Known for its ancient temples, natural wonders and diverse culture, Indonesia offers a wealth of attractions. Island hopping here during winter months comes with an element of risk, however — the country’s rainy season is notorious, making it essential for visitors climb temples and volcanos with a trusty umbrella in tow.
Most trips around the archipelago start on the island of Java in Jakarta, though Indonesia’s bustling capital city is more urban sprawl than untouched beauty. Regardless, the boxy concrete towers offer hidden reminders of the city’s colonial past. Drawn in by the spices, the Dutch arrived in the 17th century — and stayed on until the Japanese occupied the country in 1942. These days, many of the remaining Dutch architecture has been converted into fancy museums, especially around Taman Fatillah Square. (The buildings also seemed to be a popular backdrop for selfies).
Dutch colonial buildings line Taman Fatillah Square
After two days in Jakarta, we caught a rickety train ambling through Java’s spectacular countryside, a patchwork of rice paddies and waving palm trees against a backdrop of blue hills. At the little town of Banjar, we flagged down a bus heading towards Pangandaran, Java's premier beach resort. Along the way, we were caught in a sudden thunderstorm, but the flashes of lightning, torrential rains and lack of doors didn’t deter our driver any.
Storm clouds gathering over Pandangaran
The nice thing about visiting a beach out of season is that — with the exception of a handful of brave surfers — we basically had the place to ourselves. After three days reveling in the peace and quiet, we decided to give urban Java another go. Yogyakarta (pronounced Jog-ja-karta) serves as Java’s cultural capital, with local arts, rich history and a Sultan still in residence.
Surfs up! Rainy season doesn't deter local surfers
One highlight is the ancient temple of Borobudur, about two hours away from the city. Set amongst misty hills, the massive temple consists of a stepped pyramid crowned by bell-shaped stupas and Buddha statues. The temple was built between the 7th and 8th centuries, before being mysteriously abandoned. The site was rediscovered in 1815, but a full restoration wouldn’t be completed for another 100 years. Hiking the temple during the heat of the day is sweaty business, but the ornate reliefs carved into the stone makes the trip worthwhile.
Borobudur temple.
From Jogja, we headed to Java’s east coast to explore Gunung Bromo, a smoking volcano rising from an ashen wilderness of volcanic sand. Getting here isn't easy; local drivers won't make the journey until their buses fill up, not an easy task during rainy season. We waited at the bus station for at least 8 hours while the driver collected a sufficient amount of volcano-bound tourists. Once we arrived, our sunrise trek was completely obscured by fog, but by mid-morning the weather had cleared, allowing us to right hike up to the crater’s sulfurous edge.
Gunung Bromo
We wrapped up the Indosian-leg of our journey with a week in Bali, the country’s most tourist-friendly island. It was here, surrounded by green rice paddies and monkey-infested forests in the central town of Ubud, that we realized another huge benefit to traveling in the off season — fire-sale prices. Our huge room had a terrace, free breakfast and a palm tree-shaded pool for just US$22 a night, while the town offered myriad cafes, bars and shops to while away the afternoon rains. Most importantly, an easy week in Bali was just what we needed after suffering the bone-crunching busses of less-developed Java, and — rains or no rains — a great place to bid adieu to Asia.
Tom Mountford