BEST OF INDONESIA : SUMATRA - JAVA - SULAWESI - BALI

Day 1 : Arrival Medan – Hotel (- / - / -)

Soak up the Dutch colonial architecture and grandeur of Mesid Raya on a city tour of Medan. Arriving at Medan Kualanamu International Airport in the morning, no later than 10.30 am, we are met by our guide to immediately embark on a city tour. We start at the Istana Maimoon, the Sultan Deli's Palace, which has Malay, Mughal and Italian influences. We then proceed to Mesjid Raya, the city’s largest mosque, built in 1906. 

Next, we head to the old colonial quarter to browse for antiques at Kesawan Street and soak up the Dutch colonial architectural of buildings such as the Post Office and Medan City Hall. Afterwards, we transfer to our hotel to check-in and the rest of the day is free to spend at leisure. Lunch and dinner are to your own account.

Lunch and dinner at own arrangement

Overnight in Medan

Day 2 : Medan – Bukit Lawang – Medan (B / L / -)

Today we set out on a jungle adventure in Gunung Leuser National Park where we hope to catch a glimpse of the resident primates. Leaving early, we drive to Bukit Lawang / Bohorok River, taking about four hours, depending on the traffic. On the way, we pass Binjai and other small towns and stop at rubber, oil palm and cacao plantations. 

Upon arrival at Bukit Lawang, we hike to Gunung Leuser National Park and walk-up slopes and through dense vegetation. If we are lucky and weather permits, we might spot some primates such as hylobates (black gibbons), long-tailed macaques, Thomas’s leaf monkeys, white-handed gibbons as well as hornbills and orangutans.

We return on a steep trail through the jungle down to the river which we cross in a dugout canoe operated by a cable and pulley and we then take a rocky path to the car park to transfer overland to Medan, arriving in the evening. The total trek is about three hours and the tour duration is about 11 hours. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.

Overnight in Medan

Day 3 : Medan – Brastagi – Parapat – Samosir Island (B / L / -) 

Admire the beauty of the deepest and largest crater lakes in the world, which is framed by mountains. Our scenic drive stops at Dokan, a charming Karo village with traditional houses and we visit one of these to meet the resident families. 

Next, we proceed to Sipiso-Piso Waterfall which has a dramatic 110 metre drop. Our journey continues to Parapat, a little town on the edge of Lake Toba, where we board a ferry to cross to Samosir Island, a central hub for the Batak ethnic minority. The tour duration is 11 hours. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.

Overnight in Samosir

Day 4 : Samosir – Lake Toba Boat excursion (B / L / -)

Learn more about Samosir Island’s Batak ethnic minority as we spend the day exploring their rich culture and traditions. First, we visit the small village of Ambarita with its collection of traditional Batak houses that have remnants of megalithic remains. Next, we visit Simanindo, the former King Sidauruk’s longhouse and the stone Court of Justice, where we watch the villagers perform a folkdance.

Our day concludes at Tomok village with its historical old tombs of the Batak Kings where the ancient sarcophagus of the Batak King still stands as a memorial to past rulers. Here, we shop for local souvenirs such as Ulos (hand-woven clothes), hasapi (batak lute) and tunggal panaluan (magic stick). The tour duration is seven to eight hours. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.            

Overnight in Samosir

Day 5 : Samosir – Medan – Jakarta by Flight (B / - / -)

The journey is part of the adventure as we soak up stunning views of the Bukit Barisan, en route to Jakarta. We depart Samosir Island by ferry and upon arrival in Parapat, we transfer overland to Medan, taking four to five hours.

On the way we enjoy views of the Bukit Barisan (Marching Mountains) and continue to the Medan Kualanamu International Airport for our domestic flight to Jakarta (the flight price is excluded but available for an extra fee), leaving in the late afternoon.

Arriving in Jakarta in the evening, we are met by our guide and transferred to the hotel for check-in. Today’s journey is ten to eleven hours. 

Lunch & dinner at own arrangement

Overnight in Jakarta

Day 6 : Jakarta City Tour – Yogyakarta by flight (B / L / -)

Explore the buzzing metropolis of Indonesia’s capital as we visit sights that take us back to the Dutch colonial era. Our city tour starts at Sunda Kelapa Harbour, an old port and vital trading hub which is home to magnificent brightly painted Makassar schooners.

Next, we continue to the Fatahillah Square, the centre of Old Batavia, before continuing to the Taman Mini, a park that reflects the archipelago’s rich cultural heritage in miniature and this attraction is also home to the National Museum (closed on Mondays). 

Afterwards, we transfer to the airport for our late afternoon flight to Yogyakarta, where upon arrival, we are met by our guide and transferred to our hotel for check-in.

The tour duration is nine to ten hours. Breakfast is at the hotel. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.

Overnight in Yogyakarta

Day 7 : Borobudur Tour & Kota Gede (B / L / -)

Marvel at Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist monument complex. This UNESCO World Heritage Site dates back to the 9th century. After the decline of Buddhism and shift of power to East Java, the monument was abandoned soon after its completion and for centuries lay forgotten, buried under layers of volcanic ash. We can stroll around the complex, take in the exquisite details of the wall carvings and climb to the top of this monument to enjoy wonderful views of the Menoreh Mountains. 

(Please kindly note the queue to be able to step up on certain level to Brorobudur Temple will be available on your arrival. There is a local restriction to obey before entering the temple).

Lunch is served at local restaurant

Afterwards, we continue to Kota Gede, the first capital of the Mataram Kingdom, which today is a suburb of Yogyakarta and the hub of the city’s silver industry since the 1930s. We will visit busy silver workshops to observe skilled artisans at work. The tour duration is seven to eight hours. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.

Overnight in Yogyakarta

Day 8 : Sultan Palace – Prambanan (B / L / -)

Understand the history of Indonesia’s cultural riches on this exceptional excursion. We explore the country’s largest Hindu site, Prambanan and take in the Kraton enclave, a prime example of traditional Javanese palace architecture and the seat of the reigning Sultan of Yogyakarta and his family. Over 25,000 people live within the greater Kraton compound of the Tamansari, which houses a market, shops, cottage industries, schools and mosques. A walking tour takes us to the Water Castle, which has a combination of Javanese and Portuguese architecture. 

We then visit an unusual underground mosque. We also view fascinating exhibits in the Sonobudoyo Museum and drive to Prambanan to explore the 9th century Hindu temple complex built when Java was ruled by the Hindu Sanjayas of Old Mataram. Sufficient time is given to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site which consists of three major temples; Candi Shiva Mahadeva, Candi Brahma and Candi Vishnu. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Please note: The Sultan’s Palace opens every day from 8 am to 2 pm, but closes on Friday at 11 am and it is closed all day on Mondays. The Sonobudoyo Museum is closed on Mondays.

Dinner at own arrangement

Overnight in Yogyakarta

Day 9 : Yogyakarta – Makassar by Flight (B / - / -)

Today we depart from Yogyakarta bound for Makassar, South Sulawesi. We have free time to spend at our leisure until we are collected from our hotel in the mid-morning to transfer to the airport for our domestic flight, via Jakarta. Our connecting flight (the flight price is excluded, but available at an additional cost) leaves Jakarta in the mid-afternoon. 

Upon our arrival at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar, we are met by our local guide and transferred to our hotel in Makassar to check-in.

Lunch and dinner are to your own account.

Overnight in Makassar

Day 10 : Makassar – Toraja (B / L / -)

Today we visit the sights of South Sulawesi’s capital where the Dutch once ruled trade routes from the West to the East. A short tour of Makassar starts at Port Rotterdam which houses the Lagaligo Museum. This attraction consists of two buildings, one of which focuses on ethnology, while the other details the area’s rich history and heritage. Next, we visit Paotere Harbour, Makassar's old port that is home to beautiful traditional schooners. 

After our exploration, we transfer overland for about eight hours to Toraja. Our scenic journey takes us along the coast to Pare Pare where we stop for lunch, before heading inland up the mountains. We stop en route in the afternoon at Puncak Lakawang to take in the exceptional landscape. Our arrival in Toraja is due in the late afternoon and the rest of the day is free at leisure. The tour duration is nine to ten hours. 

Lunch is served at a local restaurant & dinner at own arrangement

Overnight in Toraja

Day 11 : Toraja (B / L / -) 

Explore the interesting landscape and culture of the Toraja Highlands, which is rich in both contemporary customs and traditions focused on the afterlife. We start at Lemo Cemetery, which is built into the side of a cliff and this unique attraction displays ancestral sculptures and hanging graves. Next, we continue to Londa, an ancient ceremonial burial site.

We conclude the tour at Kete Kesu, which is dubbed as a ‘living museum.’ This wonderful Toraja village is set among verdant rice paddies and it is famed for its Tongkonan houses adorned with woodcarvings, boat-shaped roofs and connecting rice barns. Here funerals are known to be extravagant and the village has decorative burial sites and hanging graves that reflect this aspect. The tour duration is seven to eight hours. 

Lunch is served at a local restaurant & dinner at own arrangement

Overnight in Toraja

Day 12 : Toraja (B / L / -)

Our exploration of Torajan’s life and death culture continues as we spend the day being immersed in this unique lifestyle. First, we visit Batutumonga, which is situated on the slopes of Mount Season. Here we enjoy superb views over Rantepao and the surrounding valleys and this is the ideal place for a walk alongside the verdant rice paddies and to observe the daily life of the Torajan ethnic minority.

Afterwards, we proceed to Lokomata to visit an unusual burial site consisting of a single huge round rock with graves built into the side. Our day concludes at Pallawa and Sa'dan, the famed weaving centre of Rantepao. The tour duration is seven to eight hours.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant & dinner at own arrangement

Overnight in Toraja

Day 13 : Toraja – Makassar – Bali by flight – Sanur (B / L / -)

Our journey to Bali starts overland from Toraja to Makassar, with a stop for lunch in Pare Pare. Upon arrival at Hasanuddin Airport Makassar, our domestic flight for Bali departs in the early evening  (The flight price is excluded, but available at an additional cost).

Upon arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport, we are met by a local guide and transferred directly to Sanur. The journey time is eleven to twelve hours in total. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.

Overnight in Sanur

Day 14 : Full Day Ubud – Kintamani Tour (B / L / -)

Spend the day taking in Bali’s picture-perfect landscape and visiting its historic and cultural sights in and around Ubud. First, we visit the Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), which is said to have been created from a fingernail taken from the legendary giant Kebo Iwa in the 11th century. Next, we continue to Gunung Kawi which is one of the island’s oldest and largest ancient monuments and this contains 10 shrines dedicated to King Udayana. 

Next to this fascinating attraction is the Tirta Empul Temple, which has holy spring water used for healing bad spirits. We stop for lunch at Kintamani to enjoy breath-taking views over the caldera lake of Danau Batur. Afterwards, we return to our hotel and if time allows, we stop at either Mas which is renowned for its handicrafts; Celuk famed for its silversmiths or a Batik factory in Tohpati. The tour duration is eight hours. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.

Overnight in Sanur

Day 15 : Full Day Besakih – Klungkung (B / L / -)

Get immersed in Balinese culture as we explore historical sites, including Besakih Temple and Kerta Gosa, the Hall of Justice. In the morning we are collected from our hotel to drive to the slope of Mount Agung to visit the Besakih Temple, which is known as Bali’s mother temple because it houses ancestral shrines for all of Bali’s Hindu population. This structure originated most probably as a terraced sanctuary in the 8th century when worship and offerings were made to the Gods of Gunung Agung (Mount Agung). 

After our exploration, we proceed to Kerta Gosa, the Hall of Justice, which is beautifully laid out within a moat and this site provides an exquisite example of the Klungkung style of painting and architecture, as illustrated by the fine murals that line its ceiling. The tour duration is eight to nine hours. Lunch is at a local restaurant. 

Dinner is to your own account.

Overnight in Sanur

Day 16 : Sanur – Departure (B / - / -)

The day is free to spend at our leisure until we transfer to the airport for our departure flight. 

Note the official check-out time is midday and the day use of a room until 6 pm is subject to availability and extra costs.

End of the Tour