Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is well known for it’s rice fields, beautiful beaches & lush green mountains - rightfully so. Before the pandemic, Bali was on my travel itinerary for 2020, however, for obvious reasons that didn’t pan out. But now that borders are starting to open up again and travel is a go in many places, it’s time to start planning again.
According to the Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism, the country plans on reopening to tourists at the end of July - beginning of August (2021)
Located in Southeast Asia and Oceania, Indonesia consists of over 17,000 islands, 7000 or more of which are uninhabited. It is a majority Muslim country and most of Indonesia is nothing like Bali so it’s important to be aware of local customs and keep your body covered out of respect for the people & culture.
It is the world’s largest archipelago & its combined islands occupy an area of over 5000km. It has the world’s largest gold mine and the world’s most expensive coffee bean (extracted from the feces of the Asian palm civet - a cat-like mammal). It’s home to the Komodo dragon - the world’s largest lizard. It is also home to the largest volcanic lake in the world (Lake Toba) & home to the tallest island peak on earth, Puncak Jaya, the tallest summit of Mount Jayawijaya.
Since we’re on the topic of biggest, Indonesia also has the world’s biggest flower, Rafflesia Arnoldii (also known as the corpse flower), which can weigh up to 10kgs (22lbs) 😳
sidenote: it’s a foul smelling flower.
The list of things that make Indonesia one of a kind could go on & on but I’ll leave you with this last fun fact; President Barack Obama spent part of his childhood living in Jakarta on the Indonesian island of Java, which is the world’s most populous island. Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia.
Indonesia, especially Bali, is a hotspot for expats & digital nomads. Aside from the verdant landscapes and some of the worlds best surfing locations, it has the worlds biggest young population. The median age is 29, 60% of the population is 40 or younger & only 8% of the population is over 60. Some of the most popular destinations in Indonesia are Bali, Ubud, Seminyak, Jakarta, Lombok, and the Gilli islands. Bali is probably the most well known and has an thriving expat community.
Canggu
One of the destinations I’m looking forward to visiting is Canggu, a coastal village with at 10km stretch of beach on Bali’s south coast. It has become a very popular destination for expats & digital nomads because of its affordability, large expat community, co-working spaces, nature, activities, restaurants, & nightlife. Some people even refer to it as "the Brooklyn of Bali.”
Stuff to know
Population: 270.6 million (Jul 2020 est)
Attractions: Piainemo Island, Gilli Islands, Lake Toba, Orangutans of Borneo, Borobudur, Komodo National Park, Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, Raja Ampat, & Jatiluwih Rice Fields in Bali
National Dish: Nasi goreng - An Indonesian take on Asian fried rice. Yummy!!!
Language: Indonesian (locally referred to as Bahasa Indonesia) is the primary language of Indonesia.
Sports: (Soccer) football, volleyball, basketball, badminton, and the native Indonesian martial art pencak silat
