Attractions to See in Bali

Million of travelers visit Indonesia every year to see magnificent attractions in Bali. Bali is actually an island blessed with charming beauty, lakes, mountains, temples and other beautiful places. Most importantly nature has blessed Bali with white sandy beaches which are major tourist’s attractions in this island to view scenes of sunrise and sunset. Other major attractions in Bali are:

Bali Barat National Park

Barat National Park is located in Western part of Bali which houses many endangered species of flora and fauna. During a trip to this park, you should also see Pulau Menjangan which is an ideal place to see coral reefs but the major attraction in Barat National Park is the various species of birds which include Sacred Kingfisher, Dollar Bird, Barn Swallow, Bali Starling, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Javan Kingfisher, Banded Pitta and many more. Besides birds, you will also find different kinds of animals in this park including Water Monitor, Leopard Cat, Large Flying Fox, Wild Boar, Pangolin, Rusa Deer and Barking Deer. As I mentioned earlier, this park also a home to different endangered species of plants as well so you will be able to see beautiful and rare plants in this park.

Lake Bratan

 How can you forget to see Lake Bratan in Bali? It has been formed on crater of a volcano and is located in central Bali. It is a spell-bounding lake attracting a large number of tourists towards it. Weather here is also very pleasant as there is always cloudy and there are rare sun rays to see. A 17^th century temple is also located at the lakeside which is devoted to Dewi Danu (goddess of lake). Local population worships her for fertility because it has been believed that this goddess provides water to irrigate rice fields. Some animals kept at temple are also being worshipped along with the goddess. These animals include lizards and toucan. Since these animals are tamed, you can also take your photo along with them. A big flower garden also surrounds this temple. Besides natural beauty, you can also have comfortable modern facilities here as there are hotels and restaurants for cozy stay of tourists.

Lake Tamblingan

Another celebrated tourist attraction in Bali is the Lake Tamblingan which is one of the smallest lakes in Bali Island.  Bordered by beautiful mountains, this lake provides the best place for tourists to have relaxation and peace. People mostly visit this lake in morning time to see spectacular landscape of Lake Tamblingan.

Pura Besakih

It is a religious site as well as a tourist attraction in Bali which is located high on slopes of Mountain Agung. It is also known as Mother Temple of Bali. This site is actually a complex of shrines and has been divided into three parts. One part has been painted black for Vishnu; other two are painted white and red for Shiva and Brahma respectively. Pura Besakih is also known as Naga Besukian or residence of dragon god. It has been formed by keeping in view Balinese architecture.

Lovina

Lovina is a combined name of villages. It has a long stripe of beaches at north coast of Bali. This is a peaceful place to visit because it is far away from frustrating crowd and noise of city. Lovina beach is also a great site for diving and snorkeling. At Lovina Beach, you can also have an experience to see turtles, sharks, mantas and dolphins during diving.

Top Three Tourists Spots in Lombok

Lombok is located along to eastern portion of Bali. It is actually an island which shares same cultural heritage and traditions with Bali. Lombok is a house to 3.16 million Indonesians and has a number of tourist’s attractions which include:

Gili Islands

Gili islands are located to the western coast of Lombok. These islands are the most popular tourist attraction as it provides a leisurely holiday experience. It provides an opportunity to see a beautiful beachfront as well as these islands are dotted with a number of cafes offering banana pancakes. A number of magnificent beaches are located along these islands which are equipped with facilities of a modern tourist spot. Here on these beaches, you can take part in water sports like diving and snorkeling. Gili Island is actually made up of three principal islands which are:

• Gili Trawangan
• Gili Meno
• Gili Air

Around north of Gili Meno, you can also see sea turtles.

Pura Segara

Pura Segara is a temple which has a white walled compound. If you will visit this place in afternoon, you will find a number of fishing boats on sand just next to this temple. Being one of the oldest temples, this is surrounded by fishing villages. Painted in red, this temple has been decorated with Balinese art designs. One most significant feature of this temple is that instead of courtyard, there is an open space with back-to-back staircase and statues. These statues are beautifully colored with bright hues. Near this temple, you will also find Chinese and Muslim cemeteries.

Mount Rinjani

Mount Rinjani is an active volcano and is situated on Lombok Island. Being a part of famous Ring of Fire, Mount Rinjani is the second highest volcanic peak in Indonesia. This mountain is 3726 meters high and first time erupted in 1847. This volcano is also home to a lake but these days, both volcano and lake belong to a national park. The oval shaped volcanic crater is 6 km long and is partly covered by lake named Segara Anak. Eruptions in 1994, 1995 and 1996 formed a cone in heart of this crater. Highlands which surround this lake are covered with lush green forests. Lowlands are however cultivated and have crops of rice, cotton and tobacco. Crate and the mountain itself are considered as sacred places so they are visited by a large number of pilgrims every year. These devotees not only make offerings in lake but also dip in warm springs.

Popular Places to See in Sumatra

Sumatra is the largest island in Indonesia and has a number of interesting places which can make your tour a lasting memory. Some most popular attractions in Sumatra are described below. During your visit to Sumatra, you must visit these places.

Lake Toba

This lake is the largest volcanic lake in world and at the same time the best attraction to see in Sumatra. This lake is located at an altitude of 900 meters and is surrounded by some of the best natural marvels. The beautiful mountains and landscape offers beautiful views. Being a facilitator of eco-tourism in Indonesia, Lake Toba is situated near fault line. The houses of Bataks near lake are traditional and featured with roofs which curve at each end. This roofs look like boat’s hull.

Raya Mosque

Raya Mosque is also known as Grand Mosque. Built in 1906, this mosque was constructed under patronage of Sultan Makmun Al-Rasyid. Having a global structure, this mosque is designed in rococo style. Marbles and stained glass used in its décor were imported from Italy and China respectively. The most important feature of this mosque that will impress you the most are its minarets which have been made beautifully.

King Palace

This palace is the best place to visit for those who want to explore history of this region. This palace was built in 1976. This building also contains a museum which displays items from household of royal family. This building has a unique architectural deign. Its roof is in the shape of horns of water buffalo. These horns are actually signs of prosperity.

Medan

Medan is the capital of North Sumatra which is not only an industrial hub but also a tourist attraction. Medan is a quite big city having architectural buildings, cascading waterfalls and beautiful valleys. One of the most impressive features of this city is Gunung Leuser National Park which is the largest in Asia. This park is home to many animals like elephants, tigers and rhinos.

Mentawai Islands

Mentawai Islands are one of the premier tourist attractions in Sumatra offering a number of enjoyable activities to do. Here you can enjoy trekking and windsurfing. There is also a dense rainforest at the beach which houses a large variety of animals and birds. You can also explore amazing coral reefs by swimming in blue waters of Indian Ocean.

Stunning Beaches to See in Indonesia

Beaches in Indonesia are popular among tourists and locals as well because of their beauty and fascinating environment. Beaches in Indonesia provide ideal weather and thousands of beach activities to enjoy. These beaches contribute a lot in development of tourism in Indonesia. Some of the most stunning beaches in Indonesia include the following.

Dreamland Beach (Bali)

Located on the Bukit Peninsula, this beach is a significant center of water sports and other adventurous activities. Dreamland Beach is covered with small cliffs and surrounded by pine and coconut trees. As I mentioned, this beach provides facilities to enjoy water sports so you can enjoy diving and surfing here. For relaxing in sun, sun decks are also provided. Hotels, inns and resorts are found for quality accommodation. Besides these, bars, pubs and cafes, restaurants and dining spots are located here to provide travelers with complete fun and enjoyment. For shopping freaks, there are some local shops from where you can buy artifacts and handicrafts at reasonable rates.

Kuta Beach (Lombok)

Kuta Beach is becoming a popular tourist spot as it offers some good reasons to be visited again and again. Like other beaches, there are facilities of diving and surfing. Kuta Beach also gives a magnificent picture of white sand and blue sea water.

Chandi Dasa Beach (Bali)

The Chandi Dasa Baech is most frequently visited beach in Indonesia. It is a white sandy beach which is named after a temple complex situated on lagoon by edge of sea. This beach is an excellent place for sunbathing but the most important attraction is the Chandi Dasa Temple itself which was built in 12^th century. It houses the statue of Goddess Hariti and it is believed that Goddess grants prosperity and welfare to those who pray in this temple. A number of hotels and bungalows are also located within the surroundings of this beach to provide furnished accommodation to visitors. These hotels provide accommodation facilities at affordable prices.

Lovina Beach (Bali)

Lovina Beach is featured with black volcanic and is located close to northern tip of Bali Island.  It is an ideal place for diving, snorkeling and watching beautiful scenes of sunset. During your visit to Lovina Beach, you can go out to sea on chartered boats and you can also enjoy watching dolphins playing in water. You can also make day trips to West Bali National Park as well as hot springs of Banjar. Temples and crafts centers are also there to visit and have fun.

Bira Beach (Sulawesi)

Bira Beach is named after the name of a village which is famous for its wooden houses. Also known as Paloppalakaya Bay, it is a white sand beach attracting thousands of tourists towards its beauty and magnificence. This beach is characterized by shallow water so it is considered safe for swimming and snorkeling. Here tourists also find an opportunity to see different fishes like manta ray as well as sharks but sharks live in deep waters. Another reason of popularity of this beach is that from here, tourists can go to Pulau Selayar by taking a boat ride on blue waters.

These were five most stunning beaches of Indonesia but the list is too long including:

• Pasir Putih Beach (Bali)
• Pulau Weh Beach (Sumatra)
• Pulau Bintan Beach (Sumatra)
• Jimbaran Beach (Bali)
• Legian Beach (Bali)
• Padang Bai Beach (Bali)
• Rapang Beach (Java)
• Grajagan Beach (Java)

Top Tourists Destinations of Jakarta

Jakarta is the capital and the largest city of Indonesia that in situated on northwest coast of Java. Jakarta is hub of businesses and government so it is not commonly known as an ideal tourist destination but still it is famous for its historical attractions. Some of the major tourists’ favorite places in Jakarta include:

Ragunan Zoo

This zoo was established in 1864 having 4000 animals in it. Ragunan zoo boasts of possessing a wide collection of Indonesian wildlife including Komodo dragons. The most interesting fact about this zoo is its efforts to breed endangered species of different animals like Sumatran tigers and birds of paradise. There has been a new addition in this zoo which is centrally located primate enclosed space.

Jakarta Planetarium

Jakarta Planetarium provides an educational as well as entertainment facility to the students and tourists alike. It helps a lot to develop knowledge about earth and its outer space. The specialty of Jakarta Planetarium is the Planetarium Show which is usually called Star Theater. This show continues for one hour with various themes including Solar Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, and Solar System.  Planetarium also provides facility of observing celestial objects through telescopic observation which provides an opportunity to see different phenomenon of nature like eclipses and comets etc. Planetarium is also featured with an exhibition hall containing outer space objects, outer space suit and pictures of galaxy.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

This is a vast park spreading on an area of 100 hectares and representing 27 provinces of Indonesia. When you will visit different districts of this park, you will find museums which are dedicated to the local culture.

This park also has a beautiful orchid garden having wide variety of Indonesian orchids have been grown. Other attractions in this park include:

• Bird park with walk-in aviary
• Fauna museum
• Swimming pools
• Restaurants

Ancol Dreamland

It is the prevalent amusement park of Indonesia that is located opposite to Jakarta Bay. It has been divided into four sectors named:

• Atlantis Water Adventure
• Fantasy World
• Sea World
• Marina Beach

This park is the favorite place of kids but there also some wonderful attractions for adults and youngsters like night clubs, steam baths and massage centers.

National Monument

It is a beautiful structure that has been topped using 35 KG of gold due to which it become most famous landmark of Jakarta having two sections-a historical museum and hall for mediation. It provides a beautiful and panoramic view of Jakarta from its top.

National Museum

National Museum is situated in Batavia and is witness of Dutch colonization in Jakarta. This museum contains collections related to prehistoric artifacts, geography, ethnography, earthenware, historical remnants and archeology. The museum boasts of displaying more than 100,000 artistic objects.

These were some top tourists’ destination of Jakarta. Visiting Jakarta can proved to be the most wonderful experience of one’s life.