Backpacking Information on Indonesia

INDONESIAto especially in North Sumatra with 9% of the
Population: 225.3 million (UN, 2005)population in practice and still adding. Hindu and
Capital: Jakartaother pagan or animist beliefs incompletely
Area: 1.9 million sq km (742,308 sq miles)identified are also in practice.
Major languages: Indonesian, 300 regionalLANGUAGE
languagesBAHASA INDONESIA, a modified Malay language,
Major religion: Islamis the official language of the state. ENGLISH is
Life expectancy: 65 years (men), 69 yearswidely spoken in major cities and is the language
(women) (UN)used for foreign matters and the hospitality
Monetary unit: 1 rupiah (Rp)industry, DUTCH, the colonial language spoken as
The Republic of Indonesia is then again one of themore of a creole by a minor senile generation,
MUST-SEE places in Southeast Asia a small hopand a few local dialects have dotted the linguistic
from the Indochina Peninsula. Although it haslandscape.
previously lost some of its charisma to the worldATTRACTIONS
with the 2002 killings of 164 international touristsThe rich and hearty Indonesian culture is the
and 38 locals in Kuta, Bali, tagging along tectonicperfect accent to the allure of sights of this island
hyperactivity scares that brought about almostparadise. Nothing quite epitomizes Indonesian allure
instantaneously the tragedy of the 2004 Indianas the rich biodiversity at the coral reef kingdoms
Ocean Tsunami that took 167,737 lives in Northto which the traveller can scuba dive and witness
Sumatra, was yet another big blow to Indonesia'scolours and creatures so diverse, so flamboyant,
tourism industry, the island paradise is simplypossibly none that anyone has seen anywhere on
tantalizing as ever. With raison d'être, the Javaearth, until now. We're talking possibly hundreds of
Man, one of the world's earliest species of man,shades of blue, red, green, yellow, and so on.
has found his home here around 500 millennia to 2Sulawesi is a place to site rare animals found
million years ago. And rather surely with its 17,508nowhere else in the world that have evolved to
islands that can result to pleasure overdrive,survive in the island of heat and volcanic activity.
travellers can't resist the ethereal music,Crater and volcanic lakes of Sumatra, alabaster
spectacular dance, delightful storytelling andbeaches of Maluku, more volcanoes of Java,
exquisite craftsmanship - great manifestations ofresorts of Bali, surfing sites and fine woven village
a rich and spiritual life. Indonesia just knows howtextiles of Lombok, rainforests in Sabah and
to tingle the pleasure centres of each of itsSarawak, Borneo, West Papua, and thousands
travellers be it by flavour, spectacle, aroma, ormore places offer pristine nature experiences that
sensation, in addition to the size of this place,is are constantly threatened, it is heart-breaking.
possibly the largest paradise that causes moreIn the Orangutan Sanctuary at the Indian Fire
often than not a rethinking of one's departure.Islands-volcanic hotspot, the traveller will also feel
Perhaps another night?a certain over-joy that suddenly shifts to
GEOGRAPHYmelancholy realizing that these beings are in
Fact remains, travel to Indonesia is dynamicdanger as well.
exploration chasing after islands and wildlife, whichThe irresistible and accessible charm of the people
is quite a lot. Indonesia is, after all 1,904,569and the places create a truly phenomenal
km2-territory with 17,508 islands with greatexperience. This is home away from home being
biodiversity, 6,000 of which are inhabited, makinga place that is totally different but so familiar.
it the largest and most populous country in theFrom big island hopping trips from Sumatra to
Southeast Asia. Indonesia (5 00 S, 120 00 E) isKalimantan or Papua, or cheap thrills of watching
made up of forest-clad mountains and lowlandKatchak in southern Bali, the common attraction
plains and coasts that have served as the homeand the genuine beauty is from the people
to nomadic and more advanced civilizations of thescarcely touched by modern living, thriving in
archipelago. Mountains can be found inland, towardharmony with nature. But life is no beach, at least
the island centres of bigger islands, the highest offor the locals with 17.8% living below the poverty
which is the Puncak Jaya at an altitude of 5,030line with so much of a health care system as
metres above the sea level, the Indian Ocean inherbal medicines, and as they get a daily dose of
this part.the salty-smelling cool sea water, the Indonesians
CLIMATEin small villages can never be calm about their
The climate just can't get better for a Southeastown dear lives.
Asian travel, tropical climate as usual as IndonesiaFOOD
straddles the equator. The traveller can't ask forNonetheless, none can take the festive element
more sun or heat with average temperaturesof the culinary epiphanies to be had here. It does
varying very subtly throughout the year fromnot matter the place, rest assured a guest will
26-30 °C. But the highlands and mountainoushave a wide and colourful spread of dishes that
regions like Kalimantan, Sulawesi, W. Java, and W.are out-of-this-world in colours and flavours. The
Sumatra and Papua offer a different kind of cool,nine essential gastronomic elements of Indonesian
regardless the two seasons of wet and dry.cuisine are rice, fuel, cooking oil, flour, corn, salt,
PEOPLEsugar, eggs and meat. A country of many faces,
Indonesia is the 4th most heavily populatedso is Indonesian cuisine combining Indian, Middle
country in the world succeeding the United StatesEastern, European, Chinese, and Malay influences
with 240,271,522 people, or officially, Indonesians.with their use of spices and methods of cooking
Its high population and rapid modernization entailand food presentation, but not without sharing
environmental concerns of excessive waste andsome of their own like nutmeg, clove, and
poor management of it, large-scale illegalgalangal, spices native to Indonesia.
deforestation and massive air and water pollutionMost popular to the world are dishes such as
with related forest fires that threatensatay, beef rendang, sambai, lumpia, pangsit, and
neighbouring countries Brunei and Malaysia. Themany others. Authentic Indonesian cuisine is not a
Javanese are the most numerous ethnic groupsolid concept per se. Rather it pertains to the
with almost 45% of the population, and the islandcuisine in Indonesia which renders localized
of Java, the most populous island in the worldversions of others. Rice is a staple not restrictive
with 130 million of inhabitants. After which comesto main meals as it is also used in desserts using
the Sudanese with 15% of Indonesians and somea variant called "sticky rice" cooked in coconut
300 groups such as the Madurese who are atmilk or buras. In some dishes, food is so hot and
odds with the Dayak, the Minangkabau, Bajar,spicy, it can kill microbes.
Banten, Betawi, and the Bugis.Indonesian food also offers some Eastern exotica
RELIGIONof spicy brains, lungs, and gizzards, but besides its
The republic nation prides on being the countryhigh cholesterol content, there is no reason to not
with the largest Muslim population on the planeteat it. Islamic food prohibitions are practiced but
with almost 90% of a Muslim demographic.with some leniency. The rationale is that alcohol
Naturally, Islam is the way of life here, that mainhas been in existence even before Islam and is
ideology to every action, every principle frompart of traditional and cultural practices. There's a
preparation of meat and food to governance andbig and beautiful world out there, but, a world of
law. Christianity is a budding faith in many smallits own, Indonesia is a tough contender.
villages where missionary work is chiefly directed