Mountain chains, magic volcanos and rich vegetace could be an ideal place for adventures. You can reach from dense jungle of tropical rain forest, rich on many sorts of plants, to mountain forest., changing slowly into lower vegetace. On moumtain top, you can admire, except marvellous views, also characteristic volcano activities. A smoke, murmuring water lakes of various colours, bright yellow sulphur tratta, mysterious and deep volcano craters, all these sights have the desired effect. On bottom, if you are in just right place at suitable time, you can follow even red-hot lava. Local people believe that on tops of Indonesian mountains, the Lords are staying. So, they offer them some sacrifices, presented on solemny specified places. They are, for instance, animals, flowers or various sorts of meals.

The highest mountain of Souith-East Asia, non-volcanic Kinabalu, placed in Borneo, is a holy place for most of local aborigines of Dusan tribe, where the souls of dead persons are reposing. Mountain belt of Sumatra is passing from north-west part up to south-east edge of the island, and it is more than 1600 kms long. The highest peak is Kerinci (3805 m), situated in Barisan Mountain Range.  This belt was established  by connecting of many islands, which were lifted up in past and modelled with volcanic activity. The other important peaks are placed in north part of the island – such as: Leuser (3404 m), Lembu (3077 m), Kemiri (3314 m), Bandahara ( 3012 m) and Dempo ( 3159 m). Even south part of Java Island  was created by means of volcanic activities.

Anyway, limestone areas of central part of Java Island  reach the height of 1135 metres only. Main belt of Java volcanos is passing in north direction and is terminated with Semeru volcano in the east (3676 m). The border of 3000 metres is arisen also with Slamet (3418 m), Aryuna (3339 m), Raung (3390 m ) and other ten volcano massifs. In Java, there were described 27 (!) active volcanos up to now! Active volcanos are placed mainly in Bali Island ( Agung – 3014 m), Lombok (Rinyani – 3762 m) and Sumbawa (Tambota – 2821 m). The highest and most popular island is those of Borneo (or  Kalimantan). This island is the third greatest one of all over the world. The peak of Kinabalu, (4101 m), situated in Crocker Mountain Range, dominates to the whole complex. Several rivers flow throughout these great islands. So, in Sumatra Island, Musí and Dyambi rivers are most important, whereas in Java Island are Solo and Brantas rivers to be mentioned. Except lakes, you can meet great number of various waterfalls. Sendang and Salopa waterfalls belong to those most attractive, from touristic point of view.

The nature of islands has  many things to offer, for sure. On Borneo highest mountain, a national park was established in 1964. You can find here approx. one thousand sorts of orchids, 24 sorts of  arboreous and epyfitic rhododendrons  as well as ten sorts of  insectivorous protozoa. Local fauna is quite variegated. You can meet here more than 300 sorts of birds and more than 100 sorts of mammals, including orangoutangs,gibbons, Malaya bears, sky panthers, badgers and others. As far as the reptiles is concerned, you can meet here Indian python or  venemous cobra.

From climatic point of view, the area is placed along both parts of Equator, so it has suffícient quantity of precipitations, moving between 2000 mm (java) amd 3800 mm (Sumatra). So, average year temperatures are moving among 25 and 28° C. Owing to relative  isolation of each islands, the life conditions were created in different ways. Prevailing part of population are descendants of Malayans . They came here from continent in two historic waves and consequently mixed with original population. So, the islands differ from each other by used language, culture and customs. Moslem religion dominates, anyway also Christianity and Buddhism are live.

Text: J. Štantejský

Translation: ing. Jan Jonáš

Photo: Panoramio.com

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