islands
Decorated with dazzling white-sand beaches, limpid turquoise waters and reefs full with turtles and fish, the trio of tiny Gili Islands just off Lombok’s northwest coast are beautiful and increasingly popular.
- Dragons of Komodo
The world’s largest lizards exist on just five Indonesian islands – Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Padar. They are truly fearsome, possessing toxic bites, allowing them to hunt and kill far bigger animals – even humans.
- Mt. Ijen
Mt. Ijen is famed for having some of the most astonishing views on the island, due in large part to the surrounding volcanoes, as well as the picturesque turquoise lake that lies in the volcano’s crater. This lake is also the largest acidic lake on earth!
Picture from: bromoeastjava.com
- Lake Toba
Lake Toba is a must visit when considering fun things to do in Indonesia, and is situated on it’s biggest island – Sumatra. Lake Toba is the biggest volcanic lake in the world and at 450m, one of the deepest lakes too.
- Bukit Lawang
Lost in the depths pf the Sumatra jungle is this sweet little tourist town built around an orang-utan viewing centre.
- Coffee plantation
Indonesia is among the world’s top coffee producing and exporting countries. Most of production constitutes the lower quality robusta type. Indonesia is also famous for having a number of specialty coffees such as ‘kopi luwak‘ (known as world’s the most expensive coffee) and ‘kopi Mandailing. Today, Indonesia’s coffee plantations cover a total area of approximately 1.24 million hectares, 933 hectares of robusta plantations and 307 hectares of arabica plantations.
- The Romantic Pink Beach
Pink Beach, or Pantai Merah, as it is aptly named, is one of seven pink beaches on the planet, and is just one of the many amazing features of Komodo Island that make it truly a Natural Wonder of Nature. This exceptional beach gets its striking color from microscopic animals called Foraminifera, which produce a red pigment on the coral reefs.
For this reason, it is called Red Beach in the local tongue. When the tiny fragments of red coral combine with the white sands, this produces the soft pink color that is visible along the shoreline.
- Kedung Pedut Waterfall
- Green Bowl Beach
Getting to Green Bowl can be quite a task but once there, you can expect a quiet, secluded beach and world-class surf.
- Uluwatu temple
Pura Luhur Uluwatu or Uluwatu Temple is a famous Balinese sea temple in Bali. It is one of the nine directional temples of Bali meant to protect it from evil spirits. This spectacular temple is one to marvel with as it perched at the edge of the rock overlooking the sea as if on guard.
- Lombok Island
Millions of people visit Bali each year seeking a beach paradise, but they may do better looking about 30 miles east, to the lesser-known island of Lombok, known for its good surf, spectacular beaches and mountainous interior, or the neighbouring Gili Islands, ringed by coral reefs.
- Tanah Lot
The word of Tanah Lot is consisted of two words that are Tanah word interpreted as a reef looking like gili or isle. Lot or Lod word has meaning the sea.
So Tanah Lot is meaning the small island floating on the sea.
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You should go to Bandung city Next time…our city is known as Culinary City, you can find 5star food with as low as street food price here…
its inspiring to read your story.. around the world just with minimalist costs… dont care what the people said just do what you do and inspire more people out there…
17,000! Wow I didn’t know Indonesia had that many islands! Which island was your favorite?