24 Best Things To Do In Indonesia

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Indonesia is a wild and wonderful country of 17,000 islands, and many of the best things to do in Indonesia are off the beaten path.

Everyone goes to Bali, which is an amazing island (don’t get me wrong!), but it’s been suffering from overtourism and overdevelopment for years.

If you branch out to the other islands in Indonesia, you can see smoking volcanoes, sulfur lakes, pink sand beaches, tropical rainforests, exotic wildlife, and so much more.

Since Indonesia is my second home (and my wife’s actual home!), we’ve been privileged to do a bunch of exploring in this beautiful country, including some of the most far flung Indonesian islands.

Without further ado, here is our list of some of the best things to do in Indonesia!

 

Best Things To Do In Indonesia

 

1. Get In Nature

Indonesia is one of those countries where if you’re not exploring the outdoors, you’re doing it wrong.

Don’t waste any time in the cities, just get in nature as soon as possible! Of course you have the islands and beaches, but there are also all kinds of other scenery in Indonesia too.

From Sumatra to Papua, you can find a wide variety of lakes, mountains, rainforests, giant boulders, sand dunes, and more.

Indonesia has some colorful blue lakes that are absolutely stunning. These include the Paisu Pok Lake in Banggai Sulawesi, Labuan Cermin in Kalimantan, and the smaller Danau Kaco in Sumatra.

 

2. Climb The Volcanoes

Indonesia has 400 volcanoes, and up to 130 of them are active — more than any other country in the world.

Most of the volcanoes in Indonesia are open to tourists for hiking, and at some of them (like Mount Bromo in Java) you can even walk up to the edge of the smoking crater!

This is hands down one of the best things to do in Indonesia! In Bali, the most popular volcano to hike is Mount Batur for sunrise, or if you really want a challenge you can climb Mount Agung.

Two other amazing volcano hikes elsewhere in Indonesia are Mount Rinjani in Lombok and Mount Dukono in Maluku, although both of these can be pretty challenging.

Read More: Best Hikes In Indonesia

 

3. Visit The Waterfalls

Pretty much every island in Indonesia has at least a few stunning waterfalls if you do a bit of exploring.

A lot of the best waterfalls in Indonesia are located in Sumatra and Java, but even the smaller islands like Bali and Lombok have some great ones too.

A great place to chase waterfalls in Indonesia is at the Ciletuh Geopark in West Java, which is a UNESCO-designated geopark loaded with nice waterfalls. It’s reachable by driving a half day from Jakarta, and there are some nice places to stay near the waterfalls.

One of the tallest falls in Indonesia is the Ponot Waterfall in North Sumatra, which is a giant 3-step waterfall near the famous Lake Toba, and it has a height of more than 250 meters (820 feet)!

Read More: Best Waterfalls In Indonesia

 

4. Watch The Wildlife

Indonesia has almost 20 percent of the world’s animal species, so there’s a lot of endemic wildlife to see here that can’t be found anywhere else.

You can watch the world’s biggest lizards on Komodo Island, bug-eyed tarsiers at the Tangkoko Reserve in Sulawesi, wild orangutans at Bukit Lawang in Sumatra, and of course the famous macaques at the Ubud Monkey Forest in Bali.

Wildlife watching is definitely one of the best things to do in Indonesia!

 

5. See The Volcanic Lakes

Where you have volcanoes, you also have plenty of volcanic lakes and hot springs!

Some of the hot springs are suitable for swimming, and others make for fantastic photos. The most famous volcanic lake in Indonesia is probably the Kawah Ijen crater in East Java, which is pretty close to Bali.

Two other great spots to check out are Kawah Putih in West Java, and the three lakes of Mount Kelimutu in Flores.

 

6. Explore A Cave

Limestone mountains are common in many parts of Indonesia, so that means there are lots of spectacular caves too.

You can explore a sparkling limestone cave at Rammang Rammang in Sulawesi, or swim in a blue pool at the Rangko Cave in Flores. Meanwhile in Tana Toraja, caves of this sort are still being used as ceremonial tombs today.

One of the prehistoric caves in Sulawesi even has the world’s oldest known cave art made by humans, which we found completely fascinating!

 

7. Go Diving & Snorkeling

Indonesia is part of the Coral Triangle, a tropical ocean wonderland with most of the world’s coral and fish species.

Needless to say, it’s a great place to go diving or snorkeling, and you can see all kinds of rare fish, colorful corals, sea turtles, manta rays, and if you’re lucky you may even get to swim with a whale shark!

We’ve had great success snorkeling in pretty much every part of Indonesia, but our top pick would probably be Belitung island in south Sumatra.

 

8. Relax On The Beaches

When people think of nice beaches in Asia, they think Maldives or Thailand, not Indonesia.

Indonesia beaches are fantastic, but they tend to be underrated because a lot of the really good ones are hiding in remote places without easy access. On the bright side, that means you’re more likely to have them to yourself!

With some exploring, what you’ll find are the most amazing white sand beaches, dazzling pink beaches, and black volcanic beaches, along with top quality surf spots, and occasionally some very photogenic cliffs, boulders, and shipwrecks.

Read More: Best Beaches In Indonesia

 

9. Visit A Lighthouse

Lighthouses are probably the last thing that comes to mind when you think of Indonesia, but it does have a few nice ones.

Two great examples are the colonial Dutch lighthouse on Lengkuas Island in Belitung, and the local built lighthouse on Pulau Karang in Sumatra.

 

10. Stroll The Terraces

Bali is famous for its green rice terraces, but you can also see scenic crop terraces all over Java, Lombok, and many other islands.

Check out the Dieng Plateau in central Java, or the steep Majalengka terraces in West Java!

 

11. Trek A Rainforest

Indonesia has some of the world’s most important rainforests, and sadly a lot of them are critically endangered because of rampant deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations.

Rainforest tourism is one way to give the locals more financial incentive to protect these places. Aside from the animals, which are amazing, you can also see giant banyan trees and the world’s biggest flowers.

The most popular place to do rainforest trekking in Indonesia is at the Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, and there are a bunch of other good spots scattered across Sumatra and Kalimantan (Borneo).

 

12. Go Island Hopping

Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, so get to hopping!

Some of our favorite places to get on a boat and go island hopping are Komodo, Belitung, Bali, and Lombok, but really you can do this pretty much anywhere in Indonesia.

In Komodo or Raja Ampat, you can even stay on a comfy liveaboard boat and spend several days roaming the seas to your heart’s content.

Read More: Best Islands In Indonesia

 

13. Walk On A Sandbar

Another neat experience you can enjoy in island countries like Indonesia is to walk on a sandbar at low tide.

These are like little islands of white sand suspended in the middle of the ocean, and you can usually only walk on them for a few hours before they slowly disappear into the ocean as the tide goes up again.

You can find sandbars all over Indonesia, but two well known ones are Gili Pasir in Lombok, and Taka Makassar in Komodo.

 

14. Get Lost In Paradise

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a remote tropical island all to yourself, with a primitive bungalow and crystal clear water as far as the eye can see, Indonesia’s got what you seek!

The best places to unwind, disconnect from WiFi, and live the Robinson Crusoe lifestyle are found in some of the small paradise islands near Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Raja Ampat. Check out Mentawai or the Banyak Islands, for example.

On Nusa Penida island (near Bali), you can even stay the night in a treehouse!

 

15. Meet The Locals

Indonesian people are the nicest! I even married one!

The country has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the world, and we’ve stayed in homestays all over Indonesia without any worry. The people are really friendly and welcoming.

If you travel outside of Bali, especially in remote parts of Java or Sulawesi, you’ll probably get lots of funny photo requests from the locals excited to see a rare ‘bule’ (foreigner).

 

16. Experience The Cultures

For every island and province in Indonesia, there’s a unique culture to go with it.

Some of the top cultural destinations in the country are Sumba, Tana Toraja (one of the world’s most unusual cultures), Wae Rebo (a remote mountain village in Flores), and of course Bali.

Bali may be touristy, but it still has a lot of great culture to soak up. The Balinese language, dress, traditions, and architecture are still very intact and haven’t changed too much since Bali became popular with foreigners.

 

17. Visit The Landmarks

Two of the best landmarks to see are Borobudur Temple, which is the biggest Buddhist temple in the world, and Prambanan Temple, which looks kind of like the Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

They’re both located in Yogyakarta city in central Java, and Borobudur is a popular spot for sunrise.

For natural landmarks, check out Bali’s famous Kelingking Cliff, or the iconic Padar Island viewpoint in Komodo.

 

18. Tour The Temples

Most of Indonesia’s photogenic temples are located in Bali.

A few iconic Balinese temples you should check out are Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, and Ulun Danu Beratan.

In Java, the temples have been reconstructed from their old ruins (like Angkor Wat), but they’re still pretty fascinating. The best Hindu temples in Java are located in the Yogyakarta area.

 

19. Enjoy Indonesian Food

Indonesia has a lot of great food, and the dishes are similar to what you might find in Malaysia and Singapore.

Some good things to try are Satay Ayam (chicken skewers), Rendang Sapi (spicy beef curry), Nasi Goreng (fried rice), Martabak (omelette pancake), and for dessert Pisang Goreng (fried bananas).

Don’t expect to find hardly any Western food outside of Bali (except for the occasional Pizza Hut or KFC in big cities), but that’s okay. You’ll probably fall in love with the local food, and it’s cheap!

 

20. Shop For Souvenirs

Bali is the best place to do your souvenir shopping in Indonesia.

There’s a wide variety of nice handmade crafts like wood carvings, paintings, and rattan bags, and you can find the usual souvenirs like keychains and fridge magnets. Bali is also known for coffee beans, spices, oils, lace, ceramics, and silverworks.

Souvenir shopping is not really a thing in other parts of Indonesia since there’s not as much of a market for it, although we picked up some neat shirts in the Komodo National Park.

 

21. Wear The Local Dress

For a really fun and unique photo op, you can wear the traditional dress in Bali and do a photoshoot at a palace or villa. The locals don’t mind this at all, and actually enjoy seeing foreigners appreciate their culture.

In Bali, it’s normal for the local Balinese couples to wear these elaborate costumes for their prewedding photos and such. Foreigners (including tourists) are also welcome to do the same, if they like! Just be respectful, of course.

My wife Intan is Balinese, so when we got married we wore a simple Balinese outfit for our prewedding ceremony, and then did a more elaborate dress-up and photo shoot at a later date, complete with fancy gold crowns and a big flowing dress for Intan. It was fun to look like the king and queen of Bali for a day.

Our costumes and makeup were done by Cahya Dewi Salon, and our pictures were done by Wikanka Photography. The pricing was very reasonable! They let us choose two great locations for the photoshoot, and then helped us strike the right poses for the camera. Overall, it was one of the most enjoyable things we’ve done in Indonesia.

In the other Indonesian islands, wearing the local dress like this isn’t common, and you’re not likely to ever have that opportunity unless you marry a local, in which case you’d be expected to dress up in the local style for your wedding ceremony. Every tribe in Indonesia has its own unique traditional dress, and all of the designs are nice.

       
 
 

22. Watch The Sunrise

A tropical sunrise is hard to beat, and there are a lot of great sunrise watching spots scattered across the Indonesian islands.

My first sunrise in Indonesia was at Sanur Beach in Bali, where the combination of a cool morning breeze, birds chirping, fishermen wading out on the reef, and the Mount Agung volcano in the distance was just plain magic.

In Indonesia, hiking a volcano for sunrise is popular too. Usually this means hiking during the night so you can reach the summit just in time to see a spectacular sunrise display at the top of the mountain.

 

23. Watch The Sunset

For every sunrise there’s a sunset, and Indonesia has lots of great places to see it.

Our favorite sunset spot in Bali is Amed Beach, but we’ve also seen some amazing sunsets in Java, Sulawesi, and other places.

Pick an island, head west for the evening, and enjoy the photo ops!

 

24. Find The Hidden Gems

We’ve spent years exploring the Indonesian islands, and still barely scratched the surface.

There are so many hidden gems waiting to be discovered in this wild and wonderful country of 17,000 islands. Many of the best things to do in Indonesia are off the beaten path.

If you want a hint, start looking in Maluku, Sulawesi, and Sumatra. All of these islands have many, many spectacular scenic places that have never been seen by foreigners yet.

 

More Things To Do In Indonesia

Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed this list of some of the best things to do in Indonesia!

I’ve barely scratched the surface here, and the list is always growing as we experience more of what to do in Indonesia and its many wonderful islands.

In the meantime, don’t forget to check out my complete Indonesia Travel Guide for more tips, info, and photos of what to do in Indonesia!
 

When Is The Best Time To Visit?

The best time to visit Indonesia depends on what you’re looking for:

☁ Rainy season runs from November to April. The weather during the day can be hot and humid, at 32 to 35 °C (90 to 95 °F), but it’s less crowded during this time, and the rain is mostly at night. Waterfalls come alive, and the landscapes are bright green.

☀ Dry season runs from May to August. The temperatures are milder and cooler, and it’s more breezy and sunny. This is the nicest weather, and it’s perfect for hiking, island hopping, and some of the best things to do in Indonesia. It’s also the high season, so it’s generally more crowded with tourists.

Happy travels! Regardless of when you decide to visit Wonderful Indonesia, you’re sure to see some spectacular sights!
 

See Also

• Most Beautiful Indonesian Islands – Best Places To Visit In Indonesia
• Best Hikes In Indonesia – Volcanoes, Jungles, & Waterfalls
• Indonesia Waterfall Guide – Best Waterfalls In Indonesia
• Indonesia Beach Guide – Best Beaches In Indonesia
• Indonesia Travel Guide – Tips, Info, & Photos