Top 10 Attractions in Indonesia

Top 10 Attractions in Indonesia

When most people picture Indonesia, their mind immediately goes to the famous island of Bali. While worthwhile to visit, the rest of the island nation has some of the most interesting and varied landscapes, cultures, and cuisines in all of Southeast Asia. From the jungles of Sumatra, to the underwater rainbow of Komodo and all of the islands in between, around, and besides them, one could easily travel this archipelago for years.

Indonesia is an outdoorsy person's dream. It's the land of beautiful beaches, volcano treks, world-class scuba diving and snorkeling, excellent waves for surfing, plus, it's home to one of the rarest creatures on earth - the Orangutan. Here you find the details of the destinations to visit in Indonesia.

1. Beaches in Bali

Beaches in Bali

The Island of Bali offers a heady mixture of high-energy nightclubs, jewelry shops and beaches. Long favored by Australian travelers, this dream destination is now popular the world over. In terms of romance, the island offers isolated, palm-lined beaches that stir the senses. For the more intimate experience, stay away from Kuta, where the nightlife is designed for partying. Nusa Lembongan, Amed and Sanur make for appealing getaways. The most popular beaches of Bali are: Kuta Beach, Nusa DUa, Nusa Lembongan, Amed, Sanur Beach.

2. Borobudur

 Borobudur

The ancient Temple Of Borobudur is believed to be built by the Sailendra Dynasty in the 8th or 9th century. There are no records of this but there are many engravings and scripture quotes carved into the stones of the Temple. It is located in the Kedu Valley, Indonesia and many refer to it as one of the great wonders of Indonesia.

3. Orangutans of Borneo

Orangutans of Borneo

The natural world never fails to surprise us, and this moving encounter between an orangutan and a man in Borneo has melted hearts all over the world.

Amateur photographer Anil Prabhakar captured the fleeting moment, in which one of the Indonesian island's critically endangered apes stretched out its hand to help a man out of snake-infested water.

4. The Gili Islands

The Gili Islands

The Gili Islands are a group of 3 tiny islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air – in Indonesia, near the coast of northwest Lombok Island. Characterized by sandy beaches fringed with palm trees, they're known for their coral reefs just offshore. On the smallest island of Gili Meno, sea turtles swim at Turtle Point. At Gili Trawangan, the largest island, a sunken ship sits at Wreck Point near Mentigi Beach.

5. Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park

Established in 1980, Indonesia’s Komodo National Park includes three large and many small islands in Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands. Initially planned to protect the Komodo dragon species, the park’s aims expanded to encompass protection of the area’s terrestrial and marine habitats in the context of a rapidly growing human population. In 1986, the park became a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

6. Sacred Monkey Forest

Sacred Monkey Forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest Ubud is a magical place where conservation and ecotourism mesh in the heart of a beautiful city.  The forest is literally in the center of Ubud which is the best reason to visit Bali, Indonesia.  Monkeys happen to be one of my favorite animals and I’ve been lucky with other monkey encounters.  In the dozen or so times I’ve seen them in Asia this forest had the most peaceful and friendly monkeys.

7. Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, is an active volcano and part of the Tengger massif, in East Java, Indonesia. At 2,329 meters (7,641 ft) it is not the highest peak of the massif, but is the best known. The massif area is one of the most visited tourist attractions in East Java, Indonesia. The volcano belongs to the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. The name of Bromo derived from Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu creator god.

Mount Bromo sits in the middle of a plain called the "Sea of Sand", a protected nature reserve since 1919. The typical way to visit Mount Bromo is from the nearby mountain village of Cemoro Lawang. From there it is possible to walk to the volcano in about 45 minutes, but it is also possible to take an organised jeep tour, which includes a stop at the viewpoint on Mount Penanjakan (2,770 m or 9,088 ft). The viewpoint on Mount Penanjakan can also be reached on foot in about two hours.

Depending on the degree of volcanic activity, the Indonesian Centre for Volcanology and Disaster Hazard Mitigation sometimes issues warnings against visiting Mount Bromo.

8. Lake Toba

Lake Toba

Lake Toba is a large natural lake in North Sumatra, Indonesia, occupying the caldera of a super volcano. The lake is located in the middle of the northern part of the island of Sumatra, with a surface elevation of about 900 metres (2,953 ft). The lake is about 100 kilometres long, 30 kilometres wide, and up to 505 metres (1,657 ft) deep. It is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world. Lake Toba Caldera is one of the nineteen Geoparks in Indonesia, which is recognized in July 2020 as one of the UNESCO Global Geopark.

9. Mount Krakatau

Mount Krakatau

Krakatoa, is a caldera in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in the Indonesian province of Lampung. The caldera is part of a volcanic island group (Krakatoa Archipelago) comprising four islands: two of which, Lang and Verlaten, are remnants of a previous volcanic edifice destroyed in eruptions long before the famous 1883 eruption; another, Rakata, is the remnant of a much larger island destroyed in the 1883 eruption.

In 1927, a fourth island, Anak Krakatau, or "Child of Krakatoa", emerged from the caldera formed in 1883. There has been new eruptive activity since the late 20th century, with a large collapse causing a deadly tsunami in December 2018.

10. Pura Tanah Lot

Pura Tanah Lot

Although it is not one of the most important temples in Bali, thanks to its incredible location, the Pura Tanah Lot Temple is without a doubt one of the most famous and visited by tourists. Due to its proximity to the main tourist destinations in the south of the island, the Pura Tanah Lot is visited every day by thousands of people attracted by one of the best-known prints in Bali, the figure of the Tanah Lot bathed by the waters off the Balinese coast.