From Java to Komodo

Four nights are not necessary to explore Jakarta. We deliberately stayed longer to recover from the long journey and adjust to the time difference before starting our trip. We recommend staying around the Thamrin / Sudirman area, Jakarta's modern   downtown, with excellent malls, restaurants and transport connections.    

Take the Whoosh high speed train from Jakarta to Bandung. The high speed section takes only around 46 minutes. One night works well if Bandung is mainly a stop between Jakarta and Yogyakarta. If you have more time, add an extra night and spend a full day exploring the surroundings, such as Kawah Putih and the tea plantations around Ciwidey.

We highly recommend travelling from Bandung to Yogyakarta by train during the day. Take the Argo Wilis, which leaves Bandung in the morning and reaches Yogyakarta in the afternoon. The scenery through the mountains, rice fields and countryside of Java makes the journey an experience in itself.

You could skip the night in Malang and leave around midnight for the classic Bromo sunrise tour, but we preferred not to rush. Malang makes a pleasant stop along the route and gives you time to explore a different side of Java. Visit the colourful Kampung Warna Warni Jodipan, walk around the historic centre and enjoy the city before continuing to Bromo the following day.

We highly recommend spending a night in Cemoro Lawang rather than visiting Bromo on a rushed tour. Many tours combine the sunrise viewpoint with a visit to the crater immediately afterwards. Staying here allows you to take things at a much slower pace, visit the crater during the day and experience the incredible Bromo landscape under different light conditions, from the afternoon and daytime to sunrise the following morning.

You can skip the night in Surabaya and travel directly from Bromo to the airport if you are short on time. We preferred to break up the journey and avoid rushing. Surabaya's historic centre is also surprisingly interesting, with colonial architecture and old Chinese, Arab and Malay quarters reflecting the city's multicultural trading history. Explore the atmospheric Arab Quarter around Ampel and Pasar Pabean, the historic fish and spice market.

If you want more time to enjoy the beaches of southern Bali, we would suggest adding an extra night here. We decided to stay only two nights because we had plenty of beach and sea time later in the trip, particularly in Gili Air and during the Lombok to Flores cruise.

Ubud is touristy, busy and often chaotic, but it remains an excellent base for exploring the cultural heart of Bali. Staying here gives you easy access to Balinese culture, temples and many of the main sights around Central Bali. Traffic can be very heavy across the island, so using Ubud as a base for the temples and attractions in and around the area can save a lot of travelling time.

You absolutely need to add Sidemen to your Bali itinerary. This beautiful valley in eastern Bali feels like stepping back in time, with a slower pace of life, lush jungle, iconic rice terraces and Mount Agung dominating the landscape. Spend at least 2 nights here to experience a quieter and more rural side of Bali. Sidemen is also a great base for a half day visit to Besakih Temple. For us, it was one of the highlights of Bali.

For us, Gili Air is the best choice of the three Gili Islands. Gili Trawangan is much busier and more commercial, while Gili Meno is very quiet and has fewer restaurants and facilities. Gili Air offers a great balance: relaxed island atmosphere, enough choice of restaurants and accommodation, and an excellent base for snorkelling around all three islands.

Highly recommended. We chose the 4 days / 3 nights cruise rather than flying directly to Labuan Bajo or taking a shorter 2 days / 1 night cruise, and we are very glad we did. We sailed with Meccadina, really enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend them. The journey from Lombok through Sumbawa and the Komodo islands was an experience in itself and one of the highlights of our Indonesia trip.

The cruise arrives around lunchtime, so technically you could fly out of Labuan Bajo that same afternoon and save a night. We preferred to slow down and relax after four intense days on the boat. Labuan Bajo and its surroundings are also worth exploring beyond Komodo: Batu Cermin is an unusual limestone cave close to town, Rangko Cave has a beautiful saltwater pool, and Sylvia Hill is a great spot for panoramic views over the bay and surrounding islands. Keeping two nights here gave us time to enjoy these places without rushing.