Indonesia holidays

Bali itself rewards 7-10 days. The cultural Ubud zone in the hills holds the Sacred Monkey Forest, Goa Gajah Elephant Cave, the Tegalalang rice terraces, Mount Batur sunrise volcano hike (2-hour walk, world's most-photographed sunrise summit), and dozens of small shrines and water temples. The Bukit Peninsula at the southern tip is the splurge-luxury coast (Bulgari Bali, Six Senses Uluwatu, the Aman Villas at Nusa Dua) with clifftop infinity pools, Uluwatu Temple at sunset, and world-class surf at Padang Padang and Bingin. The eastern coast at Amed is the laid-back snorkelling-and-diving zone. Northern Bali at Lovina has dolphin watching at dawn. Inland Bali offers the Pemuteran West Bali National Park for the more-remote wildlife and bird-watching.

The diving in Indonesia is genuinely the best on earth. Raja Ampat in West Papua holds the highest marine biodiversity ever recorded — more fish species per square metre than any other location, vast colonies of manta rays and reef sharks, and the highly-protected Cape Kri reef. The Komodo Islands offer diving with manta rays at Manta Point, the dramatic underwater seamounts of Castle Rock, and the unusual Pink Beach. Wakatobi at the eastern Sulawesi tip has resort-based diving at the splurge Wakatobi Dive Resort. The Banda Islands in the Maluku archipelago are the historic Spice Islands — diving with the historical layer of Dutch colonial nutmeg plantations.

Indonesian food is wildly varied by island. Nasi goreng (fried rice) is the universal national dish but each region adds character — Padang-style with the multiple small dishes selected from a window display; Javanese sweet-soy gudeg in Yogyakarta; Balinese suckling pig (babi guling) at Ibu Oka in Ubud; Manado fiery Minahasan cuisine; Acehnese curry-rich noodle dishes; Toraja blood-and-meat stews. Sambal (chilli paste) accompanies everything. The coffee culture is exceptional — Indonesia is the world's fourth-largest coffee producer, with single-origin Aceh Gayo, Java Estate, Sulawesi Toraja, Sumatra Mandheling and Bali Kintamani all carrying recognisable terroir.

UK travellers get 30 days visa-on-arrival (~$35 USD) at major airports — or apply for the e-VOA online in advance. Indonesia is one of the world's most-affordable major beach destinations — Bali villas at £80-300/night, Komodo liveaboard cruises at £150-300/night, mid-range restaurant meals at £8-20. The Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is the currency; cards work at upscale hotels and restaurants but cash is king for warungs (small restaurants), souvenirs, taxis. Bahasa Indonesia is the language of state and education — Indonesian is one of the easiest Asian languages for English-speakers to pick up; English is widely spoken in Bali tourism, more patchy elsewhere.

Best for: beach-and-culture travellers (Bali), diving travellers (Raja Ampat is bucket-list, Komodo headline-tier), photographers (Borobudur sunrise, Komodo at sunset), yoga-and-wellness retreaters (Ubud is the world's wellness capital), food travellers, adventure travellers (volcano hikes, jungle treks), couples and honeymooners (the Bukit Peninsula resorts). May-September is the dry season (the best window for diving and beach); November-March is the wet season — Bali stays manageable but the eastern islands (Komodo, Flores) close many operations.