Things to do in Indonesia

25 things to do in Indonesia

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Watch sunrise from Mount Bromo’s Penanjakan viewpoint

  Stand on the edge of the vast Tengger caldera as the first light ignites the smoking cones of Bromo, Batok, and Semeru, with a sea of mist swirling below.

  East Java

• Explore Borobudur Temple at dawn

  Climb the world’s largest Buddhist monument as the morning mist lifts, revealing hundreds of serene Buddha statues and intricate relief panels framed by distant volcanoes.

  Central Java

• See Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park

  Trek through dry savannah on Komodo Island to encounter the planet’s largest monitor lizards in their natural habitat, with sweeping ocean views as a backdrop.

  East Nusa Tenggara

• Surf the legendary breaks at Uluwatu below the temple

  Paddle into world-class left-hand reef waves under towering limestone cliffs, with the ancient Uluwatu Temple perched above and the Indian Ocean stretching endlessly.

  Bali

• Dive in Raja Ampat’s extraordinary reefs

  Descend into the heart of the Coral Triangle to swim among kaleidoscopic hard and soft corals, manta rays, and swirling schools of fish in crystal-clear waters.

  West Papua

• Hike to the crater rim of Mount Rinjani

  Trek through lush rainforest and volcanic scree to a breathtaking crater rim camp, gazing down at the turquoise Segara Anak Lake and the smoking cone of Mount Barujari.

  Lombok

• Walk through the Tegallalang Rice Terraces

  Wander narrow paths between emerald-green, stepped rice paddies sculpted by generations of Balinese farmers, with coconut palms and the Ayung River gorge beyond.

  Bali

• Watch a traditional Balinese dance at Ubud Palace

  Sit cross-legged in the ornate courtyard of the royal palace as elaborately costumed dancers enact Hindu epics under flickering torchlight to the hypnotic sound of a gamelan orchestra.

  Ubud, Bali

• Attend a wayang kulit shadow puppet show at Sonobudoyo Museum

  Watch a master puppeteer bring leather shadow puppets to life behind a backlit screen, telling ancient stories through delicate movements and live gamelan music in a historical museum setting.

  Yogyakarta

• Sample street food in Jakarta’s Glodok Chinatown

  Weave through narrow lanes of the historic Chinese quarter, tasting steamed siomay, crispy lumpia, and sweet es cendol from busy makeshift stalls under red lanterns.

  Jakarta

• Discover the hidden Tumpak Sewa Waterfall

  Stand before a colossal semicircular curtain of countless cascades plunging into a lush jungle amphitheater, reached by a steep descent into the Semeru foothills.

  East Java

• Watch sunset at Tanah Lot Temple

  Marvel as the 16th-century sea temple is silhouetted against a blazing sunset, perched on a rocky outcrop isolated by high tide and pounded by surf.

  Bali

• Go orangutan trekking in Tanjung Puting National Park

  Drift along a blackwater river by klotok boat into dense Kalimantan jungle to observe wild orangutans swinging through the canopy at feeding platforms.

  Central Kalimantan

• Snorkel with the Nest underwater statues off Gili Meno

  Float over a haunting circle of life-sized human figures by sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, encrusted with corals and surrounded by tropical fish in turquoise shallows.

  Gili Meno, Lombok

• Visit the Pura Besakih mother temple

  Ascend the sacred slopes of Mount Agung to Bali’s largest and holiest temple complex, a stair-stepped network of courtyards and multi-tiered meru shrines wrapped in mountain mist.

  Bali

• Party at Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak

  Sip inventive cocktails by a palm-fringed infinity pool facing the Indian Ocean, with international DJs spinning tunes as the sun sets behind a sprawling day-bed scene.

  Seminyak, Bali

• Admire the colored lakes of Dieng Plateau

  Gaze into Telaga Warna, whose waters shift from turquoise to emerald green due to volcanic minerals, set against ancient temples and sulfurous vents on a highland plateau.

  Central Java

• Explore the Gedong Songo Temple Complex

  Hike between nine small Hindu temples scattered across steaming volcanic hills, connected by trails with panoramic views of the Central Java highlands and active fumaroles.

  Central Java

• Summit Mount Kerinci, Indonesia’s highest volcano

  Climb through dense Sumatran rainforest and cloud forest to the 3,805m crater rim of an active stratovolcano, rewarded with glimpses of the massive Rawa Bento swamp below.

  Sumatra

• Witness the blue fire of Kawah Ijen crater

  Trek up a moonlit volcanic slope to see electric-blue flames dancing over a turquoise acidic lake, then watch sulfur miners carry heavy baskets through the surreal, toxic dawn.

  East Java

• Experience the Ramayana ballet at Prambanan Temple

  Sit under the stars before the towering 9th-century Hindu temple spires, watching hundreds of dancers enact the epic Ramayana in a spectacular open-air performance.

  Yogyakarta

• Stroll through the water palace of Taman Sari

  Lose yourself in the decaying beauty of an 18th-century royal garden with bathing pools, underground tunnels, and ornate gateways, once a lavish retreat for the Sultan of Yogyakarta.

  Yogyakarta

• Cruise the Lok Baintan floating market of Banjarmasin

  Glide in a small canoe at dawn among hundreds of wooden boats laden with tropical fruit, vegetables, and breakfast dishes, all traded in the middle of the Barito River.

  South Kalimantan

• Feast on babi guling at Warung Ibu Oka in Ubud

  Join the queue at this iconic eatery for a plate of Balinese roast suckling pig with crackling skin, spiced meat, lawar vegetables, and a smear of fiery sambal.

  Ubud, Bali

• Haggle in Beringharjo Market, Yogyakarta

  Get swept into the vibrant chaos of the city’s main traditional market, where batik textiles, spices, antiques, and local snacks fill three floors of a colonial-era building.

  Yogyakarta