All year round
Best during dry season, Mar through Nov.
What are the images of Java? Krakatau - a volcano infamous for its spectacular eruption of 1883; Borobudur - the world's largest Buddhist stupa; Java Man - the million-year-old fossil remains of Pithecantropus Erectus. Java, one of the first places in the world populated by mankind, is the seat of Indonesian politics, industry, and culture.
It has just 7% of Indonesia's total land area, yet it is home to two-third of its population - 120 million people. Almost nine million of them live in cosmopolitan Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, making it one of the most densely populated places in the world. Beyong Jakarta, farms tapping the island's fertile volvanic soils show why Java was once called the Garden of the East.
The lesser known side of Java is the unique diving, in waters west of the island. Here, three main islands mark the remains of the mighty Krakatau. It is an underseascapes of volcanic rock, so fissured and slabbed that some look like ancient ruins. The presence of hard coral and unexpectedly giant gorgonians draws jacks, fusiliers, Moorish Idols, sharks, and turtles.
Ujung Kulon National Park, a peninsula of Java, is another prime dive base. Rocks like underwater mountains rise to pierce the surface of the sea. These are patrolled by barracuda, bumphead parrot-fish, and turtles. For a dive with a difference, fin with schools of fish in tunnels leading to inland caves.
Pulau Seribu, literally the Thousand Islands, are a popular diver's haunt, thanks to its easy access and the generous choice of dive sites among its islands. Divers are spoilt for the services in resorts ranging from the plush to the basic, and organized dive trips with local clubs and operators. Dives here feature excellent soft corals and fish life, and a number of wrecks.
All year round
Best during dry season, Mar through Nov.
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