Page 22 - Asian Paradises 2019-20

— Indonesia —

East of Komodo is the island of flowers, Flores, where Komodo hotels have been restored to their original art deco style. Most
dragons can be found along the west coast, the only other place hotels in major towns have air-conditioned rooms, but budget
apart from Komodo. Also on Flores is Kelimutu with three hotels are very basic.
coloured lakes in the caldera of the volcano. These lakes change Getting around
colour depending on the oxidation state of the water and go from Indonesia has a huge variety of local transport, with public mini-
bright red through to green and blue.
buses found in cities and villages. Many towns have bemos, three-
Papua, once part of the Australian landmass, has kangaroos, wheeled pick-ups with two rows of seats down the side, while the
marsupial mice, bandicoots, ring-tailed possums, crocodiles and bajaj is found only in Jakarta. Becaks, or bicycle rickshaws, operate
frilled neck lizards. Indonesia has 400 volcanoes and a spectrum mainly in the suburbs of Jakarta and Surabaya, and are increasingly
of landscapes from lush green mountain slopes to warm sandy being banned from the central areas of major cities.
beaches; from rice fields to rainforests and mountains topped year- In Bali, Yogyakarta and many other centres you can hire self-
round with snow.
drive cars, bicycles or motorbikes. Taxis are available in Jakarta,
The sights Surabaya, Bandung, Solo, Semarang, Medan and Bali. Fares are
The most visited islands tend to be Sumatra, Java and Bali, and generally low, and most taxis use their meters. If you choose not to
there is a great diversity of landscapes and cultures in these regions use the meter make sure to agree on a price with the driver before
alone. There are also many temples from the Buddhist and Hindu you set out for the destination.
dynasties such as those in Borobudur, Prambanan and the Dieng Food and entertainment
Plateau, the palaces of the sultans in Surakarta and Yogyakarta, the As with the cuisine throughout Asia, Indonesian food is largely
Maimoon Palace of the Sultanate of Deli in Medan, and the Hall based on rice. Nasi goreng, fried rice with an egg on top, is one
of Justice in Bali. There are remote villages, the ruins of ancient of the most popular dishes. Seafood, including fish, lobster,
fortresses and museums, mosques and churches.
oysters, prawns, shrimp, squid and crab feature prominently in
Where to stay the Indonesian diet and the cuisine is bold, rich in flavour and
Accommodation in Indonesia ranges from deluxe hotels and resorts heavily spiced. Coconut is also very common and is produced for
through to simple economy hotels, ‘wisma’ (guesthouses) and its cooking oil as well as its milk and white flesh that are used as
‘losmen’ (rooms to let). Deluxe hotels complete with convention ingredients in many dishes. A rumah makan, ‘house to eat’, is
facilities can be found in places such as Medan, Yogyakarta, generally the cheaper equivalent of a restaurant.
Surabaya, Bandung, Jakarta, Bali and Makassar, while Jakarta Markets are a good food source, especially night markets. Jakarta and
offers a good mix of elegant five-star hotels and quality three- and Bali have a wide range of excellent restaurants offering all types of
four-star establishments.
cuisine from ethnic Indonesian to Chinese, Japanese, and also Western
In Bali, accommodation is available in all price categories, in the and European fare. There’s entertainment in Bali almost every day
mountains or along the beach. In Bandung in West Java two old with exhibitions of Balinese dancing either in villages or at hotels.

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