Indonesia

Indonesia, the largest archipelago in the world, stretching 3,200 miles (5.120 kin) from east to west, it straddles the equator between the Australian and Asian Continents.

The name Indonesia came from two Greek words: "Indos" meaning Indian and "Nesos" meaning islands. This is an excellent description of the archipelago, as there are an estimated 17,508 islands, some nothing more than tiny outcroppings of barren rock, others as big as California or Spain and covered in dense tropical jungle. Approximately 6,000 of these islands are inhabited, with five main islands and 30 smaller archipelagos serving as home to the majority of the population. The main islands Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi , Irian Jaya , and Java.

The islands and people of Indonesia constitute the fourth most populated nation in the world, with about 190 million people. A democratic republic, Indonesia is divided into 27 provinces and special territories. These are classified geographically into four groups: The Greater Sundas, (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan and Sulawesi) The Lesser Sundas, (the smaller islands from Bali eastward to Timor) Maluku, (all the islands between Irian Jaya and Sulawesi) and Irian Jaya in the extreme eastern part of the country.

Bali

A friendly and remarkably artistic people, the Balinese have created a dynamic society with unique arts and ceremonies, making Bali synonymous world wide with the perfect ‘tropical paradise'. Terraced ricefields dominate the landscape, rivers and small irrigation streams direct the luscious green landscape, filling the air with the enchanting sound of running almost through the center of the island. In Bali the mountains are the home of the gods. Shrouded in mystery and magic, they stretch skywards in majestic splendour. Bali's main volcano is the sometimes explosive Gunung Agung, which is considered sacred among local people as the center of the universe. Many visitors leave with the same beliefs.

The Balinese have been more exposed to international tourist and generally speak more English than people in other parts of the Indonesian archipelago. They have managed to preserved their culture despite overwhelming foreign influences brought to the region by an ever-increasing number of tourists. Bali's International Airport, Ngurah Rai, is in the south of the island and is served by numerous international airlines and charters. In order to keep up with the growing the number of visitors and the need for their comfort, more hotels have been built, ranging from small bungalows for budget travelers to the luxurious Nusa Dua tourist resort area. Water sports have naturally gained in popularity and Bali offers superb surfing, windsurfing, sailing, scuba diving and white water rafting.