Riau overview

There are many reasons why Riau has become one of the fastest growing parts of Indonesia. The area, which is located on the island of Sumatra, is rich in natural resources. However, these same natural resources also present a problem in Riau as de-forestation and drilling for crude oil have added to the pollution and also removed nearly forty percent of Riau's forests. As with many places in the third world, what nourishes Riau is also destroying it. Tourism has grown over the last few years, which means more hotels and if you can handle breathing smoke from all of the trees that are burning down, Riau is still a beautiful place to visit. It doesn't really matter what time of year you come, as Riau is hot and wet for most of the year although the rainy season technically ends in July.