Originating almost entirely from volcanic activities the scenic island of Java is the thirteenth largest and the most populated island in the world. Located north of Borneo, west of Sumatra and to the east of Bali, this beautiful volcanic island was once a stronghold of Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic rulers. Java was later colonized by the Dutch East Indies, but today it is a prominent political and economic force of the country with the capital city Jakarta also being located in Java. People of a diverse race inhabit the island and a multi-religion culture prevails, but even so, a majority of the inhabitants are Muslims.
A chain of thirty-eight volcanoes forms the east-west region of Java with the volcanoes being active at one time or the other. The highest among the chain of volcanoes is Mount Semeru while Mount Merapi, which is the youngest among them, is the most active volcano with its last massive eruption taking place in 2006. The temperature remains constant throughout the year in Java with basically two seasons, the dry and the wet seasons with heavy rainfall during the months of December to March. Wet-rice cultivation is carried out here in a large scale and Java is known to be the richest producer of rice.
It is the picturesque views that draw tourists to this highly populated island. The panoramic views of the sunrise and the surrounding areas are absolutely splendid from the Bromo Mountain. Kawah Ijen, the world’s biggest acidic lake, is also home to sulphur mines that are in the Ijen crater. On the banks of the Kalimas River is the extraordinary submarine monument that one must visit. Also the Swarga Park, Monument Videorama and the Water Tour are some of the surrounding sights that are of great tourist interests.
The Prambanan Temple dedicated to Lord Rama, displays the strong Hindu influence on the island while the temple is an ancient work of art. The Borobudur Temple, which is a pyramid shaped temple built out of gigantic volcanic rocks, the Candi Arimbi Temple and the Surowono Temple are other known historical architectures. Wayang Museum is also an interesting place to see, as one can see some beautiful two dimensional puppets that are a part of the Indonesian culture and are used to make story telling more attractive.
Depending on which region of Java you are visiting, you can see a whole range of tourist attractions from museums, parks, lakes, waterfalls, national parks, beaches, mountain excursions, hot springs, volcanoes and caves. You can view a spectacular range of natural beauties besides seeing historical sites and taking family excursions to the zoo or other family attractions. Java is good to visit anytime of the year except the months of December to March when heavy rainfall can cause landslides and muddy roads.
Photo by lauraenbarcelona provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by pakarfisika provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by pakarfisika provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by DadoZ provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by pakarfisika provided courtesy of Panoramio.com