1. Takabonerate Island, South Sulawesi
Takabonerate lies southwest of Selayar island and is the third largest coral atoll in the world (the largest is Kwajalein in the Marshall islands and the second largest Suvadiva in the Maldives). Spread over 2,220 square kilometer (21 small islands) in the Flores Sea, there are coral reef and seagrass ecosystems. The atoll offers some very good wall diving. Visibility is normally around 30 meter. The atoll rises sharply from the side of a submerged ridge 2,000 meter below the surface. It is said to have been a huge volcano, that has since subsided, leaving a wide ring of coral. The area is an Indonesian National Marine Park and as such there should be no fishing.
There seems to be some areas with damage from dynamite fishing though. It is not clear how extensive they are. Diving is normaly done in the untouched areas. Topographic area is very unique and interesting, where atol group consisting of islands and coral reef a broad and sunken, forming the islands with a rather large amount. Among the islands reef, there is a narrow strait, the passage in and pitched. While on the coral reef surface, there are many ponds in the small and surrounded by coral reefs. At the lowest ebb, with a clearly visible and the dry land with water that formed a small swimming-pool. Visit best season: April until June or October until December each year.
2. Parai Beach, Kota Sungailiat, Bangka
This beach is one of Bangka Island’s prides. The beach is located in Sungailiat district. The visitors can find various forms of boulders in this beach, which add its beauty. This beach is very ideal for having swimming, sun bathing and relaxing. Parai Tenggiri beach has the complete facilities in Bangka Island. There are luxurious hotels and water sport facilities. The Visitors will enjoy this beach with the local fishermen who always spend their days by looking for fishes in the sea. The calmness and fresh sea wind will greet the visitor when they arrive there. This make you feel comfortable to stay here.
3. Dodola Island, North Maluku
Dodola Island is surrounded by the wide of white sand that connect Dodola Besar Island and Dodola Kecil Island. The nature panorama around and the clear water are suitable for swimming and diving. There are also other islands that can visit by the tourists. Dodola beach is about 5 miles from Daruba, the capital of South Morotai districts.
4. Green Canyon Indonesia,Ciamis Pangandaran, West Java
If United States has Grand Canyon, Indonesia has Green Canyon, one of tourism object in West Java which is located in the Village District Kertayasa Cijulang, Ciamis Regency ± 31 km from Pangandaran. Well, green canyon is only a pun of the name of the Grand Canyon in Colorado, United States. This attraction is the river flowing through Cijulang cave with stunning stalactite and stalagmite, flanked by two hills with rocks and trees provide a unique and challenging natural attraction. The color of the river water that greenness was the reason of this place to be acknowledged as Green Canyon. The name of The Green Canyon itself was popularized by a french tourist in 1993, but local citizen called it cukang taneuh or The Land Bridge in Indonesian language because of the existence of a long and wide bridge that connected between the Kertayasa Village and the Batukaras Village.
The beautiful scenery of the Green Canyon Cave waiting after descending from the boat. You could enjoy the side of the cave with seeing stalactite and the stalagmite that still dropping water. The water continually fall in this area so it’s called as eternal rain area. You can swimming to feel refreshing water in the cave and don’t forget to use the buoy.
To reach this location visitors must follow the Cijulang river using a boat that available at Pier Ciseureuh, either outboard boat or canoe paddles. The scenery will be more beautiful when witnessing the Palatar Waterfall in the Green Canyon Cave. Swimming in a refreshing water while enjoying high hills and seeing stalactite and the stalagmite will be an unforgotten moment.If you intended to visit this place better to come in the dry season because the river’s color is green in this season, Whereas in the rain season, during the high rainfall, the river water will be brown.
5. Bintan Island, Riau
The northern tip of the island, Bintan Resorts (Lagoi), 45 minutes from Singapore by ferry, full of expensive resorts and manicured lawns. As it has very little in common with the rest of the island, the resorts are covered in the Bintan Resorts article. Separated from the resorts by checkpoints and armed guards, the rest of the island is “real” border town Indonesia, home to electronics factories, fishing villages and local style resorts (beach and adventure type) along the East Coast Bintan.
The colorful town of Bintan, Tanjung Pinang, 1.5 hours away from Singapore by ferry, used to be a local destination for prostitution and gambling (just like neighboring Batam), but after a clamp-down by the local authorities it is regaining its rightful reputation as one of Indonesia’s most historical cities, with its ancient vibrant market partly located on stilts in the sea. Bintan has excellent beaches, although the water tends to be murky due to its proximity to Singapore, shipping lanes, and Batam’s industries. Bintan Resorts is best known for golf, while Trikora is a cheaper option for sea sports. You can also go island-hopping from the main ports. From Tanjung Pinang, going to a nearby island would only be about S$5-10.
6. Lake Toba, North Sumatera.
Lake Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world and is in Sumatra, Indonesia. Samosir island within the lake is the island within the island of Sumatra. Lake Toba is an immense volcanic lake covering an area of 1707 sq km (1,000 sq km bigger than Singapore) with an island in the center. Formed by a gigantic volcanic eruption some 70,000 years ago, it is probably the largest resurgent caldera on Earth. Some studies say it might have been associated with causing previous ice age/climate change and the largest human population bottleneck ever. Genetic estimates suggests that there where only a few thousand individuals that survived the catastrophe. The island in the middle – Pulau Samosir – was joined to the caldera wall by a narrow isthmus, which was cut through to enable boats to pass; a road bridge crosses the cutting. Samosir island is the cultural centre of Batak tribe who are mostly Christians in the modern days.
Kick back and relax after the frenetic atmosphere of Indonesia. Swim in the volcanically warmed waters of the lake or arrange an overnight ‘party’ boat out on the lake if you can get enough volunteers together. A beautiful place to do nothing at all. Plenty of second hand book shops to stock up on reading material. Traditional Batak Dance in Restaurant Bagus Bay every Wednesday and Saturday from 8.15PM onwards. After the dance, sit back and enjoy the folk songs done by a group of men.
7. Umang Island, Banten
Another paradise island in Indonesia, Umang Island, situated in Banten province, is a small island perfect for your tropical getaway. Especially when you’ve done some business in Jakarta, since Umang Island is only 4 to 5 hours away from the bustling city.
The five-hectare private island is maintained by a single management, Umang Island Resort and Spa, which offers the same comfort as a star-rated hotel with relaxing ambiance. The location is also very strategic for nature trekkers as it’s near the UNESCO heritage site Ujung Kulon National Park.
Umang Island is also well-protected from the West Java sea storms as there’s Tanjung Lesung beach to the north and Panaitan Island to the west. So whenever you feel like lazying around a white sandy beach overlooking the crystal sea water, you should try Umang Island, where the beauty of nature may give you peace and tranquility.
8. Raja Ampat Island
The Raja Ampat Island in Papua is group spreads out over a huge area and consists of over 610 islands. The four largest islands are Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool. The name of Raja Ampat based on the legend. This area had begun with 6 eggs that found by King Waikew in Waigeo Island. But from the 6 eggs, just 5 eggs had crack. The last was become an egg stone till now on.
From the fifth eggs that had cracked, the 4 eggs was become men who become King of four big islands that is Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool. While the one egg became a woman, had wash away and stranded in Biak Island. That woman was born a child named Gura Besi that known as the historical man of Raja Ampat, because of his heroic story.
The Raja Ampat islands are a truly natural phenomenon with enormous biological diversity. The amazing marine landscape means that underwater photography should be on the top your list during your stay. However with Raja Ampat’s natural conditions, high endemic level of land, sea biodiversity, coastal ecology, and local culture & tradition the islands offer more than just amazing landscapes to photograph.
You may also consider:
* Wreck diving
* Sailing
* Kayaking
* Exploring the islands by boat
* Visiting the Red Bird of Paradise
* Enjoying the Karst islands around Wayag Island
* Exploring the bat caves (literally, not the Dark Knight variety)
* Make your own wood sculpture guided by an Asmat artisan
* Fishing using traditional Papuan techniques
* Trekking to discover waterfalls
* Feeding couscous
* Snorkeling
* Watching The Sea Ghost
Even though Raja Ampat islands have only few visitors, there are already hotels and homestays on Saonek, Mansuar, and Yenwaupnor islands.
9. Bunaken, Manado, North Sulawesi
Bunaken is one of Indonesia’s most famous diving and snorkeling areas and it draws visitors from all over the world. In addition to banana-shaped Bunaken Island itself, the 890 km2 of marine national park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua (a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano), Siladen (which will be described later), Montehagen, Nain, and Nain Kecil.
The thing to do in Bunaken is dive, dive and dive! However, the steep walls and occasionally strong, rapidly changing currents mean that many sites cater more to the intermediate/advanced diver. There are beginner-friendly sites too and all dive shops can arrange introduction dives and Open Water Dive courses.
All dive shops in the park are affiliated with resorts.Snorkeling is fantastic in front of many of the resorts around the island, with an incredible amount of marine life inhabiting the shallows. Remember not to snorkel without fins as the currents can sometimes be strong and change quickly even when they are not. Pick a reference point on the island and do not stray too far unless you are a very confident swimmer. If you love diving very much then come and visit Bunaken island.
10. Siladen, South Sulawesi
As part of Bunaken National Park, Siladen is indeed the little paradise island that everyone has ever dreamed of.Siladen is a small island to the northeast of Bunaken, it offers deep coral covered walls and great marine life. With its long white sandy beaches fringed by coconut trees, coral reefs and bottomless walls just a few meters from the shore, its small fishing village of approximately 300 inhabitants and its few bungalows, Siladen, secluded and off-the-beaten-track, is the perfect place for sea and nature lovers. Walking around the whole island takes about one hour.
If you are already bored to visit Bali and want to go to somewhere else to vacation, you can try to visit one of these beautiful places in Indonesia. Hope you like it.
