Fast Fact of Indonesia Destinations #1

Sunset - Pantai Kuta, Bali

Bali
Bali is celebrated worldwide fro its tourism industry. The must see list is endless; popular pursuits include beach-bathing, shopping, surfing, partying, visiting historical monuments and witnessing numerous cultural festivals.
* Airport: Ngurah Rai
* Local calling code: 361
* Taxi: Bluebird, tel 701 111
* Unique stay: If you plan to stay more then two weeks, try renting a house.
* Diversion: Try a live-abroad ocean cruise on a traditional pinisi schooner.
* Restaurants: The Lotus Pond for the Balinese specialty bebek betutu (roast duck in banana leaf). The seafood grill restaurants on Jimbaran Bay, Casa Luna, and Made’s Warung are the tip of the gastronomic iceberg.
* Fun fact: Amed Beach produces top quality sea salt, said to be comparable in some cases to the celebrated French fleur de sel.

Banjarmasin
Floating markets and canal trips are unique. One of the busiest is Pasar Kuin at the junction of the Kuin and Barito rivers.
* Airport: Syamsudin Noor
* Local calling code: 511
* Taxi: Area, tel 7474 567
* Unique stay: Hotel SAS offers comfortable accommodation at a reasonable price.
* Restaurants: Kaganangan and Depot 59 are recommended.

Batam
Batam is a transit point and industrial zone. Waterfront City and Nongsa are two popular resort areas.
* Airport: Hang Nadim
* Local calling code: 778
* Taxi: Counter, tel 325 507. Ask your hotel to call one.
* Unique stay: The Goodway Hotel in Nagoya offers decent accommodation.
* Restaurants: For seafood, try the Golden Prawn, an open-air seafood restaurant considered one of the best on the island. Or head to the night market.

Balikpapan
Balikpapan is the gateway to East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The discovery of oil and gas transformed the region onto an industrial area. Timber is also exported from the two busy ports of this seaside city. Look for tankers and oil rigs dotting the waters as you fly in.
* Airport: Sepinggan
* Local calling code: 542
* Taxi: Mawar, tel 412 525
* Unique stay: Within the city, Hotel Budiman offers a central location and reasonable rates.
* Restaurants: Wisma Ikan Bakar (Jl. Sudirman) is good hole-in-the-wall offering sizzling fresh seafood. A more exclusive seafood option is Restoran Shangri-la (Jl. Ahmad Yani 29).
* Fun fact: Sepinggan airport is the second busiest airport in Indonesia.

Kupang
Kupang has many administrative and transport links to surrounding islands, as the capital and gateway to the East Nusa Tenggara Province.
* Airport: El Tari
* Local calling code: 380
* Taxi: Arrange taxi or car rental through your hotel.
* Unique stay: The renovated rooms of Pantai Timor, a hotel located on the seafront, offers good value.
* Restaurants: You can sample giant pancake-like martabak at Holland, Jl. Irian Jaya 8.

Malang
Malang has a cool climate and charming countryside. The Singosari temples, dating back to the 13th Century, ring the city some 12-18km away.
* Airport: Abdurahman Saleh
* Local calling code: 341
* Taxi: Citra, tel 490 555
* Unique stay: Hotel Tugu Malang, a wonderfully renovated hotel, is an obligatory stop. Its Melati restaurant is one f the best in town.

Jakarta
This sprawling metropolis is the heart of the financial industry; as well as seat of national governance. The city is made up of many distinctive neighborhoods, including the old Kota Dutch area.
* Airport: Soekarno-Hatta
* Local calling code: 21
* Taxi: Bluebird, tel 794 1234
* Unique stay: The Dharmawangsa Hotel requires deep pockets, but offers truly lovely rooms. On the other end of the spectrum Jl. Jaksa is famous as a cheap and backpacker haunt.
* Restaurants: Payon, Café Batavia and Dapur Babah are mid-range dining options for Indonesian food. Another good option is popular chain Sate House Senayan.
* Fun fact: The orange-colored three-wheeler bajaj vehicle originated in India.

Fast Fact of Indonesia Destination #2