It is a well-known fact that Indonesia is a huge archipelagic country with a population of around 267 million people and more than 18,000 islands. It is also comprised of various cultures and ethnicity, which brings with it an abundance of diversity. Its beautiful and breathtaking landscapes – such as mountains and beaches, is also a very interesting sight to see. This has made Indonesia the epicenter of tourist destinations.
Not only that, but Indonesia is also a country that has a rich history and reverence towards their heritage. This is proven through the existence of different types of historic sites that are available in Indonesia.
Moreover, Indonesia also has different metropolitan cities and beautiful skyscrapers for those who enjoy city life and modernity. All of these traits combined make Indonesia one of the most favorable and sought-after destinations of tourists. From majestic temples to the calming beaches, here are the top 10 tourist destinations in Indonesia.
10. Lake Toba
Located on the island of North Sumatera, Lake Toba is an enormous volcanic lake. It was created due to a massive volcanic eruption that occurred nearly 75,000 years ago. Despite its daunting past, Lake Toba is one of the most beautiful lakes in Indonesia. With clear and refreshing water surrounded by beautiful and stunning cliffs.
In the middle of Lake Toba, there is an island called Pulau Samosir. It has two lakes and is in and of itself a favorite tourist attraction. This gives Lake Toba the unique moniker of “a lake on an island within a lake on an island.”
Aside from visiting Pulau Samosir, tourists also enjoy relaxing and swimming in the warm volcanic waters. Aside from that, they can also go fishing in the lake as well as hitch on a boat ride to explore.
9. Nusa Dua Beach
Arguably one of the most common and popular tourist destinations in Indonesia, Bali houses a plethora of beautiful beaches. One of the things that tourists can do on the beaches of Bali is swimming. The beaches in Bali are good for swimming due to its clear and pristine blue water.
Not only that, but the cold and freshwater also make swimming very fun and relaxing. Aside from swimming, surfing is also one of the most favored activities to do on the beaches of Bali. The raging wave is a challenge for both amateur and seasoned surfers alike.
One of the most popular beaches in Bali is the Nusa Dua beach. Here, tourists can pamper themselves in tranquil blue waters, pristine white sand, and the existence of minimal vendors – which shifts the attention to indulging themselves in the beach. Nusa Dua is said to be one of the cleanest beaches in Indonesia.
On the beachside, tourists can also experience local food by diving into one of the restaurants available near the beach called The Bay Bali. It serves different specialties of Bali cuisine, such as Bebek Bengil or Ayam Betutu. Not only that, but it also serves other kinds of cuisines such as Chinese and Thai food.
8. Mount Bromo
Indonesia is famous for being a country that sits among the “Ring of Fire,” which means an area that houses a few of the most active volcanoes, one of them being Mount Bromo. Located in East Java, Mount Bromo is popular among tourists due to its majestic view of the landscape from above – especially when viewed from the top at sunrise. Mount Bromo, being a volcano, is part of Bromo Tengger Semeru Park alongside Mount Semeru – which is the highest peak in Java.
There are a lot of things that tourists can do in Mount Bromo. For those who want to blend in with nature, they can try climbing the mountain and reaching its peak, which rewards them with an incredible view of the landscape once they reach the summit. Aside from mountain climbing, tourists can also enjoy horse riding in the vast planes of Mount Bromo. Its already cold weather makes horse riding a much more relaxing and fun activity to do.
7. Monas (Monumen Nasional)
Monumen Nasional, often abbreviated as Monas (which literally means National Monument) is a 132 m tower located in the center of Merdeka Square in Central Jakarta. This monument symbolizes Indonesia’s retaliation and fighting spirit during the colonialization era. Its construction started on 17 August 1961, which is also the date of Indonesia’s Independence Day. The construction was done by 1975.
Monas is very easy to reach due to the fact that it is located in the heart of Jakarta. Aside from taking pictures of the monument and glaring at its beauty, there are tons of other things that can be done. Tourists can choose to visit Museum Sejarah (History Museum) to relive the history of Indonesia’s starting from ancient times until their struggle for independence.
One of the best things that can be done in Monas is to take the elevator and go up to the top where visitors can get a bird’s eye view of Jakarta. There are also binoculars available for the visitors to use where they can look at Jakarta from different angles.
6. Kawah Ijen
Kawah Ijen (Ijen Crater) is a crater that is located in Banyuwangi, East Java. This crater is like no other, due to the fact that it has blue fire. The blue fire is unique due to the fact that it is only found in 2 countries – Iceland and Indonesia, where both countries have a lot of volcanoes. To get there, tourists have to hike some 2 hours through the Ijen Mountain.
Although the blue fire can seem stunning and beautiful, tourists with asthma and other respiratory problems are not advised to go there due to the fact that its gas is acidic. Wearing a mask is highly recommended before going to the crater.
Aside from seeing the majestic blue fire, tourists can also hike up the Ijen Mountain to witness the beauty of the landscape as well as enjoy the sunrise.
5. Komodo Island
One of the new Seven Wonders of Nature, Komodo Island is among one of the many places that is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Located in East Nusa Tenggara, this island is the habitat of the majestic Komodo dragon. Tourists can pay an entrance fee that gives them a chance to see these majestic creatures that are ferocious and big in size – just like a dragon.
Aside from that, other attractions include places like the Pink Beach, where tourists can play around a pink sanded beach. Other than that, the panorama of the islands aligned together can also spoil the eyes of tourist destinations alike.
4. Borobudur Temple
Borobudur is an ancient temple located in Magelang, Yogyakarta. This temple was built in the 8th century, and its construction resembles Buddhist-style architecture. Just like Komodo Island, Borobudur has also considered a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is also one of the greatest Buddhist sites in the world. Borobudur was hidden in volcanic ashes back in the 14th century until it was discovered again. This has made it a popular tourist destinations.
Here, tourists can embark on a spiritual journey, seeing the majestic temples assemble as one as well as take pictures. Aside from that, tourists can also rent a bicycle and cycle around the vast complex of Borobudur whilst enjoying the warm weather. For Buddhist people visiting Borobudur, it can also serve as a praying place. There are also other places to visit nearby Borobudur, such as Gereja Ayam (Chicken Church) and Karmawibangga Museum.
3. Gili Islands
Arguably one of the most favorite honeymoon tourist destinations for newly married couples, the Gili Islands in Lombok’s most popular tourist destinations. It is an archipelago that consists of 3 islands; Gili Trawangan, Gili Air dan Gili Meno.
This island is the perfect place for people to relax and just chill. With beachside soothing café music and far away from the bustling sounds of cars and motorbikes. Aside from that, tourists can stay in water bungalows. Which are little to medium huts that are on top of the water. Another favorite activity to do in Gili Islands is snorkeling, where divers can also enjoy the marine wildlife available.
2. Bunaken
Bunaken, located in North Sulawesi, is a national marine park that houses various marine wildlife and beautiful coral reefs. Inside this marine park, there are at least 13 different kinds of coral reefs. What is more beautiful is the view once you dive in, you can see vertical cliffs. These cliffs go down until 25 to 50 meters in length while witnessing different kinds of beautiful and exotic fishes.
The most favorite thing that tourists do here in Bunaken is snorkeling and scuba diving. For amateur divers, there are diving lessons where professional instructors are deployed to teach you – so do not worry because you will not miss the beauty of the marine park.
1. Ubud
Located in the uplands of Bali, the town of Ubud is famous for being the center for traditional arts. Its vicinity is surrounded by rice paddies. Moreover, the holy Hindu temples here are a must-visit for every tourist in the world. There are also ancient sacred sites such as the Goa Gajah (Elephant Temple) and Gunung Kawi (Kawi Mountain). Arts gallery, as well as organic and local restaurants, also give the experience of living like a local and learning the culture even more.
This town is full of activities that tourists can do. If you want to lay back, taking yoga lessons nearby and calm and soothe your mind. Visiting the Sacred Monkey Forest is also a must where tourists can play with monkeys that reside in the forest.
Other than that, exploring the high plateaus of rice paddies can also provide for a relaxing walk for tourists while sightseeing and enjoying the landscape from above. Here are our favorite tourist destinations in Indonesia.
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