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The islands of the Indonesian archipelago stretch almost 5000km (3100mi) from the Asian mainland into the Pacific Ocean. Richly endowed with natural resources and hosting a phenomenal array of distinct cultures, for centuries they have been a magnet to Chinese and Indian traders, European colonisers, proselytising missionaries, wayward adventurers, mining companies, intrepid travelers and package tourists. The islands are inhabited by 300 ethnic groups with distinct cultures, speaking 365 languages and dialects. Despite the national motto `unity in diversity’, these cultures are under threat from Indonesianisation as the islands are gradually unified under centralized Javanese rule. The multicultural concept of strength in difference has been a hard one to maintain in the face of such geographic and cultural fragmentation, and the Indonesian government has opted for strong, centralized and undemocratic rule.

The consolidation of the Indonesian empire has met with resistance and insurgencies but these have largely been ignored by the international community. The country was stable until the recent economic crisis, mainly because political opposition was repressed and government authority rested squarely on the foundation of military power. After Suharto’s downfall, second guessing the direction Indonesia would take became every foreign correspondents’ favorite pastime.

Increasing tensions between Muslims and Christians, ethnic tensions in Kalimantan, and independence movements in Aceh and Irian Jaya certainly don’t augur well for the new Habibe government but it is the East Timorese situation which buries any notion of a free and democratic Indonesia. East Timor’s vote for independence lit a match to the inflammatory emotions of Indonesian nationalism. Patriotic militia went on a scorched earth rampage around East Timor and the country descended into chaos and martial law. An ugly brand of jingoism swept across most of Indonesia and westerners became the brunt of much wounded pride.

If you wish to visit Indonesia, we suggest going to Yogyakarta in Java and the island of Bali. Both areas are very safe for tourists and are full of many wonderful sights. Just be aware of the violence and strife occurring in the rest of the country and don’t needlessly display your wealth!

Java is the political, geographic and economic center of the Indonesian archipelago. It’s a relatively small island, (approximately the same size as England) but has a population of 112 million, accounting for 55% of the country’s total population. The island is long and narrow, with a string of volcanic mountains punctuating its spine. It was on Java that the Hindu-Buddhist empires reached their zenith, producing architectural wonders such as Borobudur and Prambanan. When Islam came to the island in the 15th century, it absorbed rather than erased local cultures, leaving Java with a mish-mash of historic influences and religions. A strong consciousness of ancient religious and mystical thought carries over into present-day Java, providing a bulwark against wholesale modernization.

Much of the young republic’s history was hacked out of Javanese soil - including the major independence battles, the emergence of the two strongest political parties and the pro-democracy protests and riots which led to the recent downfall of Suharto. Today the island plays an extraordinarily dominant role in Indonesia. To a large extent, the rebellions of the Sumatrans, Minahasans and Ambonese in the 1950s and 1960s were rebellions against Javanese domination of the archipelago.

The island is certainly the most developed in the Indonesian archipelago, but despite its political and economic primacy it is still struggling with the twin demons of overpopulation and poverty. We only visited Yogyakarta but everywhere we went we were confronted by a society in transition - one which is keen to embrace the benefits of modernity and reform but determined not to lose its heritage in the process. Thus fast-food joints, shopping malls, satellite TV and the other material accouterments of the West live cheek by jowl with a vibrant traditional culture centered not on the individual, but around the family, the village and religious piety.

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta or ‘Yogya’ is easily the most popular city in Indonesia. It’s a cultural and intellectual center, crammed with prestigious universities and academies, and its influence far outweighs its size. Sure it has noisy and chaotic traffic like any Javanese city, but just a short stroll away from the main streets are the kampungs (food stalls) where life is still unhurried. Despite its veneer of modernity and westernisation, the city clings strongly to its traditional values and philosophies. Traditional performing arts (Ramayana Ballet, gamelan performances etc) can be seen at the Yogyakarta Craft Center and the Agastya Art Institute. It is also a major craft center, especially for batik. The walled-in kraton compound, in the city center, is a city within a city. The kraton is home to 25,000 people and includes the sultan’s huge palace, the Taman Sari (also known as the water castle or fragrant garden), a bird market and several craft industries. There are several worthwhile museums in the city, including the Sono-Budoyo Museum and Benteng Vredeburg. The suburb of Kota Gede has been famous since the 1930s as the center of Yogya’s silver industry, and is still a great place to wander around and watch the silversmiths at work.

Borobudur Temple

Borobudur Temple is one of the greatest Buddhist relics in South-East Asia and is Indonesia’s most famous attraction. Rulers of the Sailendra dynasty built the colossal pyramid of Borobudur between 750 and 850 AD, but very little else is known about the site’s early history except that a huge workforce must have been harnessed to shift and carve the 60,000 cu m (196,800 cu ft) of stone used in its construction. With the decline of Buddhism and the shift of power to East Java, Borobudur was soon abandoned and for centuries lay hidden under layers of volcanic ash. It was only in 1815 that the site was cleared and the technical skill and imagination of the builders was revealed. A mammoth US$21-million restoration program undertaken between 1973 and 1984 returned much of the complex to its former glory. The Mendut and Pawon temples nearby are important parts of the complex, though easily overlooked by visitors to the main site. Borobudur is 40km (25mi) north-west of Yogya.

Prambanan Temple

The Hindu temple, Prambanan (also known as Lorojonggrang Temple ) is located at Bokoharjo Village, Prambanan, east of Yogya. The exact date of when the Lorojonggrang Temple was built was still in argument. There are two differing opinions regarding who built the Temple. One opinion stated that there was only one, dynasty, Cailendra Dynasty, before Lorojonggrang Temple was built. The second opinion stated that there were two dynasties, Cailendra and Sanjaya Dynasty. Cailendra Dynasty occupied the southern part of Central Java, whereas Sanjaya Dynasty occupied the northern part. Buddhist temples were found mostly in the Southern part of Central Java, and that the Ciwa Temples (Hindu) were found in Northern part of Central Java.

Bali is so picturesque that you could be fooled into thinking it was a painted backdrop: rice paddies trip down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soar through the clouds, the forests are lush and tropical, and the beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. But the postcard paradise gloss has been manufactured and polished by the international tourist industry rather than by the Balinese themselves and it pays scant regard to the hard reality of life on Bali, which is currently suffering the fallout of Indonesia’s economic crisis and collapsing currency.

Bali remained calm in 1998 while many islands in the archipelago expressed their anger at the economic and political situation. Though tourism took a downturn in the first half of this year, visitors have flocked to the island in droves over the past 20 years. You’ll find locals living in traditional houses and participating in a timeless round of religious rituals and rice cultivation. In fact, the Balinese seem to handle tourism better than some of the tourists, many of whom are happy to be able to get a Coke but seem disappointed that they’re not the only ones sucking back the real thing.

Ubud

Ubud is situated in the hills 20km (13mi) north of Denpasar, Ubud is the serene cultural center of Bali. Extensive development in recent years has meant that Ubud has engulfed a number of nearby villages, although these have retained their distinct identities. Head off in any direction and you’re in for an interesting walk to a secluded craft hamlet, through the rice paddies or into the dense Monkey Forest, just south of the town center.

Kecak / Fire Dance

The Kecak dance is a Balinese dance of the Hindu story Ramanyana, accompanied by a male chorus with chants, shouts, and recitations of highly rhythmic and complex interlocking syllables that are intended to sound like a forest of monkeys. Before the evening’s dancing begins, a pedanda or local priest holds a frangipani blossom between his fingers and dips it into holy water to sprinkle over the temple courtyard and the waiting dancers. In the righthand tray are typical temple offerings, to honor the gods and ask their blessing on the assembly. About 100 men of the banjar (village asociation) sit in a great circle by lamplight and chant the famous “monkey chorus” of ka-CHAK, ka-CHAK which gives the dance its name. Many cultures use “mouth music” of one sort or another, but we thought that kecak is one of the most infectious kinds we’ve ever heard. The men really get into it, and so do the crowds!

The second dance is the Fire dance which entails a man posing as a chicken running around in a trancelike state. A bonfire is set in the middle of the floor as he runs around it frantically. Then, all of a sudden he leaps into the middle of the fire and kicks the glowing embers in all directions with his bare feet. He proceeds to do this until the fire is completely out and the embers no longer glow. It was really quite an amazing sight and one well worth seeing again. It should be noted that trance dancing by men and women, children and adults, is an event which the Balinese treat with great respect. Skeptical Westerners may suspect fakery, or at least regard such performances as staged rather than authentic, but we do well to remember that they were a part of sacred temple ritual for many centuries before the first busload of tourists hit Bali.

Barong / Kris Dance

The Barong dance is a short extract from the much longer and seldom seen Calonarang drama. It is nonetheless an impressive spectacle. It describes the eternal conflict between Ratu Barong, the faithful guardian of the community and the pendulous-breasted Rangda, demonic mistress of the graveyard. Our show closed with a Kris dance, in which young men get into trance and stab themselves with krises, yet remain unhurt.

Burial / Cremation Ceremony

The Hindu people of Bali cremate their dead in an elaborate ceremony complete with processions, garlands, and effigies. However, the costs of cremation have rapidly risen over the years resulting in many local Balinese being unable to cremate their loved ones at death. Instead, the dead are buried in shallow graves and their bodies are exhumed from the ground once enough people have died in a single village to warrant a mass cremation. This system of mass cremation is not only an amazing spectacle for all to behold but is also generally the only economic means by which the local Balinese can continue this ancient tradition.

Monkey Forest Sanctuary

The Monkey Forest Sanctuary is located in Padangtegal, Ubud. The monkeys congregate in a small forest area adjoining the temple Pura Dalem Agung which is the greatest of three main temples in the Padangtegal village. The temple complex consist of a holy bathing temple, a mortality temple, two graveyards, and the Pura Dalem Agung.

The monkeys are long tailed Macacaqua monkeys (Macaca Fascicularis). Although the monkey population varies, it consist of more than 150 monkeys. The monkey is important in Balinese culture and you find it featured in the Kecak Dance and the Ramayana Epic. Tourist should beware the agile hands of the monkey, which can quickly borrow your glasses or other loose possessions.  Although they may seem tame at times, they are nevertheless wild animals and at times react accordingly. This is a great place to visit, walking through the trails of the monkey forest and visiting the adjoining temple.