Indonesia is a travel destination reflecting the true spirit of Southeast Asia. A colourful palette, this island country takes one on a tour of different aspects of life that have a deep connection with nature and culture. With more than 17000 islands in possessions, Indonesia inevitably can be a travel place with plenty on offer for people on a vacation here. The scenic white sand beaches; the dense forests that are also home to the orangutans; the island of Komodo dragons; the serendipity in Bali; and the dynamism in Jakarta, adorn Indonesia in a way that it has become irresistible.

The best time to visit Indonesia is during its dry season from mid-April to September. The weather in this tropical country can be split into two seasons – dry and wet. Indonesia experiences its wet season in the remaining months from October to mid-April. The dry season has warm, sunny and dry days that offer the perfect conditions for trekking, sightseeing or other water-related activities. May, June and September are the ideal months to visit Indonesia if you wish to combine the excellent weather of the dry season with the lack of tourist crowds.

The dry season in Bali is from April to September. Expect bright, blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Within the dry season, the best months to visit Bali would be May, June and September. The crowd isn’t at its peak; the weather conditions are blissful. Bali experiences its wet season between October and March. The rainfall is usually brief, so you don’t have to worry about heavy downpours. The temperatures in Bali are consistent throughout the year, ranging between 26 to 29 degrees Celsius. The central regions of Bali and the mountains tend to experience colder temperatures and higher rainfall when compared to the coastal areas.

^*Indonesia offers a Visa on arrival to citizens of 68 countries including India.

Indonesian food is somewhat similar to other Southeast Asian countries and famous dishes include Redang, Soto Betawi, Ketoprak, Soto Mie, Rawon, Sate Ayam, Gudeg, Sayur Asem, Bakso, and Nasi Kuning. These dishes can be tried in various restaurants and stalls in Yogyakarta, Central Java, Padang, Jakarta, Ubud, and Bali.

The shopping scene in Indonesia is one of the main attractions for tourists in the country. The shops are unlimited storehouses of products and stock everything that a person could ever think of. Be it traditional and handicraft products, furniture, fashion products in boutiques, they have it all. The handmade products are perfected and painstakingly created by the skilled craftsmen.

Whether you arrive in Bali with the intention to shop or don’t, you’re going to end up with your hands full of shopping bags anyway. The island offers a variety of options, from designer wear at boutiques to woven scarves at street markets, to suit travellers of every budget and every style.

The most common languages spoken in Bali/Indonesia are Balinese, Bahasa Indonesia and English.

1. BALI

Bali, Indonesia’s most famous island is located to the west of Java in the Lesser Sunda Islands. It is world-renowned for its scenic rice terraces, fragrant cuisine, stunning beaches and a galore of culture and tradition. With its elaborate temples, endless coastline, some of the world’s best coral reefs, waterfalls and retreats, Bali combines leisure and adventure impeccably. A dizzying combination of spiritual awakening and hard-partying all into one, Bali is where people from all over the world come to lose themselves in.

The island boasts some of the best sunsets and sunrises, enough to captivate and entice you into never leaving this place. Home to the coral reefs of Tulamben, the mountain peaks of Kintamani, the beaches and scenic routes of Seminyak and Kuta, with ancient temples and traditional village life of Ubud, Bali’s charm is boundless, as are its opportunities for fun.

Don’t forget to stop by one of the many terraced rice fields, a feature that only adds to the diversity of Bali’s beautiful landscape. Tourists may enjoy an idyllic day at the beach, surf, dive, take a casual boat ride to gaze at the dolphins, explore the many beautiful temples, the local markets and the waterfalls, or go to the silent yoga retreats – there is something for everybody here. Bali has been the subject of so many travel journals and has been famously alluded to in many works of literature, as a place of true beauty, and yet words always fail to capture the captivating magic of ‘The Island of the Gods’.

Places to visit in Bali:  Kuta Beach, Tanah Lot Temple, Uluwatu Temple, Nusa Dua, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Sanur

2. JAKARTA

Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta is also the nation’s cultural, economic and political centre. Amble leisurely through Kota Baru, or Jakarta’s Old Town, where colonial Dutch architecture remains preserved as they stood during the times before Indonesia’s independence. Take in the heady sights and smells of Glodok, Jakarta’s historic Chinatown area, before heading towards central Jakarta to marvel at MONAS, Indonesia’s National Monument to its freedom struggle.

Fall in love with the Thousand Islands or Kepualan Seribu, one of Indonesia’s most hyped beach getaways and lose yourselves in the pristine white sands of the archipelago. Jakarta offers much to any tourist and alongside the historic sights of the city lies the ultra-modern malls and its bustling nightlife scene.

The sprawling nature of Jakarta, with its crowds, its maniacal traffic and the sheer speed of life in the city may overwhelm some tourists at first sight. But beneath this rather busy exterior, Jakarta is a city filled with interesting contrasts of the contemporary, traditional, extravagant and the humble. It is an eclectic mix of many Asian and South-East Asian cultures (the native Batavian culture in particular), Dutch and Islamic influences and channels them all into a beautiful set of contrasts.

With a wide range of activities and the best nightlife in all of South-East Asia, Jakarta is an experience for the culturally curious and the adventurous tourist.

Places to visit in Jakarta: Kota Tua, Merdeka Square, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Dunia Fantasi (Ancol Dreamland)

3. LOMBOK

Touted as an ‘unspoiled Bali’, Lombok Island is a part of the Lesser Sunda Island chain and is popular for its gleaming waterfalls, pearl farms, quaint villages, rice paddies and white-sand beaches. Popular among surfers, the island is generally more relaxed and quieter than its sister islands. Lombok is also home to Mount Rinjani, Indonesia’s second-highest active volcano with a massive lake inside its caldera.

Trekking to Mount Rinjani’s pinnacle is Lombok’s most exciting activity. Halfway up the mountain is Air Kalak Hot Springs, said to have medicinal volcanic mineral properties. Narmada Water Park, built to resemble Rinjani’s shape, houses beautiful gardens and temples. Plunging from a height of 45 metres, Tiu Kelep Waterfall is surrounded by emerald, biodiverse jungles. Small towns like Tetebatu and Kuta offer traditional Sasak houses for rent and shops selling trinkets, batiks and fresh coconut. Tourists flock to Autore Pearl Farm to learn about pearl cultivation and collect souvenirs.

Lombok is a hotspot for watersports like diving and snorkelling, owing to excellent underwater visibility, verdant coral reefs, graceful turtles and rays. Lombok’s prettiest beaches include Selong Belanak, Senggigi, Pink Beach and Semeti Beach, flaunting spectacular volcanic formations. Some more must-visit places for a fulfilling Lombok tour are Benang Kelambu Waterfall, Mangku Sakti Waterfall, Sukarara Village and abandoned WWII bunkers in Tanjung Ringgit.

Places to visit in Lombok:  Mount Rinjani, Gili Trawangan Island, Tanjung Aan Beach, Gili Islands, Gili Meno Beach

4. UBUD

Known to be the spiritual centre of Bali, Ubud’s humble and understated nature is the antithesis to the loud, brash, hard-partying lifestyle that has come to define Kuta and Seminyak. Brought to the masses in the Julia Roberts film ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, Ubud is a quaint town of artists and is regarded as the arts and craft hub with all the galleries and artists’ workshops in the town and nearby villages. Ubud oozes charm and old-world culture and offers visitors the quintessential traditional Balinese experiences.

The world-famous Jatiluwih rice terraces and its tranquil and verdant expanses, the multitude of temples scattered in and around Ubud, and the waterfalls that dot the landscape ensure that there is something for everyone looking for a Bali experience outside the typical Bali vacation. Ubud is also famous for the many art galleries and workshops they conduct. It offers the perfect avenue for tourists looking to buy authentic Balinese art or those who want to learn how to create it by themselves.

Places to visit in Ubud:  Komaneka Fine Art Gallery, Tirta Empul Temple, Ubud Art Market, Ubud Celuk Village, Pura Taman Saraswati Temple, Ubud Royal Palace

5. YOGYAKARTA

Once the cradle of civilization in Java, Yogyakarta is now one of the foremost cultural centers of Indonesia. This area was the throne that created the magnificent temples of Borobudur and Prambanan in the 8th and 9th centuries. Its cultural and historical values are what make this city special. Therefore you can spend your future holiday strolling through the living museum of The Kraton or The Keraton (Sultan’s Palace), stopping by the famous Alun Alun, watching silversmiths craft stunning jewelry pieces at Kotagede, or experience shopping spree up at Malioboro road. Looking for an extraordinary sunrise view? Wake up early and chase the sun in famous temples like Prambanan and Borobudur in the neighboring town of Magelang. Be adventurous, cultured, and joyful at once in this city!

Places to visit in Yogyakarta: Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, Sewu Temple, Pinus Pengger, The Taman Sari, Merapi Volcano, Kalibiru National Park, Jomblang Cave, Ullen Sentalu Museum, Timang Beach

6. RAJA AMPAT, WEST PAPUA

Those who fancy marine and aquatic tourism must be familiar with this destination.  It’s a pristine paradise located in West Papua where Mother Nature along with friendly locals welcome you with all the exceptional wonders. Literally meaning ‘The Four Kings’, Raja Ampat is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool.

For underwater aficionados, Raja Ampat offers some of the best marine experiences in the world. The area of Raja Ampat Islands, which covers 9.8 million hectares of land and sea, is home to 540 types of corals, more than 1,000 types of reef fish and 700 types of mollusks. This makes it the most diverse aquatic habitat for the world’s coral reefs and underwater biota. Aside from exploring the surfaces of the water, you can also deep dive and immerse into the otherworldly underwater realms. It’s going to be an unforgettable journey!

Places to visit in Raja Ampat: Pianemo, Arborek Village, Batanta Island Waterfall, Pasir Timbul, Hornbill Island

7. GILI TRAWANGAN

Located just off the northeastern coast of Lombok and to Bali’s west, Gili Trawangan is a part of the Gili Island archipelago comprising Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air and more than 20 other smaller islands. It is also the most developed and tourist-friendly among them.

Places to visit in Gili Trawangan: Gili Trawangan Island, Surf Point Bongkas, Gili Trawangan Turtle Hatchery

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