lambada

I am considering going to Indonesia for the first time from 16th Sep to 20th Oct (will be getting a suitable visa in advance). I have done some preliminary research and concluded that I’d like to visit:
Java (Baturaden, Dieng Plateau, Borobudur, Mount Merapi, Mount Bromo, Mount Ijen, Candi Prambanan), North Sulawesi (Lake Tondano, Tangkoko National Park, Tomohon Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park), Lombok, Gili Air and Bali.

I would appreciate answers to a number of questions…

1. I have the option to fly to/from Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Kuala Lumpur. Which would be the best entry/exit points? Fly into Jakarta and out of Bali?
2. I suspect that I’m trying to cover too much even if I don’t mind travelling fast…if this is the case, which place(s) would best be left for next time?
3. Which would be the ideal sequence to visit the different islands in so as to avoid the rain as much as possible?
4. I had a hard time choosing between North/South Sulawesi, (part of) Sumatra and Flores. Is North Sulawesi the best choice for me given my interests below?

Here is some information which might influence your advice…

1. I’m a seasoned male traveller aged 37
2. I will have a budget of around €3k after international flights
3. I’d like to sleep in a private room with bathroom whenever possible
4. I wouldn’t like to take bus trips longer than 7hrs and no overnight buses so I’m prepared to pay for domestic flights as long as I stay within budget.
5. My main interests are: natural attractions/scenery, wildlife (would like to see tarsiers but not a must), light to moderate trekking, up to 5 days of swimming/snorkelling, culture, cuisine. I am not interested in seeing caves, diving, surfing or partying.

Thanks so much for your help!

crellston

Firstly, here is a link to our blog of our time covering many of these areas https://accidentalnomads.com/category/indonesia/ which may provide and idea of what to expect.

I think you probably have enough time for all those places listed. We flew into Jakarta from KL and were glad to get out of the city ASAP. We got the train down through Java and the ferry accross to Bali thus avoiding bus travelas much as possible.

We did Sulawesi on a separate trip and only visited the south - Makassar, Tanah Toraja and Lake Teme and Ramang Ramang and absolutely loved it. We did thinks about coniyinuing north but it would have involved some excruciating bus rides as flights were few and far between.

I think your budget should be fine. The most expensive items will likely be tours to places like Bromo and Ijen which proved difficult to DIY..The weather shouldn’t present any issue at that time of year.

happy to answer any questions on specifics if I can.

kja

I’m a bit less optimistic than crellston about whether you can manage all you hope to see in the time you have, but he’s an expert, and I have only a single trip to the area (and only some of the places you hope to see) on which to base my opinions. If you haven’t already seen it, you might find some useful information in my trip report:
A Memorable Solo Month in Singapore, Java, and Bali

It’s a beautiful part of the world – enjoy!

marmot

1. Route: I would avoid Jakarta airport if you can. Bali/Denpasar has good connections to most other places in Indonesia. Surabaya airport is also a good transfer point but there are fewer flights into Surabaya. So it depends on your final choice of destinations and your preferred sequence.

September/October is fairly quiet time in allover Indonesia and rates are generally competitive. I wouldn't expect extensive rain in any of your proposed places during your dates.

Food and accommodations are cheap, even for a private room with a bath. Aside from local beer, alcohol is expensive. Transportation from place to place will be your greatest expense.

Domestic air travel is quite inexpensive in Indonesia. AirAsia and Garuda are the most dependable. The others are all about the same.
For Central Java, fly into/out of Yogyakarta or Solo.
For East Java, fly into/out of Surabaya. Drive to Bromo and Ijen. You can also take an overnight train between Yogya and Surabaya.
You can take the ferry from Ijen to North Bali (around Pemuteran) then arrange transport from North Bali to Ubud. Or you can backtrack to Surabaya and fly to south Bali/Denpasar
For Central Sulawesi, fly into/out of Makassar and get a car/driver to Rantepao
For North Sulawesi, backtrack to Makassar and fly to Manado. Don't use ground transportation for long distances in Sulawesi.
For Lombok/Gilis, take a ferry/fast boat from Bali Padang Bai
For Flores, fly into/out of Labuan Bajo, arrange a boat tour to Komodo

2. Destinations: Actually with five full weeks (35 days) I think you could cover quite a lot of ground.

I would suggest adding Tanah Toraja in Central Sulawesi and one of the marine parks in North Sulawesi. I haven't been to Lake Tondano, Tomohon or Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park so can't comment. Your will see tarsiers at Tangkoko. If you want to include more places in North Sulawesi then you can subtract days from another destination. Same for Flores (and possibly Komodo). If you add those, eliminate something else.

I would choose either Lombok or Gili Air as a beach location. Or just spend more time in Bali. In Bali I would look at the Ubud area, Munduk, Pemuteran, Amed, Petitenget.

No Sumatra this time.

3. A rough plan:
5 days Central Java: Yogyakarta, Borobudur, Prambanan, Dieng Plateau, Merapi. Skip Baturaden
5 days East Java: Bromo area, Ijen maybe some of the East Java temples around Malang
5 days Central Sulawesi: Tanah Toraja
5 days North Sulawesi: Tangkoko, Bunaken.
10 days Bali, Lombok, Gili Air
5 open
35

lambada

Thank you all for your replies. I have taken note of your suggestions and will keep them in mind when preparing my itinerary. I will be posting draft itineraries by island for your feedback starting with Java. Thanks again.