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Indonesian cities you may want to visit to escape from air pollution
Here are five cities to visit in Indonesia to get some fresh air and enjoy a healthier environment.
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Ambon Island in Maluku is home to some picturesque beaches. (Shutterstock/File)
J
akarta has lately been at the top of the list of cities with the worst air quality in the world, surpassing notoriously polluted cities like Shanghai or Karachi.
Airvisual is a website that tracks the air quality of major cities worldwide in real time. On Monday, Jakarta was recorded with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 159. For context, cities such as New York City and Tokyo only record 58 and 57, respectively.
Read also: Check Jakarta’s air quality with these mobile apps
It’s only fair to want to leave this dense pollution every once in a while, so here are five cities to visit in Indonesia to get some fresh air and enjoy a healthier environment as compiled by kompas.com:
Banyuwangi, East Java
Banyuwangi’s AQI is usually listed at a good to moderate level. Visiting this city and comparing it to Jakarta is literally a breath of fresh air.
At the same time there are many popular destinations to visit in the region, such as the blue fire of Mount Ijen, the Baluran National Park and Green Bay Beach.
Buleleng, Bali
Buleleng is located on the northern side of the island of Bali. There has not yet been a major influx of tourists to this location compared to the rest of the island, which also contributes to the high air quality of the region. Buleleng has been projected to maintain a high air quality in the near future.
Although not as popular as the rest of the island, this area also has beautiful sights to see. Lovina Beach is a popular destination in Buleleng, where visitors may be able to see dolphins. It is also home to Lake Buyan and picturesque waterfalls.
The provincial capital of Aceh is known for very high air quality. For many days in a row, the air quality graphic of the area has been at clear levels.
Museums in the city highlight the devastating tsunami of 2004. Visitors can also visit the island of Sabang for marine tourism or discover culinary delights that utilize the variety of spices that can be found in this region.
Manado, North Sulawesi
This city is known worldwide for marine tourism. While visiting this area, the Bunaken National Park is not a site to be missed, as well as other locations, such as Manado Tua Island and Mount Tumpa.
There are also interesting towns that surround the city, such as Tomohon, known for its flowers, as well Bitung, known as a world-class diving destination.
Ambon, Maluku
This destination is well known in the country as a city of music and beaches. Some beaches to discover are Pintu Beach, Hkurila Beach as well as Namalatu Beach. Ambon is also a hub for world-class marine tourism sites.
From the city, visitors can go to Ora, the Kei Islands or Neira Port. From these areas, there are many options to take a boat or private plane for a variety of excursions. (sal/kes)
