What to see in Indonesia: 9 must-sees
Discover what to see in Indonesia: 9 must-see destinations, from Bali to Borobudur. Predominantly beach and UNESCO heritage; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
Beach(3)
Climb to Uluwatu Temple on the cliff and then head down to swim on the fine-sand beaches of southern Bali, an island that was a Hindu kingdom holding out against Indonesia's Islamisation. Snorkel in the crystal-clear water, walk the shore at sunset and follow the terraced rice paddies of the interior. Between flower offerings at every doorway and gamelan ceremonies, you will understand why this corner is today the most famous destination in the Indonesian archipelago.
Step off the boat straight onto the sand: on Gili Trawangan there are no cars or motorbikes, only bicycles and horse-drawn cidomos plying the coastal path. Snorkel from the shore and you will see green turtles by the reefs of the northeast, or dive among the submerged sculptures of the Biorock project. At sunset, the west side fills with hammocks and cafés facing Bali's Mount Agung, and at night the local market serves grilled fish under the stars.
Traverse Lombok from its mountains down to the fine-sand beaches that line Nusa Tenggara, and discover the Sasak culture present in every corner of the island. Relax by the crystal-clear water, snorkel among reefs or walk the shore as evening falls. The combination of sea, nature and local tradition makes this Indonesian island a quiet alternative to neighbouring Bali — ideal for swimming and unwinding.
UNESCO Heritage(2)
Climb the terraces of the largest Buddhist temple in the world, raised in Java in the 8th century and abandoned three centuries later, until Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles rediscovered it in 1814. Walk its 2,672 basalt panels, each with a scene from the life of the Buddha, arranged along a 504-meter monolith that works like a book of stone. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Borobudur keeps the testimony of a vanished civilisation, and at dawn its pierced stupas frame the volcanoes ringing the Kedu plain.
Behold Indonesia's most important Hindu complex, where 240 temples rise over the Javanese plain. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, Prambanan keeps 2,400 carved panels narrating the Ramayana stone by stone. Its sharp towers, dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, show the precision of 9th-century Javanese architecture and still stage traditional dances at sunset.
City(2)
Cross Asia's most crowded capital, Jakarta, where 11 million people move between temples, markets and nightlife districts. Walk its streets, visit the old colonial Batavia and the mosques beside modern skyscrapers, try nasi goreng at the street stalls and observe how Javanese tradition coexists with the fast pace of this Indonesian metropolis.
Stroll through Yogyakarta, Java's cultural capital and seat of the Kraton, where Sultan Hamengkubuwono still resides. Walk Malioboro, the street of shops and batik stalls, and try gudeg, the city's typical sweet jackfruit stew. A few kilometers away appear the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan, while Mount Merapi rules the northern horizon. Becaks and wayang workshopkeepers keep Javanese tradition alive.
Natural(2)
Visit the volcanic islands of Komodo National Park, in Nusa Tenggara, home to Komodo dragons — the world's largest lizards, up to 3 meters long. Follow ranger-guided trails to spot them in their natural habitat, among dry savanna hills and bays of turquoise water. Make the most of your trip to dive the nearby reefs, climb the viewpoint of Padar Island and watch deer, buffalo and birds that share the territory with these prehistoric reptiles.
Behold Raja Ampat, an archipelago of West Papua with some 1,500 islands that hold the most diverse marine ecosystem on Earth. Dive among coral reefs packed with fish, manta rays and sharks, cut across turquoise lagoons between karstic islands draped in jungle, and climb viewpoints such as Piaynemo to take in the ensemble from above. Its waters, at the heart of the Coral Triangle, concentrate more species of coral and fish than anywhere else on the planet.
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