In The Wake of Wallace: Indonesia & Borneo

Pink Beach earned its name for the way the beach can appear to have a rosy hue in certain lights. The color comes from small flecks of red coral mixed in with the fine white reef sand. With a few trees along the beach for shade, this stretch of coast makes a fine place to relax or enjoy a snorkel or dive in the crystal clear waters. It is possible to spot a striped clown fish nestled among the protective tentacles of its sea anemone host, or to see a grouper lazily swimming by a flamboyant soft coral. The reef here is now protected by law and the maturing corals are a joy to behold.

Pink Beach earned its name for the way the beach can appear to have a rosy hue in certain lights. The color comes from small flecks of red coral mixed in with the fine white reef sand. With a few trees along the beach for shade, this stretch of coast makes a fine place to relax or enjoy a snorkel or dive in the crystal clear waters. It is possible to spot a striped clown fish nestled among the protective tentacles of its sea anemone host, or to see a grouper lazily swimming by a flamboyant soft coral. The reef here is now protected by law and the maturing corals are a joy to behold.

Semarang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, situated on Java's north coast between the shore of the Java Sea and a small ridge of mountains. Ceded to the Dutch West India Company in 1677 by King Amangkurat I in payment of his debts, it became their headquarters and the seat of the Dutch governor of the northeast provinces. Semarang's usefulness as a port waned due to the gradual silting up of the harbor; by the 19th century, Surabaya had eclipsed Semarang as Java's premier port. With a population of over one million, a third of whom are thought to be of Chinese extraction, Semarang is the largest city in Central Java and its administrative capital. The city consists of two parts: the coastal lowland where most of the commercial activities are found; and the hilly residential area. Although more a business center than a city for tourists, Semarang serves as a popular gateway to the mountainous interior of Central Java and to fabled Borobudur.

Kumai is a port town in southern Borneo and serves as the gateway to Tanjung Puting, one of the most important national parks of Indonesia. This largely undeveloped and wild national park possesses the largest and most diverse examples of coastal tropical heath and peat swamp forest of southern Borneo. Declared a National Park in 1982, orangutan and other primate species can be found in the park. Using Zodiacs and local boats to cruise into the Tanjung Puting National Park one of the main goals is to take a private tour of Camp Leakey, the landmark research station. Meeting Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas, one of the founding scientists, and learning of her 45 years devoted to the study, care and preservation of endangered orangutans will be a highlight of the Camp Leakey visit.

Kumai is a port town in southern Borneo and serves as the gateway to Tanjung Puting, one of the most important national parks of Indonesia. This largely undeveloped and wild national park possesses the largest and most diverse examples of coastal tropical heath and peat swamp forest of southern Borneo. Declared a National Park in 1982, orangutan and other primate species can be found in the park. Using Zodiacs and local boats to cruise into the Tanjung Puting National Park one of the main goals is to take a private tour of Camp Leakey, the landmark research station. Meeting Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas, one of the founding scientists, and learning of her 45 years devoted to the study, care and preservation of endangered orangutans will be a highlight of the Camp Leakey visit.

Kumai is a port town in southern Borneo and serves as the gateway to Tanjung Puting, one of the most important national parks of Indonesia. This largely undeveloped and wild national park possesses the largest and most diverse examples of coastal tropical heath and peat swamp forest of southern Borneo. Declared a National Park in 1982, orangutan and other primate species can be found in the park. Using Zodiacs and local boats to cruise into the Tanjung Puting National Park one of the main goals is to take a private tour of Camp Leakey, the landmark research station. Meeting Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas, one of the founding scientists, and learning of her 45 years devoted to the study, care and preservation of endangered orangutans will be a highlight of the Camp Leakey visit.

The main island of Singapore is shaped like a flattened diamond, 42 km (26 miles) east to west and 23 km (14 miles) north to south. Near the northern peak is the causeway leading to West Malaysia—Kuala Lumpur is less than four hours away by car. It is at the southern foot where you will find most of the city-state’s action, with its gleaming office towers, working docks, and futuristic "supertrees," which are solar-powered and serve as vertical gardens. Offshore are Sentosa and over 60 smaller islands, most uninhabited, that serve as bases for oil refining or as playgrounds and beach escapes from the city. To the east is Changi International Airport, connected to the city by metro, bus, and a tree-lined parkway. Of the island's total land area, more than half is built up, with the balance made up of parkland, farmland, plantations, swamp areas, and rain forest. Well-paved roads connect all parts of the island, and Singapore city has an excellent, and constantly expanding, public transportation system. The heart of Singapore's history and its modern wealth are in and around the Central Business District. The area includes the skyscrapers in the Central Business District, the 19th-century Raffles Hotel, the convention centers of Marina Square, on up to the top of Ft. Canning. Although most of old Singapore has been knocked down to make way for the modern city, most colonial landmarks have been preserved in the CBD, including early-19th-century buildings designed by the Irish architect George Coleman.