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Travel guide · Bali

Travelling to Indonesia

Temples and rice fields in Bali, volcanoes in Java, dragons in Komodo and white-sand islands. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from April to October
  • Where to eat: warung
Photo: Unsplash

Indonesia in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Indonesia are from April to October. If you can, avoid from December to February (rainy season).
  • e-VOA (visa on arrival).
  • To eat like a local: warung. Don’t leave without trying: Nasi goreng, Mie goreng, Satay.

Indonesia in November

You can go, with a few caveats: rainy season. Book boat trips with flexible dates and keep the mornings for outdoor plans.

  • November

    Rainy season

    From November to March it rains almost every day, usually in short storms; the sea is rougher for crossing to Nusa or the Gilis.

    What to do: Book boat trips with flexible dates and keep the mornings for outdoor plans.

November is one of the months when people search most for travelling to Indonesia: book early. More destinations for November

When to travel to Indonesia

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Indonesia are from April to October. If you can, avoid from December to February (rainy season).

  1. Jan with strong warnings
  2. Feb with strong warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov with warnings
  12. Dec with strong warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in April · where to travel in May · where to travel in June · where to travel in July

  • from November to March

    Rainy season

    From November to March it rains almost every day, usually in short storms; the sea is rougher for crossing to Nusa or the Gilis.

    What to do: Book boat trips with flexible dates and keep the mornings for outdoor plans.

    Best time: April to October

  • February, March

    Ramadan (approximate dates)

    During the day many restaurants close or open less and museum and shop hours change. The evenings, with iftar, are very special.

    What to do: Out of respect, don’t eat or drink in the street during the day; book dinner for after sunset.

What to see in Indonesia

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Bali

    Bali

    The island of the gods: temples, rice fields, surf and sunsets, with areas for every kind of trip.

    • Ulun Danu Bratan
    • Tanah Lot
    • Jatiluwih rice terraces
    • Mount Batur
    Bali guide
  • Ubud
    Bali

    Ubud

    Bali’s cultural heart, among rice fields, the Monkey Forest and yoga classes.

    • Monkey Forest
    • Tegallalang
    • Palace area
    • Campuhan Ridge
    Ubud guide
  • Uluwatu
    Bali

    Uluwatu

    Cliffs above the Indian Ocean, surf breaks and Uluwatu Temple with its kecak dance.

    • Temple
    • Padang Padang
    • Karang Boma
    • Single Fin
    Uluwatu guide
  • Nusa Penida

    Nusa Penida

    The island of impossible cliffs, a fast-boat ride from Bali.

    • Kelingking
    • Broken Beach
    • Angel’s Billabong
    • Crystal Bay
    Nusa Penida guide
  • Gili Islands

    Gili Islands

    Three car-free islands between Bali and Lombok, with turtles and white beaches.

    • Gili Trawangan
    • Gili Air
    • Gili Meno
    • Turtles
    Gili Islands guide
  • Lombok

    Lombok

    Bali’s quieter neighbour: beaches in the south and Rinjani volcano.

    • Mount Rinjani
    • Kuta Lombok
    • Selong Belanak
    • Tiu Kelep Waterfall
    Lombok guide
  • Yogyakarta

    Yogyakarta

    Java’s cultural heart, between two World Heritage temples.

    • Borobudur
    • Prambanan
    • Kraton
    • Malioboro Street
    Yogyakarta guide
  • Bromo

    Bromo

    A smoking volcano in a sea of sand, with one of the most famous sunrises in Asia.

    • Penanjakan viewpoint
    • Bromo crater
    • Sea of sand
    • Teletubbies Hills
    Bromo guide
  • Komodo

    Komodo

    The national park of the dragons, with pink beaches and first-class diving.

    • Rinca Island
    • Padar Island
    • Pink Beach
    • Manta Point
    Komodo guide
  • Jakarta

    Jakarta

    The huge capital and gateway to Java, with a Dutch colonial quarter and a great mosque.

    • Kota Tua
    • Monas
    • Istiqlal Mosque
    • Jakarta Cathedral
    Jakarta guide
  • Ijen

    Ijen

    A volcano in East Java with a turquoise acid lake in its crater, sulphur miners and, at night, blue flames.

    • Crater lake
    • Blue fire
    • Sulphur miners
    • Banyuwangi
    Ijen guide
  • Tana Toraja

    Tana Toraja

    The highlands of Sulawesi, with boat-shaped roofs and funeral rites found nowhere else in the world.

    • Tongkonan
    • Kete Kesu
    • Londa
    • Lemo
    Tana Toraja guide
  • Nusa Lembongan

    Nusa Lembongan

    A small island off Bali, almost car-free, with clear water, mangroves and manta rays nearby.

    • Devil’s Tear
    • Yellow Bridge
    • Blue Lagoon
    • Mangroves
    Nusa Lembongan guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Bali

From Ubud

From Uluwatu

From Nusa Penida

From the Gili Islands

From Lombok

From Yogyakarta

From Bromo

From Komodo

From Jakarta

From Ijen

From Tana Toraja

From Nusa Lembongan

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Indonesia

To eat like a local: warung, and order nasi campur or babi guling if you’re in Bali. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Nasi goreng

    Fried rice with egg, the national dish.

  • Mie goreng

    Stir-fried noodles with vegetables and a sweet sauce.

  • Satay

    Chargrilled skewers with peanut sauce.

  • Rendang

    Beef slow-cooked for hours in coconut milk and spices.

  • Babi guling

    Roast suckling pig, Bali’s speciality.

  • Gado-gado

    Vegetables with tofu, egg and peanut sauce.

The typical dish of Indonesia, at home

Nasi goreng
Photo: Rizka Budiati from Leicester, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0

Nasi goreng

Indonesia’s fried rice, dark and sweet from the kecap manis, with chilli paste, prawns and a fried egg on top. It’s eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner all over the country.

  • Serves 2
  • 20 min

Ingredients

  • 400 g cooked rice from the day before
  • 150 g prawns or chicken pieces
  • 2 shallots and 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 or 2 red chillies
  • 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste (terasi, optional)
  • 2 tablespoons of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 2 eggs
  • Cucumber, tomato and crispy fried onion

How to make it at home

  1. Pound the shallots, garlic, chilli and shrimp paste into a paste.
  2. Fry the paste in a wok with oil until fragrant.
  3. Add the prawns or chicken and stir-fry.
  4. Add the rice and the sauces and stir-fry over a high heat until hot and the grains are separate.
  5. Serve with a fried egg on top, cucumber, tomato and fried onion.

The trick: Cold rice and a very hot wok: that’s what keeps the grains separate.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Indonesia

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It has more than seventeen thousand islands.
  • It’s the country with the most Muslims in the world, but Bali is mostly Hindu.
  • Borobudur, in Java, is the largest Buddhist temple in the world.
  • The Komodo dragon, the largest lizard on the planet, lives only on a handful of Indonesian islands.
  • In Bali, on Nyepi the whole island falls silent: not even the airport operates.
  • There are more than a hundred active volcanoes.

Traditions of Indonesia

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • March (Balinese New Year) Nyepi

    A day of total silence in Bali; on the eve, the ogoh-ogoh effigies parade through the streets.

  • Every seven months (Balinese calendar) Galungan

    Bali fills with penjor, decorated bamboo poles outside every house.

  • Kecak dance

    Choirs of men chanting “cak” at sunset, as at Uluwatu Temple.

  • Daily offerings

    Small leaf baskets with flowers and incense in homes and shops.

What not to do in Indonesia

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t enter a Balinese temple without a sarong or while menstruating (it’s a local rule).
  • Don’t step on the offerings (canang) on the ground.
  • Don’t touch anyone’s head or hand things over with your left hand.
  • Don’t drink tap water.
  • Don’t climb an active volcano without checking its alert level.
  • Don’t rent a scooter without a licence and a helmet: police checks and accidents are common.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Indonesia

What people search for most before travelling to Indonesia.

What’s the best time to travel to Indonesia?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Indonesia are from April to October. If you can, avoid from December to February (rainy season).

What to see in Indonesia in a week?

The essentials of Indonesia: Bali, Ubud, Uluwatu, Nusa Penida and Gili Islands. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Indonesia?

Nasi goreng, Mie goreng, Satay, Rendang, Babi guling, Gado-gado. To eat like a local: warung.

What is the typical dish of Indonesia?

Nasi goreng. Indonesia’s fried rice, dark and sweet from the kecap manis, with chilli paste, prawns and a fried egg on top. It’s eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner all over the country.

What should you not do in Indonesia?

Don’t enter a Balinese temple without a sarong or while menstruating (it’s a local rule). Don’t step on the offerings (canang) on the ground. Don’t touch anyone’s head or hand things over with your left hand.

Is it worth travelling to Indonesia in November?

You can go, with a few caveats: rainy season. Book boat trips with flexible dates and keep the mornings for outdoor plans.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Unsplash. Bali, CEphoto, Uwe Aranas (CC BY-SA 3.0). Ubud, alfaneque (CC BY 2.0). Uluwatu, kharistama (CC BY 3.0). Nusa Penida, Georgi Kovachev (CC BY-SA 4.0). Gili Islands, Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0). Lombok, Paxson Woelber (CC BY-SA 4.0). Yogyakarta, Chainwit. (CC BY 4.0). Bromo, Hugo van den Bos (CC BY 2.0). Komodo, Adhi Rachdian from Indonesia (CC BY 2.0). Jakarta, Medelam (CC BY 4.0). Ijen, CEphoto, Uwe Aranas (CC BY-SA 3.0). Tana Toraja, Ansensius (CC BY-SA 4.0). Nusa Lembongan, User:(WT-shared) Burmesedays (CC BY-SA 4.0).