Marina Del Ray is at the Centre of the worlds Largest island chain in the world and offers the safest and most ideal Cruising in the World. By Captain Raymond La Fontaine Founder
Overview
Indonesia consists of 17,508 islands, about 6,000 of which are inhabited. These are scattered over both sides of the equator. The five largest islands are Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of Borneo), New Guinea (shared with Papua New Guinea), and Sulawesi. Indonesia shares land borders with Malaysia on the islands of Borneo and Sebatik, Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea, and East Timor on the island of Timor. Indonesia also shares borders across narrow straits of water with Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines to the north and Australia to the south. The capital, Jakarta, is on Java and is the nation's largest city, followed by Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, and Semarang.
Indonesia represents an attractive value proposition. The country boasts a substantial developing population along with a wealth of natural resources. It is home to the world’s 16th-largest economy and unlike typical Asian “tiger” economies, Indonesia’s has grown as a result of consumption, not exports and manufacturing. The archipelago nation is also urbanizing rapidly and by 2030, Indonesia will have added 90 million people to its consuming class, more than any other country except China and India.
Indonesia - A Yachting Wonderland
The yachting scene in Indonesia is still at an early stage. There are few facilities available to the domestic market. Pantai Mutiara has the largest and most luxurious selection of yachts, yet this facility has limited berthing, few facilities and insufficient water-depth. Indonesia needs more marinas and improved cooperative/proactive policies towards the yachting industry.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It provides a fascinating mix of cultures, traditions and customs. It also hosts one of the world’s most diverse collections of plants and wildlife. Extending approximately 3,000 miles along the equator, it has the world’s fourth largest population, made up of around 350 distinct ethnic groups and languages. Blessed with an abundance of spices and natural resources, it has been an important trading region since the 7th century. Indonesia has been influenced by many foreign powers including the Arabs, Indian, Malay, Chinese, English, Dutch and Portuguese.
Indonesia’s rainforests are home to some of the highest levels of biological diversity in the world. Many sources credit Indonesia as the most species rich country on earth. The country contains the world’s third largest area of rainforest after the Amazon and Africa’s Congo Basin. Incredibly, with just 1% of the Earth’s land area, Indonesia hosts 10% of the world’s known plant species, 12% of mammal species, including the endangered orangutans, critically endangered Sumatran tigers and rhinos along with 17% of all known bird species. This is a huge draw for marine leisure tourism including not only yachts but also cruise ship visits to these idyllic waters.
Indonesia’s Archipelago Economy
In line with the current President, Joko Widodo’s eastward expansion policy, Indonesia’s maritime sector has become an important focus for economic tourism growth in Indonesia. The government has acknowledged tourism as a vital sector and set it as one of the main priorities for the country’s economic and national development. The country is actively promoting its status as a world-class maritime country.
Indonesia has been simplifying the licensing process for cruise vessels and yachts to enter Indonesian waters. Visiting vessels can access an online one-stop service to obtain their Clearance to Enter Indonesia (CAIT). In 2010 3,000 yachts sailed through the archipelago east and westbound. Ten percent of these stayed in Indonesia. The reason for this was a complete lack of facilities such as Marinas and repair facilities despite the fact that Indonesia is arguably the best located cruising ground in the world because there are no Cyclones or Typhoons and a relatively short wet season with typical tropical weather provides the sailor a year round sailing destination unlike the surrounding south eastern countries of Asia and Australia and the Pacific Ocean.
In 2018 MARINDO Executives successfully lobbied the government to extend a foreign Yachts permission to stay in the archipelago from six months to three years thus making the best place to base a yacht in the Asiana and Pacific.