10 Top Tourist Attractions in Indonesia

Indonesia has a vast population and land area, with significant cultural and geological diversity. With 18,110 islands, 6,000 of them inhabited, it is the largest archipelago in the world. The population of around 240 million people is derived from 300 ethnic groups who speak over 250 different languages. While Bali is usually the destination most familiar to foreign visitors, Indonesia has a wealth of other top tourist attractions to discover in this vast and varied country.


1. Ubud



Perched among stunning terraced rice fields, Ubud is considered the cultural heart of Bali and one of the top tourist attractions in Indonesia. Dance and music performances occur every day throughout the city, as well as numerous art galleries and craft shops. Although Ubud has long been valued as a great place to learn about Balinese culture, tourism has boomed exponentially in the last decades. Fortunately, escaping from crowds and commercialism only takes a short walk or bicycle ride.


2. Borobudur



Located 40 km (25 miles) northwest of Yogyakarta on Java, the Borobudur is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in the world. The Borobudur was built over 75 years in the 8th and 9th centuries by the kingdom of Sailendra, out of an estimated 2 million blocks of stone. It was abandoned in the 14th century for reasons that remain a mystery, and for centuries, it has been hidden in the jungle under layers of volcanic ash. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Indonesia.



3. Komodo National Park



The Komodo National Park is a national park located within the Lesser Sunda Islands that includes the three larger islands, Komodo, Padar, and Rincah, as well as 26 smaller ones. The park is named after the Komodo Dragon, the world’s largest living reptile that can reach 3 meters or more long and weigh over 70kg. Although Komodo dragons primarily eat dead animal carcasses, they are formidable predators and will also hunt prey, including birds and mammals. Attacks against humans are sporadic.


4. Gili Islands



Lombok’s most popular tourist destination, the Gili Islands, is an archipelago of three small islands: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air. The islands are very relaxed and laid-back, with countless little beachside cafes playing reggae and no cars or motorbikes to disturb the peace. Note that the name “Gili Islands” is somewhat redundant as gili simply means “small island” in Sasak, and there are many other islands around the coast of Lombok with Gili in their names.


5. Torajaland


Torajaland (Tana Toraja) is a highland region of South Sulawesi, home of the Toraja people. Torajans are famous for their massive peaked-roof houses, known as tongkonan, and spectacular but gruesome funeral rites. After a person’s death, the body is kept – often for several years – until the actual funeral ceremony, which can last for several days. The deceased is finally buried in a small cave or a hollow tree.