Java & Sulawesi Adventure

South Sulawesi

Toraja Village Walk & Funeral Ceremony

You’ll go on a light trek to a local Toraja village, where you can interact with the villagers and witness their unique funeral rites, which are integral to daily life in this part of Indonesia.

It’s worth noting that while this gives you a great insight into local culture, these funerals do involve the live sacrifice of buffalo and pigs, which can be quite disturbing or even abhorrent, depending on your point of view. However, there’s also much more to the ceremony than the sacrifices: traditional dances, large feasts and huge family gatherings are well worth stopping by for. Funerals are such an important part of the culture and tradition of the Torajans: it can take years to plan them, and family will come from all over Indonesia, Papua and even as far as Australia to take part.

South Sulawesi

Shopping at a Toraja Market

Toraja’s local markets are filled with herbs, spices, local produce and all kinds of people and is well worth a visit. Though traditional money is accepted in Toraja, you will soon find out that the local ‘currency’ is cattle! So for a unique insight into how this community functions, head down to the local cattle market (if you’re lucky, you may even spot the exclusive and expensive ‘Mercedes’ cow!). Life for the Toraja revolves around death, and the local people spend their days earning the money to send away their dead properly. These animals play a crucial, though gruesome, part in the funeral rites of Toraja, so they are an exceptionally prized possession.

South Sulawesi

Discover Lemo, Londa and Kete Kesu in Tana Toraja

Explore the fascinating remote villages of Lemo and Londa, where you will find a number of traditional ancestral hanging graves and effigies, and cave tombs. High-class Toraja are entombed in cave graves or hanging graves in the steep cliffs around these sites, which are guarded over by tau tau (life-sized wooden effigies) carved in their image. These sites can be eerie yet beautiful and impressive at the same time. Throughout the day, your guide will explain the intricate Christian and ‘animalism’ hybrid religion that has developed uniquely in this region of Sulawesi.

You will also visit Kete Kesu, a wonderful Torajan village. Here, you will see the incredibly unique Tongkonan houses and rice barns, which are designed to look like the boats that brought the local tribes up the rivers into this part of the island. This particular village is also famous for its wood carvings.

North Sulawesi

Snorkelling & Diving in Bunaken

Dive into the waters of Bunaken National Marine Park to discover a paradise filled with some of the highest levels of marine biodiversity in the world and top-quality coral reefs. Known as one of the best snorkel and dive destinations worldwide, the park is home to clear, warm waters, calm conditions and shallow reefs, making it an ideal spot for both beginners and the more seasoned divers. On a day trip around the park, you’ll likely swim with sea turtles, countless tropical fish species, reef sharks and many more critters among the colourful coral.

Java

Malang's Ancient & Colonial History

Sometimes referred to as the ‘Paris of East Java’ and famous for its cool mountain air and the breathtaking surrounding countryside, the ancient city of Malang is an interesting mix of traditional Javanese temples, Dutch Colonial architecture, and modern Indonesian society. Experience this firsthand with your expert local guide.

You will start the day by visiting the Singosari Temple, located about 12 kilometres north of Malang and partially restored in the 1930s. It is one of the monuments built in memory of Kertanagara, the last of the Singosari Kings, who died when his palace was seized by a usurper in 1292. In its original state, the roof would have mirrored the cosmic Mt Mahameru of Hindu mythology, four lesser pinnacles on each side surrounding a taller, central ‘peak’. The most impressive feature of the temple is the highly detailed kala heads that decorate the roof, although oddly, they become mere outlines above the lower-level entrance and wall niches, showing that the fine carving was executed from the top downwards.

You will also visit Jago (or Jajaghu) Temple, constructed in 1275 – 1300 AD and believed to be the burial place of King Wisnuwardhana’s ashes, the fourth king of the Singosari kingdom. Situated to the east of the city in the village of Jago in the Tumpang District, the journey between the two temples provides you with the opportunity to experience the contrasting architecture of the city and the dramatic volcanic peaks and lush countryside that surround it.

Java

Sunset over Mount Bromo

As the day draws to a close, take a jeep to Bromo to visit the crater and Penanjakan Mountain. Watch as the sun sinks behind the volcanic peaks, casting a warm glow over the landscape.

With fewer visitors than at sunrise, the scene feels calmer and more magical – a truly special way to experience Bromo.

Java, Indonesia

Traverse Rural Java by Train

A great way to see the spectacular scenery of Java is to take one of the trains that roll past the volcanic peaks and paddy fields covering the island. The first class executive carriage on an intercity train is very comfortable, with air conditioning and reclining airline-style seats. If you are in a group, the seats can also be spun around so that four face each other. While they do not travel at the speed of the modern railway systems elsewhere in the world, the trains generally do run on time, and it’s quicker and more fun than travelling by car. If you’re on board at lunchtime, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the good food.

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia

Explore the Mysteries of Borobudur Temple

Borobudur, a vast 9th-century Buddhist temple set an hour north of Yogyakarta, is one of Southeast Asia’s most remarkable ancient sites. Built from over two million carved stones, it rises in terraces with intricate reliefs and 72 stupas housing statues of Buddha. Lost for centuries and later restored, it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The best time to see it is at sunrise — we know a secret hilltop spot for an unforgettable view of the temple complex, framed by mist-laden jungle and volcanoes.

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia

Explore UNESCO Heritage at Prambanan Temple

Prambanan is a huge Hindu temple complex erected in the middle of the ninth century, some 50 years after the nearby and more illustrious Buddhist temple of Borobudur. However, while it does not have quite the same level of fame as Borobudur and is still not fully restored to its former glory, it is undoubtedly a magnificent piece of architecture and the sculptures and reliefs on the main Shiva temple are among the best examples of Hindu art to be found. Like Borobudur, Prambanan is blessed with the natural beauty provided by a lush green plateau surrounded by volcanic peaks.

Very little is known about the early history of the temple but it is thought that it was built by Rakai Pikatan to celebrate his marriage to the Buddhist Sailendra Princess Pramodhavardhani. This united the Sailendras to the south with the Hindu Sanjayas to the north and meant the return of a Hindu dynasty to sole power in Java. The main temple complex consisted of 8 main and 8 minor temples on a central courtyard, surrounded by 244 small temples in the outer compound. Unlike many temple complexes, Prambanan was not constructed in a symmetrical manner. The largest of the temples, dedicated to Shiva, rises majestically to 47m and is lavishly carved. At the time of writing, you could not get particularly close, but you could still admire the huge range of sculptures and reliefs that tell the story of Lord Rama’s wife, Sita. It is possible to climb and enter the remaining temples and admire their intricate artwork or simply sit and enjoy the setting.

As was the case with Borobudur, the temple was destroyed by a combination of the Hindu-Buddhist exodus east and a number of eruptions and earthquakes. It was not until 1937 that reconstruction started in earnest. As it stands, the central 16 temples have been reconstructed but only two of the 244 outer structures have been rebuilt – although the remains of these are piled in position. The temple also suffered from an earthquake in 2006 and while the temples remained standing, hundreds of stones collapsed or were cracked, which has put the effort to fully restore the entire complex back even further.

The best time to visit the temple is at sunset, when you can climb one of the eastern temples and watch as the sun sets in between the three largest temples to the west. On a clear day, the temple will appear as a silhouette against the backdrop of a sky of bright reds, pale blues and wisps of white clouds. On certain evenings, there is a performance of the famous Ramayana Ballet – Java’s most spectacular dance-drama – in a theatre just to the west of the temple. In the dry season, this is performed in the outdoor theatre with the illuminated temple in the background, and it is a great accompaniment to the temple visit. Speak to your consultant to see if you can fit it into your holiday dates.