Indonesia is bigger than most people picture — 17,000 islands spread across a distance equivalent to London to Tehran. The single decision that determines whether a trip works is when to fly and when to take a boat, because the ferry network is slow and the country is wide.
The route that works
Java — volcanoes and culture. Yogyakarta as the base: Borobudur and Prambanan temples at dawn, the sultan's palace, and batik workshops. Then east to Mount Bromo for the sunrise over the caldera, and Ijen for the blue sulphur flames and the turquoise crater lake. Ijen means a 1am start and the sulphur is genuinely unpleasant to breathe — bring a proper mask, not the cloth one they hand out.
Bali — not the party island of its reputation unless you go looking. Ubud for rice terraces and the interior, Amed or Pemuteran for quiet diving, Bukit for surf. Two to five days is plenty for most backpackers; Bali is where people either stay a month or leave in three days.
Lombok and the Gilis — a short ferry east. Gili Trawangan is the busy one, Gili Air is the balance, Gili Meno is nearly empty. No motorised transport on any of them. Lombok itself has Mount Rinjani, a serious two-to-three-day trek.
Flores and Komodo — fly to Labuan Bajo. The two or three-day boat trip through Komodo National Park is the highlight of most Indonesia trips: dragons, Padar island's viewpoint, and manta rays at Manta Point. Book from Labuan Bajo rather than online, where the same trip costs double.
Fly, do not sail
| Leg | Flight | Ferry/land |
|---|---|---|
| Jakarta → Yogyakarta | 1h | 8h train (train is fine) |
| Yogyakarta → Bali | 1h20 | ~18h bus + ferry |
| Bali → Lombok | 30 min | 4–5h fast boat |
| Bali → Labuan Bajo | 1h20 | 2–3 days |
| Bali → Sumatra | 2–3h | Multiple days |
Domestic flights on Lion Air, Citilink and Garuda routinely cost $40–70. That is the best money you will spend in Indonesia. Java's trains, by contrast, are genuinely good and worth using within the island — the Yogyakarta to Surabaya line is comfortable and cheap.
One caution: Indonesian domestic airlines have a mixed safety record historically and schedule changes are common. Build a buffer day before any international flight home.
Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private room / homestay | IDR 150–350k |
| Hostel dorm | IDR 90–180k |
| Warung meal | IDR 20–45k |
| Scooter rental, per day | IDR 60–100k |
| Komodo boat, 2 nights | IDR 1.5–3.5m |
Homestays are the accommodation to look for — family-run private rooms that cost about what a dorm does and are far more pleasant. Eat at warungs, the small family kitchens, where nasi goreng or gado-gado costs two dollars.
Practical warnings
Scooters. Everyone rents one and the accident rate among visitors is high. Most travel insurance excludes motorbike accidents without a licence valid for the engine size at home. Bali's traffic in particular is not a place to learn.
Volcano treks start absurdly early — Bromo at 3am, Ijen at 1am — and are cold at altitude even on the equator. Bring a fleece.
Ramadan affects Java and Lombok substantially, with many restaurants closed during daylight. Bali is Hindu and largely unaffected. Nyepi, the Balinese day of silence in March, closes the entire island including the airport for 24 hours — worth checking before booking.
When to go
April to October is the dry season across most of the country and the right window. November to March is the wet season, with heavy afternoon rain, rougher seas and more cancelled boat trips — the Komodo crossings in particular get called off.
July and August are peak and Bali fills. May, June and September are the sweet spot.