1. Bali
Ubud
Perched among the terraced rice fields that climb up the foothills of Bali’s central mountains, Ubud is considered the island’s cultural heart. Ubud is home to the island’s most important museums, including the Neka Art Museum with its expansive collection of Balinese paintings. There are dance and music performances every day throughout the city as well as numerous art galleries and craft shops to explore. Although Ubud has long been valued as a great place to learn about Balinese culture, tourism in Ubud boomed exponentially after it was featured in the book and movie Eat, Pray, Love. Fortunately, it only takes a short walk or bicycle ride to escape from the crowds and commercialism. Ubud is surrounded by gently rolling rice paddies which create a beautiful impression of greenness.
Tanah Lot
Situated on a large rock, Tanah Lot is one of the most famous Hindu temples in Bali. It has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is one of 7 sea temples, each within eyesight of the next, to form a chain along the south-western coast of Bali. Tanah Lot is one of the most popular places to visit in Bali and the whole area can be very busy, especially in the late afternoons and before sunset. The area between the car park and the beach adjacent to the temple is a maze of souvenir shops selling just about every Balinese trinket imaginable. Once visitors have fought their way through the souvenir vendors to the beach, they will see the magnificent temple perched on a rock just a few meters offshore.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu
The largest resort area on the north coast of Bali, Lovina is best known for the black volcanic sand of its 5-mile beach. Encompassing several small villages, the area is a popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving adventures as the northern waters are calmer than those to the south. Local skippers operating the traditional outriggers known as perahu stand ready to take visitors to the best diving areas. The calm sea is perfect for swimming and dolphin watching too, making the area an ideal vacation destination for families.
Kuta
Once a sleepy fishing village, Kuta gained fame as a great spot for surfing during the 1970s, and it has remained Bali’s premier vacation destination ever since. Located on the southern point of the island in the village of Kelurahan, the long, broad stretch of sand one of the best-maintained and most scenic beaches on the island. Known for its active nightlife, the southern section of the beach is usually crowded, day or night. A short stroll to the north end of the beach, however, offers visitors a quiet sense of solitude.
Mount Batur
While it’s not the highest point on Bali, Mount Batur is situated on one of the island’s most dramatic landscapes. Dominating the northeastern section of Bali, the 1,717-meter (5,633-foot) peak is a sometimes-active volcano that includes four craters, a lake and several villages. Climbing to the top of Mount Batur to watch the sunrise is a popular activity. It’s a relatively easy climb that anyone in reasonable shape can achieve in around two hours. Visitors also come to Mount Batur to see Pura Ulun Danu Batur, one of Bali’s nine major Hindu temples.
Ulun Danu Beratan
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is a temple dedicated to the goddess of the lake is Ida Batari Dewi Ulun Danu on the edge of a huge crater. The dominant shrines are Meru’s (pagodas) dedicated to the lake goddess and the gods of Mount Batur and Mount Gunung Agung, the largest volcano in Bali. The temple was built in the 17th century in worship of the main Hindu trinity, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, as well as the lake goddess, Dewi Danu. The sight and cool atmosphere of the Bali uplands have made the lake and this temple a favourite sightseeing and recreational spot as well as a frequently photographed site. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, literally ‘the source temple of Lake Beratan’, is easily the island’s most iconic sanctuary sharing the scenic qualities with the seaside temples of Uluwatu Temple and Tanah Lot Temple. The smooth reflective surface of the lake surrounding most of the temple’s base creates a unique floating impression, while the mountain range of the Bedugul region encircling the lake provides the temple with a scenic backdrop.
Nusa Lembongan
Part of Bali Province, Nusa Lembongan is a small island located off the southeastern shores of Bali’s mainland. So small that visitors can tour the entire island on foot in three or four hours, Nusa Lembongan is a popular day-trip destination. The island’s beaches attract the most visitors. Named after the mushroom-shaped coral offshore, Mushroom Beach near the village of Jungutbatu features powder-soft white sand and clear turquoise waters. Many areas around Nusa Lembongan are also good for diving and snorkeling, with abundant marine life and healthly coral. Surfing can get a bit crowded, but the waves are good.
Tanah Lot
Situated on a large rock, Tanah Lot is one of the most famous Hindu temples in Bali. It has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is one of 7 sea temples, each within eyesight of the next, to form a chain along the south-western coast of Bali. Tanah Lot is one of the most popular places to visit in Bali and the whole area can be very busy, especially in the late afternoons and before sunset. The area between the car park and the beach adjacent to the temple is a maze of souvenir shops selling just about every Balinese trinket imaginable. Once visitors have fought their way through the souvenir vendors to the beach, they will see the magnificent temple perched on a rock just a few meters offshore.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu
The largest resort area on the north coast of Bali, Lovina is best known for the black volcanic sand of its 5-mile beach. Encompassing several small villages, the area is a popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving adventures as the northern waters are calmer than those to the south. Local skippers operating the traditional outriggers known as perahu stand ready to take visitors to the best diving areas. The calm sea is perfect for swimming and dolphin watching too, making the area an ideal vacation destination for families.
Kuta
Once a sleepy fishing village, Kuta gained fame as a great spot for surfing during the 1970s, and it has remained Bali’s premier vacation destination ever since. Located on the southern point of the island in the village of Kelurahan, the long, broad stretch of sand one of the best-maintained and most scenic beaches on the island. Known for its active nightlife, the southern section of the beach is usually crowded, day or night. A short stroll to the north end of the beach, however, offers visitors a quiet sense of solitude.
Mount Batur
While it’s not the highest point on Bali, Mount Batur is situated on one of the island’s most dramatic landscapes. Dominating the northeastern section of Bali, the 1,717-meter (5,633-foot) peak is a sometimes-active volcano that includes four craters, a lake and several villages. Climbing to the top of Mount Batur to watch the sunrise is a popular activity. It’s a relatively easy climb that anyone in reasonable shape can achieve in around two hours. Visitors also come to Mount Batur to see Pura Ulun Danu Batur, one of Bali’s nine major Hindu temples.
Ulun Danu Beratan
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is a temple dedicated to the goddess of the lake is Ida Batari Dewi Ulun Danu on the edge of a huge crater. The dominant shrines are Meru’s (pagodas) dedicated to the lake goddess and the gods of Mount Batur and Mount Gunung Agung, the largest volcano in Bali. The temple was built in the 17th century in worship of the main Hindu trinity, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, as well as the lake goddess, Dewi Danu. The sight and cool atmosphere of the Bali uplands have made the lake and this temple a favourite sightseeing and recreational spot as well as a frequently photographed site. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, literally ‘the source temple of Lake Beratan’, is easily the island’s most iconic sanctuary sharing the scenic qualities with the seaside temples of Uluwatu Temple and Tanah Lot Temple. The smooth reflective surface of the lake surrounding most of the temple’s base creates a unique floating impression, while the mountain range of the Bedugul region encircling the lake provides the temple with a scenic backdrop.
Nusa Lembongan
Part of Bali Province, Nusa Lembongan is a small island located off the southeastern shores of Bali’s mainland. So small that visitors can tour the entire island on foot in three or four hours, Nusa Lembongan is a popular day-trip destination. The island’s beaches attract the most visitors. Named after the mushroom-shaped coral offshore, Mushroom Beach near the village of Jungutbatu features powder-soft white sand and clear turquoise waters. Many areas around Nusa Lembongan are also good for diving and snorkeling, with abundant marine life and healthly coral. Surfing can get a bit crowded, but the waves are good.
2. Jakarta
The capital of Indonesia, everyone would inevitably find themselves visiting Jakarta as their first or last stop in Indonesia. Jakarta is also a very important international airport hub for the entire Indonesia serving many airlines to everywhere in the world. Your visit here would not be complete without getting absorbed into the hectic and congested city. Once attuned you would be ready to take on the rest of the country with ease. It has many hidden treasures, nightlife and is a shopping haven.
The capital of Indonesia, everyone would inevitably find themselves visiting Jakarta as their first or last stop in Indonesia. Jakarta is also a very important international airport hub for the entire Indonesia serving many airlines to everywhere in the world. Your visit here would not be complete without getting absorbed into the hectic and congested city. Once attuned you would be ready to take on the rest of the country with ease. It has many hidden treasures, nightlife and is a shopping haven.
3. Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta sits in a well-deserved fourth place here, thanks largely to its artsy character and cultural richness. Nestled between the great Buddhist rises of Borobudur – perhaps Indonesia’s best-known UNESCO site – and the rising volcanic domes of Central Java, it’s a place steeped in heritage. Check out the sprawling Kraton, which was once the stomping ground of Java’s sultans of old. This huge palace come museum is now packed with opulent carriages and pleasure gardens where the king’s harems once resided. Yogya is also known for its traditional craft markets, which erupt on Pasar Beringharjo and Kranggan each day – just try not to stay up drinking in the backpacker bars if you want to catch the best bargains!
>>> Hotels in Yogyakarta
Borobudur Temple
Colossal stupas carved from graphite-hued stone tower overhead; mysterious reliefs depicting old Buddhist tales mark the rocks in front. And on the horizon, the belching smoke trails of Central Java’s mighty volcanos issue steam and sulfur into the mountain chains. Welcome to Borobudur: perhaps the single most famous UNESCO World Heritage Site in all of Indonesia. Yep, this awesome 8th-century wonder still reigns as the largest Buddhist site on the globe. It actually fuses motifs from Hinduism into its architecture, and today travelers are invited to gawp at the multitude of massive pagodas, the intricate murals, and the sheer ambition of the ancient undertaking.
Yogyakarta sits in a well-deserved fourth place here, thanks largely to its artsy character and cultural richness. Nestled between the great Buddhist rises of Borobudur – perhaps Indonesia’s best-known UNESCO site – and the rising volcanic domes of Central Java, it’s a place steeped in heritage. Check out the sprawling Kraton, which was once the stomping ground of Java’s sultans of old. This huge palace come museum is now packed with opulent carriages and pleasure gardens where the king’s harems once resided. Yogya is also known for its traditional craft markets, which erupt on Pasar Beringharjo and Kranggan each day – just try not to stay up drinking in the backpacker bars if you want to catch the best bargains!
Borobudur Temple
Colossal stupas carved from graphite-hued stone tower overhead; mysterious reliefs depicting old Buddhist tales mark the rocks in front. And on the horizon, the belching smoke trails of Central Java’s mighty volcanos issue steam and sulfur into the mountain chains. Welcome to Borobudur: perhaps the single most famous UNESCO World Heritage Site in all of Indonesia. Yep, this awesome 8th-century wonder still reigns as the largest Buddhist site on the globe. It actually fuses motifs from Hinduism into its architecture, and today travelers are invited to gawp at the multitude of massive pagodas, the intricate murals, and the sheer ambition of the ancient undertaking.
4. Mount Bromo
Do not miss out the majestic Mount Bromo at Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, with active and dormant volcanoes to choose from. Standing tall at 2329 meters, it is one of the most iconic mountain in Indonesia. You may ride a horse or catch or rent a jeep all the way to the top and be in time to catch a sunrise. You will be rewarded with one of the most out-of-this-world view as the sun appears in the horizon over the blue misty volcanic craters. This is definitely one place you should put on your must-visit list in Indonesia.
Do not miss out the majestic Mount Bromo at Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, with active and dormant volcanoes to choose from. Standing tall at 2329 meters, it is one of the most iconic mountain in Indonesia. You may ride a horse or catch or rent a jeep all the way to the top and be in time to catch a sunrise. You will be rewarded with one of the most out-of-this-world view as the sun appears in the horizon over the blue misty volcanic craters. This is definitely one place you should put on your must-visit list in Indonesia.
5. Lake Toba
If you were to have visited Lake Toba around 77,000 years ago, you would have been able to witness one of the most climatic events in the history of global geology. This is when the colossal crater lake last exploded in a volcanic eruption of epic proportions, changing temperatures across the world and altering the weather patterns of the whole planet. Today, Toba is a much more serene place, and the old caldera is now totally filled with water. It’s known as the largest volcanic lake on the planet in fact, and draws swimmers, boaters and ecotourists alike to its shores.
If you were to have visited Lake Toba around 77,000 years ago, you would have been able to witness one of the most climatic events in the history of global geology. This is when the colossal crater lake last exploded in a volcanic eruption of epic proportions, changing temperatures across the world and altering the weather patterns of the whole planet. Today, Toba is a much more serene place, and the old caldera is now totally filled with water. It’s known as the largest volcanic lake on the planet in fact, and draws swimmers, boaters and ecotourists alike to its shores.
6. Lombok
Gili Islands
A trio of picture-perfect islands that string their way out between Lombok and Bali in the middle of the Nusa Tenggara archipelago, the Gilis are oft hailed as the most quintessential tropical spots on the planet. The two smaller islands, Gili Air and Gili Meno, are secluded and laid-back; places where the occasional bamboo ecolodge hides in the mangroves and stretches of shell-spotted sand eke down to a sea of aquamarine blue. The largest island, Gili Trawangan, is a livelier affair. Its ramshackle bars are built of driftwood, and pulse with the energy of backpackers from all over the globe. By day, these guys sizzle off their hangovers on the pearly beaches, or hit the seas in search of rare turtles. By night, they guzzle beers and buckets and party till dawn.
Lombok Mainland
Lombok has risen and risen out of obscurity in the last couple of decades to become something of the thinking man’s alternative to Bali. With less of the gaudy bars and super clubs of Kuta, this one retains the rustic, ramshackle feel of old Indonesia. Make a beeline for salt-washed Senggigi on the western shore. Here, traditional warung (homey local taverns) serve up spicy noodle fries and peanut-packed sate dishes close to the shore. There are surfing opportunities aplenty too, from Kuta Lombok in the south to the pretty coves that fringe the coconut groves all along the west coast.
Mount Rinjani
Mount Rinjani in Lombok is the second highest volcano in Indonesia at 3726 m. It is also among one of the most active volcanoes here. It ha a caldera of 50 km square with a crater lake in it called Segara Anak. Many pilgrims come yearly to this lake to make offerings to the gods and the lake. To hike this Indonesian volcano would take two days of demanding trekking but the view at the summit is all so worth it. Due to Lombok being one of the emerging travel places in Indonesia, you will find quite a number of travelers scaling this mountain with you but fret not as the beauty is for all to marvel at together.
Gili Islands
A trio of picture-perfect islands that string their way out between Lombok and Bali in the middle of the Nusa Tenggara archipelago, the Gilis are oft hailed as the most quintessential tropical spots on the planet. The two smaller islands, Gili Air and Gili Meno, are secluded and laid-back; places where the occasional bamboo ecolodge hides in the mangroves and stretches of shell-spotted sand eke down to a sea of aquamarine blue. The largest island, Gili Trawangan, is a livelier affair. Its ramshackle bars are built of driftwood, and pulse with the energy of backpackers from all over the globe. By day, these guys sizzle off their hangovers on the pearly beaches, or hit the seas in search of rare turtles. By night, they guzzle beers and buckets and party till dawn.
Lombok Mainland
Lombok has risen and risen out of obscurity in the last couple of decades to become something of the thinking man’s alternative to Bali. With less of the gaudy bars and super clubs of Kuta, this one retains the rustic, ramshackle feel of old Indonesia. Make a beeline for salt-washed Senggigi on the western shore. Here, traditional warung (homey local taverns) serve up spicy noodle fries and peanut-packed sate dishes close to the shore. There are surfing opportunities aplenty too, from Kuta Lombok in the south to the pretty coves that fringe the coconut groves all along the west coast.
Mount Rinjani
Mount Rinjani in Lombok is the second highest volcano in Indonesia at 3726 m. It is also among one of the most active volcanoes here. It ha a caldera of 50 km square with a crater lake in it called Segara Anak. Many pilgrims come yearly to this lake to make offerings to the gods and the lake. To hike this Indonesian volcano would take two days of demanding trekking but the view at the summit is all so worth it. Due to Lombok being one of the emerging travel places in Indonesia, you will find quite a number of travelers scaling this mountain with you but fret not as the beauty is for all to marvel at together.
7. Tana Toraja
Delve into the earthy tribal cultures of South Sulawesi with a trip to the enthralling town of Tana Toraja. One of the strongholds of the indigenous Toraja peoples of the jungle-dressed mountain ranges here, the place is imbued with the striking Tongkonan houses of the locals. These ship-like buildings are formed from elegant arches of woods and inlayed reeds, and are one of the most significant aspects of the Toraja traditions. Tana Toraja also comes fringed with mysterious burial sites, peppered with monolithic stones and carved rock effigies representing animist spirits. In short: it’s a glimpse into the deep, folksy and ancient traditions of this aged island nation.
Delve into the earthy tribal cultures of South Sulawesi with a trip to the enthralling town of Tana Toraja. One of the strongholds of the indigenous Toraja peoples of the jungle-dressed mountain ranges here, the place is imbued with the striking Tongkonan houses of the locals. These ship-like buildings are formed from elegant arches of woods and inlayed reeds, and are one of the most significant aspects of the Toraja traditions. Tana Toraja also comes fringed with mysterious burial sites, peppered with monolithic stones and carved rock effigies representing animist spirits. In short: it’s a glimpse into the deep, folksy and ancient traditions of this aged island nation.
8. Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat is the patchwork of turquoise seas and kaleidoscopic coral reefs that every SCUBA diver dreams of. Located way off-the-beaten-track, it fragments from the side of Papua on the extreme eastern – and unexplored – edge of the Indonesian archipelago. Hardly visited at all, the place is wild and rugged, comprised of more than 1,000 individual rocks that rise dramatically from the shimmering ocean as mangroves and primeval jungles encrust their bases. The large islands of Waigeo and Batanta are two of the top spots, and are now laden with dive organizers offering trips into the crystal-clear waters.
Raja Ampat is the patchwork of turquoise seas and kaleidoscopic coral reefs that every SCUBA diver dreams of. Located way off-the-beaten-track, it fragments from the side of Papua on the extreme eastern – and unexplored – edge of the Indonesian archipelago. Hardly visited at all, the place is wild and rugged, comprised of more than 1,000 individual rocks that rise dramatically from the shimmering ocean as mangroves and primeval jungles encrust their bases. The large islands of Waigeo and Batanta are two of the top spots, and are now laden with dive organizers offering trips into the crystal-clear waters.
9. Flores
Kelimutu Lake
Kelimutu Lake is a league apart, and certainly one of the most visited of beautiful places in Indonesia. Kelimutu is a collective term given to three crater lakes formed by the volcano of the same name. Though situated on the same volcanic peak, three lakes display three different colours – red, blue and white.
The island located between Sumbawa and Flores, along western Nusa Tenggara Timur, is popular for presence of giant Monitor Lizards known as Komodo Dragons. The island is arid, rugged and barren and forms a part of Komodo National Park and Marine Reserve. Aerial views prove that it is inarguably, among the most beautiful places in Indonesia.
Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo has traditionally been seen as just a convenient stepping stone between the popular haunts of the Nusa Tenggara and the untrodden volcanic ranges and forests of Flores in the east. However, thanks to its clutch of picture-perfect tropical islands (located just a short boat ride from the harbor), the golden sands of beaches like Pede and Binongko, and excellent connections to Indonesia’s other great cities and sights (think Komodo Island), it’s now a fully-fledged destination in its own right. You can fill your time with trekking to crater lakes or diving in the crystalline seas explore the gushing Cunca Wulang Waterfall or boat across to beautiful Seraya Kecil isle.
Kelimutu Lake
Kelimutu Lake is a league apart, and certainly one of the most visited of beautiful places in Indonesia. Kelimutu is a collective term given to three crater lakes formed by the volcano of the same name. Though situated on the same volcanic peak, three lakes display three different colours – red, blue and white.
The island located between Sumbawa and Flores, along western Nusa Tenggara Timur, is popular for presence of giant Monitor Lizards known as Komodo Dragons. The island is arid, rugged and barren and forms a part of Komodo National Park and Marine Reserve. Aerial views prove that it is inarguably, among the most beautiful places in Indonesia.
Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo has traditionally been seen as just a convenient stepping stone between the popular haunts of the Nusa Tenggara and the untrodden volcanic ranges and forests of Flores in the east. However, thanks to its clutch of picture-perfect tropical islands (located just a short boat ride from the harbor), the golden sands of beaches like Pede and Binongko, and excellent connections to Indonesia’s other great cities and sights (think Komodo Island), it’s now a fully-fledged destination in its own right. You can fill your time with trekking to crater lakes or diving in the crystalline seas explore the gushing Cunca Wulang Waterfall or boat across to beautiful Seraya Kecil isle.
10. Lorentz National Park
The 2.35 million hectare Lorentz National Park is the largest protected area in SE Asia and the only one in the world to incorporate a continuous tract of unspoilt ecosystems from snow-capped, glaciated uplands to tropical marine environment, including a vast swathe of lowland wetlands. Little wonder the park is regarded as having the highest level of biodiversity in the region; a fact that has earned Lorentz UNESCO World Heritage listing. 630 species of bird and 123 mammalian species have been recorded in the park but given that much of Lorentz remains unmapped and unexplored, there may be more yet to be found. Located in the south central region of Papua province from the southern slopes of the Pegunungan Mandala range all the way to the Arafura Sea, the park incorporates Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid), which at an altitude of 4884 meters, is the highest peak in Australasia, and a chunk of the western Baliem Valley.
The 2.35 million hectare Lorentz National Park is the largest protected area in SE Asia and the only one in the world to incorporate a continuous tract of unspoilt ecosystems from snow-capped, glaciated uplands to tropical marine environment, including a vast swathe of lowland wetlands. Little wonder the park is regarded as having the highest level of biodiversity in the region; a fact that has earned Lorentz UNESCO World Heritage listing. 630 species of bird and 123 mammalian species have been recorded in the park but given that much of Lorentz remains unmapped and unexplored, there may be more yet to be found. Located in the south central region of Papua province from the southern slopes of the Pegunungan Mandala range all the way to the Arafura Sea, the park incorporates Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid), which at an altitude of 4884 meters, is the highest peak in Australasia, and a chunk of the western Baliem Valley.
11. Bandung
A city of punks and prayer, serious religion and serious coffee. Here are teeming markets and good shopping, thriving cafes in reclaimed Dutch relics, palpable warmth and camaraderie on street corners and mind-numbing, air-trashing traffic almost everywhere you look. Almost everything great and terrible about Indonesia can be found in Bandung. You may cringe at the young teens smoking and systemic poverty, and nod with respect at the city's thriving and growing middle class. Yes, Bandung has everything, except nature, and after the bottle-green hills of Cibodas, the sprawling bulk of Bandung is quite the urban reality check. But even if the local mountains are cloaked in smog, the city does make a good base for day trips to the surrounding countryside – high volcanic peaks, hot springs and tea plantations are all within reach.
11. Bandung
A city of punks and prayer, serious religion and serious coffee. Here are teeming markets and good shopping, thriving cafes in reclaimed Dutch relics, palpable warmth and camaraderie on street corners and mind-numbing, air-trashing traffic almost everywhere you look. Almost everything great and terrible about Indonesia can be found in Bandung. You may cringe at the young teens smoking and systemic poverty, and nod with respect at the city's thriving and growing middle class. Yes, Bandung has everything, except nature, and after the bottle-green hills of Cibodas, the sprawling bulk of Bandung is quite the urban reality check. But even if the local mountains are cloaked in smog, the city does make a good base for day trips to the surrounding countryside – high volcanic peaks, hot springs and tea plantations are all within reach.
12. Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang, 96km northwest of Medan, is not so much a town as a sprawling tourist village laced along the fast-flowing Bohorok River and bordered by the dense jungle of Gunung Leuser National Park. Its legend is built around the orang-utan rehabilitation centre set up here in 1973 and, although the feeding platform has closed, this is still the best place in Sumatra to spot semi-wild orangutans on a trek. Trekking aside, it’s a very traveller-friendly place where you can while away a few days lounging in hammocks, splashing or tubing in the river and enjoying some of the best-value jungle resorts in Sumatra.
13. Pulau Nias
The Indian Ocean roars on to Indonesia, arriving in one of the world’s most spectacular surf breaks here on remote Pulau Nias: a sizeable but solitary rock off the northern Sumatran coast. Surfers have been coming here for decades for the waves on superb Teluk Sorake, which has deservedly kept this far-flung island on the international surfing circuit. Away from the waves, the ancient megalithic monuments and traditional architecture has great appeal for the anthropologically inclined.
14. Derawan Archipelago
Completely different from the rest of Kalimantan, the classic tropical islands of the Derawan Archipelago are where you go to trade jungle trekking and orang-utans for beach combing and manta rays. Of the 31 named islands found here, the four most accessible to visitors are the crowded weekend getaway of Derawan, the peaceful paradise of Maratua atoll, and the wildernesses of Sangalaki and Kakaban. The scuba diving and snorkelling rank among the best in Indonesia, offering an assortment of reef and pelagic species including barracuda, sharks, mantas and turtles. Travel between the islands is expensive, so plan your trip carefully and find friends with which to share costs. There are no ATMs on the islands. Seas are rough in January and February, limiting diving and increasing travel risks.
15. Sumba
Sumba is a dynamic mystery. With its rugged undulating savannah and low limestone hills growing more maize and cassava than rice, it looks nothing like Indonesia’s volcanic islands to the north. Sprinkled throughout the countryside are hilltop villages with thatched clan houses clustered around megalithic tombs, where nominally Protestant villagers still pay homage to their indigenous marapu with bloody sacrificial rites. Throw in some of Indonesia's most prized hand-spun ikat (patterned textiles) and the annual Pasola festival – where bareback horsemen 'battle' one another in ritualised conflicts with hand-carved spears – and it’s easy to see that traditional lore in Sumba runs deep.
15. Karimunjawa Islands
The dazzling offshore archipelago of Karimunjawa, a marine national park, consists of 27 coral-fringed islands – only five of which are inhabited – that lie about 90km north of Jepara. The white-sand beaches are sublime, swimming is wonderful and the pace of life as relaxed as a destination defined by coconut palms and turquoise seas should be. Holidaying Indonesians account for most of the visitors here, though Western travellers are starting to be seduced by the islands too. The main island, Pulau Karimunjawa, a lush mountainous beauty, is home to most of the archipelago’s facilities, and the majority of the islanders, most of whom are Javanese, though there are also some Bugis and Madurese families who live off fishing, tourism and seaweed cultivation. This island is also home to the archipelago's only real town, Karimunjawa, and despite widespread mangroves, a couple of good beaches. So close to Java, yet so way out, Karimunjawa is the kind of place where a stray cow as big as a buffalo will wander onto a ragged soccer pitch to graze, where afternoon naps are sacrosanct, and where wind and weather can keep you delightfully stranded. And that is a wonderful thing.
Source: ; Lonely Planet; Indonesia Travel Guide; Touropia; Bali Golden Tour; Roam Indonesia; The Crazy Tourist; Travel Triangle; Lina Stock, Divergent Travelers
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12. Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang, 96km northwest of Medan, is not so much a town as a sprawling tourist village laced along the fast-flowing Bohorok River and bordered by the dense jungle of Gunung Leuser National Park. Its legend is built around the orang-utan rehabilitation centre set up here in 1973 and, although the feeding platform has closed, this is still the best place in Sumatra to spot semi-wild orangutans on a trek. Trekking aside, it’s a very traveller-friendly place where you can while away a few days lounging in hammocks, splashing or tubing in the river and enjoying some of the best-value jungle resorts in Sumatra.
13. Pulau Nias
The Indian Ocean roars on to Indonesia, arriving in one of the world’s most spectacular surf breaks here on remote Pulau Nias: a sizeable but solitary rock off the northern Sumatran coast. Surfers have been coming here for decades for the waves on superb Teluk Sorake, which has deservedly kept this far-flung island on the international surfing circuit. Away from the waves, the ancient megalithic monuments and traditional architecture has great appeal for the anthropologically inclined.
14. Derawan Archipelago
Completely different from the rest of Kalimantan, the classic tropical islands of the Derawan Archipelago are where you go to trade jungle trekking and orang-utans for beach combing and manta rays. Of the 31 named islands found here, the four most accessible to visitors are the crowded weekend getaway of Derawan, the peaceful paradise of Maratua atoll, and the wildernesses of Sangalaki and Kakaban. The scuba diving and snorkelling rank among the best in Indonesia, offering an assortment of reef and pelagic species including barracuda, sharks, mantas and turtles. Travel between the islands is expensive, so plan your trip carefully and find friends with which to share costs. There are no ATMs on the islands. Seas are rough in January and February, limiting diving and increasing travel risks.
15. Sumba
Sumba is a dynamic mystery. With its rugged undulating savannah and low limestone hills growing more maize and cassava than rice, it looks nothing like Indonesia’s volcanic islands to the north. Sprinkled throughout the countryside are hilltop villages with thatched clan houses clustered around megalithic tombs, where nominally Protestant villagers still pay homage to their indigenous marapu with bloody sacrificial rites. Throw in some of Indonesia's most prized hand-spun ikat (patterned textiles) and the annual Pasola festival – where bareback horsemen 'battle' one another in ritualised conflicts with hand-carved spears – and it’s easy to see that traditional lore in Sumba runs deep.
15. Karimunjawa Islands
The dazzling offshore archipelago of Karimunjawa, a marine national park, consists of 27 coral-fringed islands – only five of which are inhabited – that lie about 90km north of Jepara. The white-sand beaches are sublime, swimming is wonderful and the pace of life as relaxed as a destination defined by coconut palms and turquoise seas should be. Holidaying Indonesians account for most of the visitors here, though Western travellers are starting to be seduced by the islands too. The main island, Pulau Karimunjawa, a lush mountainous beauty, is home to most of the archipelago’s facilities, and the majority of the islanders, most of whom are Javanese, though there are also some Bugis and Madurese families who live off fishing, tourism and seaweed cultivation. This island is also home to the archipelago's only real town, Karimunjawa, and despite widespread mangroves, a couple of good beaches. So close to Java, yet so way out, Karimunjawa is the kind of place where a stray cow as big as a buffalo will wander onto a ragged soccer pitch to graze, where afternoon naps are sacrosanct, and where wind and weather can keep you delightfully stranded. And that is a wonderful thing.
Source: ; Lonely Planet; Indonesia Travel Guide; Touropia; Bali Golden Tour; Roam Indonesia; The Crazy Tourist; Travel Triangle; Lina Stock, Divergent Travelers
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