Travel advice for Indonesia
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Indonesia
Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
Delays are common to all forms of transport in Indonesia – including major flights – caused by weather, mechanical failure, or simply not enough passengers turning up, so you’ll save yourself a good deal of stress if you keep your schedule as flexible as possible.
6 days / from830 USD
Bali's Beaches and Temples
Experience Bali's brilliant beaches and temples with this stunning trip. Marvel at ancient temples like Tanah Lot and Pura Besakih, soak in stunning sunsets, stroll bare-footed along the best beaches in Bali and haggle at local markets – experience all of this, and much more, with this unique trip!
view tour ⤍10 days / from1600 USD
Rest and Relaxation in Bali and Lombok
This unique trip will take you to some of Bali and Lombok's most traditional places. Look forward to driving through tropical landscapes and spending time in villages nestled in scenic spots of traditional luxury with infinity pools and stunning vistas over the ocean.
view tour ⤍10 days / from2100 USD
Royal Bali - Culture & Beaches
Enjoy a luxurious stay in Bali, with hand-picked 5 Star Hotels. This trip includes privately guided tours as well as leisure time, ideal for families with kids. Highlights include sea temple Tanah Lot, Jatiluwih rice terraces and Uluwatu temple with its famous Kecak dance.
view tour ⤍14 days / from4025 USD
The Best of Bali
This trip will take you from the modern-day Bali to the traditional one. Bali has many adventures to offer, tour the countryside with a Vespa or glide through the hidden canyons. You will also be able to enjoy visits to enchanting villages, where you can take in the local way of life.
view tour ⤍10 days / from1783 USD
Java and Lombok - culture and beaches
Start your trip in Yogyakarta (also called Jogja) with its rich cultural past such as the Borobudur temple. From there continue to hike Mount Bromo and explore more of East Java in Malang and Surabaya. End your trip on the dreamy beaches of Kuta/Lombok, dubbed 'the next Bali'.
view tour ⤍12 days / from1250 USD
Singapore & Bali - A Unique Exploration
Combine Southeast Asia's smallest country Singapore with its largest country: Indonesia. Spend a few days exploring the metropolis before flying to the magical island of Bali. Temples, volcanoes and ceremonies are part of your itinerary, as are the gorgeous beaches of Nusa Lembongan.
view tour ⤍14 days / from2600 USD
Culture, volcanoes and dragons - Bali, Flores & Komodo
Combine several islands on one trip - start in Bali's cultural capital Ubud before heading to the rice fields in Sidemen. A short flight to Flores allows you to explore volcanoes and local villages before hopping on a cruise around Komodo and other islands close to Labuan Bajo. Dragons included!
view tour ⤍10 days / from1320 USD
Love trip to Bali
Celebrate your love union on this magical island. Included are couples massages at relaxing spas, a blessing ceremony by a Balinese priest, an authentic cooking class and of course - a beautiful white sandy beach on Nusa Lembongan to relax towards the end of your trip.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1750 USD
Bali Yoga Retreat
Discover a new you with this rejuvenating Bali-based yoga retreat. Enjoy personalised yoga and meditation classes, together with revitalising Ayurvedic treatments, all in idyllic surroundings. The cuisine is a treat for all the senses; you will also have the chance to explore the temples of Bali.
view tour ⤍14 days / from1691 USD
Unknown Java and Bali - an overland adventure
A fast-paced itinerary packing plenty of highlights: discover the temples of Prambanan and Borobudur and sunrises at Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen before heading to Bali: a beautiful underwater world and the landscapes of Ubud and Sidemen await.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1300 USD
Java Discovery
Experience the magic of Java, the third-largest of the Indonesian Islands, with this stunning trip! Discover stunning ancient temple complexes, ride a bicycle through idyllic rural villages, climb to Mount Ijen's crater at sunrise and laze around on palm-fringed tropical beaches!
view tour ⤍10 days / from2768 USD
Nature in Borneo and Relaxation in Riau
Experience the best of both worlds with this unique trip to Indonesia. Embark on a cruise up the Rungan River, where you will discover incredible wildlife and traditional villages, before continuing on to the Telunas Resort, a deserted island paradise that will be your home for a few days.
view tour ⤍14 days / from3800 USD
Indonesia Island Hop
From your base on Bali's renowned beaches you'll island hop your way round glorious Hindu temples and heritage sites. See komodo dragons, partake in a traditional Balinese ceremony, meet with a Hindu High Priest and visit local villages: this trip to Indonesia ticks all the tropical getaway boxes.
view tour ⤍13 days / from1550 USD
Exploring Bali's Culture & Gili's beaches
Dive deep into Balinese culture from Ubud and Sidemen. Visits include rice field walks, the Gates of Heaven, water temples like Tirta Empul and Tirta Gangga as well as a traditional cooking class. Your trip ends with the beaches of Gili Air and Jimbaran.
view tour ⤍Buses are inexpensive, easy to book and leave roughly on time. However, they’re also slow, cramped and often plain terrifying. Tickets are sold a day or more in advance from the point of departure or bus company offices; buy them as early as possible where services are infrequent. Tell the driver your exact destination, as it may be possible to get delivered right to the door.
In cities, colour-coded or numbered minibuses known as angkots (also called bemos, oplets or microlets) run fixed circuits, although routes are often adaptable according to their customers. Once on their way, they’re faster than buses and cheaper; fares are handed over on board.
A more pleasant alternative to big buses and angkots is tourist shuttle buses. Though far more expensive than local services, these air-conditioned vehicles will take you between points as quickly as possible. The longest-established firm on Bali and Lombok is Perama.
In Java, trains are often more comfortable and reliable than buses, and train stations are generally far more centrally situated. Some convenience stores, such as Indomaret or Alfamart, have self-service ticket machines, or you can book tickets on the railway’s official website or the more user-friendly agent Tiket. Get to the station at least one hour early to exchange booking receipts for boarding passes.
Public ferries run regularly between neighbouring islands, such as between Sumatra and Java, Java and Bali, and Bali and Lombok. In more visited areas you’ll find tourist boat services, and combined long-distance bus and boat options.
Check up-to-date route information and buy tickets, available two or three days before departure, at the local Pelni office. Alternatively, pay an agent to reserve tickets as early as possible.
On-board accommodation is usually divided into two or four classes, the most expensive of which come with double bed, washroom, air-conditioning and large luggage lockers. If full, the only option is to sleep in the corridors, stairwells or on deck.
Flights can be a quicker and cheaper way to travel between the Indonesian islands, especially if you take into account en-route costs aboard long-haul buses and boats. As airlines have competed fiercely for booming business, safety standards have lagged behind. However, in August 2016, foreign air safety regulators upgraded the country’s rating, ending a nine-year ban on entering Europe and the United States. State-operated Garuda is the most reputable, handling a range of international and domestic flights, as does Air Asia. Airlines providing domestic services include Lion, Merpati and Sriwijaya.
Car-rental agencies abound in tourist hot spots such as Bali, with rates from around Rp250,000–400,000/day. You’ll need to produce an international drivers’ licence before you rent (in some cases these can be purchased for around Rp200,000). Rental motorbikes start at around Rp50,000 per day without insurance.
Conditions are not suitable for inexperienced drivers, with heavy traffic on major routes. Drivers must always carry an international driving licence and the vehicle registration documents.
In cities, colour-coded or numbered minibuses known as angkots (also called bemos, oplets or microlets) run fixed circuits, although routes are often adaptable according to their customers.
Other standbys include ojek, single-passenger motorbikes, and becak, cycle-rickshaws capable of squeezing in two or three passengers. Jakarta also has motorized becak, called bajaj. Negotiating fares for these vehicles requires a balance of firmness and tact. Taxis are generally cheaper than a bajaj, and in most cities use a meter (argo), though bajaj can prove useful when in a hurry during the peak-hour mess.
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Indonesia
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 26.04.2021