Indonesien

Just across the water from Singapore, Pulau Bintan has some of the nicest white-sand beaches in Sumatra. While it markets itself as a high-end playground for well-heeled visitors from Singapore and beyond, there is some affordable accommodation too.

If a centre for this sprawling city had to be chosen, then Merdeka Square (Lapangan Merdeka) would be the bullseye, with the national monument (Monas) being the dart. This huge grassy expanse is home to the first president of Indonesia's gift to the nation (Monas), and is surrounded by good museums and some fine colonial-era buildings. This part of Jakarta is not about atmospheric streets or peculiar sights; rather it's the political centre and where the nation makes a statement about its stature and prominence.

The province of West Papua chiefly comprises two large peninsulas – the Vogelkop (also known as Bird’s Head, Kepala Burung and Semdoberai) and the more southerly Bomberai Peninsula – and several hundred offshore islands. The attractions here are primarily natural – above all the world-class diving and gorgeous island scenery of the Raja Ampat Islands. Sorong and Manokwari are well-provided urban bases from which to launch your explorations.

Papua’s second-biggest city, Sorong sits at the northwestern tip of the Vogelkop. It’s a busy port and base for oil and logging operations in the region. Few travelers stay longer than it takes to get on a boat to the Raja Ampat Islands, but Sorong can be interesting for a day or two, and there are some worthwhile destinations in the surrounding region.

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."

The gritty but energetic metropolis of Makassar is one of Indonesia's primary ports. It's a seething maelstrom of commerce and shipping, with a polyglot population of Makassarese, Bugis and Chinese residents. But as the city has few sights, and the tropical heat and pollution are unremitting, travelers rarely stay long before moving on to regional destinations.

While surfers have long flocked to the Mentawai Islands for its legendary waves, it's a destination that will also have a far-flung appeal to independent travellers, in particular for those wanting to meet the island's tattooed hunter-gatherer tribes. The islands' pristine beaches are also magnificent and as idyllic as any you'll find anywhere in Sumatra.

Home to some Sulawesi's most stunning landscapes and one of Indonesia's most compelling traditional cultures, it's no wonder Tana Toraja is high on many bucket lists. The visual allure is immediate, with villages clustered around elaborately carved and painted houses with boat-shaped roofs, and towering terraces of emerald green rice paddies, all of which is overseen by a protective necklace of jagged jungle-clad hills.

Den populära turistdestinationen Bali kommer inte öppna upp gränsen för turister under 2020. Det menar myndigheterna som pekar på ökade fall av Covid-19.

Once the domain of shack-staying surfers, Nusa Lembongan has hit the big time. Yes, you can still get a simple room with a view of the surf breaks and the gorgeous sunsets, but now you can also stay in a boutique hotel and have a fabulous meal.