where to adventure travel in indonesia

Indonesia is the largest and most sprawling archipelago in the world, with more than 17,000 islands. Travelers to Indonesia on a tight schedule, or otherwise concerned with delays, should definitely take a package or escorted tour. Flexible visitors traveling independently outside the tourist areas will find that they can get by with spending very little, but accommodations are basic and transportation is slow. The following is a 13-day travel itinerary for Indonesia:

Day 1 - Arrive Jakarta.

2 - Jakarta.

3 - Fly to Yogyakarta.

4 - Yogyakarta.

5 - Fly to Bali.

6 and 7-Bali.

8 - Fly to Flores.

9 - Flores.

10 - Fly to Sumatra (via Denpasar, Bali).

11 - Sumatra.

12 - Full-day trip (with cruise) to Lake Toba.

Day 13 - Back to Jakarta to depart country.

For the travelers with less time, and interest only in Bali, I'd recommend the following 8-day trip.

Day 1 - Arrive Denpasar, Bali. Overnight in either Kuta, Sanur or Nusa Dua, depending on your interests.

2 - Depart in the morning for Ubud, stopping at craft villages along the way. Stroll through town and attend an evening dance performance.

3 - Ubud. Spend the day exploring the surrounding sites and villages.

4 - Depart in the morning for a drive to Batur Volcano and Lake, the Mother Temple and the royal baths at Tirtagangaa. Overnight in either Candidasa or Tulamben.

5 - In Tulamben, spend the morning snorkeling or scuba diving around the offshore wreck of the USS Liberty. Depart in the afternoon for Lovina.

6 - Get up early in the morning to see the dolphins.

7 - Depart Lovina. Head for Kuta, Sanur or Nusa Dua for overnight.

Day 8 - Spend the day shopping and on the beach. Visit the Uluwatu or Tanah Lot temples. Depart in the evening.

If you are able to stay longer in Indonesia, consider extending the stay in Bali one week or adding a week on the islands of Ambon and Sulawesi. Another option would be to spend 3 to 5 days on Bali, travel to Surabaya by bus (or van) and ferry, take a train to Yogyakarta (a daylong trip) and spend a few days there before flying to Denpasar or Jakarta for your departure. Other alternatives include a trip to Komodo Island; a two- or three-day trip to the easternmost major island, Papua, to see the birds and jungles and try its fabulous diving; a four-day trip to Kalimantan to visit the orangutans; or a few days on an excursion to one of the volcanoes. Most travelers see only the major islands and sights and leave satisfied. But if you have lots of time and patience, you can visit literally hundreds of other islands. Most are only seen by dedicated anthropologists, ornithologists or long-term around-the-world adventurers.

If you are planning a trip to Indonesia, visit the website: Worldwide Travel. You can easily find cheap flights to Indonesia with their flight comparison engine and save money. Enjoy Indonesia, the sleeping giant of Southeast Asia!