Indonesia is also known for its spectacular natural beauty with famous beaches, beautifully shaped mountains, and volcanoes. It has a land area of 1.9 million square kilometers (469 million acres), the largest in Southeast Asia. It also has a population of 267.7 million, which is among the top five most populous countries in the world.
Indonesia is also the largest island country in the world with more than 17,000 islands. But the island of Java alone is populated by more than half of the entire Indonesian population. This makes Java the most populated island in the world—but it is not the most famous. Bali takes that title. Surely a lot of tourists have heard of Bali and its amazing beaches, forested volcanic mountains, interesting rice paddies, stunning sunrises and sunsets, and memorable stories. Bali is one of the most popular honeymoons and vacation destinations in the world.
Indonesia is also home to some 127 active volcanoes—some of them developed as tourist destinations because of its beautiful natural structure and its environment. The nation is also host to the world’s largest lake, Lake Toba in North Sumatra. It is also the only home for komodo dragons, which is a kind of lizard that can only be seen in four islands of Indonesia: Komodo, Gili Motang, Flores, and Rinca. Wild orangutans, on the other hand, can only be seen in the islands of Sumatra and Borneo—the latter though is a shared territory among Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
To enjoy Indonesia’s dazzling natural beauty, tourists should drop by some of its national parks—and there are a lot of them. The nation is home to 56 national parks, six of which have been declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO while nine are also part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. There are also five national parks dubbed wetlands of importance by the Ramsar convention. Indonesia’s protected natural resources take up almost a 10th of the country’s total land area.
Here are the top 10 unexplored national parks in Indonesia:
1. Aketajawe-Lolobata National Park
Twenty-three endemic birds are found in this park, making it an important birding destination as well as an Important Bird Area, as designated by BirdLife International. Over 211 species of birds have been identified in the park, which is the majority of the birds found in North Maluku. Around 24 species of birds found in the park are endemic, among them: azure dollar bird, blue-and-white somber kingfishers, dusky brown oriole, dusky scrubfowl, grey-headed fruit dove, Halmahera cuckoo shrike, invisible rail, ivory-breasted pitta, long-billed crow, Moluccan goshawk, Wallace’s standard wing, and white cockatoo.
This area on Halmahera Island was established as a national park in 2004. It is part of the Wallacea biodiversity hotspot. The park is generally characterized by rainforests in the low and high elevations. There is a high level of biodiversity in the park both in its flora and fauna. The park also hosts a semi-nomadic community known as Forest Tobelo.
2. Baluran National Park
Located on the island of Java, the park is mostly savannah, which takes up more than a third of the park. But the smaller areas consist of lowland forests, mangrove forests, and hills. The highest peak in the park is Mount Baluran at 1,247 meters. It is also surrounded by bodies of water: Bajulmati River, Bali Strait, Klokoran River, and Madura Strait.
There are so many different forms of natural resources in the park that will intrigue all kinds of tourists. But the park’s centerpiece is the extinct volcano from which it got its name, the Baluran. With different topography also comes different ecology. That is why close to 450 species of plants have been documented in the park. There are some endangered species like the Aleurites moluccanus, Corypha utan, Dioscorea hispida, Tamarindus indica, and Ziziphus rotundifolia.
The park is also home to the endangered banteng, a species of wild cattle. The banteng population has decreased at an alarming rate, from 338 in 1996 to just 26 in 2012. Other animals in the park are fishing cats, Indian muntjac, Java mouse-deer, Javan leopards, Javan lutung, and Sumatran dholes. There is also an abundance of avifauna because of the presence of natural water sources. These are green peafowl, lesser adjutant, Malabar pied, rhinoceros hornbill, and red junglefowl. Close to 200 species of fowls have been documented in the park. In the 1960s, Javan tigers were also found in the area but by the time the area became a national park in 1980, the species was already extinct.
3. Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park
This park is home to many endemic Sulawesi wildlife including the Maleo, which is a prominent figure in the park’s logo. This park was established in 1991, with the responsibility of increasing the population of the Maleo. A breeding area has been set up in the park to revitalize this fowl species. The park was successful in increasing the population of Maleos. In 2012, it released 3,300 Maleos into the wild.
The park is also home to some endangered animals like the anoa, midget buffaloes, and the cinnabar hawk owl, a species discovered in 1999. Both of these are endemic to Sulawesi. Other endemic animal residents of the park are the spectral tarsier, babirusa or the deer pig, and the Sulawesi warty pig. The park is also home to some endangered animals.
4. Gandang Dewata National Park
This park in the Sulawesi region is a combination of beauty and mythology. The park is named after Mount Gandang Dewata, the second highest peak in Sulawesi. It stands 3,304 meters high. The word Gandang in English means drums while Dewata means gods. The name comes from both a legend and the physical feature of the mountain. For one, the mountain is shaped like a drum when seen from a distance. But there are also tales of locals hearing drum sounds from the mountain. This is why locals consider the mountain sacred.
Because of its elevation, the mountain is a popular hiking and mountain climbing destination. But locals warn hikers and climbers to behave during the activity, to avoid the wrath of the dewata of the mountain. While the god purportedly living in the mountain cannot be proven, there is documentation of the presence of endemic bird species in the park.
5. Kelimutu National Park
This park in the Lesser Sunda Islands is home to three of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The park is named after Mount Kelimutu, a volcano with an elevation of 1,639 meters. The amazing part about this is that the three crater lakes of the volcano change colors. The change in colors can be attributed to oxidation, with the presence of iron and manganese mixed with water. While they change colors the entire year, there are dominant colors for each lake: blue for Tiwu Ata Bupu, red for Tiwu Ata Polo, and green for Tiwu Ko’o Fai Nuwa Muri.
There are also other hills and mountains in the park with the highest peak found in Mount Kelibara, which stands at 1,731 meters. The hills and mountains are covered with many different species of trees and plants, with several endangered species among them. There is also an arboretum with 78 types of trees. There is also a mini jungle. There are four endemic mammals in the park into two rodents: Bunomys Naso and Hainald’s rate.
6. Mount Halimun Salak National Park
This national park in West Java is a protected area for its natural resources, which both tourists and residents can enjoy. The southern part of the park is the home of the Kesepuhan traditional community or native Indonesians. It is believed that this community has been living in the area since the 14th century, so it didn’t seem right to relocate them as they are the best people to rely on for protecting this space.
The park comprises two mountains: a forested stratovolcano called Mount Halimun and an eroded volcano called Mount Salak. The former’s summit reaches 1,929 meters. The mountain and the park’s name is Sudanese for cloudy. This is because most of the mountains in the park are amidst clouds. The eponymous mountain is surrounded by the island’s primary rainforest. Among the water bodies in the park are the Ci Durian and Cisadane rivers.
Tourists will need a permit to see the park, though, as it was necessary to protect the area. It is a critical habitat for the silvery gibbon, which is endemic to the island of Java. Other resident animals of the park are the Javan hawk eagles and Javan lutungs. There have been 145 species of birds documented in the area and half of those are only seen in the park.
7. Mount Maras National Park
As one of the youngest Indonesian national parks, this is also still largely undiscovered by tourists. The park is named after its central mountain, Mount Maras, which stands at 700 meters. The park is located on the Bangka Belitung archipelago. The mountain is home to some valuable hardwoods. Among the animals found in the forested mountains are the boars, chevrotains, civets, deer, monkeys, and pangolins.
8. Tesso Nilo National Park
In 2011, the Sumatran elephant was elevated into the Red List as a critically endangered species from endangered species. The population of this elephant species, which is native to Indonesia, decreased by 80% in just 75 years. So it was apparent that the animal is protected. This was the purpose of the establishment of this Sumatran park in 2004.
Years before that, the Sumatra tiger was also elevated into the critically endangered list, as it was found that with a total population of between 450 and 680, there has been no subpopulation that went over 50 individuals. Conservationists also found that this is the only species of tiger that has survived in the Malay archipelago, wherein the Bali and Javan tigers have already been declared extinct. But a few Sumatran tigers have been spotted in the park.
The park is a haven for animals because of its vast lowland forests. It is also home to the largest variety of vascular plants in Indonesia and maybe even the world. It is also home to thousands of large trees, which have attracted many illegal loggers. Protecting the park means protecting the habitat of the endangered Sumatran elephant and Sumatran tiger.
9. Tanjung Puting National Park
Located in Kalimantan, this park is famous for its orangutan population. As earlier mentioned, there are only two areas where orangutans run wild: Borneo and Sumatra. Kalimantan is Indonesia’s part in Borneo. The park has set up four research centers in the park to study orangutans and other primates to ensure their survival. The population of orangutans is being threatened because its habitat is being destroyed by human activities.
The park comprises different types of forests, peat swamps, and mangroves, and coastal beaches. Even if the park has been established and protected since 1982, it didn’t stop individuals with commercial interests from degrading the forest. According to reports, more than half of the primary forest in the park has been degraded. This is why the Orangutan Foundation International was created.
The park is also home to other primates like the proboscis monkeys, gibbons, and macaques. Other resident animals of the park are clouded leopards, porcupines, sambar deer, sun bears, and wild boars. The reptiles in the park are crocodiles, monitor lizards, and pythons. The park is also home to a variety of birds.
10. Zamrud National Park
This is still a largely undiscovered national park because of its youth. This is the youngest national park in Indonesia, located in the Sumatra region. From above, the park looks stunning with its blue waters surrounded by lush green vegetation. The park comprises of peatland with freshwater lakes: Bawah and Pulau Besar. The wetland is also popular among aquatic birds, while the lakes have an abundance of fish species including the slender Arowana. There have been Sumatran tigers and sun bears spotted in the park as well.
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