Surrounding the nation’s capital of Jakarta on three sides, West Java provides visitors with a great number of fascinating things to see and do; get up close to the remains of the awesome Krakatau; explore the undisturbed wildlife reserve of Ujung Kulon on the south-western tip of Java; admire the Pulau Dua Bird Sanctuary off the coast of Banten and visit isolated communities of the mysterious Baduy; treasure the royal palaces of Cirebon and the world renowned botanical gardens of Bogor.
Evidence of a rich and influential history can be found all over the island, particularly in Central Java from the times of the Mataram Empire. On the part of the southern side also lies the province of Yogyakarta special region. The home to the biggest Buddhist Temple in the world is Borobudur.
Stretched to the Central and East Java, too, have an assortment of attractions, ranging from ancient temple sites to beautiful, unspoiled beaches, picturesque highland lakes, colourful marine gardens and fantastic wildlife reserves. Magnificent mountain scenery includes the crater and legendary sea of sand at Mount Bromo, the “sulphur mountain” of welirang and the rugged Ijen Plateau.