One of the best tropical countries in the world to visit is The Republic of Indonesia. In spite of some bad press after more, that 160 international tourists were killed in 2002 and more than 167,000 people lost their lives during the now infamous 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, Indonesia is a beautiful and safe place to visit. The region is rich in history and culture and was home to one of the primitive human species, the Java Man, who lived in the region over 2 million years ago. With well over 17,000 islands, visitors to the region find a wide variety of activities, guaranteed to keep even the most active travelor busy.
One of the most popular attractions in Indonesia is backpacking. Hikers find that the country gives them access to challenging trails, beautiful scenery and a rich culture. Before embarking on a trip to Indonesia for hiking and back packing, visitors are encouraged to consider a few vital facts about Indonesia
First, consider the climate of the region. It is a tropical environment; the region sits on top of the equator. It is almost always hot and muggy in the region. Those who choose to visit one of the mountain regions such as West Jave, Kalimantan or Papua, will experience a slightly cooler environment.
Second, Indonesia is heavily populated – in fact, it is the fourth most populous country in the world. There is a very large Muslim population in the country with nearly 90% of the people in the country practicing the religion. Some of the laws, cultural mores and more are firmly rooted in the religion. The primary language in the country is Bahasa Indonesia, but English and Dutch are very wide spread.