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Indonesia – Our travel manager shares 4 must-do experiences many visitors miss During March and April 2024, Bestway travel and marketing manager Kierra spent 6 weeks exploring the scenery, wildlife and culture of Indonesia. Read on to learn her must-do highlights, and why even 6 weeks didn’t feel like enough!
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Exploring one of Bali’s many temples / The white sand beaches of 17 Islands National Park in Indonesia
I have a confession to make—this was my second visit to Indonesia, and it won’t be my last. In 2019, I was lucky enough to travel to this nation of islands with Indonesia Tourism —however, two weeks in Bali left me wanting more. Don’t get me wrong! Bali is beautiful, and there’s so much to see there—check out my past blog post for just a taste. However, when you look at Indonesia on a map, Bali is just one dot among thousands of islands, each with unique nature and culture to discover. Five years later, I returned for a deeper dive into Indonesia, and was thrilled with what I found. From cultural exchanges to close interactions with wildlife, I discovered experiences that fall under the radar of many travellers—and are all the more rewarding for it. Here are my top must-dos from my 6-week adventure. Or, jump right in to checking out our Indonesia adventures.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the last places to see Sumatran orangutans in the wild Malaysian Borneo is perhaps one of the most well-known places to spot these critically endangered orange primates. However, Indonesia offers a unique orangutan viewing experience all its own. Travellers can see the animals both by boat in the lush jungles of Kalimantan on the Indonesian side of Borneo and on foot in the famed jungles of Sumatra. On my trip, I opted to do an overnight jungle trek out of Bukit Lawang on Sumatra, and was not disappointed. Bukit Lawang is the former home of an orangutan feeding station which aimed to buoy the population. Though the feeding station has long closed, some of the orangutans are still habituated to humans and will come very close.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Orangutan infants stay with their mother for six to seven years / Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the richest tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia During our overnight trek, we spotted an incredible 10 orangutans, including some just a couple metres away! We saw a mother with her baby walking directly in our path, an adolescent male waking up from a nap, and an energetic female duo swinging through the forest. In the evening, we even had orangutans come right into camp and hang over the nearby river. Our tireless and talented guide and his assistant really added to the experience. Our guide would often race ahead in the humid rainforest to find us the best sightings. On trekking breaks, he would prepare us delicious meals and share stories of his past trekking experience, including month-long excursions into the jungle and a rare sighting of a Sumatran tiger! Get up close with Indonesian orangutans with our 16-day Isles of Indonesia journey.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
The tribal village of Ambarita on Lake Toba’s Samosir Island, Indonesia / Our guide shows us one of Sumatra’s many traditional houses Before visiting Lake Toba, I didn’t know much about this destination—just that it was the largest crater lake in the world, which was reason enough to go for me. However, when I visited, I learned that the lake actually has a fascinating history, including kings, cannibalism and key players from as far away as India. The past particularly came to life at the traditional village of Ambarita, where we had the rare opportunity to meet the tribal king and his family. The king led traditional dancing and singing, and then demonstrated how the ritual cannibalization of criminals would take place, right in the ancient ceremonial circle where it happened—a riveting experience!
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Visitors participate in a tribal dance at Ambarita village on Samosir Island / Exploring a tribal house on Sumatra, where multiple families live under one roof On the scenic island of Samosir, tribal houses are everywhere, and sincerely striking against the backdrop of the lake. Beyond that, Lake Toba has a unique feel I didn’t find anywhere else in Indonesia. Since it’s so beautiful, many locals also visit here on vacation. While I saw few other Western tourists, I talked with friendly locals from all corners of the country excited to learn about me and what I thought of Indonesia. Discover less-travelled corners of Indonesia with our tour designed to go off the beaten track.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Posing with a Komodo dragon on Komodo Island 3. Tracking the world’s largest lizard at Komodo National Park Ever since I learned that komodo dragons existed as a child, seeing them has been on my bucket list. My visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Komodo National Park did not disappoint. I took a walking safari around Komodo Island as part of a 3-day liveaboard boat trip through the park. After a bit of time walking through the brushy trails, we spied it—a massive male komodo slowly walking down the very trail we were on, as if he had been waiting for us. Flicking his tongue out in the air to smell, the komodo kept glancing back at us every few steps before eventually veering off into the forest. More sightings soon followed, including a baby komodo, and another large male having a nap.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Taking in the sunrise views on Padar Island Later, I heard stories of travellers who had seen komodos fighting or tracking their prey! However, I was still so happy with what I got to see. What really surprised me, though, was how much else there was to see in Komodo National Park. Think incredible sunrise views over scenic islands, watching a giant exodus of fruit bats fly across the sky, and snorkeling with manta rays and other amazing marine life! Whether you do a one day boat trip or multiday liveaboard, this Indonesia experience is an absolute must-do, and others are catching on. We recommend going soon, before things get too busy! Our Komodo National Park Extension can be added on to any of our Indonesia tours.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
The ancient temple of Borobudur in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
4. Discovering some of Southeast Asia’s most impressive ancient sites Yogyakarta is a true cultural gem. As the only royal city in Indonesia still ruled by a monarchy, this city is an important centre of arts and culture. It’s also the gateway to two of Southeast Asia’s most epic temples. Combining all this together made for a true highlight of my Indonesia trip. The 1,100-year-old monument of Borobudur is actually the largest Buddhist temple in the world. It’s hard to describe the impact you feel as you walk up to this majestic monument.
Photo credit: Kierra Jones
Prambanan Temple Compound in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
What’s equally impressive is how close Borobudur is to Prambanan, a 9th century Hindu temple site. With more than 240 structures, Prambanan is the second largest temple in Southeast Asia, with only the famous Angkor Wat being bigger. Besides incredible monuments, Yogyakarta also offers great food and super-friendly locals. The Indonesians I met here were always smiling and waving, adding a fun touch to my experience. Combine Yogyakarta and the highlights of Java with popular Bali on our 12-day Overland Jakarta to Bali tour. As always, we are here and happy to assist you with answering questions, joining one of our set tours, or creating an Indonesia adventure all your own. Get in touch at bestway@bestway.com
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Posted by Kierra Jones