The ultimate 30-day Indonesia route — Bali, Java, Flores, Lombok, Gili, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Raja Ampat in one progressive adventure from beach to wilderness.
Thirty days is enough to experience Indonesia as a country rather than as a single island. This route connects the landscapes, cultures and wildlife that make the archipelago one of the most diverse destinations on earth: rice terraces and cliffs in Bali, temple ruins and volcanoes in Java, wild islands and dragons in Komodo, beaches and waterfalls in Lombok, orangutans in Sumatra, traditional villages in Sulawesi and the world's richest marine environment in Raja Ampat. The trip gets progressively more remote as it unfolds.
Trip overview
Length: 30 days. Route: Ubud → Uluwatu → Yogyakarta → Bromo → Labuan Bajo → Flores → Kuta Lombok → Gili Trawangan → Bukit Lawang → Lake Toba → Makassar → Tana Toraja → Sorong → Raja Ampat. Best for: experienced travellers, long-stay visitors, gap year travellers and serious Indonesia explorers. Pace: active at first, immersive at the end. Best time to go: April to September. Start point: Denpasar / Ngurah Rai International Airport (Bali). End point: Sorong.
Before you fly: sort your Indonesia data
Get your Indonesia eSIM with Airalo before you board. Activate it on the plane so you have data, maps and messaging the moment you land.
BALI — Days 1–7
Day 1: Arrive in Bali and go to Ubud
After landing in Bali, go directly to Ubud with a private airport transfer. Keep the first day simple.
WHERE TO STAY IN UBUD (4 nights): Search Booking.com.
Day 2: Ubud rice terraces, temples and waterfalls
Sacred Monkey Forest, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Tirta Empul Temple and a waterfall near Ubud. An Ubud tour covering Monkey Forest, rice terraces and a waterfall. Over 7,600 reviews.
Day 3: Mount Batur sunrise
Leave before sunrise for a Mount Batur sunrise jeep experience. Return to Ubud for breakfast and keep the afternoon light.
Day 4: Balinese cooking class and slow Ubud afternoon
Join a Balinese cooking class starting with a local market visit. Spend the afternoon at a spa or by the pool.
Day 5: Nusa Penida day trip
Book the fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Penida. A Nusa Penida full-day trip from Bali usually covers Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, Angel's Billabong and Crystal Bay. Return to Ubud.
Day 6: Move to Uluwatu
Leave Ubud with a private car charter. Spend the afternoon at Padang Padang, Bingin or Melasti Beach. Evening: Uluwatu Temple and the Kecak fire dance at Uluwatu.
WHERE TO STAY IN ULUWATU (1 night): Search Booking.com.
Day 7: Fly to Yogyakarta
Morning in Uluwatu, then fly to Yogyakarta. (Arrange via Traveloka.) Keep the afternoon light in Yogyakarta.
WHERE TO STAY IN YOGYAKARTA (3 nights): Search Booking.com.
JAVA — Days 8–11
Day 8: Borobudur and Prambanan
Book a Borobudur and Prambanan temple day trip from Yogyakarta (SEARCH klook.com: "Borobudur Prambanan day trip Yogyakarta").
Day 9: Yogyakarta city culture
Sultan's Palace, Taman Sari Water Castle and batik workshop. A Yogyakarta private city tour (SEARCH viator.com: "Yogyakarta private city tour Sultan Palace Taman Sari batik"). Try local food in the evening.
Day 10: Travel to Mount Bromo
A Yogyakarta to Bromo and Ijen overland route (SEARCH klook.com: "Bromo Ijen overland from Yogyakarta multi-day") handles transport logistics. Sleep early near Bromo.
WHERE TO STAY NEAR BROMO (1 night): Search Booking.com.
Day 11: Mount Bromo sunrise and travel to Labuan Bajo
Wake before dawn for Mount Bromo — a Mount Bromo sunrise tour. 1,984 reviews. After the visit, take the Banyuwangi to Bali ferry and position for the flight to Labuan Bajo.
KOMODO AND FLORES — Days 12–15
Day 12: Fly to Labuan Bajo
Fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo. (Arrange via Traveloka.) Arrive, check in near the harbour and settle in.
WHERE TO STAY IN LABUAN BAJO (3 nights): Search Booking.com.
Day 13: Komodo National Park
A Komodo National Park full-day speedboat tour (SEARCH klook.com: "Komodo National Park full day speedboat Labuan Bajo") covers Padar Island, Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Manta Point and snorkeling stops.
Day 14: Slow Labuan Bajo day
Rangko Cave half-day trip (SEARCH klook.com: "Rangko Cave Labuan Bajo half day") or rest by the pool.
Day 15: Fly to Lombok
Fly from Labuan Bajo to Lombok, then continue to Kuta Lombok with a private airport transfer to Kuta Lombok.
WHERE TO STAY IN KUTA LOMBOK (3 nights): Search Booking.com.
LOMBOK AND GILI ISLANDS — Days 16–20
Day 16: South Lombok beaches
Tanjung Aan and Selong Belanak. Book a South Lombok beach tour for a smoother day with a driver, or trade it for a beginner surf lesson at Selong Belanak if you'd rather be in the water.
Day 17: Lombok waterfalls
Head north to Senaru for the Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls day trip — jungle paths and mountain air in a very different landscape from the south coast.
Day 18: Travel to Gili Trawangan
Travel from Lombok to the islands with a fast boat from Lombok to Gili Trawangan.
WHERE TO STAY IN GILI TRAWANGAN (2 nights): Search Booking.com.
Day 19: Gili Islands snorkeling
Spend the day in the water on a 3-island Gili snorkeling tour covering Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air — turtles, coral and the underwater statues near Gili Meno.
Day 20: Return to Bali and fly to Medan
Take the return boat from Gili Trawangan to Bali, then fly from Bali to Medan.
WHERE TO STAY IN MEDAN (1 night): Search Booking.com.
SUMATRA — Days 21–24
Day 21: Travel to Bukit Lawang
Drive from Medan to Bukit Lawang — around 3 hours. A Medan to Bukit Lawang transfer (SEARCH viator.com: "Medan Bukit Lawang private transfer") makes the journey more comfortable.
WHERE TO STAY IN BUKIT LAWANG (2 nights): Search Booking.com.
Day 22: Orangutan trekking in Gunung Leuser
Full day in the jungle with a licensed guide. A Bukit Lawang orangutan trekking experience (SEARCH viator.com: "Bukit Lawang orangutan trekking Gunung Leuser"). If not available on Viator: arrange directly with a licensed local guide through your guesthouse — the standard and preferred approach. Around $30–60 per person.
Day 23: Bukit Lawang to Lake Toba
Travel from Bukit Lawang towards Lake Toba. Long travel day. Take the ferry from Parapat to Samosir Island.
WHERE TO STAY ON SAMOSIR ISLAND (1 night): Search Booking.com.
Day 24: Lake Toba morning and fly to Makassar
Spend the morning at Lake Toba, then return to Medan and fly to Makassar. (Arrange via Traveloka.)
WHERE TO STAY IN MAKASSAR (1 night): Search Booking.com.
SULAWESI — Days 25–27
Day 25: Travel to Tana Toraja
Drive or fly to Tana Toraja. A multi-day Tana Toraja cultural tour from Makassar (SEARCH viator.com: "Tana Toraja cultural tour from Makassar multi-day") handles transport and local guide. If not available: hire a private driver and arrange a local guide in Rantepao.
WHERE TO STAY IN TANA TORAJA (2 nights): Search Booking.com.
Day 26: Tana Toraja cultural immersion
Full day with a local guide visiting: traditional tongkonan houses, hanging graves at Londa or Lemo, stone megaliths at Bori Kalimbuang and local village life. A Tana Toraja village and cultural tour (SEARCH viator.com: "Tana Toraja village tongkonan burial site tour") if confirmed — otherwise arrange locally.
Day 27: Return to Makassar and fly to Sorong
Return to Makassar and fly to Sorong (SOQ). Arrange via Traveloka.
WHERE TO STAY IN SORONG (1 night): Search Booking.com.
RAJA AMPAT — Days 28–30
Day 28: Ferry to Waisai and transfer to your Raja Ampat base
Take the morning ferry from Sorong to Waisai (SEARCH 12go.asia: "Sorong to Waisai ferry Raja Ampat"), then continue to your dive lodge, eco-resort or homestay.
Most Raja Ampat accommodation is not on Booking.com — contact properties directly. The island permit is around $50 per person, collected on arrival.
All Raja Ampat activities — diving, snorkeling, island tours, village visits — are arranged through your lodge or local guides.
Days 29–30: Raja Ampat diving, snorkeling and island wilderness
Two days in one of the world's most biodiverse marine environments. All activities arranged through your lodge. Ask about: Dampier Strait coral dives, Piaynemo viewpoint, Cape Kri, Manta Sandy and village visits to Arborek or Sawinggrai.
Final departure: return to Sorong via local boat and Waisai ferry, then fly onward.
Where to stay — full summary
Ubud — 4 nights (Search Booking.com).
Uluwatu — 1 night (Search Booking.com).
Yogyakarta — 3 nights (Search Booking.com).
Bromo area — 1 night (Search Booking.com).
Labuan Bajo — 3 nights (Search Booking.com).
Kuta Lombok — 3 nights (Search Booking.com).
Gili Trawangan — 2 nights (Search Booking.com).
Medan — 1 night (Search Booking.com).
Bukit Lawang — 2 nights (Search Booking.com).
Lake Toba / Samosir — 1 night (Search Booking.com).
Makassar — 1 night (Search Booking.com).
Tana Toraja — 2 nights (Search Booking.com).
Sorong — 1 night (Search Booking.com).
Raja Ampat — 2 nights (book directly with dive lodge — not on standard booking platforms).
Practical info
- Best time to visit
- Dry season (April–October) generally offers the best weather across most of Indonesia. Check the specific best season noted for this trip.
- Getting there
- The easiest way to reach Indonesia (starting in Bali) is to fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali (DPS) and continue by domestic flights, ferries and private drivers. Compare the best flight, stay, and transfer options before you go.
- Getting around
- Mix of domestic flights, private drivers, ferries and boats. Book inter-island flights early in peak season. Gojek and Grab work in major cities.
- Currency & money tips
- Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). ATMs widely available in cities and tourist hubs. Carry cash for remote areas and small warungs. Card accepted at most hotels and mid-range restaurants.
- SIM card / connectivity
- Sort your Indonesia eSIM with Airalo (https://www.airalo.com/indonesia-esim) before you board. Activate it on the plane so you have data, maps and messaging the moment you land. A local SIM (Telkomsel or XL Axiata) is also available at airport arrivals for around $5–8.
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