Indonesian traditional clothing

Traditional clothes are a reflection of the people. When one thinks of Indonesia, the
image of beautiful Balinese dancers dressed in fine blazing fabrics with golden
headdresses and accessories usually comes to mind. However, few people know that
Indonesia is divided into over thirty provinces each with a wide array of different
traditional clothing.

Most traditional Indonesian costumes belong to three cultures; Javanese, Sundanese

and Balinese. For example, the kebaya and the batik cloth. As many other
Southeast-Asian countries, Indonesian men and women traditionally wear a sarong, a
long piece of cloth wrapped around the body from the waist down.

The appropriate men’s attire for a wedding, a ceremony, an important meeting or any
celebration, consists of a traditional sarong with a batik shirt. The patterns on those two
pieces of clothes varies depending on the region. Batik is classified as Intangible
Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

The kebaya, traditionally worn by Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese women is now
considered a national costume. This long sleeve blouse made of silk, cotton,
semi-transparent nylon or brocade is worn with a batik sarong. The hair is normally tied
into a bun and decorated with gold or silver hairpins.

The jamang is the crown worn by the Balinese and Javanese dancers. This splendid
ornament comes from the Hindu Buddhist era. In Sumatra, the Minang bride wears a
suntiang, which looks quite different from the Javanese jamang. There are various
models of crowns throughout the country, some are especially for traditional dances,
others for wedding ceremonies.

Today’s Indonesian dress code refers to the history of the country’s various cultural
groups. If you take time to observe and research a little bit on the topic, you will discover
the incredible diversity of traditional clothes and their influence on contemporary fashion.
A number of Indonesian artists and prestigious designers create awesome collections
inspired by traditional fabrics and costumes

Fauna
The fauna of Indonesia is characterised by high levels of biodiversity and endemicity due
to its distribution over a vast tropical archipelago. Indonesia divides into two ecological
regions; western Indonesia which is more influenced by Asian fauna, and the east which
is more influenced by Australasian species.
Komodo Dragon

Stealthy hunters and the largest lizards to be found, Komodo Dragons are the modern
banner holders of Indonesian tourism. They are seen mostly in the islands of Komodo
and Rinca. It is however strictly advised to visit these islands with a guide for your safety
as these dragons are powerful and venomous.

Sumatran Orangutan
The islands of Sumatra and Borneo are possibly the only homes to the critically
endangered species of the Sumatran Orangutan and if you want to spot a few in their
natural habitat, these are just the place for you. Tanjung Putting National Park in
Kalimantan, Borneo is the ideal destination if you want to spot an orangutan while
soaking in the beauty of the jungles from a klotok, a multi-storey live aboard boat.

Javan Rhinoceros
The smallest among the Rhinos, the Javan rhinoceros is a critically endangered species
found on the islands of Indonesia. The Ujung Kulon National Park is the only place
where these rhinoceros can be sighted and therefore the place you should put up on
your list if you want to see the rhinos.

Sumatran Tiger
Sumatran tigers are the smallest surviving species to be found in the island of Sumatra
and are listed as one of the endangered species. Kerinci Seblat National Park is the
place for you if you want to catch a glimpse of this species

Flora
The flora consists of many unique varieties of tropical plants. Blessed with a tropical
climate and roughly 17,000 islands, Indonesia is the nation with the second highest
biodiversity in the world. The flora of Indonesia reflects an intermingling of Asian,
Australian and unique, Indonesian lineages. This is due to the geography of Indonesia,
located between the aforementioned continents. The archipelago consists of a variety of
regions, from the tropical rain forests of the northern lowlands and the seasonal forests
of the southern lowlands through the hill and mountain vegetation, to subalpine shrub
vegetation. With the second longest coastline in the world, Indonesia also has many
swamps and other varieties of coastal vegetation. Combined, these all give rise to a
huge floral biodiversity. There are about 28,000 species of flowering plants documented
in Indonesia.
Titan Arum
The Titan arum is a flowering plant that is endemic to Sumatra in the Indonesian
Archipelago. It is a truly spectacular plant that is known for its very large flower which
can rise up to 3 meters from the ground. It has the largest non-branched inflorescence in
the world with a giant floral structure that has been recorded to reach 3.5 meters. It’s
flowering is rare, but when it does, it becomes a center of attraction. The Titan plant
grows in the rainforest and can be used for ornamental purposes. However, it has a
nauseating smell during the flowering period. The main threat facing the titan arum is the
extensive deforestation of the Sumatra rainforest which is the main habitat, in order to
make way for oil palm plantations and to obtain timber through logging.

Rainbow Gum Eucalyptus Tree

The Rainbow Gum Eucalyptus Tree (Eucalyptus deglupta) is one of the most beautiful
trees one could ever find, having a bark with various colors. It is native to several places
including New Guinea, Seram, Mindanao and Sulawesi. It is the only Eucalyptus species
that can thrive in the northern hemisphere. In tropical regions such as Indonesia, it
thrives in the rainforests. During various seasons, the tree’s bark peels to reveal fresh
green bark which then becomes orange, purple and blue with vertical streaks of red and
orange. This tree can grow up to 60 meters tall and 2 meters wide. It is mainly used in
tree plantations to give pulpwood for the manufacture of white paper.