Indonesia, this is a wonderful country. A place where you will find many things on this beautiful, green island called the equatorial emerald. A charming country with the charm of natural and cultural diversity, combined with friendly people who are able to give a deep impression.
Indonesia or Nusantara, another name, is the largest archipelago in the world with a total of 17,508 islands. Consists of 5 large islands and 30 small island groups. The archipelago is formed from mountains stretching from west to east, crossed by the Equator and is located between continents, the Asian Continent and the Australian Continent, and is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, placing it in strategic areas in the world.
With thousands of islands stretching along 5,120 km, Indonesia’s territory comprises 30% of the land, while the remaining 70% is ocean. This large area makes Indonesia the size of the United States or the equivalent distance between London and Moscow. Famous islands in Indonesia are Sumatra, Java, Bali, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua, then the rest are small islands. Each island has a unique culture, customs, beliefs, food, historical stories, and the beauty of the natural landscape that can make anyone amazed.
Indonesia has a population of more than 235 million people or the fourth most populous in the world. It consists of approximately 350 ethnic groups with 483 languages and cultures. Imagine the diversity and cultural richness that can live together in harmony. The majority of the population is Muslim and is famous for its very large number of mosques and the biggest contributor to the pilgrims in the world.
Today, after six decades of independence, Indonesia has become the third largest democracy in the world. The international community has known the Indonesian people because of its moderation and tolerance. Indonesia is known by the world community to have successfully overcome conflicts of religious and racial differences.
Since centuries this region has been visited by various nations namely India, China, Arabia, and Persia. They have left a cultural heritage that you can still enjoy today. Next several European and Japanese nations came to this country, namely the Portuguese, Spanish, English, Dutch, and Japanese, they were tempted by the extraordinary wealth of this country and then succeeded in establishing a colonial and occupation government.
Indonesia is a country with a high artistic taste with a wealth of traditional arts which not only creates but has succeeded in bringing it to the highest level. Religious ceremonies and rituals that exist in almost all regions make a unique attraction for tourists. Traditional handicraft items such as sparkling gems from Martapura, gold in Surabaya and silver in Yogyakarta, enjoying traditional and contemporary music, exotic and meaningful dances, modern cosmopolitan life in big cities while shopping for various world-class products from fashion in various boutique, to crafts. If you are interested why not shop around for local goods sold in traditional markets and roadside, of course you can issue bargaining skills.
Do not miss also for adventures to taste a variety of culinary flavors from Lesbian on the roadside to famous restaurants of international class. Do not forget to also shop while bringing home souvenirs. You can also be impressed with 327 types of native Nusantara textiles, such as batik, songket, embroidery, ikat, and many others, made of silk or cotton with traditional and modern regional motifs. There are so many skilled crafts that can be an appropriate and memorable gift for people who are waiting for your travel story.
If you are brave, why not start getting ready for an adventurous nature or marine tourism adventure for a week that can provide a memorable personal experience. If you want to travel on small islands in the archipelago then this will be an exciting experience. Not because there are still many unexplored islands, not even named but you will also be amazed by the view of the mountain, waterfalls that flow into the rivers, the coolness of tropical forests combined with the open sea, surfing in the waves surging or diving in the depths of the blue sea. Well, what if you try swimming with dugongs, dolphins, or big mantaray.
Indonesia is blessed with beautiful nature from fertile rice fields in Java and beautiful terraces in Bali with its exotic culture. There are many luxurious tropical rainforests in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi, or vast meadows as if without limits the savannah of Nusa Tenggara. What if you were provided with a place to climb to the top of the eternal iceberg in Jaya Wijaya, Papua?
The Indonesian Sea holds ordinary wealth. It is estimated, the area of coral reefs in the world reaches 284,300 square kilometers. Indonesia has around 18% of the world’s coral reefs, with the highest biodiversity of more than 2500 species of fish, 590 types of rock corals, 2500 types of mollusks, and 1500 types of crustaceans. Under the sea, scientists found prehistoric coelacanth fish in North Sulawesi. Here are hundreds of amazing species of fish and coral. In Sumatra, Paedocypris progeneticaini fish are found that are only the size of a mosquito with a length of 7.9 mm, there is also Python reticulata in Sulawesi, which has a length of 10 meters.
Various types of terrestrial flora and fauna live in Indonesia ranging from giant dragons from prehistoric times as the world’s largest lizard species that live on the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Gili Dasami in Nusa Tenggara. Indonesia has the most shark species in the world with 150 shark species, one of which is a spotted shark. There are also orangutans in Kalimantan, one-horned rhinoceros in Java, anoa in Sulawesi, dwarf buffalo, beautiful crested cockatoo, and birds of paradise in Papua that seem to reflect the unspoiled appeal of the island.
Don’t forget, Indonesia is also the habitat of Rafflesia arnoldi, the largest flower in the world that lives in Bengkulu. Indonesia has the largest orchid biodiversity in the world with 6 thousand species of orchids, ranging from the largest, namely the tiger orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum) to the smallest such as Taeniophyllum which is not leafy, including rare black orchids and only found in Kalimantan and Papua. Indonesia also has various types of spices, scented wood and a variety of fruits.
Indonesia has thousands of cities in Jakarta, located on the north coast of West Java. The city is the center of government, the center of business and finance. A large, modern metropolitan city with a population of 9 million people. Jakarta is now a place of cultural mixing of all different ethnic groups from all over Indonesia.
Other major cities in Indonesia such as Bali, Medan, Padang, Bandung, Solo, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Makassar are connected by national and international flights. There are regular planes that can take you to various cities in Indonesia or remote islands where an exploration and tour can begin on this equatorial emerald.
