Indonesia
Indonesia tours: from Komodo to the Banggai islands
Indonesia's trips scatter across an archipelago: Komodo boat tours out of Labuan Bajo, volcano sunrises on Java, reef country in Sulawesi that takes real effort to reach. The destinations below carry their own guides, and where a partner operator publishes a trip we list it at their price.
Where the trips run
Labuan Bajo
Flores, East Nusa Tenggara
Komodo National Park trips from Labuan Bajo: a $71 speedboat day trip to six spots, 3D2N liveaboards from $321, private phinisi charter. Prices and what each covers.
Luwuk Banggai
Central Sulawesi
Private trips around Luwuk and the Banggai islands: a day on Paisupok Lake from about $150 a head, six days to Gorontalo's whale sharks from about $420. Every group size priced.
Labengki and Sombori
Southeast and Central Sulawesi
Karst islands, hidden lagoons and clear water in Southeast Sulawesi, reached from Kendari. Why Labengki and Sombori get compared to Raja Ampat, and what a trip costs.
Sumbawa
West Nusa Tenggara
Sumbawa beyond the surf breaks: $44 whale shark snorkelling in Saleh Bay, Moyo Island waterfalls, the Tambora crater trek. How to reach each and when to go.
Bali
Bali
Bali beyond the obvious: jungle waterfall treks from $28, Nusa Penida trips, and honest advice on which day tours are worth it and which are a bus ride.
Nusa Penida
Bali
Nusa Penida done properly: the west coast viewpoints, manta snorkelling, and why an overnight beats a day trip. 3D2N trips from $193.
Raja Ampat
Southwest Papua
Raja Ampat planning: the marine park permit, getting there via Sorong, homestays against liveaboards, and the diving season. What the trip actually costs.
Yogyakarta
Java
Yogyakarta planning: Borobudur and Prambanan tickets, the sunrise question, Merapi jeep tours and Malioboro. What to book and what to skip.
Jakarta
Java
Jakarta for travellers passing through: the old town, the National Museum, Thousand Islands day trips, and honest advice on how long the city deserves.
Lombok
West Nusa Tenggara
Lombok planning: the Rinjani trek and its permit, the three Gili islands compared, Kuta Lombok's beaches, and when to go.
Bromo and East Java
East Java
Mount Bromo's sunrise viewpoint and Ijen's blue fire, the two-volcano trip explained: timings, park fees, where to sleep and the altitude nobody warns you about.
Toraja
South Sulawesi
Tana Toraja explained: when funeral ceremonies happen, how to attend respectfully, the cliff graves and tongkonan houses, and getting there from Makassar.
Bunaken
North Sulawesi
Bunaken marine park: vertical coral walls, the park fee, when to dive, and how it compares with Raja Ampat. Reached in under an hour from Manado.
Wakatobi
Southeast Sulawesi
Wakatobi marine park in Southeast Sulawesi: some of the healthiest reef in Indonesia, how to actually get there, and the gap between resort and independent travel.
Plan around it