Big picture - Indonesia, Sulawesi

Day 2,477, 12:47 • Published in Indonesia Hungary • by sneci

Before I leave for a world tour, I would like to introduce Indonesia and Sulawesi to you.

First of all the basics.


Flag - The national flag of Indonesia, which is known as Sang Saka Merah-Putih ("The Heirloom Red-and-White") was introduced and hoisted in public at the Indonesian Independence Day ceremony, on 17 August 1945 and Independence from the Netherlands on 17 August 1950. The design of the flag has remained the same ever since.


Map - Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising 13,466 islands. The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the 7th century. Indonesia consists of hundreds of distinct native ethnic and linguistic groups. The largest – and politically dominant – ethnic group are the Javanese.


Religions - Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism arrived in Indonesia in the 4th and 5th century, as trade with India. Although Muslim traders first traveled through Southeast Asia early in the Islamic era, the earliest evidence of Islamized populations in Indonesia dates to the 13th century in northern Sumatra. But for now Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, which also has a larger Muslim population than any other country in the world, with approximately 202.9 million identified as Muslim (88.2% of Indonesia's total population of 237 million).


People - According to the 2010 national census, the population of Indonesia is 237.6 million, there are around 300 distinct native ethnic groups in Indonesia, and 742 different languages and dialects. The official national language is Indonesian, a form of Malay. The largest ethnic group is the Javanese, who comprise 42% of the population, and are politically and culturally dominant


And now the big pictures


Bule is a commonly used word in Indonesia to describe a foreigner, especially Caucasians. While many expatriates consider bule offensive, the term can have different meanings, depending on the context. Some Indonesians argue that bule is a neutral word, which can have positive meanings attached to it, as well as negative ones. Others maintain that bule is a functional word – a kind of shorthand to describe a white foreigner.


Bali - Bali is an island and province of Indonesia. The province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida. Bali is the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts.


Sulawesi - Sulawesi sprawls in the centre of the Indonesian archipelago, its bizarre outline resembling a 1000-kilometre letter "K", a foretaste of the many peculiarities that makes this one of the country's most compelling regions.


Sulawesi houses - Tana Toraja is a fabled region of southern Sulawesi filled with conspicuous houses, immense rice paddies flowing down whole mountainsides, and a unique culture. The Toraja people have animistic beliefs and are famed for their spectacular and gruesome burial rites.


Sulawesi wildlife - The massive island's multilimbed coastline is drawn with sandy beaches, fringing coral reefs and a mind-boggling variety of fish. Meanwhile, the interior is shaded by impenetrable mountains and jungles thick with abundant wildlife.


Makassar, also known as Ujung Pandang, is the capital of South Sulawesi province and the largest city on the island of Sulawesi






The Tomohon Market starts out innocuous enough – lots of pretty red and green chilli’s… But travel ain’t always pretty. In fact, it can get downright grisly. And nowhere is that more apparent than at the Tomohon Traditional Market in the hills of North Sulawesi, Indonesia – home to an entirely different sort of meat market. Bats, rats, snake, wild pig, sloth, monkeys and dogs - you name it, they have it.


Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park — forest park in the north near Gorontalo which is home to tarsiers and much more


Kelimutu National Park is located on the island of Flores, Indonesia.




Wakatobi — a marine national park, yet more world-class diving

It is too much now, I have to stop.
But you can comment and vote below - where should I go next? Which county and region should I visit on my first trip?