Java

Java is Indonesia’s most populous island and its cultural heartland, with a chain of volcanoes running west to east between the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. Jakarta, the capital, lies on the north-west coast — the country’s main gateway, with museums, the old quarter of Kota Tua and lively street food. In Central Java, among rice fields near Mount Merapi, stand the ninth-century Buddhist temple of Borobudur and the Hindu temple compound of Prambanan, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. Yogyakarta is the home of classical Javanese arts: batik, silverwork, wayang puppet theatre and gamelan music.

Further east, in East Java, one of the island’s great sights is sunrise over the caldera of Mount Bromo. Java is hot and humid all year; the drier months fall roughly between May and October, while from November to March rain is more frequent. It suits lovers of culture and photography, families, and travellers who want to combine a city with temples and volcanic landscapes.