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| Home Page > Travelogues > Indonesia > Island of Java Quick Access for this Page -- [ Introduction ] [ Travelogues ] [ Features ] [ Links ]
Click on the colored areas of the map to access a travelogue. The colors indicate different regions of Java -- scroll down for explanation and introduction for each location. (Original map comes from Microsoft Expedia) Introduction. The island
of Java is Indonesia's heartland, home to the country's Politically, Java is divided into four provinces, named West
Java, Central The travelogues available currently concentrate on the environs
around two of Java's major cities -- Jakarta and Yogyakarta. Around
Jakarta, the attractions are
mostly modern additions -- botanical gardens in Bogor, a wildlife conservatory
in Puncak, and the many resorts of the 1000 Islands. Many of the towns
The "list" for Java includes a return to Yogyakarta to visit even more of the many temples and attractions we have not yet visited. New locations would include the mountain city of Bandung in west Java, and Surabaya in the east. Travelogues. The coloring of the locations on the map above indicate different locations in Indonesia, as shown below.
Links. The below links connect you to external sites in a new window. All links are official sites sanctioned by the national, state, or local governments unless otherwise indicated. While some home pages are in English, others will open to the Bahasa Indonesia-language home page which will usually offer an icon or link to an English-language section (normally limited content). The most common icon used is that of an American or UK flag. If an English language link is not available, click on links named "Tourisme". This is for the tourism page, which should have English content. Links updated 25 January 2006.
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capital,
Jakarta. Like much of Indonesia, Java is multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and
multi-religious. Islam dominates but the Javanese culture is a mix of
Islamic traditions of the Middle East combined with indigenous traditions based
on Hinduism, Buddhism, and other tribal faiths. The Javanese are friendly,
hard-working, and family-oriented.
Java, and East Java. (Jakarta is considered part of West
Java, though like Washington DC it has its own "province".) The
majority of the ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples reside in the Central and
East provinces, particularly around Yogyakarta near the southern coast.
and
villages in West Java cater to Jakartans venturing out for the weekend,
although plenty of expatriates from the capital get out, too. As for
Yogyakarta, the attractions are historic and scenic. "Jogja" as
it is known to Indonesians, played a central role in Indonesia's independence
from colonial rule. Its surroundings have great landmarks dedicated to
each of four major world religions -- the Buddhist temples of Borobudur, the
Hindu Candi Prambanan in Yogyakarta's east, the Roman Catholic "Lourdes of
Indonesia" in Sedang Sono, and the Muslim sultanate in the Kraton palace
complex in Yogyakarta's center. All these are in a setting of magnificent
volcanos, jungles, and beautiful rice fields.
high-rise
buildings tower over shanty villages, where rice paddies are grown
alongside the main access road to the airport, and where the city's
largest Catholic cathedral sits across the street from the country's
grandest mosque, the Istiqlal. Westerners are most likely to visit
Jakarta for business, and the 
largest
international business district is in the 
second greatest tourist
attraction
due to the number of temples, palaces, or landmarks representing four
major world religions, all within about an hour radius within.
Buddhism's great landmark is the massive 8th century temple of 
ges to the tiny
and remote village
of 
western
Java is dominated by thick jungles, rice paddies, and tall mountain
ranges. The three travelogues available here cover parts of western
Java that the locals (particularly from Jakarta) like to go. 
botanical
garden near the brilliant white Bogor Castle. Further south is 
the center of Java Island, as captured on the drive between the West Java city of Cirebon, along the
northern coast to Semarang, stopping at the border with Yogyakarta
province. Included are gorgeous mountains and jungle passes, and
rice fields as far as the eye can see.
