So many superlatives, so little time. Indonesia is like a vast necklace of islands, each with its own personality, and I never feel like I have enough time to see it all. With ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites and over 17,000 islands (only about 6,000 are inhabited), there’s enough to keep you exploring for years. Deciding where to go is the biggest challenge when choosing an Indonesia itinerary.
I’ll focus on eight main islands, along with a side trip to Bali (because I still can’t resist):
I’ve been traveling to Indonesia since 1976, when my parents moved to Jakarta for work. Altogether, I’ve spent over 18 months there, broken up into shorter trips over decades. So why isn’t there more Indonesia content on Inga’s Adventures? Honestly, I get overwhelmed trying to figure out how to cover it all. But here goes. This article will share some itinerary ideas, and I’ll go into more detail in future posts.
For those of us coming from North America, Indonesia is a long haul—20+ hours and at least one layover. Jetlag is a big problem for me, but the Timeshifter app helps. I hope you have at least two weeks to make the trip worthwhile. If you only have a week, I suggest focusing on one, or at most two, locations that really interest you. You could start with Jakarta, or Jakarta plus one other stop. Or maybe you just want to crash on a beach in Bali—no judgment. I’ll admit, even when I’m headed somewhere else, I often squeeze in a few days in Bali because it’s still hard to resist.
One thing to keep in mind: Indonesia is incredibly diverse, and that includes religion and local customs. While the country as a whole has the largest Muslim population in the world, the vibe can differ greatly from island to island. Some areas are more conservative, especially parts of Sumatra and Java. Bali is primarily Hindu, while many of the eastern islands, like Flores and West Papau, are largely Christian. You’ll also find elements of animism, especially in more remote communities. It’s one of the things that makes Indonesia so fascinating—but it also means it’s good to read up a bit on local norms before you go.
I usually begin trip planning starting from the western islands, moving east. Jakarta, on the island of Java, is in the west and has the easiest airport access at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK).
Scan through the list and see what is most appealing to you. Then, put your itinerary together. Group the islands you want to see and avoid hopping from one end of the archipelago to the other (it can take 9 hours to fly end to end). Group the western islands together (Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan), the central islands (Bali, Flores, Sulawesi), or head to the most remote parts in the east, including West Papua and other islands such as the Maluku Islands or Nusa Tenggara.
One week (choose one island)
Two weeks (two islands)
Mix and match from the one-week options:
Longer trips: Keep adding islands or go deeper with intensive activities like mountain climbs, yoga retreats, or 7–14-day diving/snorkeling trips. You can also push into more remote areas such as the interior of West Papua (with a guide), West and East Nusa Tenggara (including Timor) or the Maluku Islands (including Ambon and Halmahera Islands).
Consider leaving part of your itinerary open as you may discover different destinations, and you’ll be a pro by the end. Last-minute travel is easy in Indonesia.
Java: Jakarta, the financial hub, has a shiny downtown, the leafy Kebayoran Baru neighborhood, and Old Town. In Jakarta, the National Museum (aka Elephant Museum, so named for the elephant statue in front) and Old Town (the seat of Dutch Government) are valuable for visitors seeking to understand more about Indonesian culture and history. The Indonesian Heritage Society provides English-language tours through the National Museum.
In Jogjakarta, the ancient cultural center, history goes back much further. Most visitors want to visit the Borobudur Buddhist temple and the Prambanan Hindu temple, dating back to the eighth and ninth centuries. After so much intensive cultural immersion, climbing Mount Bromo can be refreshing to watch the live cauldron of an active volcano. If you have more time, there are three other national parks on the eastern end of Java.
Transportation: Fly into Jakarta to start. Use the Grab rideshare app or Bluebird Taxi on the ground. I recommend taking the train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta during the day. The scenic ride takes about eight hours and moves from a dense urban environment to rice paddies, then winds up and down through hills and valleys. Ground transportation can be used to access parts of eastern Java from Yogyakarta and there’s a ferry over to Bali. Or there are many flights out of Yogyakarta.
Sumatra: This large island to the west of Java is known for orangutans (in Gunung Leuser National Park), beautiful Lake Toba (You can visit a lake on Samosir island in Lake Toba on the island of Sumatra–it goes on and on), stunning beaches and excellent diving and snorkeling.
Transportation: There are direct flights into Medan from hubs in SE Asia such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok as well as Jakarta.
Kalimantan: The massive island north of Java is known as Borneo for the parts owned by Malaysia and Brunei, and as Kalimantan for the huge Indonesian segment. This is one island I haven’t visited, but it’s on my list. It’s best known for rainforests, orangutans and other endangered species, overnight stays on klotok river houseboats, and diving/snorkeling. On the Borneo side, climbing Mount Kinabalu (13,435 feet/4,095 meters on a two-day trek is a popular activity.
Transportation: Flights are available from Jakarta and other airports in Indonesia, as well as Singapore and Malaysia.
Bali: Bali still deserves a mention, though my focus here is beyond Bali. If you’ve been going hard visiting temples or have been doing something intense like a hiking or dive trip, you might need some downtime at the beach in Kuta or a yoga retreat in Ubud. Also, Bali tends to be a hub for transportation and planning for trips further east in the archipelago. My strategy in Bali is to avoid driving long distances, meaning anything longer than 10 minutes to a restaurant. There’s still magic to be found, but it’s not on the clogged roadways. Find a place you want to be, walk everywhere, and relax.
Transportation: There’s an international airport in Bali with direct flights to far-flung destinations. There are ferries over to Java and Lombok, and fast boats to the Gili Islands.
Lombok: So close to Bali that you can get there in 1.5 hours on a fast boat, Lombok features beautiful beaches and a climb up Mt Rinjani (12,224 feet/3726 meters).
Transportation: A regular ferry connects Padang Bai in Bali with Mataram in Lombok. There is an international airport in Mataram.
Gili Islands: The Gili Islands are perfect for relaxing and not doing much. These tiny atolls are good for swimming, doing a little snorkeling (but don’t expect much), reading and drinking beer. You can walk around each of them in a couple of hours. They are a fun excursion from Bali or Lombok for a couple of days. They are too tiny to handle much development—already Gili Trawangan is known for its lively party scene and nightclubs, so don’t expect a peaceful romantic getaway. Gili Meno is the smallest and quietest. Gili Air is bigger than Gili Meno and livelier than Gili Meno.
Transportation: Fast boats are available from several locations on Bali, including Padang Bai. If you’re traveling from Lombok, ferries ply the waters between Bangsal, at the northern end of Lombok, and the Gilis, as well as other locations.
Sulawesi: Sulawesi, with several long peninsulas radiating from a center, is known as the Orchid island. It’s located near the center of the Coral Triangle, a vast area of ocean known for its reef-building corals and marine biodiversity, so diving and snorkeling are popular. In addition, the Toraja culture, with their animistic beliefs and elaborate funeral rituals involving burial sites carved into rocky cliffs and massive boat-shaped traditional houses known as tongkonan, is fascinating, and changing fast as people convert to Christianity. Sulawesi also has excellent beaches and diving/snorkeling.
Transportation: There are flights from Bali and Jakarta and other destinations.
Flores: This is one of the most accessible extensions from Bali because it’s a short flight. The Komodo Islands are accessed from Labuan Bajo, with incredible snorkeling and Komodo Dragon viewing. If you have more time, an overland trip through Flores offers a glimpse of a fast-disappearing way of life.
Transportation: There are easy flights from Bali and Jakarta to Labuan Bajo, the most common airport to fly into.
West Papua: West Papua shares the second-largest island in the world with the independent Papua New Guinea. Sorong, in West Papua, is the main jumping-off city to Raja Ampat, a distinct archipelago of 1500 small islands spread over 27,000 square miles in the Coral Triangle. Raja Ampat is in the global epicenter of tropical marine biodiversity. This is often considered a must-see destination by serious divers and snorkelers. There are many liveaboard, dive resorts and homestays. Sorong is also a gateway to interior tribes living traditional lifestyles.
Transportation: Transportation can be challenging. There are a few flights a day from other parts of Indonesia, mostly in the middle of the night. There are some ferries. Most high-end resorts provide their own boat transportation.
This is a quick taste of a few islands worth exploring—this will help you plan your Indonesia itinerary. I’ll be sharing more detailed posts soon, so stay tuned—or better yet, subscribe so you don’t miss them.
Previous Post
john compisi says:
Photos are amazing. Hreat tips.
Belia King says:
Dear Inga. I have been to Indonesia 3 times and try to see different areas every time. Like you said, Bali, still draws me back. I am thinking of doing a few days on the northern part of Bali and ending up in Amed. Would you recommend this as a off the beaten track and not too touristy trip? I am a solo traveler over 50 and love the fact that I feel safe traveling on my own.
Inga Aksamit 2 says:
I think that sounds nice and might still be off the beaten track. I’ve spent time in Northern Bali and Padang Bai to the east but not in Amed. Looks like it’s peaceful there and good for snorkeling. Lovina Beach was less peaceful than expected because of the number of restaurants blaring loud music even if no one was there. Have you been to Mt Batur? That could be on your way and I enjoyed the hot springs there. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there so please report back after your trip!