With its great diversity of ethnic groups, Indonesia has abundant cultural events throughout the year. On Sumba, mock fights, dating back to the era of wars of mutual annihilation, are held in February and March. On the eve of caka Balinese New Year (March-April) sea bathing in the icons of the temples, while the drums to scare away evil spirits to return to their spiritual habitat. During the festival of Galungan Balinese (dates variable), even the gods descend to earth and join the earthly joy. It organizes a spectacular procession on Easter Island Larantuka, duels with whips in Ruteng (Flores) in August, and funeral feasts are held in Toray Celebes (Sulawesi) Central, mainly between August and October. Like most Indonesians are Muslims, many events follow the lunar calendar, so dates are often delayed for about ten or eleven days each year.

attraction and tourism in Indonesia

Bali Indonesia

Bali may seem like a decoration: the terraces of rice paddies climb the hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes rise beyond the clouds, tropical forests are characterized by their exuberance and the beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. But the brightness of the idyllic paradise is the work of the international tourism  sector and not the Balinese themselves, which even have a word for paradise in their language and does not reflect the harsh reality of life in the capital, which currently suffers the impact of economic crisis and the collapse of its currency.

Java Indonesia

This island is the political, geographic and economic Indonesian archipelago. Java is a relatively small (about as England) but it inhabit 112 million people, 55% of the population. His silhouette, long and narrow, is surrounded by a chain of volcanic  mountains that make your spine. It was in Java where the Hindu and Buddhist empires reached their best, producing architectural wonders such as Borobudur and Prambanan. When Islam was introduced in the island in the fifteenth century, absorbed the local cultures, rather than cancel, so that Java has a great mix of historical and religious influences. The strong presence of the ancient beliefs and mystical thought in the current Java represents a bulwark against widespread modernization.

Lombok Indonesia

The site consists of empty beaches and quiet countryside, and is dominated by the spectacular Rinjani volcano. The people profess, most of Islam (the sasak), but remain isolated Balinese Hindus. The remarkable sasak culture is characterized by interlocking  their dances, bright and spectacular, and his struggles based on ostentation and rites. Balinese culture survives in Lombok - a vestige of when the Balinese princes controlled the island - and most of the tourist shops are run by Balinese.

Sumatra Indonesia

The island of Sumatra has abundant natural resources and life, remember that huge muddy river Amazon, and some important works of architecture. Its size is almost four times higher than neighboring Java, but hosts less than one quarter of its population. Duri ng the Dutch, supplying large quantities of global oil, rubber, pepper and coffee.  These resources, seemingly inexhaustible, yet maintain the economy indonesia. Sumatra is the home of many races and peoples: the former head hunters and cannibals batak regions of the Muslim culture minangkabau (maternal transmission line) and of the primitive clan Mentawai islands

Komodo and Rinco

These two small islands located between Sumbawa and Flores (East Nusa Tenggara), have achieved fame due to their four-legged inhabitants: Heavy Comodo Dragons. Variable size (from a 20 g lizard real monsters to 130 kg), could Enraged. Visitors little apprehensive to attend their banquet organized walking trails and observation by Comodo Dragon, but can be somewhat staged and bloody. If you want access to an alternative less-planned, it should be addressed to Rinco, where spaces have been installed on the intake and look where Lizards depend on luck. Comodo is mountainous and desolate, while Rinco has more life, there are several monkey colonies, wild water buffalo, deer, eagles and wild Turkeys. It has enabled a service for Comodo ferry from Sape (Sumbawa) and Labhuanbajo (Flores). To reach Rinco, should charter a boat.

Flores Island

Nggela, Wolojita and Jopu belong to the island of Flores are renowned for their beautiful ikat sarongs and Shawls. The population of traditional whaling Lamalera in Lembata (in Alor and Solor Archipelago, east of Florida) offers the opportunity to browse among the stranded boat and watch the men make spears. The remaining villagers as whalers, so they are exempt from the international ban on whaling.
Tricolor lakes of Keli Mutu has become the most prominent attraction of Nusa Tenggara. The waters of the three volcanic craters are rare habit of changing color in recent times prevail turquoise blue, olive green and black, but a few years ago tended to color teal, maroon and black. Nobody has to explain the origin of the colors and their changes only suggest the hypothesis that in each lake are various dissolved minerals. According to local legend, is that the lakes are home to the souls of the dead. The souls of the young decantarían by the heat of the green lake, those of the turquoise older, more milk, and of Thieves and Murderers of the black lake.
The only moment of the day on which you can see the lake from the upper rim (1.600 m) is the volcanic crater at dawn, before the lower clouds. Visitors entering on the path of 13 km from the nearest town, Moni, can travel on foot, riding a bus or rent a SUV. If you rent a horse to cover the trip, you should check the health of the animal and ensure it is saddle.

Sulawesi

Most travelers visit the rugged mountains of Tanatoraja (in central and southern Celebes), and the population of Rantepao attracts many of them. The inhabitants of the region are the Toray, rice farmers, pig breeders and lovers of water buffalo. This town has focused the attention of tourists thanks to its elaborate ceremonies, and burial areas for the traditional houses.
Toray most important ceremonies are related to travel beyond the dead. Without the funeral rites for the deceased's spirit will cause misfortune to their families. The funeral can be extended several days, with hundreds of guests and the sacrifice of many buffalo. The festivities, dances and songs can be supplement with cockfights, sisemba (struggles with your knees) and even buffalo fights, in which animals, very excited by the inclusion of Chile in its rear hook their horns and measured forces.
If the visitor is invited to a ceremony, you should dress respectfully and provided for sharing of gifts, should not sit in areas for the hosts or family members. You can take pictures, but in moderation. The best time to move to embrace Rantepao March to May, although most funeral ceremonies are held in the holiday season, July to September. During July and August high season, hotel prices rise with immoderation.
The prosperous city of Manado in northern Sulawesi (Sulawesi), appears as the starting point for discovering the amazing coral reefs offshore, near Pulau Bunaken. There are numerous accommodations, modest but comfortable in Pulau Bunaken, diving instructors and many offer their services, but the best diving is found on the main island of Sulawesi. The coral that inhabit the waters of Bunaken has suffered the neglect of ship traffic, but can be accessed by swimming to the closest point of immersion, which remain intact.
It is possible to rent canoes or small motorboats to reach the most isolated reefs surrounding the islands nearby: Manado Tua, Siladen and Pulau Pulau Mantehage. There is also a daily ferry service between Pulau Bunaken and Manado. In addition to its treasures under the sea, the culture is fascinating to Manado, a hybrid cultures of Indonesia, the Philippines and in southern California, with some very interesting local dishes (also fried field rat) and spectacular volcanoes.

Kalimantan

The image of half-naked and covered dayak tattoo skipping through the streets of Balikpapan and Pontianak is unreal, the first impressions of Borneo (Kalimantan) will provide the oil refineries and mills. Timber and mining interests have venture into the forests and mountain ranges that wiped out at an alarming speed, pollute the rivers and leaves of indigenous cultures to the social and economic intrusions of the twentieth century.

The well-known representations of Borneo originate in exaggerated stories of the early European explorers, but the stories about the island of Kalimantan and the Dayak peoples of ethnicity provide interesting ideas for captions: tattooed head hunters, tribes and exotic wildlife disappeared. Samarinda is the best starting point for navigating the river by boat to small towns such as Tanjung Isuy, Muara Muntai, Malacca (with its forest of orchids in 20.234 km ²) and Long Iram. Unfortunately, in some Precincts tour packages are offered for groups of visitors seeking a true picture of life for dayak and pay by the hour to see the primitive cultures. Tanjung Putting National Park in Borneo (Kalimantan) Central houses a wide variety of flora and fauna: alligators, binturongos, Orangutans, monkeys and dolphins.

The appropriate time to approach the equatorial river city of Pontianak, on Borneo (Kalimantan) West coincides with the sunset when the lights are the floating houses on the majestic river. It is advisable to move the channels to go through the city and soak up the atmosphere Chinese-Indonesian. In the afternoon, in the rickety wooden Piers on the southern shore, meet many young people to fly kites huge role. The most notable sites include the current mosque Mesiyi Abdurrajam schooners and Javanese style and celeb Pinisi port. The pristine beaches of Pasir Panjang is located in the vicinity and the city is an ideal starting point for trips to the Kapuas.
Moluccas

The thousand islands of Maluku (Maluku) have become legendary for its spices, which attract merchants Indian, Chinese, Arabs and later Europeans, who demanded Cloves, mace and nutmeg, spices that grow here. At present, these islands, divided by a vast ocean, offering a tropical landscape with a Polynesian atmosphere, exotic birds, old forts, towns and beautiful beaches, dive sites suitable for ... without any pollution or sellers. Most travelers heading to Ambon, Ternate and the bands, taking as a basis to access the many tiny islands away from the tourist circuit. But the violence shook Ambon in 1998 and 1999, as a result, fled tens of thousands of refugees and the island has disappeared from the tourist routes. If you travel by boat, it would take at least five weeks to recognize the islands, and a minimum of three weeks if you are traveling by plane.
Irian Jaya

This island can be considered one of the last wild corners of the globe. Papuans, who share the island with its eastern Papua New Guinea, are related, culturally and ethnically, with the Papuans of New Guinea, and are similar to the Melanesian South Pacific. Living in one of the most rugged land of the globe (from snowy mountains to mangroves), with fantastic jungle scenery, equatorial glaciers, birds and animals in abundance and ideal for trekking. It should be stressed Baliem valley, with its unique culture and numerous walking tracks, Sentani, travel by boat around Lake Sentani and Kota Biak for access to the immersion. One should not underestimate the size of West Irian or time or money going to cost displacement, there is no one road to the major cities, and ships are slow and irregular, so the air is often the only option. Incorporation into Indonesia, migration and indiscriminate logging and mining dislike the Papuan indigenous: it has formed a guerrilla movement fighting for a free Papua for nearly thirty years. Requires permission from the local to move many areas.

activates in Indonesia

There are places suitable for diving (with or without tube) in the waters of Bali (Nusa Dua, Sanur, Padangbai) between Comodo and Labuhanbajo in Florida and around the islands of Banda and Pulau Biak, off the northern coast of Irian Western (Irian Jaya). The sea gardens of Sulawesi, particularly around Manado, are legendary. The most popular sites for surfing is located in Ulu WATU (in Bali), Grajagan (in Java) and Nias (opposite Sumatra), but you can enjoy this sport on the southern coast of most of the islands Nusa Tenggara. Windsurfing enthusiasts will enjoy the beaches in the south of Bali. Rafting appears as a new activity for the moment that you can practice on the river Ayung Bali.
Sumatra has attractive walking tracks through the jungle, especially in the Gunung Leuser National Park. Berastagi and Bukit Lawang are also popular for trekking in Sumatra. In the jungles of Borneo and West Irian this is an adventure. For those who want to reach the highest, Mount Bromo in Java and Bali Agung can climb in a day, Gunung Rinjani, the volcano that dominates Lombok, deserves an exhausting trip of three days.

Indonesia History

It is likely that the first inhabitants of the Indonesian archipelago originated in India or Burma. In 1890, there were fossils of Java Man (Homo erectus), some five thousand years old, in East Java. Later, around 3000 BC, the Malays of southern China and Indochina populated archipelago. Java and Sumatra appeared stronger communities, such as the Buddhist Srivijaya empire and the Hindu Mataram kingdom at the end of the seventh century. The last Hindu kingdom of importance was the mayapahit, founded in the thirteenth century. In the fourteenth century, the expansion of Islam through the archipelago mayapahit the people forced to retreat to Bali in the next century.
At that time, had already formed a strong Muslim empire based in Melaka (Malacca), the Malay Peninsula. His influence was short-lived and fell under Portuguese domination in 1511. The Dutch displaced the Portuguese and launched raids into Indonesia. The Dutch East India Company, based in Batavia (Jakarta) dominated the spice trade, and controlled Java in the mid eighteenth century, when it was in decline. The Dutch dominated the early nineteenth century and included in their domains across the archipelago, including Aceh and Bali in early-twentieth century.
Among the growing nationalism and the Japanese occupation of the archipelago during World War II, the decision of the Dutch broke, and finally transferred sovereignty to the new Republic of Indonesia in 1949. Achmed Soekarno, the main advocate of the self since the beginning of the 1920s, was named president. In 1957, after a period of parliamentary democracy aimlessly, Sukarno dissolved the parliament, declared martial law and initiated a more authoritarian style of government, which defined the euphemism of guided democracy. And command, Sukarno consolidated his power through the construction of monuments and the socialization of the economy, a decision that increased the gap between rich and poor and left much of the population to the brink of starvation. Rebellions broke out in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia and Malaysia are dangerously close to a direct confrontation and instability increased. In 1965 there was an attempted coup (purportedly by a Communist group) threatened to remain in power Sukarno.

The president came out victorious in this situation, but was defeated when General Soeharto, who is responsible for crushing the coup, he seized the presidency in 1966. Soeharto introduced a proposed policy changes, but the promises of economic reform and greater transparency in government soon degenerated into a nepotism, cronyism and excessive costs, coupled with the brutal massacre of East Timorese nationalists in Dili in 1975. In March 1998, Soeharto was totally isolated from the people and announced that only five years would remain in office. Therefore fail to meet in late May of that year, his post was occupied by Vice President Jusuf Habibie.

Habibie, who had never enjoyed great popularity, reiterated the same promises of reform, and even seemed likely to grant independence to East Timor. The uncompromising stance with regard to this land led to a chain reaction and sectarian violence, student protests and increased demands for independence were reproduced in Ambon, Borneo (Kalimantan) and West Irian (Irian Jaya). Several groups of offenders, controlled and financed by the Indonesian army as the general belief was revealed in East Timor after the referendum of 1999, concluded with an overwhelming majority vote for independence. Local police forces and the army were sent to crush rebellions other; student protesters were killed in the streets and the country became an inferno.

It is likely that the first inhabitants of the Indonesian archipelago originated in India or Burma. In 1890, there were fossils of Java Man (Homo erectus), some five thousand years old, in East Java. Later, around 3000 BC, the Malays of southern China and Indochina populated archipelago. Java and Sumatra appeared stronger communities, such as the Buddhist Srivijaya empire and the Hindu Mataram kingdom at the end of the seventh century. The last Hindu kingdom of importance was the mayapahit, founded in the thirteenth century. In the fourteenth century, the expansion of Islam through the archipelago mayapahit the people forced to retreat to Bali in the next century.

At that time, had already formed a strong Muslim empire based in Melaka (Malacca), the Malay Peninsula. His influence was short-lived and fell under Portuguese domination in 1511. The Dutch displaced the Portuguese and launched raids into Indonesia. The Dutch East India Company, based in Batavia (Jakarta) dominated the spice trade, and controlled Java in the mid eighteenth century, when it was in decline. The Dutch dominated the early nineteenth century and included in their domains across the archipelago, including Aceh and Bali in early-twentieth century.

Among the growing nationalism and the Japanese occupation of the archipelago during World War II, the decision of the Dutch broke, and finally transferred sovereignty to the new Republic of Indonesia in 1949. Achmed Soekarno, the main advocate of the self since the beginning of the 1920s, was named president. In 1957, after a period of parliamentary democracy aimlessly, Sukarno dissolved the parliament, declared martial law and initiated a more authoritarian style of government, which defined the euphemism of guided democracy. And command, Sukarno consolidated his power through the construction of monuments and the socialization of the economy, a decision that increased the gap between rich and poor and left much of the population to the brink of starvation. Rebellions broke out in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia and Malaysia are dangerously close to a direct confrontation and instability increased. In 1965 there was an attempted coup (purportedly by a Communist group) threatened to remain in power Sukarno.

The president came out victorious in this situation, but was defeated when General Soeharto, who is responsible for crushing the coup, he seized the presidency in 1966. Soeharto introduced a proposed policy changes, but the promises of economic reform and greater transparency in government soon degenerated into a nepotism, cronyism and excessive costs, coupled with the brutal massacre of East Timorese nationalists in Dili in 1975. In March 1998, Soeharto was totally isolated from the people and announced that only five years would remain in office. Therefore fail to meet in late May of that year, his post was occupied by Vice President Jusuf Habibie.

Habibie, who had never enjoyed great popularity, reiterated the same promises of reform, and even seemed likely to grant independence to East Timor. The uncompromising stance with regard to this land led to a chain reaction and sectarian violence, student protests and increased demands for independence were reproduced in Ambon, Borneo (Kalimantan) and West Irian (Irian Jaya). Several groups of offenders, controlled and financed by the Indonesian army as the general belief was revealed in East Timor after the referendum of 1999, concluded with an overwhelming majority vote for independence. Local police forces and the army were sent to crush rebellions other; student protesters were killed in the streets and the country became an inferno.

After several acts of international diplomacy, the United Nations and Australia were involved: the United Nations sent a symbolic number of troops to show their disapproval of the methods in Indonesia, while Australia sent a contingent of his army to East Timor. Indonesia considered it an act of aggression and interference in its domestic politics and the situation reached a high degree of tension. And veiled threats were launched contraamenazas, but none was implemented. Finally, when the atmosphere calmed down, East Timor had received the self so fresh from the ruins of their own country; Habibie had withdrawn from the scene, held the power D. Abdurrahman Wahid, the first democratically elected president, had resigned, General Wiranto, head of the Indonesian army, paramilitary groups were again mixed with the residents of Jakarta, the rupee remained volatile and the relations between Indonesia and Australia remained tense and intermittent but improved slightly. On July 23, 2001 the parliament deposed Indonesian president Wahid for incompetence and corruption, and was replaced by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Sukarno. Megawati, social stability and economic growth. However, he could not fight corruption legislation.

Indonesia Culture & people

Over time, social norms and religious have been refined into a code of behavior called adat or traditional law. Islam, religion in the archipelago, coexists with elements of Hinduism, Buddhism, adat and animism. Especially in Java where there are hundreds of sites, it is believed, has the spiritual energy that can absorb the faithful. Despite the long colonial period, the missionaries succeeded in converting only a small population groups indonesia: the Batak of Sumatra, Sulawesi and the torakos of 95% of the population of Flores are notable examples.

In the archipelago more than three hundred languages spoken, and most part of the Malay-Polynesian language group. Within this family there are many regional dialects and speeches. The lingua franca of the archipelago, Bahasa Indonesian, Malay is very similar, with many foreigners, shows the time that Indonesia has been in  contact with other cultures. In recent years, teenagers have turned Bahasa Indonesian in a new vernacular and own the latest trends called Bahasa prokem quite incomprehensible to the previous generation.

Batik fabrics are manufactured (method is to apply wax to the fabric and then some color with colorful designs and spectacular) in Indonesia, but the center of production is in Yogyakarta, Java. Other crafts include indonesia ikat, a form of weaving with dyed yarns, and songket, a silk fabric embroidered with gold thread or silver, and Kris, designs often decorated with jewels. Guignol with the Javanese Wayang (puppet) and gamelan (hypnotic music composed mostly of percussive instruments) are also popular artistic forms.

Many Indonesian dishes reflect Chinese influences, but there are others, like those from Sumatra Padang cuisine, typical of the area. The sale of snacks such as potato, nuts, candy, cookies or fruit is widespread. Rice is the basis of every meal, whether it is as if the soup is blended in an assortment of spicy and highly seasoned dishes, salad and pickles. The Nasi goreng (fried rice) can be considered the most common dish, among other highly prized are the sate (skewered meat with peanut sauce and spices), the Gado-Gado (vegetables and beans with peanut sauce) and seafood. This land has a variety of tropical fruits: cherimoya, durians, guavas, bread fruit tree, mangoes, papayas, rambutan and carambola.

Indonesia Map