By Denny Firmansyah

The pandemic of Covid 19 have been separating us from our old routines, but 2022 has officially started, so let's move forward to what the year will bring us. One of the hardest things to do during the pandemic is repressing our desire to travel, on holiday, explore new areas otherwise known as - travel lust. We all know that Indonesia is a beautiful country with numerous places to visit, we also know that you have a bucket list of places you want to visit during your stay in Indonesia. So, we are going to spill some info about places you can visit in Indonesia that you may want to click your bookmark button for, here we go.

Nusa Penida

You may have seen this place already since pictures of Nusa Penida are spreading like a virus in any social media. If you don’t know yet, Nusa Penida is part of Bali, which is only 30-40 minutes away by speedboat from Bali Island. It's a paradise inside a paradise, this island is filled with nature and yet you can easily find all sorts of accommodations. The picture of Nusa Penida I mentioned before was Kelingking Beach, since late 2018 this place has become the hottest selfie spot. You need to descend on a long flight of stairs to get to the beach, but if you think you are not strong enough to get back up, you can always take a picture or two on the top of the cliff where you can see the cliff that resembles the shape of a dinosaur. Another 2 places you can visit on this island are Broken Beach, where a cliff naturally forms a beautiful arch, and Angel’s Billabong, a natural saltwater pool. Snorkelling and Scuba Diving are also great options here, where you can closely see a manta ray, the biggest ray in the world (and completely harmless) as well as the mola-mola, the biggest bony fish in the world. You may visit the neighboring island like Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan from here where you can see some beautiful beaches.

Komodo National Park

If you think dragons only exist in fairy tales, well then, welcome to the land where giant reptiles walk. Komodo National Park is in Nusa Tenggara Timur, you need around 2 hours b planre from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo. Komodo Dragon (Varanus Komodoensis) one of the most endangered species in the world, is the star of the show here, there are Komodo and Rinca islands where you can see Komodos in their original habitat, if you get lucky, you can see them hunting, swimming, and fighting each other in the mating season. While exploring this area, you will be spoiled with a breathtaking landscape view of savannah hill, forest, and ocean, in one frame! This is hiking required area, so you must prepare yourself with a pair of good footwear and appropriate clothing. Snorkeling and scuba diving is always a good choice to spend your stay here. The underwater world of Komodo National Park is also unbelievably wonderful, I can easily say you have not truly experienced this island if you’re not doing any of these.

Raja Ampat

Maybe heaven had a leak before, and it dripped down on Raja Ampat. This place is unreal, both above and underwater are paradise on earth. There are many eco resorts offering accommodations and guides to help explore the area. If you are thinking to stay, most of the resorts there will give the best experience of living side by side with nature. What if I say you would see a baby shark swimming freely under your porch? A school of fish going back and forth under your bed? Yes and yes, that’s what you would see by staying in Raja Ampat. Living on board is a thing now, if you don't have any problem with seasickness, this might be the experience you need to do before you die and you will see that maybe being a pirate is not as bad as it seems. Hiking is a must to get the full experience of Raja Ampat, places like Wayag and Harfat Misool require some hiking to reach, again, be prepared. Though, to get to this paradise you need 4-5 hours long flight from Jakarta to Sorong and make sure to book your stay there first for a flawless experience.

Rinjani

Let's say relaxing is overrated or let's say you are the adventurous type, with a bucket list full of extreme activities, well then, hiking one of the highest mountains in Indonesia would be right up your alley. Mount Rinjani in Lombok Island is 3726 meters above sea level and will be an unforgettable experience. Standing tall in a tropical country gives mount Rinjani a wide variety, Segara Anak – a beautiful lake waits halfway to the summit, which upon reaching will make you feel “Here I am in Paradise”. It will take 16-18 hours walking to reach the summit and it will take you about 3-4 days to conquer the beast that is mount Rinjani. Please do your research carefully while planning on your trip for mount Rinjani, because you can’t just go there at any time, also be prepared for extreme temperature and weather changes, Indonesia is truly, dangerously beautiful.

Tanjung Puting National Park

Orangutan, magnificent mammals that have many similarities with us humans. Sadly, they are being hunted in some parts of Indonesia only because some people think of them as pests, furthermore, illegal deforestations deprives these orangutans of their home. Thankfully, there are still good people who want to dedicate themselves as protectors of this magnificent mammal, namely thr people of Tanjung Putting National Park in Kalimantan. You will be learning so much if you are doing this trip, but of course having fun is your main goal here. Cruising on a river by boat in the middle of a tropical jungle, how’s that sound to you? You will not only see orangutans but also other animals like birds, crocodiles, and honey bears.

And that is the list of places you may want to visit in 2022 to fill up your bucket list or just to fulfill your hunger for adventure and holiday. Like I said before, we have a lot of hope for this year, so going to these places will hopefully not be a dream anymore.