- Lake Toba
Lake Toba is located in the mountains of Bukit Barisan, North Sumatra. The area is 1,145 square kilometers, which makes it the largest lake in Southeast Asia. Lake Toba is also the largest lake in the world formed by volcanic eruptions and is included in the Guinness World Records list.
Lake Toba was formed due to volcanic eruptions that spewed 2,800 km cubic of eruption material, thus making the crater that gradually filled with water into a lake and the middle of Lake Toba there is an island called Samosir. This island has several villages with extraordinary natural attractions, such as mountains and waterfalls.
Samosir Island and Lake Toba are the heart and home of the Batak Tribe. Other tourist activities on Lake Toba that you can do include going around the village of Tuktuk Siadong-Adong, visiting historical sites (Tomb of Raja Sidabutar), seeing local people planting rice, and seeing people’s homes with Batak Gorga.
- Borobudur Temple & Prambanan Temple
Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, located in the area of Magelang, Central Java. This temple is located at the height of Menoreh Hill and is surrounded by Mount Merapi, Mount Merbabu, Mount Sindoro, and Mount Sumbing.
Boro means “the monastery complex” and Budur means “above”. Sir Thomas Raffles was the first person to “introduce” Borobudur to the world, in 1814. Because of its grandeur, the temple which was built in the 8th century has been designated by UNESCO as one of the world’s cultural heritages.
Borobudur Temple was built during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty. The stupa-shaped temple was founded by Mahayana Buddhists. It is estimated that the Borobudur temple was built between 760 and 830 AD. The building process is estimated to have taken between 75 to 100 years. The new Borobudur Temple was 100% completed during the reign of King Samaratungga in 825 AD.
Borobudur Temple restoration efforts were carried out twice. The first restoration was by the Dutch East Indies government, under the leadership of Th. van Erp between 1907-1911. The target of restoration at that time was the Arupadhatu, which is the top of the temple consisting of three round terraces and the central stupa. The second restoration was carried out in 1975-1983 by the Indonesian government in collaboration with the United Nations organization for education, science, and culture, UNESCO.
Prambanan is the Most Beautiful and Graceful Hindu Temple in Indonesia Located not far from the Buddhist Borobudur temple, the proximity of the two temples tells us that on Java, Buddhism and Hinduism lived peacefully next to one another. Prambanan is a magnificent spectacle and an icon of Indonesia’s cultural heritage. The temples at Prambanan were built in the 9th century and is known locally as Roro Jonggrang, coming from the legend of the ‘slender virgin’.
The biggest temple is dedicated to Shiva – the destroyer, and the two smaller ones which sit on its right and left are dedicated to Brahma, the creator, and Wisnhu, the sustainer. The tallest temple of Prambanan is a staggering 47 meters high. Its peak visible from far away and rises high above the ruins of the other temples.
After hundreds of years of neglect, the Prambanan temple was rediscovered by CA Lons, a Dutchman, in 1733. Since then, this temple has been revitalized and today is widely regarded as the most beautiful and graceful Hindu temple in Indonesia. The grandeur, complexity, and integrated architectural concept of Prambanan makes this a truly amazing structure. As a unique cultural and architectural marvel, Prambanan was declared a World Heritage site in 1991 by UNESCO.
- Mandalika, Lombok
Mandalika, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. In April 2021, Indonesia just finished developing a new international circuit located in the Mandalika area in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. This enormous circuit has hosted several world-class events such as Asia Talent Cup, Superbike World Championship and MotoGP 2022.
This tourist area is adjacent to several beautiful beaches in the south of the island of Lombok. In a natural atmosphere that hasn’t been much changed, this region is so rich in the beauty of the vast expanse of coastline, complete with soft white sand. Starting from Kuta Mandalika Beach, Seger Beach, Serenting Beach, Putri Nyale, Tanjung Aan Beach, to Gerupuk Beach, all are ready to pamper you and your family.
For those of you who like to surf, Gerupuk Beach with sizable waves can be an option. Likewise, Tanjung Aan Beach and Seger Beach. For a long time, these beaches became a hidden paradise for foreign surfers.
Even more special, all the attractions of the beaches are combined with the beauty of the background of green hills that fortify each of the beaches. When you climb one, get ready to sigh, because you will be amazed when you see the beauty of the entire coastline from the height of the hill.
- Raja Ampat
Far from the view-blocking skyscrapers, dense and hectic concrete jungles, congested traffics, flickering electric billboards, endless annoying noises, and all the nuisances of modern cities, you will find a pristine paradise where Mother Nature and warm friendly people welcome you with all the exceptional wonders in Raja Ampat, the islands-regency in West Papua Province. With all the spectacular wonders above and beyond its waters, as well as on land and amidst the thick jungles, this is truly the place where words such as beautiful, enchanting, magnificent, and fascinating get its true physical meaning.
- Bali
Also known as the Land of Gods, Bali appeals through its sheer natural beauty of looming volcanoes and lush terraced rice fields that exude peace and serenity. It is also famous for surfers’ paradise! Bali enchants with its dramatic dances and colourful ceremonies, its arts, and crafts, to its luxurious beach resorts and exciting nightlife. And everywhere, you will find intricately carved temples. As Bali is located 8 degrees south of the equator, you will find the climate to be the typical tropical, warm and humid all year round with two main distinctive seasons: Dry Season and Rainy Season. Some of the areas around Bali’s central mountains (volcanoes) have several peaks over 3,000 meters above sea levels. Up here the temperatures are considerably cooler, and there is much more rainfall than in the coastal areas.
Art and Culture
Indonesia is also rich of traditional musical instruments, with its diverse coming in hundreds of different forms and styles, uniquely differs from one region to another, that has been heritage for centuries. Below are some of those instruments.
Sasando
Sasando is a typical musical instrument from Rote Island which at first glance looks like a guitar. This musical instrument is said to have been used by the people in Rote, East Nusa Tenggara Indonesia since the 7th century. Sasando has a main part in the form of a long tube made of bamboo. In the middle of this stringed instrument, it is circular from top to bottom. The strings on Sasando are stretched in the tube from top to bottom which has been given wedges.
Based on the tone structure, Sasando can be divided into two types. First, the Sasando gong with a pentatonic tone system has twelve strings. This type of sasando can usually only be used to play traditional songs of the people on Rote Island Indonesia.
Gamelan
The indigenous orchestra type of the islands of Java and Bali, in Indonesia, consisting largely of several varieties of gongs and a traditional percussion orchestra with xylophones, gongs, gong-chimes, drums, cymbals, string instruments and bamboo flutes.
As integral part of Indonesian identity dating back centuries, gamelan has been passed down many generations through informal and formal education, including in school and after-school activities.
On December 15, 2021 UNESCO recognized gamelan as the intangible cultural heritage from Indonesia.
Angklung
Angklung is a musical instrument from West Java in Indonesia made of a varying number of bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. The tubes are carefully whittled and cut by a master craftsperson to have a resonant pitch when the bamboo frame is shaken or tapped and are tuned to octaves, similar to Western handbells.
On November 18, 2010, UNESCO officially recognized the Indonesian angklung as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Religion
The country officially acknowledges six major religions, namely Islam, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
Indonesia as a country that highly respects the values of tolerance has also been recognized and became of model of how a country is harmonious across ethnic, religious, racial and cultural diversity.
