Java is the most populous island in Indonesia providing many
contrasts of scenery, people, religions and cultures. The island
boasts immense beauty, from peaceful villages and a beautiful,
fertile countryside to smoking volcanoes and ancient monuments.
However there is also an unattractive side visible in its dirty,
overcrowded cities, particularly the capital of Jakarta, clogged
with traffic and pollution, with evident differences in wealth and
wretched poverty between the people. Java is a mosaic of sights and
impressions. It is also Indonesia's political stage and the
cultural, educational and historical centre of the archipelago.
The island is dominated by an active volcanic mountain range
stretching along its length. To the north is the unappealing city
of Jakarta, a mixture of the modern and luxurious, with a glamorous
city centre and some fine Dutch architecture; along with the filth,
crime and squalor of a big city. South of the mountainous spine in
central Java, lies the most popular city in Indonesia, Yogyakarta,
the centre for Javanese art and culture, and nearby the astounding
Hindu complex and Buddhist monument of Prambanan and Borobudur. Mt
Bromo to the east is an active volcano amid stunning scenery.
Java offers the visitor a vivid and rewarding experience of an
intensely striking land and culture, a tapestry of religions and
historical influences, and splendid landscapes that make it the
enchanting 'Garden of the East'.
