Sumatra has in recent years become a 'must see' destination. Visitors unaware of Sumatra's colourful and illustrious past will discover an unexpected richness of cultures, architecture, arts and festivals. There are contrasts at every turn. Some areas, Iike Aceh, show vivid signs of foreign influence; others have remained unchanged for centuries. Whether it's the Acehnese or Batak peoples of the North, the Minangkabau of Western Sumatra or the peoples of Nias island, today's visitors have the rare privilege of looking in on the daily lives and customs of ancient cultures. This is a land of great mountain scenery, volcanoes and waterfalls. Perhaps the area's finest sight is the blue-green Lake Toba, a vast water lake with Samosir Island as its dramatic centrepiece.

Although it may be new to tourists, foreigners have visited South Sumatra for centuries. Palembang, for example, was a major trading port up until the 13th century. Now, it is once again a major metropolis due to oil wealth, and is Indonesia's richest city. Visit here in August and witness the popular Bidar, or canoe races, held to celebrate Independence Day (17th). The one thing that attracts people all year round to this region is the Way Kambas Reserve near Tanjun. The marshes and open grasslands along the coast make it the best place on the island to see tigers,elephants and masses of wild birds.

The island of Java is the one that the most people visit because there is just so much to see and do. Major cities such as Jakarta, Bandung and Yogyakarta have regular showings of all the traditional art forms of interest to visitors including wayang kulit leather puppets, the Ramayana bullet and gamelan music performances.

This is also the region for a glimpse of rare wildlife, temples, palaces and breathtaking natural beauty. Here you can view Krakatau, the infamous volcano that erupted in 1393. And near Yogyakarta is the greatest of all Indonesian monuments, the trully awesome Borobudur Temple. Nearby is the splendid Hindu temple at Prambanan. These places make up the cultural heart of Indonesia and festivals abound just about all year round. Most festivals involve music, dance and sporting contests. Often, the music can go all day and night and sporting events can be as varied as boat races, ram fights and turtle dove contests.

Travel to East Java and you get away from the more heavily tourist areas. Surabuya, Malung, Madura and Mt. Bromo, one of the active volcanoes in the area, are all places for the adventurous to explore. However, also in the region is one of the most popular of Indonesia's islands, the magical Bali. Visit Bali and you can find yourself in culture where festivals, ceremonies, music and dance are all part of daily life. Bali is up-to-the minute, yet centuries old. The music is disco to retro; the shopping is from latest fashion to traditional crafts. Gather on the beach with locals for the spectacular sunsets and settle into one of the superb array of restaurants and, perhaps later, head of to a nightclub. Bali seems to bring together the best of all worlds and nowhere can make a guest feel more warmly welcome then here. Other islands in this region are much less visited than Bali, so festivals, events and sightseeing include fewer tourists, which, of course, some travellers prefer.

For something adventurous, try Kalimantan, the Indonesian port of Borneo. Most visitors come here all year round with one thing on their itinerary, a boat trip through the jungle to visit the Dayuk people. It's an adventurous way to leave the 20th century behind for a while. As well as meeting the Dayak people, visitors are often in for another special event, a canoe trip across Lake Jempang escorted by the unique freshwater dolphins of the area. South Kalimantan is popular because it's the centre of Indonesia's gemstone trade -diamonds, amethysts, sapphires and agates abound.

For those in search of something different, Sulawesi is the place. Most interesting to visit are the north and south of the island. The central region is a little-known area and rarely visited. Of course, for some travellers this is very attractive. One special event that does draw visitors to this isolated region is the world's rare Maleo Birds laying eggs, which takes place between January and July each year. First-time visitors should make sure to take a trip to the Torajan communities in South Sulawesi. Here are the famous Toraja Tombs; man made caves cut into sheer cliff faces, with eerie effigies on suspended balconies staring out across the jungle. Head for North Sulawesi beautiful coral reefs, white sandy beaches and clean clear water. In the highlands there are lakes and invigorating hot springs.

Maluku also has all the ingredients for a tropical island paradise, the climate, sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters and hospitable people. The one thing it doesn't have is the tourist invasion. In the past however, it has seen more than its share of foreigners. The island of Ambon, to where visitors are flown, was once the centre of the world's richest spice trade. Cloves, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and mace brought the attention of Portuguese, Spanish, English and finally, the Dutch, remnants of their stay make for some fascinating sightseeing.