Great Places To Visit On Your Holidays in Indonesia

Author: Andrew Gibson

Indonesia is a very interesting country to visit and makes for an ideal holiday. Its diverse range of culture and beautiful scenery draw back holiday makers year after year. There are some fabulous holiday homes to rent in Indonesia with some stunning holiday villas by the beach. You can also rent self catering holiday apartments and use them as a base to explore this wonderful country.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world and comprises five main islands of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Irian Jaya and a group of thirty small archipelagoes. It has more than 17,508 islands. Indonesia is a multi-ethnic country with over 300 ethnic groups inclusive of Malay and Polynesian people. The diverse culture of the country has resulted in an opulent and wealthy culture and heritage, which makes it a tourist's delight.

One among the must see places in Indonesia is the Borobudur temple. It is believed that the temple's name originated from Sanskrit - Vihara Buddha Uhr. It was built in the eighth century and is located in Magelang. It is situated on a hill, overlooking distant hills and sprawling green fields. The temple is built with grey andesine stone and has seven terraces. The great Stupa of the temple is 40 meters tall and the walls are extensively sculpted.

Lake Toba is a beautiful centerpiece of the north Sumatra Lake. The exquisite scenery and the pleasant climate, in the surrounding areas make it a popular tourist attraction in Indonesia. It is the largest lake in South East Asia and it measures 100 km in length. Resultant of a volcanic explosion, the lake's surrounding landscape is fertile. The island of Samosir is located on the centre of the lake and the culture and tradition of the amiable tribe, Toba Batak attracts tourists from all over the world.

Tana Toraja is yet another attraction. Rantapeo, a major attraction of the place, is located in the north eastern part of Ujung Pandang. Rantepeo is located 700 meters above sea level and offers a pleasant climate. The entry point of Tana Taroja is a traditional boat-shaped gate. Tana Toraja has cliff graves and two villages, named Lemo and Londa. Londa is considered as one among the oldest sites of hanging graves of local nobility. Taroja has many excellent craft shops for the shopping buffs.

Krakatau volcano is another major tourist spot in Indonesia. The volcano erupted in the year 1883 and is one of the most catastrophic natural events, which is etched in history. The entire region surrounding the volcano was engulfed in darkness. The volcano disappeared, soon after eruption and resulted in the formation of small islands in the area. One of the volcanoes in the area is called Anal Krakatau or the child of Krakatau, which is a young and active volcano. Boat trips to the volcano, allows tourists to get a closer look at the young volcano.

Mt. Tangkuban Perahu is a must see sight in Indonesia. The volcano is filled with many places for sight seeing and exploring. It is an interesting spot and the mount is famous for its distinct upturned boat shape. The panoramic view of the mount and the forests is a delightful experience. The peaceful mountain erupted in 1969 and Kawah Ratu is the main crater or the Queen's crater, as its name suggests.

Indonesia is a culturally rich country with a picturesque setting. The predominantly Muslim country is a place where people from different religions co-exist. The diversity of the cultures makes it traditionally and culturally rich. The friendly people of the country, year long festivities and innumerable tourist spots makes Indonesia a great tourist destination.

It is no wonder that holiday makers love Indonesia so much and many choose to rent holiday villas and self catering apartments. By renting holiday home accommodation in Indonesia you are able to use them as a base to explore this amazing country. There are some great holiday villas with swimming pools that can be rented direct from their owners.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/great-places-to-visit-on-your-holidays-in-indonesia-417782.html

About the Author:

Andrew Gibson is MD of Direct Holiday Bookings. It has holiday villas, ski chalets and self catering holiday apartments to rent on line as a holiday home rental. To see an example of holiday villas in Indonesia have a look at Holiday Villas In Indonesia

Karangasem Tourist Object

Author: I Wayan Suparta

Karangasem Regency Travel Guides.

The Karangasem regency is located at the east end of the island with area of about 83.954 Ha and inhabited by population of around 369,000. The region consists of many hills but dry land, which is almost similar to be condition of wildlife in west Lombok. This hot and dry natural condition of this regency is even more intensified, while the lava from the eruption of the Mount Agung in1963 flew to the region. Most area Karangasem, especially the northern part, was covered by lava of this erupted mountain that killed thousands of people.

In the 1980s, the natural condition of Karangasem gradually turned to green grass and dry plants growing, The green program had helped the region recover rapidly from the aftermath of the eruption along with the effort of sustainable agricultural and plantation development in the region. Patches of rice fields that were seen on the outskirts of Karangasem has put the region back on track while subak system was optimized to help agricultural land rehabilitation.

Since the mild of the 1990s,Tulamben, an area that is situated in the northern side of Karangasem and was strongly affected by the lava flood, finally became a tourist attraction, especially its beautiful corals and tropical fish. The accommodation facilities for tourists like hotels, restaurants, and marine recreations have been built in this area.

Beside the beauty of hilly areas or the underwater panorama, Karangasem also save a bunch of tourist objects. Bali Mula community who live in Karangasem has given different colors to local art and culture. Until now, the people of Tenganan, Bungaya, Asak, Timbrah and Bugbug and some other villages still carry out Bali Mula traditions and try not being easily influenced with the ways of the Bali Majapahit.

See complite article at My Weblog Diary

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Visitor Attractions in Indonesia

Author: Raman Verma

Indonesia is a land of mountains, volcanoes, dense forests, attractive beaches, spectacular natural beauty, which draws the attention of various tourists throughout the year. With its glorious temples, huge mosques, museums Indonesia is a house of several magnificent Indonesia Tourist Attractions.

Attractions in Indonesia

Java- Jakarta - The capital city of Jakarta retains much from the colonial Dutch and British periods, with many fine colonial-style buildings and the recently restored old quarter. You can visit at The National Monument towers, Merdeka Square, The Central Museum, Portuguese Church, Istiqlal Mosque etc. If you want to shop, then antiques market on Jalan Surabaya and batik factories in the Karet are the perfect place for you. Throughout the island, puppet shows are staged in which traditional wayang golak and wayang kulit marionettes act out stories based on well-known legends; performances can sometimes last all night.

Sumatra- The second-largest island in Indonesia is Sumatra, which is a house of the volcanic mountain range, hot springs, unexplored jungle and extensive plantations. Bengkulu, Gedung Wani and Mount Loeser Reserve are some of the amazing Reserve forests. The popular Indonesia Tourist Attractions situated in Sumatra are, Lake Toba, Lingga village, Bukittinggi's Fort de Kock that located close to the zoo, market, a refurbished rice barn and the Bundo Kandung Museum and the most attractive beaches on the east coast.

Sulawesi-

Popularly known as Orchid Island, Sulawesi is a land of high mountains, misty valleys and lakes, geysers and hot springs like Karumengan, Kinilow, Lahendong, Leilem and Makule. In the south is Bantimurung Nature Reserve which has thousands of exotic butterflies. The island has geysers and hot springs, the most celebrated of which are at Karumengan, Kinilow, Lahendong, Leilem and Makule. Torajaland is known as the ‘Land of the Heavenly Kings’ and its people are noted for their richly ornamented houses and custom of burying the dead in vertical cliffside tombs. Ujung Pandang, formerly Makassar, is celebrated for the Pinsa Harbour where wooden schooners of the famous Buganese seafarers are moored. Fort Rotterdam, built by Sultan Ala in 1660 to protect the town from pirates, is now being restored. Racing is a popular island activity; there is horseracing and bullock-racing and at Ranomuut there are races with traditional horse-drawn carts.

Bali-

With its spectacular white beaches, verdant jungle and mountain, Bali is a tropical paradise.

The landscape of Bali ‘is made up of volcanic mountains, lakes and rivers, terraced ricefields, giant banyans and palm groves and, on the coast, bays ringed with white sandy beaches. Bali is famous for its crafts and adventurous activities, which are organized on the southern beaches. The island lies a short distance from the eastern coast of Java, across the Strait of Bali. The tourist areas are in the south, around Sanur Beach and at Kuta, which lies on the other side of a narrow isthmus. The island also has thousands of temples – the exact number has never been counted – ranging from the great Holy Temple at Besakih to small village places of worship.

Lombok-

It is a land of temples local handicrafts like rattan baskets and woven fabrics. Lombok is a popular tourist destination where you can visit at the Senggigi Beach, Gili Islands, Gunung Rinjani, and Desert Point well known for surfing. The island possesses one of the highest volcanic mountains in the Indonesian archipelago, Mount Rindjani,. The two main towns are Mataram, the capital, and the busy port of Ampenan; both are interesting to explore. The south coast is rocky. The west, with shimmering rice terraces, banana and coconut groves and fertile plains, looks like an extension of Bali. The east is dry, barren and desert-like in appearance. The north, the region dominated by Mount Rindjani, offers thick forests and dramatic vistas. There are also some glorious beaches, some of white sand, others, such as those near Ampenan, of black sand. At Narmada there is a huge complex of palace dwellings, complete with a well containing ‘rejuvenating waters’, built for a former Balinese king. At Pamenang, visitors can hire a boat and go diving, entering a clear-water world of brilliantly colored coral and inquisitive tropical fish.

Yogakartas-

Capital of Java Yogakarta is the centre of educational, cultural and economic activity. You must see the premier university of Indonesia, the Gajah Mada University and various arts centers, markets, galleries, craft shops and bazaars.

Moluccan Archipelago-

Also known as the Maluku Archipelago, it is made up of 1000 islands, many uninhabited and the rest so isolated from each other and from the outside world that each has its own culture and very often its own language. Halmahera is the largest island in the Moluccan group and one of the most diverse. Banda, in the middle of the Banda Sea, is often referred to as the original ‘Spice Island’ and is famous as a nutmeg-growing center. At present, the islands are popular for diving and snorkeling.

Nusa Tengara Archipelago-

Nusa Penida was at one time a penal colony but now attracts visitors to its dramatic seascapes and beaches. Komodo is home to the world’s largest and rarest species of monitor lizard, while Sumba is noted for its beautiful Ikat cloth. Mount Keli Mutu is one of Indonesia’s most spectacular natural sights, famous for its three crater lakes, whose striking colors change with the light of the day. little since the Bronze Age, yet the islands’ inhabitants are renowned as musicians and palm weavers. The Terawangan Islands is a small group with beautiful beaches and coral gardens. Lucipara has excellent waters for snorkeling. Bone Rate, Kangean, Tenggaya and Tukang Besi is a group of isolated islands in the Flores and Banda seas, epitomizing a tropical paradise.

Pura Agung Besakih

Pura Agung Besakih is located in Besakih village, Rendang District,
on the slope of Mount of Agung, in the west side.
Mount of Agung is the highest mount in Bali. This place is 25 km to
the north of Semarapura-Kabupaten Klungkung if we go from Denpasar.

The trip to Pura Besakih through panorama of Jambul hill which is also
one of object and tourism attraction of Kabupaten Karangasem.

The location of Pura Besakih in purpose is chosen in village which is
believed holy because of its high location, which is called Hulundang Basukih,
later become Besakih village. The name Besakih is taken from Sansekerta
language, Wasuki or in old java language Basuki which means safe. Besides that,
the name of Pura Besakih is based on the myth of Naga Basuki (Basuki dragon)
as balancer of Mandara Mount.

There are a lot of inheritance megalitic era, such as : Menhir, stone
throne, pyramid terrace structure which are found in the complex of Pura Besakih
show that as a holy place looks like that Besakih came from the very old era,
far way before the presence of Hindu influence.