Аннотация:Abstract Russia never had any colonial territory in the region of Indian Ocean. So the main interest of any Russian venture including traveling here was dictated either by the interest to promote trade relations or to pursue mere scientific objectives. True to say due to the fact that the region was controlled by European countries which established trade monopoly here, the trade between Russian and this region was conducted not directly but through the European metropolises. One of the first Russian travelers to the region was a merchant named Afanasy Nikitin who visited India (?- 1472) 25 years before Vasco da Gama “opened” India for Europe. His notes published under the title The Journey Beyond Three Seas is a document of great interest. The first Russian expedition to explore this region and circumnavigate the Earth took place later (in 1803–1806) and was headed by a naval officer I. F. Krusenstern (1770- 1846). He prepared and published in 1823-1826 “The Atlas of the Southern Sea” in which he described the sailing routes along the Eastern cost of Sumatra and Sunda Strait. During his voyage around the world (1852-1855), the Russian writer Goncharov (1812- 1891) visited Java and devoted his best narration about it in his travelogue, a chronicle of the trip, The Frigate Pallada (The Frigate Pallas) published in 1858. The famous Russian scholar and traveler Miklukho-Maklai (1846 - 1888) made his field research in the Malacca Peninsula and Java in the 1870’s. Many Russian scientists were working in Bogor Botanical Garden in Indonesia. Their accounts gave enthusiastic description of the natural and picturesque sceneries of this region. But they also paid attention to the social and cultural phenomena. M. I. Venyukov (1832-1901), a wellknown geographer and traveler, for instance, gave analysis of the British colonial rule, while I. F. Krusenstern ordered to copy “Malay Annals” and brought it back to Russia. The narratives of Russian scientists and travelers are of great value and are considerable contribution to our knowledge about Indian Ocean in the past.