Other beach resorts in Indonesia

Resorts in Indonesia

When planning a vacation in some exotic Asian country and considering Indonesia as an option, many automatically opt for such a famous resort as Bali. Bali has long been, as they say, the most popular and popular tourist destination for travelers. Here vacationers find for themselves a stunning sea, chic hotels, interesting excursions. In Bali, everything is really "sharpened" for tourism, and the rest here is carefree and comfortable. However Indonesia is a huge country, and it is not limited to Bali alone. Therefore, I propose to make a virtual trip to the rest of its resorts. Moreover, we will visit resorts where you can relax on the seashore or lakes, rivers and relax in the bosom of pristine nature.

Take, for example, the island of Sumatra. The name alone is fascinating! To get to this coveted place, you need to fly to the city of Jakarta, and then fly by plane to the capital of the island of Sumatra - the city of Medan. We will not stop in Medan, there is essentially nothing to do here. But it is from there that all roads lead to a nice place called Bohorok. Bohorok is a real paradise for those who are attracted by eco-tourism. That is, to relax where the cleanest air, wild nature, real culture and life of local residents without a pretended gloss, designed for tourists. A river, a jungle, bungalow hotels, in the rooms of which there is no luxury, but there is a unique Indonesian flavor. Just imagine: a four-poster bed with a mosquito net, a shower room that is practically on the street. You take a shower, raise your head and see the starry sky above your head. You wash your face, and exotic greenery, plants and flowers planted in the bathroom are fragrant all around. Well, where else will you meet such an exotic! Bohorok itself is a pretty quiet place. The only entertainment here is performances by local musical groups that arrange concerts in some hotels. People come here for peace and quiet.

And since you are in Bohorok, by all means take a tour from local guides through the wild jungle. Accompanied by a guide, you will be led through an impenetrable jungle, where gibbons easily jump from branch to branch, where orangutans with babies on their backs cross your path, and various insects shout over each other in their own way. A very memorable journey: lush thickets, huge tree roots that crawled out and intertwined in the form of natural steps. A refreshing river, in the cool water of which you can swim and get a charge of cheerfulness and energy.

Sumatra Beach

As for the cuisine, then, of course, here you will not find delicacies and exquisite dishes. But get into the local lifestyle and taste what Indonesians usually eat: sweet pancake with banana filling, rice with egg, fried fish, thin noodles.

A five-hour mini-bus ride from Bohorok is the pier from which the ferry departs to the island of Samosir, where there is the largest lake in Sumatra called Toba. It is spread out in such a way that it looks like the sea. There are many bungalow hotels lined up along the lake, even with a good infrastructure. Unlike hotels in Bohorok, Samosir has rooms for demanding tourists. What attracts vacationers to Samosir? Of course, an endless lake. You look at it like that, and you want to jump into the dark surface of the Toba with a run. Which is exactly what tourists do. You can swim here. Some hotels even have special places for so-called beach holidays with alluvial sand and sun beds with umbrellas. Just keep in mind that it often rains in Sumatra even at the height of the season. But even in bad weather, you can find something to do. For example, go on a tour of the island. Here, in addition to the beautiful nature, colorful rice fields, there is also a waterfall, a village of local residents, where old traditions and culture have been preserved. It is interesting to see how Batak women weave shawls. Batak houses look very interesting, they look like fabulous huts, only chicken legs are missing! Such houses are called jabu, and in order to get inside, you will have to bend double – the door of the dwelling is so low. It is also worth visiting the cannibal villages. No, now they no longer exist, so you can, without fear of walking through the village, go into their homes and listen to a guide who will tell in colors how the cannibals mocked their victims.

By the way, a lot has been said in tourist brochures about such a resort on the shores of Lake Toba as Parapat. Previously, maybe he was one of the best in Sumatra, but Samosir, as they say, surpassed him and eventually won the position of the most common resort on the lake shore.

A very picturesque and colorful place in Sumatra is the town of Bukittingi. There is also a volcanic lake, albeit not as huge as Toba, but the same depth (up to 450 meters). There is a stunning nature, majestic volcanoes, rice fields, caves with stalactites and stalagmites. You can not even take a guide, but explore the colorful corners of this amazing city on your own. In addition to the natural beauties, the tunnels cut down right in the mountains by the Japanese during the Second World War are also impressive. You can also get acquainted with the way of life and culture of such peoples as Minangkabao. By the way, they still have a matriarchy! A very interesting sight is presented by the villages of these peoples with their traditional houses, with openwork roofs decorated with bull horns.

By the way, it is in this area that you may be lucky enough to see one of the famous flowers in Indonesia - rafflesia. This is the largest flower in the world, which reaches up to one meter in diameter. Only it blooms from August to September, keep in mind!

Another resort on the island of Sumatra that is worth a visit is Nias Island. However, it will be appreciated only by surfers, since it is on Nias that the best waves are. In the meantime, lying on the board, the athlete catches his wave, he can watch how fish and sea turtles frolic in the water column in the ocean - an exciting sight.

The infrastructure on the island is underdeveloped. But that's not why they're coming here. Namely, for nature and waves. By the way, the locals here are not as friendly as in Bali or Samosir. This is due to the fact that tsunamis and earthquakes took place here in 2004 and 2005. The restoration of the island is not going as fast as the locals would like. Therefore, do not be surprised if you will be treated as a bag of money and beg for financial assistance, or try to "dilute" for money.

Borobudur Temple

There is an equally famous island of Java in Indonesia. To the north of it is the mountain resort of Bandung. And although there is no ocean or lake there, like Toba, there are many picturesque places that amaze with their beauty and pristine nature. This resort is also distinguished by the fact that it is possible to visit the active volcano Tangkuban Perahu. Moreover, the crater can be reached either by car or on foot - at the traveler's choice.

To get to this resort, you need to fly to Jakarta, and from there you can get to Bandung by plane, or by bus, by car within three hours. By the way, hotels and architecture here are presented in the Art Deco style. After all, once the resort was in demand among the European rich, so the locals tried to satisfy the taste of the Nouveau riche due to the rich decoration of the facades of buildings.

But those who still can not do without water treatments, you can go to the resort of Sari Atera, which is located near Bandung. There are thermal healing springs where you can improve your health.

A famous island in Indonesia called Sulawesi. Huge, green, colorful, with a rich culture. You can get on it by flying to the capital of the island - the city of Makassar. You can stay here for a day, the city has several interesting sights. For example, the fort, which houses a museum, a palace and a tomb of kings, as well as waterfalls.

However, as a resort, it is better to choose a place called Utara – this is the northern part of the island of Sulawesi. A paradise for those who are ready to watch the sea creatures of the depths for hours. There are all conditions for snorkeling and diving. Moreover, in addition to corals, all kinds of colorful fish, you can also meet predators such as a shark or a stingray. Some, on the contrary, tend to tickle their nerves and such a, albeit dangerous, meeting of tourists only excites. Of course, experienced dive instructors will tell you exactly where you can encounter a shark and insure you against sudden attacks.

The islands where the colorful seabed is located are called Bunaken and Manado-Tua.

The southern part of Sulawesi hardly claims to be a resort. However, it will be interesting for those who want to touch the milestones of history and get acquainted with local traditions, to get to know the country from the inside, so to speak. The place is called Selatan. Here, local tribes still maintain the cult of ancestors, expressed in funeral ceremonies. It is very interesting to see how the islanders slaughter a buffalo and celebrate the death of a fellow tribesman, arranging a whole feast. Burial takes place in caves, and small children are buried in tree hollows. Yes, of course, it is unlikely that you will want to stay in the southern part of the island for a long time, but it is very interesting to get acquainted with the traditions of the Indonesian peoples.

Of course, the above-mentioned resorts in Indonesia do not compare in luxury with the resorts of the island of Bali. But this is their highlight. Where, if not in the outback, you can see the oldest traditions of tribes, swim in volcanic lakes, climb to the crater of an active volcano and see the underwater world, meeting with the ocean storm - a shark. It is such trips that are remembered, leaving a bright mark on the road of a traveler who is eager for adventures and rich tours.

Author: Anna Melnik