Top 5 best cities to visit in Indonesia


 

Welcome to the enchanting realm where dragons still roam the lands and gigantic flowers with the foulest smells grow. Five Indonesian islands Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Padar are home to the gigantic venomous Komodo dragon. Sumatra island, Indonesia, is home to the Rafflesia arnoldi nicknamed “corpse flower by the locals. It produces the largest individual flower and smells like decaying flesh.

Officially known as the Republic of Indonesia is located off the coast of mainland Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific Ocean. It was formerly known as the East Indies or Netherlands East Indies before it gained its independence in 1945. Indonesia is the world’s largest island country consisting of more than 18,000 islands and the 14th largest country land area. It is the 4th most populous country on the planet with a population of over 261.1 million people.

Here are the top 5 best cities to visit in Indonesia to best experience the diverse cultural practices of this island country.

1. Yogyakarta

Kraton Yogyakarta Pagelaran – Wikipedia

Discover the only city in Indonesia that is still ruled by a sultan whose walled royal palace, known as Kraton, dominates the center of the town. A delight to wonder, Yogyakarta is the heart of classical Javanese fine art and culture. You will often see Javanese script all over the city and it’s even taught in most of the schools in the region. It is home to one of the two non-pillar bridges in the world.

Yogyakarta also known as Yogyakarta Special Region in Indonesia was the capital city between the year 1946 to 1949. The name of the city is derived from the main setting for an Indian Ramayana Epic, Ajodhya. The word Yogya means ‘suitable’ while Karta means ‘flourish’ or ‘prosper’ therefore Yogyakarta means ‘prosperous city’.

2. Jakarta

SA Blue Mosque, Jakarta – Wikipedia

Home to over 10 million people originating from all corners of Indonesia Jakarta is a melting point of many cultures. The city comprises a colorful mixture of religions, cultures and languages representing Java, Malaysia, China, the Middle East, India and Europe. Its diversity is well depicted on the city’s architecture, language and cuisine. The city also boasts of having the largest mosques of the world, high-rises and tower blocks spring up through the charming Chinatown and colonial buildings of the old town.

Jakarta is the 13th largest city in the world and the capital city of Indonesia. As the nation’s political, cultural and economic heart it is the glue that binds Indonesia’s more than 18,000 islands together. Its nicknamed the Big Durian, durian is an edible thorny fruit grown in Indonesia. The city is the most populated in Indonesia and serves as the venue of many national and international art and culture fairs, festivals, and exhibitions.

3. Bandung

Bandung Pink Flower – Wikipedia

Arguably the most beautiful city in Indonesia dubbed the name ‘Kota Kembang’ meaning the ‘City of Flowers’ because it has the widest variety of trees and flowers in Indonesia. To further enhance its beauty, the city is surrounded by mountains, waterfall and many more natural wonders. Bandung is also known as ‘Paris Van Java’ meaning Paris of Java as it is the most fashionable city in Indonesia.

The Metropolitan Region of Bandung is the second largest metropolitan in Indonesia. In 1926, it became the first Indonesian city for a movie screening title Lutung Kasarung. Today it is home to the largest cinema in Indonesia, Blitz Megaplex Paris Van Java. On 18th to 24th of April 1955 it hosted the conference which discussed the freedom of Asian and African countries.

4. Bali

Lovina Beach, Bali – Wikipedia

The peerless beaches of Bali serve as heavens for surfers, tourists and the locals. Bali offers the typical white sand beaches as well as the extraordinary black sand beaches especially in the north-western coastlines. For example, the Lovina Beach is covered with black sand that comes from the cooled lava of the Mt. Agung volcano. You can further explore the immaculate caves, pristine coral reefs, exotic fish, dramatic shipwrecks, strong waves and a panoramic view of the beach and the clear blue sea.

Bali is the western-most part of the Lesser Sunda Island. It is sometimes referred to as the Island of a Thousand Temples as there are over 20,000 temples. Every village has at least three main temples, called Pura Puseh, Pura Desa and Pura Dalem. All the temples face Mount Agung. Uluwatu Temple being the most famous religious site.

The city of Bali is also known by several other names such as The Island of Love, Morning of the World, The Island of Peace, The Island of Gods, and The Island of Hinduism. Kopi Luwak, one of the most expensive coffees in the world produced by collecting beans from the digestion of a Civat Cat, is produced here.

5. Lombok

Statue of Princess Putri, Lombok – Flickr

In Bahasa, Indonesia language ‘Lombok’ means Chili! Lombok island is characterized by its dense forest cover, natural waterfall and stunning natural green scenery. The Sasak people also tell of the legend of Princess Putri Mandalika. When Princess Putri came of age many suitors from other kingdoms came and asked for her hand in marriage. To avoid conflict with the other kingdoms by choosing one suitor the princess sacrificed herself declaring her love for her kingdom. She threw herself off the cliff overlooking Seger Beach. People searched for her but her body disappeared into the waves and only a mass of colorful sea warms could be found. It is believed that the princess’ body transformed to this warms that are now a symbol of the Sasak people

Lombok is a circular in shape with a tail at its southwest island located in the east of Bali and part of the Lesser Sunda Island chain. The Sasak people refer to the island as Bumi Gora meaning ‘Dry Farmland’. Gili Islands; Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno, off Lombok’s west coast are motor-vehicle-free and provide breathtaking beaches, reefs for diving and snorkeling, and a sea turtle hatchery.

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