Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Drink with the deceased (and try not to slip on buffalo blood!) at an elaborate and riotous Torajan funeral.

Sniff out the infamous durian, scaly salak or spiky rumbutan at a local fruit market.

Step aside as a giant Komodo dragon swaggers slowly by, with the confidence only 100kg of top-of-the-food-chain lizard can exude.

Eleven authors, more than 300 days of in-country research, 73 ferry trips, 197 detailed maps, 205 bowls of nasi goreng. Includes in-depth information on volcano trekking, surfing, diving, orang-utan watching and the best adventure opportunities across the entire archipelago.

Average Customer Rating:

brings back memories

Customer Rating:

As someone who left Indonesia years ago, this guide is an interesting reminder. A little superficial maybe. It's a travel guide and not a political history book, so it omits a lot of bloody history about the previous Suharto dictatorship. But the photos are nice and convey some of the tropical beauty of the countryside in Java. The authors show several scenic spots, though focused on Java since most of the people are there. Bali gets a lot of coverage, because foreigners throng to its beaches and nightclubs.

good- but very very broad

Customer Rating:

I'm at the end of my 4 months living in Jakarta. I bought this book in the states before going but when I arrived in Jakarta, i was originally very disappointed by the thinness of the jakarta section. The lack of depth was a problem throughout the book. However, I later traveled to Yogjakarta, Bandung, Bogor, Bali, Lombok, and the Gili Islands, making this book actually pretty useful. Although it doesn't have extensive information on each area, it does cover a lot of areas in a good-enough way. However.. since the vast majority of people who come to Indonesia do not actually travel to many different places (usually just around Bali, or Java), I would recommend a book which focuses more on the place you will actually go, since you are otherwise paying for and carrying around a lot more bulk than is necessary.

One of the top-5 guidebooks I have ever used--fullstop.

Customer Rating:

Although I'm not a fan of Lonely Planet,this guide is exemplary!I have used it during my 3-month journey around Indonesia and it turned out to be my Bible. It is accurate,informative (on culture included), with deep knowledge of all aspects of this incredible and diverse part of the world,and exudes,throughout,true love for the country and people.It is more than obvious that the writers have been to the places they write about,did a lot of on-the-spot research and have missed very few things,usually details (e.g the procession of the Sultan of Ternate on the 15th day of the Ramadan,which,because of that,I had missed!). This is by far the best book of the Lonely Planet series I have come across until now(of more than 30 LP books I have consulted,wholly or in part,over a period of years)and I dare claim that it is one of the top-5 guidebooks(of any publisher)I have ever used--fullstop...or rather...exclamation!

Another Bible for the Journey

Customer Rating:

For those of you who know the expression "The Bible" when referring to lonely planet guides you know that this book is a must have when heading into distant lands. It is a great source of information both historically and on a day to day use. In its own, it is a great traveling companion. The format of this guide is less appealing than the older versions where they separated sections of main importance, transportation (internal flights and how much they may cost), money and weather as examples. Before it was easier to obtain this important information.

Comprehensive Guide for the Whole Country

Customer Rating:

Indonesia is amazingly diverse. Their national motto, "Bhinneka tunggal ika" ("Unity in diversity") is a testament to that. As such, writing a guidebook encompassing the whole is a feat in and of itself. This guide provides a historical overview, potential itineraries based on your time availability and interests, and lots of useful practical information. The section on each province provides more detailed background. See this as an initial guidebook to help plan your trip. If you know where you're going - say, Bali and Lombok - you may be better off finding a specific guidebook. But if one is not available, this is a great choice.