Indonesia

Overview

Indonesia offers a complete mix of culture, nature and beaches with options to suit every taste. In Java you can explore the bustling cities of Jakarta and Surabaya and visit the fascinating temples and palaces situated near Yogyakarta and Solo. In Sulawesi you can visit the eerie burial sites and see the incredible spirit houses as well as trekking around the beautiful countryside. In Kalimantan and Sumatra it is possible to visit orang-utan sanctuaries and in Sumatra you can explore some of the hidden villages and volcanoes. You can journey to Flores from where you can visit the famous Komodo Island and see the 3metre long creatures that appear to be from another world. Bali which is famed for its beaches also has a thriving religious and cultural life with regular dances and festivals in fact it is practically impossible to drive around the island without running into a temple festival of some sort especially if you stay in the stunning hill town of Ubud. There are many other areas to explore in Indonesia, these are only a taster of what is on offer in this enormous fascinating and diverse country.

History

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty, preventing terrorism, continuing the transition to popularly-elected governments after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing reforms of the banking sector, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, and holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations. Indonesia has been dealing with armed separatist movements in Aceh and in Papua.