Although Indonesia is predominantly Islamic (it is the largest Islamic nation in the world, with 90% of the 225M population being Muslim), I was struck by the diversity of historical and culture influences. In the west, we tend to hear only the negative incidents of religious and cultural conflict. But on visiting, it is clear that Indonesia is a remarkable achievement, given that its borders are relatively recent and rather arbitrarily encompass a wide range of people. As this map shows, there are many distinct indigenous cultures through the approximately 17,000 islands of the achipeligo.
Added to this indigenous diversity is the influence of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity over hundreds of years as well as the impact of trade and colonialism given Indonesia's important location vis-a-vis historical trade routes. I spent 4 weeks in Indonesia, but it's a country that a person could spend months or even years exploring.
I arrived in on the island of Bali, which is the most recognized tourist destination in the country. To be honest, at first I was concerned about how “touristy” it would be. Plus, with Indonesia’s recent history of earthquakes, tsunamis and bombings (notably the 2002 and 2005 bombings the Kuta area of Bali), I had some general apprehension about visiting. Happily, that apprehension was completely misguided. Bali was simply outstanding. Kuta, famous for its surf culture and its nightlife, was lot’s of fun ... although as the epicentre of tourism, one had to tolerate excessive hassling from hawkers and travel agents. Nevertheless, I spent about 8 days in Kuta, learning to surf and exploring the nightlife with some friends I had met along the way. Here's a shot of Kuta beach, which was perpetually crowded with scantily clad Europeans (its one of the few places in this conservative country where skimpy bikinis are tolerated) as well as Indonesian families.
Here's my friend Pete, heading out of the famous cave entrance to the Ulu Watu breaks in southern Bali. I was definitely not skilled enough to attempt these world class waves, but Pete and the other expert surfers were fascinating to watch.
After Kuta, I rented a scooter and drove around the eastern half of the island of Bali, visiting smalls towns and exploring the agricultural and artisanal culture. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, Bali has a strong Hindu flavour, which is reflected in the architecture. Here's a typical road in rural Bali.
Ubud is a great little town near the centre of Bali, notable for its chic restaurants, boutique hotels, innumerable massage spas and artisan culture. Here are some shots of the interesting arts and crafts available for sale on the road into Ubud. With an incredible range of works made from diverse materials such as wood, stone, glass, and textiles, this area is a home decorator's paradise!
As well, the town is surrounded by scenic rice paddies which give the fashionable atmosphere a pastoral flair. Indeed, although rice paddies are everywhere in Indonesia, I was continually engaged by their fascinating geometry and colour. Here a few of the many pictures I took of rice fields!
Indonesia is also one of the most volcanically active countries in the world and, as such, the landscape is dominated by stark volcanic cones, such as Gunung Agung in Bali and Gunung Bromo in Java. Unfortunately, due to local tourist guide "mafias" who made it hard and expensive to access the trails as well as the ever-present dangers of volcanic activity, I did less trekking on and around the volcanos than I'd hoped.
In Cianjur, I visited a traditional rural village, which was based primarily on subsistence rice farming as well as the production of palm sugar (done in a very similar fashion to maple syrup, where the palm tree sap is collected and boiled down as shown below on a traditional wood fire).
I ended my trip in Jakarta, which was considerably more modern than I expected. Although the city is not beautiful by any stretch of the imagination (the pollution was appalling), at night it did have a certain appeal.
