Batak Houses at Lake Toba Sumatra Indonesia

Indonesia Travel Guide

 

Highlights: Upcoming Events and Festivals * Snorkeling and diving

* Top Ten Things to do in Indonesia * Elephant trekking * Visa On Arrival

 

 

Indonesia Travel Stories

 

Bali

Flores

Java

Kalimantan

Komodo

Lombok

Maluku (Ambon)

Riau Islands (Batam, Bintan, Singkep)

Sulawesi

Sumatra

West Papua (Irian Jaya)

 

West Timor


 

 

 

 

 

 

Indonesia is an archipelago of over 13,000 islands stretching 5000km from the Asian mainland into the Pacific Ocean. Indonesia's total area of sovereign waters is 4,920,977Km2.

With a population of over 230 Millions people it has over 300 ethnic groups and 365 languages and dialects.

There is something for everyone in Indonesia. Tropical beaches, mountainous areas, volcanoes, tropical rainforest and jungles which contain some of the most unique and endangered flora and fauna in the world like the Sumatran Tiger and Orangutan.

Pura Ulun Danau Temple Bali Indonesia

Pura Ulun Danau Temple

Orangutan Sumatra Indonesia

Orangutan - Sumatra

Entry Visa requirements

Indonesia now only has a 30 day Visa on Arrival which costs $30 which can be paid in US Dollars or Australian Dollars. In 2010 Indonesia scrapped the 7 day Visa on Arrival because of what Indonesia does best - corruption. Some opportunistic Immagration officers were issuing and charging for 30 day Visas and recording 7 days Visas and pocketing the different. Well done guys! Thanks to this the Indonesia Government now only issues the 30 Day Visa on Arrival.

Once in Indonesia you can apply for a 30 day extension though it is unclear how you go about this. Has anyone gone through this process? Please Contact Us with the details.

You can get a 60 day Visa though you will need to apply for this at an Indonesian Embassy/Consulate before traveling to Indonesia.

Citizens of the following countries are exempt: Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

If you stay longer than your Visa you will be charged up to US$20-30 per day over and will be denied entry to Indonesia for the following 12 months. If you over stay 60 days or more you are looking at a 25 Million Rupiah fine (US$2500) and possible up to 5 years in jail.

Upcoming Events and Festivals

Java International Java Jazz Festival 2nd -4th March 2012. Planned for one of the largest jazz festivals in the world. Set in the Indonesian captial, Jakarta. The Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2012 will bring together some of the industry's finest names, including Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Ron Carter, Frank McComb and many others.

 

Penggemar musik tidak dapat melewatkan salah satu festival jazz yang terbesar di dunia. Diadakan di ibukota, Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2012 membawa nama-nama besar seperti Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Ron Carter dan Frank McComb

www.javajazzfestival.com

 

Java International Soulnation Festival to be confirmed in September 2012. With international music artists. For more information check out the official website: www.javasoulnationfestival.com

 

Ramadan

 

 

 

 

 

Last updated 31st December 2011

Borobudur Buddhist Monument Java Indonesia

Borobodur - Java - largest Buddhist monument in the world

Indonesia, being located on the equator has tropical weather all year round. With a vast majority of the central locations mountainous you can find cooler climates.

Indonesia has the highest number of volcanoes ('Gunung Api' in Indonesian, literally meaning fire mountain) than any other country. The highest volcano is Mount Kerinci (Gunung Kerinci) 3605m located in Sumatra. Check out the Top 10 Volcanoes in Indonesia - click here.

Kerinci Volcano Sumatra Indonesia

Mount Kerinci

The Top 10 Things to do in Indonesia

1. Jungle Trekking in Bukit Lawang, Sumatra

2. Surfing in Bali

3. Snorkeling in Manado, Sulawesi

4. Climb Rinjani Volcano in Lombok

5. Elephant Trekking in Tangkahan, Sumatra

6. Visit Borobodur in Java

7. Visit the dragons on Komodo Island

8. Visit Lake Toba, Sumatra

9. Cruise up the Mahakam River, Kalimantan

10. Play golf in Batam or Bintan

 

 

Snorkeling and Diving in Indonesia

With over 13,000 islands, some of the most remotest places in the world it's not surprising Indonesia has some of the best snorkeling and diving locations in the world.

Some of the best intact coral reefs, with some of the most diverse sea life including the biggest fish of them all, the whale shark visiting various islands in Indonesia throughout the year.

Bali has been popular with divers over the last 30 years with best site off the northwest coast, Pulau Menjangan, part of the West Bali National Park though there are plenty of other places, more remote that offer greater opportunities.

The more remote, less visited places have the snorkeling and dive opportunities with the greater variety of coral and sea life. Places like Sulawesi, West Papua and Sumatra may be hard to get to and take longer, they offer the more rewarding snorkeling, free from the crowds of tourists that visit Bali.

Elephant Trekking

There are a number of locations within Indonesia that are using Elephants as part of their eco-tourist activities. The Indonesian Elephants are amongst the most endangered species of the world.

In North Sumatra, in a small village called Tangkahan, they have taken problem elephants, the ones that were damaging local communities and used them in a push to save the endangered elephants in the Gunung Leuser National Park. By using the elephants for eco-tourism they are funding patrols of the jungle to prevent illegal activities like illegal logging and animal poaching. You can visit the elephant camp, help wash the elephants as well as go trekking in the jungle on the back of the elephants. For more details about the trekking check out Sumatra Indonesia - Tangkahan.

In Bali, not far from Ubud is the Bali Safari and Marine Park which was officially opened in 2000 specifically for eco-tourism. The have a number of Sumatran Elephants which you can ride through their park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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