Lonely Planet Indonesia

By David Eimer

Lonely Planet’s Indonesia is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Explore Komodo National Park, patrolled by the world’s largest lizard, unwind on the sugar-white sand and turquoise waters of the Gili Islands, and experience a Balinese dance performance on Indonesia’s most famous holiday island; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Indonesia and begin your journey now!

 

Inside Lonely Planet’s Indonesia Travel Guide:

Up-to-date information - all businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak

Top experiences feature - a visually inspiring collection of Indonesia’s best experiences and where to have them

What's new feature taps into cultural trends and helps you find fresh ideas and cool new areas

NEW pull-out, passport-size 'Just Landed' card with wi-fi, ATM and transport info - all you need for a smooth journey from airport to hotel

Planning tools for family travellers - where to go, how to save money, plus fun stuff just for kids

Colour maps and images throughout

Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests

Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, websites, transit tips, prices

Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss

Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics

Over 135 maps 

Covers Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Papua, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi

 

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet’s Indonesia, our most comprehensive guide to Indonesia, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled. 

 

About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day. 

 

'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' – New York Times

 

'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Release date: Apr 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781838695507

David Eimer

David Eimer is the author of the critically acclaimed The Emperor Far Away: Travels at the Edge of China. A former China correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph, Eimer was the Southeast Asia correspondent for the Daily Telegraph between 2012 and 2014. He is currently based in Bangkok.

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Indonesia

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Contents

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Indonesia

Indonesia’s Top Experiences

Need to Know

First Time Indonesia

Month by Month

Itineraries

Outdoor Adventures

Family Travel

Regions at a Glance

ON THE ROAD

JAVA

Jakarta

Thousand Islands

West Java

Banten

Merak

Carita

Labuan

Ujung Kulon National Park

Bogor

Around Bogor

Cimaja

Cibodas

Gede Pangrango National Park

Cianjur

Bandung

North of Bandung

Ciwidey & Around

Bandung to Pangandaran

Pangandaran

Around Pangandaran

Central Java

Wonosobo

Dieng Plateau

Borobudur

Yogyakarta

South Coast

Kaliurang & Kaliadem

Selo

Prambanan

Solo

Gunung Lawu

Tawangmangu

North Coast

East Java

Surabaya

Trowulan

Pulau Madura

Malang

Around Malang

Purwodadi

Gunung Arjuna-Lalijiwo Reserve

Gunung Penanggungan

Batu

South-Coast Beaches

Blitar

Panataran

Pacitan

Watu Karang

Probolinggo

Gunung Bromo & Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park

Bondowoso

Ijen Plateau

Kalibaru

Jember

Meru Betiri National Park

Alas Purwo National Park

Banyuwangi

Baluran National Park

BALI

Kuta & Southwest Beaches

Kuta & Legian

Seminyak

Kerobokan

Canggu Region

Canggu

South Bali & the Islands

Bukit Peninsula

Sanur

Denpasar

Nusa Lembongan & Islands

Ubud Region

Ubud

South of Ubud

North of Ubud

East Bali

Bangli

Klungkung (Semarapura)

Sidemen

Gunung Agung

Coast Road to Kusamba

Padangbai

Candidasa

Amlapura

Tirta Gangga

Amed & the Far East Coast

Tulamben

Central Mountains

Danau Bratan Area

Gunung Batukau Area

Gunung Batur Area

North Bali

Lovina

Pemuteran

Singaraja

Taman Nasional Bali Barat

West Bali

Pura Tanah Lot

Balian Beach

Jembrana Coast

NUSA TENGGARA

Lombok

Mataram

Lembar

Southwestern Peninsula

Senggigi

Sire

Northwest Coast

Senaru

Sembalun Valley

Tetebatu

Praya

Kuta

East of Kuta

West of Kuta

East Lombok

Gili Islands

Gili Trawangan

Gili Meno

Gili Air

Sumbawa

West Sumbawa

East Sumbawa

Komodo & Rinca Islands

Komodo

Rinca

Flores

Labuan Bajo

Manggarai Country

Bajawa

Around Bajawa

Riung

Ende

Kelimutu

Moni

Paga

Maumere

Waiara

Wodong

Alor Archipelago

Kalabahi

Around Kalabahi

West Timor

Kupang

Around Kupang

Soe

Around Soe

Kefamenanu

Around Kefamenanu

Rote

Nemberala

Around Nemberala

Sumba

Waingapu

East Sumba

South Central Sumba

West Sumba

MALUKU

North Maluku

Pulau Ternate

Pulau Tidore

Pulau Halmahera

Pulau Ambon

Kota Ambon

Southern Leitimur

Eastern Leihitu

Northern & Western Leihitu

Lease Islands

Pulau Saparua

Pulau Seram

Masohi, Namano & Amahai

Northern Seram

Banda Islands

Bandaneira

Pulau Gunung Api

Pulau Banda Besar

Pulau Hatta

Pulau Ai

Pulau Run

Kei Islands

Tual & Langgur

Pulau Kei Kecil

Pulau Kei Besar

PAPUA

West Papua

Sorong

Raja Ampat Islands

Manokwari

Around Manokwari

Northern Papua

Jayapura

Sentani

Around Sentani

Pulau Biak

Nabire

Baliem Valley

Wamena

Northeastern Baliem Valley

Northwestern Baliem Valley

Yali Country

Southern Papua

Merauke

Wasur National Park

Asmat Region

Korowai

SUMATRA

North Sumatra

Medan

Bukit Lawang

Tangkahan

Berastagi & Around

Parapat

Danau Toba

Sibolga

Pulau Nias

Gunung Sitoli

Traditional Villages

Pantai Sorake & Teluk Lagundri

Teluk Dalam

Aceh

Banda Aceh

Pulau Weh

Aceh’s West Coast

Banyak Islands

Gunung Leuser National Park

West Sumatra

Padang

Pantai Bungus & Sungai Pinang

Mentawai Islands

Bukittinggi

South of Bukittinggi

Danau Maninjau

Kerinci Valley

Bengkulu

Riau

Pekanbaru

Dumai

Pulau Batam

Pulau Bintan

Jambi

South Sumatra

Palembang

Lampung

Tanjung Setia & Krui

Bandar Lampung

Way Kambas National Park

Gunung Krakatau

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

KALIMANTAN

West Kalimantan

Pontianak

Singkawang

Sintang

Putussibau

Sukadana

Gunung Palung National Park

Central Kalimantan

Tanjung Puting National Park

Pangkalan Bun

Kumai

Palangka Raya

Sebangau National Park

South Kalimantan

Banjarmasin

Kandangan

Loksado

East & North Kalimantan

Balikpapan

Samarinda

Sungai Mahakam

Muller Mountains

Kutai National Park

Berau

Merabu

Derawan Archipelago

North Kalimantan

SULAWESI

South Sulawesi

Makassar

Malino

Pantai Bira

Pulau Liukang Loe

Pulau Selayar

Taka Bonerate Islands

Watampone

Sengkang

Pare Pare

Tana Toraja

Mamasa Valley

Mamasa

Central Sulawesi

Tentena

Poso

Lore Lindu National Park

Palu

Donggala & Tanjung Karang

Luwuk

Ampana

Togean Islands

North Sulawesi

Gorontalo

Manado

Pulau Bunaken & Pulau Siladen

Tomohon

Bitung

Pulau Lembeh & the Lembeh Strait

Tangkoko-Batuangas Dua Saudara Nature Reserve

Southeast Sulawesi

Kolaka

Kendari

Bau Bau

Wakatobi Islands

UNDERSTAND

History

Culture

Arts & Crafts

Food & Drink

Environment

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

Accommodation

Climate

Customs Regulations

Embassies & Consulates

Electricity

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBT+ Travellers

Maps

Money

Photography

Post

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Taxes & Refunds

Telephone Services

Time

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Volunteering

Women Travellers

Work

Transport

Getting There & Away

Entering the Country

Air

Land

Sea

Getting Around

Air

Bicycle

Boat

Bus

Car & Motorcycle

Hitching

Local Transport

Train

Tours

Health

Before You Go

In Indonesia

Language

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

COVID-19

We have re-checked every business in this book before publication to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.

Welcome to Indonesia

Gliding across the Banda Sea, from one stunning island to another, temple-hopping around Yogyakarta, beach-bumming in Bali and Nusa Tenggara, bar- and club-hopping in Jakarta, wishing I had more time to explore the jungles of Kalimantan or wind my way through Sulawesi’s mountains. Indonesia is so vast and varied that it’s impossible to be bored here. And then there are the people, an astonishing mix of races and cultures and all welcoming you with a smile and hello. What’s not to love?

Balinese Legong dancer| CAHAYA_IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES ©

By David Eimer, Writer

david-eimer-2012-col-jpg

For more about Our Writers

Indonesia’s Top Experiences

1ISLAND PARADISES

With 17,000-odd islands to choose from in Indonesia, there are endless opportunities to bounce from one idyllic little discovery to the next. Nor are these island paradises generic in any way. You’ll find big cultural, geographical and religious variations as you travel across the archipelago, making for fascinating journeys, as well as those picture-perfect, palm-fringed, white-sand beaches that you’ve been dreaming of.

Togean Islands | ANDRE DJOHAN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Gili Islands

One of Indonesia’s greatest joys is hopping on a fast boat from busy Bali and arriving on one of the irresistible Gili Islands. Think sugar-white sand, bathtub-warm, turquoise waters teeming with sharks, rays and turtles and wonderful beach resorts and bungalows.

Gili Trawangan| ALEKSANDAR TODOROVIC/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Banda Islands

The Banda Islands offer a rich and intoxicating cocktail of history, culture and raw natural beauty. Draped in jungle and clove and nutmeg trees, fringed with white-sand beaches and surrounded by clear blue seas and pristine reefs, this remote archipelago is a wonder.

Pulau Run | CROESEJ/GETTY IMAGES ©

Togean Islands

Almost smack on the equator, the blissful, off-grid Togean Islands are an unadulterated vision of the tropics: blinding white-sand beaches, majestic coral reefs, a smattering of fishing villages, homestay digs and a jungly interior packed with wildlife.

Jetty, Togean Islands | ASIATRAVEL/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

2ORANG-UTANS & DRAGONS

Indonesia is one of the most biodiverse environments on Earth and a great place for animal adventures. The undoubted stars of the show are the orang-utans of Borneo and Sumatra – the only places on the planet where these great apes can be found in the wild – and Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizards.

Tanjung Puting National Park

The African Queen meets jungle safari in this ever-popular national park in southern Kalimantan, where you can get up close to Asia’s largest ape, the orang-utan, and also cruise the jungle aboard your own private klotok.

Orang-utan | ALBERTO CARRERA/GETTY IMAGES ©

Komodo National Park

Indonesia’s best-known national park features hulking mountainous islands blanketed in savannah and patrolled by Komodo dragons. There’s also big nature beneath the water’s surface here, including lots of sharks and manta rays.

Komodo dragon | GUDKOV ANDREY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Gunung Leuser National Park

This vast expanse of steamy tropical jungle draped across the mountains and valleys of northern Sumatra is paradise for both naturalists and adventure travellers. Come here to hike in search of lethargic orang-utans.

Thomas’s leaf monkey, Gunung Leuser National Park | DONYANEDOMAM/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

3TEMPLE HOPPING

Indonesia isn’t as well known for temples as its neighbours, yet you’ll find some of the region’s most ancient and beautiful ones here. Borobudur is a must-see and one of the most important Buddhist sites in the world. Java and Bali are also home to stunning, sometimes hidden away, temples that serve as reminders of both Indonesia’s cultural and religious diversity and its long history.

Borobudur

The breathtaking Borobudur Temple complex is a stunning and poignant epitaph to Java’s Buddhist heyday in the 9th century and a highlight of any visit to Indonesia.

Buddha, Borobudur Temple | ARTIE PHOTOGRAPHY (ARTIE NG)/GETTY IMAGES ©

Prambanan

Comprising the remains of some 244 temples, this enormous World Heritage–listed 9th-century wonder near Yogyakarta in Java is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and one of Southeast Asia’s major attractions.

Prambanan Temple | LEONID ANDRONOV/GETTY IMAGES ©

Pura Luhur Batukau

On the slopes of Gunung Batukau and surrounded by forest, Pura Luhur Batukau is one of Bali’s most important temples: a misty, remote place steeped in ancient spirituality.

Sculpture, Pura Luhur Batukau | MTCURADO/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

4CULTURE & CLUBS

Java and Bali are especially rich in culture, but fine music, dance, theatre, painting, puppetry and artisan crafts can be found throughout Indonesia. Yogyakarta and Solo are hubs of traditional Javanese culture, while Ubud on Bali has become known as a cultural centre thanks to the movie and book Eat, Pray, Love. For contemporary music and clubs head to Jakarta, home to some of Southeast Asia’s best nightlife.

Legong dance | BICHO_RARO/GETTY IMAGES ©

Balinese Dance

Enjoying a Balinese dance performance is a highlight of a visit to Indonesia’s most famous holiday island. The haunting sounds, elaborate costumes, careful choreography and light-hearted comic routines add up to great entertainment.

Ubud

The artistic heart of Bali, Ubud exudes a compelling spiritual appeal. There are art galleries galore, nightly dance performances and any number of cultural events to enjoy.

Jakarta Nightlife

One of Southeast Asia’s best-kept party secrets, Jakarta has everything from superstylin’ lounges frequented by the oh-so-beautiful crowd, to low-key bars, alt-rock music venues and pumping electronic dance music clubs.

Top Experiences

5OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Indonesia offers countless opportunities for hiking – or travelling by boat – through some of the most spectacular landscapes you’ll ever see. Bali and Java offer treks manageable for anyone reasonably fit, but if you really want to get away from it all you can dive into remote mountain valleys inhabited by minority peoples, trek through remote rainforests or navigate rivers that seem to wind forever through the jungle.

Kerinci Valley

High in the mountains, Kerinci Valley is a photogenic landscape of lakes, forests, waterfalls, lush rice paddies and traditional villages that’s perfect for off-grid adventures.

Tea plantation, Kerinci Valley | HIDJRI AZIM/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Baliem Valley

Trekking in the Baliem Valley is the highlight of a trip to Papua for most visitors and takes you into the world of the Dani, a mountain people whose traditional culture still stands proud.

Dani tribesperson | GUDKOV ANDREY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Tana Toraja

Tana Toraja in southern Sulawesi offers beautiful valleys and rice terraces, coffee plantations, timeless villages and fascinating Torajan architecture and culture.

Batutumonga, Tana Toraja | FABIO LAMANNA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

6UNDERSEA LIFE

With so many islands and so much coral, Indonesia offers wonderful possibilities for diving and snorkelling. This is also one of the cheapest places to dive in Southeast Asia. The Raja Ampat Islands are the jewel in the crown – home to the greatest diversity of marine life on the planet – but you’ll find stunning drop-offs, eye-popping coral and endless fish all across the archipelago.

Raja Ampat Islands

These remote islands off Papua’s northwest tip are a diver’s dream. The coral is pristine and there are fish of every size, shape and hue you can imagine. The snorkelling is fine as well.

Hawksbill turtle, Pulau Misool | GEORGETTE DOUWMA/GETTY IMAGES ©

Pulau Bunaken

The water around Pulau Bunaken is more beautiful than you could imagine: 300 types of coral, 3000 species of fish, to say nothing of armchair-sized turtles, dolphins and dugong.

Nembrotha kubaryana, or variable neon slug, Pulau Bunaken | HANSGERTBROEDER/GETTY IMAGES ©

Pulau Weh

This island off the northern tip of Sumatra has easy offshore access to an aquarium-like wonderworld of colourful fish and marine life.

Top Experiences

7LITTLE-SEEN BEACHES

With 17,000-plus islands, you’re never too far from a beach in Indonesia. In fact, there are so many seductive strips of sand that the hard part is deciding which one to go to. Some places – Bali and the Gili Islands – draw the party crowd. But there are hundreds of beaches where your footprints will be the first for a while. Here are three lesser-known favourites.

Banyak Islands

This chain of largely uninhabited sandy dots fringed by pristine coral reefs has Sumatra’s best beaches: all sugary white sand and crystal clear waters. It’s the perfect place to play Cast Away.

One of the Banyak (Many) Islands | FBXX/GETTY IMAGES ©

Rote

Just southwest of West Timor, laid-back and little-visited Rote has mile after mile of powdery white-sand beaches, some with epic surf, with hardly anyone on them.

Rote | PAOLOARSIE/GETTY IMAGES ©

Karimunjawa Islands

Around 90km off the north coast of Central Java, the Karimunjawa Islands are a group of 27 coral-fringed beauties with some of the finest beaches in all of Indonesia.

Pantai Tanjung Gelam, Karimunjawa Islands | ARI WID/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

8INDONESIA ON A PLATE

Indonesia’s food scene is better than ever. World-class restaurants abound on Bali and in the major cities, and there are now excellent eateries even in remote regions such as Maluku, Flores and West Timor. Indonesian cuisine reflects the country’s multicultural history and there are many regional variations, but you’ll find nasi campur – literally ‘mixed rice’ but essentially the dish of the day – everywhere you go.

Nasi campur with side dishes | ARIYANI TEDJO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Bali Asli

The ultra-fresh nasi campur at this restaurant and cooking school in East Bali might be the best you’ll ever taste. But all the Balinese and Indonesian dishes on offer here are bursting with flavour.

Nusa

Perhaps Jakarta’s finest upmarket Indonesian restaurant, the menu at stylish Nusa changes nightly depending on what the chefs source from the best local markets and suppliers.

Historia

Eat your way around the archipelago at this hip Jakarta restaurant with a menu of dishes from across Indonesia. The Javanese noodles and grilled chicken satay are superb.

Top Experiences

9UNDER THE VOLCANO

There are around 400 volcanoes in Indonesia and almost a third of them are active, but that doesn’t mean you can’t climb them for stunning summit sunrises. Some – such as Gunung Api in the Banda Islands – can be scaled in an arduous three hours or so. Others require overnight treks. Frequent eruptions mean that you’ll need to check the current activity status of any volcano before ascending.

Gunung Rinjani

Dominating the northern half of Lombok, the active Gunung Rinjani (3726m) is Indonesia’s second-tallest volcano. Sacred to Hindus and Sasaks, it’s one of the most popular peaks to climb.

Gunung Rinjani | AMTHINKIN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Gunung Krakatau

One of the world’s most infamous and volatile volcanoes, Krakatau is still highly active. If it’s rumbling, you won’t be allowed to climb it.

Gunung Krakatau erupting | STOCKTREK IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES ©

Gunung Agung

Prone to frequent eruptions – the last in 2019 – Gunung Agung can be climbed in a tough four to six hours. The reward is tremendous views across Bali.

Gunung Agung | RAUNG BINAIA/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

10 CATCHING A WAVE

Indonesia is a surfer’s paradise. You can catch waves all across the archipelago with new breaks being discovered every year. Bali attracts the crowds but Java, Nusa Tenggara and Sumatra – arguably the hottest surf spot in Indonesia right now – offer superb waves, too. There are surf schools and board rental at the most popular sites on Bali and Java, so you’ve got no excuse for not getting wet.

Kuta Beach

Kuta Beach is where surfing began in Asia and tourism started in Bali. Unlike many of Indonesia’s prime surf sites, this is a good spot for beginners and there’s lots of surf infrastructure.

Surfing, Kuta Beach | TRUBAVIN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Mentawai Islands

You’ll find some of the world’s best waves off Sumatra’s Mentawai Islands. There are dozens of legendary breaks and consistent surf all year round.

Surfers, Mentawai Islands | JOHN SEATON CALLAHAN/GETTY IMAGES ©

G-Land

East Java’s Plengkung – better known to surfers as G-Land – is one of the world’s premier surf spots with consistently perfect waves and long rides.

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

rupiah (Rp)

Language

Bahasa Indonesia

Visas

Visas are not hard to obtain, but the most common – 30 days – is short for such a big country. Even the 60-day visa can feel restrictive.

Money

ATMs and money changers are widespread across Indonesia’s cities and tourist areas. In remote areas, ATMs don’t always work and rates of exchange are often poor.

Mobile Phones

Cheap SIM cards and internet calling make it easy to call from Indonesia at reasonable prices.

Time

Western Indonesian Time (GMT/UTC plus seven hours); Central Indonesian Time (GMT/UTC plus eight hours); Eastern Indonesian Time (GMT/UTC plus nine hours).

When to Go

03-climate-ido13-jpg

High Season (Jul & Aug)

A Tourist numbers surge across Indonesia, from Bali to Sulawesi and beyond.

A Room rates can spike by 50%.

A Dry season except in Maluku and Papua, where it is rainy.

Shoulder (May, Jun & Sep)

A Dry season outside Maluku and Papua.

A Best weather in Java, Bali and Lombok (dry, not so humid).

A You can travel more spontaneously.

Low Season (Oct–Apr)

A Wet season in Java, Bali and Lombok (and Kalimantan flowers).

A Dry season (best for diving) in Maluku and Papua.

A Easy to find deals and you can travel with little advance booking (except at Christmas and New Year).

Useful Websites

Inside Indonesia (www.insideindonesia.org) News and thoughtful features.

Jakarta Globe (https://jakartaglobe.id) Top-notch national English-language newspaper.

Jakarta Post (www.thejakartapost.com) Indonesia’s original English-language daily.

Tiket.com (www.tiket.com) A convenient way for foreigners to purchase flights with their credit cards. Download the app.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/indonesia) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.

Important Numbers

Mobile phones are everywhere in Indonesia now; numbers usually start with 08 and don’t require an area code.

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than 500,000Rp

A Simple rooms: less than 200,000Rp

A Cheap street meals: less than 40,000Rp

A Local transport such as bemos: from 5000Rp

Midrange: 500,000–2,000,000Rp

A Double rooms with air-con: 300,000–800,000Rp

A Cheap flights to shorten distances: from 500,000Rp

A Guides and meals in restaurants, each 250,000–800,000Rp

Top End: More than 2,000,000Rp

A Stay at resorts or boutique properties in remote places: more than 850,000Rp

A Flights and cars with drivers to get around: 500,000–1,000,000Rp

A Special tours for activities such as diving; top restaurants on Bali: more than 1,000,000Rp

Opening Hours

The following are typical opening hours across Indonesia.

Banks 8am to 3pm Monday to Friday, to 1pm Saturday

Government offices Generally 8am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, to noon Friday

Post offices 8am to 2pm Monday to Friday (in tourist centres, main post offices are often open longer and/or on weekends)

Restaurants 8am to 10pm

Shopping 9am or 10am to 5pm; larger shops and tourist areas to 8pm; many closed Sunday

Arriving in Indonesia

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Jakarta) Jakarta is the primary entry point to Indonesia, but most people merely change planes here before continuing on to their final destination. If staying in Jakarta, you can reach your hotel by taxi (220,000Rp, 45 minutes to two hours), train (70,000Rp, 45 minutes) or bus (40,000Rp, 45 minutes to two hours).

Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar) Bali is the only airport with significant international service apart from Jakarta. Prepaid 24-hour taxis are available to all parts of Bali. It’s 80,000Rp for Kuta, 130,000Rp for Seminyak and 300,000Rp for Ubud.

Getting Around

Transport in Indonesia takes many forms.

Boat Slow and fast boats link the many islands, but beware of rogue operators with dodgy safety standards.

Bus Buses of all sizes travel almost everywhere cheaply and slowly.

Car Rent a small car for US$30 a day (Bali), get a car and driver from US$60 a day.

Motorbike Rent one for as little as 70,000Rp a day.

Becak Motorbike with sidecar; Indonesia’s version of a tuk tuk.

Ojek Get a cheap ride on the back of a motorbike. Used everywhere.

Taxi Fairly cheap in cities, can be pricey in tourist areas.

For much more on Getting Around

First Time Indonesia

For more information, see Survival Guide

Checklist

A Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months.

A It’s easiest to apply for a 60-day visitor visa in your home country.

A Organise travel insurance, diver’s insurance and an international driving permit.

A Get a medical check-up and clearance if you’re planning to dive.

A Inform your bank and credit-card company of your travel plans.

What to Pack

A Sunscreen and insect repellent; both are hard to find outside tourist areas.

A Earplugs for the mosque and traffic wake-up calls.

A A torch (flashlight).

A A sarong – it’s a fashion statement, blanket, beach mat, sheet, mattress cover, towel and shade from the sun.

A Phone adaptor.

Top Tips for Your Trip

A Check the weather before you decide when and where to go: Indonesia is so vast that the different regions have their own weather patterns.

A Avoid visiting during Ramadan: many places will shut down or are booked solid, and much of the population is on the move.

A Flights are inexpensive and flying between destinations not only saves time, but is more convenient and comfortable.

A Hop on board the local transport: it’s cheap and a good way to hang out with people.

A If you’re heading off the beaten track take plenty of cash: ATMs don’t always work and you often can’t change money.

What to Wear

Light, loose-fitting clothes are the most comfortable in the tropical heat. If you’re trekking in the jungle, or hiking up volcanoes and to higher elevations, bring sturdy footwear, rain gear and a jacket or fleece. When visiting temples or mosques, wear clothes that cover shoulders, elbows and knees. Bring something smart if you’re planning on fine dining or hitting the nightlife in Jakarta or Bali.

Sleeping

Accommodation in Indonesia ranges from the very basic to the super-luxurious. It’s wise to reserve well in advance in the most touristed areas, especially if you’re visiting during the peak months of July, August and December.

Hotels Often excellent in tourist destinations. Standards drop quickly elsewhere.

Guesthouses Can range from boutique-style to simple family-run operations.

Hostels Generally found in the most visited places: Jakarta, Bali, Flores, Gili Islands.

Homestays Often the only option in remote areas.

Camping Possible in national parks and on some multiday hikes.

Villas High-end villas are a popular choice in Bali.

Safety

Security in touristed areas increased after the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings but has since been relaxed. The odds you will be caught up in such a tragedy are low. Luxury hotels that are part of international chains tend to have the best security, though they also make the most tempting targets, as shown in Jakarta in 2003 and 2009. Suicide bombers did strike a bus terminal in East Jakarta in 2017, killing three policemen, and churches in Surabaya were targeted in May 2018 in attacks that killed 28 people, but such incidents remain rare.

Bargaining

Many everyday purchases in Indonesia require bargaining. Accommodation has a set price, but this is usually negotiable in the low season. Bargaining can be an enjoyable part of shopping, so maintain your sense of humour and keep things in perspective. As a general rule, if prices are displayed, prices are fixed; if not, bargaining may be possible.

Tipping

Tipping is not generally practised across much of Indonesia, but in popular tourist destinations like Bali a small gratuity for services is now expected.

Restaurants (Bali) 10% is the standard tip now.

Hotels Most midrange and all top-end hotels and restaurants add 21% to the bill for tax and service (known as ‘plus plus’).

Taxis, Massages & Porters A tip of 5000Rp to 10,000Rp is appreciated.

Etiquette

Places of worship Be respectful. Remove shoes and dress modestly when visiting mosques; wear a sash and sarong at Bali temples.

Body language Use both hands when handing somebody something. Don’t display affection in public or talk with your hands on your hips.

Clothing Avoid showing a lot of skin, although many local men wear shorts. Don’t go topless if you’re a woman (even in Bali).

Photography Before taking photos of someone, ask – or mime – for approval.

Hindu temple in Bali | DAVIDEANGELINI/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Eating

Indonesia has many eating options. Usually, you only need to reserve in advance at high-end places in the big cities or tourist destinations.

Restaurants Found in cities and tourist destinations.

Rumah makan Literally ‘eating house’ and less formal than restaurants.

Warung Simple open-air joints that often specialise in one particular dish.

Street vendors The locals choice for basic noodle and soup dishes.

Markets Fantastic for fresh fruit.

Month by Month

TOP EVENTS

Galungan & Kuningan, dates vary

Pasola, February & March

Idul Fitri, May

Tana Toraja Funeral Festivals, July & August

Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, October

January

The near-perfect temperatures in Bali draw many Europeans searching for warmth.

z Gerebeg

Java’s three most colourful festivals are held annually in Yogyakarta at the end of January and April and the beginning of November. Huge numbers of people in traditional dress march in processions with garish floats, all to the tune of gamelan music.

February

It’s the dry season in the east. This is a good time to hit dive and snorkel sites in Maluku and Papua, where the waters will be especially clear.

z Pasola

Nusa Tenggara’s biggest festival: vividly dressed teams of horsemen engage in mock, though sometimes bloody, battles in West Sumba. Often coincides with Nyale in Lombok, a huge fishing festival celebrated by the Sasaks.

z Cap Goh Meh

Dragons and lions dance on Chinese Lunar New Year in ethnic communities across Indonesia. Some of the most colourful are in Singkawang, where these creatures dance alongside seemingly possessed Chinese and Dayak holy men during Kalimantan’s biggest Chinese Lunar New Year celebration.

March

The rainy season is tailing off in Java, Bali and western Nusa Tenggara, and this is a good time to visit Indonesia as crowds are few and options are many.

z Nyepi

Bali’s major Hindu festival, Nyepi, celebrates a new year on the religious calendar. It’s marked by inactivity – to convince evil spirits that Bali is uninhabited. The night before sees community celebrations with ogoh-ogoh, huge papier-mâché monsters that go up in flames. March or early April.

May

The weather in Java and Bali is ideal, but in the eastern parts of the Indonesian archipelago the rainy season is set to start.

z Waisak

A key festival for Indonesia’s Buddhists, Waisak commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Gautama Buddha. Thousands of worshippers gather at Java’s Borobudur temple complex on the first full moon of May.

z Idul Fitri

Idul Fitri is the traditional end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, and this huge weeklong holiday sees tens of millions of people travelling to their home villages or holidaying in places like Bali. Avoid travelling if possible. The date is slightly earlier each year.

June

A relaxed time in Indonesia that sees few crowds anywhere. June tends to be very hot around much of the archipelago, but the dry season is just around the corner.

z Danau Sentani

The Danau Sentani festival features spectacular traditional dances and chanting as well as boat events, music, crafts and more. A highlight of Papua’s north, it centres on lakeside Kalkhote, near Sentani town.

z Danau Toba Festival

This week-long festival in mid-June features canoe races on Sumatra’s famus crater lake as well as Batak cultural performances.

July

Visitor numbers are high in Bali and other areas popular with tourists. July is often the coolest and driest time of the year outside Maluku and Papua, where it is the rainy season.

z Tana Toraja Funeral Festivals

A Sulawesi highlight and an excellent reason to visit the island. Held during July and August, the ceremonies often shock first-time visitors. Toraja working throughout the country return home for celebrations and funeral rituals.

August

Independence Day on 17 August sees parades and celebrations in Jakarta and across the country. You’ll see school kids practising their marching in the prior weeks. Bali gets busy with Australians escaping winter.

z Erau Festival

Every August thousands of Dayaks from across Kalimantan attend the Erau festival in Tenggarong, a vast intertribal party punctuated by traditional dances, ritual ceremonies and other events. It draws folk dancers worldwide; plan ahead to reserve space.

3 Bidar Races

Spectacular bidar (canoe) races are held on South Sumatra’s Sungai Musi in Palembang every 17 August and 16 June (the city’s birthday). There is also a dragon-boat festival in Padang in July or August. Up to 60 rowers power these boats.

z Baliem Valley Festival

A celebration of indigenous culture in Papua’s Baliem Valley, with mock ‘tribal fighting’, full traditional regalia, dance and music. The festivities take place over two days during the second week of August.

September

The driest month of the year on Kalimantan and so perfect for orang-utan spotting.

October

A good month for travel with few crowds and many good deals. It’s the start of rainy season in Java and Bali.

2 Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

This Ubud festival brings together scores of writers and readers from around the world in a celebration of writing – especially that which touches on Bali. Its reputation grows each year.

3 Madura Bull Races

Bull racing is the major sport on Pulau Madura, off Java. Teams compete throughout the year to make the finals held annually in Pamekasan. These competitions feature over 100 racing bulls and legions of fervent fans. Note, the festival is associated with animal-welfare issues.

November

It’s the rainy season across western Indonesia. But it’s perfect weather for diving in Maluku and Papua.

December

Popular tourist areas are very busy from the week before Christmas through New Year’s. It’s prime time for diving in areas such as Maluku’s Banda Islands.

z Galungan & Kuningan

One of Bali’s major festivals, Galungan celebrates the death of the legendary tyrant Mayadenawa. Over 10 days the gods come to earth for the festivities. Barong (mythical lion-dog creatures) prance through temples and villages. Locals rejoice with family feasts. The date changes each year.

Itineraries

Beaches, Bars, Bodies & Bliss

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2 WEEKS

Mix the offbeat with the sublime in Indonesia’s heart of tourism.

Start in Bali, acclimatising in the resorts, clubs and shops of Seminyak. Dose up on sun at the beach, then explore the perfect little beaches and surf breaks of the Bukit Peninsula.

Head north to immerse yourself in the ‘other’ Bali – the culture, temples and rich history of Ubud. Take a cooking course, unwind at a spa, wander the rice paddies and see Bali’s famous traditional dance. Then escape to the misty mountains for treks to waterfalls amid coffee plantations in and around Munduk.

Next is Lombok. Take the ferry from Bali’s port town of Padangbai to Lombok’s launching pad of Lembar. Head to Kuta for mellow vibes amid the wonderful beaches of south Lombok. Then potter through the rice fields and Hindu temples around Mataram.

Ferry from Bangsal to the deservedly celebrated Gili Islands, where seamless beaches, translucent water and vivid reefs beg for snorkelling. Or if time’s short, catch a fast boat directly to the Gilis from Bali.

Itineraries

The Java Jaunt

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3 WEEKS

Indonesia’s most populous island mixes the nation’s future and past with natural beauty.

Begin in Jakarta and wrap your senses around the dizzying smells, sounds, sights and people of Indonesia’s teeming capital. Linger long enough to binge on Bintang beer and splurge in the city’s shops, then head to Batu Karas for classic laid-back beach vibes or go for the resorts of nearby Pangandaran.

After you’ve worshipped the sun for a week or so, catch the train to Yogyakarta, Java’s cultural capital. Dabble in batik, amble through the kraton (walled city palace) and part with your rupiah at the vibrant markets. A day trip to majestic Borobudur is a must.

From Yogyakarta, journey to the laid-back city of Solo, via the enigmatic temples of Prambanan. From there, visit Malang and its cluster of nearby Hindu temples. Then head into the clouds at awesome Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, spending a night on the lip of Tengger crater. Finally, hike to the magnificent turquoise sulphur lake of Kawah Ijen on the Ijen Plateau

Itineraries

Sumatra

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6 WEEKS

Sumatra is big and you’ll have to hustle to fully appreciate its myriad natural charms within visa constraints.

Start your explorations in Medan, then head out of town to Bukit Lawang to see the island’s famous residents, the orang-utans. It’s a short jaunt from here to Berastagi, a laid-back hill town amid volcanoes.

Head northwest to Ketambe for truly wild orang-uatan encounters in Gunung Leuser National Park. Then take a bus to Banda Aceh, from where it’s a short boat ride to world-class diving at Pulau Weh. Take a bus along the coast south (or fly) and venture off the west coast to the Banyak Islands, a surfing and beach paradise. Back ashore, follow the Trans-Sumatran Hwy south to Bukittinggi, a good base for exploring the cultures and beauty of the Harau Valley and Danau Maninjau.

More surf, sand and underwater joy await at the Mentawai Islands. Next, head inland to the volcanic Kerinci Valley and Kerinci Seblat National Park for remote jungle villages. Finally, head far south to Way Kambas National Park, where the highlights include elephants. From here, it’s easy to catch the Java ferry.

Itineraries

Nusa Tenggara

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6 WEEKS

Lombok is well-known to visitors and Flores is also popular, but the island province of Nusa Tenggara holds many more surprises.

Head east from Lombok. Admire the beautiful coastline and surf breaks such as Maluk and Pantai Lakey that dot Sumbawa. Catch the ferry to Flores, where Labuan Bajo is the fast-growing hub for exploring nearby Komodo National Park. Enjoy dragons and small, beautiful island beaches.

Flores is a rugged volcanic island with thriving ancient cultures and dramatic terrain, which is increasingly explored via the fast-improving Trans-Flores Hwy. Visit Bajawa to explore volcanoes and villages, then use mountainside Moni as a base for visiting the vivid waters at Kelimutu. Savour the lovely beaches near Paga.

Now take a ferry south to isolated and timeless Sumba, where superb beaches such as Waikabubak and Tambolaka are starting to attract visitors. After indulging in sun and isolation, fly to Kupang in West Timor. Visit entrancing ancient villages like None, Boti and Temkessi in the surrounding areas to the east, then jump over to Rote for relaxed beach vibes.

Itineraries

The Great East

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4 WEEKS

Papua is the launching pad for this route through some of Indonesia’s most exotic and beautiful territory. You can do it in 30 days with judicious use of flights; otherwise take your time for the full land and sea adventure.

Start at the transport hub of Jayapura. But you’ll only be there long enough to charter a boat to visit the magnificent Danau Sentani, a 96.5-sq-km lake with 19 islands perfect for inland island-hopping.

Back on dry land, take to the air to get to the beautiful Baliem Valley, rich in culture and hike-worthy mountain scenery, jumping-off point for treks into the little-explored Yali Country, and home to the Dani people, an ethnic group whose members have eschewed most modern things and live a traditional life. Enjoy mountain views from a thatched hut.

Fly to Nabire via Jayapura and spot whale sharks off the coast – you can even swim with them. Then fly up for some idle island time on Pulau Biak. Next it’s a flight to Sorong, a base for trips out to the Raja Ampat Islands – a paradise for divers and snorkellers, with Indonesia’s most abundant and varied marine life.

Itineraries

Indonesia’s Island Core

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8 WEEKS

Explore two of Indonesia’s greatest concentrations of islands in these little-visited regions.

In Makassar pause amid the pandemonium for excellent seafood. But don’t overdo it, as you want to be fully alive for the elaborate funeral ceremonies in Tana Toraja, a nine-hour bus trip from Makassar. From here, another long bus ride takes you to the mountain-lake town of Tentena, from where you can access the ancient megalithic statues of Lore Lindu. A four-hour shared-car journey whisks you to Ampana, where you take a ferry to the amazing, beguiling Togean Islands for days of island-hopping between iconic beaches.

Tearing yourself away, boat to Gorontalo, then board a bus or plane to Manado and take a boat to laid-back Pulau Bunaken. Fly from Manado to Pulau Ternate, which is as pretty a tropical island paradise as you’ll find. From there, fly onto Kota Ambon on Maluku’s Pulau Ambon. Pause only briefly, then take the fast ferry to the crystalline seas, multicoloured reefs and empty beaches of the Banda Islands. Finally make the jaunt by boat southeast to the Kei Islands, for perfect beaches.

Itineraries

Postcards Come to Life

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6 WEEKS

Mysterious rivers of unfathomable length that wind through the jungle are the avenues via which travellers can discover Kalimantan’s incredible diversity of life, including orang-utans.

Unassuming Pangkalan Bun is the entry point to this excursion – it’s the launching pad for trips into glorious Tanjung Puting National Park, one of the prime places for spotting orang-utans. Scan the canopy for their amber bodies from the upper deck of a klotok (houseboat) as it drifts down the beautiful Sungai Sekonyer.

From Pangkalan Bun, fly or take the overnight bus to colourful Banjarmasin. Make sure to visit its animated floating markets, one of the most photogenic sights in Kalimantan. Detour for some hiking and bamboo rafting in the remote hills around Loksado. From Banjarmasin, travel overland to Samarinda and make an expedition along Sungai Mahakam. Several days upstream will land you in the river’s western reaches, which are peppered with semi-traditional Dayak villages and preserved forests. Travel back to the coast and head north to primitive, teardrop-shaped Pulau Derawan and its offshore underwater wonders.

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Plan Your Trip

Outdoor Adventures

Indonesia’s volcanic archipelago geography creates a thrilling range of adventure opportunities. The many seas offer superb diving and snorkelling, and some of the world’s most famous waves for surfers. On land, its string of dramatic volcanoes, wildlife-filled jungles and rushing rivers are an adventurer’s delight.

Best Experiences

Best Beach

The beaches of South Lombok, especially those that line the bays around Kuta (Lombok, not Bali), are stunning and worthy of the trip.

Best Diving

The Raja Ampat Islands are on many a diver’s bucket list, and with good reason: the wealth and variety of marine life is nothing short of astonishing. Sumatra’s Pulah Weh is good too.

Best Surfing

Tough competition, but we say Sumatra for its pure perfection and consistency. The Mentawais and Nias are home to some of the world’s most legendary waves.

Best Hiking & Trekking

The Baliem Valley draws acolytes from around the world for hikes among some of the world’s most unique cultures.

Best Wildlife-Watching

Kalimantan’s Tanjung Puting National Park: anchor along one of its iconic rivers and watch orang-utans go about their business just metres away.

Beaches

With 17,000-plus islands, Indonesia has a lot of beaches. These range from the wildly popular beaches on south Bali to those for hardcore party people on the Gili Islands, and literally hundreds more where your footprints will be the first of the day.

Pantai is ‘beach’ in Bahasa Indonesia.

Note that sunscreen can be hard to find outside major tourist areas.

Gili Meno | STEVE PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Bali

Fabled for its beaches, Bali actually pales in comparison to scores of other islands in Indonesia. What the island does have is a thriving beach culture, with surfing and places to imbibe, ranging from the dead simple to the hipster-luxe. Locals and visitors alike pause on west-facing beaches at sunset.

Kuta Beach This is the original draw for tourists, with a golden-sand arc sweeping past Canggu to the northwest. Its beach breaks are good for both beginners and experienced surfers.

Bukit Peninsula Bali’s southern tip has famous surf spots and beaches such as Bingin and Padang Padang that feature little pockets of bright sand below limestone cliffs. The east side has reef-protected strands, such as the one at Nusa Dua.

East Bali A long series of open-water beaches begins north of reef-protected Sanur. Waves pound volcanic sand that ranges from a light grey to charcoal black.

Balangan Beach, Bukit Peninsula | ARKHIPENKO OLGA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Java

Beaches near cities in Java can be very busy on weekends, but venture a little further and you’ll find some great sand.

Batu Karas A simple village with two great beaches and a classic laid-back vibe.

Southeast of Yogyakarta Explore this beautiful coastline, a succession of alluring golden-sand coves divided by craggy headlands (but skip Parangritis, which is not in the same league).

Karimunjawa Islands Some 27 islands compose this offshore marine park, which gets very few visitors. It has some of the finest beaches in Indonesia.

Watu Karang East Java’s finest patch of white sand, worshipped by beach-lovers and surfers alike.

Maluku

The fine beaches here have barely been discovered.

Banda Islands Maluku’s best beaches are all in the Bandas. Charter a boat from Bandaneira and enjoy exquisite empty beaches on Pulau Hatta, Pulau Ai and Pulau Run (Rhun). The best of the Banda bunch is Pulau Neilaka, more a white sandbar than an island.

Kei Islands Sugary Pasir Panjang is ground zero for beach lounging. The petroglyph-swathed cliffs and mind-bending scenery at Ohoidertawun are also worth consideration. Rent a bike and make the two-hour trek to the stunning, remote and drop-dead-gorgeous beaches of Pantai Ohoidertutu. Otherwise charter a boat from Pulau Kei Kecil to Pantai Ngurtavur’s blinding white sandbar.

Nusa Tenggara

Nusa Tenggara is probably the region of Indonesia with the most beaches awaiting discovery.

Gili Islands The Gilis are easily reached from Bali and Lombok, and you can snorkel right off the blinding white sands. Gili Trawangan has one of the country’s most vibrant party scenes.

Lombok Head south for the pristine white-sand islands of Gili Asahan and the north coast of Gili Gede. Kuta is an immense series of one spectacular beach or bay after another. Get there, rent a motorbike and explore.

Sumbawa In west Sumbawa the best beaches are south of Maluk in Rantung and north in Jelenga. In the east, head to the Lakey area.

Flores Head to the islands off Labuan Bajo and you’ll find bliss, especially on Pulau Sebayur and Pulau Kanawa. Pantai Merah on Komodo Island is famous for its sublime pink-sand beaches. The Seventeen Islands Marine Park off the Riung coast also has a dozen remote islands with epic and empty white-sand beaches to laze upon.

Rote The main beach in Nemberala town is beautiful enough, but the beaches just get wider and whiter the further south you travel. Ba’a is the most beautiful of the bunch. We also enjoy the empty sugary beaches on nearby islands Pulau Do’o and Pulau Ndao.

WHEN TO GO

There are vast variations in the weather across the huge swath of islands that is Indonesia. Generally, dry season in Java, Bali, Lombok and Sumatra is May to September, while Maluku and Papua have their best weather from October to April. But exceptions are the rule, especially as the seasons increasingly become confused with changing weather patterns. You’ll want to research any location you plan to visit carefully if the weather will play a role in your enjoyment.

Papua

While Papua’s better known for its diving and hiking, word is getting out fast about its islands ringed with powdery white sand.

Raja Ampat Islands There are some divine and empty beaches here, but due to the high cost of reaching the area they tend to be enjoyed mainly as a secondary activity by people who are diving and/or snorkelling.

Pulau Biak The Padaido Islands off Pulau Biak have some decent beaches that are not too hard to reach.

Sumatra

The best beaches on this huge island are actually on tiny islands offshore.

Banyak Islands Banyak means ‘many’, and it’s true there are many fine beaches among the 99 islands in this remote and seldom-visited chain off Aceh.

Mentawai Islands Overshadowed by its reputation as a legendary surf destination, this island chain also features insanely beautiful beaches.

Pulau Bintan A gem in the Riau Islands, this island has some fine beaches where you can live the tropical fantasy in a hut.

Cycling

Cycling in Indonesia is booming. Lowland towns such as Yogyakarta and Solo in Java teem with bikes, and bicycles are gaining popularity in Bali. Lombok has good roads for cycling.

Cycling, Gili Meno | MANUEL SULZER/GETTY IMAGES ©

Bali

Bike tours are available across the island. Some are simple downhill jaunts through rice fields while others are much more adventurous.

Java

Yogyakarta is a big cycling centre; pedal out to see the Prambanan Temple. Bikes are also for rent at Borobudur, while Solo is another good place to join a bike tour.

Sumatra

Cycling the languid streets of Danau Toba is a great way to explore the island. On Danau Maninjau you can pedal around the crater lake.

Nusa Tenggara

Bicycles are available for hire on the Gili Islands; Trawangan is best suited for exploration.

Diving

With so many islands and so much coral, Indonesia offers wonderful possibilities for diving and is regarded as one of the cheapest places to do so in Southeast Asia.

Bali

Indonesia’s tourist hub has a plethora of excellent dive shops, schools and operators.

Nusa Penida Serious diving that includes schools of manta rays and 2.5m sunfish.

Pulau Menjangan Spectacular 30m wall off a small island. Good for divers and snorkellers of all skills and ages.

Tulamben A popular sunken WWII freighter lies right off the shore.

SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR DIVING

Before embarking on a scuba-diving or snorkelling trip, consider the following points to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience:

A Ensure you possess a current diving certification card from a recognised scuba-diving instruction agency.

A Be sure you are healthy and feel comfortable diving.

A Obtain reliable information about physical and environmental conditions at the dive site. Ask your operator or guide detailed questions.

A Dive only at sites within your realm of experience and engage the services of a certified dive instructor.

A Check your equipment thoroughly beforehand. In much of Indonesia, the equipment (if it’s available) may not be in top condition. Bali is your best bet for finding reliable equipment for hire.

Java

While the island isn’t known for its diving, there are some spots if you look.

Karimunjawa Islands These islands have some dive sites, including a century-old Norwegian wreck dive.

Kalimantan

Kalimantan has a growing number of dive resorts with house reefs and fast boats to access islands.

Derawan Archipelago Features a diverse range of sites: Pulau Derawan has excellent macro diving; Pulau Sangalaki is famous for mantas; Pulau Maratua has sharks, rays and barracuda.

Maluku

Diving has great promise here but is mostly undeveloped.

Banda Islands Seasonal dives can explore lava flow off Pulau Gunung Api, or the wonderful coral-crusted walls off Pulau Hatta, Pulau Ai and Pulau Run.

Pulau Ambon Something of a dive mecca. There are reef dives outside the bay off the Ambon coast, but most divers come here for the excellent muck diving on the slopes within Teluk Ambon.

Pulau Halmahera One of several untapped dive sites in North Maluku; get in touch with local guide Firman for tips on dive sites.

Nusa Tenggara

A vast range of diving opportunities awaits. Major destinations have land-based dive shops. For untapped dive sites, bring your own buoyancy control devices, regulators and computers (tanks are usually accessible) and explore Rote, Sumbawa and Sumba.

Gili Islands Among the best places to get certified worldwide; accessible reefs are within a 10-minute boat ride.

Lombok If you get lucky, you can see schooling hammerheads at Blongas, usually in mid-September.

Flores World-class sites within the Komodo National Park; in peak season up to 50 liveaboards ply these waters.

Alor Archipelago Crystalline waters and arguably the most pristine reefs in Indonesia, and you’ll have the sites almost all to yourself.

Pulau Moyo Pristine, colourful coral with plunging walls and a huge variety of marine life.

Coral, Komodo National Park | DON MAMMOSER/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Papua

Bring your own equipment to ensure you get the most out of the journey.

Raja Ampat Islands Among the best in the world for the diversity and quantity of marine life. It’s a remote area and quite expensive. Most divers head out on liveaboard boats for one- to two-week cruises, or stay at the handful of dive resorts.

Nabire Head out to dive with whale sharks; nearby is a coral reef home to giant clams, seahorses and a multitude of sharks.

Pulau Biak Take the plunge to explore a famous US WWII seaplane wreck.

Diving, Raja Ampat Islands | FRANTISEKHOJDYSZ/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Sulawesi

New dive areas are opening up, but favourites such as Bunaken are popular for a reason.

Pulau Bunaken Part of a large marine park, this island, which is easily reached from Manado, offers all sorts of diving.

Pantai Bira Varied marine life, including groupers, rays and occasional whale sharks, and colourful corals.

Lembeh Strait Muck diving at its finest; a weird and wonderful world of bizarre critters awaits discovery between Pulau Lembeh and Bintung.

Sumatra

Despite the diving potential on Mentawai and Banyak Islands, both remain the domain of surfers.

Pulau Weh One of Indonesia’s best diving locations is this small coral-ringed island with 20 dive sites featuring an incredible wealth of marine life. It continues to grow in popularity, while retaining its laid-back charm

Snorkelling

For many, there’s bliss to be found in the simplicity of snorkelling beautiful waters right off the beaches. Most dive operators will let snorkellers hitch a ride on trips, but don’t expect much in the way of decent masks and fins outside the most popular sites. Bring your own if you’re picky. There are also some wonderful free-diving outfits.

Bali

Bali is ringed by good snorkelling sites that are easily reached.

Pulau Menjangan A steady current takes you right along the edge of the beautiful 30m coral wall.

Tulamben A popular sunken WWII freighter is easily reached right offshore.

Amed This coastline along east Bali has plenty of colourful coral and fish directly off the beach.

Java

Java has some healthy coral reefs that make for good low-key snorkelling spots.

Karimunjawa Islands This archipelago has a number of islands fringed by colourful corals.

Baluran National Park An offshore site featuring a drop with plenty of fish and corals.

Kalimantan

Derawan Archipelago Features some of the country’s best snorkelling; head to its outer islands, as reefs around Pulau Derawan are damaged.

Maluku

There are plenty of accessible coral gardens on the many islands here.

Banda Islands Can be snorkelled, though you’ll need to free dive a bit to get the best views of the drop-offs. You might see turtles and sharks off Pulau Hatta.

Lease Islands These rarely visited islands, with wonderful clear waters, offer great snorkelling, including off uninhabited Pulau Molana.

Snorkelling, Banda Islands | FABIO LAMANNA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Nusa Tenggara

Nusa Tenggara has the best selection of snorkelling sites in the country. You can snorkel all the Moyo and Alor dive sites and share a boat with the divers.

Gili Gede Head to the southeast coast to visit Gili Layar and Gili Rengit to swim among masses of tropical fish and thriving, colourful coral.

Komodo The best snorkel sites are around Pulau Kanawa, Pulau Sebayur and off Pantai Merah.

RESPONSIBLE DIVING

The popularity of diving puts immense pressure on many sites. Consider the following tips when diving and help preserve the ecology and beauty of Indonesia’s reefs.

A Avoid touching living marine organisms with your body or dragging equipment across the reef. Never stand on coral.

A Be conscious of your fins. The surge from heavy fin strokes near the reef can damage delicate organisms. When treading water in shallow reef areas, take care not to kick up clouds of sand. Settling sand can easily smother delicate reef organisms.

A Practise and maintain proper buoyancy control. Major damage can be done by divers descending too fast and colliding with the reef.

A Don’t collect coral or shells.

A Ensure that you collect all your rubbish and any litter you find as well. Plastics in particular are a serious threat to marine life.

A Don’t ever feed the fish.

A The best dive operators will require that you adhere to these points.

Papua

Divers aren’t the only ones having fun here.

Raja Ampat Islands Many superb snorkelling sites are reachable just by walking off a beach or taking a boat. Dive resorts and homestays all offer snorkelling.

Nabire Snorkel with whale sharks.

Padaido Islands Great snorkelling with lots of colourful coral, caves, long walls and plenty of big fish and turtles.

Sulawesi

Sulawesi has a large number of great snorkelling sites.

Pulau Bunaken Great for snorkelling for many of the same reasons that it’s a good dive location.

Togean Islands Given the challenges in reaching these idyllic little gems, it’s nice that there’s good underwater action once you get here.

Sumatra

The best snorkelling is around the little islands offshore. Rudimentary day trips are available, but travellers are advised to bring their own snorkelling gear.

Banyak Islands The stunning gin-clear waters of the Banyaks have to be seen to be believed, with a heap of tropical fish, turtles and deep-sea creatures.

Pulau Weh This island off the northern tip of Sumatra has easy offshore access to an aquarium-like wonderworld of colourful fish and marine life.

Surfing

Indonesia lures surfers from around the globe, many with visions of empty palm-lined beaches, bamboo bungalows and perfect barrels peeling around a coral reef. The good news is that mostly the dreams come true, but just like anywhere else, Indonesia is subject to flat spells, onshore winds and crowding (particularly on Bali). A little research and preparation go a long way.

There are usually boards for rent (but don’t expect great quality), and surf schools are located at the major surf sites.

Surfing at Padang Padang, Bukit Peninsula | WONDERFUL NATURE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Bali

Despite the crowds, Bali remains a surfer’s paradise, with some of the best tubes in the world. Breaks are found right around the south side of the island, and there’s a large infrastructure of schools and board-rental places.

Kuta Beach Where surfing came to Asia. Generally a good place for beginners (unless it’s pumping), with long, steady breaks.

Bukit Peninsula From Bali’s largest sets at Ulu Watu and Padang Padang to world-class breaks at Balangan and Bingin, this is one of Indo’s best surf spots.

Keramas Right-hand break that’s fast, powerful and hollow. The world pro

Reviews for Lonely Planet Indonesia

[miaculpa-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I travelled around Java in about 2006 and found "Lonely Planet Indonesia" rather helpful. I checked out Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Java Man, Borobudur and Prambanan, and although I did get bitten on the scrotum by a Javanese fire ant, which hurt like all buggery, I can’t really blame this guidebook or Lonely Planet for that. I miss the hardcopy travel guides (my partner has an irrational hatred for them) but I pledge to buy one for my next trip.