Indonesia's Top 3 Destination

Nadherna Indonezia - Realizing the cultural wealth and mesmerizing nature, Indonesia recognised the importance of the tourism sector to boost the economy. While enjoying ongoing upmarket transformation and economic growth, Indonesia is transforming its tourism sector through the development of tourism hubs and potential spots. Here are the top three destinations Indonesia has to offer.

One of them is Borobudur, a huge complex of temples that house some 2,672 painted reliefs and 504 Buddha statues. Not only it is one of the greatest temples in the world, but it also is the largest Buddhist monument. The captivating beauty of the structure amplifies with such detailed creations. It is originally built during the Sailendra Dynasty of Indonesian's indigenous Javanese Buddhist in the 9th century, but not until 1814 that it was widely recognised and since then underwent several restorations, including the latest funded by cooperation between the Indonesian government and UNESCO, followed by its listing as a UNESCO's World Heritage Site in 1991.

Located in Central Java Province, the temple sits majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green fields and distant hills. The temple's design in Gupta architecture reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian. The amazing structure of Borobudur was built by interlocking sets of stones without any kind of cement or mortar. The stone carvings attached to the temple display legends and stories which have great philosophical significance.

Number two of Indonesia's top destination is Lombok (Nusa Tenggara Barat). Lombok Mandalika is the first project of integrated ecotourism destination in Indonesia. It was chosen to rival the success of its neighbouring islands, Bali and Gili. Having named as Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for the agro-industry and ecotourism industry, the government of Indonesia has been advancing this area of more than 1.250 hectares with international standardised amenities and facilities such as golf courses, luxurious hotels and resorts, bars and nightclubs, a thrilling circuit for hosting MotoGP 2021 with a sole purpose of hopefully reach full tourism potential of Central Lombok's breath-taking coastline.

Home to the beautiful beaches of Lombok, Mandalika offers captivating scenery of Tanjung Aan, Seger, Serenting, and Kuta beach with amusing activities like water sports, fishing, swimming and surfing. Mandalika also offers a unique traditional ritual of Lombok's own Sasak tribe, called Bau Nyale. The tradition of people flocking to the sea to catch sea worms (or Nyale in local dialect) represents good fortune. The ritual of Bau Nyale is originally adapted from the ancient tale of Princess Mandalika of Sasak who left to the sea and comes once a year to see her people in the form of a sea worm. Nowadays, it is not merely a ceremony, but a celebration that contributes to efforts to boost tourism in the region.

Mandalika can be easily reached within an hour drive from Mataram City and 30 minutes from Lombok International Airport. Visitors can rent vehicles or utilise public transportation called Bemo to explore the area. Worry not, you can also stroll around while enjoying the atmosphere because most facilities are within walking distance.

The number one of the top 3 destinations of Indonesia is Bali island. Bali depends on 53% of its revenue from tourism. The pandemic has severely impacted Bali’s economy. Economic growth plummeted to -10,98% in the 2nd quarter of 2020. 70% out of 326.000 SMEs in Bali from the food and beverages sector as well as a creative economy sector are closed for business and the rest has lost up to 50% of their revenue. 

To kick off tourism sectors, Indonesia engages UNWTO for a collaborative effort by making an in-person visit to the island. UNWTO delegation visit to Bali was the first in-person visit to Bali since the start of the pandemic. The delegation met with key figures from the Government of the Republic of Indonesia to advance collaboration as the country gets ready to reopen its borders to international visitors and restart tourism.

For further information on the diverse cultural identity and tourism destinations of Indonesia, you can contact the Indonesian Embassy in Bratislava.