What to do and see in Indonesia, Indonesia: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas

November 22, 2021 Deane Carmody

Coordinates: 5°S 120°E / 5°S 120°E / -5; 120
Restaurants in Indonesia

1. Tanjung Puting National Park

74111 Indonesia
Excellent
86%
Good
10%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
1%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 355 reviews

Tanjung Puting National Park

Reviewed By seevalid - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Seven of us travelling together spent four days at Tanjung Puting National park from 01st August 2019. We were on a houseboat during this period. When we arrived at Pangkalan Iskandar Airport, our guide Arbain met us there and brought us to the jetty in Kumai to board the houseboat Klotok Al-Fatah 66. It was an open boat. Folding canvas on the sides could be closed if there is rain. The crew consisted of the Captain and four others. The meals provided on board were similar and basic but tasty. There were many similar houseboats with tourists. Our guide explained that Proboscis monkeys are found only in Borneo and that he would take us to various parts of the rain forest park famed for Orangutans and other wildlife. During our tour of the park along Sekonyer River, Arbain, our guide took us to various places of interest listed below: * Pondok Tunggui Orangutan feeding centre. Enjoyed the bulky orangutans, with their long strong arms and bowed legs, coming in from the canopy of high trees swaying amongst trees and creepers. * Camp Leakey - Saw a gibbon and a large troop of Orangutans, feeding and playing. * While moving on the Sekonyer river, flowing through the rain forested park, we saw many Proboscis monkeys, long tailed macaque on the trees, many birds and a few Orangutans feeding on tender reeds by the river. * Tanjung Harapan Camp - This was another feeding centre for Orangutans where we saw many mums and babies. The highlight of the tour was to see and enjoy the endangered Orangutans, endemic to the region. It was an exhilarating experience to see them in their habitat and to be surrounded by natures beauty and bounty. I greatly appreciate the efforts made by the authorities and the three feeding centres to sustain the orangutans as well as making it possible for us, the visitors, to see them in their natural habitat.

2. Pulau Wayag

West Papua Indonesia
Excellent
95%
Good
4%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 137 reviews

Pulau Wayag

Reviewed By CleoN66 - Bangkok, Thailand

One of the most amazing places in Raja Ampat. Fresh water is clear for snorkeling, beautiful coral reefs dotted with beautiful fish. We can also see sharks here. an amazing experience. We can also climb some hills here, but it takes strong stamina.

3. Bali Bird Park

Jl. Serma Cok Ngurah Gambir Singapadu, Batubulan, Gianyar 80582 Indonesia +62 361 299352 [email protected] http://www.balibirdpark.com
Excellent
57%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,312 reviews

Bali Bird Park

Enjoy walking around and get along with a thousand birds and its habitat. The Park is divided into seven regions that recreate the natural habitats of our birds, complete with indigenous plant life. You can travel from the deep misty jungle of Sumatra to Far East Indonesia and Papua to discover the native birds from these remote regions. Venture to other tropical continents too. See the South American exotics such as the Golden Macaw and the Congo Grey Parrot from the African Savannah. Enter into their real living environment and see how they play with their colony, how they breed, and feel their happiness. You'll love them. Be entertained with our various bird shows and feeding activities and also many special programs made only for you. Take photos from lots of incredible scenes and taste the richness of local Balinese culinary and international cuisine from our fantastic menus in the restaurant.

Reviewed By RichardBanjo - Hong Kong, China

This was our fourth family visit. The park continues to make incremental improvements and is great for all generations of the family. It has always offered a great day out with well managed and accessible natural exhibits set in a pleasing park like environment - many of the birds are kept in the open or in bigger aviaries ( though some are kept in smaller cupboard cages, which seem to be being phased out). The birds come from a wide background including SE Asia, South America, and South Africa. There are specific areas for, and more focus on, Sumatra, Borneo, Papua, Java and of course Bali. There is a Komodo Dragon exhibit as well. The bird shows and feeding sessions are not gimmicky or exploitative and the staff seem genuinely interested in, and caring for, the birds there. There is a very good cafe onsite which is offers snacks and lunch ( Balinese and international food). Best suggested time to visit is mid morning to avoid the worst of the traffic, catch the shows and then have a later lunch and drinks when it gets hotter.

4. Indonesia Safari Park Cisarua

Jl. Raya Puncak no. 601, Cisarua 16750 Indonesia +62 251 8250000 http://bogor.tamansafari.com
Excellent
48%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
1%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,434 reviews

Indonesia Safari Park Cisarua

Reviewed By hndklmn - Jakarta, Indonesia

2nd visit on my adulthood life :) the park is huge, a great place for children and adult to interact with the different kinds of animal. Be careful with the temptation to feed the animals with the carrot (sold on the roadside on the way to the park by the local resident) as the activity is actually prohibited by the park. However when you decide to sneak the snacks for the animals, prepare yourself to be surrounded by the heard of different animals. They are waiting for their snacks and are very persistent on getting it, :D. A lot of other activities, playgrounds, shows, and event a separate whole area for the Giant Panda couple. 1 day might not be enough to cover all of the attraction.

5. Turtle Conservation and Education Centre

Behind Bali Dolphins, Serangan, Denpasar 80229 Indonesia http://tcecserangan.jimdo.com
Excellent
61%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
2%
Terrible
5%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 983 reviews

Turtle Conservation and Education Centre

Reviewed By matthewfF3708BO

The facility is government funded and run by volunteers. It is educational but an experience of a lifetime. we arrived 35 mins after some turtles had hatched and it was amazing. I would highly recommend this place to anyone of any age. There is no entrance fee, but a donation is asked to keep the place running.

6. Sentarum Lake

Pontianak Indonesia
Excellent
46%
Good
50%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 28 reviews

Sentarum Lake

7. Komodo Island

Komodo National Park, Komodo 86554 Indonesia
Excellent
58%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
4%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 923 reviews

Komodo Island

Reviewed By ochassot - Santa Ana, Costa Rica

A trip to Komodo National Park and World Heritage Site is a must for any trip to Indonesia. The scenery from the boat trip from Labuan Bajo is stunning, and watching the dragons in Komodo a must. There are short, medium and long hikes available on the island (hiring a park ranger is affordable and also mandatory), all worthwhile. Most visitors come to Komodo on a day trip and spend an hour or two. If you have time, consider staying overnight, you'll have the island to yourself!

8. Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park, Komodo 86554 Indonesia http://www.komodonationalpark.org/
Excellent
59%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
4%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 794 reviews

Komodo National Park

Reviewed By Helen_JannesonBense - Perth, Australia

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a place so otherworldly like Komodo Islands. Accompanied by a wonderful group of bloggers, members of Indonesian tourism, experienced local boat crew, we set sail for 3 days to explore the islands. We set off from the main hub of Labuan Bajo, the westernmost tip of the Flores island. Our first stop was Kelor Island. I was first struck by the multiple shades of turquoise water and the breathtaking landscape. As I looked closer, I saw local children playing soccer with an old plastic water bottle. I soon realised that the rubbish that lined the shores at Labuan Bajo, was also making its way to this once pristine island paradise. We climbed the many steps to the top and were rewarded with grand views of the surrounding islands and ocean. It was an easy climb, however I would recommend good shoes and a beginner-moderate fitness level to get to the top and back down again. From here we set sail to Kalong island to settle in for the night and watch the sunset while the bats took off into the night sky. It was such a sight to see! For over 15 minutes, hundreds upon hundreds of bats flew from the mangroves across the sunset sky, some with a wingspan of up to 1.5m! We had a 4.30am wake up to hike to the top of Padar Island for sunrise. This hike was probably one of the more challenging I’ve done. It feels like a million steps to get to the top, though it’s roughly 700 steps. I would suggest a moderate fitness level for this one, good hiking shoes, sunscreen, setting off as early as you can, and taking lots of water because it gets very hot. It’s about a 2 hour boat trip from Labuan Bajo if you don’t want to go for sunrise or sleep overnight on a boat. For me, it really was worth it to watch the sunrise over the water and light everything up. I watched the pastel colours changing with the light over the majestic island landscape. With black, white and pink sand beaches, Padar island is one for the adventure bucket list for sure. Next we headed to Pantai Merah, also known as Pink beach. A microorganism, known as Foraminifera, produces the pinkish red colour pigment on nearby coral reefs that makes the sand pink. The intensity of the pink colour varies due to the amount of coral found in the sand. It’s worth mentioning that even though you might not see Komodo dragons here, they are known to live on the island and they are also very good swimmers, going from one island to another within Komodo National Park. I didn’t realise this while I was having a relaxing float in the water by myself that Komodo dragons could be swimming by me! The next part of our journey was to Komodo Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the Komodo dragons up close and personal and meet the locals in Komodo Village. I was once again stunned by the amount of plastic rubbish along the shores. We met some local children from the village who were playing here with these mounds of plastic junk. The strong currents are constantly bringing more and more rubbish to the shores, killing marine life along the way. We must be mindful of plastic use and disposal during our visit to places where proper waste disposal systems are not in place. Your best option is to bring your own reusables and choose eco tours. If you do use plastic, please collect all your rubbish and take it home with you to recycle properly. Placing it in a local bin means it will most likely end up in the ocean. Komodo island had a very eerie feel to it. I’m not sure if it was because I knew that deadly Komodo dragons were here in their natural habitat and I felt like the intruder. As I took part in the very touristy experience walking along with a guide, and stopping for a very staged photo op with a Komodo dragon, I started to feel uneasy about this entire experience. It didn’t sit right for me. I really didn’t want to take a photo. I soon learnt Komodo dragon numbers are in the decline. The over polluting, the poaching, burning of their habitat, relocating, climate change (rising temperature impacts on the survival and sex of their offspring), and over tourism (feeding the dragons, affecting their mating habits) has endangered the species. Concerns have arisen that Komodo dragons could be extinct within 50-100 years. In 2019 the Indonesian government had called for a closure of the island for 1 year to help replenish numbers and then back flipped on that move. As much as I loved learning about Komodo dragons, I also feel like there are parts of this world that I’d rather not be able to see, knowing that my lack of presence will work towards protecting these species. My hope is that a sustainable eco-tourism approach will be maintained moving forward. After this wild adventure with the dragons, we set sail for one of my favourite spots of this entire trip – Taka Makassar; a sandbank island amidst the archipelago. I watched the sunrise from the top of the boat with 360 degree ocean views. After breakfast we set off in a smaller boat to Taka Makassar for some snorkelling and swimming in crystalline blue waters. It’s a tiny sandbank that gets very busy, so it’s best to visit early in the morning. We experienced some of the cleanest waters I’ve seen. It reminded me of the Maldives. From here we took our small boat to Manta Point to snorkel with the Manta rays. I was amazed at how many there were as soon as I dove into the water. Snorkelling in and around this area was absolutely amazing with so much biodiversity. For the afternoon we visited Kanawa Island. Another fabulous snorkelling spot with crystal clear turquoise waters. When you head back to Labuan Bajo, make sure to visit Melo village to experience the mesmerising Tetek Alu and Caci dance with the local tribe. These dances are an important part of their cultural identity and ceremonial life. The ocean vista from high in the mountains is breathtaking. Supporting locals is an important part of sustainable tourism. Make sure you buy your art and treasures directly from the locals too and always show respect for their customs and cultural protocols. Modest clothing is recommended for Labuan Bajo. These islands are definitely a must visit for the ocean lovers. It was actual mermaid heaven and one of my favourite trips ever!

9. Devil's Tears

Nusa Lembongan (A few minutes from Dream Beach), 80771 Indonesia
Excellent
61%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,810 reviews

Devil's Tears

Reviewed By ijustlovespicy

Bagus untuk berfoto dan bikin video seperti untuk di upload di YouTube This beautiful island is really cool and amazing Just be careful when you guys want to take pictures cause sometimes the wave very strong

10. Halimun Salak National Park

Bogor Indonesia +62 878-7340-2485 http://www.tnhalimun.go.id
Excellent
53%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 95 reviews

Halimun Salak National Park

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