A country of 17000 islands, Indonesia makes it difficult to pick just a few. And the truth is you will not know which island is the right pick for you till you visit. Or you can talk to someone who has visited Indonesia and can help you find the right match. Truly we love the country and would love to help you plan a trip to Indonesia!
First, there is the most visited island of Bali, which in spite of over tourism manages to deliver a fantastic holiday experience. Places like Ubud, Seminyak and Uluwatu are fast seeing major development and are very popular with luxury as well as budget travelers. For those who prefer to explore a bit further and deeper we recommend a trip to islands like Java.
Java is not only home to the capital city of Jakarta but to so much more. There are volcanoes like Mount Bromo to climb, beaches and smaller islands to explore and ancient ruins of Borobudur to see. For those who love wildlife Tanjung Puting National Park on the island of Indonesian Borneo and Bukit Lawang on the island of Sumatra are a must. Then there is Komodo National Park, the only place in the world to see 'Komodo Dragons,' giant lizards that literally look like dragons!
If you are a scuba diver you must have heard of Raja Ampat National Park which is located in the coral triangle of the world and offers the best scuba diving experience. Indonesia also offers barely populated islands like Sumba where besides a luxury retreat you will probably just see wild horses running on the beach. Infact Indonesia is home to many a luxury resorts located on secluded islands for the truly discerning traveler. Bawah Reserve is one such island resort and easy to get to from Singapore. You can read more about Top Islands and Places to visit in Indonesia in our article below.
Well island hopping and beach bumming is one the most obvious things to do in Indonesia but you don't need us to tell you that!
Go on an overnight cruise on a river that runs through dense forest to see Orangutans in their natural habitat and the bonus is sleeping on the deck staring up at the star filled skies. Or sailing on a luxury catamaran and discovering virgin islands and dive spots. The view is always spectacular no matter where you look with endless blues dotted with palm fringed islands and white sand beaches.
Discovering the underwater world is another must in Indonesia. Indonesia is not only one of the best places in the world to see unique and colorful marine life it is also probably the most affordable. It's a fantastic choice to get your scuba diving certification or just try your hand at it. We ourselves are certified scuba divers and Indonesia is definitely one of our favourite places in the world to go scuba diving.
If you love adventure Indonesia offers many a hiking, biking and climbing opportunities. There are active as well as dormant volcanoes to climb, ridges to cycle and viewpoints to explore. The food and nightlife in Indonesia is also fantastic. We felt we were eating upscale restaurant quality food at the price of street stalls. The fresh produce and the beautiful setting of restaurants and bars be it in the middle of a paddy field, atop a cliff overlooking the sea or right on the beach definitely go a long way in making the dining experiences in Indonesia memorable. But the food scene is also so good because more and more talented chefs are picking Indonesia, especially Bali to set up their food ventures. They offer a unique blend of local flavours and other world cuisines.
Indonesia also offers a lot for culture vultures. Each of its islands offer unique customs and traditions along with fantastic handicrafts and arts. Even though Indonesia is an Islamic nation today in ancient times it was an extension of Hindu and Buddhist Kingdoms. Indonesia literally means Indian Islands and there are many ancient temples on Java and Bali that are not just beautiful to visit but also make for amazing photo ops. If you plan to stick to visiting the tourist magnet of Bali then we have some Unique Experiences of Bali listed for you or you can contact us to customize your trip to Indonesia.
