Friday, May 18 2012
03 Dec 2008 05:31:45
Excerpts from the report by Jeff Kingston:
Best beach
Well, who would want to give it away — and last year's paradise is ever at risk of becoming next year's overrun oasis. Thanks to Leonard Decaprio, the search intensifies, but Thailand still boasts many of the best ones. Ko Tarutao is a good place to look, but if you really like to get away from it all, check out western Sumba.
Best snorkeling / diving
Bunaken Island off the coast of Sulawesi in Indonesia offers perhaps the most stunning coral, arrays of tropical fish and clear water in the region. The coastal reefs of East Timor are a worthy of an honorable mention.
Best lake
Lake Issyk Kul, at 1,600 meters in Kyrgyzstan, is a stunning and massive expanse of water with an alluring alpine backdrop of 4,000-meter snowcapped peaks. It is also a pleasant journey from Bishkek, the leafy capital. I have twice tried to see the renowned Keli Mutu crater lakes at 1,600 meters in Flores in eastern Indonesia, but on both occasions clouds prevented me viewing these multicolor wonders. However, if the postcards are to be believed, they are truly wondrous — but only slightly more so than Lake Maninjau in the Batak highlands of Sumatra.
Best sacred sites
Angkor Wat (Cambodia), Bagan (Burma) and Borobodur (Indonesia) are perhaps the grandest and most enthralling of Asia's many sacred wonders, and shouldn't be missed. Mrauk U in western Burma, despite some unfortunate restoration, and Aukana in Sri Lanka, are also magnificent.
Best off-the-beaten-track locale
Sumba Island in eastern Indonesia is like a time machine where ancient traditions remain vibrant, especially in the west. The stone carvings and ikat weavings are the finest in the archipelago, although the roads have a lot to answer for. Surfers swear by its waves.
Best outdoor theater
Prambanan in central Java, near Borobodur, where the staging of the "Ramayana" on full-moon nights with a cast of hundreds scampering about the lovely 10th-century ruin that serves as a stage is incomparable. Alas, since a recent earthquake, the site has been closed for repair, and alongside there is a large modern outdoor theater with cushioned seating that reminds you just how hard the stone benches were. Occasionally, there are cultural events at Angkor Wat that are nearly as magical.
Best house ornamentation
In Sumba, the dead are buried in swathes of ikat cloth in large stone coffins with beautifully carved lids right in front of the houses, while homes in Bali have their own altars for offerings to the gods, and there are similar adornments throughout the region. However, these all pale in comparison to the exuberant paintings that adorn houses throughout Bhutan.
Source: www.tourismindonesia.com
Japan Times Best Places; Prambanan best outdoor theater
Indonesia, represented by Sumba, Borobudur, Bunaken, Prambanan, Keli Mutu, and Lake Maninjau was listed several times in the reportExcerpts from the report by Jeff Kingston:
Best beach
Well, who would want to give it away — and last year's paradise is ever at risk of becoming next year's overrun oasis. Thanks to Leonard Decaprio, the search intensifies, but Thailand still boasts many of the best ones. Ko Tarutao is a good place to look, but if you really like to get away from it all, check out western Sumba.
Best snorkeling / diving
Bunaken Island off the coast of Sulawesi in Indonesia offers perhaps the most stunning coral, arrays of tropical fish and clear water in the region. The coastal reefs of East Timor are a worthy of an honorable mention.
Best lake
Lake Issyk Kul, at 1,600 meters in Kyrgyzstan, is a stunning and massive expanse of water with an alluring alpine backdrop of 4,000-meter snowcapped peaks. It is also a pleasant journey from Bishkek, the leafy capital. I have twice tried to see the renowned Keli Mutu crater lakes at 1,600 meters in Flores in eastern Indonesia, but on both occasions clouds prevented me viewing these multicolor wonders. However, if the postcards are to be believed, they are truly wondrous — but only slightly more so than Lake Maninjau in the Batak highlands of Sumatra.
Best sacred sites
Angkor Wat (Cambodia), Bagan (Burma) and Borobodur (Indonesia) are perhaps the grandest and most enthralling of Asia's many sacred wonders, and shouldn't be missed. Mrauk U in western Burma, despite some unfortunate restoration, and Aukana in Sri Lanka, are also magnificent.
Best off-the-beaten-track locale
Sumba Island in eastern Indonesia is like a time machine where ancient traditions remain vibrant, especially in the west. The stone carvings and ikat weavings are the finest in the archipelago, although the roads have a lot to answer for. Surfers swear by its waves.
Best outdoor theater
Prambanan in central Java, near Borobodur, where the staging of the "Ramayana" on full-moon nights with a cast of hundreds scampering about the lovely 10th-century ruin that serves as a stage is incomparable. Alas, since a recent earthquake, the site has been closed for repair, and alongside there is a large modern outdoor theater with cushioned seating that reminds you just how hard the stone benches were. Occasionally, there are cultural events at Angkor Wat that are nearly as magical.
Best house ornamentation
In Sumba, the dead are buried in swathes of ikat cloth in large stone coffins with beautifully carved lids right in front of the houses, while homes in Bali have their own altars for offerings to the gods, and there are similar adornments throughout the region. However, these all pale in comparison to the exuberant paintings that adorn houses throughout Bhutan.
Source: www.tourismindonesia.com
Recent News
- Vesak Day at the Borobudur Temple
On Vesak Day which this year falls on Sunday, 6 May, thousands of devotees will congregate at the Borobudur temple in Central Java , - the world’s largest Buddhist monument, - to take part in Buddhism’s holiest event. - Semarang: Indonesia's City of Jamu
Semarang, the capital of Central Java, is a vital port city nestled on the Java Sea. Ships from China, India and Europe have long come to Semarang’s docks to trade, helping the city to grow into an industrial hub for both big and small manufacturers - Two Temples Worth a Visit in Central Java
Although most Indonesians know about the popular Borobudur and Prambanan temples, they might not be familiar with the unique Javanese-Hindu temples Sukuh and Cetho, despite the fact that both are also located in Central Java.
Articles
Testimonies
- Greg Roberts / Australia
This unbelievable journey that began at Jakarta and concluded at Ubud, Bali, would not have been possible without the guidance and recommendations of Udhi Sudiyanto, Director of Antar Anda Tour and Travel, Yogyakarta - Jan Thiels / Belgium
Dear Udhi We want to thank you for the good organization of our trip in Indonesia. - Cees de Mos / Netherlands
On behalf of the group (8 adults and 3 children.) I gladly let you you that our trips in Indonesia not only beautiful, but excellent.