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If you are looking for more beach time than culture and have more than 10 days in your hand, then this Indonesia islands itinerary is meant for you. It covers the best of the Indonesian beaches and some of them are so beautiful that they will make your jaws drop. This itinerary also has its share of culture and adventure and you can easily skip them if you are particularly interested only in aquatic activities. It’s a great plan for backpackers, surfers, beach bums, divers, and snorkelers. Slow travellers will also love this easy-paced relaxed trip. So if stunning beaches are on your mind, then look no further and explore Bali – Lombok – Gili Islands with this Indonesia islands itinerary.

mount agung near amed

Black sand beaches of Amed

How to reach Indonesia

The fastest and most convenient way to travel to Indonesia is by air. You can take a flight either to Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta or Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar. Many airlines like Air India, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Emirates offer direct flights to Indonesia. Garuda Indonesia is the national carrier, and you can travel within the country by catching a domestic flight on this airline. Connectivity within the country is excellent and you can easily move around Indonesia by plane, boat, or bus.

Relaxing Indonesia islands itinerary highlights

  • Explore the cultural hub of Ubud in Bali.
  • Marvel at the beautiful Balinese temples.
  • Explore the countryside and enjoy some famous Balinese dances and food.
  • Watch a spectacular sunrise over Mount Agung in Bali. (optional)
  • Visit the beautiful Nusa Penida.
  • Relax at Bali’s lovely beaches.
  • Dive or snorkel at Amed.
  • Explore the equally gorgeous Lombok island.
  • Enjoy Lombok’s sugar-white and pink beaches.
  • Experience Lombok’s interesting Sasak culture.
  • Explore the Gili Islands either as day trips or as multi-day trips

You may also like: Lombok Travel Guide and Tips

Places visited

  • Ubud (Bali) – Ubud – Ubud – Nusa Penida – Amed – Amed – Amed – Gili Air – Gili Air – Kuta (Lombok) – Lombok – Lombok (Mount Rinjani) – Lombok – Fly back home or your onward destination

    A view on the way to Amed

    Rice terraces and the blue ocean

Breakdown of the Indonesia islands itinerary for 2 weeks

Day 1. Arrive at Denpasar in Bali. Head over to Ubud and base yourself at one of the lovely hotels or guesthouses. Explore Ubud during the day time. The cultural town offers great shopping, cafes, temples, palaces, and the Monkey Forest. In the evening, enjoy a legong dance show at the Ubud Palace.

Day 2. Explore different parts of Bali either on a small group tour, with a driver and a car or a rental scooter. Great places to visit are the Tegalalang rice fields, Tanah Lot, Mother Temple, and the Lake Temple. For nightlife, head over to Kuta or Seminyak. Stay overnight at Ubud.

Day 3.  Explore the hilly areas of Bali and go on a long day trip to Bedugul and/or Munduk. In the evening, try to watch the kecak fire dance at Uluwatu. Stay overnight at Ubud.

Day 4. Climb Mount Agung and catch a spectacular sunrise. Visit the Mother Temple after the hike. It is a great insight into the Balinese culture. Stay overnight at Ubud.

Day 5. Head over to Amed and Tulamben. A quaint fishing village, Amed is famous for its black sand beaches, excellent diving, and snorkelling options. Tulamben is a hot spot for divers and has some great wrecks along the coast. The USS Liberty shipwreck is the most famous one. Overnight stay at Amed.

Day 6. Enjoy, dive, snorkel, and relax at Amed. You can explore the nearby Candidasa. Overnight stay at Amed.

Day 7. Head over to Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida for day or multi-day trip. Taxis for 4 to 5 people are available between Tulamben / Amed and Sanur followed by a fast boat transfer from Sanur. Transfer time is estimated at 2.30 hours. Leave Amed/Tulamben early afternoon around 12 pm to take the boat at 3.30 pm from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan. This will leave you enough time to do 2 dives that day in the morning and for two dives the next day at Nusa Lembongan. Overnight stay at Nusa Lembongan.

Day 8. Enjoy your stay at Nusa Lembongan, laze on its beaches, go diving, and simply relax. Overnight stay at Nusa Lembongan.

Day 9. Daytrip to Nusa Penida. Though you can do it on a small group tour, a day trip to Nusa Penida can be easily done by yourself. The ferry to Nusa Penida leaves from Yellow Bridge, Lembongan Side. It takes around 10 minutes and drops off passengers at Toya Pakeh Harbour, Nusa Penida. The same ferry returns to Nusa Lembongan. There are plenty of daily shuttles and the boat leaves when there are more than 8 people. At Nusa Penida, visit the famous Instagram famous Kelingking Beach. The Crystal Bay is also worth a visit. Overnight stay at Nusa Lembongan.

Day 10. Head over to Gili Trawangan. There are regular high-speed ferry services between Nusa Lembongan and Gili Trawangan. It is very easy to shuttle between all the Gili Islands either by public ferry or private outrigger boats. Gili Trawangan or the Gili T is the party island and if you are in the mood for bar-hopping or going to nightclubs, then this is your place to be. The solitude seekers can head over to Gili Meno to relax the quiet beach and a beautiful blue ocean. Overnight stay at Gili T or Gili Meno.

Day 11. Relax at Gili Meno or Gili T. You can also go island hopping to various Gili islands around. Some of them still have a Robinson Crusoe feel. Overnight stay at Gili T or Gili Meno.

Day 12. Head over to gorgeous subtle Lombok. The first boat which is a public one departs at 7:30 in the morning or 4:00 in the afternoon from the main beach of Gili T. It is the cheapest option and offers a long, uncomfortable ride. There are also shuttle boat services from Gili T to Lombok. It operates twice a day at 8:15 AM and 4:30 PM. Ferries are the best option and they are also the most popular. These get filled up very fast and the transfer takes 45 minutes. The ferries don’t really stick to a strict time schedule so you might have to wait for one to leave or arrive. There are also private ferry service providers in Gili T. This is an expensive but fast, efficient option. There are two boat harbours in west Lombok. These are Teluk Kodek and Teluk Nara. It is a 10 minutes speedboat ride from Gili T to Teluk Nara. Overnight stay at Kuta in Lombok.

Day 13. Enjoy the beautiful beaches of Lombok. Try to visit the pretty pink beach. During the day, you can also visit the Sasak village of Sade. Overnight stay at Kuta in Lombok.

Day 14. Fly to Bali to catch the international flight for home or your onward destination.

This is a tightly packed Indonesia islands itinerary of 14D/13N. It will be hectic and if you want to enjoy more, then just take it easy. If you have more time on your hands, then consider the following add-ons to this trip. You can also combine this itinerary with the 8 days Java-Bali trip.

Apsara dance in Bali

The Add-Ons to your Indonesia islands itinerary

  • Stay longer in Bali and explore its different diverse parts. Nature lovers can visit the beautiful Bali Barat National Park, or go to Munduk or Bedugul. This is the hilly parts of Bali and has a cool, lush climate.
  • Party at Kuta or Seminyak.
  • Visit Canggu for awesome street art.
  • Explore the Pasir Putih white sand beach in Candidasa.
  • Simply relax in Ubud. Enjoy spas, a cooking class, dance workshops, and eating delicious Indonesian food at the warungs.
  • In Lombok, hike the Mount Rinjani and enjoy the lovely hot water springs.
  • Go island hopping to the lesser-known and prettier Gili Islands.

    The beautiful drive to Munduk

Required travel Information for this Indonesian Itinerary

This information is most relevant to Indian passport holders.

Visa – Visa on arrival.

Currency – Indonesian Rupiah.

Time Difference – Indonesia is 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead

Points of Entry by flight – Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya in Java. Denpasar in Bali.

Recommended Airlines – Air Asia, Garuda Airlines, Scoot, Singapore Airlines, etc.

Recommended Read: A guide to visiting the lesser-known Gili Islands

lombok beaches are stunning

The stunning Lombok beach of Tangsi

What to pack for this Indonesian itinerary

  • For the city areas – Indonesia is quite cosmopolitan and you can wear short dresses, skirts, and sleeveless blouses and t-shirts. Carry comfortable shoes to walk around at ease. Sunscreen, sunglasses, and sun hats are recommended.
  • At religious sites – Dress modestly at religious sites. Cover your shoulders, and wear skirts/trousers/dresses which fall below the knees. Sarongs are given to cover exposed areas.
  • At the beaches – Swimsuits, bikinis, and any kind of swimwear is acceptable. Going to the beach or swimming in the sea in your underwear, especially for men, is best avoided. Nudity is a strict no-no in Indonesia.
  • At the volcanoes – It gets cold at the summit, especially in the mornings. Carry light jackets or pullovers, and comfortable hiking shoes.

    A sandbank with no name somewhere among the Gili Islands

Check out the entire Indonesia series for some serious travel inspiration.

Have you been to Indonesia? How did you like it? If you have any questions or feedback, do not forget to let us know.

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