Backpacking Indonesia Guide

The first time I tried to plan a backpacking trip through Indonesia, I opened a map and laughed. The country stretches wider than the distance from London to Tehran, and it is made of thousands of islands, only a handful of which a normal two-to-four-week trip can touch. Nobody backpacks "Indonesia". You backpack a line through it. This guide is about choosing that line: which islands are worth the boat fare, where the budget actually goes, what to book ahead and what to leave to chance, and the small mistakes that cost travellers a day or a few hundred thousand rupiah each.

I have written it from a Singapore starting point, because that is where most of our readers fly out from, and Singapore to Jakarta or Bali is a short, cheap hop. Singaporeans do not need a visa for a normal holiday; many other passport holders do, and I cover that below. Prices for local things (beds, meals, buses) are rough ranges, because they move and I would rather give you a feel than a false number. Anything priced on HolidaySG is shown as a "from" price at the time of writing, and it will change.

Choosing a line through the archipelago

Almost every backpacker route in Indonesia is one of three shapes. The first is the Java-to-Bali overland, the classic: Jakarta or Yogyakarta in, volcanoes in the middle, Bali out. It takes two to three weeks and it is cheap because trains and shared minibuses do most of the work. The second is the Bali-and-boats loop: base in Bali, then fast boats to Nusa Penida, the Gili Islands and Lombok. It suits ten days to two weeks and is the easiest to do alone. The third is the long, slow route east or west, into Sumatra or toward Flores and Komodo, which needs flights and patience and rewards both.

If this is your first Indonesian trip, pick the first or second and stop there. I have met people who tried to see Java, Bali, Lombok and Komodo in sixteen days and they all told me the same thing: they saw a lot of ports. Indonesian travel is slower than the map suggests. A "four hour" bus is five and a half. A fast boat leaves forty minutes late. A volcano wake-up call is at 2 a.m., and you will want the next morning off.

When to go, and when the weather will cost you a day

Most of Indonesia has a dry season from roughly April to October and a wetter one from about November to March. That is a generalisation, and it flips in parts of Maluku and some of Sumatra, but for Java, Bali, Lombok and Flores it holds. The dry months are when volcano sunrises are clear, when the sea between Bali and the Gilis is flatter, and when the Rinjani trail is open. They are also when the hostels fill up, particularly in July, August and the stretch around Christmas and New Year.

My own favourite window is the shoulder: May, June and September. The roads are less jammed, a dorm bed in Canggu is easier to find on the day, and the afternoons are still dry enough to plan a waterfall. October is the gamble. Some years the rains hold off until November; some years they arrive early and your Bromo sunrise turns into a wall of cloud. In the wet season, do not write the trip off. Mornings are often clear and the downpour comes mid-afternoon, so plan early starts and treat afternoons as cafe time. The real wet-season risks are cancelled or rough boat crossings, landslides on mountain roads, and trekking closures. Rinjani, for example, has historically closed for part of the wet season; check the current status before building your plan around it.

Visas, flights in and the paperwork people forget

Singapore passport holders, and other ASEAN passport holders, can enter Indonesia visa-free for tourism, with a stay of up to 30 days. For many other nationalities, including India, a visa on arrival or an electronic visa on arrival is available for a fee of IDR 500,000 at the time we last verified it, for up to 30 days. I prefer the e-visa route because it lets you sort the paperwork before you queue at the airport. Rules, fees and eligible countries change, so check the official immigration source close to your travel date rather than trusting any blog, including this one. Our visa requirements pages pull the embassy-sourced details for each country in one place and are a sensible starting point.

Two practical points. First, your passport should have at least six months of validity and a spare page; airlines are stricter about this than immigration. Second, some embassies and e-visa processes ask for proof of onward travel or a flight itinerary at the application stage, before you have bought a ticket you might need to change. If that applies to you, HolidaySG offers a flight reservation service designed for visa applications. It is a reservation to show an embassy, not an issued ticket, so do not treat it as the flight you will actually fly on. Check what your particular embassy or airline accepts first.

Also worth knowing: Bali has introduced a tourist levy for foreign visitors, paid online before or on arrival. The amount and the way it is collected have been adjusted before, so check the current arrangement when you book. Keep the receipt on your phone, since you may be asked for it.

What a day actually costs

The most useful thing I can tell you about Indonesian budgets is that food and beds are very cheap and everything with an engine is not. A warung meal can cost less than a Singapore kopi and toast set. A scooter day, a driver, a boat ticket or a guided volcano trek will be where the money goes. The table below describes how the money splits for three travel styles rather than quoting numbers that would be out of date by the time you read them.

In rupiah terms, from memory of recent trips: a plain nasi campur or mie goreng in a local warung usually sits in the tens of thousands of rupiah, a dorm bed somewhere between roughly IDR 100,000 and 250,000 depending on where and when, and a private room with air-conditioning can run several times that in Canggu or Ubud. Tourist cafes charge Western prices for Western food, so a flat white and an avocado plate can cost as much as three warung meals. I budget the day in two halves: a fixed half (bed, food, local transport) that is easy to predict, and a flexible half (tours, boats, scooter, fuel) where I decide what is worth it.

Cash matters more than you expect. ATMs are common in towns and tourist areas, but small villages, many warungs and some homestays take cash only. Withdraw larger amounts when you find a machine that works, mind the fees on your home card, and carry small notes for parking attendants, toilets and street snacks. Be wary of money-changers with unusually good rates posted outside; count the notes at the counter before you walk away.

Getting around without losing your week

Transport is the part of Indonesia that most often surprises people, so it earns a long section. On Java, the train is the answer. Seats are assigned, the carriages are cold enough that you will want a layer, and the scenery between Jakarta and Yogyakarta is genuinely good. Book the day or the week before in busy periods; popular departures sell out, and the official booking channels are easier than buying from a stranger at the station. From Yogyakarta onward toward Malang or Bromo, you will mix trains and minibuses, and the last leg to the Bromo area is almost always a shared transfer or a jeep.

On Bali, there is no train and public transport is thin. Most travellers use ride-hailing apps, a local driver for the day, or a rented scooter. The apps work well in the south but some pickup points in tourist areas are restricted by local taxi associations, so expect to walk a few hundred metres to a designated spot now and then. A day with a driver is the underrated option for backpackers travelling in a group of three or four: split four ways it is often cheaper than two scooters plus fuel, and you do not have to ride mountain roads in the rain. If you want that, a private driver such as the Bali private car charter with driver is the kind of arrangement to look at, from S$28.00 at the time of writing.

Scooters deserve an honest paragraph. They are the freedom most travellers want and the reason many Bali hospital stays begin. If you have never ridden, Bali traffic is not the place to learn. You are legally expected to hold a licence valid for motorbikes, usually via an international driving permit with the motorbike category, and travel insurance often will not pay out if you crash without one. Wear a proper helmet, avoid riding at night and in heavy rain, and take photos of the bike before you drive off so a scratch that was there already does not become your problem.

Treat those times as the on-the-water or on-the-rails part. Add transfers to the harbour, check-in, delayed departures and the walk to your bed. When I plan a boat day, I assume the whole hop eats most of the day and schedule nothing else.

Bali: the easy start, if you pick your corner

Bali is where most first-time backpackers land, and it deserves its reputation as a gentle introduction: English is widely spoken in tourist areas, there are hostels in every price band, and you can do something interesting every day without planning anything. The catch is that the south of the island is crowded and traffic-choked, and many travellers spend a week there and leave wondering what the fuss was about. The trick is to choose your base on purpose and move around it.

Arriving at Ngurah Rai airport, you will be surrounded by touts. If you land late or tired, a pre-arranged pickup removes the haggling; transfers to the nearby beach areas are priced by distance, and the airport transfer to Kuta starts from S$19.00 at the time of writing. That is not a big saving over a ride-hailing app on a quiet day, but at midnight with your phone at four percent, it is worth having.

Which area suits which traveller

Canggu is the social hub. Surf lessons in the morning, laptop cafes in the afternoon, and a hostel scene where it is almost impossible to eat dinner alone. The roads are narrow and often jammed, and prices run higher than anywhere else on the island for the same bed. Ubud is the opposite pole: rice terraces, yoga studios and temples, a cooler climate and a slower pace, and the base for most of the interior day trips. Sanur is the quiet east-coast option, with a flat beach path good for sunrise walks, and it is where several fast boats to Nusa Penida leave from. Kuta and Legian are close to the airport and have the cheapest beds and the most nightlife; they also have the least charm, in my view, though they make a practical first or last night.

Things I would actually spend money on

Bali is full of cheap things to do, and some of them are better than they look. Ubud's Sacred Monkey Forest is a short, easy morning: shaded paths, old temple structures, and a few hundred long-tailed macaques who treat your sunglasses as a snack. Go early, keep food out of sight, and do not wave things at the monkeys. The listing for the Monkey Forest entry ticket with transfer is from S$34.56 at the time of writing; the transfer is the part that matters if you are staying outside central Ubud.

For waterfalls, the north is the one to pay for. Sekumpul, near Singaraja, is a long way from the south coast, around three hours by road, and the walk down is steep, with hundreds of stairs and a river crossing to reach the view. That is exactly why it is less crowded than the waterfalls near Ubud. I would not do it on a scooter from Canggu in one day. A jeep tour, such as the Sekumpul Waterfall tour by Bali Volcano Jeep, removes the driving, bundles the entrance fees, and starts from S$52.46 at the time of writing. Bring shoes with grip; the stairs get slick.

If you want adrenaline without a long drive, white-water rafting near Ubud is a good value half day. Descriptions of the Rejeki Ayung rafting and jeep combination mention equipment, guides, a meal and transport, with basic medical insurance for ages seven to sixty-five; it is from S$30.33 at the time of writing. Check the age limits and fitness notes on the listing before you book, and tell the guide if you are not a confident swimmer.

Dirt-bike and ATV rides are a Bali staple. They are fun and also where a surprising number of injuries happen, so choose a guided option with proper gear and a beginner track. The Tabanan two-hour enduro tour is pitched as beginner-friendly with professional riders, from S$81.10 at the time of writing. Be honest about your experience when you sign up.

Food tours are underrated for solo travellers. The evening Bali street food tour runs for around three hours from Sanur Beach to a night market, with an English-speaking guide, from S$55.72 at the time of writing, and it is the quickest way I know to learn what to order on your own for the next two weeks. For a splurge that still sits within a backpacker budget, the beachfront seafood grills at Jimbaran are worth one evening. The Jimbaran seafood dinner is from S$6.63 at the time of writing for the set; the listing says a set menu typically lands between IDR 150,000 and 250,000 per person depending on the seafood, with drinks extra, so read the details first.

Nusa Penida: worth it, but not on your own legs

Nusa Penida is the island that sells Bali's best postcards. Kelingking, Broken Beach, Angel's Billabong, Crystal Bay: the south and west coast cliffs are as dramatic as the photographs, and the island is a quick boat ride from Sanur. It is also bumpy, rugged and spread out. Roads between viewpoints are narrow and in places rough, and the steps down to Kelingking Beach are steep. I have watched travellers try to ride a rented scooter around the island in flip-flops and I have not seen it end well.

There are two sensible ways to do it. The first is a day trip with a guide and driver, which handles boat tickets, island entry fees and the order of stops. Listings for the Nusa Penida day tour from Bali describe east, west or combination routes with return fast boat transfers; the Nusa Penida beach day trip by speedboat is a guided version that includes entrance fees to the major stops and runs from S$116.41 at the time of writing. The second is to buy a boat ticket only, such as the Angel Billabong fast boat ticket, and hire a local driver on the island once you arrive. That costs a little more in negotiation time and suits people who want a slower, flexible day or an overnight stay.

Whichever you choose, check the sea conditions and the boat company on the day. Crossings in the dry season are usually fine; in the wet season they can be rough, and a cancelled boat is not unusual. Take a light rain layer even in the dry months, because the water spray on the fast boats is real, and bring a dry bag for your phone.

Java: cheap trains, early alarms and two volcanoes

Java is the part of Indonesia that most Bali-only visitors never see, and it is where the country feels most itself. Roughly half the population lives on this one island, so the cities are huge, the roads are busy, and the landscapes between them are a mix of rice paddies, smoking cones and sugar-cane plains. Jakarta is a place to pass through for a night or two rather than a destination; the Ancol waterfront and its gondola give a quick city view, and the old town has some pleasant cafes, but the real appeal starts a train ride east.

Yogyakarta is the backpacker capital of Java, a university city with cheap guesthouses, a strong street-food scene around Malioboro, and two huge temple complexes within day-trip distance: Borobudur and Prambanan. Visit rules at both have changed in recent years, including daily visitor caps and timed entry at Borobudur's upper levels, so check the current booking arrangement before you go, and do not assume you can walk in on a sunrise slot. Prambanan is easier to fit in, and late afternoon light on the spires is lovely. Give Yogyakarta three nights if you can; two feels rushed once you add temples, a batik workshop and a proper nasi gudeg breakfast.

From there, the standard route runs east to Malang and then Mount Bromo. The Bromo sunrise is the famous one: you wake at about 2 or 3 a.m., ride a jeep up to a viewpoint in the cold, watch the sun hit the caldera, and then drop into the sand sea to walk up to the crater rim. It is a spectacle, and it is also a crowd. The viewpoint is jammed from June to August. If you can, go midweek, and pack a real jacket, since the temperature at that altitude is much colder than anything you have felt on the coast. Cloud is the main risk; the dry season gives better odds, but nothing guarantees it.

Mount Ijen, further east, is the one for people who like a hard night. The hike starts after midnight so you reach the crater rim before dawn, when the sulphur gas burns blue in the dark. It is a tough walk in the cold on a steep path with a lot of foot traffic, and the crater can be hazardous: the gas is strong and a respirator or mask is essential. Listen to your guide about wind direction and do not wander near the edge to take a photo. When I did it, the blue flames were fainter than the postcards, but the lake at sunrise was worth every uncomfortable step.

If you are short on time and want to see Central Java without the logistics, a private car or van with a driver can link temples and towns in a day. For Jakarta, our listings include private car charters and full-day rentals for Central Java. They work better for groups than for solo travellers on a tight budget.

Lombok and the Gili Islands: where the budget meets the beach

Lombok sits just east of Bali, across the Lombok Strait, and it feels like Bali twenty years ago. Kuta Lombok in the south has a surf-and-sunset scene with a handful of hostels and long empty beaches; Senggigi on the west coast is older and more developed. Cheaper than Bali, quieter, and hotter. The main reason to cross is Mount Rinjani, a serious volcano trek, usually two to three days, with a crater lake and a sleeping night on the rim. It is not a casual hike. You need a registered guide and porters, decent boots, and enough fitness to climb for hours in the cold, and the trail has historically closed during the wet months and after eruptions or earthquakes. Check the current trail status and book with a reputable operator who explains what the price includes.

The Gili Islands are three tiny car-free islands off Lombok's northwest coast, and they are the best place in Indonesia to switch off for a few days. Gili Trawangan is the social one, with beach bars, dive shops and hostels full of travellers; it is easy to meet people, and it is also noisy at night. Gili Air is the sweet spot for many: slower, with good cafes and a loop road you can cycle in under an hour. Gili Meno is the quiet one, with a turtle-spotting beach and not much else, which is the point. Cycling, snorkelling with turtles right off the beach, and watching the sunset from a bean bag are the main activities, and I have never been bored on any of the three.

Getting there from Bali is mostly a fast-boat question. Boats leave from Padang Bai and Serangan, and the crossing takes anywhere from under an hour to a couple of hours depending on the route and the sea. The Wanderlust Cruise fast boat transfer to the Gilis and Lombok is one of the options we list, from S$41.92 at the time of writing,. Padang Bai harbour is a long drive from Canggu or Ubud, so people often book a harbour transfer the evening before; the Padang Bai harbour transfer is from S$40.55 at the time of writing. Be at the harbour at least an hour before departure, keep your valuables in your day bag, and take a seasickness tablet if you are prone to it. Some travellers have reported rough crossings in the wet season, so build in a buffer day before any flight.

If you would rather have the route done for you, a package covering Bali, Lombok and Gili Trawangan can save planning time. The Bali Lombok Trawangan tour package bundles temples, island transfers and fast boats over several days, from S$557.25 at the time of writing. It is aimed at people with a week or so who would rather not spend their evenings comparing boat schedules. Read what is and is not included, especially meals and ferry tickets, before you commit.

Beyond the main trail: Sumatra, Flores and Komodo

Once you have done a first trip, the places that stay with you are usually the quieter ones. Sumatra is the big, wild option. Bukit Lawang is the jungle base for orangutan trekking, with guided walks through forest where semi-wild orangutans live; keep your distance, follow the guide, and never feed the animals. Lake Toba, a vast volcanic lake with an island in the middle, is a slow, scenic stop where you can swim, rent a bicycle and eat well for very little. Distances in Sumatra are long and roads are slow, so a trip here is a different rhythm from Bali: fewer tourists, more local buses, and more time spent waiting.

Flores is mostly about Labuan Bajo, the harbour town that serves as the gateway to Komodo National Park. Here the standard trip is a boat tour, from a day trip to a three-day liveaboard, visiting Komodo and Rinca islands for the dragons, Padar Island for the viewpoint, Pink Beach for snorkelling, and a spot for manta rays when conditions allow. Boat quality varies enormously. Ask what the safety equipment is, how many people share the cabin, what meals and park fees are included, and whether the price covers fuel. A shared boat saves money, but cheap tours at the bottom of the price range tend to cut corners in ways you only discover once you are at sea.

Getting to Labuan Bajo is easiest by plane. Flights from Bali take roughly an hour and a half, and book up in peak season; the overland-and-ferry route through Lombok and Sumbawa is possible but slow and tiring.

Where to sleep, and what to eat while you are there

Hostels are the easiest way to find company. In Bali and the Gilis, they are social, well run and often have a pool; in Java, they are fewer and plainer but good value. For couples, or anyone who wants a quiet night, a guesthouse or homestay is often barely more than a dorm bed and gives you a private room and a local breakfast. Homestays in particular are where I have had the best conversations: the family cooks, asks where you are from, and tells you which warung to try. The booking basics are common sense. Read recent reviews, check the location on a map rather than trusting a "central" label, ask whether there is hot water and air-conditioning if you care, and pick a place slightly away from the main strip to save money and noise.

Food is the great pleasure of backpacking here. Nasi goreng and mie goreng are the safe starters, nasi campur is a plate of rice with whatever the warung has made that day, satay comes with a peanut sauce that varies by region, and bakso is a meatball soup you should eat at least once from a street cart. Ask for "pedas" only if you really want it spicy; sambal is serious. The simplest rule for food safety is to eat where the locals queue and the food is cooked in front of you, drink bottled or filtered water, and treat ice with sense. If your stomach does turn, keep rehydration salts in your bag and rest; most upsets pass within a day or two.

Staying connected, healthy and sensible

Data in Indonesia is cheap, and an eSIM is the easiest way to avoid hunting for a shop. Set it up on your phone before you fly so it works the moment you land. The market has many options, so check coverage, the data allowance, how many days it lasts, and whether your phone supports eSIM at all. For a longer trip with a lot of navigation, an unlimited 4G/5G data eSIM is the type to look at, from S$12.45 at the time of writing. If you are only staying a short time, the smaller allowance plans cost less. Check the terms for fair-use limits before choosing.

Take travel insurance that covers motorbike riding if you plan to ride, adventure activities like rafting or trekking, and medical evacuation from remote islands. Bring a basic first-aid kit, insect repellent with proper protection, sunscreen and any prescriptions in their original packaging. Dengue exists in Indonesia, and the mosquito that carries it bites in daytime, so repellent is not just for the evening. Ask your doctor or a travel clinic about vaccinations well before departure.

On safety, Indonesia is welcoming and most trips are uneventful. The usual petty-crime rules apply: keep your phone out of reach of passing scooters, lock your bag at a hostel, and do not leave valuables on the beach while you swim. Natural hazards are the more specific risk: this is a volcanic, earthquake-prone country, so follow local advice about trails and exclusion zones, and do not ignore tsunami signage on the coast. Respect temple dress rules, take off your shoes when asked, and ask before photographing people. A small amount of Indonesian goes a long way: "terima kasih" for thank you, "tidak pedas" for not spicy, and "berapa" when you want a price.

Three sample routes you can steal

These are loose skeletons, not schedules. Add a spare day for every boat crossing and every volcano.

Booking ahead and keeping a little slack

Backpacking is partly about not planning, but a few things reward booking early: your first and last night, the airport transfer, boats in peak season, any trek or park with daily limits, and flights to Flores. Everything else you can leave loose. If you book tickets, tours or transfers through HolidaySG, e-tickets are emailed after our team confirms your booking, so do not leave a boat or tour booking until the evening before a morning departure. Our support team is available from 9 AM to 11 PM Singapore time if something on a booking needs a human.

The best advice I got before my first long Indonesian trip was simple: plan the exits, not the days. Know how you are getting from each place to the next and book that, and let the days fill themselves in. The best nights I have spent in Indonesia were in places I had not planned to visit, on the advice of someone at the next table.

Frequently asked questions

Is Indonesia safe for solo backpackers?

For most people, yes. Bali, Java and the Gilis have large traveller communities, and solo travellers rarely stay alone for long. Take normal precautions with belongings and drinks, avoid riding scooters without experience, and tell someone where you are going when you go trekking.

How long do I need for Indonesia?

Ten days will cover Bali with a couple of side trips. Two to three weeks lets you add Lombok and the Gilis or a Java overland. Anything under a week is best spent on a single island, because travel days eat a surprising amount of time.

Do Singaporeans need a visa for Indonesia?

Singapore passport holders can currently enter for tourism without a visa for up to 30 days. Rules can change, so confirm close to your travel date. Other nationalities should check our visa requirements pages and the official immigration source.

What if my visa application needs a flight itinerary?

Some visa processes ask for proof of onward travel. HolidaySG offers a flight reservation service for this purpose. It is a reservation for visa applications, not an issued ticket, so confirm that your embassy accepts it before you rely on it.

Can I rent a scooter in Bali?

You can, but you should have a licence that is valid for motorbikes, helmets that fit, and insurance that covers riding. If you have never ridden before, consider hiring a driver or using ride-hailing apps instead.

What is the best way to get between Bali and the Gili Islands?

Most travellers take a fast boat from Padang Bai or Serangan. Check the departure harbour, the transfer to the harbour, and the operator before booking, and leave slack if you have a flight afterwards.

Is it safe to drink tap water?

Not generally. Use bottled or filtered water, and refill from filtered stations where hostels offer them to cut down on plastic. Be careful with ice from unknown sources.

When are bookings confirmed on HolidaySG?

Our team confirms each booking before the e-ticket is emailed. Prices shown are "from" prices at the time of writing and can change, so check the listing before you book.

Featured experiences in this guide

Bali Private Car Charter with driverFrom S$28.00 Book →Nusa Penida Day Tour from BaliFrom S$66.72 Book →Fast boat Ticket to Nusa Penida by Angel Billabong Fast CruiseFrom S$8.43 Book →