Indonesia (2 discs) DVD $29.95 buy now

Indonesia (2 discs) DVD $29.95 buy now

Indonesia: Locations in Java and Sumatra

There are a few things to bear in mind when planning a trip to the neighbouring Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra: firstly, recent news of unrest should be taken seriously and although travel is largely safe, there are certain areas that travellers should avoid if advised. Widespread corruption and civil unrest has meant that, for ideological or safety reasons, many travellers stay away. This drop in tourist numbers means that you can really feel 'off the beaten track' in Java and particularly Sumatra. Combined with the weakness of the currency, they are also very cheap places to visit. Also, be aware that unlike the island of Bali, Java and Sumatra are not hardcore traveller destinations - there are areas you can go to which have no internet cafes, no luxury hotels, no western-style restaurants and holes in the ground for toilets. You must also remember that the population here is predominantly Muslim, so care must be taken to dress modestly and respect Muslim traditions. So, adding the threat of Malaria (get properly immunized) AND the terrifying roads - you've on a real life Indonesian adventure! Java and Sumatra are very beautiful, vibrant islands, offering the traveler sophisticated cities, wild jungle, beautiful beaches, ancient historic sites and varied fascinating ethnic cultures.


Java

Jakarta is an aquired taste; it's big, sprawling, noisy, polluted, smelly, the traffic is constantly gridlocked and it's not a particularly safe. Despite this, there is a certain energy to the city which gives it a unique flavour and the people are friendly and warm. It really is a melting pot of ethnic groups with the obscenely rich living and playing right beside the very poor. Jakarta is certainly never dull.

Like any major cosmopolitan city, Jakarta has massive shopping malls selling the top labels, including Prada, Gucci, Hermes and Chanel. The Indonesia Plaza underneath the Hyatt Hotel has loads of designer shops, a large cosmetics area and a variety of places to eat in the basement. Plaza Senayan is the latest giant mall to pull in wealthy Jakartans - the dramatic central cookoo clock is worth looking out for. For batik, try the Sarinah Department Store, 3rd floor. And for antiques, don't miss Jalan Surabaya where you'll find fine silver jewellery, traditional Javanese wooden trunks and much more.

Muslim country or not, Jakarta has a lively night scene - from civilized hotel nightclubs, to karaoke bars to 'in your face' flesh pits. The Tanamur nightclub is famous - it largely attracts ex-pats eager to dance with beautiful young Indonesian women. Another club is The Studio, which is full to the brim every night with young clubbers.

Krakatau

Head to West Java to climb legendary Anak Krakatau and trek beautiful Ujong Kulon National Park. You need a permit for both excursions, which you can get through the PHPA office in Labuan town.

Take a day trip by boat to Anak Krakatau, or 'child of Krakatau'. It's an island left over after Krakatau (an area the size of Manhattan) was hit by a massive volcanic eruption in 1883. The explosions force was equivalent to 10,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs and the tsunamis caused most of the thousands of deaths in the area. Tremors were detected as far away as Sri Lanka, the English Channel and off the coast of Alaska. It's a four or five hour boat ride to the island and you can organize a boat from Labuan or Carita. Permits are obligatory and it is advised to have a good guide. The walk is short (30 mins) but steep, so wear good walking boots with thick soles. There are times when it is too dangerous to go to Krakatau and from October to March the sea may be too rough to cross so ask first at the permit office in Labuan.

In Ujong Kulon Park, you can glide in a dugout canoe on abundant rivers overhung with dense jungle. The elusive Javan Rhinoceros is the biggest draw for travellers to the area, although many guides have never even seen one themselves! You need a permit to enter the park. At Handelum Island, if you're lucky you'll see snakes, turtles, birds and wild deer or take a boat to one of Ujong Kulons many glorious empty beaches.


Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is a welcome relief after the size and intensity of Jakarta. It's a much more chilled out city, with lots to see and do. It's often used as a base from which to explore two of Indonesia's biggest tourist attractions - Prambanan and Borobudur.

Visit the ancient monument of Borobudur for sunrise, a one hour drive from Yogyakarta. The temple is a colossal multi-tiered Buddhist stupa built in the 9th century by the Saliendra Dynasty on Hindu foundations. Visitors should do as the Buddhist pilgrims - walk clockwise around the base of the temple before ascending to the next tier via the eastern stairway. This process was repeated on every level until eventually they arrived at the summit - nirvana. Borobudur is pregnant with symbolism so it's a good idea to get a guide. He can bring you to the lucky stupa - touch the Buddha's foot and reach your other hand skywards and your wish will come true! This place can become very crowded; try to avoid public or school holidays or you will be mobbed, particularly by Indonesian kids keen to practise their English on you!

Shopping in Yogyakarta is great value and endlessly diverting. There are some great silver shops in Kota Gede. Batik is a Javanese speciality and if buying batik from one of the many galleries and markets in Yogya isn't enough, sign up for a batik course (one to five day duration) and make your own.

Kudus

Kudus feels very different to other Javanese towns. It is home to one of the most important mosques on Java and is renowned as a centre for Islamic study. Kretek, the ubiquitous sweet-smelling clove cigarette originated here. The windy middle eastern-style streets and burqa-wearing women give this town a uniquely Islamic feel.

The big appeal to Kudus are its fascinating Kretek factories. You can make an appointment to visit most of Kudus's 25 kretek manufacturers. A company like Djarum employs 25,000 workers located in 16 factories throughout the town and it is Kudus's biggest employer. In the blending and rolling room, 800 female workers produce around 2.4 million cigarettes a day. Visit the Kretek Museum to find out more about the origins and development of kretek.

A bit more special than visiting the big factories is a trip to Sogo, a tiny home industry employing about 20 people. Here everything is done by hand and they are one of the few companies still producing the original corn husk hand-rolled cigarette. It's amazing to see the women, many in their 80s, crouched on the floor dexterously rolling the raw tobacco into perfect kretek.

The Mesjid Al-Aqsa is the city's most important mosque, founded in 1549. Try to be in Kudus on a Friday when the area is teeming with families on their way to pray. Religious and political statues, pictures and knick knacks are sold just outside the mosque.

Sumatra

Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang is a real traveller's hang-out. It's a picturesque village located in dense rainforest by the Bohorok River. Travellers are well catered for with countless cafes providing internet, western blockbuster movies, pizza and chips and the vestiges of Bukit Lawangs hippy days - bean bags and magic mushrooms! Magic mushrooms are advertised all over Bukit Lawang (and Danau Toba) and they are apparently very strong, usually served in omelettes.

The main draw for travellers though is the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. The centre was founded in 1973 by two Swiss women with the aim of returning captive and orphaned orangutans back into the wild. The apes have become extremely popular as pets in South East Asia, particularly in Singapore, where a baby orangutan can fetch up to US $40,000. During rehabilitation, the orangutans spend time at the quarantine station - a large cage - in which they are retaught the basics of being a wild orangutan, such as tree climbing and nest building. Up the hill is the feeding station, where orangutans that are closer to rehabilitation come twice a day for bananas and milk. Try to go to both feeding sessions - it's amazing to watch the apes up-close, feeding and swinging through the jungle with their babies.

If you're looking for a bit of action, lots of travellers head up-stream from the rehabilitation centre and float down the river in inner tubes. It looks relaxing and peaceful but where the water is faster, it becomes quite exhilarating. Be careful - it's easy to whack yourself against the stones and Bukit Lawang's medical facilities certainly aren't the best in Indonesia.

Danau Toba

Samosir Island in Danau Toba is an island in the middle of Toba's crater lake - the result of a catastrophic volcanic eruption 80,000 years ago. The scenery is stunning- it feels almost Alpine and in fact the climate here is a lot cooler than the rest of Sumatra due to the islands altitude. The big appeal to Danau Toba is its tribal Batak culture, and it's a fantastic place to chill out.

Samosir is home to the Batak Toba, an ethnic group with a distinctive history, including cannibalism, as discovered by 19th century German geographer Franz Junghun. The best place to go to visualize this grisly practise is Ambarita, about a ten minutes drive from Tuk Tuk. A local guide will give you the (sometimes sanitized) history. As everywhere on Samosir, there are plenty of things to buy, from batik to jewellery to wood carved spears. The Batak have a great tradition in wood carving. The souvenirs are generally great value.

Relaxation is the attraction of Samosir, and watersports are available. It's possible to jet ski, wind surf and paraglide on Danau Toba. There's also some great hill climbing and some treks to more out of the way Batak villages. If you're lucky you'll come across a colourful and boisterous wedding or funeral when you're there.

Palau Nias

Nias Island is an unusual place, virtually impossible to get to and some would feel that the atmosphere isn't exactly welcoming. Here there's great surfing and the villages and traditions are fascinating. Remember to get properly immunized; Malaria exists on Palau Nias. There's no internet on the island, few phones and very few facilities of any kind.

For years, Palau Nias has drawn dedicated surfers to the island for it's fantastic waves. There is a section of the beach ideal for learner surfers or you can sit back and marvel at the experts. Surfing competitions are held here every year - and are great times to visit the island, when facilities may be better and the island isn't deserted of travellers.

The people of Nias have a fascinating stone culture which revolves around the protection of each warring village. In order to invade another village the young men had to learn to jump the walls and the tradition of stone jumping has endured to the extent that young boys still attempt to jump a section of wall in the center of each village, in order to become a man. For money the locals will perform a fantastic and colourful war dance and men will jump the wall. You will be harassed endlessly to buy souvenirs. There are some wonderful wood carvings available but to buy from one person means being harassed by many. This is a very poor island so expect to pay a small amount for a guide or just for advice from a local.