etraveladmin Everyone goes to Bali, which is a beautiful island for a vacation (don’t get me wrong), but it has been plagued by overtourism and overdevelopment for years.
If you travel to other Indonesian islands, you will find smoking volcanoes, sulphur lakes, pink sand beaches, tropical rainforests, exotic wildlife, and much more.
1. The island of Bali
Of course, Asia’s most popular vacation destination! Before I go on to other places in Indonesia, I must mention Bali. It’s a haven for both luxury and budget travellers. There’s something here for everyone.
Waterfalls, jungles, cliffs, volcanoes, and other natural wonders await adventurers in Bali. If you prefer to relax, Bali has beaches, temples, and rice terraces to offer, as well as an abundance of good restaurants and massages.
2. Nusa Ceningan Island
Nusa Ceningan is the smallest of Bali’s three Nusa islands, but it still has some interesting sights and activities.
The islands of Lembongan and Ceningan are linked by a colourful yellow bridge, and while they lack the epic cliffs and dramatic scenery of Nusa Penida, they are still worth a visit for the nice hotels, seaside cafes, and laidback atmosphere.
Nusa Ceningan is easily accessible from Lembongan by driving across the iconic yellow bridge or taking a short boat ride from Penida. It’s a one-hour speedboat ride from mainland Bali.
3. The island of Java
Java, Indonesia’s most populous island, has some of the world’s most incredible volcanic landscapes.
Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen’s smoking craters have become popular tourist destinations in East Java, and the island’s centre has ancient temples that look like they came straight out of The Jungle Book.
Meanwhile, West Java has surreal crater lakes like Kawah Putih to explore, as well as dozens of large waterfalls. It is without a doubt one of the best places to visit in Indonesia!
4. The island of Flores
Flores is wild and wonderful, with plenty to see and do, but it’s a very long island, so a road trip is the best way to see it all.
The Kelimutu Lakes, a pair of amazing turquoise coloured volcanic lakes in central Flores that can be seen without hiking, are the main tourist attraction here.
Starting in Labuan Bajo, you can take an overland tour of Flores from west to east, seeing sights like the spiderweb rice fields, Wae Rebo traditional village, Mount Inerie volcano, and Mount Kelimutu’s turquoise volcanic lakes.
Despite its lack of publicity and infrastructure, Flores is unquestionably one of the best places in Indonesia to visit.
5. Island of Padar
Despite being one of the smallest islands in the Komodo National Park, the scenic viewpoint on Padar Island has become a famous natural landmark in Indonesia, and it is even featured on the 50,000 Rupiah cash note.
This island is easily accessible via boat tour of the Komodo National Park, and the hike up to the viewpoint is relatively short and straightforward.
A magnificent Jurassic Park landscape and three massive bays with a white beach, a black beach, and a pink beach can be seen from the viewpoint.
6. Island of Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of my favourite Indonesian islands to visit. This island has seen many of the strangest things we’ve ever seen.
Volcanic hot springs and megalithic stone faces can be seen, as well as karst mountains, bug-eyed tarsiers, prehistoric cave art, and extreme meat markets.
Sulawesi is also home to one of the strangest cultures on the planet (Tana Toraja), who dig up their dead relatives every year to wash and change their clothes.
7. Island of Sombori
Sombori Island is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited in Indonesia. The hundreds of paradise islands and lagoons have earned it the moniker “the Raja Ampat of Sulawesi,” as it resembles the famous West Papuan islands.
This is a very remote island, but the journey is well worth it! We discovered several unnamed lagoons and beaches, as well as wildlife ranging from giant sea clams to hornbill birds.
8.The Bunaken Islands
Bunaken is a small island north of Manado, North Sulawesi’s capital.
The Bunaken Marine Park contains some of the most popular Indonesian islands for snorkelling and scuba diving, as well as a large sandbar on which you can walk when the tide is low.
We went on a day trip from Manado to Bunaken, but if you want to stay longer, you can take the public ferry. The main island has plenty of lodging options, allowing you to stay close to the action.
9.Island of Selayar
Selayar is a long, skinny island south of Makassar, South Sulawesi’s capital.
This is another great spot for snorkelling and island hopping, or you can stay on a private white sand beach at Selayar Eco Resort.
Unfortunately, many of Selayar’s beaches have been completely ruined by plastic trash (as is common on many Indonesian islands), but if you look around, you can still find some good ones that are cleaned on a regular basis by the resorts.
Nowadays, getting to Selayar is simple. Flights from Bali with a short transit stop in Makassar are available, and the final leg of the journey takes only 45 minutes.
10.The Banyak Islands
The Banyak Islands are a collection of uninhabited paradise islands located northwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.
You can stay in a basic bungalow on a nearly private island with white sand beaches and crystal clear water in all directions. The infrastructure is extremely limited, but that adds to the fun.
