World Guide

Indonesia

Country · Asia, South-eastern Asia

Krakatoa
Pictured: Krakatoa · Photo: Sémhur, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Located in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is a country covering about 1.9 million square kilometers with a population of approximately 286 million people. Its capital city is Jakarta. The country offers travelers a range of natural and cultural sites, including volcanic landscapes and historic temples.

Highlights

This guide covers 24 notable sights across the country. Many travelers visit for the volcanic landscapes, which include Mount Bromo, Mount Agung, Mount Rinjani, Ijen, Mount Tambora, and Krakatoa. The Komodo National Park is also a significant natural site, alongside the Raja Ampat Islands. For those interested in cultural and religious architecture, the country features UNESCO sites like Borobudur and Prambanan, as well as the Istiqlal Mosque and the National Monument in Jakarta. Other cultural landmarks include Gunung Padang, Gereja Ayam, and various temples such as Tanah Lot, Uluwatu Temple, Tirta Empul, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, and the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. The Mandalika International Street Circuit offers a different type of experience.

Food and drink

The local cuisine includes various dishes such as nasi goreng, rendang, gado-gado, rojak, rawon, bakso, and lontong. Travelers can also try tempeh, lemang, and jian dui. For dessert or refreshments, options include cendol and palm wine.

When to go

Based on the climate in Jakarta, the weather remains warm year-round with daily highs consistently between 29 °C and 31 °C. The period from May through September is generally drier, with August and July recording the fewest rainy days, making these months practical times for a visit. Conversely, the months from January through April and November through December experience higher rainfall, often occurring on 28 to 30 days per month.

Practical notes

The official language is Indonesian and the currency is the rupiah. Electrical outlets use plug types C and F, with a voltage of 127 V. Driving is on the left side of the road. The country spans three time zones: UTC+07:00, UTC+08:00, and UTC+09:00.

Cities

Food and drink to try in Indonesia

  • Palm wine
  • Tempeh
  • Nasi goreng
  • Rendang
  • Gado-gado
  • Rojak
  • Cendol
  • Lemang
  • Jian dui
  • Rawon
  • Bakso
  • Lontong

Top sights in Indonesia

  1. KrakatoaKrakatoa
  2. BorobudurUNESCOBorobudur
  3. Mount TamboraMount Tambora
  4. PrambananUNESCOPrambanan
  5. Raja Ampat IslandsRaja Ampat Islands
  6. Gunung PadangGunung PadangCianjur
  7. Mount BromoMount Bromo
  8. Mount AgungMount Agung
  9. Mount RinjaniMount Rinjani
  10. IjenIjen
  11. Komodo National ParkUNESCOKomodo National Park
  12. Mandalika International Street CircuitMandalika International Street Circuit
  1. Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta · Jakarta
  2. Tanah Lot
  3. National Monument · Jakarta
  4. Uluwatu Temple
  5. Tirta Empul · Ubud
  6. Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
  7. Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park
  8. Gereja Ayam · Magelang
  9. Ubud Palace · Ubud
  10. Ujung Kulon National ParkUNESCO
  11. Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat · Yogyakarta
  12. Goa Gajah · Ubud
  13. Gunung Leuser National Park · KetambeUNESCO
  14. Taman Sari · Yogyakarta
  15. Sam Poo Kong · Semarang
  16. Lawang Sewu · Semarang
  17. Lorentz National ParkUNESCO
  18. Suramadu Bridge · Surabaya
  19. Sangiran · SoloUNESCO
  20. Great Mosque of Central Java · Semarang
  21. Maimun Palace · Medan
  22. Tugu Yogyakarta · Yogyakarta
  23. Tjong A Fie Mansion · Medan
  24. Grand Mosque of Medan · Medan
  25. Al-Akbar Mosque · Surabaya

UNESCO sites in Indonesia →

Weather by month

Temperatures stay much the same all year, around 27 °C on average. The wettest is January, with about 405 mm of rain.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high, °C292930303030303131313029
Average low, °C242424242423232324242424
Rainfall, mm405355248210176106948297154190264
Rainy days302830292420131014202829

Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Jakarta (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.

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Neighbouring countries and territories