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Home , Raja Ampat Islands

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Why Go? ...... 151 Indonesia defines adventure: the only limitation is how ...... 191 many of its 17,000 islands you can reach before your visa expires. Following the equator, Indonesia stretches between Nusa Tenggara...... 221 Malaysia and in one long intoxicating sweep. The ...... 250 nation’s natural diversity is staggering, alluring and inspir- ...... 272 ing, from the snow-capped peaks in , sandalwood for- ...... 277 ests in Sumba, dense jungle in Borneo and impossibly green ...... 288 rice paddies in Bali and Java. Indonesian reefs are a diver’s fantasy while the surf breaks above are the best anywhere. Papua (Irian Jaya)...... 291 But even as the diversity on land and sea run like a travel- Understand ler’s fantasy playlist, it’s the mash-up of people and cultures Indonesia...... 297 that’s the most appealing. Bali justifiably leads off, but there Survival Guide...... 304 are also Papua’s stone-age folk, the many cultures of Flores, the artisans of Java, mall-rats of Jakarta and much more. Whether it’s a dreamy remote beach, an orang-utan encoun- Best Beaches ter or a Bali all-nighter, Indonesia scores. ¨¨ Beach, Lombok (p227) ¨ ¨Gili Air (p231) When to Go ¨ ¨ National Park Jakarta (p238) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm ¨¨Pulau Ai (p291) 40/104 20/500

16/400 ¨¨Raja Ampat, Papua (p296) 30/86 12/300 20/68 Best Places 8/200 10/50 for Cultural 4/100 -0/32 0 Connections J F DNOSAJJMAM ¨¨N ational Museum (p157) ¨¨Dance, (p214) Sep–Mar Wet Apr–Jun Dry Aug High season. season; starts later days & highs that Prices peak on ¨¨Funeral rites, Ubud (p243) in the southeast. aren’t withering. Bali & the Gilis; ¨¨Banda Islands (p290) Rain everywhere Hill towns such as book ahead. Re- ¨¨Tribal culture, Papua in January & Bali’s Ubud can mote spots may (p291) February. be chilly at night. also fill up. luku and the and luku rapi. There’s There’s rapi. a njangan in njangan mbok catch catch mbok e e o M tionally finish finish tionally L M p M O wag. The Baliem Valley Valley Baliem The wag. lands in Sulawesi, Sulawesi, in lands a s nduk, which offer walksoffer which nduk, I L lands in in lands u lands or track down down track or lands s I s I M lands, Pulau Pulau lands, s I lands in Papua. in lands Diving highlights include westernhighlightsinclude Diving s Bali leads the way, with a multitude of of multitude a with way, the leads Bali I mbok is a dramatic and rewarding trek. rewarding and dramatic a is mbok o ny start at the legendary breaks of Bali’s Bali’s legendaryof startthe breaks at ny L a s M e i orkelling Java, organised trekking centres on some on centres organisedtrekking Java, luku’s idyllic Banda Banda idyllic luku’s n n a I

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n i urfing p r n Sumatra, try the jungles of Bukit of jungles trythe Sumatra, your time following the spine of Sulawesi or head further further head or Sulawesi of spine the following time your for east Sumatra. or Kalimantan on orang-utans One I Java on start but Gilis, the and and Bali on week your clude of city cultural the through cross and From onth . of treasure Unesco the It erar choice. is the obvious but Bali one, This is a tough partying possibly in the south, days of Spend a couple surfing and chilling on the Bukit and/or in and walks rice-field Ubud for up to Head Peninsula. the near- to/from boat a fast Catch culture. intoxicating Gili by stops with Flores to Sumbawa across buses and ferries Komodo. dragon-filled and beaches at One DivingS S T as S eatments the of southernside the on islands the All T ekking donesian archipelago – from Sumatra to Timor – get get – Timor to Sumatra from – archipelagodonesian ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ n n more variety in Bali, the location of the wonderful the Gunung location of the Bali, varietyin more around hills the and region Batur O salons and spas in all the main travellers’ centres. travellers’ main the all in spas and salons Gunung as such spectacular hikes volcano waterfalls.plantationsand spice forests, hillside cool amid on Rinjani Gunung ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ Essential Outdoor Activities With so many islands, it would be a shame not to get a sense of of sense a get to not Don’tshame Missa be would it islands, two; or many one so only to With visit your limiting by archipelago vast of- this luxurious, – never Ferries adventurous possible. as truly many as see and links rather, myriad provide – squalid bit a ten of on the any flights with distances Shorten buses with dots island-hopping. overland connect and airlines speeds. discount breakneck many at road the of middle the down bombing Pulau Weh in Sumatra, the Banda the Sumatra, in Weh Pulau fabuloustrekking has Toraja Tana popularand is Papua in spectacular traditionalopportunities Sulawesi’s through villages. Flores and Komodo, the Gili Gili the Komodo, and Flores Togean the and Bunaken Pulau Bali, I sometimesdownrightand exceptional, often reliable, surf. frightening incredible Raja Ampat Raja incredible Bukit Peninsula, such as Ulu Watu. Ulu as such Peninsula, Bukit s M I S us b in

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around 30,000Rp) 30,000Rp) around n tourist areas tourist (Rp); 100,000Rp notes notes 100,000Rp (Rp); break to hard be can I ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ A nce sold everywhere;sold rates call/text cheap major centres; carry centres; major remote for rupiah islands ( Beer T o-tank Long-distance Budget Meal oom A ea C pital E ergency us ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ A tralia Zone Euro €1Malaysia 15,955Rp RM1Singapore S$1 3530Rp UK 9180Rp US £1 19,355Rp nearest local for advice localfor nearest ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ Country Fly into Jakarta Lombok or Sulawesi, to flights Bali; to Ferries available. also etc and Malaysia from Sumatra popular. are Singapore Entering the Set BudgetYour

Exchange Rates Fast Facts 100,000Rp

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