Our route

With our last flight of the tour from Darwin to Bali we began our Indonesian adventure. We island hop east through Lombok, Gili Meno, Sumbawa, Flores, Rinca, West Timor and East Timor before retracing our steps back to Java. From Jakarta on Java we departed the archipelago via Palau Batam and arrived in Singapore by boat.

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Interesting Facts…

Sometimes when you travel it feels as though different cities belong to different countries, small differences in fashion, colours of taxis and of course the subtle and not so subtle variance in accents. Always when you travel in Indonesia you are subject to a constant doubt that you should be applying for more visas. One reason for this is simply because it is so big it has 17,508 islands (6000 of them are inhabited), 54,716km of coastline and claims 93,000 square kilometres of ocean. However it is not simply its size that provokes the sensation of crossing borders, it’s the feel of the islands. Diverse languages, religions, environments, attitudes and values dwell in permeable isolation within each island. Of its 243 million nationals 86% are Muslim making Indonesia the largest Islamic population anywhere and the fourth most populous country on earth.

Bali is a hedonistic, Hindu, foreigners playground; relatively economically rich, culturally exuberant and visually colourful. It is by far the most touristic island with 2.3 million visitors last year. Find out more here.

Lombok is an island following in the footsteps of its developed neighbour Bali. While in Bali there are restrictions in place to prevent building higher than a palm tree, in Lombok no such thing applies and they are planning a series of mega hotels. The majority of its inhabitants are Muslim and gain a living from agriculture despite the islands susceptibility to drought. The Gili islands already offer a slice of paradise, and the ancient Rinjani volcano offers a chance to trek, but these attractions will soon be added to dramatically. Find out more here.

Sumbawa is a predominantly Muslim island with relatively little tourist infrastructure. Despite this the island benefits from a transport infrastructure derived from gold and copper mining. Employment opportunities are far from abundant and this is reflected in a 10% emigration rate to overseas work. The people of Sumbawa traditionally speak one of two languages; Besa Semawa and Sasak which, in true Indonesian style, have no similarity. You can discover more here.

Flores is one of the more beautiful islands, less prone to drought its luscious, mountainous landscape captivates those who visit. Its use as a jumping off point for the dragon filled, tourist centres of Komodo and Rinja help it to prosper from tourism and Kelimutu draws travellers to its coloured mineral lakes. Its population is mostly catholic due to Portuguese influence and local dialects differ between villages. Find out more here.

Timor is quite literally an island of two halves, split into east and west after 24 years of Indonesian occupation (see our East Timor page). The opposing sides of the islands have little in common; West Timor gives a bustling, trade-city impression, with over-stocked shops, nightly food markets and large hotels catering to businessmen rather than tourists. Find out more here.

Java is the political and cultural hub of Indonesia and with a population of 138 million (2000 people per square mile), it is the most populated island. Yogyakarta, Surabaya and the capital, Jakarta are the urban centres, the first is heralded as the cultural centre of Java with a vibrant art scene and a relaxed, liberal feel. Jakarta is the powerhouse of Indonesia and boasts the amenities of any capital city. The gap between rich and poor is most clearly witnessed here as slums nestle in the shadows of high rise luxury apartments. A wealth of culture can be found on Java, as well as outstanding natural beauty at Mt. Bromo and the  Ijen crater in the West. Find out more here.

See our pictures on Indonesia and our video down in the sulpher mines of Java!

Questions about Indonesia, which are not discussed here on the website? Or do you have certain interests/ questions about a country along our route? Click here to leave us a quick message – we will try to answer everything to the best of our knowledge.