Michael Turtle – TIME TRAVEL TURTLE
It can be hard to get your head around Indonesia before you visit. Even once you’ve been, you know there’s so much more you haven’t yet experienced. And that’s because, by its very nature, it’s a diverse country full of a range of cultures.
Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, with more than 6000 inhabited islands stretched across thousands of kilometres. You’ll find large populations of all the world’s major religions, and different histories and languages.
Of course, there’s the popular tourist island of Bali, which has seen a lot of development over the years but is still hanging on to its agricultural heritage. And on the largest island of Java, there’s the capital of Jakarta and other famous landmarks like Borobudur Temple and Mount Bromo.
But as you explore further afield, you’ll find other delights like the orangutans of Borneo, the incredible snorkelling in Raja Ampat, and the exotic Komodo Island.
JAKARTA’S OLD BATAVIA >> THE BEST THINGS TO SEE <<
A lot of tourists avoid visiting Jakarta and, it’s true, it can be an unpleasantly chaotic city. But there are also some wonderful things to see, like the heritage of Old Batavia.
THE KECAK FIRE DANCE >> SEE IT FOR YOURSELF IN BALI <<
You can find different performances of the Ramayana legend all across Indonesia but none is as dramatic as the Kecak Fire Dance that takes place on the clifftops of Uluwatu in Bali.
YOGYAKARTA’S ROYAL PALACE >> A HIGHLIGHT OF THE CITY <<
There’s plenty of wonderful heritage to see around Yogyakarta and it’s easy to see why this is often the favourite city of visitors to Indonesia. One of the highlights is the beautiful Royal Palace of Yogyakarta.