PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Indonesia ... 2Map .................................. 420 Top Experiences ....... 6Need to Know ................. 16If You Like ........................ 18Month by Month ............. 20Itineraries ........................ 22Outdoor Adventures ...... 26Regions at a Glance ....... 40

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND INDONESIA

Indonesia Today ............. 698History ............................. 701Culture ............................. 720Environment ................... 737Food & Drink ................... 745

groups dedicated to reversing the so far relatively successful Indoxperiment in modest secularism.

lthough memories of bombings earlier in the decade in Bali aarta have faded significantly, there are regular reminders of seoncerns. There were hotel bombings in Jakarta in 2009 and in

Muslim

Other

Christian

86.1 8.7

3.4

belief systems(% of population)

Hindu1.8

if Indonesia were100 people

41 would be Javanese15 would be Sundanese3 would be Maderanese41 would be other

60,000–40,000 BC

Indonesia’s western islands are still con-nected to the Asian mainland. The rst

Homo sapiens arrive, probably ancestors

of the Melanesians in today’s population, who are now found

mainly in Papua.

About8000 BC

Sea levels rise after the end of the last gla-cial period, separating

Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Bali from

the Asian mainland, and the island of New

Guinea from Australia.

A200

Austronesiaorigina

Taiwan startin Indonesia,

by sea rouabsorb or

Melanesians. est evidence ments dates

6th cen

mi rants and invaders, rebels and religions, kingdoms and emoreogra hed by Indonesia’s island nature and its location ona-old Asian trade routes. It’s a story full of heroes and villainsnd victims, but the strangest part is how these 17,000-plus isth their 739 languages and diverse cultures ever came to be a t all

Trading Archipelagoans inhabit a diverse island world where a short sea voyage ornland can take a traveller into a whole new ecosystem providingnt set of useful commodities. Long ago forest dwellers were col-olourful bird feathers and tree resins and exchanging them for

Rich Diversity The world’s fourth most populace country – 245 million and counting – is a sultry kaleidoscope that runs along the equator for 5000km. It may well be the last great adventure on Earth. From the western tip of Sumatra to the eastern edge of Papua is a nation that de es homogenisation. It is a land of so many cultures, peoples, animals, customs, plants, features, artworks and foods that it is like 100 (or is it 200?) coun-tries melded into one. And we’re talking di erences that aren’t just about an accent or a preference for goat over pork; we are talking about people who are as radically di erent from each other as if they came from di erent continents. No man may be

an island but here every island is a unique blend of the men, women and children who live upon it. Over time deep and rich cultures have evolved, from the mysteries of the spiritual Balinese to the utterly non-Western belief system of the Asmat people of Papua.

Beaches & Volcanoes Venturing through the islands of Indone-sia you’ll see a land as diverse and unusual as those living upon it. Look at Sulawesi on a map and you’ll save yourself the cost of a Rorschach test at a shrink. Or view Sumat-ra from the air and be humbled by a legion of nearly 100 volcanoes marching o into the distance, several capable of blowing at

Indonesia’s numbers astound: 17,000 islands (or is it 20,000?), of which 8000 are inhabited (or is it 11,000?), 300 languages spoken (or is it 400?). Yet it’s all one country with myriad adventures.

Welcome to Indonesia

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PAGE

697GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see

for serious adventure and exploration. Java he country historically, culturally and economically. aluku comprise hundreds of islands from ever-k to the relative isolation of the Banda Islands. , Bali figures large for visitors, drawing half of s always, your biggest consideration will be your visa.

#

Bali Culture Nightlife Surfing

The rich culture of Bali is matched by its myriad at-tractions for visitors: excel-lent dining and nightlife, hundreds of good places to stay, famous beaches, epic surfing, alluring shopping and a gracious welcome.

p 197

Nusa Tenggara Surfing Diving Culture

Whether you’re here for waves, or to dive deep underwater or into local culture, Nusa Tenggara of-fers gifts unmatched. From Lombok to Timor you will be tempted, blessed, sati-ated and leave hungry for more.

p 298

NIE

LS VA

N G

IJN/G

ET

TY IM

AG

ES ©

18

Madura

January The first part of the month is busy on Bali as a fair bit of Australia arrives for Christmas and New Years holidays. Europeans searching for warmth arrive in large numbers.

z Garebeg Java’s three most

colourful festivals are held annually in Yogyakarta at the end of January and April and the beginning of November. Huge numbers of people in traditional d h i i

February It’s dry season in the east. This is a good time to hit dive and snorkel sites in Maluku and Papua, where the waters will be especially clear.

z Pasola Nusa Tenggara’s big-

gest festival: vividly dressed teams of horsemen engage in mock, though sometimes bloody, battles in West Sum-ba. Often coincides with Nyale on Lombok, a huge fishing festival celebrated by th S k

M AIfTow

HJtjc(2

I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -845 -6

9 781741 798456

99335

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indonesia-10-cover.indd 2indonesia-10-cover.indd 2 24/01/2013 11:30:17 AM24/01/2013 11:30:17 AM

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Ryan Ver BerkmoesBrett Atkinson, Celeste Brash, Stuart Butler, John Noble,

Adam Skolnick, Iain Stewart, Paul Stiles

Sumatrap485 Kalimantan

p583 Sulawesip633

Malukup401

Papuap444

Balip197

Nusa Tenggarap298

Javap44

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z ................. 756Transport ........................ 768Health .............................. 776Language ........................ 781Index ................................ 792Map Legend .................... 814

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

Treatment for minor injuries and common traveller’s health problems is easily accessed in larger cities and on Bali but standards decline the more remote you get in Indonesia. For serious condi-tions, you will need to leave Indonesia.

Travellers tend to worry about contracting infec-tious diseases when in the tropics, but infections are a rare cause of serious illness or death in travellers. Pre-existing medical conditions,

ch as heart disease, and dental injury (especially

accidents) account for -threatening prob-

ming ill in some is relatively

s you may verex-

casment.) Sto call back (to a centre in yocountry where an assessment of your

Recommended Vaccinations Specialised travel-medicine clinics are your best source of information; they stock all available vaccines and will be able to give specific rec-ommendations for you and

Most vaccines don’t produce immunity until at least two weeks after they’re given. Ask your doctor for an International Certificate of Vaccination (otherwise known as the yel-low booklet), which will list all the vaccinations you’ve

The World Health Organzation’s vaccination recomendations for SoutheAsia include the followAdult diphtheria

Single recommendethe previoeffect

Health

PAGE

42

PAGE

755

Look out for these icons:

Our author’s top recommendation

Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first

A green or sustainable option No payment

required

JAVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44JAKARTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48THOUSAND ISLANDS . . . . . 70WEST JAVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Gunung Krakatau . . . . . . . . .74Ujung Kulon National Park . .75Bogor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78Cimaja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82Gede Pangrango National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 84Bandung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Pangandaran . . . . . . . . . . . . .95Cirebon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101CENTRAL JAVA . . . . . . . . . . 104Wonosobo . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Dieng Plateau . . . . . . . . . . .107Borobudur . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109Yogyakarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113Gunung Merapi . . . . . . . . . .129Prambanan . . . . . . . . . . . . .132Solo (Surakarta) . . . . . . . . .135Gunung Lawu . . . . . . . . . . .142NORTH COAST . . . . . . . . . . 145Semarang . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145Bandungan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151Kudus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152Jepara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154Karimunjawa Islands . . . . .156EAST JAVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158Surabaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158Pulau Madura . . . . . . . . . . . 167Malang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Panataran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181Gunung Bromo & Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park . . . . . . . . . . .184

Ijen Plateau . . . . . . . . . . . . .188Alas Purwo National Park . . . . . . . . . . . .192Baluran National Park . . . .195

BALI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197SOUTH BALI . . . . . . . . . . . . 207Kuta & Legian . . . . . . . . . . 207Seminyak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218Bukit Peninsula. . . . . . . . . 226Sanur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Denpasar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237NUSA LEMBONGAN & ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241UBUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246AROUND UBUD . . . . . . . . .260Bedulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Tampaksiring. . . . . . . . . . . .261EAST BALI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262Gianyar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Pura Besakih . . . . . . . . . . . 266Gunung Agung . . . . . . . . . .267Padangbai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Candidasa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272Amlapura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274Tirta Gangga . . . . . . . . . . . .275Tulamben . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278CENTRAL MOUNTAINS . . . 279Gunung Batur . . . . . . . . . . 280Danau Bratan . . . . . . . . . . 283NORTH BALI . . . . . . . . . . . . 286Lovina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288WEST BALI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293Tanah Lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293Bali Barat National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 296

NUSA TENGGARA . . .298LOMBOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .300Mataram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302Senggigi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307Gili Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311Gunung Rinjani . . . . . . . . . .327Tetebatu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329SUMBAWA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336KOMODO & RINCA ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345FLORES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .348Labuanbajo . . . . . . . . . . . . 350Manggarai Country . . . . . .357Bajawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358Riung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361Kelimutu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365Moni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366Maumere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367ALOR ARCHIPELAGO . . . . . 371Kalabahi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371WEST TIMOR . . . . . . . . . . . . 374Kupang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375Soe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380Kefamenanu . . . . . . . . . . . 382ROTE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .384Nemberala . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385SUMBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387Waingapu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389Waikabubak . . . . . . . . . . . . 393

MALUKU . . . . . . . . . . .401NORTH MALUKU . . . . . . . .403Pulau Ternate . . . . . . . . . . 404Pulau Tidore . . . . . . . . . . . . 411

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

On the RoadPulau Halmahera . . . . . . . .413PULAU AMBON . . . . . . . . . . 416Kota Ambon . . . . . . . . . . . .418LEASE ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . 425PULAU SERAM . . . . . . . . . . 427BANDA ISLANDS . . . . . . . .429Bandaneira . . . . . . . . . . . . .431Pulau Ai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436KEI ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . .438Tual & Langgur . . . . . . . . . 438Pulau Kei Kecil . . . . . . . . . 439

PAPUA . . . . . . . . . . . 444WEST PAPUA . . . . . . . . . . . .450Sorong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450Raja Ampat Islands . . . . . 452Manokwari . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457THE NORTH . . . . . . . . . . . . .460Jayapura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460Sentani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464Pulau Biak . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467BALIEM VALLEY . . . . . . . . . 472Wamena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .472THE SOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . .482Wasur National Park . . . . 483Asmat Region . . . . . . . . . . 483Korowai Region . . . . . . . . . 484

SUMATRA . . . . . . . . 485NORTH SUMATRA . . . . . . .489Medan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490Bukit Lawang . . . . . . . . . . 495Berastagi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500Danau Toba . . . . . . . . . . . . 504

PULAU NIAS . . . . . . . . . . . . 511Pantai Sorake & Teluk Lagundri . . . . . . . . . .515ACEH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517Banda Aceh . . . . . . . . . . . . .519Pulau Weh . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523Banyak Islands . . . . . . . . . .527Gayo Highlands . . . . . . . . 529Gunung Leuser National Park . . . . . . . . . . 530WEST SUMATRA . . . . . . . . . 533Padang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533Mentawai Islands . . . . . . . 540Bukittinggi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545Danau Maninjau . . . . . . . . 553Kerinci Valley. . . . . . . . . . . 556BENGKULU . . . . . . . . . . . . .560RIAU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562Pekanbaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562Pulau Bintan . . . . . . . . . . . 566JAMBI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568SOUTH SUMATRA . . . . . . . 572Palembang . . . . . . . . . . . . .572Krui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .574LAMPUNG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575Way Kambas National Park . . . . . . . . . . .579

KALIMANTAN . . . . . .583EAST KALIMANTAN . . . . . . 588Balikpapan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588Samarinda . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593Sungai Mahakam . . . . . . . 596The Muller Mountains . . . 603Wehea Forest . . . . . . . . . . 605

Derawan Archipelago . . . . 607NORTH KALIMANTAN . . . . 610WEST KALIMANTAN . . . . . 610Pontianak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .610Sungai Kapuas . . . . . . . . . . 617CENTRAL KALIMANTAN . . 619Tanjung Puting National Park . . . . . . . . . . .619Palangka Raya . . . . . . . . . 624SOUTH KALIMANTAN . . . . 627

SULAWESI . . . . . . . . .633SOUTH SULAWESI . . . . . . .636Makassar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637Pantai Bira . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644TANA TORAJA . . . . . . . . . . .649Rantepao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .651Makale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 657WEST SULAWESI . . . . . . . .662Mamasa Valley . . . . . . . . . 662CENTRAL SULAWESI . . . . . 665Lore Lindu National Park . . . . . . . . . . 668Togean Islands . . . . . . . . . .672NORTH SULAWESI . . . . . . . 676Gorontalo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .677Pulau Bunaken . . . . . . . . . 683Tomohon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 687Pulau Lembeh & the Lembeh Strait . . . . . . 688Tangkoko-Batuangas Dua Saudara Nature Reserve . . . 689SOUTHEAST SULAWESI . .690Bau Bau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693Tukangbesi Islands . . . . . 694

Gunung Leuser National ParkThe definition of

steamy jungle (p530)

SARAWAK

SABAH

KALIMANTAN

BALI

JAVA

SUMATRA

S O U T HC H I N A

S E A

J A V A S E A

SelatMakassar

S E AA N D A M A N

Gulf ofThailand

Selat

DanauToba

Malaka

O C E A NI N D I A N

(Saigon)

BEGAWAN

Kota Kinabalu

Kuching

BANDAR SERI

Samarinda

Loksado

Sintang

Palangkaraya

Banjarmasin

Pangkalanbun

Surabaya

Denpasar

Malang

SoloSemarang

Yogyakarta

Mataram

Balikpapan

BANGKOK

KUALALUMPUR

Pekanbaru

BandaAceh

Medan

Bukit Lawang

PHNOM PENH

PalembangBengkulu

Jambi

Serang

Bogor

Bandarlampung

Padang

JAKARTABandung

Cilacap

Pontianak

HO CHI MINH CITY

Pangkal Pinang

SukuhCandi

Borobudur

Tanjung PutingNational Park

115ºE110ºE

100ºE

95ºE

PulauMadura

PulauSumbawa

Lombok

Riau

PulauNias

PulauSimeulue

PulauBangka

Pulau

EngganoPulau

PulauSiberut

IslandsMentawai

(Australia)Christmas Is

Islands

Belitung

Equator

BRUNEI

EASTMALAYSIA

LAOS

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

(BURMA)MYANMAR

SINGAPORE

MALAYSIAPENINSULAR

VIETNAM

Cross-Borneo Trek

Bukit Beaches

Gili Islands

Tanjung Puting

Jakarta

Candi Sukuh

Borobudur

A world-classadventure (p587)

Bali's funky and hiddensandy gems (p227)

idylls (p311)Three fun-filled

orangutans (p619)Get close to some

24/7 (p65)The capital parties

temple (p142)Enigmatic 15th-century

of the world (p109)One of the wonders

Indonesia› Indonesia

PAPUA

MALUKU

SULAWESI

NUSA TENGGARA

S E AA R A F U R A

Gulf ofCarpentaria

O C E A N

P A C I F I C

S U L US E A

S E AS U L A W E S I

S E R A MS E A

S E AB A N D A

SAWU SEA

F L O R E S S E A

S E AM A L U K U

S E AT I M O R

Sarmi

Wamena

Jayapura

Kota Biak

Timika

MANILA

Manado

Sorong

Fak-Fak

Kota Ternate

Kota Ambon

DILI

KendariMajene

RantepaoMakale

Palu

Ende

Makassar

Watampone

Darwin

Kupang

Gorontalo

Manokwari

140ºE

15ºN

135ºE

10ºN

5ºN

10ºS

15ºS

130ºE

125ºE

120ºE

5ºS

BiakPulau

PulauYos Sudarso

IslandsBacan

Halmahera

SeramPulau

PulauWetar

Islands

IslandsTanimbar

Banda

Flores

IslandsSula

TimorPulauPulau

Sumba

PulauEquator

PALAU

PHILIPPINES

EASTTIMOR

AUSTRALIA

Raja Ampat Islands

Baliem Valley

Tana Toraja

Pulau Bunaken

Banda Islands

Komodo National Park

Pulau Ternate

Stunning, remote fish-filleddiving (p452)

Home to the uniqueDani people (p472)

to visitors (p649)Wild spectacles open

An easy yet remoteescape (p683)

archipelago? (p429)

Famous lizards thatlook like dragons (p348)

Indonesia's most beautiful

Tropical dreams thatare real (p404)

ELEVATION

4000m

2000m

0m

500m

1000m

Top Experiences

500 km250 miles

00

Top Experiences ›

OUR WRITERS

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London, Oakland and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 98310th edition – May 2013ISBN 978 1 74179 845 6© Lonely Planet 2013 Photographs © as indicated 201310 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Ryan Ver BerkmoesCoordinating Author, Bali Ryan Ver Berkmoes first visited Indonesia in 1993. On his visits since, he has criss-crossed the archipelago, trying to make a dent in those 17,000 islands. Recent thrills included finally reaching the amazing Banda Islands after 18 years of trying and finding the perfect flat on Bali. Off-island, Ryan travels the world writing. Read more at ryanverberkmoes.com and on Twitter @ryanvb.

Brett AtkinsonSumatra After sampling spicy nasi Padang on previous Indonesian journeys from Bali to Flores, finally experiencing the cuisine in its West Sumatran heart-land didn’t disappoint. Other Sumatran adventures included exploring the remote Mentawai Islands by speedboat, and chilling out in the beautiful Harau Valley. Brett’s based in Auckland, New Zealand, and has covered more than 45 countries as a guidebook author and travel and food writer. See www.brett-atkin

son.net for what he’s been eating recently, and where he’s travelling to next.

Celeste BrashSulawesi Celeste first visited Indonesia in 1995 after concentrating in Southeast Asian studies at the University of California. Even with the earthquakes, volca-noes and terrible bus rides, the country seduced her and she’s since spent many months exploring, from Sumatra to Bali and up through Sulawesi. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon and has contributed to over 40 Lonely Planet titles. Find out more about her at www.celestebrash.com.

Stuart ButlerSumatra Stuart Butler first hit the shores of Indonesia many years ago at the end of a long trans-Asia surf trip. Not surprisingly it was the highlight of his trip. Today Stuart lives with his wife and son on the beautiful beaches of southwest France. His travels for Lonely Planet and a variety of international surf magazines have taken him across Indonesia and beyond, from the desert beaches of Yemen to the coastal jungles of the Congo. His website is www.stuartbutlerjournalist.com.

OVERPAGE

MORE WRITERS

John NoblePapua John has been entranced by Indonesia – its multifarious cultures, trans-lucent seas, jungle-fringed sands, lumbering dragons, exhibitionist birds of para-dise, above all the fact that every single island is a different world – ever since his first visit during the Suharto era. He has devoted recent trips to remote, restive, untamed Papua, a piece that doesn’t really fit the jigsaw, which despite (or be-cause of) its contradictions is probably the most exciting region of all.

Adam SkolnickMaluku, Nusa Tenggara Adam Skolnick writes about travel, culture, health and politics for Lonely Planet, Outside, Men’s Health and Travel & Leisure. He has co-authored 18 Lonely Planet guidebooks to destinations in Europe, the US, Central America and Asia. His 11-week research trip to Nusa Tenggara and Maluku includ-ed stops on 37 islands. He hired, hopped or hitched 21 planes, 45 cars, five bemo, 12 buses, 25 motorbikes, 32 boats, six horse carts, one bicycle and one becak.

You can read more of his work at www.adamskolnick.com or find him on Twitter @adamskolnick.

Iain StewartJava Iain’s been travelling in Indonesia since 1992, journeying between West Sumatra and East Nusa Tenggara in search of wildlife in national parks and the highlife in Jakarta and Bali. He’s covered Indonesia seven times for various Lone-ly Planet guides. He authors books about Vietnam, Central America and Spain and writes for newspapers including the Independent, Guardian, Telegraph and Times. He’s a keen scuba diver, free diver, hiker and, when circumstances allow,

a weekend warrior (or is that hacker?) on the tennis court of Brighton, UK. Highlights of Iain’s trip across Java were hanging out with the Cianjur crew, hiking in Baluran, motorbiking around Batu Karas, munching in Semarang and hooking up with co-author Adam in Gili T.

Paul StilesKalimantan Paul specialises in islands, ecotourism, and adventure travel for Lonely Planet, so Kalimantan was a natural. For this book he completed the en-tire Cross-Borneo Trek, crossing the Muller Range in five days. His only regret is that he did not have his camera when a rare clouded leopard swam right in front of his boat. Guide: ‘I don’t know, looks like a wild cat…Oh my god, macan dahan!’

Read more about John at:lonelyplanet.com/members/ewoodrover

Read more about Paul at:lonelyplanet.com/members/paulwstiles

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got 6 days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for a fantastic Indonesian trip. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

B a l iS e a

I N D I A NO C E A N

BALILOMBOK

GunungKawai

Mataram

LembarSeminyak

Senggigi

Munduk

Ubud Padangbai

BukitPeninsula

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14 to 21 DaysBali & Lombok

Start in Bali, where you can acclimatise in the resorts, clubs and shops of Seminyak. Dose up on sun at the beach, then go exploring the perfect little beaches and surf breaks down the Bukit Peninsula.

Head north to immerse yourself in the ‘other’ Bali – the culture, temples and rich history of Ubud. Visit the Unesco-nominated Gunung Kawi, an ancient site worthy of Indiana Jones, and the nearby craft villages. Take a cooking course or learn batik, wood-carving or silversmithing. Once you’ve exhausted your yen for culture, escape to the misty mountains for treks to waterfalls amid coffee plantations in and around Munduk.

Next on the agenda is Lombok. Take a ferry from Bali’s beachy port town of Padangbai to Lembar, Lombok’s launching pad. Potter through the rice fields and Hindu temples around Mataram, then head to Senggigi for indulgent resorts, fine beaches and uninterrupted R&R.

From Senggigi take a ferry to the deservedly celebrated Gili Islands, where seamless beaches, translucent water and vivid reefs beg for snorkel-clad swimmers. Or if you’re short on time, just catch a fast boat direct to the Gilis from Bali.

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BRUNEI

MALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

JAVA SEA

SOUTHCH INASEA

IND IANOCEAN

BanyakIslands

Pulau Weh MarineNational Park

HarauValley

DanauManinjau

MentawaiIslands

Bukit Barisan SelatonNational Park

Way KambasNational Park

BatuKaras

Bromo-Tengger-SemeruNationalPark Meru Betiri

National Park

Alas Purwo National Park

Medan

Bukittinggi

Berastagi

BukitLawang

JAKARTA

PangandaranBorobodur

Solo

Prambanan

Yogyakarta

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SumatraJava Jaunt

14 to 30 DaysJava Jaunt

Start your journey in Jakarta and wrap your senses around the dizzy-ing smells, sounds, sights and people of Indonesia’s teeming capital. Linger

long enough to binge on Bintang beer and shopping, then head to Batu Karas for clas-sic laid-back beach vibes or go for the resorts of nearby Pangandaran.

After you’ve worshipped the sun for a week or so, catch the train to Yogyakarta, Java’s cultural capital. Dabble in batik, amble through the kraton (walled city palace) and part with your rupiah at the vibrant markets. A day trip to majestic Borobudur is a must. The longer you look, truly the more you’ll see.

From Yogyakarta make your way to the laid-back city of Solo, via the enigmatic tem-ples of Prambanan. Head into the clouds at awesome Bromo-Tengger-Semeru Na-tional Park, spending a night on the lip of Tengger crater. From here head to the south-east coast and Meru Betiri National Park. You just might see the amazing giant squir-rel. Finally follow the coast to Alas Purwo National Park where there’s leopards and amazing surfing at G-Land.

30 to 60 DaysSumatra

Sumatra is quite huge and you’ll have to hustle to fully appreciate it within visa constraints. Start your explora-tions in Medan, which has fab trans-

port connections. Then get right out of town and head to Bukit Lawang where you can see the island’s most famous residents, the orangutans. It’s a short jaunt from here to Berastagi, a laid-back hill town set amidst volcanoes.

Travel north to the very tip of Sumatra, but don’t stop, definitely don’t stop. Sharks, turtles and other large sea creatures live amidst splendid coral at Pulau Weh Ma-rine National Park off the coast. Head back south and travel off the west coast to Banyak Islands, a surfing and beach para-dise. Back ashore, follow the Trans-Sumatra Highway south to Bukittinggi, a good base for exploring the cultures and beauty of the Harau Valley and Danau Maninjau.

There’s more surf, sand and underwater joy off the coast in the Mentawai Islands. Finally head far south to Bukit Barisan Selaton and Way Kambas National Parks. The former has a few rhinos and tigers in lowland forests while the latter has elephants. From here it’s easy to catch the Java ferry.

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TIMOR-LESTE

MALAYSIA

AUSTRALIA

CELEBESSEA

Sumbawa

PulauSatonda Komodo

Sumba

Flores

KeiIslands

BandaIslands

PulauBiak

BaliemValley

DanauSentani

Raja AmpatIslands

Lombok

Ternate

Nabire

Kupang

Jayapura

Sorong

Kota Ambon

RoteT IMORSEA

ARAFURASEA

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Papua

30 to 60 DaysNusa Tenggara & Maluku

Head east from Lombok. Admire the beautiful coastline along Sumbawa and look for hidden corners. Make your way to Flores, a rugged volcanic

island with fishing villages, thriving culture and dramatic terrain. Stop off for some com-muning with dragons at Komodo on the way. Note that you can also do Lombok to Flores by liveaboard boat.

Now take ferries south to isolated and timeless Sumba, where some superb beach-es are just starting to attract visitors. Ponder this at beautiful beaches around Waikabu-bak, such as Pantai Nihiwatu. After indulg-ing in sun and isolation, fly to Kupang in West Timor. Visit villages in the surrounding areas, then jump over to Rote for relaxed coastal vibes.

Fly from Kupang to Kota Ambon on Maluku’s Pulau Ambon. Pause only briefly, then take a ferry (often frustrating) or plane to the crystalline seas, multicoloured reefs and empty beaches of the historic Banda Islands. Make your way back to Ambon and fly to Ternate, which is as pretty a tropical island paradise as you’ll find. Finally make the jaunt east to the Kei Islands, for one perfect beach after another.

30 DaysPapua

Papua is the launching pad for this route, which can be done in 30 days with judicious use of flights. Start at the transport hub of Jayapura. But

you’ll only be there long enough to charter a boat to visit the magnificent Danau Senta-ni, a 96.5-sq-km lake with 19 islands perfect for inland island-hopping.

Back on dry land, take to the air to get to the beautiful Baliem Valley, rich in cul-ture and trek-worthy mountain scenery. The valley is home to the Dani people, an ethnic group who have eschewed most mod-ern things and live a traditional life. Enjoy mountain views from a thatched hut.

Fly to Nabire and spot whale sharks off the coast – you can even swim with them. Now fly up for some idle island time on Pu-lau Biak. Next it’s a flight to Sorong, a base for trips out to the Raja Ampat Islands – a paradise for divers and snorkellers with In-donesia’s most abundant and varied marine life. It’s also good for birdwatchers and sub-lime tropical-island scenery.

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RIES

TIMOR-LESTE

MALAYSIA

JAVA SEA

CELEBESSEA

FloresKomodo

Kalimantan(Borneo)

Sulawesi

TogeanIslands

PulauDerawan

SungaiMahakam

PalangkaRaya

Tanjung PutingNational Park

Bunaken

Manado

Tentena

AmpanaPoso

PangkalanBun

Makassar

Gorontalo

Banjarmasin

Samarinda

Labuanbajo

Tana Toraja

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KalimantanIndonesia’s Island Heart

30 DaysIndonesia’s Island Heart

Start on Flores and take a dragon-spotting hike on Komodo. Enjoy time in the agreeable port town of Labuanbajo and head off-shore for

some diving. From here, fly to Makassar on Sulawesi – this may require connecting someplace.

In Makassar, pause amid the pandemo-nium for excellent seafood. But don’t overdo it, as you want to be fully alive for the elabo-rate funeral ceremonies in Tana Toraja, an eight-hour bus trip from Makassar. From here, another long bus ride (13 hours) takes you to the transport hub of Poso. Break your journey at the tidy lakeside town of Tentena. A five-hour bus ride from Poso gets you to Ampana where you take a ferry to your reward: the amazing, beautiful and beguiling Togean Islands. Spend your days island- and hammock-hopping between iconic beaches.

Tearing yourself away, take a boat to Gorontalo, then bus it to Manado and take a boat to laid-back Pulau Bunaken, where you can finish out the time on your visa.

30 to 60 daysKalimantan

Unassuming Pangkalan Bun is the entry point to this excursion – it’s the launching pad for trips into glorious Tanjung Puting National Park, one

of Indonesia’s best orangutan haunts. Scan the canopy for their amber bodies from the top of a houseboat as it ambles down the beautiful Sungai Kumai.

Rejoin reality in colourful Banjarmasin. Dabble in Kalimantan’s most beguiling city – brave a 5am call for the animated floating markets, then cruise the canals and meet the locals at dusk. Begin another classic river adventure by navigating up the Sungai Ka-hayan to Palangka Raya, a hub for yet more orangutan watching. Your boat choices range from the simple to the luxe.

From Banjarmasin, travel overland to Samarinda and make an expedition along Sungai Mahakam. Several days upstream will land you in the river’s western reaches, which are peppered with semitraditional Dayak villages and preserved forests. Trav-el back to the coast and head north to the offshore underwater wonders of Pulau De-rawan. This primitive teardrop-shaped is-land offers fabulous diving and snorkelling.

25PLAN

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