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Indonesia
The archipelago by which all other archipelagoes are measured, with innumerable islands, cultures, languages, folklore and traditions. A nation of staggering depth that could take lifetimes to unravel.
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Dieng Plateau: Temples and Rich Culture in Central Java
In the hills of Jawa Tengah awaits a temple complex of great interest, and which reflects the sacred air that flows around it.
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Kampung Pelangi Semarang: The Rainbow Village of Jawa Tengah
Our correspondent finds the rainbow after stumbling across Semarang’s hidden pot of gold at Kampung Pelangi.
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Perceptive Taxi Driver: An Encounter With Java’s Spirit Realm
A taxi journey in Surabaya takes an unexpected twist.
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Pamekasan [Very] Vague Guide: Enjoy Madura’s Rich History and Culture
Visitors to the centre of Pulau Garam will find a place of rare interest with tradition and heritage that matches anywhere in East Java.
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Kayu Putih: The Healing Power of Indonesia’s Miracle Oil
The eucalyptus tree produces a scent that brings to mind, etc etc etc. Story about a really useful and evocative type of oil that people tend to swear by in the archipelago.
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Pulau Saparua: Tracing the Roots of Conflict in South Maluku
The spectre of tumult is never too far from sight on quiet Saparua, even if these violent phantoms seem to have receded into the distance.
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Tomohon: [Very] Vague Guide to North Sulawesi’s Highland Highlight
Our correspondent presents a rough guide to Tomohon, a stand-out attraction during any trip to Sulawesi.
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Manado City: [Very] Vague Guide to The Hub of Minahasa Tradition
Those who wish to know a place should head for its heart… or something of that ilk. Anyway, interesting place in Sulawesi, this.
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Madura Island: Unravelling the Strands of Pulau Garam, Part 2
More words about the Isle of Salt in Java.
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Pulau Garam: Unravelling the Strands of Madura Island
Java’s Isle of Salt very rarely crops up in discussions about the best places to go in Indonesia. But what can people expect from one of the archipelago’s most intriguing hidden spots?
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Wisata Api Abadi: Deathless Light in Pamekasan, Madura
An unending blaze awaits in East Java. But why does it burn so? A traipse to Larangan Tokol reveals few answers.
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Gajah Mungkur in Central Java: View From a Hill
There awaits the visitor to Central Java an enormous body of water. It goes by the name of Gajah Mungkur, and it has much to stimulate one’s senses.
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Menara Kudus Mosque: History, Culture and Function in Central Java
Our correspondent ponders the architectural stylings of an edifice in Central Java.
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Kudus Kretek Museum: The Heritage of Smoking in Central Java
Our correspondent, a committed smoker, finds much to inhale at this historical site in Central Java.
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Reog Ponorogo: The Dance of Resistance in Java
Our correspondent looks behind the colossal mask and finds an indelible link ‘twixt dance and place.
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Alun-Alun: The Centre of Community in Indonesia
Our correspondent charts a journey around the many squares that punctuate Indonesia and attempts to unravel their importance.
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Al-Aqsa Grand Mosque: A Place of Worship in Klaten
Our correspondent skirts around a masjid in Jawa Tenggah.
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Pohon Pengantin: The Bridal Tree of Salatiga
Our correspondent, upon exploring Central Java, stumbles across a tree with a moving past.
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Tegala Sarangan, Java: A Lake Obscured in Mist
Our correspondent becomes embroiled in fog and can only vaguely make out one of the higher lakes in Java.
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Javanese / Bahasa Jowo Language Primer
Our correspondent, upon learning a little about how to communicate in Central and East Java, shares a related linguistic guide.
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In Search of Quiet, Part 2: (Yet More) Places (in Indonesia) a Way Away From Elsewhere
Our correspondent compiles other locales for visitors to forget themselves for a while.
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Quiet Place: Destinations for the Introverts and Those Who Want Solitude
Our correspondent, having so recently found the perfect calm spot, examines a few similar locations for travellers to rest their weary bones and brains.
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Tempat Tenang: Quiet Places (in Indonesia) a Way Away From Elsewhere
Our correspondent, lost in the swirl, continues compiling out-of-the-way spots for a reflective traveller to consider.
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How Surabaya Got Its Name, Part 2: Steel Forged in Conflict
Our correspondent ponders the role of war and bloodshed in establishing a place’s character.
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How Surabaya Got Its Name, Part 1: The Shark and the Crocodile
Our correspondent shares an animalistic take on the naming of East Java’s capital city.
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Gunung Bromo: Reverence, Mysticism, Might
Our correspondent edges through the murk as a brooding volcano in Indonesia leaves an indelible psychic footprint.
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Lake Toba: How Did Sumatra’s Most Famous Danau Get Its Name?
Ever wondered about the lore behind Lake Toba and its name? Read on to find out. Expect patience, anger, and a princess turned into a fish.
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Lawang Sewu: Echoes of Atrocity in Semarang
Our correspondent uncovers the memory of something sinister in Semarang.
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Batuputih: The Limestone Quarries of Madura
Our correspondent shields their eyes from the glare of Madura’s distinct mining operations.
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Snapshot in Time: Lawang Sewu and the Javanese Railway
Our correspondent traces the tracks to Semarang and discovers a pivotal cog in Central Java’s rail history.
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Arek Lancor: The Flaming Symbol of Madura’s Spirit
Our correspondent absorbs the message of a monument that represents Madurese passion and drive.
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Topeng Dalang: Masks and Dance on Madura
Our correspondent takes a closer look at one of Madura’s contributions to the tapestry of Indonesian heritage.
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Bagan Platforms: Silent Waters and Night Fishing in Indonesia
Our correspondent observes the fishing platforms that silently dot Indonesia’s waters.
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Out-Of-The-Way: Indonesian Locations Ripe for Visiting
One of the lesser-heralded joys of visiting Indonesia is that of simply exploring without purpose, as evidenced by traipsing around this selection of treasure chests.
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Borneo | Locust Press | madura | Sulawesi
Intriguing Indonesia: Tradition, Lore and Depth
Whilst Indonesia has plenty to entice visitors, it is the hidden depths that often offer the most compelling allure. Here are seven such examples.
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Lost in Sync: Banda Neira Reveals Its Secrets
Our correspondent becomes attuned to the distinct frequencies shared by the famed Spice Islands of Maluku.
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Peering Through: Tana Toraja and Life Under the Surface
Our correspondent in Sulawesi creates a gap through which something tries to get out.
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Mt Bromo: Power, Mystery and the Hammer of the Gods
Our correspondent encounters an elemental force channelling the very essence of Indonesia herself.
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Legung Village: The Pattern of Time’s Sands in Madura
Our correspondent discovers a longstanding tradition on the east coast of Sumenep.
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Grand Ceremony: Uldaul Sheds Light on Madura’s Traditions
Our correspondent, an outsider lest we forget, gleans understanding of Javanese culture in a trip to Pamekesan.
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Out of Sync: Pulau Bunaken and a Yearning Calm
Our correspondent, falling from a great height, lands on Sulawesi’s shimmering island settlement.
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Esoteric Indonesia: Intriguing Sites to Stir the Senses
Our correspondent delves once more into the netherworld in, of and around the archipelago.
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Step into the Doorway: A Selection of Indonesia’s Fascinating Sites
Our correspondent reels as the sheer weight and magnitude of Indonesian folklore bleeds through the cracks of reality.
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Gili Iyang: The Fountain of Youth in Madura
Our correspondent encounters an island whereupon exists the source of a life extended.
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Tainted Sunset: Recycling Causes Concern on Saparua Island
Our correspondent washes up on Maluku’s Pulau Saparua and catches two glimpses: one endearing, the other disturbing.
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East Timor: Scars, Trauma and the Road to Independence
Our correspondents presents the vaguest of vague introductions to Southeast Asia’s youngest nation.
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Long Gone Lakeside: Phnom Penh, Progress and the Death of an Icon
Our correspondent, inhabiting the role of observer, watches on as a Cambodian institution suffers an undeserving end.
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The Devil’s Weed: Tobacco, Indonesia and the Strongest of Links
Never has there been a more symbiotic bond than ‘twixt the archipelago and tobacco.
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Islamic Centre: Samarinda’s Majestic Mosque Hoves Into View
Our correspondent gazes in wonderment at an unexpectedly eye-catching Kalimantan masjid.
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Grisly Passage: Tana Toraja and the Cost of Dying
Our correspondent discovers in Sulawesi a life beyond that we can comprehend.
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Visit Sumenep: 6 Ways to Absorb the Soul of Madura in 2026
Our correspondent shares yet more examples of why Madura’s social and cultural heart is just waiting to be visited.
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Something Wicked: Approaching the Ijen Crater
Our correspondent hears uneasy truths as Java’s acid lake hoves into view.
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Asta Tinggi: A Pilgrimage to the Royal Tombs of Sumenep
Our correspondent becomes a devotee on his journey to one of Sumenep’s most iconic landmarks.
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Ijen Crater: Uneasy Acid Frequencies in Java
Our correspondent descends to the netherworld as the Ijen Crater, Java’s acidic crater lake, ensnares yet another victim.
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Sumenep: (Very) Vague Guide to the Soul of Madura
Our correspondent explores Sumenep, a region of historic significance and the cradle of modern Indonesia.
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Sacred Lakes: Kelimutu and Indonesian Mythology
Our correspondent witnesses the profound reach of folklore in Flores.
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Madura Bus Service: Crossing Barriers on Pulau Garam
Our correspondent boards a bus and encounters a fascinating snapshot of Madurese life.
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Pulau Banda Neira: Meeting The Boss in the Middle of Nowhere
Our correspondent enjoys a low-key, energetic welcome to the Banda Islands, Indonesia’s most charming secret hideaway.
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Underrated Indonesia: Five Places That Fly Under the Radar
Our correspondent spent x amount of time in Indonesia and found these lesser heralded, but by no means inferior, destinations.
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Bahasa Indonesia Primer: Numbers and Basic Transactions
Our correspondent, fixing for more bargaining in Indonesia, presents a guide to Bahasa.
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Madurese / Bahasa Madura Language Primer
Our correspondent steps onto Madura and, vernacular guide in tow, senses the rest of Indonesia withdrawing everso slightly.
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North Sulawesi: (Very) Vague Guide
Our correspondent shares their morsels from a trip to another Indonesian hotspot.
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Gili Trawangan: The Home Truth of ‘Paradise’ Islands
Our correspondent encounters an uncomfortable dose of reality on a so-called ‘paradise’ island.
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Night Bus: Crossing Sumatra From Toba to Bukittinggi
Our correspondent savours the sensory overload of an overnight bus journey in Indonesia.
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Madura Island: (Very) Vague Guide to Pulau Garam in East Java
Our correspondent, excited beyond all reason, remains grateful for the existence of this jagged slice of Indonesia.
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Banda Neira: (Very) Vague Guide to Maluku’s Prettiest Spice Island
Our correspondent was lucky enough to reach Maluku and fell deeply for its soporific island outliers.
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Bukit Lawang: An Encounter with Orangutans in Sumatra
Our correspondent treks through a Sumatran rainforest on the hunt for orangutans. Is he prepared for what he’ll encounter?
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Weekuri Lake: Sumba’s Stunning Aquatic Attraction
Our correspondent hops on a bike in search of one of Indonesia’s least-visited bodies of water.
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Lovina: Impressions of a Town Trying to Catch Up
Our correspondent, upon arriving in northern Bali, finds a town struggling in the midst of a barren low season.
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Bunaken: (Very) Vague Guide to Island Life in North Sulawesi
Our correspondent, enamoured of this little getaway in Sulawesi, provides some hopefully helpful hints and tips.
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Mount Lokon: A Brisk Walk to Tomohon’s Peak
Our correspondent wakes up early for a volcanic trek in Tomohon.
