Believe it or not, many of the best places to visit in Indonesia are still practically unknown to tourists. There are more than 17,000 beautiful Indonesian islands and most of them are still waiting to be traveled.

Everyone goes to Bali, which is a wonderful island for vacation (don’t get me wrong), but it’s been suffering from overtourism and overdevelopment for years.

If you branch out to the other islands in Indonesia, you can see smoking volcanoes, sulfur lakes, pink sand beaches, tropical rainforests, exotic wildlife, and so much more.

Since Indonesia is my second home (and my wife’s actual home!), we’ve been privileged to do a bunch of exploring in this beautiful country, including some of the most far flung Indonesian islands.

Here’s my complete list of the best places to visit in Indonesia!

1. Bali Island

Of course, Asia’s favorite vacation island! I have to mention Bali, Indonesia. It’s heaven for luxury seekers and budget travelers alike. There’s something for everyone here.

Adventure lovers in Bali will have easy access to waterfalls, jungles, cliffs, volcanoes, and more. Or, if you’re the more laid back type, Bali has beaches, temples, and rice terraces for you, along with an endless supply of good restaurants and massages.

If any of that sounds nice, then you’ll fall in love with Bali and its people, just like I did. The only con is that it’s overtraveled. The small island got more than 6 million tourists in 2019.

Things To See: Ubud, Kintamani, Uluwatu, & More
How To Get There: Fly to Bali’s international airport (DPS)
More Info: Bali Travel Guide
Bali island in Indonesia
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Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in Bali
Bali island in Indonesia
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Mount Batur volcano in Bali
Bali waterfall in Indonesia
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Sekumpul Waterfall in Bali

 
2. Nusa Penida Island

The exotic, wonderful island of Nusa Penida lies just 25 kilometers from Bali, and it’s considered part of the Bali province.

It’s a much smaller island than Bali, but it has some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in Indonesia. We’ve visited Penida at least a dozen times over the years, but it never gets old.

This island can be visited on a day trip from Bali (same day return), but I think it’s better to spend at least a few days seeing things here.

It’s home to some famous natural sights like the dinosaur-shaped Kelingking Cliff, and the appropriately named Diamond Beach.

Things To See: Diamond Beach, Kelingking Beach, Broken Bay, & More
How To Get There: 1 hour boat trip from Bali
More Info: Nusa Penida Travel Guide
Nusa Penida island in Bali
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Rumah Pohon Treehouse in Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida island in Bali
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Banah Cliffs in Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida island in Bali
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Diamond Beach in Nusa Penida

3. Lombok Island

Lombok is Bali’s neighbor island. It’s the same size as Bali and way less traveled by tourists, but you could argue it’s just as scenic.

The main attraction in Lombok is Mount Rinjani, which towers over the whole island. It’s the second tallest volcano in Indonesia, and you can trek it in a few days.

Lombok is also known for some stunning beaches and waterfalls scattered across the island, and unlike in Bali, most of these spots are still crowd free.

Even though it’s not as popular as Bali, Lombok is undoubtedly one of the most scenic places in Indonesia, and it’s likely to become the next vacation island for people looking to move on from Bali.

Things To See: Mount Rinjani, Tiu Kelep Waterfall, Tanjung Aan Beach
How To Get There: Fly to Lombok International Airport (LOP)
 

4. Java Island

Java, the most populated island of Indonesia, is home to some of the most incredible volcanic landscapes in the world.

The smoking craters at Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen have become famous tourist destinations in East Java, and the center of the island has ancient temples that look like something out of The Jungle Book.

Meanwhile, West Java has surreal crater lakes like Kawah Putih, and dozens of big waterfalls to discover. It’s easily one of the best places to visit in Indonesia!

Things To See: Dieng Plateau, Prambanan Temple, Mount Bromo, & More
How To Get There: Fly to Jakarta (CGK), Jogyakarta (YIA), or Surabaya (SUB)
Indonesian Islands The Best Places To Visit In Indonesia Java
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Dieng Plateau in Java
Indonesian Islands The Best Places To Visit In Indonesia Java
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Mount Bromo in Java
Indonesian Islands The Best Places To Visit In Indonesia Java
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Sewu Temple in Java

 
5. Flores Island

Flores is wild and wonderful, and there are a lot of good things to see and do, but it’s a very long island, so a road trip is the best way to take it all in.

The main tourist attraction here would have to be the Kelimutu Lakes, a pair of amazing turquoise colored volcanic lakes in central Flores, and you can see them without doing any hiking.

If you start from Labuan Bajo, you can do an overland tour of Flores from west to east and see sights like the spiderweb rice fields, Wae Rebo traditional village, Mount Inerie volcano, and the turquoise volcanic lakes of Mount Kelimutu.

In spite of the lack of publicity and infrastructure, Flores is definitely one of the best places to visit in Indonesia.

Things To See: Kelimutu National Park, Koka Beach, Mount Inerie, Labuan Bajo
How To Get There: Fly to Ende (ENE) or Maumere (MOF) from Bali (DPS)