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Destination guide · Indonesia
Indonesia: 17,000 islands, and Bali is just the beginning
Volcanoes that glow blue at night, dragons on dry islands, orangutans in the treetops and the richest coral reefs on Earth. Here's how to build your own Indonesia, one island at a time.
- 17,000+islands
- 280mpeople
- 700+languages
- 3time zones
Most people meet Indonesia through a single island. They fly into Bali, fall for the rice terraces and the temples, and fly home thinking they've seen the country. They've seen one island out of more than seventeen thousand, strung along 5,000 kilometres of the equator, from the rainforests of Sumatra to the coral seas of Papua: a distance wider than the continental United States.
That's the secret independent travellers are discovering. Bali remains one of the favourite long-haul trips for young British travellers who plan their own way, and with good reason. But it's also the perfect gateway. A short flight or a ferry ride away, there are volcanoes you can climb by starlight, villages where ancient funeral rites still bring whole communities together, and islands where you'll be the only visitor on the beach.
Indonesia is also one of the most diverse countries on Earth: some 280 million people, hundreds of ethnic groups and more than 700 languages. The national motto, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, means "unity in diversity", and you'll feel the truth of it every time you change islands.
Beyond Bali, in five views
Bali, done differently
Let's start where most trips do. The south of Bali, from Kuta to Canggu and Uluwatu, is busy, built-up and a lot of fun, with surf breaks, beach clubs and some of the best-value spas in the world. But the Bali that people fall in love with is mostly inland and east.
Base yourself in Ubud for a few days of temples, dance performances and cooking classes, then keep going. In the valley of Sidemen, rice terraces tumble down towards the river with Mount Agung, the island's sacred volcano, behind them. Around Munduk, in the cool northern hills, trails lead through clove plantations to waterfalls. And on the east coast, the fishing villages of Amed and Tulamben have black-sand beaches, calm water and a Second World War shipwreck you can snorkel over.
Bali's rhythm is set by its Hindu faith. Every morning, small palm-leaf baskets of flowers, rice and incense, called canang sari, are placed on doorsteps, shrines and even car dashboards; step around them. Each year, the island also observes Nyepi, the Day of Silence, usually in March: for 24 hours there are no flights, no traffic and no lights, and visitors must stay inside their hotel. It's one of the most extraordinary days you can spend anywhere.
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika: unity in diversity.
Indonesia's national motto, from a 14th-century Javanese poem
Nine islands and regions to know
You could spend a lifetime here and never run out of islands. These are the regions independent travellers love most, from the easy to the far-flung. Pick one to explore it.
The beating heart
Java
More than half of all Indonesians live on Java, and it has the country's great cities, its royal courts and its most famous temples. In Yogyakarta, the sultan still lives in his palace, and batik and shadow puppetry are living arts. To the east, a chain of volcanoes ends in the moonscape of Bromo and the electric-blue flames of Ijen.
Don't miss
- Sunrise at Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple
- Prambanan's soaring Hindu spires
- Mount Bromo from the Penanjakan viewpoint
- The blue fire of Ijen crater (night hike)
Eat Gudeg, jackfruit stewed in palm sugar, in Yogyakarta
Give it 5–7 days
The island of the gods
Bali
Yes, Bali, but not only the beach clubs. This is the one Hindu island in a mostly Muslim nation, and offerings of flowers and incense appear on every doorstep each morning. Head inland to the rice terraces of Sidemen, the lakes and waterfalls around Munduk, or the black-sand dive villages of Amed on the quiet east coast.
Don't miss
- A temple ceremony (wear a sarong and sash)
- The rice terraces of Sidemen, without the crowds
- Snorkelling the wreck at Tulamben
- Sunrise trek on Mount Batur
Eat Babi guling (spit-roast pork) and a Balinese rice table
Give it 5–7 days
Bali's quieter neighbour
Lombok & the Gilis
Just east of Bali, Lombok has the same volcanic drama with a fraction of the visitors: empty surf beaches in the south, Sasak villages, and Mount Rinjani, a 3,726-metre volcano with a crater lake. Off its north-west coast, the three tiny Gili islands have no cars or motorbikes, just bicycles, horse carts and turtles in the shallows.
Don't miss
- Snorkelling with turtles off Gili Air
- The three-day Rinjani crater trek
- The surf beaches around Kuta Lombok
- Sasak weaving villages
Eat Ayam taliwang, fiery grilled chicken
Give it 4–6 days
Dragons and coloured lakes
Komodo & Flores
The only place on Earth where Komodo dragons live in the wild: the world's largest lizards, up to three metres long, roam Komodo and Rinca islands with a ranger for company. Boat trips from Labuan Bajo add pink beaches, manta rays and the view from Padar island. Then cross Flores to the three crater lakes of Kelimutu, each a different colour.
Don't miss
- A ranger-led walk on Rinca or Komodo
- Sunrise on Padar island
- Manta rays at Manta Point
- Kelimutu's three coloured lakes
Eat Fresh grilled fish at the Labuan Bajo night market
Give it 4–7 days
Jungles and orangutans
Sumatra
Wild, huge and gloriously untouristy. In the rainforest at Bukit Lawang, you can trek with a guide to see Sumatran orangutans, one of the world's most endangered great apes. Further south, Lake Toba fills the crater of a super-volcano, with the Batak villages of Samosir island in the middle. Sumatra is also home to rendang, the slow-cooked dish that conquered the country.
Don't miss
- Jungle trek at Bukit Lawang
- Lake Toba and Samosir island
- The Minangkabau houses of West Sumatra
- Surfing the Mentawai islands
Eat Rendang and the whole Padang spread
Give it 5–7 days
The orchid-shaped island
Sulawesi
Sulawesi looks like a giant orchid on the map, and each arm feels like a different country. In the highlands of Tana Toraja, families build houses with roofs curved like boat hulls and hold funerals that can last for days, with the whole village invited. In the north, the reefs of Bunaken and the strange creatures of the Lembeh Strait draw divers from around the world.
Don't miss
- The tongkonan houses of Tana Toraja
- Diving the coral walls of Bunaken
- Muck diving in the Lembeh Strait
- The Togean islands, far from anywhere
Eat Coto Makassar, a rich beef soup
Give it 6–8 days
Rivers through the rainforest
Kalimantan (Borneo)
Indonesia's share of Borneo is mostly rainforest and river. The classic trip is a few days on a klotok, a wooden houseboat, along the rivers of Tanjung Puting National Park, sleeping on deck and stopping at feeding stations where orangutans swing out of the trees. The Dayak peoples' longhouses and crafts are the other reason to come.
Don't miss
- A klotok boat trip in Tanjung Puting
- Orangutans at Camp Leakey
- The Derawan islands' turtles and jellyfish lake
- Dayak longhouses
Eat River fish grilled over coals on the boat
Give it 3–5 days
The last paradise
Raja Ampat
At the far eastern edge of the country, off West Papua, hundreds of jungle-covered limestone islands rise from a sea that holds some of the richest coral reefs on the planet. Divers and snorkellers come for the fish, the mantas and the reef sharks; everyone else comes for the view from Piaynemo. Getting here takes time, which is exactly why it still feels untouched.
Don't miss
- The Piaynemo viewpoint
- Snorkelling straight off a homestay jetty
- Birds of paradise at dawn
- Manta rays at Manta Sandy
Eat Papeda (sago porridge) with yellow fish soup
Give it 7–10 days
The Spice Islands
Maluku
Five centuries ago, these tiny islands were the only source of nutmeg and cloves in the world, and European empires fought wars over them. The Banda islands still have Dutch forts, nutmeg groves shaded by giant almond trees, a smoking volcano and some of the clearest water you'll ever swim in.
Don't miss
- Nutmeg groves on Banda Besar
- Fort Belgica in Banda Neira
- Snorkelling over the lava-flow coral
- Climbing Gunung Api at dawn
Eat Fish in kenari (almond) sauce and nutmeg-fruit jam
Give it 4–6 days
Three routes to build your own trip
Indonesia rewards slow travel: distances are huge, and the best moments happen when you stay a few nights longer than planned. These routes are starting points. Swap islands in and out, and leave room for the unexpected.
2 weeks
Volcanoes and temples
First-timers who want more than a beach
- Yogyakarta3 nightsBorobudur, Prambanan, the sultan's palace and batik workshops
- Malang / Bromo2 nightsSunrise over the Bromo caldera, then down into the sea of sand
- Ijen1 nightA night hike to the blue fire and the turquoise crater lake
- Bali: Sidemen & Ubud4 nightsRice terraces, temples and a cooking class
- Bali: Amed3 nightsSnorkelling, sunrise over Mount Agung and slow days
3 weeks
Island-hopping east
Beach lovers who want adventure too
- Bali4 nightsEase in with Ubud and the east coast
- Gili Air3 nightsTurtles, sunset swings and no traffic
- Lombok4 nightsThe Rinjani trek or the southern surf beaches
- Labuan Bajo4 nightsA two-night boat trip through Komodo National Park
- Flores overland5 nightsWaerebo village, Bajawa's hot springs and Kelimutu's lakes
3–4 weeks
The wild east
Divers, wildlife lovers and the curious
- Makassar1 nightFort Rotterdam and the pinisi boat harbour
- Tana Toraja4 nightsHighland villages, cliff graves and rice fields
- Togean islands5 nightsJellyfish lake, reefs and hammocks
- Manado & Bunaken4 nightsWall diving and the Lembeh Strait
- Raja Ampat8 nightsHomestays, mantas and the Piaynemo view
Fire and ice-blue flames: the volcanoes
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has more active volcanoes than any other country, around 130 of them. Many can be climbed, and the classic is an early start to watch the sunrise from the rim. Always check the current alert level and go with a licensed guide where it's required.
Bromo, Java
Watch the sun rise over a smoking cone in a vast caldera, then walk across its "sea of sand".
Ijen, Java
Electric-blue flames of burning sulphur at night, and a turquoise acid lake at dawn.
Rinjani, Lombok
A tough two- to four-day trek to the rim of a crater with a lake and a young volcano inside.
Kelimutu, Flores
Three crater lakes side by side, each a different colour, and they change over the years.
The best sunrises in Indonesia start at 2am, with a head torch and a volcano.
Dragons, apes and the richest reefs on Earth
Indonesia straddles the Wallace Line, an invisible boundary named after the Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. To the west, the animals are Asian: tigers, elephants and orangutans. To the east, they're closer to Australia's: cockatoos, marsupials and birds of paradise. Below the waves, the country sits in the heart of the Coral Triangle, home to more kinds of coral and reef fish than anywhere else on the planet.
Komodo dragons
The largest lizards on Earth, found only in a few islands of eastern Indonesia.
Orangutans
All three species live in Indonesia: two only on Sumatra, the third on Borneo.
Manta rays
Seen year-round at Komodo, Nusa Penida and Raja Ampat, with wingspans of several metres.
Coral reefs
Indonesia sits in the Coral Triangle, the world's richest marine region.
Sea turtles
Green and hawksbill turtles graze the seagrass off the Gilis and Derawan.
Birds of paradise
The extravagant dancing birds of Papua, best seen at dawn with a local guide.
Choose wildlife experiences that leave the animals in peace: rangers on Komodo, licensed guides in the orangutan forests, no touching or feeding on reefs, and no photos with captive animals. Reef-safe sun cream helps, too.
The flavours of an archipelago
Indonesian food is as varied as its islands: fiery in Sumatra and Sulawesi, sweeter in Java, pork-loving in Hindu Bali and Christian Toraja, fish-rich everywhere along the coast. The best meals are often in a warung, a small family-run eatery, or at a night market, where dishes cost a pound or two. A little sambal (chilli paste) goes a long way; ask for tidak pedas if you'd like it mild.
Nasi goreng
Fried rice with sweet soy and chilli, topped with a fried egg. Breakfast, lunch or midnight.
Rendang
Beef simmered for hours in coconut milk and spices until almost dry. From West Sumatra.
Satay
Skewers grilled over coconut-husk coals, with peanut or sweet soy sauce.
Gado-gado
Vegetables, tofu, tempeh and egg in a rich peanut dressing. Ideal for vegetarians.
Mie goreng
Fried noodles from the street-side warung, cooked fast over a roaring flame.
Tropical fruit
Mangosteen, rambutan, salak (snake fruit) and, if you dare, durian.
Most of the country is Muslim, so outside Bali, Toraja and parts of the east, food is usually halal and alcohol is less common. During Ramadan, many people fast from dawn to dusk: eat discreetly in the daytime, then join the crowds at the evening markets when the fast is broken.
Faith, craft and ceremony
Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, yet Bali is overwhelmingly Hindu, much of Flores and Papua is Christian, and ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples stand in the middle of Java. Respect is simple: cover your shoulders and knees at religious sites, wear a sarong at Balinese temples, take your shoes off when entering homes, and use your right hand to give and receive.
On Java, watch a wayang kulit shadow-puppet play, accompanied by a gamelan orchestra of bronze gongs and metallophones. Performances can last all night, and audiences come and go. In Tana Toraja, funerals are huge, joyful family occasions and visitors are often welcomed; go with a local guide, bring a small gift such as sugar or coffee, and ask before taking photos.
When to go
Travel lightly
- Stay longer, fly less: take ferries and slow boats between nearby islands, and fly only for the big jumps.
- Sleep local: family homestays, especially in Raja Ampat and Flores, keep your money in the community.
- Refill, don't buy: many cafés and hotels have water refill stations; carry a bottle.
- Hire local guides for volcano treks, jungle walks and village visits. It's often required, and always better.
- Dress for the place: beachwear is for the beach. Cover up in towns, villages and at temples.
- Leave the reef as you found it: no touching, standing or collecting shells and coral.
Why Indonesia stays with you
You'll come home with the photos, of course: the temple at dawn, the dragon, the impossible blue of a lagoon. But what stays with you is quieter. The family who invited you to their village ceremony. The boat captain who cooked fish over a fire on the deck. The call to prayer drifting across a rice field at dusk, answered by a gecko on the wall.
Bali is a wonderful place to start. Just don't let it be the place you stop. Selamat jalan: have a good journey.