Indonesia Explorer

You leave London Heathrow on a flight to Singapore and beyond to Yogyakarta. Here you’ll be staying in a luxury resort surrounded by verdant teak plantations and outstanding views of Mount Merapi and Menoreh Hill.

You’re ideally located to tour the temple complex of Borobudur – built between the 7th and 8th centuries – and Prambanan Temple, the largest Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia. The extent and beauty of these two temple complexes will give you an introduction to the local history and culture, which will be completed with a trip to a traditional Javanese village to discover its customs, lifestyles, arts and handicrafts. You’ll also take a tour to the Dieng Plateau with its bubbling craters and beautiful lake.

Stay: Three nights in a garden plunge pool villa at The Plataran Resort Borobudur – bed & breakfast

Today you board a flight to Pangkalan Bun in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. You’ll be transferred to the jetty where you’ll board your private houseboat and home for the next two nights.

Here, amongst the lush mangrove swamps, tropical peat and heath forests of Tanjung Puting National Park, you’ll get to encounter an astonishing array of flora and fauna. The jungles of this vast sanctuary are home to 75% of the world’s wild orangutans as well as wild boars, proboscis monkeys, macaques, gibbons, cloud leopards and crocodiles. As you drift along the park’s waterways you should also keep your eyes peeled for rare and colourful birds such as sunbirds, cockatoos and hornbills.

As well as spotting these fascinating creatures in the wild, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet juvenile orang-utans at Pondok Tanggui Rehabilitation Centre. Being able to watch these endangered primates at feeding time is one of the big highlights of your holiday.

Stay: Two nights aboard a super deluxe houseboat – full board

Fly from Pangkalan Bun to Surabaya and you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the trading history and culture of Indonesia’s second largest city. You’ll be staying within easy reach of Surabaya’s old quarter, ancient Chinese temples, spice market, Arab quarter and Moroccan open-air bazaars.

Stay: One night in a heritage suite room at Majapahit Hotel – bed & breakfast

A three-hour drive through the Javanese countryside brings you to the Mount Bromo region and your next stopping point. Plataran Bromo is nestled on the highlands of East Java with glorious views across the agricultural plantations sprawled across the hillsides. It is also a great base for trekking through Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, across the sand sea to see the sunrise over the Bromo, Batok and Semeru volcanoes.

Stay: Two nights in an attic lodge at Plataran Bromo – bed & breakfast

Today you’ll board a train to the Ijen Plateau, an unspoilt area in Eastern Java carpeted with coffee plantations. The region is most famous however for the Ijen Volcano, with its kilometre-wide turquoise-coloured sulphur lake surrounded by the sheer walls of the volcano’s crater. Enjoy a sunrise trek to the crater for a chance to experience its unique, otherworldly beauty.

Stay: Two nights in a deluxe room at Jiwa Jawa Ijen Hotel – bed & breakfast

After the dramatic landscapes of Ijen, a short drive and ferry ride brings you to the vivid blue waters, verdant forests, lush mangroves and white sands of West Bali National Park. You’ll have four nights at beautiful The Menjangan Resort, with days completely at your disposal in this exquisite natural landscape.

Take a kayak out to discover the private beaches of Bajul Bay, enjoy nature walks through the forest and go snorkelling and diving off Menjangan Island – home to some of the best coral reefs in the region. You could even take a cooking class where an expert chef will reveal the secrets of Balinese cuisine.

Stay: Four nights in a monsoon deluxe room at The Menjangan Resort – bed & breakfast

Your Indonesian adventure comes to an end. From Bali you’ll board a flight back to London, connecting in Singapore.