where to go in indonesia
 

Hello fellow travel buddies!

I am going to Indonesia for 3 weeks in March/April - but have no idea where to go. There is far too much choice!

As it is only 3 weeks, I do not want to be traveling around loads and I don't want to fly too much (so traversing the archipelago is probably not an option). In terms of sights, I'd like to do some snorkeling, and possibly diving, check out some jungle areas and volcanoes. Oh, and see a Komodo Dragon.

So... any suggestions?[/:)]

Thanks!

sunnyboy:

Get thee to a magazine stand and buy the latest (Feb.)issue of Conde Nast Travel...a heaping big article, photos maps, detailed information on Indonesia, incl. Sumatra, Java, Bali, etc. Fifteen Indonesian islands in all. Great article. Just up your alley.

stu

Yes..and a full page on Komodoro!

stu, thanks for the tip on Traveler. I'll look for it.

sunny, you don't really have any alternative but to fly between destinations in Indonesia. Either that or visit fewer islands. My choices would be Bali, Java and Sulawesi -- Manado and Tanah Toraja. I've not been to Komodo so I can't comment, but you have to really be motivated to see those dragons.

www.komaneka.com Monkey Forest Sanur my top 2 for beauty.

Given your stated interests and limited time I would highly recommend Flores and from Labuhan Bajo in Western Flores, take a boat that tours the Rinca and Komodo islands. You can easily make all the arrangements to do that when you arrive in LB. You might also enjoy Lombok and Nusa Penida as well. And of course Bali for great tourist infrastructure, Balinese Hindu culture, music and arts and scenery, jungles and diving/snorkeling.

I recommend you go to Borneo, divided between Malaysia and Indonesia. Much of your surface travel can be done by boats, up rivers and around from the mouth of one river to another.

My favorite town there is Kuching. There's also the Kinabalu mountain park in the north
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinabalu_National_Park
and Brunei, which can be accessed by boat.
The Batang Rajang (river) which you can go up on boats to small towns for a real off-the-beaten-path experience.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajang_River

Both Kuching (Sarawak) and Kinabalu (Sabah) are in Malaysia, not Indonesia. The Indonesian portion of Borneo, called Kalimantan, is less accessible than the Malaysian portion. I've been to both Sabah and Sarawak and loved the trip. Sabah is the place to see orangutans in the wild.

But for what you are describing, I'd stick to Indonesia, and take a boat to Komodo. There is an excellent report here you'll enjoy
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...agons-post.cfm

Sunnyboy: Careful! The Komodo dragon awaits your visit!