Java, Bali and Flores. These are three of the more than 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia, an archipelago straddling the equator where different peoples, cultures and languages coexist, giving rise to an extraordinarily rich mosaic surrounded by wild and spectacular nature.

On Java you can visit the temple of Borobudur, a spectacular and imposing Buddhist monument (a Unesco World Heritage Site) built in the 9th century. The place of worship stands near the ancient city of Yogyakarta, the symbolic heartland of resistance to Dutch colonial rule. Not to be missed is its kraton, with its palaces, markets, and artisan workshops specialising in batik and silverwork. A short distance from "Yogya" lies the Prambanan complex, a fascinating testament to the years when Hindu culture flourished on Java. In the evenings, the Ramayana Ballet performs in the open-air theatre situated just steps from the archaeological site, which, lit up at night, forms the backdrop to the epic dances of tradition. But this island also offers captivating natural landscapes. Positioned on the edge of tectonic fault lines, the whole of Indonesia is rich in active volcanoes whose smoking cones rise above rice paddies and forests. Watching the sun rise over the crater of Mount Bromo or breathing in the sulphurous fumes of Mount Ijen are experiences that are hard to forget.

What you cannot forget about Bali, on the other hand, are the hills carpeted with flooded rice paddies, where the sky is reflected in the water and you lose all sense of space. Here the temples are called Pura and are built in the pagoda style, like those of Luhur Batukau, nestled in virgin forest, and Ulun Danu Bratan, on the shores of a lake. In reality Bali is famous for its beaches and its social scene. There are indeed numerous resorts full of shops and small restaurants where you can enjoy excellent freshly caught fish and relax on the white sand.

Speaking of beaches and dream destinations, Flores, lying south of the Wallace Line, is a true paradise. Alfred Russel Wallace, a Welsh naturalist of the 1800s, identified a biological discontinuity between the various Sunda Islands during his travels, and it was for this reason that he drew an imaginary line to mark these differences. Indeed, you truly enter another world entirely. Opposite Riung, a small fishing village whose inhabitants live in wooden stilt houses, lies the Seventeen Islands Marine Park, an archipelago of small islands of coral origin that emerge from a turquoise sea, where you can snorkel to observe the reef, home to an extraordinarily rich variety of tropical fish and giant coral formations. At dusk, the sky then darkens with the migration of a colony of thousands of flying foxes heading towards Flores in search of the fruit that forms the basis of their diet. From Labuanbajo, meanwhile, you set off to explore Komodo National Park, included on the list of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Islets characterised by steep rust-coloured hills, covered in savanna and fringed with mangroves, rise from a sea of incredible colours that conceals unspoilt coral reefs. To dive in is to lose yourself in a fantastic world that you will find hard to forget.

Just as you will not forget the beaches of the finest white sand, or the pink and red ones formed from crushed coral, where you can linger and contemplate breathtaking sunsets while dolphins play with the waves just offshore. But from paradise you pass swiftly into a prehistoric inferno. Coming face to face with Komodo dragons — the largest living lizards (up to 3 metres in length and 70 kg in weight) and true survivors from a distant age — is a unique experience. With their forked tongues and their menacing advance, it is easy to spot them as they tear apart a deer to eat it, or as they doze in the sun, poised to pounce on their next prey. The ora, as they are called by the local people, are not venomous, but their bite is lethal due to the deadly bacteria contained in their saliva. Even the air becomes unreal in this place that feels beyond the world, which we leave with the awareness of having visited one of the last Edens on the planet.

Not to be missed

Mount Ijen volcano, on the island of Java. A round trip from hell with the roughly 300 sulphur miners who, setting off before dawn from the last village on the volcano's slopes, climb up to the crater rim and then descend inside it, where yellow rivers of sulphur rise from a turquoise-coloured lake. After collecting it by hand, they load it onto their shoulders (60–80 kg) and return to where they started. Several times a day. They earn a pittance. And yet they smile at us as we follow them, overwhelmed by their toil. A fine lesson in life.

The Ngada village of Bena on the island of Flores. The Ngada ethnic group remained isolated until the 1920s, when Dutch missionaries reached them. The Ngada have managed to preserve their ancient animist beliefs, and in the villages where they live it is possible to observe the megalithic symbols of their tradition. They live in huts with high thatched roofs arranged in two rows along a ridge, and the central space of the village — our equivalent of a square — is reserved for rituals still practised today.

Mount Kelimutu volcano on the island of Flores. A mysterious and mystical place, it is considered sacred by the local inhabitants. It is wonderful to observe it at dawn, when the mists that envelop it are dispersed by the sun, making it possible to admire the three lakes of different colours inside the crater which, according to tradition, gather the souls of the dead. The elderly in the brown lake, young men and women in the turquoise one, and the wicked in the black one.

What we love

Candi Sukuh, an enigmatic and extraordinary temple, nestled in the forest of the island of Java. A fertility cult was celebrated here, as the archaeological remains on the site demonstrate — earning it the nickname of the erotic temple. Little is known, however, about its origins, and even the religion for which it was built remains unclear.

The temple of Borobudur, the largest Buddhist building in the world, rises among the rice paddies and volcanoes. It is a colossal tantric mandala made up of two million blocks of worked stone with refined sculptural decorations reproducing Buddhist doctrine and more than 500 statues of the Buddha himself.

The Hindu complex of Prambanan (a Unesco heritage site) comprises numerous temples, the main ones dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The latter stands 47 metres tall and is richly carved. Watching the sunset while seated on the steps of one of the temples is unmissable.

Good to know

Indonesia's currency is the rupiah, and the US dollar is the most widely accepted foreign currency. In the more touristy areas of Bali and Java, euros can also be exchanged without any difficulty. Indonesia's territory spans three different time zones: six to eight hours ahead of Italy. The best time to visit Indonesia is from April to October. The food in Indonesia is very good. Rice is the staple and always accompanies meat dishes and excellent fish. Do not miss Indonesian coffee, which is a true delicacy.