Indonesien

For many visitors, the northern part of Sumatra bordering Aceh is their primary focus. With good air connections to Medan, from here you can trek in search of orang-utans in Bukit Lawang, climb volcanoes from Berastagi, laze away on the shores of Danau Toba, skim the waves off the Banyaks and Nias, and easily venture further north to Pulau Weh or south to Padang and the Mentawais.

Nusa Dua translates literally as 'Two Islands' – although they are actually small raised headlands, each with a small temple. But Nusa Dua is much better known as Bali's gated compound of resort hotels. It's a vast and manicured place where you leave the chaos of the rest of the island behind as you pass the guards.

In Sumatra Barat (West Sumatra), fertile uplands ring jungle-clad volcanoes, waterfalls cascade into deep ravines and nature takes a breath in deep, still lakes. Rainforest still clings to the steepest slopes, while rice, tapioca, cinnamon and coffee bring in the wealth.

Bukit Lawang, 60 miles (96km) northwest of Medan, is a sprawling tourist village laced along the fast-flowing Sungai Bohorok and bordered by the dense vertical-rising jungle of Gunung Leuser National Park. Its legend is built around the orangutan rehabilitation centre set up here in 1973 and, although the feeding platform has closed, this is still the best place in Sumatra to spot habituated orangutans on a trek.

Kalimantan – the expansive Indonesian part of Borneo – is an adventure in every sense of the word. Remote jungle, snaking rivers and interior mountains serve up endless opportunities for epic rainforest hiking, while its cities are low-key and little visited by Indonesian standards. You can travel here for weeks without meeting another foreigner, and at least some knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia is recommended.

This enchanting harbor town is perpetually being upgraded to cope with more travelers. It's the jumping-off point to see prehistoric dragons at Komodo National Park and be awed by world-class diving, and those who stay a little longer fall in love with "Bajo."

Tulamben's big attraction sunk over 60 years ago. The wreck of the US cargo ship Liberty is among the best and most popular dive sites in Bali and has transformed what was a tiny fishing village into an entire town based on diving. Even snorkellers can easily swim out and enjoy exploring the wreck and the coral reefs that are strung along the coastline. Swimming is a different story – the shore is made up of rather beautiful, large washed stones that are difficult to walk on, so visitors tend to swim in hotel pools.

Sumatra’s major metropolis, and Indonesia’s third-largest city, Medan is the first (or final) port of call for many visitors to the island. Given it's not on the coast, and there's no mountain backdrop or even a grand river, Medan is much maligned among many travelers as a soulless industrialised city, a necessary evil to reach more exciting destinations. While it does have issues with traffic and pollution, it's a city with real Indonesian urban character. If you can get over the culture shock and give Medan a bit of time, you'll discover there's more than a hint of crumbling Dutch-colonial-era architecture, plus some worthwhile sightseeing and shopping, contemporary nightlife and restaurants, and old-school backstreet food stalls.

Kupang is the capital of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). Despite the city’s scruffy waterfront, sprawling gnarl of traffic and a lack of eye-catching architectural elements, this is a place you can get used to. Besides, there are atmospheric markets in the centre, spots to relax beside locals and a smattering of nearby natural wonders. The energy can be contagious – it's a university town, after all – even if you're just popping in and out.

The mere mention of Bali evokes thoughts of a paradise. It's more than a place; it's a mood, an aspiration, a tropical state of mind.