Indonesia

Indonesia - The islands with the Indonesian archipelago stretch almost 5000 km inside Asian mainland into the Pacific Ocean. Richly endowed with natural resources and hosting a phenomenal array of diverse cultures, they've been a magnet to Chinese and Indian traders, European colonisers, proselytising missionaries and wayward adventurers. The archipelago has been overrun by Dutch and Japanese armies; surveyed, drilled, dug up and shipped off by foreign mining companies; littered on the `transmigrants' of Java and Bali; and poked and prodded by ethnologists, linguists and anthropologists. These days the archipelago attracts a brand new breed of visitor - tourists - who flock to islands including Bali, Java and Lombok in huge numbers. However, significantly of this beautiful archipelago remains untouched by mass tourism as well as the adventurous can nevertheless experience some of the most remarkable sights, landscapes, people and cultures that exist in South-East Asia.

The islands are inhabited by 300 ethnic groups with different cultures, speaking 365 languages and dialects. Despite the national motto `unity in diversity', these cultures are under threat from Indonesianisation as the islands are gradually unified under centralised Javanese rule. The multicultural concept of strength in difference has been a tough a single to retain within the face of these kinds of geographic and cultural fragmentation, as well as the Indonesian government has opted for strong, centralised and undemocratic rule. The consolidation in the Indonesian empire has met with resistance and insurgencies but these were largely been ignored by the outside world. The country is stable, but simply because government authority rests squarely on the foundation of military power.

Environment - The Indonesian archipelago comprises more than 13,000 islands and shares borders with Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. Stretching as being a backbone down the western coast of Sumatra is really a line of active and extinct volcanoes. These continue via Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara after which loop from your Banda Islands of Maluku to north-eastern Sulawesi. Under 10% in the total region area is appropriate for farming, while two-thirds consists of woodland, forests and mangrove swamp (mostly observed in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya).

Indonesia's rich natural environment encourages a diversity of flora & fauna. The archipelago is household to elephants, tigers, leopards and orang-utans. Sea turtles are observed within the waters around Bali and the world's largest flower - the Rafflesia - is observed in Sumatra. The islands of Irian Jaya, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Sumatra have national parks, whilst other parks protect unique areas such as Komodo, house for the Komodo dragon. Rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate, specifically in Kalimantan where the mighty dipterocarp forests are being logged ferociously for their durable tropical hardwoods.

Draped more than the equator, Indonesia tends for getting a pretty uniform climate - hot. It's hot and wet during the wet season (October to April) and hot and dry during the dry season (May to September). Temperatures climb to about 31 degrees Celsius in coastal regions, dropping further inland. Probably the most time to visit Indonesia is from April to October.

Culture - Social and religious duty has, more than time, been refined to form a code of behaviour known as adat or conventional law. Islam may be the predominant religion with the archipelago but it's somewhat tempered by elements of Hindu-Buddhism, adat and animism. In Java, especially, you'll find considered hundreds of places exactly where spiritual energy is idea being concentrated and consequently absorbed by followers. Despite a extended colonial period, missionaries were only successful in converting small pockets with the Indonesian population to Christianity - the Bataks of Sumatra, the Toraks of Sulawesi and 95% with the population of Flores getting notable examples.

There are more than 300 languages spoken from the archipelago and most belong on the Malay-Polynesian group. Inside this group, there exists numerous regional languages and dialects. The lingua franca from the archipelago is Bahasa Indonesia, that is certainly nearly identical to Malay. It's a language using a amount of foreign words mixed in, indicating the lengthy history of contact Indonesia has had with other cultures. In recent years, Bahasa Indonesia has been appropriated by teenagers into a brand new and trendy vernacular called Bahasa Prokem; it has proved mostly unintelligible to the older generation.

Events - With such a multiplicity of ethnic groups, Indonesia has, unsurprisingly, a surfeit of cultural events throughout the year. On Sumba, mock battles that hark back for the era of internecine warfare are held in February and March. The day prior to Balinese Caka New Year (March-April) temple icons are taken to the sea being bathed and drummers drive evil spirits back on the spirit world. During the Balinese festival of Galungan (moving dates) even the gods descend to earth and join from the revelry. There's a dramatic Easter Parade on the island of Larantuka, whip duels in Ruteng, Flores in August and Torajan funereal feasts are held in central Sulawesi mainly in between August and October. As most Indonesians are Muslim, several festivals are affected by the lunar calendar; dates are subsequently pushed back 10 or 11 days every year.

Warning - Though you'll find no restrictions currently on travel to East Timor, the case remains quite tense. Any traveller intending to visit this area must contact their embassy beforehand to assess the security risk. Separatist guerrillas fighting for an independent Irian Jaya kidnapped 11 people, for instance six European expatriates, in January 1996 in Irian Jaya's Snow Mountains and held them hostage for four months. The Free of charge Papua Movement's campaign for independence has been ongoing for nearly 30 years, but this was the first time expatriates had been targeted. Five folks died after riots erupted in the Irian Jaya town of Jayapura in March 1996, after the return in the entire body of an independence leader who had died in a Jakarta jail. Tensions are specially high within the Freeport mining area in Irian Jaya wherever riots in March claimed an additional five lives. Locals are distressed at the appalling environmental damage caused by the mine, the welfare of villagers displaced by the mine, and also the human rights abuses committed by Indonesian troops effectively protecting the mining area.

Attractions - Most of Indonesia's best-known attractions are on Bali, Java, Lombok and Sumatra, but there is plenty to become gained from getting away in the well-trampled tourist trails and visiting less popular islands.

Activities - There's very good diving and snorkelling off Bali (Nusa Dua, Sanur, Padangbai), between Komodo and Labuhanbajo in Flores, for the Banda Islands and off Pulau Biak off the north coast of Irian Jaya. The sea gardens of Sulawesi, specifically around Manado, are legendary. Renowned surf spots include Ulu Watu in Bali, Grajagan in Java and Nias off Sumatra, but there's surf along the southern coast of virtually all of the islands in Nusa Tenggara. Windsurfing enthusiasts are well catered for inside southern resorts of Bali. Rafting is really a new exercise now available on Bali's Ayung River.

Sumatra has great jungle treks, especially in Gunung Leuser National Park. Berastagi and Bukit Lawang are also popular trekking centres in Sumatra. Additional adventurous jungle trekking opportunities are accessible in Kalimantan and Irian Jaya. For those who wish to achieve to your skies, Mt Bromo in Java and Agung in Bali are day climbs; Gunung Rinjani, the volcano that dominates Lombok, is a strenuous but worthwhile three-day jaunt.

Getting There & Away - The main gateways for access to Indonesia are Jakarta and Bali. Jakarta is serviced by far more airlines but, thanks to its large tourist trade, Bali gets nearly as significantly traffic. New Merpati flights from Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory to Ambon (Maluku), Ujung Pandang (Sulawesi) and Biak (Irian Jaya) have opened up eastern Indonesian to travellers departing Australia. Airport tax on international flights varies in between airports: US$9.70 from Jakarta; US$9.25 from Denpasar; and US$6.90 from most other airports. The only open region crossing is at Entikong, between Kalimantan and Sarawak. Visas aren't required and a 60-day visa pass is issued over a spot. Most sea connections are on comfortable high-speed ferries running in between Malaysia and Sumatra.

Getting Close to - Indonesia has a number of airlines servicing domestic routes just like Garuda, Mandala, Merpati, Bouraq and Sempati, plus quite a few little companies. Each airline publishes a nationwide timetable which might be obtained from their respective head offices in Jakarta. On additional popular routes, book well in advance, specially inside the peak tourist season close to July and August. Airport tax on domestic flights might be among US$2.50 and US$4.

Things have gradually improved in Indonesia towards the extent that you will discover now very good surfaced highways. Bus departures are normal and buses are often air-conditioned and equipped with video. Rail travel is restricted solely to Java and Sumatra. Indonesia's trains are virtually a mixed bag: slow, miserable and cheap or comfortable and expensive. It is advisable to purchase train tickets a day in advance to assure a seat. Cars, motorbikes and bicycles can be rented in the primary cities and tourist centres. You will discover regular ferries among the many islands. Kalimantan has an undeveloped road method and internal transport is primarily by river or by air.

Local transport includes the ubiquitous bemo (pick-up trucks with rows of seats along each side), opelets (minibuses), bajaj (auto rickshaws), becaks (bicycle rickshaws) and dokars (horse-drawn carts); most are ridiculously cheap. Quite a few towns have taxis, but agree on a fare in advance.