Indonesia, undoubtedly, has the most impressive sights in Southeast Asia: natural phenomena, architectural monuments, art and culture of more than 150 peoples. Here you will see a blazing sunset; admire the colorful lakes that fill the craters of the Keli Mutu volcano on Flores; rise to the eighth tier of Borobudur – poems in stone; You will see huge dragons on the island of Komodo; Go trekking in the mountains of Irian Java; Sunbathe on the magnificent beaches of Bali; catch a giant butterfly in Sulawesi; go down to the crater of an active volcano; swim to Krakatau – the most famous volcano on the planet; learn the art of making batik, and any Indonesian child will show you how to make a kite.

The peculiarity of the architecture and traditional art of Indonesia is due to the influence of different and sharply different cultures and civilizations – Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and European. Already in the first centuries of our era, the peoples of the island of Java (its culture has long been the leading one) adopted Buddhism and Hinduism under Indian influence. Indian and local traditions are combined in the classical art of Java, including architecture. Continue reading →