Indonesia

Above and below the water, Raja Ampat is paradise. From Piaynemo to manta rays, this is one of Asia’s best choices for nature lovers.

Literal backstabbing, sultans, and cloves – a mix of spices and the imperial influence once made the lesser-known Spice Islands one of the most important areas in Southeast Asia.

At Nihi Sumba, a luxury resort with an exclusive wave surfed by only 10 people a day, there is a magical chocolate factory at Chris & Charly’s.

Anna Elisa Sida and Matteo Maimone travel to Sumatra for a unique look into the dwindling Mentawai tribe.

Janet DeNeefe – author of Bali: The Food of My Island Home, founder of the Ubud Food Festival, and a 30-year resident of Bali – is Bali’s very own cooking guru, featuring a different class every day of the week, from vegan fare to night markets.

Indonesia’s islands have primeval forests, exotic surfing destinations tucked away in jungles, luxury liveaboards, and so much more; Remote Lands has compiled the best island getaways for 2019.

The Aqua Blu from Aqua Expeditions will feature seven-night, five-star cruises through Raja Ampat, Bali to Komodo, and the Ambon and Spice Islands.

Get down in the muck in Lembeh for the best muck diving in the world; cruise the bottom of the Lembeh Strait and beyond for otherworldly creatures.

Jay Tindall travels to the fascinating and somewhat gruesome spectacle of a Torajaland funeral, one of the most interesting cultural events in Southeast Asia.

The Bill Bensley paradise in Bali, Capella Ubud, is a mix of exquisite luxury and design and a tented jungle camp from a different era.

The most luxurious private island resort in the Riau Archipelago has added a second seaplane, and now visitors can fly to Bawah seven days a week.

Of the few remaining habitats left of the orangutans, Bukit Lawang inside Gunung Leuser National Park is the best known, a place for seeing and saving the red ape of Sumatra.