Indonesia for First Timers

Every place below is pinned on the interactive map with its exact location. You can browse it for free, and copy the whole map into your own Ikuzo account to adapt it to your trip.

South Bali

Uluwatu Temple

Clifftop temple famous for its sunset Kecak fire dance, book the 6pm show early. Sarongs are provided at the entrance and keep glasses and phones away from the monkeys.

Tanah Lot

Iconic sea temple perched on a rock offshore. Come for sunset and check the tide, at low tide you can walk right up to its base.

Seminyak Beach

Wide sandy beach lined with famous beach clubs. Grab a bean bag and a cold drink for sunset, it gets lively from 5pm.

Batu Bolong Beach (Canggu)

Canggu's laid back surf beach with gentle waves that are perfect for a first lesson. Plenty of cafes and board rentals right on the sand.

Kuta Beach

Bali's original tourist beach, busy but great for cheap surf lessons and long sunsets. Closest beach to the airport, handy for a first or last day.

Nusa Dua Beach

Calm, clear and swimmable water in the manicured resort enclave. The best choice on Bali for families who actually want to swim.

Jimbaran Beach

Come at sunset for grilled seafood served at tables right on the sand. Pick your fish at the warung and pay by weight.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

Home to the colossal 121 meter Garuda Wisnu statue, one of the tallest in the world. Daily Balinese dance performances are included with the ticket.

Ubud & Central Bali

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Lush temple forest in the heart of Ubud with hundreds of long tailed macaques. Keep food, sunglasses and water bottles zipped away, the monkeys are quick.

Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Bali's most photographed rice terraces, just north of Ubud. Arrive before 9am to beat the tour buses and the midday heat.

Tirta Empul

Holy spring temple where you can join the purification bathing ritual in the fountain pools. Sarongs are provided and a change of clothes is essential if you bathe.

Campuhan Ridge Walk

Easy 2 km ridge walk through green hills right out of central Ubud. Go at sunrise or late afternoon, there is zero shade at midday.

Ubud Art Market

Classic souvenir market for sarongs, baskets and woodcarvings. Bargaining is expected, start around half the asking price with a smile.

Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)

9th century cave sanctuary with a carved demon mouth entrance and bathing pools. A quick stop that pairs well with Tirta Empul, sarong included with the ticket.

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

Vast UNESCO listed rice terraces on the slopes of Mount Batukaru, far quieter than Tegallalang. Walking loops from 30 minutes to 3 hours start at the entrance.

Sekumpul Waterfall

Often called Bali's most beautiful waterfall, a cluster of falls in the northern jungle. The descent is steep with many steps and a local guide is mandatory, bring shoes with grip.

East & North Bali

Mount Batur

The classic Bali sunrise trek, an active volcano overlooking Lake Batur. Pickups run around 2am for a 2 hour climb with a guide, bring a warm layer for the chilly summit.

Besakih Great Temple

Bali's Mother Temple, a huge complex of shrines on the slopes of Mount Agung. Sarong required and it is best visited early before the clouds roll in.

Lempuyang Temple (Gates of Heaven)

Home of the famous Gates of Heaven photo framing Mount Agung. The photo queue can run 2 to 3 hours, arrive before 7am and dress respectfully with a sarong.

Tirta Gangga

Former royal water palace with lotus ponds, fountains and stepping stones across koi filled pools. Easy to combine with Lempuyang on an east Bali day trip.

Sidemen Valley

Peaceful valley of rice fields and small villages with Mount Agung views, what Ubud felt like decades ago. Ideal for a quiet night or two of walks and weaving workshops.

Nusa Islands & Gilis

Kelingking Beach

The famous T Rex shaped cliff viewpoint of Nusa Penida. The clifftop view takes 5 minutes, the descent to the beach is steep and takes about an hour round trip, do not swim there.

Angel's Billabong

Natural infinity pool carved into the rocky coast, right next to Broken Beach. Only enter the pool at low tide and calm seas, rogue waves here are genuinely dangerous.

Broken Beach

A collapsed sea cave forming a circular cove with a natural rock arch. A 10 minute walk from Angel's Billabong, most people visit both on a west Penida day tour.

Crystal Bay Beach

Nusa Penida's best swimming and snorkeling beach, with mola mola sightings for divers from July to October. Stay for sunset if your boat schedule allows.

Gili Trawangan

The liveliest of the three Gili islands, no cars, just bikes and horse carts. Fast boats from Bali take about 2 hours, snorkel trips see turtles almost guaranteed.

Gili Air

The mellow Gili, closest to Lombok, with a nice balance of beach bars and quiet. You can snorkel with turtles right off the east coast beaches.

Java

Borobudur

The world's largest Buddhist temple, a 9th century mountain of carved stone stupas. Daily visitor numbers to the upper structure are capped, book the official ticket online a few days ahead.

Prambanan

Towering 9th century Hindu temple complex, best in late afternoon light. On some evenings the open air Ramayana ballet is performed with the temples as backdrop.

Malioboro Street

Yogyakarta's famous shopping and street food artery. Liveliest in the evening, try gudeg and watch out for the classic batik shop touts.

Taman Sari Water Castle

18th century royal bathing complex of the Yogyakarta sultans with pools and an underground mosque. Small local guides at the gate are worth it to find the hidden passages.

Penanjakan Bromo Viewpoint

The classic sunrise panorama over Mount Bromo and the Sea of Sand. Jeep tours leave Cemoro Lawang around 3am, bring gloves and a jacket, it is near freezing before dawn.

Ijen Crater

Volcanic crater with an acid turquoise lake and the famous blue fire, visible roughly 2am to 4am. Hike starts around 1am with a guide and a gas mask is provided, needed for the sulfur fumes.

Kota Tua Jakarta (Fatahillah Square)

Jakarta's Dutch colonial old town centered on Fatahillah Square, with museums and rental bikes in bright colors. Best on a weekday morning before the heat and the crowds.

Kawah Putih

Milky turquoise crater lake in the hills south of Bandung, about 2 hours from the city. It sits at 2400 meters so bring a jacket, and a mask helps on strong sulfur days.

Komodo & Beyond

Padar Island Viewpoint

The postcard view of Komodo, three curved bays in different colors from one ridge. About 30 minutes up well built stairs, every boat tour from Labuan Bajo stops here.

Pink Beach (Komodo)

One of the few pink sand beaches in the world, colored by crushed red coral. Great easy snorkeling right off the beach, reachable only by boat.

Komodo National Park

UNESCO park and the only place on earth to see wild Komodo dragons, on ranger guided walks on Komodo or Rinca island. Book a day trip or liveaboard from Labuan Bajo.

Kelor Island

Tiny island close to Labuan Bajo with a short sharp hill climb for a great panorama and clear snorkeling water below. Usually the first stop on Komodo boat tours.