As
the world's largest archipelagic country with more than 17,000 islands,
Indonesia is often included in the list of mandatory tourist destinations
around the world. Although some places like Bali and Lombok have attracted the
attention of foreign tourists, Indonesia actually still has a variety of hidden
tourist destinations that have not been widely known by the mainstream.
The
global travel search company Skyscanner also makes use of its internal data to
compile a list of 5 of the best hidden tourist destinations in Indonesia that
are not widely known in 2017 - yet have great potential to become famous in the
near future.
Five
tourist destinations are Medan, Labuan Bajo, Belitung, Manado, and Bandar
Lampung. In the period from January to August 2017, Skyscanner noted there are
hundreds of thousands of searches for plane tickets to these destinations in
their search engine.
"We
are aware that local and foreign tourists are very interested in exploring more
areas in Indonesia," said Yulianto Balawan, Senior Marketing Manager of
Skyscanner, quoted in a press statement on Wednesday October 11, 2017.
"Based
on our findings, these five tourist destinations are places that are growing in
popularity by 2017. We believe that the level of interest in these 5
destinations will increase in 2018," he added.
Here
are 5 most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia throughout 2017:
1. Medan
 |
| Mosque in Medan |
Medan
as the home of Lake Toba-the largest volcanic lake in the world-is often
underestimated when tourists visit Indonesia. Being one of the most flight
search destinations on this list, Skyscanner reveals that Medan is the most
visited in the middle of the year, from April to June.
In
addition to charming natural scenery, Medan is also famous for its culinary
riches on offer. Some of the typical foods in this city include a variety of
delicious curry, satay, durian, and local duck noodles. The city also has a
vibrant Chinatown area, famous for its diverse street food options.
Skyscanner
records that visitors usually book a plane ticket to Medan 30 days before the
flight, with an average booking price of Rp2,121,000 (USD160) per airfare.
2. Belitung (Tanjung Pandan)
 |
| Tanjung Pandan beach tour |
Not
far from Medan, Skyscanner also highlights Belitung as one of the best
Indonesian tourist destinations hidden from the tourists. During the period
January to August, Skyscanner recorded more than tens of thousands of searches
for Belitung.
Although
this amount is not yet comparable to mainstream destinations such as Bali,
Belitung offers a variety of beautiful beaches that are perfect for snorkeling,
diving and surfing. Located in Sumatra, one of the most famous beaches in Belitung
is Tanjung Tinggi. This beach is known for the most iconic scenery in the
archipelago and is the location of filming for award-winning film Laskar
Pelangi. Visitors can also feel the beauty of Tanjung Kelayang Beach, Lengkuas
Island, Punai Beach, and Penyabong Beach in Belitung.
Based
on the number of flight searches, Skyscanner predicts that the largest city in
Belitung, Tanjung Pandan, could be a popular tourist attraction. Skyscanner
users generally allocate a time span of 57 days between ticket booking and
departure, and spend an average of Rp2,293,000 (USD173) per airfare.
3. Labuan Bajo
The
next destination is Labuan Bajo, a village in Flores that is getting
increasingly high attention from local and international tourists. Labuan Bajo
is a great tourist destination for anyone who wants to enjoy the natural beauty
of Indonesia.
In
Labuan Bajo, visitors have many choices for nature tour. In addition, they also
had the opportunity to visit the iconic Komodo Island-one of the few natural
habitats of the Komodo Dragon population in the world. Visitors can also do
trekking to explore the jungle of Komodo Island, dive at Manta Point, snorkel
near Pink Island, and explore the cave in Batu Cermin.
Of
the many attractions that exist in Labuan Bajo, Padar Island is probably the
main star. On this island, visitors are greeted with views of three charming
beaches, each of which has a unique color that makes this island look more
beautiful when viewed from above.
Based
on data from Skyscanner, Labuan Bajo managed to record tens of thousands of
airline ticket searches in the first eight months of 2017, with the highest
search in May. The average flight ticket to Labuan Bajo is Rp 3,128,000
(USD236).
Meanwhile,
tourists usually make reservations approximately 35 days before
departure.destination
4. Bandar Lampung
Bandar
Lampung in Sumatra is also very attracted tourists thanks to its geographical
location that allows tourists to get around the islands and scuba
diving.Several of the most famous tourist destinations in this province are
Maitem Island, Pulau Pasir Timbul, Pulau Tegal, and Pulau Pelagian Besar. In
addition to traveling from one island to another island, Lampung is also famous
for its Mount Krakatau. As there is now a conservation effort, this mountain
visit may require more effort. Apart from that, Mount Krakatau is still
included as one of the main reasons that attract tourists to visit Bandar
Lampung. Tourists generally book a plane ticket to Bandar Lampung 18 days
before departure, with price range Rp1.114.000 (USD84) per ticket.destination
5. Manado
Another
hidden tourism destination in Indonesia that should not be forgotten is Manado.
The city itself has not been too popular among tourists although included as
one of the largest cities in Sulawesi.Sama such as Medan, Manado offers a
variety of famous culinary cuisine. Manado-style cuisine with spicy and sweet
taste is very popular in big cities like Jakarta and Surabaya. Some of Manado's
popular culinary attractions include sambal roa, sour soup, and coconut crab.
Skyscanner's data show a positive growth of flight searches to Manado, with an
average booking price of Rp3,570,000 (USD269) per airfare and span 24 days
between booking and departure.
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