Indonesia Information. Tourist Guide, History, Bali Travel Environment. After the arrival of Austranesian people into the archipelago between 2,500 BCE and 1,500 BCE, Indonesia quickly developed dozens of kingdoms, some short-lived and some lasting for a lengthy period of time, like the all-conquering Srivijaya kingdom of Sumatra, and the Javanese-Malaysian kingdom of Majapahit. Unfortunately, the arrival of colonial powers brought these kingdoms to a standstill. Marco Polo regularly passed through the Indonesian islands during the 1200's. However, it wasn't until the 1500's that European presence began influencing the area. The Dutch and the British began colonizing parts of Sumatra, Java and the modern day Malaysian peninsula and eventually, Dutch forces took control of Indonesia in 1619, although there were small British sections in Sumatra. Of the 18,000 islands under the Indonesian flag, only 6,000 are actually inhabited. This provides tourists with an exhaustive list of places to explore that are truly 'off the beaten path'. However, this doesn't mean travelers must be adventurous to enjoy a vacation to Indonesia, but it wouldn't be off the mark to suggest that Indonesia is Southeast Asia's most dynamic holiday destination. Bali: So were you wondering if there's anything to do on an island covered in rice paddies and tropical jungle? Or did you just want to sit in the sun and drink beer? Well, some people do. Then the rest of us get out and experience the real Bali. If you like the outdoors, there is certainly no shortage of activities on Bali. For divers we have over 952 species of sea life and 393 coral species. You can scuba-dive or snorkel all around Bali or its baby islands Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Surfers do not need to be told that Bali has some of the most awesome waves in the world. Just ask the ASP why they are having Phase 5 of their World Championships here. In the centre of the island one can go white-water rafting, canyoning, motoror pedal bike riding, or offroading in various types of vehicles.Families will love Bali Zoo or Safari Park, Taro Elephant Park, Bali Bird Park and more. Botanists, come and see the spectacular collections of orchids and 111 other indigenous plants. Twitchers, come catch some birds in your binocs. Want to go riding? Horse or elephant?Sailors will have a grand time, either at the Royal Bali Yacht Club, or on a schooner bound for the islands east of here. Of course you can also fly there by charter seaplane or helicopter. Sky's the limit
