Jakarta
The capital and largest city, has changed immeasurably since the days of the Portuguese. Wide highways have overrun dusty bullock tracks. Skyscrapers have replaced thatched huts. However, much care has been exercised in preserving beautiful examples of colonial architecture, while many museums archive the evolution of the Indonesian character.
The city offers sightseeing from the colonial Dutch and British periods, with many fine buildings and the recently restored 'old quarter'. The National Monument, towering 140 m above the Merdeka Square, is crowned with a 'flame' plated in gold. The Central Museum has a fine ethnological collection including statues from the pre-Hindu era. The modern Istiqlal Mosque is one of the world's largest. An antiques market on Jalan Surabaya and numerous batik factories in the Karet area are worth a visit.
Throughout the island of Java, puppet shows are staged, where traditional marionettes act out well-known legends. Performances sometimes last all night
Bali
The landscape of Bali, 'Island of the Gods', is made up of volcanic mountains, lakes and rivers, terraced ricefields, giant banyans and palm groves and, on the coast, bays ringed with white sandy beaches. The island lies a short distance from the eastern coast of Java, across the Strait of Bali. Although its total area is only 810 sq km, the island supports a population of approximately two and a half million. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, the predominant religious faith is Hinduism, though in a special form known as 'Agama-Hindu'. Stretching east to west across the island is a volcanic chain of mountains, dominated by the mighty Gunung Agung (Holy Mountain) whose conical peak soars more than 3170 m into the sky. North of the mountains, where the fertility of the terrain permits, is an area devoted to the production of vegetables and copra. The fertile rice-growing region lies on the central plains. The tourist areas are in the south around Sanur Beach and at Kuta, which lies on the other side of a narrow strip of land.
The island has thousands of temples, the exact number has never been counted. They range from the great 'Holy Temple' at Besakih to small village places of worship. Most of the festivals are held twice a year and involve splendid processions, dances and daily offerings of food and flowers made for the gods. Cremations are also held in great style, though their cost is often almost prohibitive for the average Balinese family.
Bogor
It is formerly Buitenzorg, city in western Indonesia, on western Java Island, near Jakarta. The city, founded by the Dutch in 1745, is a popular summer resort, noted for its botanic gardens. The gardens, with their unusually rich collection of tropical plants, are important centers of research. Located in the city is the University of Bogor (1958) and the faculty of agriculture of the University of Indonesia. Bogor is also a center of trade for the products of the surrounding region; these include coffee, tea, rubber, rice, sugarcane, and assorted spices.
Bandung
City of Flowers and Paris of Java (as it was known in the colonial times), Bandung has still maintained its European ambience and sophistication. Situated at a distance of just 175 km. off Jakarta, Bandung is the provincial capital of West Java and third largest city of Indonesia. The outgoing nature and strong belief in the culture of the local Sundanese people makes it quite a change from the other cities in the country. Bandung is known more as the place which hosted the first Afro-Asian Conference in 1955 than anything else and it is a pity. It has a pleasant climate and plenty of natural escapes that gives the tourist a break from the hectic schedule they might have anywhere else in the country. The city is also a centre of higher education with Bandung Institute of Technology being one of the most important destination of students in Asia-Pacific.
Cilacap
Cilacap city, southwestern Indonesia, in the Central Java Province, on the island of Java, is a port on a bay of the Indian Ocean. A road and rail terminus, it has the best harbor on the southern coast of Java, sheltered by Nusa Kambangan, a scenic island with large rubber plantations. Sugar, coffee, rubber, and tea are shipped from the port. The name also is spelled Chilachap or Tjilatjap.
Yogyakarta
In the middle of south central Java lies the magical region of Yogyakarta, the cradle of Javanese culture and tradition. This is one of the main tourist destinations in Indonesia. Attractions in the area include The great Sultan's Palace, Parangtritis Beach, Borobudur and Prambanan Temples, Merapi Volcano as well as the performing arts like the Ramayana Ballet and Wayang Kulit. The cultural colour of Yogyakarta is obvious because of the temples, traditional buildings, various cultural activities and numerous famous artists. This is accentuated by the general culture of Yogyakarta's community which is art loving and hospitable. Your visit to this place will be one that remains with you, the visitor, in both spirit and memories for years to come.
Tosari (Mt. Bromo)
The total area covers over 8,000 hectares at 1,500 to 3,676 metres above sea level. Usually reached from the north by road from Pasuruan to either Tosari or Ngadisari. Both villages, just below the rim of the Tengger crater offer some accommodation as well as horses and guides. There is also a small hotel at Cemara Lawang above Ngadisari keep track only). The floor of the Tengger caldera is a vast "sand-sea" 10 kilometres across. Cones of the active Bromo volcano and others rise from here. Upland to the south are three lakes, a small rest house at Mt. Semeru, the highest mountain and still active volcano in Java. Though under PHPA jurisdiction, no special permit is at present required for a visit to this particular reserve.
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