55 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Indonesia - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Indonesia

Kediri, Indonesia

Tanah Lot

Isolated atop this Balinese sea crag is a lovely Hindu temple that is said to be guarded by sea snakes.

Baturiti, Indonesia

Ghost Palace Hotel

An abandoned hotel in the highlands of Bali is shrouded in stories of ghosts, curses, and corruption.

Magelang, Indonesia

Gereja Ayam

This massive chapel in the middle of the Indonesian forest is both haunting and fowl.

Ubud, Indonesia

Sacred Monkey Forest (Mandala Wisata Wenara Wana)

Hindu temple of the dead home to hundreds of long-tailed macaques.

Abang, Indonesia

Pura Lempuyang Luhur

Bali's remote "gateway to heaven" is one of the most sacred places on the island.

East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Komodo National Park

A sprawling nature preserve harbors the world's only living dragons.

Sukawati, Indonesia

Goa Gajah

The name of this ancient Indonesian temple translates as "Elephant Cave" but it could be more accurately called "The Hellmouth."

Trunyan, Indonesia

Trunyan

One native village in Bali lays their dead at the foot of a holy tree whose natural fragrance seems to hide the stench as the bodies decompose.

See All 55 Things to Do in Indonesia See All 55 Places

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Unique Food & Drink in Indonesia

Lapis Legit

This Dutch-Indonesian cake contains up to 30 layers.

Butterfly Pea Flower

With a squeeze of lemon, this plant can turn any drink into a color-changing mood ring.

Engkala

This creamy, bright pink fruit is known as the "Borneo avocado."

Pandan Leaf Extract

This plant adds a hint of vanilla and a wash of brilliant green to any dish.

See all 16 things to eat in Indonesia See all 16 things to eat in Indonesia

Community Forums / Southeast Asia / Indonesia

Top Discussions in the Indonesia Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
The Funeral Rites of Torajaland	3 December 30, 2019	635	December 30, 2019
Mie Lethek Garuda	1 February 9, 2020	232	February 9, 2020
Goa Gajah	1 November 12, 2019	798	November 12, 2019
Trunyan	1 January 11, 2020	359	January 11, 2020
Chicken Church	0 October 17, 2019	277	October 17, 2019

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Stories About Indonesia

The gentle, almost soothing aftermath of Krakatoa over the Atlantic Ocean.

See the Soft Aquarelle Watercolors That Resulted From Krakatoa’s Big Bang

A set of paintings show the calm, lingering aftermath of a world-shaking event.

by Isaac Schultz

This incised "sunburst" limestone carving is one of the first two portable figurative artworks found in the region.

Itsy-Bitsy Indonesian Rocks Are Rewriting the History of Ancient Art

The token-size stones offer insight into life 20,000 years ago.

by Isaac Schultz

A relatively quiet moment in a standard dormitory room.

The 30-Hour Ferry Rides That Keep Indonesia Connected

With more than 6,000 inhabited islands, the country can’t rely on air travel alone.

February 24, 2020

Excavations in the terraces of the Solo River, where just over 100,000 years ago, <em>Homo erectus</em> remains piled up.

Found: The Last Stand of a Human Ancestor

The newly dated remains were found amid thousands of other bones on an Indonesian island.

by Isaac Schultz

December 26, 2019

The island cave where the remains of <em>Homo floresiensis</em> were found.

Indonesia's Ancient 'Hobbits' May Have Evolved Really, Really Quickly

Another example of how, biologically, islands are deeply weird.

by Isaac Schultz

October 11, 2019

An Australian Research Council team surveys an archaeological site on the southern coast of the island of Seram in 2019.

How Many People Did It Take to First Occupy Australia?

Scientists are looking deeper into how the continent's first people arrived.

by Jonathan Carey

Villagers in the Demak district of Java, Indonesia, help to maintain natural wooden seawalls.

On Java’s Coast, a Natural Approach to Holding Back the Waters

Villagers are using natural wooden barriers to try to restore the mangrove forests and save their lands and homes.

Several Banda islands depicted above a port. The islands were trading centers that depended on imports for food.

The Hidden History of the Nutmeg Island That Was Traded for Manhattan

Dutch colonists committed genocide to secure a spice monopoly. But there's more to the story.

February 28, 2019

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