Must-see attractions in Indonesia

  • Prambanan Temple

    Central Java

    Comprising the remains of some 244 temples, World Heritage–listed Prambanan is Indonesia's largest Hindu site and one of Southeast Asia's major…

  • Morning in Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur

    Dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, and built from two million blocks of stone, Borobudur is the world's largest Buddhist temple and one of Indonesia's…

  • Wayag

    Raja Ampat Islands

    These small, uninhabited and incredibly picturesque islands, 30km beyond Waigeo, feature heavily in Raja Ampat promotional material. It’s mainly…

  • Bada Valley

    Central Sulawesi

    Seemingly scattered haphazardly around the hills near Lore Lindu National Park are some 400 ancient stone megaliths of unknown origin that might be over…

  • Kawah Ijen

    East Java

    The Ijen plateau's most extraordinary sight is the magnificent turquoise sulphur lake of Kawah Ijen. A night hike to the crater in which the lake boils…

  • jambi, September-2018,View of Candi Muara Jambi complex on a cloudy day. Candi Muara Jambi is a Buddhist temple complex located in Jambi province - indonesia

    Muara Jambi

    Sumatra

    This scattering of ruined and partially restored temples is the most important Hindu-Buddhist site in Sumatra. The temples are believed to mark the…

  • Dwarapala guardian statue at Donopratono gate of the Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the palace of the Yogyakarta Sultanate, Central Java, Indonesia, January 14, 2018

    Kraton

    Yogyakarta

    Beside the southern alun-alun (main square), Yogya's enormous kraton (palace) is the cultural and political heart of this fascinating city. Effectively a…

  • Garuda in front of the 15th century temple of Candi Sukuh, on slopes of Gunung Lawu, east of Solo, thought to be linked to fertiflity cult, island of Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

    Candi Sukuh

    Central Java

    In a magnificent position 900m above the Solo plain with fine views of Gunung Lawu, Candi Sukuh is one of Java’s most enigmatic and striking temples. It’s…

  • Agung Rai Museum of Art

    Agung Rai Museum of Art

    Ubud

    If you only visit one museum in Ubud, make it this one. Founder Agung Rai built his fortune selling Balinese artwork to foreigners in the 1970s, and…

  • Kelimutu

    Kelimutu National Park

    Flores

    Kelimutu National Park is a Nusa Tenggara must. Its centrepiece is Gunung Kelimutu, crowned by three startling lakes that shift colour thanks to…

  • High-angle view of Sekumpul waterfall.

    Sekumpul Waterfall

    Singaraja

    Sitting 18km southeast of Singaraja, some six or seven separate waterfalls – all fed by upland streams – pour up to 80m over cliffs in a verdant bamboo…

  • Exterior of Pura Besakih, the black temple.

    Pura Besakih

    East Bali

    Perched nearly 1000m up the side of Gunung Agung, this is Bali's most important Hindu temple. The site encompasses 23 separate but related temples, with…

  • Gate in Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple on Bali, Indonesia

    Pura Luhur Ulu Watu

    Bukit Peninsula

    This important temple is perched precipitously on the southwestern tip of the peninsula, atop sheer cliffs that drop straight into the ceaseless surf…

  • Soft corals

    Komodo National Park

    Komodo & Rinca Islands

    Established in 1980, this national park is one of Indonesia's – if not the world's – greatest natural treasures. Within its 1817 sq km area are Komodo,…

  • Neka Art Museum

    Neka Art Museum

    Ubud

    Offering an excellent introduction to Balinese art, the top-notch collection is displayed in a series of pavilions and halls. Don't miss the multiroom…

  • Mesjid Raya Baiturrahman

    Banda Aceh

    With its brilliant-white walls, ebony-black domes and towering minaret, this 19th-century mosque is a dazzling sight. The best time to visit is during…

  • The great temple of Mengwi, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

    Pura Taman Ayun

    West Bali

    Don't miss one of the top temples on Bali, a serene place of enveloping calm. The huge royal water temple of Pura Taman Ayun, surrounded by a wide,…

  • Sumba is an undeveloped island in eastern Indonesia.  Larger than Bali but less than a quarter of the population.  It is an island rich in culture with many people living a subsistence lifestyle.  Weekuri Lake is a natural formation connected to the ocean.  It is popular with tourists and locals.

    Weekuri Lagoon

    Sumba

    Almost as far west as you can get on Sumba is one of the island's most magical spots, Weekuri Lagoon. On one side, locals and tourists rent black rubber…

  • Pulau Penyenget

    Pulau Bintan

    Pulau Penyenget, reached by frequent boats (7000Rp) from the Tanjung Pinang pier, was once the capital of the Riau rajahs. The ruins of the old palace of…

  • Ceiling painting, Taman Kertha Gosa, Klungkung

    Puri Agung Semarapura

    East Bali

    Built when the Dewa Agung dynasty moved here in 1710, this palace compound was laid out as a large square, believed to be in the form of a mandala, with…

  • Ujung Kulon National Park

    West Java

    On the remote southwestern tip of Java, this Unesco World Heritage–listed national park has remained an outpost of prime rainforest and untouched…

  • Fresh yellow tail fishes at fish market in Bali

    Jimbaran Fish Market

    Bukit Peninsula

    A popular morning stop on a Bukit peninsula amble, this fish market is smelly, lively and frenetic – watch where you step. Brightly painted boats bob…

  • Long Kuta sand beach, Lombok, Indonesia

    Pantai Mawun

    South Lombok

    This beach is reason enough to venture down Kuta way. Some 8km west of Kuta and 600m off the main road, this half-moon cove is framed by soaring headlands…

  • Koka Beach near Paga in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

    Pantai Koka

    Flores

    About 5km west of Pantai Paga, look for a small, partially paved road that runs for 2km through a cocoa plantation to a stunning double bay. Facing a…

  • Playing at sunset

    Jimbaran Beach

    Bukit Peninsula

    One of Bali’s best beaches, Jimbaran’s 4km-long arc of sand is mostly clean and there is no shortage of places to get a snack, drink or seafood dinner, or…

  • Spider Web Rice Fields

    Flores

    The greatest local site is actually 20km west of Ruteng near Cara kampung. The legendary Spider Web Rice Fields are vast creations shaped as implied,…

  • Bali, Kuta Beach

    Kuta Beach

    Kuta & Legian

    Tourism in Bali began here and is there any question why? Low-key hawkers will sell you soft drinks and beer, snacks and other treats, and you can rent…

  • Taman Nasional Teluk Cenderawasih

    Papua

    After fishermen set out wooden platforms to lure fish in the '90s, some unexpectedly large ones began showing up. Whale sharks! In 2002, this special…

  • Old City

    Semarang

    Semarang’s atmospheric old quarter, often referred to by its Dutch name, the Outstadt, is well worth investigating. Until recently, most of the area’s…

  • Museum Le Mayeur

    Sanur

    Artist Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpres (1880–1958) arrived in Bali in 1932, and married the beautiful Legong dancer Ni Polok three years later, when she…

  • Pantai Seminyak

    Seminyak

    A lounger and an ice-cold Bintang on the beach at sunset is simply magical. A good stretch can be found near Pura Petitenget, and it tends to be less…

  • Sangiran Museum of Ancient Man

    Solo

    With the largest collection of Homo erectus fossils in the world (the bones of 70 individuals), Sangiran is an important archaeological excavation site…

  • Taman Sari

    Yogyakarta

    This once-splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways, built between 1758 and 1765, functioned as the playground of the sultan and his…

  • Mendut Temple & Monastery

    Borobudur

    This exquisite temple, around 3.5km east of Borobudur, may look insignificant compared with its mighty neighbour, but it houses the most outstanding…

  • Ke'te Kesu'

    Tana Toraja

    The four stately tongkonan and many granaries that make up Ke'te Kesu' were moved to this picturesque site in 1927 when the savvy family head noticed the…

  • Telaga Warna

    Central Java

    Ringed by highland forest and steep-sided vegetable terraces, this lake is renowned for its exquisite colour. Ranging from a delicate turquoise to a rich…

  • Taman Fatahillah

    Jakarta

    Kota’s central cobblestone square, surrounded by imposing Dutch colonial buildings, is Jakarta's most attractive location and a popular gathering spot for…

  • Fort Marlborough

    Sumatra

    Set on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean, the star-shaped Benteng Marlborough, a former British fort, became the seat of British power in Bengkulu after…

  • Museum Pusaka Nias

    Sumatra

    This superb museum, housed inside several traditional-style buildings, offers an in-depth introduction to the indigenous culture of Nias. The displays run…

  • Tsunami Museum

    Banda Aceh

    A visit to this beautifully designed, hard-hitting museum commences with a walk through a dark, dripping tunnel that symbolises the 2004 tsunami waves…

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