Mixing ingredients for Jamu. Photo by Zoë Smith.

Read More GoNOMAD Stories About Indonesia

Here are links to GoNOMAD's stories about Indonesia:

Jamu in Java: Lessons From The Grandmothers of Indonesia

“Drink this”

I’m handed a coconut shell filled with a runny, canary-yellow liquid that looks less than appealing. My Indonesian guide nods her head encouragingly. A little crowd has gathered around the rickety market stall where I stand, a lone farang [foreigner] in the depths of the market.

They gawk at me, waiting for me to drink the potion. I dart a look at the little old lady whose expertise has rewarded me this treat and she grins slyly, a rotten arch of teeth rocking in her gums. What the hell, I think, and knock back the liquid as if it were a long, bitter shot of tequila.

This was my first introduction to the weird and wonderful world of Jamu (Indonesian traditional medicine) – 1300 years of herb-smashing and pestle-pummeling passed down the generations through hand-scrawled recipes and candle-lit exorcisms (well, that’s how I imagine it at least).

Indonesia's Raja Ampat Islands: The Best Snorkeling in the World

There is no doubt about it – the best snorkeling and diving in the world is in Raja Ampat.

This west Indonesian archipelago contains more marine bio-diversity than anywhere else in the world – more fish, more corals.

Snorkeling in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Photo by Gail Taylor.

In 2002, The Nature Conservancy conducted a scientific survey of the Raja Ampat Islands to collect information on its marine ecosystems, mangroves and forests. The survey brought Raja Ampat’s total number of confirmed corals to 537 species —  an incredible 75 percent of all known coral species.

Read more GoNOMAD stories about Indonesia:

A Homestay in West Java, Indonesia

A Tryst with Bali’s Gods and Goblins

Yogyakarta and Central Java: Ancient Temples and Mystical Landscapes

Travel Warning: 'Sumatra, Indonesia --Dangerously Beautiful'

Bali After the Bombings: Don't Let the Terrorists Win

Komodo National Park: Home of the Legendary Dragon

Bali: Timeless as the Morning Sun

A Family Vacation on Menyawakan Island, Indonesia

Bali: Surfing, Trekking and Nightlife

Flores Destination Guide

GoNOMAD in Bali

The Perils of Illness on a Remote Island