Shadow

Islands You Should Visit When Traveling to Indonesia

Islands You Should Visit When Traveling to Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia is made up of 17, 508 islands. Each of these islands is unique, complete with varying physical features, levels of population, the languages spoken, and the culture and religion practiced.

While all these islands are worth visiting, there are some which are more popular than others. If you don’t know which island to visit, here is a list of some of the most popular.

1. Bali Island

Located west of Lombok island, Bali is one of the world’s most popular travel destination. Last year, 2018, the Bali Tourism Board, noted that 6.5 million foreign tourists visited the island.

There are several reasons the island is so popular and why you should also make a point of visiting the island. One, it has unending idyllic beaches with each beach having its unique charm. Some have soft white sand; others feature limestone cliffs and even more boast of extreme water sports, including diving.

Second, Bali has a captivating cultural scene. The Balinese have numerous celebrations and ceremonies throughout the year that honor some of their cultural traditions. Examples include the mega-parade before Nyepi—the day of silence to the Omed-Omedan kissing festival. Tourists can revel in Bali’s culture via dance, architecture, and music during these festivals.

Other reasons to visit Bali include the food, the five-star hotels and resorts, the shopping malls, the temples, and natural beauty.

2. Komodo Island

Komodo island, which has a surface area of approximately 390 square kilometers and a population of only two thousand people, is famous for its position as the habitat of the Komodo dragon.

The Komodo dragon is the biggest living species of a lizard in the world, and it was named after the Komodo island. It can achieve a length of up to 3 meters (10 ft.), and it weighs roughly 70 kilograms (150 pounds).

Visiting the Komodo island will allow you to see this marvel of nature. Also, keep in mind that komodo island is part of the islands that make up the Komodo National Park. Therefore, you not only get to see the dragon but also all the other animals in the park.

Additionally, the Komodo island has some exquisite diving sites, and as a result, if you are a diving enthusiast, you will get to enjoy uncountable marine species.

3. Padar Island

Padar is also part of the islands that make up the Komodo National park. It is a small-sized island located between Rinca and Komodo islands. Although in the past, Padar was home to Komodo dragons, the absence of food drove the dragons away.

As a result, the island is now largely-known as a hiking destination. Padar’s island biggest draw is the panorama—an uninterrupted view of a whole region surrounding the observer. That is because the island is made up of stretching rolling hills that face the sea. If you climb any of these hills, you get an unbroken view of the sea and surrounding islands.

Trekking up a hill takes approximately twenty minutes if you maintain an upward trajectory. However, for less-experienced hikers, it might take some time because some slopes are more than 45 degrees.

Thanks to the panoramic view, the island is a hotspot for viewing both the sunrise and the sunset. Also, it is a favorite destination for photographers.

The Island of Flores

Flores island gets its name from the Portuguese word ‘flores’ which means flowers. It is the 10th biggest Indonesian island and just like Komodo island; it is home to Komodo dragons. The Kelimutu National Park is found in Flores, and UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site to protect endangered species such as the Flores giant rat.

Flores island biggest draw is the 1639-meter high Kelimutu volcano. The volcano features three colored lakes found in the caldera of the volcano. The lakes are colored because a volcanic gas source feeds them and therefore the lakes’ color depends on the oxidation state of a particular lake.

Leave a Reply