Situated in South East Asia the Indonesian Archipelago scatters the Indian and Pacific Ocean with a myriad of islands, offering pristine beaches in a rich backdrop of volcanic ranges, rainforests and terraced hillsides, rich in spices and flowers.

Jakarta on the island of Java is the capital of the five main islands: Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan (part of the island of Borneo) and Irian Jaya. The official language is Bahasa Indonesia, although about 583 different dialects are spoken throughout the archipelago.

The islands of Bali and Lombok are paradise-like islands, offering magnificent settings with beautiful beaches and sunsets, while Jakarta is the more cosmopolitan of all the islands with modern facilities and fast-paced activities.

For more adventurous activities the island of Komodo boasts magical ‘sea gardens’, while Suwalesi offers Borobudur’s architectural treasures, amongst which are Buddhist relief carvings. For jungle exploration Kalimantan and Sumatra are the best sites, where wildlife spotting is the best and tribal groups live plunged in the deep jungle. Sulawesi is a magnificent site, notably the Banitmurung Nature Reserve with high mountains, lakes and valleys populated by thousands of exotic butterflies.

The climate is tropical and varies depending on the areas, with drier weather from June to September and rainfall from December to March.