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 Outbound Tour Packages » Indonesia Tour |
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Introduction:
The floating emerald islands of the Indonesian archipelago
have for centuries lured everyone from missionaries to pirates,
mining companies and backpackers to their sandalwood and spice
breezes, their Bali Hai lifestyle and their magnificent beaches,
mountains and volcanoes.
However, the myth of paradise is often marred by deep racial
divides, religious warring, high-handed autocracy, government
corruption, economic mismanagment and natural disasters. The
latest rounds of violence have made Indonesia a problematic
destination for Western travellers.
Refreshingly though, much of the country remains barely touched
by mass tourism. Despite great improvements in communications
and transport connections, Indonesia's thousands of islands
and multitude of cultures still offer adventure that is hard
to find in the developed world. And despite the hammering
Bali tourism has taken due to the tragic 2002 bombing of the
Sari nightclub, all of Indonesia's remarkable sights remain
to be explored and enjoyed.
When to Visit Indonesia:
Though travel in the wet season is possible in most parts
of Indonesia, it can be a deterrent to some activities and
travel on mud-clogged roads in less developed areas is difficult.
In general, the best time to visit is in the dry season between
May and October.
Before concerns of about terrorism became so pervasive the
Christmas holiday period brought a wave of migratory Australians,
with an even bigger tourist wave during the European summer
holidays. The main Indonesian holiday period is the end of
Ramadan, when resorts can be full and prices are increased.
 With
the downturn in tourism, many establishments have been closed,
with others offering good deals to encourage travellers to
return to the country.
Attraction in Indonesia Bali:
Bali is so picturesque that you could be fooled into thinking
it was a painted backdrop: rice paddies trip down hillsides
like giant steps, volcanoes soar through the clouds, the forests
are lush and tropical, and the beaches are lapped by the warm
waters of the Indian Ocean.
But the paradise gloss has been manufactured and polished
by the international tourist industry rather than by the Balinese
themselves - who don't even have a word for paradise in their
language - and it pays scant regard to the political and economic
reality of life on Bali.
Lombok
Less developed than Bali, Lombok has better beaches, a bigger
volcano and a greater variety of landscapes. Tourism is less
intrusive than on Bali, but the flip-side is that many Lombokians
are less blasé about tourists: in some places you might
find the residents quite resentful of the industry.
Sumatra
Sumatra is as tropical as it gets. With its Amazon-like rivers
moving sluggishly through canopies of natural rainforests,
muddy mangrove estuaries, steamy interiors, brilliantly gaudy
flora and weird and wonderful fauna, Sumatra is a place and
a half for a boat trip.
 Despite
its wealth of natural resources, Sumatra is struggling with
a failing economy. The northern province of Aceh is at the
epicentre of separatist violence and the area has been hit
by devastating earthquakes.
Java
The most developed island in the Indonesian archipelago, Java
exhibits all the characteristics of an Asian society experiencing
rapid transition: great wealth and equal squalor; beautiful
open country and filthy cities; tranquil rural scenes and
streets choked with traffic.
The Hindu-Buddhist empires reached their zenith on Java, producing
architectural wonders such as Borobudur and Prambanan. Islam,
following on after this, absorbed rather than erased local
cultures, leaving Java with a mish-mash of historic influences
and religions.
Off the Beaten TrackFlores
The villages of Nggela, Wolojita and Jopu on the island of
Flores are renowned for their beautiful ikat sarongs and shawls.
The traditional whaling village of Lamalera on Lembata, east
of Flores, is a fascinating place to poke around the boatsheds
and watch whaling crafts.
Kelimutu's tri-coloured lakes are Nusa Tenggara's most fantastic
attraction. The waters in the three volcanic craters have
a curious habit of changing colour. Local legend has it that
the souls of the dead go to the lakes. Which colour lake you
go to depends on your conduct during your life.
Irian Jaya
Papua is one of the world's last wilderness areas. The Papuans
live in some of the most rugged terrain on earth - from snowcapped
mountains to mangrove swamps - in a region that offers fantastic
jungle scenery, equatorial glaciers, abundant bird and animal
life and great trekking opportunities.
Highlights include the Baliem Valley with its unique culture
and numerous treks; Sentani for boat trips around the magnificent
Sentani Lake; and Kota Biak for access to dive sites. Don't
underestimate the size of Papua and the amount of time and
money it will take to get around.
Kalimantan
If you're expecting to see half-naked, heavily tatooed Dayaks
striding down the streets of Balikpapan or Pontianak, you'll
be disappointed. Your first impressions of Kalimantan, which
occupies the southern two-thirds of the island of Borneo,
are likely to be of oil refineries and timber mills.
The popular images of Borneo stem from the exaggerated accounts
of early European explorers. Timber and mining interests have
penetrated deep into the jungles, bulldozing and chainsawing
at an alarming rate, fouling rivers and leaving indigenous
cultures reeling from these modern world intrusions.
 Reaching
Indonesia
The principal gateways for entry to Indonesia are Jakarta
and Bali. Jakarta is serviced by more airlines but Bali -
as the tourist capital - receives almost as much traffic.
Departure tax from Jakarta and Denpasar is 100000.00 and from
other airports about 75000.00.
There are three land crossings to Indonesia: at Entikong,
between Kalimantan and Sarawak; at Motoain between West and
East Timor; and the road from Jayapura or Sentani (Papua)
to Vanimo in PNG. Visa regulations have been fluid (to say
the least) of late, so check the need for obtaining a visa
in advance before you roll up at the border crossing.
Most of the sea connections are between Malaysia and Sumatra
and the vessel of choice is the comfortable high-speed ferry
from Penang to Medan. The other main ferry connection is between
Dumai (Sumatra) and Malaka (Malacca). Ferries also run from
southern Malaysia (Johor Bahru) to the Riau Islands. There
are speedboats from east-coast Kalimantan to Sabah in Malaysia. |
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