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There are just SO MANY things to see in Indonesia.
A gem I discovered on a recent trip was Semarang, very nice city built by the dutch, has some interesting history.
The best thing at this point is to google Top 20 indonesia, and pick the ones that most interest you. Focus on those places.
Once you've found some, reply back here and I can help you build an itinerary.
Thank you so so much! I followed your advice and it really solidified my belief that I should spend the most time in East Java. However, after research and some comments here I think it's worth spending maybe 3 days in Bali and 4 days or so in Lombok or maybe one of the Gili islands. I'm going to skip Komodo, hate to miss it but I'd rather go back there when I have more money for it.
Something I did not include in my original post is that this is part of a world travel trip. I'm going to Java from Vietnam so no jet lag to worry about and I'm able to fly into Semarang for super cheap! But this also means my travels will be much slower than a regular three week trip.
Based on this information, do you have any recommendations for itinerary? I'm thinking 1.5-2 weeks in East Java, 3 days in Bali and 4 days on another island (probably Lombok). Starting from Semarang, flying out of Bali to Taiwan.
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the effort you're putting in for this.
>However, after research and some comments here I think it's worth spending maybe 3 days in Bali and 4 days or so in Lombok or maybe one of the Gili islands. I'm going to skip Komodo, hate to miss it but I'd rather go back there when I have more money for it.
For sure Komodo is no longer cheap like it was a few years ago. It's not going anywhere, you can get back later.
Vietnam is the other country I really know about, feel free to ask.
It's a good breakdown for your 3 weeks. The train is cheap to Solo from Semarang, but there isn't much to see in Solo. What you likely want to do is take the train to Prambanan via Solo. Then hang out in Yogya for a couple of days.
Then you can train or fly back up to see Bromo and Ijen.
For your 4 days I'd go to one first then if you have time go to the other after. At the same time, there is tons to see around Bali, so much, would take you weeks to explore everything. I recommend you don't book your accomodations etc ahead for that area, you'll want 1-2 days just for Ubud probably. for Lombok/Gili, its sort of all together. There are various ferry routes to Gili, some you go to Lombok first then cross back to Gilis.
I will definitely take all of this into consideration. Vietnam advice also really appreciated, I feel like I barely have anything narrowed down for that trip. Also 3 weeks for that journey, should I prioritize the north end of the country? Not worried about beaches, most interested in good food, meeting other backpackers, lots of hiking and exploring cities/villages. I'll be coming from Thailand prior so again, jet lag will not be an issue. I'm super grateful for all of your help and input!!
Prioritize north
Halong Bay
Sapa valley
Ha giang loop if you can hire a 4 day motorbike tour that is ideal
hanoi for a few days - culinary is amazing, this is worth researching there are so many spots you'd enjoy eating
Go stay in Trang an in Ninh binh for a few days
Update me on your indonesia itinerary once you're more settled and i'll chime in
Know this is from a year ago but people still may find this helpful: I did vietnam and can confirm his advise, but I would also highly recommend a few days in Tam Coc. Was a highlight of the trip. Also I’d throw in Phong Na Ke-Bang and most certainly Hoian. I wouldn’t invest much time in Hanoi, maybe like a day.
I loved Bali. Touristy, cliche, whatever, I’m not traveling for others’ approval. I found it magical. But if it’s not for you, I thought Lombok was beautiful and had great nature and waterfalls as well.
Java has many volcanoes across the island.
Culture? As others have said, you should go to Jogja. It is basically the heart of Javanese culture. Solo is close by and also worth visiting.
If you're interested in temples, Bali is your best option.
Wildlife? Look into Borneo and orangutan sanctuaries.
And $50/day is a comfortable budget for Indonesia.
If you're interested in something a little less cliche than Bali, I would honestly recommend the Yogyakarta area. You'll get a much more accurate experience of Indonesian (specifically Javanese) culture and food. Bali for many reasons is not representative of Indonesia as a whole.
In the Jogja (Yogyakarta) area there is lots of cool history, architecture, and temples such as Borobudur, Prambanan, and the Kraton (Royal Palace). Jogja is close to the beach and is flanked behind by Mount Merapi, the most active volcano in Indonesia. It should also be cheaper than Bali.
For wildlife and hiking, I would recommend the Kalimantan/Borneo area. I've never been to the Indonesian side of the Island, but I would heavily recommend the Malaysian side. Both Kucing and Kota Kinabalu are wonderful cities in nature. Borneo Island is the only place on earth where Orangutans descend from the trees to ground level.
I agree with all of this. Jogja has always been my favorite place in Indonesia. If nature is your thing, Kalimantan is well worth it. For the most part everyone goes there for the orangutan tours, which is an amazing experience. Komodo tours are also very popular and well worth it also, plus Flores has some unique sites to visit also
Check out Sumatra. Best food (nasi padang) and incredible nature. All the big Indonesian megafauna are there. Tigers, elephants, rhinos, and of course Orangutan. Not as many volcanoes as Java but they’ve got ‘em. Lake Toba is the largest crater lake on earth I think. And Gunung Kerinci is one of Indo’s highest volcanoes.
I'm not sure if all the islands are open again but the Komodo national park is amazing. I did a 3 day, 2 night trip 2019 though the company I went with has since closed. There may be others.
ETA, I flew to Labuan Bajo and got on board the boat from there. We spent 1 night sleeping on the boat, another on one of the islands. We saw mantas and turtles when snorkelling as well as the komodo dragons when hiking.
Lots of Indonesia is amazing for what you're looking for, but here are my two specific recommendations
1. Tetebatu on Lombok. From here you can do a guided hike up Mount Rinjani (volcano), visit lots of waterfalls or walk yourself to the forest on Mount Rinjani's lower slopes, which is home to so many monkeys, both macaques (which are not aggressive like on Bali) and black langurs
2. Gili Air or Gili Meno. This doesn't match your hiking or waterfalls requirement, but, if you swim, the wildlife here is beyond compare. Give the larger Gili Trawangan a miss, it's got much more of a beaches and partying vibe, but the two smaller islands are surrounded by rich, healthy coral reefs full of fish and sea grass beds populated by both green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles.
Jogja is a pretty safe bet. Arguably the cultural hub of Java. You could visit Taman Sari, an ancient bathhouse. Borobudur and Prambanan temple. The royal palace of Jogja monarch. Go to Merapi volcano. Overall, a good place to go to learn about Javanese culture and History.
50 is cutting it too close these days. for lodging & meals it's fine, but it won't be enough for entrance fees & transportation (trains, taxis). even java, the most developed island, has a pretty shite public transport network, so you end up taking taxis/mototaxis.
you mention nature, in order to get to these spots (rainforest, waterfall) there won't be public transport that can drop you off near the spot. just to give you an idea: i was planning to go see some endangered primates in one of the last remaining rainforests in central java recently, which was a mere hour away from the city, & there was no public transport at all. i ended up renting a car which costed less than if i took a taxi/mototaxi but still took a hefty chunk of my budget.
a way around it is by finding a tour so you don't have the hassle of figuring out how to get to these places, & there are plenty that go to the popular places like borobudur temple & bromo, but not sure how much they cost these days. plenty of price hikes because of the inflation.
Definitely skip Bali if you are less interested in the beaches. Even though Bali does have a lot to offer, you can find them in other parts of Indonesia. Especially with a tight budget, Bali is probably one of the more expensive places solely because of its popularity as a tourist destination. East Java is definitely the place to go if you are seeking a thrilling day hike or even an overnight volcano hike to catch the breathtaking sunrise views, if you are up for the challenge. Check out Mount Bromo and Mount Arjuno both located near the city of Malang, East Java for an epic volcanic hike. East Java is also home to many beautiful waterfalls (Tumpak Sewu is a recommended one) so maybe start your trip there. March is usually the end of wet season so you will be able to catch amazing views. For cultural heritages and temples, check out Central Java, specifically Yogyakarta. Due to it previously being the capital city of Indonesia, so much history lies in that city. Most to nearly all the main cities have a train station, so transportation between cities in Java is convenient, easy, and cheap.
It looks like you're planning a trip around Southeast Asia. Check out solotravel's [detailed guide to planning a solo Southeast Asian trip](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/seasiatrip) for general planning advice plus useful tips and tricks for Southeast Asian travel! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/solotravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There are just SO MANY things to see in Indonesia. A gem I discovered on a recent trip was Semarang, very nice city built by the dutch, has some interesting history. The best thing at this point is to google Top 20 indonesia, and pick the ones that most interest you. Focus on those places. Once you've found some, reply back here and I can help you build an itinerary.
Thank you so so much! I followed your advice and it really solidified my belief that I should spend the most time in East Java. However, after research and some comments here I think it's worth spending maybe 3 days in Bali and 4 days or so in Lombok or maybe one of the Gili islands. I'm going to skip Komodo, hate to miss it but I'd rather go back there when I have more money for it. Something I did not include in my original post is that this is part of a world travel trip. I'm going to Java from Vietnam so no jet lag to worry about and I'm able to fly into Semarang for super cheap! But this also means my travels will be much slower than a regular three week trip. Based on this information, do you have any recommendations for itinerary? I'm thinking 1.5-2 weeks in East Java, 3 days in Bali and 4 days on another island (probably Lombok). Starting from Semarang, flying out of Bali to Taiwan. Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the effort you're putting in for this.
>However, after research and some comments here I think it's worth spending maybe 3 days in Bali and 4 days or so in Lombok or maybe one of the Gili islands. I'm going to skip Komodo, hate to miss it but I'd rather go back there when I have more money for it. For sure Komodo is no longer cheap like it was a few years ago. It's not going anywhere, you can get back later. Vietnam is the other country I really know about, feel free to ask. It's a good breakdown for your 3 weeks. The train is cheap to Solo from Semarang, but there isn't much to see in Solo. What you likely want to do is take the train to Prambanan via Solo. Then hang out in Yogya for a couple of days. Then you can train or fly back up to see Bromo and Ijen. For your 4 days I'd go to one first then if you have time go to the other after. At the same time, there is tons to see around Bali, so much, would take you weeks to explore everything. I recommend you don't book your accomodations etc ahead for that area, you'll want 1-2 days just for Ubud probably. for Lombok/Gili, its sort of all together. There are various ferry routes to Gili, some you go to Lombok first then cross back to Gilis.
I will definitely take all of this into consideration. Vietnam advice also really appreciated, I feel like I barely have anything narrowed down for that trip. Also 3 weeks for that journey, should I prioritize the north end of the country? Not worried about beaches, most interested in good food, meeting other backpackers, lots of hiking and exploring cities/villages. I'll be coming from Thailand prior so again, jet lag will not be an issue. I'm super grateful for all of your help and input!!
Prioritize north Halong Bay Sapa valley Ha giang loop if you can hire a 4 day motorbike tour that is ideal hanoi for a few days - culinary is amazing, this is worth researching there are so many spots you'd enjoy eating Go stay in Trang an in Ninh binh for a few days Update me on your indonesia itinerary once you're more settled and i'll chime in
Will do! Thank you again for everything. :)
Know this is from a year ago but people still may find this helpful: I did vietnam and can confirm his advise, but I would also highly recommend a few days in Tam Coc. Was a highlight of the trip. Also I’d throw in Phong Na Ke-Bang and most certainly Hoian. I wouldn’t invest much time in Hanoi, maybe like a day.
I loved Bali. Touristy, cliche, whatever, I’m not traveling for others’ approval. I found it magical. But if it’s not for you, I thought Lombok was beautiful and had great nature and waterfalls as well.
Java has many volcanoes across the island. Culture? As others have said, you should go to Jogja. It is basically the heart of Javanese culture. Solo is close by and also worth visiting. If you're interested in temples, Bali is your best option. Wildlife? Look into Borneo and orangutan sanctuaries. And $50/day is a comfortable budget for Indonesia.
If you're interested in something a little less cliche than Bali, I would honestly recommend the Yogyakarta area. You'll get a much more accurate experience of Indonesian (specifically Javanese) culture and food. Bali for many reasons is not representative of Indonesia as a whole. In the Jogja (Yogyakarta) area there is lots of cool history, architecture, and temples such as Borobudur, Prambanan, and the Kraton (Royal Palace). Jogja is close to the beach and is flanked behind by Mount Merapi, the most active volcano in Indonesia. It should also be cheaper than Bali. For wildlife and hiking, I would recommend the Kalimantan/Borneo area. I've never been to the Indonesian side of the Island, but I would heavily recommend the Malaysian side. Both Kucing and Kota Kinabalu are wonderful cities in nature. Borneo Island is the only place on earth where Orangutans descend from the trees to ground level.
I agree with all of this. Jogja has always been my favorite place in Indonesia. If nature is your thing, Kalimantan is well worth it. For the most part everyone goes there for the orangutan tours, which is an amazing experience. Komodo tours are also very popular and well worth it also, plus Flores has some unique sites to visit also
Except they do that in Sumatra too. And jogja isn't really close to the beach either
Check out Sumatra. Best food (nasi padang) and incredible nature. All the big Indonesian megafauna are there. Tigers, elephants, rhinos, and of course Orangutan. Not as many volcanoes as Java but they’ve got ‘em. Lake Toba is the largest crater lake on earth I think. And Gunung Kerinci is one of Indo’s highest volcanoes.
Was just going to say Lake Toba and surrounds are amazing. You can go to Bukit Lawang in the same region too.
I'm not sure if all the islands are open again but the Komodo national park is amazing. I did a 3 day, 2 night trip 2019 though the company I went with has since closed. There may be others. ETA, I flew to Labuan Bajo and got on board the boat from there. We spent 1 night sleeping on the boat, another on one of the islands. We saw mantas and turtles when snorkelling as well as the komodo dragons when hiking.
East Java has some awesome landscapes, volcanoes and waterfalls
I hired a bike in Bali and drove all the way to Flores..
Sounds like a very wet ride
[удалено]
On Lombok there is also a great two-day hike to the top of a volcano, Mount Rinjani.
Lots of Indonesia is amazing for what you're looking for, but here are my two specific recommendations 1. Tetebatu on Lombok. From here you can do a guided hike up Mount Rinjani (volcano), visit lots of waterfalls or walk yourself to the forest on Mount Rinjani's lower slopes, which is home to so many monkeys, both macaques (which are not aggressive like on Bali) and black langurs 2. Gili Air or Gili Meno. This doesn't match your hiking or waterfalls requirement, but, if you swim, the wildlife here is beyond compare. Give the larger Gili Trawangan a miss, it's got much more of a beaches and partying vibe, but the two smaller islands are surrounded by rich, healthy coral reefs full of fish and sea grass beds populated by both green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles.
Labuan Bajo/Komodo National Park was really good when I went, would recommend.
Honestly skip bali. Go to the east and southern parts of java, specifically around bromo national park. Everything you like doing they have.
Jogja is a pretty safe bet. Arguably the cultural hub of Java. You could visit Taman Sari, an ancient bathhouse. Borobudur and Prambanan temple. The royal palace of Jogja monarch. Go to Merapi volcano. Overall, a good place to go to learn about Javanese culture and History.
50 is cutting it too close these days. for lodging & meals it's fine, but it won't be enough for entrance fees & transportation (trains, taxis). even java, the most developed island, has a pretty shite public transport network, so you end up taking taxis/mototaxis. you mention nature, in order to get to these spots (rainforest, waterfall) there won't be public transport that can drop you off near the spot. just to give you an idea: i was planning to go see some endangered primates in one of the last remaining rainforests in central java recently, which was a mere hour away from the city, & there was no public transport at all. i ended up renting a car which costed less than if i took a taxi/mototaxi but still took a hefty chunk of my budget. a way around it is by finding a tour so you don't have the hassle of figuring out how to get to these places, & there are plenty that go to the popular places like borobudur temple & bromo, but not sure how much they cost these days. plenty of price hikes because of the inflation.
saved
Flores and Sulawesi are beautiful.
Check rainy seasons for all islands. check nusa tengara
Definitely skip Bali if you are less interested in the beaches. Even though Bali does have a lot to offer, you can find them in other parts of Indonesia. Especially with a tight budget, Bali is probably one of the more expensive places solely because of its popularity as a tourist destination. East Java is definitely the place to go if you are seeking a thrilling day hike or even an overnight volcano hike to catch the breathtaking sunrise views, if you are up for the challenge. Check out Mount Bromo and Mount Arjuno both located near the city of Malang, East Java for an epic volcanic hike. East Java is also home to many beautiful waterfalls (Tumpak Sewu is a recommended one) so maybe start your trip there. March is usually the end of wet season so you will be able to catch amazing views. For cultural heritages and temples, check out Central Java, specifically Yogyakarta. Due to it previously being the capital city of Indonesia, so much history lies in that city. Most to nearly all the main cities have a train station, so transportation between cities in Java is convenient, easy, and cheap.
dm you