5 Places to Visit in Indonesia
Explore the Beauties: 5 Places to Visit in Indonesia (No. 3 Will Surely Amaze You)
Never been in Indonesia? Well, what a waste. Every traveller should at least visit Indonesia once in a lifetime to fulfill their travel dreams, including YOU! Let’s forget about Bali for a second because it’s, probably, the most popular place in Indonesia to visit for you all. To convince you more, with at least 13,000 islands surrounding the country as home of a diverse array of cultures, Indonesia has all the beauties you’re always dying to visit in your dreams. Indonesia is surrounded by oceans, massive highlands and beautiful mounts. By its very nature, Indonesia is all about natural beauties. And while there are too many beautiful places you must visit while you are in Indonesia, for a quick start, here are 5 places to visit in Indonesia, and watch out for the 3rd. (Psstt…. we are excluding Bali from this list).
1.Mount Bromo, East Java
Mount Bromo, located in East Java, is touted as one of top a-must visit destinations while you are in Indonesia. About 4 hours from region’s capital Surabaya, Mount Bromo is part of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park which covers over 800 square kilometers area. Compared to other volcanoes in Indonesia, Bromo is not quite as high as the others which is only 2392 meters in height. But it offers magnificent views when it’s time for sunrise and sunset. At the top of Bromo, you can stand against the sun and Mount Semeru, which is the tallest mountain in Java.
Alternatives: Mount Semeru (East Java), Mount Prau (Central Java), Mount Sumbing (Central Java), Mount Merbabu (Central Java), Mount Slamet (Central Java), Mount Sindoro (Central Java), and Mount Rinjani (West Nusa Tenggara), etc.
2. Lake Toba, North Sumatra
If you have fear of heights, Bromo might not your best choice. So let’s move a bit to the North. North Sumatra has its own uniqueness to stand out against the most popular places to visit in Indonesia you might already know. Let’s call it Lake Toba, located in North Sumatra about 6-7 hours from region’s capital Medan City. Lake Toba is one of the widest lakes in the world with approximately 1,145 square kilometers and a depth of about 500 meters. Rather than a lake, Lake Toba is more like an ocean. You can cross the lake to visit Pulau Samosir (Samosir Island), the center of Batak People, to learn more about Batak cultures while enjoying the lake itself. You can also enjoy wide variety of foods and drinks of the locals.
Nearby Places to Visit: Sipisopiso Waterfall (Tongging), Berastagi (Tanah Karo), Lau Kawar (Lake Kawar, Tanah Karo), Parapat, etc.
3. Raja Ampat, Papua
Indonesia is very proud to invite you to visit Raja Ampat, located in Papua, the easternmost of Indonesia. As its name suggests, Raja Ampat or “Four Kings” is the name that represents the local myth. You can find four major islands while exploring it, the deep blue sea and scenic islands will accompany your journey. And don’t forget about the underwater. Raja Ampat is also a perfect site for underwater activities. It consists of 9.8 million acres of land and sea, more than 540 types of corals, 1,000 types of coral fish and 700 types of mollusks.
Some useful tips: According to Wonderful Indonesia’s Official Site, October to November is the best time to visit Raja Ampat if you intend to enjoy diving the underwater. It’s also the perfect time to do photography.
More to Visit: Gili Trawangan (West Nusa Tenggara), Kelimutu (Flores Island), Lake Sentani (Intan Jaya, Papua), etc.
4. Komodo National Park, East Nusa Tenggara
While you enjoy exploring the nature, don’t forget to interact with the creatures. In Komodo National Park you can interact directly with the Komodo Dragons, which can only be found in this National Park. This is one of famous creatures which is endangered. To witness what kind of dragon that does not fly, does not spurt fire, and does not cast magic spell by yourself, all you have to do is visit Komodo National Park, located in East Nusa Tenggara.
More to Visit: Kawah Ijen/Ijen Crater (Banyuwangi, East Java), Baluran National Park (East Java), Weh Island (Aceh), etc.
5. Bunaken National Park, North Sulawesi
You won’t get enough when it comes to swimming with other creatures in the clean and blue sea of Bunaken Marine Park. You will enjoy watching various strange yet colorful marine life along its sea bed. It’s a perfect place to do scuba diving and you have plenty of spots to choose. Bunaken National Park is one among those popular places in the world for divers.
More to Visit: Tana Toraja (South Sulawesi), Borobudur (Yogyakarta, Central Java), Tanjung Puting (Central Kalimantan), Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara).
