15 Best Things to Visit in Indonesia

With more than 17,000 islands and a population of more than 225 million, the Republic of Indonesia is the largest island nation in the world and is situated in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, which spans 1.9 million square kilometers, extends from Papua in the southeast all the way down to Aceh in the north. Indonesia is on both sides of the equator. It has a tropical climate with dry and wet seasons, but it is hot and humid all year long. Although Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, there are also other official state religions there, including Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism. Indonesia was once ruled by the British, Portuguese, Japanese, and Dutch. In 1945, Indonesia declared its independence and made Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian) the official language. Indonesian was created in an effort to give the populace a uniform language as opposed to the hundreds of regional dialects that existed in each province. It is a form of Malay language blended with loan words from Arabic, Dutch, and Portuguese. Today, Indonesia is known for its many multicultural islands, from the very religious Aceh in the north to Java, the country’s capital, to Bali, a tropical paradise, and all the way south to the province of Papua, which shares a border with independent Papua New Guinea. There is something for everyone who wants to visit this huge and varied country, which has the fourth most people in the world and the fifteenth most land area. The finest things to do in Indonesia are listed below.

On the Gili Islands, find solitude

Off the coast of Lombok, there are three islands collectively known as the Gili Islands: Gili Meno, Gili Air, and Gili Trawangan. Gili Trawangan is the biggest and most populous of these, although even there, there are only minimal roads, and the only modes of transportation are bicycles or horses and carts. Many tourists visit there by ferry or speedboat from Bali to get away from it all and find a tranquil getaway from the bigger cities of Sengiggi in Lombok or Bali because there are no automobiles and no police there.

Explore Lake Toba’s surroundings

The crater of a volcano that has been dormant for a long time is what made Lake Toba, a natural lake in North Sumatra. It is both the largest volcanic lake in the world and the largest lake in Indonesia. Visitors to Lake Toba have a choice of activities, including swimming and a range of water sports, or visiting the Batak people’s traditional homes. They can spend the afternoon in a traditional Batak hamlet learning about Batak weaving skills and other art and craft forms like blowpipe manufacturing, or they can see elaborate stone reconstructions of Batak houses that serve as the graves of long-dead Batak kings and nobles.

Take in Ubud’s culture

The town of Ubud in the Gianyar regency is known as Bali’s main arts and culture hub. In contrast to other parts of Bali, Ubud lacks a shoreline and instead is surrounded by rice paddies, sloping terraces, and beautiful forests in the nearby foothills. Visitors can watch a Tek Tok dance at the Bali Culture Centre in Ubud, which is a new style of Balinese dancing that was created in 2013 and combines traditional elements with contemporary ones. In Ubud, there are many art galleries where you can see the work of many well-known Balinese artists.

Nusa Lembongan

In recent years, Nusa Lembongan has become a welcome escape for tourists who want to get away from the busyness of Bali. Nusa Lembongan is known for its beautiful blue waters. Tourists can go diving, snorkeling, or swimming in these waters. Additionally, surfing is possible, and the clear seas are home to a diverse range of marine life and beautiful coral. There are also places to visit, like active seaweed farms, that focus on educating and protecting marine life.

Observe the Komodo Dragons

One of a collection of islands in Lesser Sunda called Komodo Island, is well known for being the habitat of the dreadful Komodo dragons. The ‘dragons’ are actually the biggest lizards in the world, and they utilize their poisonous saliva to poison and kill their prey. Komodo National Park was created in 1980 to help with their conservation, as well as to carry out ongoing scientific investigations and breeding programs of these unique creatures. Today, visitors can observe the lizards as part of a tour of the park.

Celebrate Independence at Monas in Jakarta

The 433-foot-tall Monas tower is a national monument in the middle of Jakarta. It was built as a symbol of the country’s fight for independence. It is situated in Merdeka (Freedom) Square and has a public museum within. At the top of the tower, there is a place to look out over Jakarta and a bronze flame that stands for independence. This flame is known as the “Flame of Independence.”

Climb Mount Rinjani

Mount Rinjani is an active volcano on the island of Lombok. It is the second-largest volcano in Indonesia and the second-largest volcano in the country. A lake formed in the volcano’s crater and revered by the Sasak and Hindu locals (Lombok’s indigenous people) sits atop the volcano. Guests can trek up to the summit of Rinjani to check out the sunrise and sunset, however, as the volcano is active and still erupts frequently, the summit is often closed, and the ash clouds have been known to disrupt flights in and out of Bali and Lombok.

Sunbathe on Pulau Weh in Aceh

Weh Island, also known as Pulau Weh, is situated off the coast of Aceh at the point of Sumatra. The Andaman Sea-based island, which is still active volcanically, is the location of Sabang, Indonesia’s most northerly town. People come to the island to snorkel in the clear blue waters, which are home to many tropical fish and the rare Megamouth shark. Visitors can choose between staying at Gapang Beach, which is close to Sabang, and Anoi Itam Beach, which is well-known for its unusual black sand.

Eat Padang Food

Many Indonesians are sure that the best food comes from Padang, which is the capital of West Sumatra. In all of Indonesia, Padang food is still served the way it has always been, and you can spot a Padang restaurant by the tower of dishes in the window. Customers are given little individual plates of the various foods, often as many as 20 or 25, and they mix them with rice at the table. Each dish that a visitor touches is only charged once. Popular dishes from Padang’s history include pounded cassava leaves with coconut milk, jackfruit curry with snake beans, and beef rendang, a fiery curry paste prepared with chiles and coconut and cooked with beef.

Visit Borobudur Temple

Travelers vacationing in the nearby city of Yogyakarta can easily visit the Buddhist temple of Borobudur, which is situated in Magelang, Central Java. The biggest Buddhist temple in the world, Borobudur, which dates back to the ninth century, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its central dome is encircled by 72 sculptures of Buddha. People travel here to perform acts of worship, climb the main platform, and take in the surrounding natural beauty.

Observe the lakes in Kelimutu, Flores

Three crater lakes may be found inside the volcano known as Kelimutu, which is situated in the middle of Flores. People know the lakes for their many shades of blue, red, and green, which are thought to be caused by gases and ongoing volcanic activity below the surface of the water. Numerous tourists opt to walk to the volcano and spend the night there to view the sunrise over the crater or visit the lakes to see this natural spectacle.

Go trekking in Bukit Lawang

Located a four-hour drive from the capital city of North Sumatra, Medan, Bukit Lawang has the largest sanctuary of Sumatran orangutans in Indonesia and also forms the entrance to Gunung Leuser National Park, which stretches all the way to Aceh Province in the north of Indonesia. Trekking, river tubing, and visiting the orangutan sanctuary to learn about the habitat and conservation efforts of this lovely endangered species are all popular activities at Bukit Lawang.

Go surfing in Kuta

Visit the well-known Kuta Beach, a stretch of sand in the southern part of Bali, where the sea rests on a sand bar and offers mild rolling waves ideal for novice surfers learning the sport. Visitors can hire a sponge board and ride the waves or take surfing lessons available by the hour. People gather on the beach at night to take pictures of the breathtaking sunset and unwind with a beer or soft drink for those who don’t want to get wet.

Tana Toraja

Tana Toraja, which literally means “Land of the Toraja,” alludes to the local South Sulawesi natives. According to reports, Tana Toraja is, after Bali, Indonesia’s second-most popular tourist destination. Tourists come here to observe the traditional culture, the elaborate homes, and the way that the local people have existed and operated for decades. The Toraja people’s customary grave sites, which feature carved effigies of the deceased, as well as the neighborhood markets that are held every Sunday, are also noteworthy.

Tanah Lot

The Hindu temple Pura Tanah Lot (Tanah Lot Temple) is positioned atop the rock structure known as Tanah Lot, which rises out of the water. The rock was eroded from the shore over time by the ocean tides, enabling it to stand alone at high tide and be reachable on foot at low tide. Even though the legend says that poisonous sea snakes once guarded the temple, many people now go there to worship or watch the beautiful sunsets by the water.