Make most out of your time in Indonesia
Papua at the Raja Ampat Islands / Courtesy of Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) Seoul
Bali, other tourist destinations full of attractions
By Kang Seung-woo, Kim Jae-heun
Indonesia is emerging as a favorite sightseeing spot for Koreans thanks to so many islands with extraordinary natural beauty -- mainly represented by Bali.
For many holidaymakers, Bali, regularly chosen as one of the world's best travel destinations, may be just the spot to spend a relaxing vacation.
Park Jae-a, country manager of the VITO Seoul
However, Park Jae-a, the country manager of the Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) Seoul, advises them to get the most out of Bali's features rather than just chilling out there.
“Koreans think Bali is typical a holiday spot. Unfortunately, many of them fail to fully enjoy the myriad experiences the island offers,” Park said in an interview with The Korea Times.
According to Park, Bali itself, although relatively small, is as appealing as any other renowned travel destination.
“Bali has many spectacular landscapes, great surfing and a rich Hindu culture,” she said.
For example, Park noted travelers can visit traditional picturesque rice terraces and explore Hindu temples and shrines in the town of Ubud.
In addition, Seminyak, a crowded area at the southern end of Bali, has distinct European traces and it is home to many nightclubs, hotels and modern cafes -- drawing young tourists.
“There is a saying that there are those who have never been to Bali, but there are those who have been there only once,” she said.
“It is a good travel destination for repeaters.
“It will not be easy for those aforementioned places to draw tourists overnight, but they would emerge as promising sightseeing spots five or six years later.”
Borobudur Temple in Central Java / Courtesy of Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) Seoul
Bali and beyond
On the back of Bali's huge popularity as a global travel destination, the Indonesian government is seeking to replicate Bali's success through its new tourism initiative -- “the 10 new Balis.”
Under the growth strategy, the government has designated 10 destinations for further development such as upgrading airports and building new amenities, with the target of attracting 20 million foreign tourists by 2019.
The earmarked places are Lake Toba, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Lesung, Kepulauan Seribu and Kota Tua Jakarta, Borobudur, Bromo-Tengger-Semeru, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, Wakatobi and Morotai.
“The government's slogan is 'Bali and beyond' and is seeking to expand its Bali success to other parts of the country,” she said.
For those who travel to Indonesia, Park provided some tips for travelers to better enjoy the Southeast Asian country.
“Trekking is one of the best things to do in Indonesia thanks to its untouched natural surroundings,” she said, recommending a hike around the active volcano Mount Bromo.
“Driving a four-wheeled vehicle, travelers can experience local residents' lifestyles as well as look at lava from previous eruptions.”
She also said Indonesia produces a variety of coffee and coffee shops selling 12 kinds of coffee beans, while visitors are advised to enjoy rendang, a spicy meat dish of Indonesia that was crowned as the world's best food in 2011 by CNN.
Mount Bromo in East Java / Courtesy of Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) Seoul
Amid the growing popularity of Indonesia as a holiday spot, the VITO has been active in promoting various tour programs in the country, beginning this year. In April, it held the Indonesia Special Interest Forum in Seoul and Busan.
“Through such events, we plan to offer categorized programs such as golf, diving, trekking and culinary and healing tours in Bali and other islands,” she said.
“In the past, we were just focused on introducing the travel spots of Indonesia, but now we are trying to promote customized tour programs for travelers.”