INDONESIA

You can read it in the South East Asia Handbook: '13,677 islands on each side of the equator are waiting to be discovered!' There are also 400 volcanoes of which 100 are still active (photos of Bromo on Java and Batur on Bali can be found under 'Volcanoes'), and an ethnic diversity which has yet to be found elsewhere in the world. Nearly all world religions are represented and now and again, for example, on Bali there is a little exorcism or magic. The approx 170 languages and many local dialects have remained separate. In order to bring the 140 million people together it is compulsory in schools to learn 'Bahasa Indonesia', a very beautiful and above all common language which, for example, sends one to sleep with 'mimpi manis' (sweet dreams).

Marco Polo was the first European to land in Indonesia in 1292. The first Europeans (Dutch) who landed on Bali in 1597 found so many delights on the island that Captain Cornelius de Houtmann had to reluctantly return to Holland with only a fraction of his original crew - the rest stayed with the beautiful islanders!
 
Tip: Whether Java, Bali or Sulawesi - you need not less than a month for each of the larger islands. For a bathing holiday e.g. in Kuta Beach on Bali 14 days would be enough, however, you need to be aware of the fact that you will then meet mainly Australians and possibly a few Dutch.
 
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