Destination: Sumatra --> South Sumatra

• Culture & Heritage:

1. Palembang

As the capital city of South Sumatra, Palembang is the center of governance as well as trade and tourism, and this has been going on since the era of the Sriwijaya Kingdom, a once powerful Malay Kingdom that thrived at the banks of the Musi River that separates the city into two areas, Seberang Ilir to the north and Seberang Ulu to the south.

Ampera Bridge

There are a few things you can do here. First, you can go see the Ampera Bridge, the country's largest bridge and Palembang's icon that stretches across Musi River. It was built in 1962 after getting the approval from Indonesia's first president Soekarno and was originally named after him, but as then changed due to the anti-Soekarno movement. The bridge used to open up when ships passed by the river, but no longer operates that way. If you are visiting during Indonesia's Independence Day, then you can see festivals here such as the Bidar boat race, a boat race that involves around twenty people per boat or you can also see boat decoration contest. 

Benteng Kuto Besak

Not far from the bridge, there is another relic of the past, Benteng Kuto Besak, a fort that was built by the Palembang Sultanate in 1797 to defend the city against the Dutch's attacks. Standing at 289 meters in length and 184 meters in width, encircled by a ten-meter wall as thick as 2 meters, the Dutch's corvettes didn't stand a chance against it. It is situated next to the river and at the view here at night is pretty amazing as the river reflects the yellow lights. Make sure you visit it.

Don't forget to visit Masjid Agung (Grand Mosque). It was built in 1748 during the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate. With a capacity of 9,000 visitors, this mosque was once the biggest mosque in the country. Its architecture is very interesting, since its main building is Chinese in style and its main entrance is Greek. Arabic calligraphies also are an element of its beauty. A worth-seeing tourist spot when you are in Palembang.  

Masjid Agung

If you are hungry, you can go taste the local dishes at restaurants beside the river or even at the floating restaurants. Here you can taste Pindang Ikan Patin, a local specialty made from catfish. 

• Culture & Heritage, Eco-tourism:

1. Pagaralam

Pagaralam is located on the west coast of Sumatra Island at the base of Mount Dempo, west of Palembang. It has a potential for tourism because of a number of waterfalls as its natural beauty and megalithic relics that hold important historical value. 

Here you can see the Lematang Waterfall, one of Pagaralam's beautiful spots. It is surrounded by green trees and rocks at the bottom, which make this waterfall a great tourist destination. It is viewable from the from the road above, in fact many people who pass the road often stop to admire its beauty. Or if you want to enjoy the splashes you can go down the stairs, but be careful  because it is very steep. You will only need to pay an entrance fee around 1,000 rupiah. If you want to take a rest, there are small street vendors and food stalls on the roadside. 

Lematang Waterfall

Go to nearby villages to take a look at megalithic structures that was used by the ancient society. You can visit Tegurwangi village to see menhir, a tall stone that was used to honor the dead, as well as statues and stone coffins.  

Megalith

Destination: Java --> East Java

• Eco-tourism:

1. Baluran National Park

For nature lovers who are travelling to Java Island, we advise you to spare your time for Baluran National Park. Located in East Java province, this park covers 25,000 hectares of land and is filled with wildlife, some which are endangered.

Baluran National Park

Banteng

It is divided into five zones and has a wide range of ecosystems, each with its own unique wildlife. Go take a stroll at the beach close to Popongan and you might find the wreathed-hornbill and the white-bellied sea eagle , or go visit the savanna around Beko and spot the Javanese Banteng, the park’s icon. Trek the forests on the slope of Mount Baluran to find the elusive Javan hawk-eagle or maybe dive the waters along Bilik-Sijile and discover coral reefs made of mushroom corals.

White-bellied Sea Eagle

Beside trekking the forests or diving in the coral reefs, you can do bird-watching, mountain-climbing, cycling and canoeing.

Blessed with natural beauty, this place is truly the place where you can “be one” with Mother Nature herself.

    2. Telaga Ngebel

When you are visiting East Java, make sure this lake is on your list. Situated at the base of Mount Wilis northeast of the city of Ponorogo, and with its cool climate and peaceful surrounding, Telaga Ngebel is the perfect spot to relax and forget your earthly problems.

Telaga Ngebel

There are a few things you can do here. You can relax beside the lake while admiring the surrounding beauty, or you can get on a waterbus to see the lake filled with fish raised by the locals. If you want to taste the local specialty, you can go to food stalls around the lake and try some grilled fish while making friends with Javanese people. 

Grilled Fish

There are a number of small hotels around the lake for you to spend your nights there. One has 10 rooms and is managed by local officials at a low rate. 

Before you leave for your next stop, make sure you visit the local durian fields and try some at a very, very low price. The durians here are famous for its taste and its thickness. But watch out for the spikes!


     3. Mount Bromo


Mount Bromo is located 4 hours away from Surabaya, the capital city of East Java. This is certainly one place you should visit when you are around.


With an altitude of 2,392 meters, this mountain is not of the tallest mountain in Indonesia, but it has an outstanding beauty. From nearby Mount Penanjakan, you can witness the spectacular sunrise over Mount Bromo. Also, you can capture Mount Bromo with Mount Semeru in the background. You will not be disappointed.

Mount Bromo

Cuisine: South Sumatra

• Main Dish

1. Pempek

This dish is one of Palembang’s most famous dishes. It is made from fish (usually belido fish) and tapioca, which is then served with noodle and cucumber and coated with sweet and sour sauce called cuka or cuko (Indonesian for vinegar). There are many kinds of pempek such as pempek kapal selam, pempek lenjer, pempek take and pempek kerupuk. A trip to Palembang won’t be complete without this, so make sure you try some.

Pempek

    2. Pempek Kapal Selam

Pempek kapal selam is the most famous of all pempek. Egg is wrapped with mixture of fish and tapioca and then deep-fried. Once done, it is then sprinkled with shrimp powder and is eaten along with noodle and cucumber with cuko sauce. The name kapal selam is Indonesian for submarine and derives from its big ship-like shape. Make sure you don’t miss this dish.

Pempek kapal selam

    3. Mie Celor

A noodle dish from Palembang, it is made from noodle and beansprout added with hot water and a special sauce made from shrimp consommé. On top slices of boiled egg and celery is added, with sprinkles of fried onion as garnish.

Mie Celor

• Pastry

1. Bolu Kojo

Bolu kojo is one of Palembang’s icons. Made from the extract of pandan leaf mixed with condensed milk, flour and butter, it is then baked and sprinkled with sesame. Although it is usually served during traditional ceremonies, you can get it from street vendors or shops throughout the city to accompany your afternoon tea.

Bolu Kojo

Destination: Sulawesi --> North Sulawesi

• Sightseeing, Eco-tourism:

1. Tomohon

Tomohon

Known as the city of flower, this city is located near Mount Lokon, one of many active volcanoes in Sulawesi. Due to its fertile soils made by volcanic activities and its cool weather, this city is suitable for cultivating flowers and other vegetations. Taking advantage of this, the locals here have dedicated themselves to planting flowers in their gardens, making the view here colorful.

If you feel like hiking, you can go to Mount Lokon which is west of the city. With 1,580 meters in height, the mountain top offers you a beautiful view. On your way down, follow the trails of cooled magmas to a crater lake. But be careful, it sometimes blows volcanic ash, assistance from local guides is advised. 

On the opposite side of this mountain lies Mount Mahawu, a 1,311 meter-tall volcano capped with a yellowish green crater lake. Like Mount Lokon, this mountain offers a scenic view of its surroundings. 

Another spot you might want to check out is Lake Linow, a small water-filled volcanic crater located south of Tomohon. Here you can see the color of the water changes from time to time due to mixtures of chemicals inside. It sometimes turns to green, blue and even red. There is a small coffee shop by the lake, so whenever you feel tired, you can rest here while enjoying a sip of coffee. Watch when you are walking around the lake though, for the soils here are actually quite soft and you might get you feet wet due to the running waters below.

Lake Linow

• Sightseeing:

1. Manado

Being the capital city of North Sulawesi and rich of culture and history, this city has become one of many cities in Indonesia that is attracting many tourists, both Indonesian and foreigners. Located   on the northern side of the province by the side of the ocean, this city once prospered through trades with the Philippines and and other nations such as China. This city is also the home of the Minahasa people. 

There are a few things to see here, like the Ban Hin Kiong Temple in Chinatown. It was built in around 300 years ago by the Chinese community who came here along with traders. Come here and you will find how the local and Chinese cultures co-existed. The dragons sculptures and the aroma of the incense will make you feel like you are in China.

Ban Hin Kiong Temple

Bukit Kasih

Located about 55 kilometers from Manado is another tourist spot filled with spiritual power named Bukit Kasih, or Hill of Love in English. It got its name from the fact that it is a place where people from different beliefs can come and pray here side by side. In the vicinity there are a Buddhist and a Hindu temple, a Catholic and a Christian church and a mosque. Come here to see how different beliefs can co-exist with each other.

Tarsius spectrum

While you are in Manado, why not visit the Tangkoko National Park. This park is located at the foot of Mount Dua Saudara, around 4 hours from Manado and offers a variety of landscape and wildlife. Trek the jungle and hike the hills and you will see many maleo birds, a species of the ape family named the kuskus and the world's smallest primate, the Tarsius spectrum. 

Make sure you hire a guide before yo go since the way to the park is quite difficult.  

Destination: Kalimantan --> East Kalimantan

• Culture and Heritage:

1. Pampang Village

Home to the Dayak Kenyah tribe, one of 200 subgroups of the Dayak ethnic group, this village is situated about 20 kilometers away from Samarinda, the capital city of East Kalimantan. It was declared as the first "cultural village" in the province and has attracted both local and foreign tourists. 

Lamin

A place high in cultural values, this village is offers you the chance to know and understand the local customs and the inhabitants' way of living. You can see their Lamin, longhouses where all members of a family or clan live together. The architecture of these houses are quite unique, because they are built high above ground,with big poles supporting from beneath. The space below are used to store livestocks and to avoid floods. 

You can also see the locals in their traditional costumes embroidered with colorful ornaments selling souvenirs and performing ceremonies and arts like traditional dance.  

Dayak dance

    2. Mulawarman Museum

Situated in the city of Tenggarong, this place was the Palace of the Kutai Sultanate until 1976 when it was handed to the Ministry of Education and Culture to be turned into a museum. Housing  a wide range of antiques, it's the place where you can learn more about the local culture.

With a very low price entrance fee, visitors can tour the museum and find so many interesting relics dating back to the pre-independence era. You can see the throne of the Sultan with two statues of Lembuswana, a mythical beast based on local legends, guarding its sides, small statues dating back to the era of the Kutai Martadipura, a Hindu Kingdom that once ruled the land and carvings made by the Dayak people. Foreign antiques can also be seen here. Look out for a collection of ceramics from China, Vietnam and Thailand.

Mulawarman Museum

After exiting the building, you will see the cemeteries of the previous Sultans, their relatives and local well-known people, such as the founder of Tenggarong Sultan AM Muslihuddin.

Mulawarman Museum's Royal Cemeteries

Don't forget to see the nearby shops to find local souvenirs. 

• Eco-tourism:

1. Kutai National Park

A wildlife reserve located nearby the city of Bontang. Extending over an area of 2,000 square kilometers, this national park is home to a wide range of ecosystems, such as mangrove forest, freshwater swamp forest and kerangas forest, a type of tropical moist forest. 

Most wildlife here are land mammals such as the endangered orangutan which is an endemic species, proboscis monkey, marbled cats and clouded leopards, but there are also reptiles like water monitors, crested lizards and estuary crocodiles. Also, look out for holes on trees and you might spot some wrinkled hornbills.

This park is easily accessible for visitors. You can reach it from the industrial city of Bontang, where you can also find tour guides as well as advice and information about the park. 

Orangutan

Destination: Irian Jaya--> West Papua

• Eco-tourism

1. Raja Ampat

One of Indonesia's most beautiful diving sites, the Raja Ampat archipelago consists of 1500 islands situated off the west coast of West Papua. The name "Raja Ampat" derived from the names of four main islands in the archipelago, Waigeo, Misool, Salawati and Batanta islands, each named after four kings in local myths. In fact, the word "raja" is Indonesian for king.

Raja Ampat is a paradise for divers because the waters here are blessed with a wide range of marine lifeforms. This diving site is said to contain 75 percents of the world's coral species, more than 1300 reef fish species and five endangered sea turtle species, making it one of Indonesia's diving site with spectacular view of the underwater paradise. 

The natural beauty of Raja Ampat is accompanied by relics from the past. Travel to the vicinity of Waigeo Island and see the wreckage of fighter planes that was used during the Second World War. 

Spectacular underwater view blends with relics of the past, Raja Ampat is surely the place you can't afford to miss.

Raja Ampat

Destination: Lesser Sunda Islands --> East Nusa Tenggara

• Eco-tourism

1. Komodo National Park

This tourist spot is another of Indonesia's famous icon. Situated between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores, it includes three major slands, Komodo, Padar and Rinca and is the habitat to around 2500 komodo dragons.

Komodo Dragon

The komodo dragons are giant lizards that can grow up to 3 meters long and weigh up to 90 kilograms and are also endemic to this region, which makes them as a part of the endangered species list. Based on this, Komodo National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.

There are plenty of other terrestrial animals here such as the Timor deer which is the main prey of the lizards, the Rinca rat, a rat species which also is endemic to this island and Russel's pit viper. However the land animals are rather poor in diversity compared to the marine animals. Because Indonesia is located between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, the waters here are rich in diversity. You can find reef-building corals, crustaceans, dugongs and sometimes whales. This is the reason why this island has many great diving sites.

    2. Labuan Bajo

A small harbor on the westernmost tip of the Flores Island, this a small town that provides accommodation and is also the entry point for tourists who are visiting the Komodo National Park. 

Here you can find travel agents and dive operators that can take you the surrounding Kanawa and Seraya Islands where you can dive their pristine seas ornamented with beautiful corals and other marine lifeforms such as manta rays and reef sharks. There are plenty of bungalows there where you can rent at a reasonable price. The white sandy beaches here is also a great place to enjoy the spectacular view of sunrises and sunsets. 

Another place nearby that you would want to go is Kalong Island (kalong is Indonesia for giant flying fox bats). As it name suggests, this island is filled with thousands of bats. To get here,  you can rent a boat for $30 from Labuan Bajo. 

Kalong Island

Cuisine: North Sulawesi

• Main Dish

1. Ayam Rica-rica

Hot, spicy, tasty are the words that are often used to describe this tongue-burning dish from Manado (in fact, rica means chili). This roasted chicken coated with grinded chili and red pepper is surely a hard-to-miss dish when you are visiting Manado. Served with hot steamed rice.

Ayam Rica-rica

    2. Tumis Bunga Pepaya

If you think that bitter is the least thing that you would ever want to taste, think again, because this dish from Manado is out of the ordinary. Sautéed papaya leaves and water spinach, or kangkung in local tongue, served with grilled fish or smoked tuna will make you want to have more of this Indonesian dish. 

Tumis Bunga Pepaya

Cuisine: D.K.I Jakarta

• Main Dish

1. Gado-gado

This Indonesian dish is the pride of Betawi people (local inhabitants of Jakarta). This dish is   vegetable salad consisting of green vegetables such as cabbage and kangkung, Indonesian word for water spinach; raw cucumber and lettuce; and also fried tofu and tempe. On top it is coated with peanut sauce and prawn crackers.

Gado-gado

    2. Soto Betawi

Another of Jakarta’s fine meal, soto betawi is available in nearly all parts in the city. Soto Betawi is beef soup with boiled potato and egg, and fried onion as garnish. It is usually eaten with rice. You can find it in street vendors or even in food courts in shopping malls.

Soto Betawi

• Snacks

1. Otak-otak

Otak-otak is Indonesia’s fish cake and has many types. In Jakarta, it is made from fish paste (mainly mackerel) mixed with spices like shallot and green onion. Eat with spicy peanut sauce for the ultimate taste.

Otak-otak

• Pastries

1. Kue Putu

Originated from the Indian cake puttu, it is made from rice flour mixed with palm sugar and shredded coconut. It is then put inside a bamboo stick and then steamed. Make sure you get some of this before going back home.

Kue Putu