Indonesia has long been one of the most popular countries to visit in Asia, and for good reason too. Think the most spectacular islands, white sandy beaches, tasty food, temples, culture, exotic wildlife and so much more. For backpackers there are affordable activities and accommodation throughout the country.
Are you interested in visiting Indonesia? Want to know what the highlights are, how easy is it to travel, if it is affordable and also tips to make this trip epic? View my guide!
Indonesia Booking Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Search cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Find the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Indonesia Tours
One of the easiest and most fun ways to discover the highlights of Indonesia is on a small group adventure tour. Lots of local and international travel operators offer trips every month, I recommend TruTravels, G Adventures or Contiki.
Getting to Indonesia
The main entry points into Indonesia are Denpasar, Bali and Jakarta, Java. Or, be imaginative and fly into Singapore before catching a ferry to Sumatra. Alternatively, fly into Kuala Lumpur and take a similar journey from Malacca or Penang in Malaysia.
How to Get Around
Navigating Indonesia is fairly easy but getting around safely is a different story altogether! I would go for a tour, discover the highlights then enjoy some chill out time at the end to get the most out of awesome Indonesia rather than having to worry about buses and local transport.
Bali is Indonesia’s most famous tourist hub, with plenty of accommodation options, especially in the hotspots of Ubud, Kuta and Nusa Dua; which are the best places to arrange onward travel to Lombok and the Gili Islands.
Garuda Indonesia is the national airline, offering domestic flights, as well as connections to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Rail travel in Indonesia is limited to Sumatra and Java.
Most backpackers take the inter-island ferries, and bemos (basically minibuses) or auto rickshaws. Looking for an insider tip? Remember to bring US$25 for your visa on arrival.
Top Places to Go
Indonesia has so much to offer, across a huge range of islands, so it can be difficult to travel at any speed between your chosen destinations. However, some of the main highlights are easily accessible within a short space of time.
Here is some of the most popular tourist destinations and attractions you need to see.
Although it is super famous and popular with tourists, no list of places to go in Indonesia would be complete without including Bali. The weather is great all year round and it is easy to go everywhere.
There are so many adventures, from parasailing, going on a flying fish, snorkelling, swimming and sunbathing, island hopping, cycling, and of course a few messy nights out!
Learning about traditional Balinese people and the culture is incredible. In my opinion Kuta doesn’t offer a true Balinese experience, so you are best to head elsewhere on the island. Sanur is a great alternative where you can visit the local food market, or stroll along the beach.
Elsewhere on the island you have the opportunity to climb Gunung Batur, an active volcano located in the centre — it’s a fairly easy climb, with amazing views. In the north of the island, there is the chilled out beach resort of Lovina; the beach has black sand and you can venture out to see the dolphins, learn to cook some Balinese delicacies or head out to the natural hot springs.
You need to travel to the Gili Islands, which are like tiny pieces of paradise. They’re really chilled islands, with the opportunity to do lots of diving or snorkelling with all sorts of marine life and turtles.
Komodo
Another great spot a little further away is the island of Komodo, where you can see the famous Komodo Dragons.
Bukit Lawang, Sumatra
In this lesser known town in northern Sumatra there are miles of forest which is inhabited with many orangutans. The treks here are great with some of the best guides I have ever used. After only 4 hours into the trek I had seen 8 orangutans and that included a 6 month old baby one.
Java
Travelling across Java has many rewards with main highlights being watching the sun rise over Mount Bromo and Yogyakarta which will be your base for seeing two amazing temples of Borobudur, Prambanan and the Dieng temple complex.
Borobudur
Outside of Bali, southern Java has Gunung Bromo and the temples of Borobodur. Gunung Bormo is another active volcano and a great climb, it offers a good contrast to Batur. Borobudur is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is famously beautiful at sunrise, when the tiers of stupas and soft light smother the magnificent structure.
Borobudur is tucked away in the remote jungle of Central Java, the ruins of Borobudur extend up the verdant hillside and overlook the smoking top of the volcano Mt. Merapi. Built in the 9th century as a Buddhist temple, the site consists of several Buddha statues hidden underneath latticed domes of stonework.
If you climb to the top of the structure, be sure to turn around and admire the view of the treetops and the volcano. If you go at sunrise, the way the light hits the Buddha statues is truly spectacular. A visit to Borobudur can also be combined with a trip to see the nearby Hindu temple Prambanan, which was built during the same period.
If you go at night you can see scenes of the Ramayana performed, with the dancers in full traditional costume. You can also climb nearby Mt. Merapi, or visit cultural centre and semi-autonomous sultanate Yogyakarta, just a few hours to the south.
Other
• Jakarta – the huge bustling capital city
• Raja Ampat – a scuba diving Mecca
• West Papua
• Labuan Bajo
Overall, Indonesia offers some amazing things and is easily one of my favourite destinations in Asia.