Introducing Java, “Garden of the East”

Java, or Jawa, is the main island of Indonesia and was once the centre of powerful Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, Islamic sultanates and the core of the colonial Dutch East Indies. The island is now Indonesia’s economic and political centre and is home to a population of 130 million (as of 2006), making it the most populous island in the world and one of the most densely populated regions on earth. Almost nine million of them live in cosmopolitan Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, making it one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

Java may not have the scenic beaches in Bali or the mystic of Papua, but it has its share of beauty and adventure. The island has tropical islands, premier beach resort, and world-class surf breaks at Ujung Kulon. It has national parks (las Purwo National Parks), temples and kraton (palaces) of unique splendour that include the Buddhist temple of Borobudur, an architectural wonder. Beyond the cities lie verdant fields, pristine rainforests and rice fields, showing why Java was once called the "Garden of the East."