Indonesia is a fascinating country made up of over 17,000 islands. It has a rich culture and history that provides ample material for riddles. Here are 59 riddles about various aspects of Indonesian culture, geography, people, language, and more.
Riddles about Indonesian Culture and Traditions
1. What hangs outside but is forbidden to enter the house?
A shoe. Removing shoes before entering a house is an Indonesian custom done out of respect.
2. What has hands but cannot clap?
A clock. Clocks are ubiquitous in Indonesia both for telling time and as home decor.
3. What can you catch but not throw?
A cold. Indonesians, like people everywhere, get sick with colds and have to let them run their course.
4. What month of the year is like a command?
March. The Indonesian word for March is Maret which sounds like the command “march.”
5. What belongs to you but other people use it more than you?
Your name. Indonesians sometimes go by nicknames more than formal names.
6. What gets wet when drying?
A towel. Indonesian households commonly use towels for bathing.
7. What has a head and a tail but no body?
A coin. Indonesia has a history of varied currency including coins.
8. What has a neck but no head?
A bottle. Bottled beverages are popular in Indonesia.
9. What goes up but never comes down?
Your age. Indonesians celebrate birthdays and getting older.
10. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
The letter M. The Indonesian language uses the Roman alphabet.
Riddles about Indonesian Geography
11. What is something Indonesia has over 17,000 of?
Islands. Indonesia has over 17,000 islands.
12. Where does the sun rise?
In the east. Indonesia stretches from east to west across part of the equator.
13. What is Indonesia’s lowest point?
Sea level. Large parts of Indonesia are at or near sea level.
14. What is the most active volcano in Indonesia?
Mount Merapi. It is one of over 100 active volcanoes in Indonesia.
15. Where can you find Komodo dragons?
Komodo Island. This is one of few places the large lizards are found.
16. What is the national flower of Indonesia?
Jasmine. The fragrant flower is used in Indonesian culture.
17. What is the tallest mountain in Indonesia?
Puncak Jaya. It is over 16,000 feet high.
18. What is the largest lake in Indonesia?
Lake Toba. This huge crater lake is on the island of Sumatra.
19. What is the national motto of Indonesia?
Unity in Diversity. Indonesia has over 300 ethnic groups.
20. Where is the country located?
Southeast Asia. It’s an equatorial archipelago between Asia and Australia.
Riddles about Indonesian Wildlife
21. What is the national animal of Indonesia?
The Komodo dragon. These large lizards only live in Indonesia.
22. What is the fastest land animal in Indonesia?
The marbled cat. This elusive wild cat can run up to 35 miles per hour.
23. What crawls on six legs when young and eight as an adult?
A crab. Indonesia has many species of crabs.
24. What animal has the most species in Indonesia?
Bats. Over 200 species of bats live in the country.
25. What fish builds elaborate circular nests?
The Giant gourami. These labyrinth fish are found in Indonesia.
26. What giant lizard is only found on some Indonesian islands?
The Komodo dragon. It’s the largest lizard species in the world.
27. What primate has a very long nose?
The Proboscis monkey. Found only on Borneo island.
28. What colorful birds of paradise are native to Indonesia?
Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. Many bird of paradise species live in Indonesia.
29. What is the national airline of Indonesia?
Garuda Indonesia. Named after a mythical bird creature.
Riddles about Indonesian People and Language
30. What is the most populated island in Indonesia?
Java. It’s home to over half of Indonesia’s population.
31. About how many languages are spoken in Indonesia?
Over 700. It’s a hugely diverse country linguistically.
32. What is the official language of Indonesia?
Indonesian. Though hundreds of local languages exist.
33. About how many people live in Indonesia as of 2022?
Over 273 million. It’s the 4th most populous country.
34. What is the largest ethnic group in the country?
Javanese. From the densely populated island of Java.
35. Traditionally, with what weapon does the Tari Piring warrior dance?
Plates. The dance involves tossing plates in the air.
36. What ingredient is used to make tempeh?
Soybeans. Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans.
37. What is Cap Go Meh?
A festival celebrating the end of Chinese New Year.
38. What is the proper response to “terima kasih” in Indonesian?
“Sama-sama” meaning “you’re welcome.”
39. What does “selamat pagi” mean in Indonesian?
Good morning.
40. What does “sampai jumpa” mean?
Goodbye or see you later.
Riddles about Indonesian Food
41. What spicy condiment is popular in Indonesia?
Sambal. Typically made from chili peppers, vinegar and spices.
42. From what plant is tempeh made?
Soybean. Tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans into a patty.
43. What snack is made from deep fried bananas?
Pisang goreng. This popular treat can have various toppings.
44. What rice dish is cooked in bamboo stalks?
Nasi liwet. This rice gets extra flavor from the bamboo.
45. What soup has beef, tomatoes, and nutmeg?
Soto betawi. A hearty soup from Jakarta.
46. What grilled meat comes on a stick?
Satay. These skewers of meat come with peanut sauce.
47. What dessert has layers of pandan flavored jelly?
Kue lapis legit. The layer cake is colorful and sweet.
48. What drink is made from coffee beans yet tastes sweet?
Kopi luwak. The beans have been eaten and excreted by civets.
49. What rice and egg dish is a popular breakfast?
Nasi goreng. This fried rice can have many mix-ins.
50. What vegetable salad includes green beans and bean sprouts?
Gado gado. The vegetables come with a peanut dressing.
Riddles about Indonesian History
51. What was Indonesia called before independence in 1945?
The Dutch East Indies. It was a Dutch colony for over 300 years.
52. What is the largest Buddhist temple in the world?
Borobudur. This 9th century temple is in Central Java.
53. What president ruled Indonesia for over 30 years?
Suharto. His “New Order” regime started in the 1960s.
54. What explorer from Portugal colonized parts of Indonesia in the 1500s?
Afonso de Albuquerque. He captured Malacca and surrounding areas.
55. What commodity was hugely valuable and traded out of Indonesia for centuries?
Spices. The original “Spice Islands” produced nutmeg, cloves, pepper and more.
56. What empire ruled Indonesia in the 1300s?
Majapahit Empire. Based in East Java, it controlled much of the archipelago.
57. What strait connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans?
The Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.
58. What island was the base for Indonesia’s independence movement?
Java. Many early nationalist leaders were Javanese.
59. What year did Indonesia first gain independence?
1945. After World War II and the end of Dutch rule.
Conclusion
Indonesia’s long history and rich culture provide endless mysteries to explore through riddles. These brain teasers test your knowledge about this fascinating country made up of thousands of islands. From tropical wildlife, diverse ethnic groups, flavorful foods and ancient sites, Indonesia has something to pique everyone’s curiosity. Hopefully these 59 riddles have taught you a bit more about Indonesia in an entertaining way.
