Most Beautiful And Popular Places in Indonesia

Java Island

The island of Java impresses with its truly amazing natural beauty and is divided into three provinces:

• Central - the historical and cultural center of the island;
• Western - high mountains and green valleys;
• Eastern - rich in beaches, lakes, majestic volcanoes and nature reserves.

Wanting to get an indescribable feeling and visit the sights of Indonesia, tourists first of all come to the island of Java. Having made a trip to all provinces, guests will see unique ancient monuments, formidable volcanoes, endless rice plantations and national parks, and will receive a tremendous boost of energy.

Visitors begin to get acquainted with Java from the metropolis, the capital of the island - Jakarta. The city is quite interesting and ambiguous, here you can feel the whole great history of Indonesia, see its symbol in the center of the capital - the majestic National Monument. There are many active volcanoes on the island (there are more than 120 in total). Among the most popular and visited places by tourists are the ancient temple complexes of Borobudur and Prambanan, the Taman Sari Water Palace created in the 18th century, the amazing Bromo-Tenger-Semeru National Park, on the territory of which there are not only beautiful waterfalls and dense impenetrable forests, but also several active volcanoes.

Elephant Cave (Bali)

Not far from the village of Bedulu is the temple of Goa Gajah, which is located in a man-made cave called the Elephant. The choice of location for the Hindu sanctuary is not accidental - the natives considered the confluence of two streams endowed with divine power.

The sights of Indonesia almost always have unusual names, and the Elephant Cave is no exception. It got its name due to the statue of Ganesha located in the temple. This deity has the head of an elephant. However, there is another version that says that the Petanu River influenced the choice of the name, the locals call it the “elephant stream”.

Entrance to the territory is paid, but you can go only if you wear a sarong (local traditional clothing). Here you can see many fragments of sculptures and architecture preserved from ancient times.

Of particular interest to tourists are three statues and a sculpture of Hariti. This giantess was known in Bali as Men-Breyut. You can enter the cave only through the main entrance, which is designed in the form of an open mouth of a terrible monster. Different scholars see different mythological characters in him, for example, Kebo Iva, the demoness Rangda or the god of hunting Pashupati.

Sightseeing in Indonesia: what else to visit while in Indonesia

Check out a few more tourist sites that are often included in Indonesia, because the wider the choice, the more likely it is that the holiday will be amazing! All the information provided is up-to-date, and the photos allow you to appreciate the stunning beauty of the sights that await you in this country.

Munduk Waterfall (Central Bali)

The sights of Indonesia are famous all over the world for their beauty. Especially when it comes to waterfalls, as they look powerful and spectacular. One of them is Munduk. They go to it along a narrow path, which is buried in greenery and stretches along a cliff right above the river. The main thing on the way is not to be distracted by the beautiful views of the valley, and carefully look under your feet.

When making a list of what to visit in Indonesia, you should not miss this object. The Munduk waterfall is a stream falling from a height of 25 meters, which does not dry out even during the drought period. From November to February in these places the rainy season, and the spectacle will be especially impressive.

The flow of seething water against the background of the green jungle looks breathtaking. Not far from it there is parking, for which you will have to pay a purely symbolic amount. Rising to the observation deck at about 500, you can hear the sound of water, but the waterfall itself is not visible until the last. You won’t be able to get close to it, as there is a cloud of water dust nearby. If you stand for a few minutes, you can get wet through.

Not far from the waterfall are the temple of Pura Ulan Danu, Lake Tamblingan, a Buddhist temple.

Borobudur Temple (Java Island)

Going to the island of Java, you should add to the list of places to visit the Temple of a Thousand Buddhas, or, as it is also called, Borobudur. This is the second largest sanctuary, after the well-known Angkor Wat. This Indonesian landmark has only 50 sculptures, but in addition to them, there are almost 300 stone bas-reliefs that create a fantastic sight. The length of the temple is about 5 km, and this object is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In fact, this is a Buddhist textbook that tells about all the reincarnations of the Buddha and the pillars of his teachings. Many tourists make a wish by touching the foot of the Buddha.

It is not known for certain who exactly was involved in the construction of this amazing architectural structure and for what purpose it was done. Gunadharma is considered to be the architect, but Japanese legends speak of this, and there are no other sources that would confirm this. The approximate time of construction is 750 AD. It took about 75 years to complete the construction of the complex.

But Borobudur fell into decay after the locals left these lands. Scientists believe that the reason for this was the volcanic eruption. This is confirmed by the fact that for several centuries the complex was buried under volcanic ash and hidden in thickets of tropical vegetation. Looking for what to see in Indonesia, it is better to go here first of all.