South East Asian Trips

Indonesia has some 120 active volcanoes and numerous volcano treks are possible: on Java island, popular volcanic destinations include Krakatoa (reached by a five-hour boat trip followed by a 30-minute climb), Mount Bromo (the most visited of Indonesia's volcanoes) and Kawah Ijen (whose crater is filled by a turquoise-blue lake). Those preferring dormant volcanoes may head to Gunung Agung in Bali (known as the ‘Navel of the World'), Gunung Rinjani on Lombok island (which has hot springs at the top and is revered for its mystical qualities) and Keli Mutu on Nusa Tenggara Barat (whose crater contains three spectacular mineral lakes). For jungle trekking through the Indonesian rainforest, the islands of Irian Jaya, Kalimantan and Sumatra offer the most remote and untouched terrain. The best trails include trips to Bukit Barisan National Park, a remote and beautiful peninsula in Sumatra (with routes leading through tropical rainforest onto a beach inhabited by turtles); the Muller Mountain on Kalimantan (with a trail following the traditional jungle route used by the native Iban people); and Lake Habbema on Irian Jaya (a week-long trek to remote villages and mountains).