Things to do in Indonesia
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FEATURED
Indonesia Explorer
15 days (ex Jakarta)
by Intrepid
Discover modern Indonesia in Jakarta, Spot exotic wildlife in Pangandaran, Explore the cultural treasures of Yogyakarta, Get in touch with nature at the Selolim…Not LP reviewed
from USD$1,215 - All things to do
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Rumah Guides
This is an excellent new community project run by young Yogya citizens eager to show you their city and the surrounding area. Tours of the city (150,000Rp per day) and to Borobudur, Dieng and beyond can be set up in their Prawirotaman area office. It’s also possible to stay with local families as part of a homestay program (US$12 per day including all meals).
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Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana
This cool and dense swath of jungle, officially called Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana, houses three holy temples. The sanctuary is inhabited by a band of grey-haired and greedy long-tailed Balinese macaques that are nothing like the innocent-looking doe-eyed monkeys on the brochures.
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Ary's Warung
The name Ary's Warung is something of a misnomer; crisp table linen, architectural food presentation, well-trained waiters and high prices won't be found in any other warung. The spare design opens the ground-floor to the street. Alluring bar.
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Ministry of Coffee
A landmark modernist structure, with a library (with English-language books and magazines) upstairs and a cafe below. It’s ideal for an espresso or latte, but the food (mainly snacks and cakes) is pretty average.
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Trekking
Treks into the Gunung Leuser National Park require a guide and can last anywhere from three hours to two days. Most people opt for two days so that they can spend the night in the jungle, which increases the likelihood of seeing orang-utans and other critters in the wild.
Guide rates are fixed by the Sumatra Guide Association: they are US$10 for a three-hour trek; US$25 for a day trek; and US$45 for a two-day trek, including overnight camping in the jungle and rafting back to town. Prices include basic meals, guide fees, camping equipment and the park permit.
Despite the pressure, take your time in choosing a guide. Talk to returning trekkers and decide how much jungle ti…
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Taman Impian Jaya Ancol
Along the bay front, between Kota and Tanjung Priok, the people’s ‘Dreamland’ is built on land reclaimed in 1962. This 300-hectare, landscaped recreation park, providing non-stop entertainment, has hotels, theatres and a variety of sporting and leisure facilities including bowling. It’s easily the city’s best entertainment for kids in the city.
Taman Impian Jaya Ancol’s prime attractions include Pasar Seni (Art Market), and Seaworld (Tel: 641 0080; www.seaworldindonesia.com; Mon-Fri 30,000Rp, Sat & Sun 40,000Rp; 9am-6pm), with its ‘sharkquarium’, dugongs and turtles. At the Gelanggang Samudra (Tel: 640 6677; Mon-Fri 40,000Rp, Sat & Sun 50,000Rp; 11am-6pm Mon-Thu…
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Taman Fatahillah
The old town of Batavia, now known as Kota, was once the hub of Dutch colonial Indonesia. Much of the one-time grandeur has now rotted, crumbled or been bulldozed away, but Taman Fatahillah, Kota's central cobblestone square, is still reminiscent of the area's heyday.
To reach Taman Fatahillah, you can either take the Korridor I bus from Blok M or Jl Thamrin to Kota train station and walk, or take a city train from Gondangdia, near Jl Jaksa, to the train station. A taxi will cost around 15,R from Jl Thamrin.
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Bali Buddha
A local institution, Bali Buddha has a mostly veggie cafe with a long list of healthy foods upstairs and a health-food store and bakery downstairs (the blueberry muffins are mighty fine). Raw foodists and vegans will find much to like here – but so will carnivores and those simply in search of tasty food and drink. The bulletin board out front is a community resource.
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Komang Dodik
Komang Dodik leads highly recommended hikes in the hills along the north coast. Trips start at 250,000Rp per person and can last from three to seven hours. The highlight of most is a series of waterfalls, over 20m high, in a jungle grotto. Routes can include coffee and vanilla plantations.
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Casa Luna
Janet de Neefe of cooking school and writers' festival fame runs this ever-popular Indonesian-focused restaurant (the seafood satay, yum!), which also has a delicious range of bakery items. Recent renovations have softened the edges; live jazz some nights.
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Puri Bahasa
A professional language school offering Bahasa Indonesia classes (US$7 per hour for one-on-one tuition). Family homestays can be arranged, starting at 450,000Rp per week.
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Snorkelling
There's good snorkelling just off the Bali Hai and Bounty pontoons off Jungutbatu Beach, as well as in areas off the north coast of the island. You can charter a boat; for more information ask at your hotel. Snorkelling gear can be rented. World Diving allows snorkellers to join dive trips.
There's good drift snorkelling along the mangrove-filled channel west of Cenigan Point between Lembongan and Ceningan.
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Bali Safari and Marine Park
Kids love Bali Safari and Marine Park and their parents are happy they love someplace. This big-ticket animal theme park is filled with critters whose species never set foot in Bali until their cage door opened. Displays are large and naturalistic. A huge menu of extra-cost options includes camel and elephant rides. The park is north of Lebih Beach; free shuttles run to tourist centres across south Bali.
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Benteng Vredeburg
On the opposite side of Jl A Yani, is the Benteng Vredeburg, a Dutch-era fort that’s been converted into a museum. It houses dioramas showing the history of the independence movement in Yogyakarta. The architecture is worth a look, but the dioramas are designed for Indonesian patriots.
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Jasmine Kitchen
The Thai fare at this elegant two-level restaurant lives up to the promise of the trays of chillies drying out front: it's excellent. The menu is long and authentic and the staff gracious. While soft jazz plays, try the homemade ice cream for dessert. You can refill water bottles here for 2000Rp.
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Café Lotus
A meal at this Ubud veteran, overlooking the lotus pond at Pura Taman Saraswati, is a relaxing treat for many when they first arrive in Ubud. The menu features well-prepared Western and Indonesian fare. Paying extra for front-row seats for dance performances at Pura Taman Saraswati is not worth it, the dancers are still tiny.
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Bedudal Café
For bread, beer and English menus, try Bedudal Café or Canyon Café. They also prepare the local speciality, dadiah campur, which is a tasty mixture of oats, coconut, fruit, molasses and buffalo-milk yogurt.
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Kantin 21
Funky open-air place where you can watch traffic by day and groove to acoustic guitar or garage-band rock by night. There's a long drinks list (jugs of Long Island iced tea for 75,000Rp), fresh juices and a few local snacks.
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Lara Djonggrang
An attractive selection of dishes from around the archipelago, stunning decor that mixes traditional Indonesian flair with North African charm, atmospheric lighting and a great wine list make this one stunning place to eat.
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Threads of Life Indonesian Textile Arts Center
Textile appreciation courses in the gallery and educational studio last from one to eight days. Some classes involve extensive travel around Bali and should be considered graduate level.
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Milas
This secret garden restaurant, located down a quiet side road, is a project centre for street youth. Offers tasty vegetarian cooking: healthy snacks, sandwiches, salads and organic coffee.
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Sate Khas Senayan
Excellent two-storey air-con restaurant at the northern end of Jl Jaksa, renowned for its superb sate, rawon buntut (oxtail stew) and other classic Indonesian dishes.
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Kafe
Kafe has an organic menu great for veggie grazing or just having a coffee, juice or house-made natural soft drink. Breakfasts are healthy while lunch meals feature excellent salads and burritos, with many raw items. One of the places to meet in Ubud, it's always busy.
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Stiff Chili
Apart from the evocative name, this beachside cafe has fine views through its near lack of walls. Pizza and pasta head the surprisingly ambitious menu.
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