Make the Most of Your Time in Indonesia

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How Many Days to Spend in Indonesia

To get the most out of Indonesia's vast cultural and natural treasures, you'll need at least 10 days. This is enough time to see different archipelagos or experience the highlights of a major tourist hub like Bali. In five days or a week, you can still enjoy beach time, snorkeling, and sailing around a couple of locales, but two weeks really opens things up to go off the beaten path and visit multiple islands.

A typical facade of a temple in Ubud
Map of 5 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
5 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Make the most of five days in Indonesia and opt for a Bali highlights tour that features jungle hikes, snorkeling, and enjoying the nightlife in resort town Seminyak. Or choose a Bali tour that focuses on the outdoors, from waterfalls to rice terraces to a unique "floating temple." Other excellent choices include a tour around Java, home to the world's largest Buddhist temple, or a beach-oriented itinerary that features a cruise through Komodo National Park.

Broken Beach in Nusa Penida Island, Bali
Map of 6 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
6 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With only six days to spend in Indonesia, you can still cover a number of islands or provinces, like on this classic route from East Java to Bali to Komodo Island. Or, rise early and cover Java's highlights, including iconic Mount Bromo and Borobudur temple. Seeking adventures in nature? See orangutans in the Sumatran jungles or kayak Komodo National Park and spot the famed dragon. Lastly, meet the ethnic groups of South Sulawesi and venture to lesser-touristed sites in Tana Toraja.

Relax on the famed Pink Beach of the Komodo National Park
Map of 1 Week in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
1 Week in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

A week in Indonesia allows you to focus on Bali, visit temples and swim in waterfalls, or combine a few days in Bali with a snorkeling and boating adventure around Lombok. Get away from it all on a trip to western Flores and the Komodo Archipelago, hiking through secluded caves and sleeping in a cone-shaped hut. Animal lovers will opt for an itinerary around North Sumatra, featuring elephants and the chance to spot orangutans in the wild, or a trip to Borneo and Java, rich with wildlife viewing opportunities.

A boat "hovers" on a blue lagoon of Gili Air
Map of 9 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas
9 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With nine days in Indonesia, you can soak up the sun and fascinating Balinese Hinduism on a classic Bali and Gili Air trip or unpack your bags and base yourself in Ubud and Sanur for a relaxing culture and beach-filled Bali vacation. Discover ancient traditions on a tour of South Sulawesi, with four nights in Rantepao and two days relaxing on the white sands of Bira. If wildlife, virgin jungles, and a massive supervolcano lake sound like your thing, opt for a nature-packed excursion of Sumatra.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple on Bali
Map of 10 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
10 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With 10 days to spend in Indonesia, many travelers visit Bali for a highlights tour of the island's historic temples, beautiful beaches, and scenic rice fields. You could focus more specifically on Balinese culture, choosing an itinerary that features local experiences like cooking classes or combine several days in Bali with time on another island, like Nusa Penida, an excellent destination for snorkeling. Another option is to skip Bali and explore Java's natural wonders or cruise around the Raja Ampat Archipelago on a traditional wooden sailboat.

Marvel at the "gates of heaven" at Pura Luhur Lempuyang in eastern Bali's highlands
Map of 11 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas
11 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With 11 days in Indonesia, you can spend your time between the temples, quaint villages, and beaches of Java and Bali on a classic itinerary or take a deep dive into the local way of life on a culture-focused trip, complete with a full-day shadowing a rural Balinese family. If you prefer a more relaxed pace with plenty of time at the beach, stick to a Bali and Gili Islands-focused trip. And if volcanoes and temples pique your interest, an 11-day itinerary with stays in Yogyakarta, Mount Bromo, and Mount Ijen will do just the trick.

Snap iconic pics of Walakiri Beach's mangrove forest
Map of 12 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
12 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With 12 days in Indonesia, you can see many major sites and cover multiple islands, but it's best to decide which of Indonesia's diverse landscapes you prefer. Focus on nature by bird-watching in West Papua or visiting the orangutans in Borneo; beach hop around the Gili Islands, go on a multi-day trek through the jungle toward Wamena or spend more time in the local villages learning about Indigenous tribes, like the Dani Tribe of Papua New Guinea or the people of Sumba.

Sunrise over Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in Bali
Map of 13 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
13 Days in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With 13 days in Indonesia, you can take in Java and Sulawesi's remote villages and impressive Hindu temples on a culture-focused tour. Or, stick to Bali and choose an adventure-packed itinerary, culture and beaches getaway, or a mix of both. Add on a trip to the Gili Islands to enjoy ultimate relaxation, or get off the beaten path and explore along the north coast and central Bali.

Sunrise over Indonesia's Mount Bromo
Map of 2 Weeks in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
2 Weeks in Indonesia - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

You can cover some serious ground with two weeks in Indonesia, exploring up to three different islands, or basing yourself on one or two islands for more in-depth cultural, historical, and culinary experiences. For example, explore the wilds of Kalimantan and the Derawan Islands or pair Java and Bali for a smaller radius. From experiencing ancient village traditions and hiking the jungles of Sulawesi to honeymooning in Bali—your options are plentiful.

Sunset over Mount Ijen and its blue crater lake—the world's largest acid lake
Map of 15 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas
15 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

With 15 days in Indonesia, you can take a deep dive into Bali's cultural and scenic highlights on a classic tour. Or get a taste of the wild jungles and otherworldly landscapes of Sumatra and East Java, then relax on the beaches of Bali on a well-rounded Indonesia adventure. If you're ready to get well off the beaten path, opt for an itinerary split between Borneo and Bali or for the ultimate relaxing trip, island hop between Bali, Gili Air, and Nusa Penida.

View of Labuan Bajo in the Komodo National Park of Indonesia, near Flores
Map of 8 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas
8 Days in Indonesia - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

If you have eight days in Indonesia, stick to one main island with a possible visit to nearby lesser islands, like the Komodo Archipelago off of Flores. Consider Bali's popular southeast to see monkeys, rice paddies, and beaches. Discover the wildlife on Flores, covering its length, with fewer crowds than in Bali, or explore Java and check out the world's largest Buddhist temple of Borobudur. Or, for a unique holiday, head to Lombok for secluded jungle waterfalls, remote beaches, and untouristed islands.