Java
Java is the most populous island in Indonesia providing many contrasts of scenery, people, religions and cultures. The island boasts immense beauty, from peaceful villages and a beautiful, fertile countryside to smoking volcanoes and ancient monuments. However there is also an unattractive side visible in its dirty, overcrowded cities, particularly the capital of Jakarta, clogged with traffic and pollution, with evident differences in wealth and wretched poverty between the people. Java is a mosaic of sights and impressions. It is also Indonesia's political stage and the cultural, educational and historical centre of the archipelago.
The island is dominated by an active volcanic mountain range stretching along its length. To the north is the unappealing city of Jakarta, a mixture of the modern and luxurious, with a glamorous city centre and some fine Dutch architecture; along with the filth, crime and squalor of a big city. South of the mountainous spine in central Java, lies the most popular city in Indonesia, Yogyakarta, the centre for Javanese art and culture, and nearby the astounding Hindu complex and Buddhist monument of Prambanan and Borobudur. Mt Bromo to the east is an active volcano amid stunning scenery.
Java offers the visitor a vivid and rewarding experience of an intensely striking land and culture, a tapestry of religions and historical influences, and splendid landscapes that make it the enchanting 'Garden of the East'.
The island is dominated by an active volcanic mountain range stretching along its length. To the north is the unappealing city of Jakarta, a mixture of the modern and luxurious, with a glamorous city centre and some fine Dutch architecture; along with the filth, crime and squalor of a big city. South of the mountainous spine in central Java, lies the most popular city in Indonesia, Yogyakarta, the centre for Javanese art and culture, and nearby the astounding Hindu complex and Buddhist monument of Prambanan and Borobudur. Mt Bromo to the east is an active volcano amid stunning scenery.
Java offers the visitor a vivid and rewarding experience of an intensely striking land and culture, a tapestry of religions and historical influences, and splendid landscapes that make it the enchanting 'Garden of the East'.
Bali
Bali may be small in size – you can drive around the entire coast in one long day – but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so. Ask travellers what Bali means to them and you’ll get as many answers as there are flowers on a frangipani tree. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerising dance performances and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish.
Small obviously doesn’t mean limited. The manic whirl of Kuta segues into the luxury of Seminyak. The artistic swirl of Ubud is a counterpoint to misty treks amid the volcanoes. Mellow beach towns like Amed, Lovina and Pemuteran can be found right round the coast and just offshore is the laid-back idyll of Nusa Lembongan.
As you stumble upon the exquisite little offerings left all over the island that materialise as if by magic, you’ll see that the tiny tapestry of colours and textures is a metaphor for Bali itself.
And those are just some of the more obvious qualities. A visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia. There are pleasures of the body, whether a massage on the beach or a hedonistic interlude in a sybaritic spa. Shopping that will put ‘extra bag’ at the top of your list. Food and drink ranging from the freshest local cuisine bursting with the flavours of the markets to food from around the globe, often prepared by chefs and served in restaurants that are world class. From a cold Bintang at sunset to an epic night clubbing in Kuta, your social whirl is limited only by your own fortitude.
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