Indonesia Travel Guide

/ Asia / Indonesia / Introduction

In a nutshell

The world's largest archipelago, Indonesia has many contrasting wonders. It is bordered by two oceans (the Indian and the Pacific), its land plunging deep only to rise again into volcanic peaks. The green carpet of rainforest gives way to the white sheet of snow at the Jayavijaya mountain range. Outside the capital of Jakarta, where skyscrapers and neon-lit bars signal its modernity, are hundreds of mosques and temples, the most astonishing of being Borobudur in Java-the country's single most visited attraction.

Cultural melting pot

About 300 ethnic groups comprise Indonesia's 17,508 islands. Each of these tribes has its distinct dialect, ethnicity, cuisine and culture shaped by centuries of trade and colonialism with Arabs, Indians, Chinese, Europeans, and Malays. Traditional Balinese and Javanese dances, for instance, contain fragments of Hinduism, as seen in wayang kulit (shadow puppet) shows. Although Indonesia is the largest Islamic country in terms of population, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Protestant traditions are observed. Bali is a different case since 93 percent of its inhabitants are Hindus. Despite the differences, Indonesians are united by one mother tongue, Bahasa and the motto: "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" (Unity in Diversity).

Land of the dragon and the early human

The second highest biodiversity in the planet (after Brazil) is home to the world's biggest monitor lizard, the komodo, which thrives in Komodo Island. The country's white-sand beaches, dive spots, surfing destinations and wildlife reserves are considered as among the best in the world. Borneo, an island shared with Malaysia, contains the world's last remaining Asian orangutans. Indonesia is also home to the two-million-year-old Java Man or Homo Erectus. Relics of an 18,000-year-old hominid species, fondly called "hobbits," were found in the island of Flores.