Indonesia

Destination Overview

In Indonesia, crafting traditions are as vibrant and diverse as the archipelago's culture and landscapes. From Java’s Borobudur Temple, the world’s largest Buddhist temple, to Laweyan’s renowned Batik Village, a wealth of textile knowledge and inspiration awaits you.

The most famous and sacred Indonesian art form is the UNESCO-listed batik – intricate, wax-resistant dyeing that is applied to whole cloth. Batik’s home, the island of Java, is the perfect place to learn more. Here, you can find more than a thousand examples of this ancient technique at the Batik Museum, as well as discovering the centre for hand-drawn batik in the Giriloya village of Yogyakarta.

While batik steals the spotlight, Indonesia's crafting heritage includes a myriad of other textile arts. One such treasure to be explored is the captivating art of weaving ikat fabrics. Across East Bali, you can discover skilled artisans who use unique techniques, from the geringsing double-ikat textiles in the village of Tenganan to the production of endek weft ikat in the Pelangi Workshop of the Sidemen Valley.

With such fascinating techniques and intricate patterns deeply rooted in Indonesia’s tradition, join like-minded others who share your passion and embark on a crafting journey of discovery.