Smart Self-Managed Tours

Country guide

Indonesia

A photograph of Indonesia
Photograph · Thomas Fuhrmann · CC BY-SA 4.0

Indonesia is between 13,000 and 17,000 islands spread across 1,904,569 km2, the largest archipelagic state in the world, so the question is never what to see but which island to fly to. Over 280 million people live in its 38 provinces and more than half of them on Java alone, the most heavily populated island anywhere and the one carrying Jakarta, the world's most populous city. Sumatra, Sulawesi and the Indonesian portions of Borneo and New Guinea are each a separate trip, across wilderness supporting some of the highest biodiversity on earth. The gaps between them are measured in flights, not in drives.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Indonesian
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+62
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112 where available · 110 police
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Jatiluwih Rice Terraces Jatiluwih Rice Terraces
    02 2 hours

    Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

    Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, known locally as Terasering Jatiluwih, comprise an extensive agricultural landscape in the Tabanan Regency of Bali. The site represents a traditional subak irrigation system recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Denpasar
  2. Sunda Kelapa Harbour Sunda Kelapa Harbour
    03 2 hours

    Sunda Kelapa Harbour

    Sunda Kelapa Harbour is Jakarta's historic port district located in the northern part of the city along the Ciliwung River estuary.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Jakarta
  3. Goa Gajah Goa Gajah
    04 2 hours

    Goa Gajah

    Goa Gajah, also known as the Elephant Cave, is an archaeological site of significant historical importance located near Ubud in the Gianyar Regency area, commonly associated with greater Denpasar visits.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Denpasar
  4. Campuhan Ridge Walk Campuhan Ridge Walk
    05 2 hours

    Campuhan Ridge Walk

    Campuhan Ridge Walk, known locally as Bukit Campuhan, is a popular walking trail located in the Ubud area on the outskirts of Denpasar's broader region.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Denpasar
  5. Glodok Chinatown Glodok Chinatown
    06 2 hours

    Glodok Chinatown

    Glodok is Jakarta’s historic Chinatown and a living commercial district in Taman Sari, West Jakarta. Indonesia’s official tourism service describes it as one of the country’s largest Chinatown areas and part of the wider Old Batavia city landscape.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Jakarta
  6. National Library of Indonesia National Library of Indonesia
    07 1 hr 30 min

    National Library of Indonesia

    The National Library of Indonesia is the country’s national library and a public research institution in central Jakarta. Its visitor-services building stands at Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan No.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
    • Jakarta
  7. Neka Art Museum Neka Art Museum
    08 1 hr 30 min

    Neka Art Museum

    The Neka Art Museum, known locally as Museum Seni Neka, is an art museum located in Ubud, within the broader Denpasar region of Bali, Indonesia.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Denpasar
  8. Agung Rai Museum of Art Agung Rai Museum of Art
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Agung Rai Museum of Art

    The Agung Rai Museum of Art, known locally as Museum Seni Agung Rai, is an art museum located in Ubud, within the broader Denpasar metropolitan area of Bali, Indonesia.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Denpasar
  9. National Museum of Indonesia National Museum of Indonesia
    10 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of Indonesia

    The National Museum of Indonesia, known locally as Museum Nasional Indonesia, stands as one of Jakarta's most prominent cultural institutions. Located in Central Jakarta, it houses extensive collections representing Indonesia's archaeological, historical, ethnographic, and geographical heritage.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  10. Jakarta History Museum Jakarta History Museum
    11 1 hr 30 min

    Jakarta History Museum

    The Jakarta History Museum, locally known as Museum Sejarah Jakarta, is a museum housed in the former Stadhuis of Batavia, the colonial town hall of Dutch East India Company era.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  11. Bali Museum Bali Museum
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Bali Museum

    The Bali Museum is a provincial museum located in Denpasar, the capital city of Bali, Indonesia. It stands as one of the island's oldest museums, established during the early twentieth century.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Denpasar
  12. Maritime Museum Maritime Museum
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Maritime Museum

    The Maritime Museum, known locally as Museum Bahari, occupies a historic site in Jakarta's old Sunda Kelapa harbor area. The museum celebrates Indonesia's seafaring traditions and maritime heritage in a city shaped by centuries of ocean trade.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  13. Wayang Museum Wayang Museum
    14 1 hr 30 min

    Wayang Museum

    The Wayang Museum, locally named Museum Wayang, is a cultural institution in Jakarta dedicated to the traditional Indonesian art of shadow puppetry.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  14. Textile Museum Textile Museum
    15 1 hr 30 min

    Textile Museum

    The Museum Tekstil in Jakarta is a museum dedicated to Indonesia's rich textile heritage. It occupies a historic colonial-era building that once served as a private residence.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  15. Bank Mandiri Museum Bank Mandiri Museum
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Bank Mandiri Museum

    Bank Mandiri Museum, known locally as Museum Bank Mandiri, is a museum in Jakarta housed in a historic building. It forms part of the banking heritage institutions in Indonesia's capital city.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  16. Indonesia Museum Indonesia Museum
    17 1 hr 30 min

    Indonesia Museum

    The Museum Indonesia, known locally as Museum Indonesia, is a cultural institution located in Jakarta. It forms part of the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah complex, a large cultural park showcasing Indonesian provincial cultures.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  17. Le Mayeur Museum Le Mayeur Museum
    18 1 hr 30 min

    Le Mayeur Museum

    The Le Mayeur Museum is a museum in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. It was formerly the home and studio of the Belgian painter Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès, who lived in Bali from 1932 until his death in 1958.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Denpasar
  18. Museum Perumusan Naskah Proklamasi Museum Perumusan Naskah Proklamasi
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Museum Perumusan Naskah Proklamasi

    The Museum of the Proclamation Drafting, known locally as Museum Perumusan Naskah Proklamasi, commemorates the preparation of Indonesia's 1945 independence proclamation. Located in Jakarta, this historical site preserves the room where founding figures drafted the nation's declaration of freedom.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  19. Museum of National Awakening Museum of National Awakening
    21 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of National Awakening

    The National Awakening Museum occupies the preserved STOVIA school building, a landmark site in Indonesian history. STOVIA, the School tot Opleiding van Inlandsche Artsen, trained indigenous medical students during the colonial period.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  20. Taman Prasasti Museum Taman Prasasti Museum
    22 1 hr 30 min

    Taman Prasasti Museum

    Taman Prasasti Museum is a heritage cemetery museum in Jakarta, Indonesia. Originally established as a colonial burial ground, it was converted into an open-air museum displaying historic tombstones, funerary monuments, and antique hearses.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  21. Museum Bank Indonesia Museum Bank Indonesia
    23 1 hr 30 min

    Museum Bank Indonesia

    The Bank Indonesia Museum occupies a historic colonial building in Jakarta's Old Town area. It serves as a museum dedicated to the history of Indonesia's central bank and the broader narrative of banking and finance in the Indonesian archipelago.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  22. Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara
    24 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara

    Museum MACAN is a modern and contemporary art museum in Jakarta, Indonesia. The name stands for Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara. It opened to provide a dedicated space for international and Indonesian modern art.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  23. Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum

    The Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum is a museum located in Jakarta, Indonesia. Its local name is Museum Purna Bhakti Pertiwi. The institution appears in Indonesia's official tourism portal as a destination within the Jakarta area on Java island.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  24. Sasmita Loka Ahmad Yani Museum Sasmita Loka Ahmad Yani Museum
    26 1 hr 30 min

    Sasmita Loka Ahmad Yani Museum

    The Sasmita Loka Ahmad Yani Museum is a historical museum in Jakarta dedicated to the life and legacy of General Ahmad Yani, an Indonesian national hero.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  25. Indonesian Hakka Museum Indonesian Hakka Museum
    27 1 hr 30 min

    Indonesian Hakka Museum

    The Museum Hakka Indonesia is a cultural institution located within Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta's expansive cultural park. It documents the migration history, community life and cultural contributions of Hakka Chinese Indonesians through curated objects and historical displays.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  26. Youth Pledge Museum Youth Pledge Museum
    28 1 hr 30 min

    Youth Pledge Museum

    The Youth Pledge Museum, known locally as Museum Sumpah Pemuda, commemorates the historic 1928 Youth Congress where Indonesian youth delegates proclaimed the Sumpah Pemuda, or Youth Pledge.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jakarta
  27. Ragunan Zoo Ragunan Zoo
    30 1 hr 30 min

    Ragunan Zoo

    Ragunan Zoo, known locally as Taman Margasatwa Ragunan, is a zoological garden in Jakarta, Indonesia. It ranks among the breadth-first top 100 visitor places in Jakarta, though no exact city POI pool match exists for this production identity.

    • High
    • Family attraction
    • Jakarta
  28. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
    31 2 hours

    Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

    Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is a large cultural park in East Jakarta that presents the diversity of Indonesian provinces through pavilions, architecture, and traditional displays.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Jakarta
  29. Ancol Dreamland Ancol Dreamland
    35 2 hours

    Ancol Dreamland

    Ancol Dreamland, known locally as Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, is a large integrated recreational complex situated along Jakarta's northern coastline. The area functions as Jakarta's primary seaside entertainment destination, combining multiple attractions within a single managed zone.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Jakarta
  30. Metropole XXI
    38 2 hours

    Metropole XXI

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Jakarta
  31. Ciné-Macet
    41 2 hours

    Ciné-Macet

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Jakarta
  32. A-Club
    45 2 hours

    A-Club

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  33. After Hour
    46 2 hours

    After Hour

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Jakarta
  34. Akasaka Bali
    51 2 hours

    Akasaka Bali

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  35. Alila
    53 2 hours

    Alila

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Jakarta
  36. Ancol
    56 2 hours

    Ancol

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Jakarta
  37. Aphrodite
    58 2 hours

    Aphrodite

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Jakarta
  38. Aquarium
    59 1 hr 30 min

    Aquarium

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
    • Jakarta
  39. Atlantis Water Adventures Atlantis Water Adventures
    62 1 hr 30 min

    Atlantis Water Adventures

    Atlantis Water Adventures is a water-based recreational facility in Jakarta. The attraction offers aquatic entertainment within the urban environment of Indonesia's capital. It operates as a visitor destination for residents and tourists seeking water park experiences.

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
    • Jakarta
  40. Aviary Park Aviary Park
    63 1 hr 30 min

    Aviary Park

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
    • Jakarta
  41. Barreta
    69 2 hours

    Barreta

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  42. Batavia Splash
    70 1 hr 30 min

    Batavia Splash

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
    • Jakarta
  43. Beach Club
    72 2 hours

    Beach Club

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Jakarta
  44. Beer&Co
    74 2 hours

    Beer&Co

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  45. Beer&Co.
    75 2 hours

    Beer&Co.

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  46. Beer House
    76 2 hours

    Beer House

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  47. Bintaro XXI
    78 2 hours

    Bintaro XXI

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Jakarta
  48. Bioskop XXI
    79 2 hours

    Bioskop XXI

    • Notable
    • Entertainment venue
    • Jakarta
  49. BJ's
    80 2 hours

    BJ's

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  50. Black Owl
    83 2 hours

    Black Owl

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Jakarta
  51. Blue Warung
    84 2 hours

    Blue Warung

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  52. Blu Martini
    85 2 hours

    Blu Martini

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Jakarta
  53. Boshe
    87 2 hours

    Boshe

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  54. Boshe
    88 2 hours

    Boshe

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Denpasar
  55. Burung Merak
    96 1 hr 30 min

    Burung Merak

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
    • Jakarta
  56. BXSea Aquarium
    97 1 hr 30 min

    BXSea Aquarium

    • Notable
    • Family attraction
    • Jakarta
  57. Camden Bar
    100 2 hours

    Camden Bar

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Jakarta

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Indonesia be?

Ten to fourteen days is enough for Bali plus one nearby island or for a focused Java route, not for the whole archipelago. Every added island introduces an airport or harbour transfer, so choose regions first and count transfer days before assigning sightseeing.

What entry documents are needed for Indonesia?

Indonesia Immigration’s official eVisa service is the source for passport eligibility, visa class and stay conditions. Complete any required arrival formalities through government channels and verify the authorised entry point; a Bali-focused commercial site is not evidence of national admission rules.

What is the best way to travel around Indonesia?

Flights bridge distant islands, Java has useful rail corridors, and ferries, buses or local boats complete many regional legs. Check the licensed operator and weather before sea travel, and leave recovery time when an island connection precedes an international departure.

When is a practical time to visit Indonesia?

Dry-season timing varies across Indonesia, although much of Java and Bali is commonly easier from roughly May to September. Sumatra, Sulawesi and eastern islands can follow different rainfall patterns, so select dates for the chosen islands rather than the country name.

What money and payment basics apply in Indonesia?

Indonesia uses the rupiah, and large IDR figures make digit checking important. Keep cash for markets, drivers and smaller islands, use bank-linked machines where available, and confirm whether an accommodation or boat quote includes taxes and local charges.

What practical safety details should I save for Indonesia?

The recorded emergency contacts are 112 where available and 110 for police; electricity is Type C and F at 230 V. Tap-water safety is Not recorded, so rely on local official or accommodation guidance and verify emergency coverage on remote islands.