In this post we show some ideas to plan your trip to Indonesia if you only have a few vacation days. We help you choose which islands to travel in Indonesia in 1 week with the aim of optimizing your time in the country by visiting Indonesia’s best destinations and tourist attractions.
Located in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is probably one of the most complete countries on the planet to spend your holidays. Jungles, paradisiacal beaches, volcanoes, more than 1000 different ethnic groups and around 200 languages are distributed over 17,000 islands. In this post we give you some tips to be able to plan your trip to Indonesia in 1 week.
Starting to organize your time in a country bigger than Europe and with so much diversity can leave you totally exhausted. And that’s why today we want to share with you our recommendations as travel advisors to Indonesia, so that you can plan your holidays according to the number of days you want to spend in the country.
First of all, it should be noted that Indonesia is an archipelago, so when planning the trip, basically what we will do is select the number of islands we want to know on our holiday. In this post, you’ll find the routes most popular with travelers, (you can also keep an eye on Trips to Indonesia in 1 alternative week, if your thing is adventure and you want to visit places that are still in the first phase of exploration or specific trips).
Since there are endless combinations, in this post we will start by naming the most classic islands and routes to travel to Indonesia in 1 week. If you still need help planning your days in Indonesia or want to know which sites best suit your travel style, write to us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.
Let’s get in trouble!
Today we will dedicate this publication to TRIPS TO INDONESIA IN 1 WEEK: If you only count 6 to 7 days for your holiday in Indonesia, you basically have two options. One, which is undoubtedly the most popular and economical, would be to concentrate your holiday on an island that offers you a little bit of everything. And the other, would be to combine at most 2 islands and explore the country a little more:
Although Indonesia has thousands of islands to spend an unforgettable week, today I will recommend the two most popular: Bali and Lombok.
Bali is world-renowned for keeping alive throughout its history, a unique culture in the world. A Hinduism from India that has taken on a life of its own and continues to be passed on from generation to generation despite constantly increasing tourism.
In addition Bali offers you pristine jungles, volcanoes, stunning waterfalls, ancient temples, endless rice fields, hotels of all possible categories, unique marine biodiversity, paradise beaches and many activities to do during your holiday. Not forgetting the kindness of its people, its food and exquisite hotel service for those who want to experience the authentic Asian luxury. If Bali is your choice, it is ideal to alternate some visits of interest and/or activities, with days of authentic relaxation.
It is important to know that Bali is a very large island and road conditions are not like in Europe so it is possible to spend a lot of time on driving between the places you want to visit. Points of interest in Bali are not concentrated in a single area but are all over the island so we will have to group the places that we want to visit every day by zones to enjoy the days without ending up too tired.
*Watch this video about what to do in Bali from the hand of one of our travelers.
When planning the trip it is important to decide in which village(s) of the island you want to stay in to plan visits from your hotel. Expand all Bali information in our handy Bali guide or write to us for personalized advice. You can also discover the trips and excursions in Bali offered by Come2indonesia.
Spending your holidays in Bali, you can fly by international flight directly to Denpasar (Bali capital)
Another option in the case of deciding only one island, I recommend the neighboring Lombok. With a rich millennial tradition and a mostly Muslim population, Lombok also offers you an overflowing nature, traditional villages, endless white sand beaches and its crown jewel, the majestic Rinjani volcano, the second highest in Indonesia (Indonesian Volcanoes).
The climb to the top of this volcano, unlike others, is difficult due to changing of altitudes and requires at least, spend two nights in base camps to reach the top and have one of the most spectacular views of Lombok, the Gilis Islands and even Bali.
The pace of Lombok is more leisurely than Bali’s and a perfect cocktail would be to combine an active excursion such as the Rinjani climb or a waterfall route, with a few last days on one of its stunning white sand beaches. Lombok is also home to the Sasak ethnic group, large rice and tobacco plantations and the famous Gili Islands.
In addition to the Gili Islands known around the world, Lombok has another small archipelago in the southwest that are also named after Gili (we will call them The New Gili) They are less well known, have a lot of coral reef, have less population and are still in development. Both the famous Gili and the New Gili, you can visit on a day trip to snorkel amid stunning marine biodiversity. Find out more about Lombok trips.
Spending your holiday in Lombok, you can fly into Bali and take a boat to Lombok, or take a domestic flight of 30 min. Bali – Lombok. If you are in another Southeast Asian country like Singapore, you can also fly directly since, although with less traffic, Lombok also has an international airport.
In one week it is also possible to combine 2 islands. The most economical option, at a slower pace, would be to select two islands that do not require internal flights. The most popular are the following:
With entry and exit through Bali, this trip is perfect to get to know the island of Bali in 3-4 days with intense days of excursions, and finish the trip with 2 nights in the Nusas totally relaxing, snorkeling or diving, or just enjoying the island and its people. The positive thing about this trip is that the boat between Bali and the Nusas takes only 30 minutes and departure harbor is very close to the airport. This will allow us not to waste so much time on trips and squeeze a little more stay on each island.
Also with entry and exit through Bali, the idea of this trip is totally the same as the previous one with the only difference is that we will need more time for travel as the boat to the Gili Islands lasts approximately 2 hours and the port of departure from Bali is also about two hours from Denpasar. This means that we will waste more time on transfers and consequently the stay on these islands is lesser and lesser. Still, it’s a super complete trip and a favorite for travelers.
*See this example of a trip: The Best of Bali and the Gili Islands
In this case we can make the entrance both through Bali and with Lombok. A week is the perfect time to combine 3 nights in Lombok visiting waterfalls, Rinjani volcano or Sasak villages with days of authentic relaxation in the Gili Islands (whether you decide on the most famous or the aforementioned, the new Gili from southwest Lombok) For each other, The boat transfer from Lombok takes only 15 minutes and is usually done on traditional local boats.
I propose this last combination with entrance by either island. My recommendation is to divide the stay equally, 3 and 3 nights and connect them by boat or on a short flight of 30 minutes. I would dedicate to Bali a more cultural stay with visits to some waterfalls and leave lombok for a few days in Kuta Lombok with a day trip to snorkel on the coral reefs of the New Gili.
If you do not want to miss the opportunity to know other areas of Indonesia in your holiday week even if it requires taking domestic flights, here are some combinations that are not very exhausting and that will make your trip, a much more complete experience:
The island of Borneo has one of the richest biodiversity in the world. For this week-long trip combined with another island, I recommend Tanjung Punting National Park (Pangkalan Bun) to make a 2-night expedition aboard a floating houseboat in the jungle. You will not only be able to see orangutans and other species in their natural habitat but you will live an experience totally far from the world and from every civilization.
*Watch this video about an Orangutan trip to Borneo from the hand of one of our travelers.
This trip requires 4 short domestic flights if we check in and out of Jakarta which is my recommendation. This way, you will need to make a night of transit in Jakarta on arrival and fly the next day by direct flight to Pangkalan Bun (1 hour) and start the cruise. For the one-way to Bali or Lombok, we do not have direct flights from Borneo so we will transit at one of the main Java airports. And we’d have a direct flight back from Bali or Lombok to Jakarta to connect with your international flight back.
Although it seems very busy, these are fast connections that don’t require much time at airports and it’s a trip that’s really worth it. We would stay 1 night in Jakarta, 2 in Borneo, and we would have 3 nights left for Bali or Lombok. Without a doubt, a very complete trip that will leave you wanting to return to Indonesia.
Yogyakarta, on the island of Java, is the cultural capital of Indonesia and home to two of the places with the most tourist attraction for its beauty and history; The temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. It also has the Sultan’s Palace, a busy life of street markets, the Merapi Volcano and a structure of deep caves if you are interested in caving, among others. (Post Yogyakarta/Java) To visit the most important thing of Yogyakarta, with one or two nights is more than enough so we would have 4 or 5 nights to enjoy Bali with more tranquility.
Making the entrance to Indonesia through Bali, this trip only requires the two internal flights to and from Yogyakarta. My recommendation is to pass 3 nights in Ubud with excursions, 1 night in Yogyakarta and 2 nights in southern Bali closer to the airport in the beach areas of Seminyak, Kuta, Canggu, Jimbaran, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua or Sanur. This trip will let you have a complete experience of nature, culture and beach.
*Watch this video about what to do in Yogyakarta from the hand of one of our travelers.
I end this recommendation a little further away from the commercial circuits. The great unknown island of Sumba and to which we have special affection in Come2Indonesia. Just an hour of direct flight from Bali, Sumba will give you the feeling of traveling to a past we didn’t even know. With a unique animist religion in the world (the Marapu religion) and with a coexistence established in traditional villages, Sumba not only offers a unique social experience but also features endless pristine beaches, stunning waterfalls and some of Indonesia’s most important luxury hotels. (Luxury Indonesia)
Combining these two islands, we can spend 3 nights in Bali, 2 in Sumba and one last transit on a Bali beach before your international return flight. This trip requires two internal one-hour flights of Bali – Sumba. This travel route will tell you the essentials of Bali and you will also get an indelible memory of having been on one of the least traveled islands in the country and with a fascinating life of your own.
And we could do a lot more combinations, but we’d never finish. Indonesia is endless and like everything in life, you have to choose. So this is today’s post. We will continue to complete this guide on How to Plan Your Trip to Indonesia based on the number of days. In the meantime, you can keep an eye on our Indonesia travel guide and leave your comments with more doubts that arise about these or other routes in Indonesia.
Remember that you can also write to [email protected] if you need help planning your trip to Indonesia.
Good trip!
5 nights in Ubud
3 Nights stay in Seraya
3D2N Borneo Orangutan Tour based with private klotok
Travel with transfers included
Island of the Gods
5 nights in Ubud
2 Days Bali Tour with Private Guide
3D2N Borneo Orangutan Tour based with private klotok
Travel with transfers included
Island of the Gods
4 nights in Ubud
3 nights in Uluwatu
1X Half Day Tour Uluwatu and Kecak Dance
Travel with private guide
Island of the Gods
4 nights in Ubud
3D2N Yogyakarta Tour with Private Guide
3D2N Borneo Orangutan Tour based with private klotok
Travel with transfers included
Island of the Gods
3 nights in Ubud
3 Nights stay in Gili Trawangan
2 nights in Candidasa
Travel with transfers included
Island of the Gods
6 nights in Ubud
2 nights in Nusa Dua
Travel with transfers included
Island of the Gods
She was born in the Canary Islands, Spain, and decided to settle in Bali in 2016 after traveling the world.
Guio is responsible for our sales and marketing department, especially with our Spanish-speaking market. Having been an avid traveller, Guiomar has all the ingredients to organize your perfect trip due to her vast knowledge of the country and her insatiable curiosity to look beyond any route.
During his free time, Guio loves to tan on the beach and visit rural Bali.
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