Should you add Java, Lombok or Komodo to a Bali trip?

It depends what the extra days are for. Java is the heritage add-on: a short flight to Yogyakarta puts Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, and the Prambanan Shiva temples within reach, with Mount Bromo further east. Lombok and the Gili islands are the quiet add-on, a few hours by fast boat, and suit a trip that is meant to slow down. Komodo means flying east to Labuan Bajo for a boat trip to see the dragons and dive Manta Point, and it is the most expensive of the three. Any of them needs three to four days on top of a Bali week.

Is Bali good for a honeymoon?

It is one of the most booked honeymoon destinations from India, and the reason is the villas. A private pool villa in Ubud or Seminyak costs less than an equivalent hotel room in most of the region, which is why the budget stretches further here. The usual shape is a few days in the south for the beaches and sunsets, then Ubud for the rice terraces and spas. Nusa Penida makes a good day on the water. It is a short flight, a visa on arrival and no internal travel needed, which keeps the planning simple.

Is Bali safe for families and solo women travellers?

Bali is well used to visitors and is generally considered safe for both, with ordinary precautions. The real risks are on the road rather than from people: scooter accidents are the most common problem visitors have, and traffic in the south is heavy. Watch for monkeys taking sunglasses and phones at Uluwatu and the Ubud monkey forest, keep valuables out of sight on beaches, and use metered taxis or a booking app rather than street offers. Families do well in Bali because distances within each area are short and hotels are used to children.

Can you use Indian rupees or Indian cards in Indonesia?

Indian rupees are not exchanged in Indonesia, so carry US dollars to change or withdraw Indonesian rupiah from an ATM after you land. Indian debit and credit cards work at ATMs and in hotels, malls and larger restaurants across south Bali and Ubud. Warungs, markets, temple entries and most of Java and the smaller islands are cash. The rupiah runs in large numbers, so count the zeros before you hand a note over, and use authorised money changers rather than street booths offering unusually good rates.

Do you need an international driving permit to rent a scooter in Bali?

Yes. To ride legally in Indonesia you need an international driving permit with a motorcycle endorsement, carried alongside your Indian licence, and police checks on the main tourist roads are routine. Riding without one also tends to void travel insurance, which matters more than the fine, because scooter accidents are the most common way visitors get hurt in Bali. If you have not ridden before, hiring a car with a driver for the day costs little and removes the problem.

Indonesia Travel Guide & Tourism (2026)

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Mesmerizing Bali: 6 Nights 7 Days of Culture and Adventure

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7-Day Bali Adventure: Waterfalls, Temples, Beaches and Nusa Penida Exploration

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Blissful Bali: An Affordable Holiday Package (5 Nights)

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Bali Island Escape – Explore the Tropical Paradise

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Indonesia Travel Essentials

Region: Southeast Asia

Ideal Duration: 6 to 7 days for Bali, 10 to 12 to add Java or Lombok

Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)

Best Time: April to October, and Bali works year-round

Accommodation Cost (per night in USD):
Dorm bed: $5-15
Budget: $20-40
Mid-range: $50-80
Luxury: $100 and above

Visa Policy for Indians: Visa on arrival, or apply online before you fly

Visa Policy for Other Nationals: Visa on arrival or exemption for many nationalities

Getting In Indonesia: Bali (DPS) direct from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Jakarta (CGK) direct from Mumbai, otherwise a connection. Read More

Getting Around Indonesia: Domestic flights and ferries between islands, Grab and Gojek in cities, hired car and driver in Bali Read More

Tourist Places to Visit In Indonesia

Bali

Yogyakarta

Gili Trawangan

Gili Air

Nusa Penida

Komodo Island

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Must Know Before You Travel to Indonesia

Money: The rupiah runs in large numbers, so count the zeros. Cards work in south Bali and Ubud, cash almost everywhere else.
Temples: A sarong and sash are required at Balinese temples, and are usually lent at the entrance.
Scooters: Renting one needs an international driving permit. Police checks are routine.

Indonesia Tourism

Indonesia is 17,000 islands, and most trips from India see one of them. Bali earns that: it is the Hindu island in a Muslim-majority country, with cliff temples, rice terraces and a coast that runs from surf towns to quiet resort bays. What people miss is how close the rest is. Java has the largest Buddhist temple on earth and a volcano you climb before dawn, and Lombok, the Gili islands and the Komodo dragons are a short hop east.

Bali is where almost every Indian trip starts and, on a week, usually ends. The island splits into three moods: the south around Seminyak, Canggu and Uluwatu for beaches, surf and cliff temples; Ubud inland for rice terraces, art markets and the monkey forest; and the quieter east and north for Amed's diving and Sidemen's valleys. Bali is Hindu, which is why the temples, the daily offerings and many of the names feel familiar to Indian visitors, and why beef is largely absent from local menus.

Java is the next island west and the reason to add days. Yogyakarta is the base for Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, and Prambanan, a ninth-century Hindu temple complex built for Shiva. East of that, Mount Bromo is climbed in the dark for a sunrise over its caldera, and Ijen is walked at night for the blue sulphur flames.

East of Bali, Lombok and the Gili islands are the quieter beach option, reached by fast boat or a short flight. Further out, Labuan Bajo on Flores is the gateway to Komodo National Park and the dragons, usually done as a boat trip over two or three days. Raja Ampat, in Papua, is among the best diving on earth and is a long and expensive journey.

How it compares. Against Thailand, Indonesia is the slower trip: fewer flights from India, a visa on arrival rather than none, and more time spent moving between islands. What Bali gives you that Thailand does not is a Hindu culture you will recognise, a stronger yoga and wellness scene, and villas at prices that make a honeymoon work. Against Vietnam, Indonesia is a beach holiday rather than a country you travel through.

April to October is the dry season, though Bali works all year, with rain in the wet months arriving as afternoon bursts rather than all-day cover. Six to seven days is a Bali trip. Ten to twelve days lets you add Java or Lombok without rushing.

Beaches in Bali

Beaches in Indonesia

Islands of Indonesia

Temples in Indonesia

Day Trips From Jakarta

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Top Experiences in Indonesia

Sunrise at Borobudur

Diving in Indonesia's Diverse Marine Ecosystems

Experience the Cultural Heritage of Yogyakarta

Surfing in Bali

Partying Beachside at Kuta

Dive into Ubud's Rich Arts Scene

Island-Hopping Across the Gili Islands

Spotting Orangutans in Bukit Lawang

Spotting Komodo Dragons

The World's Largest Volcanic Lake in Lake Toba

Gorge on Indonesia's Vibrant Street Food Culture

Jakarta's Mega Malls

Best time to visit Indonesia

April to October is the best time to visit Indonesia. That is the dry season across Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara, which is where almost every Indian itinerary goes. May, June and September are the sweet spot: dry weather without the July and August crowds or fares. Bali and Nusa Tenggara (Lombok, th... (Read More)

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Food in Indonesia, and eating vegetarian

Indonesian food is built on rice, coconut, peanut and chilli, and it is closer to Indian cooking than most of Southeast Asia. Nasi goreng and mie goreng, fried rice and noodles, are on every menu. Satay comes with a peanut sauce, rendang is a slow-cooked beef curry from Sumatra, and sambal is the chilli paste that sits on the table the way pickle does at home.

Vegetarians do well here, better than in most of the region. Tempeh and tofu are Indonesian staples rather than substitutes, and tempeh was invented on Java. Gado-gado is a vegetable salad in peanut sauce, and nasi campur can be ordered without meat. The word to use is tanpa daging, without meat, and ask for tanpa terasi to avoid shrimp paste, which hides in sambal and in many cooked dishes.

Bali is Hindu while most of Indonesia is Muslim, which shapes the menu in a way Indian travellers notice: beef is largely absent in Bali and pork appears instead, while pork is rare almost everywhere else. Babi guling, Balinese suckling pig, is the island's signature dish.

Indian restaurants are easy to find in Seminyak, Kuta and Ubud, and in Jakarta. Tap water is not for drinking anywhere in Indonesia.

Bali, or beyond Bali: choosing your Indonesia

Almost every trip from India goes to Bali, and the real decision is whether to add a second island.

Bali on its own works for six to seven days and is the right answer for a first trip, a honeymoon or a short break. You get beaches, cliff temples, rice terraces and Ubud without ever boarding another flight.

Bali and Java is the trip for people who want the heritage. A short flight to Yogyakarta puts Borobudur and Prambanan in reach, and Mount Bromo is a night drive from Surabaya. Add three to four days.

Bali and Lombok or the Gilis is the quieter beach version, reached by fast boat in a few hours. Good if the point of the trip is to slow down rather than see more.

Bali and Komodo means flying east to Labuan Bajo for a boat trip to see the dragons and dive Manta Point. Two to three days on top, and it is the most expensive of the add-ons.

Raja Ampat and Sumatra are separate trips, not extensions. Both need a week of their own and considerably more travel.

What a week in Bali looks like

A realistic seven-day Bali trip splits into three bases, which is how most of our packages are built.

Days 1 to 3, the south. Seminyak or Canggu for the beach clubs and sunsets, Uluwatu for the cliff temple and the kecak dance at dusk, and a day on the water at Nusa Penida for Kelingking beach. This is the busy, easy end of the island.

Days 4 to 6, Ubud. An hour inland and a different trip: the Tegallalang rice terraces, the monkey forest, Tirta Empul's water temple, and waterfalls in the hills around it. Ubud is where the yoga, spa and wellness side of Bali lives.

Day 7, east or north. Sidemen for valley views without the crowds, or Amed for easy shore diving on a wreck.

Distances look short and take longer than they should. Seminyak to Ubud is about 35 km and can take two hours in traffic, so book drivers for the day rather than by the trip.

Add Java, Lombok or Komodo and you are looking at ten to twelve days.

The experiences people build a trip around

Uluwatu at sunset. A temple on a cliff a hundred metres above the sea, with a kecak fire dance performed as the light goes. The monkeys there will take sunglasses, so hold on to them.

Borobudur at sunrise. On Java, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, nine stacked platforms and more than 500 Buddha statues. Prambanan, a ninth-century Shiva temple complex, is half an hour away.

Mount Bromo before dawn. A jeep in the dark to a viewpoint over a smoking crater sitting inside an older caldera, with sunrise behind it.

Nusa Penida. A fast boat from Bali to cliffs, Kelingking beach and, for divers and snorkellers, manta rays at Manta Point.

Komodo National Park. Boat trips from Labuan Bajo to see the dragons on Komodo and Rinca, plus the pink beach and some of the best diving in Indonesia.

The Ubud rice terraces. Tegallalang and the quieter Jatiluwih, which is UNESCO-listed and worked using the subak irrigation system Bali has used for a thousand years.

FAQs on Indonesia

Do Indians need a visa for Indonesia?

Indian passport holders do not need a visa arranged in advance. Indonesia grants a visa on arrival, and the same visa can be applied for online before you fly through Indonesia's official immigration e-visa site, which saves queuing at the airport. It is issued for a short stay and can normally be extended once inside the country. Fees and stay lengths change, so check the official site when you book rather than relying on a third-party visa agent.

How do you reach Bali and Indonesia from India?

Bali is the direct one. IndiGo flies to Denpasar from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and Air India flies from Delhi, with the flight taking roughly six to seven hours. Jakarta is served direct from Mumbai by IndiGo and is otherwise a connection through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok. Yogyakarta, Lombok and Labuan Bajo for Komodo are all domestic flights once you are in the country. Routes change by season, so check current schedules when you book.

Is Bali cheaper than Thailand?

They are close, and the answer depends on what you book. Food and local transport are cheaper in Thailand, while Bali wins on villas: a private pool villa in Ubud or Seminyak costs less than an equivalent hotel room in Phuket, which is why honeymoon budgets often stretch further in Bali. Thailand is cheaper to reach, with more flights from more Indian cities and no visa to arrange. Bali needs a visa on arrival and fewer routes, so the flight is usually where the difference lands.

How many days do you need in Bali?

Six to seven days covers Bali without rushing: three in the south for the beaches and the cliff temples, three around Ubud for the rice terraces and waterfalls, and a day on the water at Nusa Penida. Four or five days works if you stay in one area and do not try to cross the island daily. Ten to twelve days is what you need to add Java, Lombok or Komodo.

Is it easy to find vegetarian food in Bali and Indonesia?

Yes, and better than in most of Southeast Asia. Tempeh and tofu are Indonesian staples rather than substitutes, and tempeh was invented on Java. Gado-gado is a vegetable salad in peanut sauce, and nasi goreng and nasi campur are easily ordered without meat. Two phrases help: tanpa daging means without meat, and tanpa terasi means without shrimp paste, which hides in sambal and in many cooked dishes. Ubud in particular has a large vegetarian and vegan scene, and Indian restaurants are easy to find in Seminyak, Kuta and Ubud.

When is the best time to visit Bali and Indonesia?

April to October, which is the dry season across Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara. May, June and September are the sweet spot, dry but without the July and August crowds and fares. November to March is the wet season, with rain most days, though it usually comes in heavy bursts rather than all day. Java's temple and volcano circuit is best May to September.

What is Nyepi and how does it affect travel to Bali?

Nyepi is the Balinese Hindu new year, a full day of silence observed across the island. It falls on 19 March in 2026 and 9 March in 2027. For twenty four hours nobody goes outside, shops and restaurants close, lights are kept low, and Bali's airport shuts completely, so no flights land or leave. The rule applies to visitors as well as residents, and hotels ask guests to stay on the property. If your dates touch it, either arrive well before and treat it as a rest day, or move the trip. The night before is the opposite: street parades with large ogoh-ogoh effigies.

Indonesia Travel Guide