Indonesia Travel Information - Activities

Indonesia: Activities
Diving & Snorkeling

Indonesia may well be the best destination for divers and snorkelers in the whole World.
Marine biodiversity here is second to none, and prices are usually very low.
Bali's popularity among divers is more due to its accessibility than its special qualities - Indonesia's best dive sites are usually in the East of the country.
Some of the best spots are around Bunaken in North Sulawesi, Sangalaki in East Kalimantan, Alor and Komodo in Nusa Tenggara, Banda in Maluku and the Raja Ampat Islands in Papua.
There are also plenty of "undiscovered gems" with no facilities, so real fans keen on exploring new areas will want to bring their own equipment - certainly for snorkeling!
Surfing

Indonesia is a favourite among surfers especially those from neighbouring Australia.
The waves are great and the living is very cheap.
The best spots are along the western coast of Sumatra, and the southern coasts of Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba and on Rote.
Hiking

Many visitors get tempted to climb one or more of Indonesia's plenty of active volcanoes, which can usually be scaled in a day or two.
However, there are also great possibilities for long-distance hiking, especially in Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Papua (the very best!).
There are also some good hikes to be had in national parks of Java, and on the larger islands of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku.
Wildlife-spotting

Though no one should come here expecting easy viewing like in the national parks of East Africa or even India, Indonesia's biodiversity is second to none and will thoroughly reward the serious naturalists who takes time to seek it out.
Fauna ranges from Asian species like the tiger and elephant in Sumatra to Australian specialities like kangaroos and cuscus in Papua, though much of it is elusive and takes time and luck to spot in dense rainforests. Birdlife is abundant and easily seen though, as are some of the star species like the orangutan or the Komodo "Dragons".
Some of the most accessible parks where wildlife is easiest to see include Gunung Leuser in Sumatra, Ujung Kulon, Alas Purwo and Baluran in Java (which actually has the country best parks), Komodo in Nusa Tenggara, Kutai in Kalimantan, Tangkoko in Sulawesi, and Wasur in Papua.
Birdwatching

Indonesia is the World's top birdwatching destination for serious twitchers.
It holds an astonishing 1,539 bird species - 17% percent of the World's total!
Even more remarkably, 381 of these are endemic species, found nowhere else on Earth.
Of course seeing most of these would require an epic voyage across much of the archipelago, so most birders concentrate on a few areas on their first trip, and keep returning to see more.
Top locations include Kerinci in Sumatra, Gede in Java, Lore Lindu in Sulawesi, Halmahera in Maluku and the Arfak Mountains in Papua.
The smaller islands of Maluku and Nusa Tenggara hold many localized endemics.