The Top 10 Indonesian Island Getaways
There are more than 17,000 islands to be discovered in Indonesia. Each one offers travellers a unique and unforgettable experience, with volcanoes, rainforests, coral gardens, ancient villages and lazy days spent in the sun. In this article, we take a closer look at ten of the best; an introduction to a fistful of tropical escapes that will leave you longing to be cast away for good.
The Top 10 Indonesian Island Getaways
There are more than 17,000 islands to be discovered in Indonesia. Each one offers travellers a unique and unforgettable experience, with volcanoes, rainforests, coral gardens, ancient villages and lazy days spent in the sun. In this article, we take a closer look at ten of the best; an introduction to a fistful of tropical escapes that will leave you longing to be cast away for good.
1. Bali
Beautiful green rice terraces, pounding surf, superb cuisine, spellbinding dance ceremonies and captivating nightlife; there are as many faces to Bali as there are names for the Hindu Gods who call this tropical island their home. Blissful shrines and temples can be seen at every turn and delicate offerings of food and flowers decorate the doorways. The sound of gamelan music and the percussive tapping of sculptors’ hammers float lazily on tropical air, scented with frangipani, jasmine and sweet sandalwood incense. Bali is quite simply a paradise on earth.
2. Cubadak
Just off the western coast of Sumatra, sits the tiny volcanic island of Cubadak. Cloaked in a rich rainforest, with coral reefs all around, this is the place to soothe the soul of your inner Robinson Crusoe. The man himself couldn’t have conceived a destination more beautiful and more in tune with its surroundings than the island’s only occupant: Cubadak Paradiso Village. 13 gorgeous wooden bungalows face east to meet the rising sun, raised on stilts in the traditional Indonesian style with a lazy veranda and roofs thatched in palm leaves. The warm, tropical waters of the Indian Ocean lie on your doorstep, elegantly blue and warm as a bath, inviting you to swim, snorkel and dive. In Cubadak, time comes to a standstill and worries drift away on the tide. This is life at sea turtle’s pace, in serene isolation; a world apart.
3. Pulo Cinta
Pulo Cinta is the epitome of romance, tranquillity and escapism; a hear-shaped sand bank perched on a coral reef and floating lazily on the sublime tropical waters of the Molucca Sea. All of Pulo Cinta’s villas sit at the end of their own personal jetty raised up above the ocean, providing guests with privacy and a panoramic view of the pristine ocean surroundings.
In addition to snorkelling around the resort, dive sites showcase Salvador Dali corals and macro-diving. Guests can also do stand-up paddle boarding, or partake in island-hopping and exploration. Or they can choose to simply watch the world turn in complete and utter relaxation, taste deliciously exotic food, and toast the sunset from the comfort of a candlelit dinner for two on the beach.
4. Pulau Macan
One of the many islands that make up Pulau Seribu (thousand islands) just off the coast of Jakarta in West Java, Pulau Macan (Tiger Island) is a heavenly little enclave in the centre of a blue lagoon, fringed by coral gardens, tufted with coconut groves and surrounded by crystal clear waters. This tiny island is home to an eco resort that focuses on sustainable living and organic foods, promoting a refreshing ethos island life in harmony with nature. Here, guests can stay in cabins, sculpted delicately from driftwood and decorated with shells. Open plan cottages face the open ocean, with delightful private decking areas perched just above the reef. This is island living in supreme privacy, green tourism that offers a unique blend of living with a clear conscience.
5. Pulau Weh
Pulau Weh is a small, sleepy island off the coast of Banda Aceh in the Andaman Sea, where animals roam freely and life moves slowly under a warm tropical sun. Here, you can cast away your worries and enjoy idyllic island life whilst swinging in a hammock under the shade of a coconut tree. Tourism only arrived here around a decade ago, so the island is still mostly undeveloped. The perfect place to escape the crowds, slow the pace and live out a simple life in beautiful natural surroundings.
6. Sumba
Sumba sits in East Nusa Tenggara on the edge of Indonesia’s great sprawling archipelago, away from the well-trodden chain that includes neighbouring Bali and Lombok. As a result, Sumba’s native language, religion, customs and traditional lifestyle have all been preserved remarkably intact throughout the ages. Sumba’s culture is truly unique. Animal sacrifice, horseback battles and ceremonial combat hint at the ancient superstitions and intense cultural connections that underpin daily life. Here, the pages of history can flutter back through the ages to a time of monoliths and animism, where ancient spirits dictate the actions of a proud and distinctive people. In Sumba, one can truly escape the modern world and get away from it all.
7. Mentawai
The Mentawai Islands, located 100km off the west Sumatran coast, are a strip of land masses cloaked in rainforest and scattered like pebbles in the surf of the Indian ocean. Here, ancient cultures and pristine ecosystems exist away from the mainland in blissful isolation. Only Pulau Siberut is accessible to tourists and all visitors must be registered by the authorities. The islanders’ traditional culture is based on communal dwelling in longhouses (Uma) and subsistence agriculture, with religious beliefs centring on the importance of coexisting with the myriad spirits who share this tropical island enclave away from the eyes of the world.
8. Lombok
Lombok offers up some excellent beaches, ocean wonders and inland cultural treasures. The interior is lush and fertile, with excellent trekking, cycling and hiking. South Lombok has some stunning beaches with white sands, lazy coral bays and forest fringes home to troops of beachcomber monkeys. Lombok is also home to traditional Sasak tribes; village life is laid back but vibrant, with festivals and tradition still a common feature. Kuta is a developing tourist hub on the southern shore of the island, but has not yet overwhelmed the natural serenity of the place.
9. The Gili Islands
Just off the north-western tip of Lombok, three tropical outcrops leapfrog out into the Bali Sea like thought bubbles; Lombok’s very own dream of desert island paradise. This is the Gili Islands; where miniscule island getaways have sprung up, offering guests a superb blend of seclusion, beauty, party culture and tropical escapism.
10. Flores
Flores is an island in Nusa Tenggara, which is steadily growing in popularity as a tourism destination in Indonesia, due to its reputation for exquisite natural beauty, exotic culture, spectacular views and superb dive locations. In addition to some of the best sailing, diving and eco tourism available anywhere in Indonesia, visitors to Flores are treated to the drama of volcanoes, picturesque and serene rice fields and the otherworldly elegance of natural lakes.
1. Bali
Beautiful green rice terraces, pounding surf, superb cuisine, spellbinding dance ceremonies and captivating nightlife; there are as many faces to Bali as there are names for the Hindu Gods who call this tropical island their home. Blissful shrines and temples can be seen at every turn and delicate offerings of food and flowers decorate the doorways. The sound of gamelan music and the percussive tapping of sculptors’ hammers float lazily on tropical air, scented with frangipani, jasmine and sweet sandalwood incense. Bali is quite simply a paradise on earth.
2. Cubadak
Just off the western coast of Sumatra, sits the tiny volcanic island of Cubadak. Cloaked in a rich rainforest, with coral reefs all around, this is the place to soothe the soul of your inner Robinson Crusoe. The man himself couldn’t have conceived a destination more beautiful and more in tune with its surroundings than the island’s only occupant: Cubadak Paradiso Village. 13 gorgeous wooden bungalows face east to meet the rising sun, raised on stilts in the traditional Indonesian style with a lazy veranda and roofs thatched in palm leaves. The warm, tropical waters of the Indian Ocean lie on your doorstep, elegantly blue and warm as a bath, inviting you to swim, snorkel and dive. In Cubadak, time comes to a standstill and worries drift away on the tide. This is life at sea turtle’s pace, in serene isolation; a world apart.
3. Pulo Cinta
Pulo Cinta is the epitome of romance, tranquillity and escapism; a hear-shaped sand bank perched on a coral reef and floating lazily on the sublime tropical waters of the Molucca Sea. All of Pulo Cinta’s villas sit at the end of their own personal jetty raised up above the ocean, providing guests with privacy and a panoramic view of the pristine ocean surroundings.
Superb dive sites for snorkelling and scuba surround Pulo Cinta, plus guests can also indulge in some island hopping & exploration, water sports, nature conservation programs and a special honeymoon package. Or they can choose to simply watch the world turn in complete and utter relaxation, taste deliciously exotic food, and toast the sunset from the comfort of a candlelit dinner for two on the beach.
4. Pulau Macan
One of the many islands that make up Pulau Seribu (thousand islands) just off the coast of Jakarta in West Java, Pulau Macan (Tiger Island) is a heavenly little enclave in the centre of a blue lagoon, fringed by coral gardens, tufted with coconut groves and surrounded by crystal clear waters. This tiny island is home to an eco resort that focuses on sustainable living and organic foods, promoting a refreshing ethos island life in harmony with nature. Here, guests can stay in luxurious cabins, sculpted delicately from driftwood and decorated with shells. Open plan cottages face the open ocean, with delightful private decking areas perched just above the reef. This is island living in supreme privacy, green tourism that offers a unique blend of luxurious living with a clear conscience.
5. Pulau Weh
Pulau Weh is a small, sleepy island off the coast of Banda Aceh in the Andaman Sea, where animals roam freely and life moves slowly under a warm tropical sun. Here, you can cast away your worries and enjoy idyllic island life whilst swinging in a hammock under the shade of a coconut tree. Tourism only arrived here around a decade ago, so the island is still mostly undeveloped. The perfect place to escape the crowds, slow the pace and live out a simple life in beautiful natural surroundings.
6. Sumba
Sumba sits in East Nusa Tenggara on the edge of Indonesia’s great sprawling archipelago, away from the well-trodden chain that includes neighbouring Bali and Lombok. As a result, Sumba’s native language, religion, customs and traditional lifestyle have all been preserved remarkably intact throughout the ages. Sumba’s culture is truly unique. Animal sacrifice, horseback battles and ceremonial combat hint at the ancient superstitions and intense cultural connections that underpin daily life. Here, the pages of history can flutter back through the ages to a time of monoliths and animism, where ancient spirits dictate the actions of a proud and distinctive people. In Sumba, one can truly escape the modern world and get away from it all.
7. Mentawai
The Mentawai Islands, located 100km off the west Sumatran coast, are a strip of land masses cloaked in rainforest and scattered like pebbles in the surf of the Indian ocean. Here, ancient cultures and pristine ecosystems exist away from the mainland in blissful isolation. Only Pulau Siberut is accessible to tourists and all visitors must be registered by the authorities. The islanders’ traditional culture is based on communal dwelling in longhouses (Uma) and subsistence agriculture, with religious beliefs centring on the importance of coexisting with the myriad spirits who share this tropical island enclave away from the eyes of the world.
8. Lombok
Lombok offers up some excellent beaches, ocean wonders and inland cultural treasures. The interior is lush and fertile, with excellent trekking, cycling and hiking. South Lombok has some stunning beaches with white sands, lazy coral bays and forest fringes home to troops of beachcomber monkeys. Lombok is also home to traditional Sasak tribes; village life is laid back but vibrant, with festivals and tradition still a common feature. Kuta is a developing tourist hub on the southern shore of the island, but has not yet overwhelmed the natural serenity of the place.
9. The Gili Islands
Just off the north-western tip of Lombok, three tropical outcrops leapfrog out into the Bali Sea like thought bubbles; Lombok’s very own dream of desert island paradise. This is the Gili Islands; where miniscule island getaways have sprung up, offering guests a superb blend of seclusion, beauty, party culture and tropical escapism.
10. Flores
Flores is an island in Nusa Tenggara, which is steadily growing in popularity as a tourism destination in Indonesia, due to its reputation for exquisite natural beauty, exotic culture, spectacular views and superb dive locations. In addition to some of the best sailing, diving and eco tourism available anywhere in Indonesia, visitors to Flores are treated to the drama of volcanoes, picturesque and serene rice fields and the otherworldly elegance of natural lakes.
