Bengkulu
A quiet province on Sumatra's southwest coast, with the British-built Fort Marlborough and giant rafflesia flowers.
Bengkulu lies in southwestern Sumatra, facing the Indian Ocean with the Barisan Mountains behind. The capital, Bengkulu, was once a British East India Company outpost and has the 18th-century Fort Marlborough; the house where Sukarno lived in exile is also open to visitors. In the local forests you can see rafflesia, one of the world's largest flowers, though its blooming time is unpredictable. The long coastline has beaches, though with rough surf. Visitors are few, making it suitable for travelers seeking tranquility. You can fly to Fatmawati Soekarno Airport in Bengkulu from Jakarta.