Travel To Indonesia:

Each of the Indonesian islands is interesting and unique in its own way. The inhabitants of the islands look different, eat different foods, speak different languages, wear different clothes, believe different gods. The islands of Indonesia lie on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

The chain of volcanoes that stretches across the islands consists of about 400 volcanoes, 150 of which are active. Volcanoes are an integral part of the landscape, cultures and daily life of the Indonesian islands.

Sumatra, Java, Bali and the islands of Nusa Tenagara are washed by the Indian Ocean from the south – there are always huge waves and the best places for surfing. The northern coast of these islands, as well as the islands of Maluku, Papua and Sulawesi, are washed by the seas that separate the Indian and Pacific oceans – the seas are relatively calm and rich in underwater beauty.

When planning a trip to Indonesia, try to include at least 2-3 islands in your itinerary to experience the diversity and uniqueness of this incredibly interesting country.

Popular Islands:

1. Bali

Temples, unique culture, beaches, surfing, diving:

Island of the Gods. Paradise Island. An island with an absolutely unique culture, cuisine, clothing, traditions, its own religion and its own language. Despite the huge number of tourists, the Balinese people manage to remain the same as they have been for centuries and millennia – friendly, smiling, religious and respectful of traditions. Every morning they feed the spirits and offer prayers to their gods.

Bali is a fairly large island. In order to get acquainted with the traditions and admire the magnificent nature of Bali, you need to go deep into the island. The heart of the island is the charming town of Ubud. Lakes Batur and Bratan, volcanoes Batur and Agung, magnificent Balinese temples, rice terraces – all this needs to be seen in order to feel and understand Bali.

Along the southern coast are the best surf spots and surf resorts of the island, snow-white beaches and magnificent hotels stretch along Cape Nusa Dua, dive spots and dive villages should be found in the north of Bali. Gili Islands – relaxation and beaches, diving
Three tiny islands near Lombok – Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Memo, each of which can be walked around in a couple of hours – are simply a paradise for lazy people. The cult of relaxation reigns here, everything is subordinated to it.

Carts pulled by small horses run along the only road of the largest and most popular of the three Gili Trawangan (there are no vehicles on the island), in every restaurant or bar you will be offered beds, watermelon cocktails and delicious food, and in tiny roadside cafes – magic mushrooms. The beaches on the Gili Islands are amazingly white, and the water has a magical turquoise tint. It is so beautiful, good and lazy here that it takes enormous willpower to leave these heavenly places.

2. Java Island

Big cities, historical monuments, volcanoes, surfing:

The island of Java is the most populous island of Indonesia, the political and business center of the country. 50% of the country’s inhabitants live in Java, and the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, is located here. Despite this, Java remains one of Indonesia’s most interesting tourist destinations.

The dangerous and evil Krakatoa volcano, which is located several hours from the capital, Bromo volcano – one of the most magnificent and easily accessible volcanoes in the world, charming Yojikarta – the soul of the Indonesian nation, one of the most magnificent Buddhist temples in the world Borobudur and the Prambanan temple complex – Indian heritage on the territory of Indonesia, the harsh and yet picturesque Ingeni volcano, rice terraces, coffee plantations, a magnificent coastline with high waves and secluded bays and beaches – all this awaits curious travelers on the island of Java.

3. Sumatra.

Adventure, wildlife:

The island of Sumatra is perhaps the most dangerous and most beautiful island in Indonesia. A huge number of active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes do not stop thrill seekers who flock to Sumatra.

The stunning scenery and lazy atmosphere of Toba Island, the wild jungles and national parks home to orangutans, the magnificent crater lakes, quaint villages and beautiful coral reefs of Pulau Weh Island – all these riches of Sumatra, along with low prices and a small number of tourists, give Sumatra a reputation as one of the most challenging and interesting destinations in Indonesia.

4. Komodo Islands.

Uninhabited islands and dragons:

The islands of Komodo National Park are located between the islands of Flores and Sumbawa and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is here that one of the smallest and most terrifying inhabitants of the Earth lives – the giant monitor lizard, which is most often called the Komodo dragon. Additionally, Komodo Islands is on the list of top diving destinations in Indonesia.

On the islands of Komodo and Rinca, island trekking is organized – a kind of expedition, during which you can observe the life of dragons. When traveling to Komodo, remember that these islands are the territory of dragons, not people. They live in close proximity to humans and very often dragons can be seen not only in the depths of the island, but also at the threshold of the hotel.

5. Lembongan Island.

Pleasant atmosphere, white beaches:

Located off the southeast coast of Bali, the small island of Lembongan (Nusa Lembongan) is a great place if you suddenly want to escape the noisy and crowded southern beaches of Bali. The beaches here are snow-white, the water is emerald, the atmosphere is lazy and very authentic. Lembongan is deservedly considered one of the best diving spots in Indonesia, and there are also several surf spots on the island. There are two more islands near Lembongan – tiny Nusa Ceningan, connected to Lembongan by a bridge, and the large non-tourist Nusa Penida, which can be reached by regular boats.

The main format of housing on the island is bungalows of different levels of comfort and prices and so-called beach huts – beach houses.

6. Lombok.

Surfing, nice atmosphere, Rinjani:

Lombok is often called the “non-touristy Bali”. And although you can find small and quiet resorts in Bali, those who usually come here are looking for a more relaxing and/or authentic holiday. The roads of Lombok are a great place where you can communicate with the little inhabitants of the jungle – monkeys, they are everywhere here – sitting along the highways, on road bumpers, on rocks and trees.

Lombok’s culture is very different from Balinese; most of the island’s population is Muslim. Volcano Rinjani – a beautiful volcano with crater lakes, rice terraces, serpentine mountain roads, incredible waterfalls and large beaches – are among the main attractions of the island.

7. Kalimantan

Adventure, wildlife, orangutans and coral islands:

Kalimantan is a region covering most of the island of Borneo, which is divided between Malaysia and Indonesia. Despite its enormous size, it is one of the least visited islands in Indonesia.

Covered with mountains and tropical forests, Kalimantan is home to a huge population of orangutans, which can be observed in the island’s national parks. Wild, sparsely populated Kalimantan is a real dream for lovers of eco-tourism and unusual adventures.

The tiny islands near Kalimantan offer snow-white beaches and excellent diving.

8. Sulawesi

Adventures, interesting traditions and rituals:

Sulawesi is a true paradise for adventure seekers. This is a large island of an unusual shape, with no less unusual traditions and magnificent landscapes, which is rarely pampered by travelers.

The snow-white deserted beaches of the Togean Islands, excellent places to observe the inhabitants of the deep sea and the mystical villages of Tana Toraja with a unique culture, part of which includes eccentric funeral rituals, are what most adventure seekers go to Sulawesi for.

9. Togean Islands

Iddylic beaches, relaxation and diving:

The Togean Islands are located off northeastern Sulawesi in the Tamini Sea. The archipelago consists of 3 large and several dozen small islands, on some of which you can find dive resorts with simple infrastructure or ascetic wooden bungalows. These places are idyllic, but at the same time difficult to access and undeveloped, which, by the way, is only a plus for many divers and adventurers)

10. Flores 

Original culture, remote places, Kelimutu volcano:

Flores Island lies off the beaten tourist path. Only the most curious and daring travelers get here, since Flores offers meager tourist infrastructure. Flores is wild, original, the culture of this island mixes pagan beliefs and Catholic principles.

Many surprises will be revealed to those who get here: the incredible Kelimutu Volcano with multi-colored crater lakes, stunning rice terraces, ethnic villages, wild beaches remote from civilization and small islands where the silence of the night is disturbed only by the songs of fishermen, Labuanbajo harbor, which opens the way to the islands of the national Komodo Park… Plus, of course, a bonus for any trip is the friendliness and openness of the locals.

11. Sumba 

No volcanoes and unique culture:

This island is distinguished, first of all, by a relatively flat landscape, which is diluted by karst hills and the absence of volcanoes. In addition, Sumba is one of the most mystical islands in Indonesia with traditional villages, unusual architecture, a clan system and bloody pagan ritual ceremonies that generations of Catholic missionaries failed to wean the local population from.

There are many horses in Sbala; horse breeding is one of the main industries on the island. Weaving is the main occupation of local women; hand-made weaving products can be bought in any village on the island. There is practically no tourist infrastructure on the island, with the exception of a dozen hotels and guest houses scattered along the northern coast of the island.

12. Sumbawa

Wild beaches, surfing:

This wild island, practically not visited by tourists, contains in its depths the original culture of its inhabitants, absolutely incredible landscapes, wild untouched beaches and excellent surf spots.

Travelers rarely stop on the island of Sumbawa, despite Sumbawa’s proximity to popular Bali and Lombok, since it is one of the poorest islands in the region and the tourism infrastructure here is very underdeveloped. But desperate surfers love these places)

13. Papua

Ethnic tribes, adventures:

Papua is the most remote province of Indonesia, which occupies the western part of the island of New Guinea. This is the most sparsely populated territory of Indonesia, three-quarters of the territory of Papua is covered with tropical forests, many places have never been touched by humans.

In the depths of the island live the most primitive ethnic tribes on the planet. Getting here is quite difficult, but trekking to the Baliem Valley can be one of the most vivid and unforgettable experiences. Three large tribes live here, each tribe has its own characteristics, its own way of life, its own rituals. The inhabitants of the tribes are farmers, people who live in close proximity to nature, they are friendly and are always happy to host travelers.

Just off the big island of Papua are the incredibly picturesque tiny islands of Raja Ampat and Biak, favorite dive spots in the region.

14. Derawan and Maratua 

A minimum of civilization, coral atolls, diving and snorkeling:

The scattering of coral islands off Kalimantan is considered one of the world’s best diving and snorkeling destinations. Near the most inhabited island of Derawan there is a large Maratua atoll and several more tiny coral islands – atolls, most of which are uninhabited. The entire group of islands in the Derawan area is often called the Derawan Islands, although technically the islands are part of the Sangalaki archipelago.

The islands are surrounded by massive coral reefs, where you can often see huge turtles that have chosen the sandy beaches of the islands. The format of accommodation on the islands ranges from simpler bungalows to luxury villas on small atoll islands.

15. Weh Island

White beaches, calm atmosphere, diving:

Weh Island is located in the farthest north of Sumatra, home to Kilometer Zero and one of the world’s top dive destinations. White sand, emerald water and magnificent coral reefs are attracting more and more travelers who are looking for an alternative to the popular islands of Thailand and Malaysia. The housing format on the island ranges from ascetic bamboo bungalows to nice hotels.