Welcome to Indonesia! Bali, Sumatra, Java, Lombok... Who has not dreamed of the simple evocation of these destinations, of adventures, of magical and fascinating places, of wild animals to contemplate, orangutans, dragons, tigers, to share for a moment the culture of ethnic groups so far from ours. These places that stimulate our imagination and that once there, never cease to amaze us, are very real, but you will have to take the crossing roads. From grandiose landscapes, misty mountains, lush jungles, immense beaches, in cultural and religious melting pot, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, animism... The archipelago is multiple, diverse and mysterious
Indonesia is made up of 17,000 islands, sometimes huge and densely populated like Java, often tiny, forgotten and deserted. Only 6,000 of them are inhabited. And then the sea, or rather the seas, omnipresent. From one end to the other, you will have to travel no less than 5,000 km and digest three time zones, from the western tip of Sumatra to the far reaches of Papua, the other end of the archipelago.
Moving from one island to another sometimes feels like a change of country; crossing the small strait separating Banyuwangi from Gilimanuk is a change of world.
The fourth most populous nation in the world with 253 million inhabitants, is an old country with an eventful history. In turn, conquerors, migrants and religious have left important traces in addition to those of the natives who have lived there since time immemorial. Volcanoes, seas and elements have shaped the geography of the archipelago. Today, it is excavators and palm plantations that are changing the landscape. Skyscrapers, shopping malls and major highways are also contributing to the country's transformation.
Java, culture and culture
The life lived by Dutch settlers in Java has always fascinated people. It was a heavenly life on a land blessed by the gods. Today, the remains of this Dutch "Belle Époque" are scattered throughout the country. The island extends from east to west for 1,000 kilometres. However, the distribution of the population is not uniform. Java is the head of Indonesia with its capital, Jakarta, and its intellectual elites monopolizing key positions. It is also the mouth and stomach of Indonesia that plunder the overseas islands to survive the evil that gnaws at it: overpopulation. Jakarta, the "big durian", is a city that is difficult to grasp, but oh so fascinating for real urbanites.
Yogyakarta, on the other hand, is a must. Everything is refined: the majesty of the volcanoes, the nobility of the characters, the delicacy of the gestures and postures. It is undoubtedly the best place to stay to visit the surroundings, especially the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan, which stand out for their thousand-year-old architecture and impose the finesse of their sculptures.
The Prambananan plain, a must visit
Located 17 km northeast of Yogya, on the road to Solo, the Prambananan plain contains the largest number of Hindu temples in Java. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. These temples were built at the same time as Borobudur between the 8th and 10th centuries. At that time, the Sailendra Buddhist dynasty ruled in the south, while the Sanjaya Hindu dynasty of the Mataram kingdom ruled in the north.
Given its proximity to Yogyakarta, and especially the beauty of the site, it is an essential crossing point. Moreover, many tourists admit to being more sensitive to the magic of Prambanan than to the grandeur of Borobudur...
Unfortunately, the 2006 earthquake caused quite a bit of damage to some structures. Consolidations have been carried out by Japanese teams, but some temples have been closed to the public pending their rehabilitation. Knowing that the site is open from 6am and that tourist buses disembark at around 9am, it is certainly best to disembark very early in order to enjoy a relative morning peace and quiet.
Exceptional temples
While the Prambananan plain has at least 240 temples, most are destroyed or inaccessible. Today, we visit the eight main temples of the central courtyard, restored by the Dutch after their "discovery" in 1813. However, some of them have been closed to the public since the 2006 earthquake (the Candi Shiva Mahadeva in particular): they may be open again when you visit, so ask around.
The Prambananan temples (on the left after the entrance) are said to have been built to commemorate the power of the Hindu dynasty between the 8th and 10th centuries, the period of their peak in Indonesia. The site is flat, devoid of vegetation, and it is precisely this flatness that highlights the magnificent architecture of Candi Prambanan, which includes three main buildings.
The greatest of all, the Candi Shiva Mahadeva is also called Candi Rara Jonggrang (graceful virgin). It is dedicated to Shiva; the one from the south, in Brahma; the one from the north, in Vishnu. Around it, nearly two hundred and twenty-four temples line up in four rows; however, most of them are now nothing more than piles of stones, a reminder of the past grandeur of the site where, according to legend, a thousand temples had been erected. A nearby Merapi explosion would have been responsible for the destruction of a large part of the site, which was then accelerated by multiple looting by antique researchers and locals, who used these materials to build their own houses.
The temple of Shiva was intended to house the burial of a king. More than fifty metres high, it is the largest in the country. As in Borobudur, galleries within walking distance allow you to walk past bas-reliefs of the Vishnu and Brahma temples. The first tells the story of Krishna and houses a statue of Vishnu inside (Vishnu, also called Hari, is a god responsible for preserving world order); the second evokes the final scenes of Ramayana and houses a statue of Brahma, the creative god of the universe.
It should be noted that Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva form what is called the "trimurti" or Hindu trinity: Brahma is the creator, Vishnu the protector, Shiva the destroyer.
Nearly 1 km to the north (but within the Prambanan site), Candi Sewu is an interesting complex; the walk to get there is just as interesting. You can admire a main temple (recently restored) and smaller ones all around. If you don't want to walk, a small train runs regular shuttles (5,000 Rp per round trip), but you will then find yourself with everyone.
Ramayana, legendary dance
At Prambananan, you shouldn't miss a dance show led to the sound of the gamelan telling the story of Ramayana, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm (with a 15-minute break). Two places host the ballet. From May to October, the shows take place in the open air, almost every evening. It is of course the most impressive: 200 dancers on the main stage with the illuminated Prambanan in the background. A magnificent panorama. Count between 100 000 and 250 000 Rp per person depending on your place. Around the full moon (every month from May to October), the complete story is told in four episodes (therefore in four nights in a row). The other representations are called full stories. Finally, the rest of the year (November to April), these performances are held in the covered theatre on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (check with travel agencies, as dates may change). Only in this version, there are only 50 dancers.
Smart info
When? When? The best time to go to Indonesia is in the summer, from June to September. It rains less, and all activities are possible (especially volcano climbing), we enjoy better landscapes that are not lost in the fog... The negative side: the beaches taken over. However, you should be aware that you can visit Indonesia all year round. The rains last only a few hours and temperatures remain high.
Getting there. It costs on average 800 € for a return flight from Paris to Jakarta.
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