Since last week, we had a guide about Indonesians in Greece, this week it seems only fitting to do the opposite. So, here is a guide about Greeks wanting to visit Indonesia (again, among others, not just for Greeks, but you know it is for the gimmick of the thing).
I know that probably the first thing that comes to mind when you are thinking about going to Indonesia is Bali (if you are aware that Bali is in Indonesia, that is). I have written a whole article about my experience in Bali and truth is, it is not bad at all. The problem is that Bali is not really Indonesia. Indonesians seem to be the minority there and it is packed with tourists. Now, is that bad? Not necessarily, I liked the international atmosphere and the fact that I could find restaurants serving food from all different cuisines there, the traffic not so much, but the point is, that Indonesia is more than Bali. Yeah, I know that most influences might have convinced you otherwise, but it really is.
Which gets me to my next point. What should you visit if not Bali. Lombok might be a good choice, it is said to be very similar to Bali, just with less tourists. Komodo island is also close with the Komodo dragon shelter there. Yogyakarta is great for those looking for more of the culture of Indonesia. Batik, festivals and palaces can be found there. For the city dwellers, the preferred city seems to be Bandung, which is actually cooler than the rest of Indonesia, so bonus points. Of course I will have to mention Borneo, cause I have the most experience there. In Borneo, Berau is the one to visit, with scenic views and great diving spots. Finally the Indonesian Papua and the islands nearby are very beautiful, but probably should be avoided at this point due to the active militias. Generally this options are not the most unknown, but they all have easy access and something unique to offer.
But what to do there? For me three activities cannot be missed while in Indonesia. The first is Hiking or even mountain climbing. A lot of mountains in Java, in particular, are quite popular and easy to ascend and descend, with even organized tours. The views are great and the nature even better. Next is snorkeling, as I said in my Indonesians to Greece bit, sea life in these countries is pretty different. In the tropical waters of Indonesia, you will find many fish and vegetation, that are, well, tropical. You can even see a Dory fish there (Blue Tang). Finally surfing. Surfing in Greece is difficult except for certain places. The waves are low, surfing boards are hard to find and generally we are not known for surfing. In Indonesia surfing beaches are easy to find without even looking, and especially if you are in a place known for that, equipment and lessons will be easy to get as well.
Okay, so we are done with where to go and what to do, but a question still remains, when to go? I think Winter and especially Christmas is the better season for going. Swimming in December is not just an Empire of the Sun song lyric. It is pretty surreal to leave your cold home to go swimming during Christmas in an island far away. Usually this period is the rainy season too. A lot of people might defer from traveling then and although there are some serious (albeit not very common) risks with traveling at that time, like floods, when it rains the temperature drops a couple of degrees, which can be very very welcome.
One thing left to discuss then, what to eat? Depending on the dominant religion of the island you go, the main ingredients might differ. There is always the classic Nasi Goreng, but Nasi Campur (Campur means mixed) and Nasi Mawut (with Noodles) are also good (if not better) to try. Except for that anything with banana is great, especially pisang goreng dan keju (fried banana with cheese). It might sound weird but it is delicious. I really enjoyed flavored milk, even the weird flavors like cotton candy and of course you are not allowed to leave Indonesia, without tasting some Indomie. What is not very great, in my humble opinion, are tropical fruits. There are the classic bananas, mangos, pineapples, watermelons and melons, but the non classic ones taste pretty bland. Dragon Fruits for example to me taste like watermelons with less taste and all your rambutans and mata kucing have the weirdest texture without much flavor. And don’t even get me started on Durian and Jackfruit, just don’t!
So there you have it. A guide for Greeks visiting Indonesia, but mainly for anyone visiting.
PS: Avoid Lion Air if you can
The Indonesian Chronicles 