Why Visit Indonesia
Indonesia may not be the first place many people would think to go, but it is a truly hidden gem in Southeast Asia, even though it is a giant in size, having more than 17,000 islands with 240 million people!
You will find that many tourists love coming to Indonesia because of how beautiful and diverse this country is. Known to many as Wonderful Indonesia, it brings you the second-largest tropical forests, many pristine beaches with excellent dive sites and surfing waves, and amazing hikes to active volcanoes and wildlife.
Being a large country in size with such diverse cultures and covering many time-zones, one can find from mysterious Balinese spiritual to the fascinating Komodo Dragon. Indonesia is still very much off the radar of the travel map, except for Bali, with its infrastructures still lacking and development very much challenged. Backpackers can enjoy the thrill of exploring the unbeaten tracks, while luxury seekers may find that they do indeed have many choices as well.
Natural Tourist Attractions
Indonesia has most of nature’s best, from pristine beaches and deep sea to tropical forests and mountains. Be wowed by idyllic beaches like the famous Bali, the emerging Lombok, the luxurious Nusa Dua, or the quiet Gili Islands. You may also find hiking here amazing as you can hike up the many active volcanoes, such as Mount Bromo and Ijen Crater in East Java, Mount Rinjani in Lombok, and Mount Batur in Bali.
Many tropical forests here are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Indonesia, like Ujung Kulon National Park in West Java and three significant parks in Sumatra. Not to forget is the famous Komodo Dragon found on Komodo Island and the permanent glacier at Lorentz National Park in Papua, a part of Indonesia that gives it an edge over its Asia counterparts.
Historical Attractions and Ancient Rites
For those interested in historical and cultural tourist attractions, Indonesia has a long history, giving birth to places like Borobudur in Central Java with its world’s largest Buddhist monument dating from the 8th century, Prambanan with its Hindu monument, and the famous Yogyakarta, all in Central Java.
For more historical interests, check out the ancient funeral rites still in practice by the people in Tana Toraja.
Diving and Surfing
Many beautiful dive sites, such as Bunaken, Raja Ampat, and Wakatobi, go unnoticed in Indonesia. You’ll also be surprised that it is another surfer’s paradise, with great waves at Nusa Lembongan, south of Lombok, or even greater waves at Sumbawa or Mentawai Island.
People, Culture, Festival, and Indonesian Food
With people from diverse origins and religions, Indonesia has a good mix of cultures and Indonesian festivals, creating a unique melting pot of sorts. But one thing similar about the people is that they are generally nice to travelers.
Diverse cultures bring amazing food of varieties and tastes. Try out all the delicious Indonesian food such as nasi padang, nasi timbel, nasi uduk, bakmi, kuetiaw, bakso, soto ayam, ayam bakar, gado gado, sambal, kue and fresh local fruits just to name a few. From street food to eating houses (restaurants) to higher-end dining, you can be sure to satiate your appetite in Indonesia. Here’s Top 10 Indonesian food for you to start with.
Overall, Indonesia has a lot to offer, even for those who travel on a budget in Indonesia but are willing to take the extra time and effort to get to some places, which is good to know is worth it.
In summary, you should go to Indonesia for the untouched nature of beaches, tropical forests, active volcanoes and wildlife, the magnificent history of monuments, and excellent diving and surfing. But most of all, you should go to Indonesia to experience all it has to offer, from people to culture and food, which in the end, seal up what we would call a fulfilling and unforgettable trip.
Hi Rachel,
I was wondering if there is anything stopping people from going to Indonesia? I am doing a project, and I want to prove that muslim countries are not to be damaged because of a western mindset.
Thanks.
I have visited java 3 times since July 2015 and will be going again in march 2017.prior to July 2015 the last time I was in java was 1998.
to set the scene I am in my seventies & after a severe heart attack in 2011, I decided I was going back to java as a tourist.
my advice to people is to go with an open mind and enjoy what is one of the most diverse, beautiful, friendly places to visit.
my first suggestion is from Jakarta take the train from gambir station to Bandung the 3-hour trip is fabulous with incredible scenery along the way.
you have only a short time to experience this adventure as a new rail line will be finished in about 2 years.
the very fast train will take only 36 minutes to traverse the 160 km so you won’t see very much.
Great article, thanks for the tips! As the largest archipelago in the world, Indonesia is a fascinating place to visit. However, there are also quite a number of crooks who target tourists in the country.
Do be wary of the unlicensed tour guides/temple touts, Kuta beach touts, blessing scam, Jalan Malioboro batik/art scam, sarong touts, market (Ubud/Kuta art market) scam, pickpockets, Ubud monkey forest scam, fake bus ticket, modern bus bait and many more!