大象传媒

Michael Portillo鈥檚 2500-mile railway tour of south east Asia reaches its southern most point in Indonesia. Michael's journey begins on the island of Java at the heart of this archipelago nation, the world鈥檚 fourth most populous.

In the heaving megacity of Jakarta, the capital, Michael uncovers Indonesia鈥檚 colonial past as part of a Dutch empire and its rich history as a port and centre of the spice trade. He negotiates the city鈥檚 infamous traffic, takes a ride on the newly launched MRT metro and dines like a local on Jakarta鈥檚 famous street food. On a trip out of the city, Michael finds out how Bogor鈥檚 Botanical Gardens, now a centre of research and conservation, were developed by Englishman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, once governor of Java.

Leaving the capital on a seven-hour railway journey past rainforests and paddy fields, Michael heads to the volcanic heart of Java鈥檚 central province. He visits the island鈥檚 most dangerous volcano, Mount Merapi, and learns how its deadly eruption in 2010 killed over 300 people. Nearby in the village of Bendo, Michael tries his hand at the art of traditional noodle making. This leg of his journey ends at the country鈥檚 greatest ancient wonder and Indonesia鈥檚 most visited monument, the Borobudur Temple. Michael marvels at how the world鈥檚 largest Buddhist shrine lay hidden for centuries under volcanic ash.