Indonesia. Known to anthropologist and naturalist as ‘The Malay Archipelago” and famed throughout must history as the eagerly sought “Spice Islands” of the east-Indonesia is still today an inexhaustible storehouse of historical marvels and the single most extraordinary collection of peoples, places, sights, sounds and natural wonders in the world. Collectively, these islands constitute one of the most exciting and rewarding travel travel destinations on earth!
Get to know Indonesia…
Indonesia is an adventure into a culturally fascinating and wonderfully scenic paradise. The world’s largest archipelago stretches across the equator for more than 5,000 miles and 17,000 islands along the explosively volcanic and incredibly fertile “Ring of Fire.” Tropical rain forest saturated with vegetation and bursting with life thrive here: eternal snow capped mountain peaks defy the senses and contrast with exotic white-sand beaches idling in the laps of warm tropical seas; living forest of coral fringe equatorial shores of marine life. Orang Utans and birds of paradise share this environment with rare orchids and pre-historic dragons. Awesome volcanos demonstrate their power and strength over remarkable fertile, terraced landscape. Indonesia quite literally, provides for everyone.
Indonesia is the 4th most populous country in the world with over 180 million people from a multitude of ethnic groups, customs, religious and languages. Indonesia, in turn, has nourished the art and preserved ancient traditions which are expressed through hypnotic music and exquisite dances, superb batik, magnificent paintings and remarkable carving in both wood and stone. Indonesian are indeed United in their diversity and intensely proud of their national and regional history which have helped to shape the archipelago into one of the most culturally prolific countries on earth.
Many have come to see and learn already. Anthropologist, artist, musicians, writers and statesman have visited the archipelagos for decades. Since the late 1960’s tourism has also come in 1984) some 600.000 foreigners visited Indonesia. Moreover, the government has announced recently that it is giving high priority to tourism development in an attempt to boost foreign exchange earnings. In Bali alone, in 1985 new hotels were slated to open. All of this, fortunately, does not mean that Indonesia in being overrun, far from it. Unlike many other tropical tourist destinations, Indonesia is a huge country, both in term of populations and land area. Foreigners constitute an almost parts of the archipelago. Even Bali, the small inhabitants of her own, a people whose ancient and resilient culture has withstood several foreign “invitations” in the past. Even here, outside of those very narrow areas where they tend to congregate Westerners area are still novelty.
Travel services and facilities are rapidly improving, convenience and comfort are becoming less and less exception. Every provincial capital and major city in the nation now has at least one first class – air conditioned hotel and a range of other accommodation. Daily air connection have brought all the islands within a few hours of each other. This complex air network provides an easy first step into seldom-visited corners of the archipelago, so that the door to some truly adventures travel is now open. In every regions of Indonesia but mostly the very populated one, the local network of buses and taxis as both fast and inexpensive. Language, too is no longer a problem, in the city you can find more and more Indonesian understand and spoken good English or who will gladly act as guides or who will recommend you the best Indonesian restaurant in town, but like every elsewhere in the world be very-very picky who you would want to ask.
Indonesia today…
Indonesia is not your typical tropical paradise populated by smiling friendly peoples. It is much, much more. Indonesia can indeed claim to be the only nation on earth span such a broad spectrum of world history and human civiliasation from its ancient Hindu-Javanese temples to its modern luxury hotels, and from the Stone Age lifestyle practised by some highland tribes in Irian Jaya to the modern metropolis that is Jakarta. It will come with no surprise, then, that traveling in Indonesia yields eye- opening and sometimes startling contrast – a fascinating juxtaposition of Est and West, old with new, the familiar and the exotic. This can be an exciting experience; it can also be to much to taking in. Most of all, however, it is a chance to learn-to observe the intricacies of traditional cultures, and to see how they are adapting to the modern world.
Indonesia-literally hundreds of others islands and destinations are just waiting to be discovered; this website shines a little more light on them so as to help you on your way…
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