where is the island of Java located

Sumatra is basically sitting right there in western Indonesia. I've sailed past that region quite a few times, and honestly, it's pretty hard to miss once you're heading toward the Indian Ocean. It's the big island that stretches out northwest to southeast, acting like a massive barrier between the Andaman Sea and the Java Sea.

Whenever we're plotting a course through those waters, you really get a feel for how massive the place is. It sits right on the equator, which makes the weather pretty unpredictable when you're navigating around the coast. Just look at a map and it’s that long, jagged piece of land tucked right below the Malay Peninsula.