Indonesia Travel Guide

Indonesia: A Thousand Islands, A Thousand Ways to Get Lost

Indonesia isn’t one place — it’s a scattered universe of volcanoes, temples, rituals, and scooter horns. From Bali’s flower offerings to Sumatra’s orangutans, from sulfur craters to sea turtles, it never stops shifting shape.

You don’t travel through Indonesia.
You dissolve into it. One island at a time.

Scroll down for more travel photos.

Quick Facts

Capital: Jakarta
Population: Over 275 million
Language: Bahasa Indonesia (plus hundreds of local languages)
Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Time Zones: Three – Western, Central, Eastern (UTC+7 to UTC+9)
Climate: Tropical – hot, humid, with wet and dry seasons
Visa Requirements: Visa-free or eVisa for most nationalities (30–60 days)
Top Religions: Islam (majority), Hinduism (esp. Bali), Christianity, Buddhism
Safety: Generally safe – watch for volcano warnings, pickpockets, strong currents
Transport: Ferries, scooters, buses, slow trains and fast flights
Vibe: Spiritual, chaotic, vibrant, volcanically unpredictable
Best for: Island-hoppers, divers, spiritual seekers, rice terrace daydreamers

Top 5 Attractions

1. Borobudur (Java)
The largest Buddhist temple on Earth, best visited at sunrise. A spiritual maze of stone and mist.

2. Ubud (Bali)
Yoga, rice terraces, monkey forests and more smoothies than you ever asked for. Touristy? Sure. Still magic? Definitely.

3. Komodo National Park (Flores)
Dragons, coral reefs, pink beaches. Enough said. Go by boat, and go slow.

4. Mount Bromo (Java)
Volcanic sunrise. A cold wind, a whisper of sulfur, and a Martian landscape that humbles.

5. Raja Ampat (West Papua)
Some of the richest marine biodiversity on Earth. Unreal diving. Remote, expensive, unforgettable.

Activities

  • Temple hopping and flower offerings (especially in Bali)

  • Volcano trekking – Rinjani, Bromo, Ijen, and more

  • Diving and snorkeling – world-class in Komodo, Raja Ampat, Gili

  • Surfing and scooter-wandering along island coastlines

  • Cooking classes and traditional dance performances

  • Living the hammock life on remote islands no one can pronounce

Culture & Etiquette

  • Remove shoes before entering homes and temples

  • Dress modestly – especially outside Bali or on Muslim-majority islands

  • Use your right hand for giving and receiving

  • Public displays of affection are frowned upon in most areas

  • Don’t touch people’s heads (yes, still sacred)

  • Smile often – it’s the national currency

What Not to Do

  • Don’t step on offerings (look down before you walk!)

  • Don’t drink tap water – bottled or filtered only

  • Don’t assume “island time” means things won’t happen – they just happen later

  • Don’t bring or use drugs – severe penalties

  • Don’t enter temples during menstruation (cultural/religious rule)

Tipping in Indonesia

Tipping in Indonesia isn’t mandatory — but in many situations, it’s quietly appreciated and becoming more common, especially in tourist areas.

💸 Here's how it works:

  • Restaurants:
    Mid-range to upscale places: 5–10% if no service charge is included (check your bill).
    At small warungs (local eateries): not expected — but rounding up or leaving small notes is a kind gesture.

  • Hotels:
    Porters: Rp 10,000–20,000 per bag
    Housekeeping: Rp 20,000–50,000 for your stay
    Luxury hotels: slightly more — consider placing it in an envelope

  • Drivers and transport:
    Taxi or Grab: rounding up or adding Rp 5,000–10,000 is appreciated.
    Private driver: Rp 50,000–100,000 per day — more if they double as your guide

  • Tour guides:
    Yes — tipping is expected. Around Rp 100,000+ per day depending on length and quality of the tour

  • Massage / spa services:
    10% is a good tip if a service charge isn’t already included

🙏 How to tip:

Cash is best. Hand it over discreetly with a smile. Keep small denominations handy — Rp 10,000 and Rp 20,000 notes go a long way.

Cannabis in Indonesia (as of 2025)

Extremely illegal. Indonesia has some of the strictest drug laws in the world.
Possession can result in long prison sentences or the death penalty.
Don’t risk it — not even for “one puff in paradise.”

Destinations by Region

Java

Jakarta – Loud, sprawling, complex. Come for the chaos, stay for the street food.
Yogyakarta – Culture capital. Borobudur, batik, and street art.
Bromo & Ijen – Volcanoes, crater lakes, and blue fire.

Bali

Ubud – Jungle soul and spiritual saturation
Canggu – Surf, hip cafés, digital nomads
Uluwatu – Cliffs, waves, and sunsets worthy of silence
Sidemen / North Bali – Quiet, lush, and full of ceremonies

Lombok & the Gilis

Lombok – Less crowded, rawer, and ringed with waterfalls
Gili Islands – No cars, just bikes, beaches and Bintang

Flores & Komodo

Labuan Bajo – Jump-off for dragons and reefs
Komodo & Rinca – Giant lizards and coral heaven

Sumatra

Bukit Lawang – Orangutan encounters in the wild
Lake Toba – The largest volcanic lake on Earth
Aceh & West Sumatra – Coffee, culture and tsunami memory

Sulawesi

Tana Toraja – Fascinating death rituals and ancestral homes
Bunaken – Diving and island silence

Kalimantan (Borneo)

Orangutan sanctuaries and longboat journeys through rainforest

West Papua & Raja Ampat

For the brave and the budget-ready – pure underwater and cultural wonder

Final Note

Indonesia is not just one place. It’s a thousand invitations.
To pause. To paddle. To pray. To be completely and joyfully overwhelmed.

You don’t conquer it — you yield to it.
And the more you surrender, the more it gives you back.

A traditional Balinese temple with multi-tiered roofs is situated on a small island surrounded by a lake, with flowers in the foreground, green hills in the background, and a partly cloudy sky.
Tall waterfall cascading down a lush, green jungle cliff surrounded by dense tropical vegetation.
Street scene with a man pushing a cart filled with goods through a busy marketplace, surrounded by people on motorbikes and pedestrians.
Person hiking on a grassy hillside overlooking a volcanic landscape with a smoking volcano in the distance surrounded by mountains.
A stone Buddha statue surrounded by several large stone stupas with cone-shaped tops, set against a backdrop of mountains and a hazy sky.
A traditional Balinese procession with people dressed in white and colorful sarongs, carrying a large ornate mask and parasols, walking down stone steps surrounded by trees.
A person surfing on a wave during sunset, with golden light illuminating the water and sky.
Aerial view of terraced rice paddies surrounded by lush green tropical trees, with small structures and pathways.
A man riding a bicycle loaded with various woven baskets and hats on a street lined with trees.
Skewers of marinated meat grilling over hot charcoal.
Tropical beach with turquoise water, large limestone cliffs, and palm trees.