Best Things to Do in Indonesia

Indonesia contains 17,508 islands and is home to the world’s fourth-largest population (275 million) across six main island groups: Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan (Borneo), Sulawesi, the Lesser Sundas (Bali, Lombok, Flores), Maluku, and Papua. The things to do in Indonesia organize by island region. Bali: rice terraces in Tegallalang, the Tanah Lot and Uluwatu sea temples, surf breaks at Kuta and Uluwatu, the arts center of Ubud (dance, painting, woodcarving), and the volcanic interior (Kintamani, Batur volcano). Java: Borobudur and Prambanan UNESCO temples near Yogyakarta, the smoking Kawah Ijen crater with its blue sulfur flames (best at 3am), Bromo volcano’s dramatic caldera, and the megacity of Jakarta. Komodo: Komodo National Park has the world’s largest lizard (the Komodo dragon) plus some of the best diving in the world at sites like Batu Bolong. Raja Ampat: the world’s most biodiverse coral reef system (over 1,500 fish species, 75% of all known coral species), one of the global pinnacles of scuba diving. Borneo (Kalimantan): the last significant wild orangutan habitat at Tanjung Puting National Park, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, and river wildlife.Best time to visitIndonesia spans multiple climate zones; general patterns: the dry season (May-October) is best for most of Java, Bali, Lombok, Komodo, and Sulawesi. November-April is the wet season, though Bali’s wet season is intermittent rather than continuous. Borneo and Sumatra are wet year-round but have drier periods. For Raja Ampat diving, October-April is optimal (calmer seas on the west side). For Ijen crater, April-October is the safest time. For orangutan viewing in Tanjung Puting, the dry season (June-September) concentrates them near feeding stations.Getting aroundJakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport and Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport are the main international gateways. Indonesia’s size requires flying between major islands; Lion Air, Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, and Citilink serve domestic routes extensively. Fast boats connect Bali to Lombok (2 hours), Lombok to Flores/Labuan Bajo (accessible via Komodo area), and Flores to Komodo. Overnight ferries connect many Indonesian islands via PELNI shipping company.What to eatIndonesia’s food culture is vast and varies enormously by island. Nasi goreng (fried rice) and mie goreng (fried noodles) are the national staples found everywhere. Rendang (slow-cooked coconut beef from Padang, West Sumatra) was named the world’s most delicious food by CNN in 2011. Satay (skewered grilled meat with peanut sauce), gado-gado (mixed vegetables with peanut dressing), and soto (spiced broth soup) are ubiquitous. Balinese cuisine: babi guling (spit-roasted suckling pig), bebek betutu (smoked duck). Javanese: gudeg (jackfruit stew), nasi Padang (set of curries with rice).FAQHow many days should I spend in Indonesia?The country is too large for any single trip to cover comprehensively. Common approaches: 7-10 days in Bali (plus Lombok or Komodo excursion); 10-14 days covering Bali and Java (Yogyakarta, Borobudur, Bromo, Ijen); 10 days for a Raja Ampat liveaboard diving trip; 7-10 days for a Borneo wildlife itinerary. Combining more than two island groups in one trip becomes rushed. Most repeat visitors to Indonesia develop one region (Bali, Java, East Indonesia) in depth rather than sampling everything briefly.