Posted 27 May 2010

Gap year travellers planning on visiting Indonesia could get to see the wealth of the country’s biodiversity.

According to Suite101.com contributor Solnage Hando, the country is home to "amazing fauna" and "rich flora".

The journalist explained plans are under way to protect the number of endangered species that live throughout the location.

These include the last Sumatran tigers, orangutans and Komodo dragons.

Around 100 Sumatran tigers reside in the Gunung Leuser National Park and are the smallest type of this animal in the world.

More than 40,000 species of flowering plants have been recorded in Indonesia, which include 3,000 trees, 6,000 medicinal plants and 5,000 orchids.

One of the country’s national flowers is the "stunning" rafflesia arnoldi, which is the largest on the planet and measures around a metre across and weighs up to 11 kg.

Ms Hando recently advised travellers calling at Indonesia to be sure to sample the local cuisine as it offers a healthy balance between savoury and sweet.

Category: Asia