the wonders of Indonesia, from Komodo Dragons in the jungle to fabulous beaches
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There was no sound other than the engine of our speedboat, and was no one else around as we made our way through hundreds of beautiful islands.
Sitting at the nose of the vessel as it raced across the water, it was hard to believe so many people visit Indonesia without exploring its lesser-known spots.
I was travelling from Labuan Bajo in east Indonesia to Komodo Island to meet its 1,500 inhabitants – the famous 10ft prehistoric ‘dragons’.
The two-hour boat ride alone was worth the trip, but the island itself was incredible.
We nervously stepped off the boat onto the wooden jetty and saw deer on the sand (aka Komodo Dragon food).
Within seconds of beginning our two-hour trek we saw the first dragon. Slow, with stumpy legs and barely moving, it was a cross between a meaty lizard and a crocodile.
But it was huge. They lie still, bite when you least expect it, then stalk you until you die three hours later from the toxins in their deadly saliva.
“Has a tourist ever been killed by a dragon?”, I ask. “Not really,” a guide replies. Right.
Luckily, my group of six had three guides, each with a stick for protection. Walking through thick green forest, abundant with wildlife from boar to snakes and bizarre fluorescent snails, I knew we were off the beaten track because, shock horror, I didn’t have a phone signal.
Crunching along the dusty tracks in the tropical heat, we met six more dragons, but we made it back to the boat in once piece.
After 20 minutes we reached another magical spot, Pink Beach. It really has pink sand and calm, clear waters. I’d never been snorkelling, which became obvious as I waded out inelegantly in my flippers.
Bobbing around face down in the sea, I opened my eyes and was blown away. Hundreds of shimmering fish, so many colours, raced around close enough to touch. There were huge blue starfish, eels and Nemos in the coral. There was a whole new world underwater, and now I’m hooked. I’ve even bought my own snorkel.
With 18,110 islands, 67,500 miles of beaches and lush rainforests, Indonesia’s landscape varies wildly. And Borobudur in central Java was a whole new experience.
We stayed at the Plataran, and it’s a good job the area is breathtaking, otherwise I’d never have left my infinity pool, nestled in the hillside, surrounded by exotic trees.
As I lolloped in the water, it began to rain and the sun went down. I listened to the sounds of the teak forest – birds, bugs, rustling leaves – as the warm rain lashed down on me, then the Muslim call to prayer began, with deep chants echoing through the hills.
The Plataran, which does a great Nasi Goreng (fried rice) for breakfast, is a 10-minute drive down papaya-lined tracks to the 8th century Borobudur temple, the world’s biggest Buddhist monument and a great spot for the sunrise.
The 115ft high temple is covered in stupa – stone domes for meditation.
Once I’d navigated the steps, I arrived to a panoramic view of mountains and billowing volcanoes. Guide Ekko tells us Mount Merapi is “very active” and erupts roughly every six years. With a grin he adds “the last time was 2010”. The sun came up at 5.20am, and amid their selfie sticks, everyone admired the scene in silence.
(Photo: Perspectives)
It’s easy to island hop with Indonesian national airline Garuda and a quick flight from Borobudur’s nearest airport at Jogjakarta, takes you to Bali.
With glistening water and idyllic beaches, it’s heaven if you want to kick back after a brush with a dragon.
Nusa Dua in the south has beautiful resorts and a peaceful vibe. I stayed at the fabulous Sadara. For something a bit more lively, Seminyak, 40 minutes away, can’t be beaten.
New hotel the Katamama is very cool, with dark wood, mood lighting, artwork and books, and golf carts to take you around the grounds. Breakfast is wonderful too – with soft shell crab on toast the star of the show.
Next to the hotel is Potato Head Beach Club. A ridiculous name, but it’s the place to be, with loungers by the sea and coconut cocktails. There’s a pool looking onto the long, beautiful beach, with a bar in the water and music blasting out.
Up the beach is the Alila, where we ate a stunning meal of noodles, rice, grilled fish, butter fried prawns, roast lamb, beef and crab, washed down with coffee ice cream and wine. Seminyak is also great for haggling. Maybe not at its posh boutiques, but Oberoi market is full of great stuff, once you’ve figured out the baffling currency.
At the end of my week, I’d experienced just a litle of the wonderful variety Indonesia has to offer.
But there’s so much left to explore here. I wonder where I’ll use my snorkel next…
Meeting the locals
To experience local life, I visited Candirejo village, 15 minutes from Borobudur in central Java.
On a horse and cart we made our way through the streets – dodging chickens running free – as kids dashed out of their colourful homes to wave at us.
Across Indonesia, you hear the traditional music of gamelan, featuring an instrument called a metallophone. We joined a local lesson and I thought I did well, although the pained look on the face of the little boy next to me suggested otherwise.
I visited some fantastic old ladies making cassava crisps, and had tea at a village café. Heading back to Borobudur we stopped for Kopi Luwak – coffee made from, believe it or not, wild cat poo.
The luwak cat can’t digest coffee beans so they come out in its droppings. They are washed, dried and roasted to make the world’s most expensive coffee, with a surprisingly pleasant taste and aroma.
Choose wisely – pick an ethical café that really gets the beans from the wild, not from a farm. It was an eye-opening visit, and at the end of it I was pooped. To book a guided tour visit panorama-destination.com and contact the team.
Getting there
Garuda Indonesia airline has return fares from Heathrow to Jakarta from £423. Domestic island hopping packages start from £228 inc travel from Jakarta-Jogjakarta, Jogjakarta-Bali, Bali-Labuan Bajo, Labuan Bajo-Bali. Fares are valid until the end of March 2017.
garuda-indonesia.com
garuda-indonesia.com Panorama Destination offer tailor-made tour packages to Indonesia’s islands from
$1,250pp not inc flights.
panorama-destination.com
TIME ZONE UK +7/+8hrs
CURRENCY Rupiah £1 = 16,756
BEST TIME TO GO Start of October – no schoolkids, great weather, just before rainy season