The Best Indonesia Itinerary for 10 Days: Java to Bali Circuit

Indonesia Itinerary

Our Indonesia trip wasn’t a planned one, it was one of those spontaneous trips you decide to do which change your life. We visited Indonesia in 2017 and it was quite different from what we had expected. The beaches were amazing, the waterfalls are beautiful, and it was fun (almost!) to include Jakarta and Bali in our Indonesia itinerary.

After coming back from this gorgeous country, we both wished to have stayed longer there but our jobs stopped us from pursuing this thought and so, we had to make do with a short but memorable 10 days in this country of volcanoes and islands.

Indonesia Itinerary

If you are just like us and don’t have a lot of time to spare in this country, then our 10-day Indonesia guide will help you in planning a short but amazing trip to this paradise.

Day 1: India to Jakarta (Indonesia)

Our Indonesia itinerary started from India, from where we had flights to Jakarta – the capital of Indonesia.. My friend, Radhika, was traveling from New Delhi and I was starting from Hyderabad. We figured we will meet at Kuala Lumpur since we had a layover of around 2 hours. We had chosen an Air Asia flight since it was in our budget and cost us only 18000-20000 INR.

Day 2: Jakarta to Yogyakarta (Indonesia)

On the second day of our Indonesia trip, we reached Jakarta around 12 p.m. and were really struggling to understand how to go to Yogyakarta from here. Since it was the week of Eid holiday in Indonesia, all the trains were full and we only had the option of buses to arrive at our destination.

the bus terminal.

Cemero Lawang, Indonesia Trip
Last Village Before Bromo National Park, Cemero Lawang

From Pulo Gebang, we got an A.C bus to Yogyakarta which took around 8-10 hours to reach and cost us 425,000 Rupiah (2050 INR) per person. The bus was quite comfortable and had an attached bathroom which was decent enough to be used. We reached Yogyakarta around 2 a.m. and had to take a cab to reach our homestay.

If you have extra time in hand you can also go for scuba diving in Karimunjawa, a very adventurous place for all the divers. In fact you can also check out the Kawah Ijen Volcano as well. One of the coolest experiences of Indonesia.

Day 3: Yogyakarta to Kuta, Bali

Borobudur Temple and Prambanan Temple (Yogyakarta)

Next day, we had planned to visit the famous Borobudur Temple and the Prambanan Temple which Yogyakarta in Indonesia was quite famous for. So, we left the homestay with our luggage since we had a night flight to catch for Bali.

We left around 11 a.m for Borobudur and spent around 30-45 minutes looking for a bus or a cab. Finally, an Uber arrived and we boarded it to head out to Borobudur which was situated around 50 km from Yogyakarta.

So, we traveled the whole day in an A.C SUV for 470000 Rupiah (2300 INR). We certainly could have reduced the cost if we knew the area well and had a clue about the bus routes but alas, we were blinded there.

We first went to Borobudur and reached this place around 2 p.m.

The sunrise is said to be really exceptional here and you could easily spend a whole day just gazing around and walking through this architectural beauty.

We spent around 2 hours here and didn’t even realize so much time had passed when it struck us that Prambanan stays open only till 5 p.m. So, we ran to find our car and start for the other amazing site, we stopped at the pharmacy but we got lost on our way out (Yeah, the exit from Borobudur can be a little confusing). Although if you have time in hand, we would definitely advise you to not miss the sunrise in Borobudur.

We finally reached the famous Prambanan temple around 4.45 p.m and then we just strolled around marveling at the beauty of it all. The temples here resemble the Angkor Wat temple and you can also see the Merebu volcano from here. We were completely mesmerized by the beautiful sunset here and wished we had a little more time.

Finally, we started for the Yogyakarta airport for our flight to Bali (3200 INR per person) and said goodbye to the cultural city of Indonesia.

Kuta, Bali

We reached Bali, the most sought out place in Indonesia,  around 11.30 p.m. and so we headed to find a hostel for the night. The cabs are pretty expensive over here so we walked the whole way from the airport to Kuta. It took us around 1-1.5 hours to reach the hostel and to know that it was already full. So, we went in search for another hostel which might be in our budget and that is how we stumbled upon the Legion street and the Kayun Hostel Downtown which 100000 Rupiah (500 INR) per person for a night.

If you wish to explore National Parks, check out this guide on Komodo National Park, which is near Bali.

Day 4: Bali (Indonesia)

Next day, we started for the beaches and the famous Uluwatu temple of Bali. We hired a scooty from the beachfront side for 130000 Rupiah (650 INR). Kuta beach was too crowded and more a place for surfers and families so we didn’t spend too much time here.

The route to Pantai Pandawa goes through a hilly road so there are a lot of twists and turns which really make the whole adventure so much more fun. And the view near the Pantai Pandawa beach is just too gorgeous with the blue sea and the bright blue sky.

If you are looking to explore a few tours in Bali, check out few of the Best Bali Adventure Tours.

Pantai Pandawa
Pantai Pandawa

Next, we headed to the Uluwati temple which was another 40 minutes through the hilly terrain. And it was certainly both exciting and scary. Driving in Kuta region is a little scary as people speed a lot and the roads are too hilly so you have to be extra careful.

By the time we reached Uluwati temple (Entrance price: 30000 Rupiah – 150 INR per person), it is almost dark and the temple was about to close but we hurried a little and were able to look from the inside. This temple on the cliff is really beautiful and there are regular shows held here which you can watch to learn a little more about the Balinese culture.

Day 5: Kuta to Ubud (Bali)

On our 5th day, we were heading for the Ubud region which held the main attraction for us. We had booked a van through our hostel itself which cost us 80000 Rupiah (400 INR) per person and took 2-3 hours to reach the place.

There, we checked in a hostel named The Joker Hostel (100000 Rupiah – 500 INR per person) and then we made our way to the famous Ubud Monkey Sanctuary. It was at walking distance from our place so it took us just 20 minutes to reach and take the ticket (50000 Rupiah – 250 INR per person).

The Monkey Sanctuary was one which is actually huge and filled with numerous monkeys (as the name suggests). It is a great place to just chill and relax and roam about. Also, there are many exit points here so you have to be careful and always beware of the monkeys, they can snatch away any interesting items from you. 😛

Day 6: Ubud, Bali

This was our D-day when we were going to cover the most important spots in Ubud. We started with the famous Ubud Tegelalang Rice Fields and were met with a slow downpour of rain. However, on the way, we witnessed a really pretty sunrise which absolutely made our day.

Once we reached the Tegelalang rice field, we were just blown away by its beauty and its vastness. We didn’t even realize how big this place actually is so we just walked deeper into the place and spent a greater part of our morning here. Also, there is no entrance fee for this place so don’t fall for anyone’s trap.

After that, we headed for the highest swing in Bali at Zen Hideaway which was about 45 minutes from our hostel. The way to this place is absolutely picturesque and you can witness a gorgeous sunset from here too.

When we reached Zen Hideaway, the sun was about to set but we still had enough time to enjoy. So, we paid for both of us 520000 Rupiah (2500 INR) per person and then first tried our luck at the small swing to get ourselves acquainted.

Check out another waterfall close to Tegenungan Waterfall – Sekumpul Waterfall

Once we were comfortable, we moved on to the bigger swing and God, how lovely it felt. It felt as if we were just flying in the sky with no tension or fear. Truly, that was one of the most freeing experiences of my life and I am so glad that we gave it a shot. Next day, we had to leave Bali but if you have more time, then you can visit other places around Bali such as Canggu, Batur, Gianyar, etc.

Day 7: Ubud to Kuta to Denpasar (Bali) to Probolinggo

Early morning, we started for the famous Campuhan Ridge Walk. The place was barely 2 km from our hostel and then stopped at the Water Palace on the way too. Both of these places are really amazing and a great place to explore in the morning. We witnessed a beautiful sunrise from the Campuhan Ridgewalk although it took around 30-40 minutes of hiking on the path.

Kuta to Denpasar (Bali)

Next, we endured a series of misfortunes which has incidentally made our Indonesia itinerary even more memorable. We accidentally booked the wrong flight tickets for Surabaya which was near our next destination. As a result, we had to figure out some other way to reach Surabaya from Bali. After a lot of searches, we found a bus that would be leaving in the evening so we booked it for our journey.

We had some time to kill so we asked about the Scuba Diving cost and how much time it would take. The tour guide said it would barely take 2 hours and the cost would be 400000 Rupiah (2000 INR) per person which was quite cheap. Alas, we forgot to counter in the fact that traffic in Kuta is unimaginable and so, we missed our bus.

Denpasar to Probolinggo

We found a bus for Probolinggo for 320000 Rupiah (1600 INR) per person which took 12 hours. The most interesting part about this journey was that the buses are transported to the other island via a ferry. So, they get loaded into the big ferries where you can go on the deck and stretch your legs for a while.

If you want to go further and explore Lombok, read the guide Visiting Lombok from Bali

Day 8: Probolinggo to Mount Bromo to Yogyakarta

Probolinggo to Mount Bromo

We reached Probolinggo at 5 a.m. in the morning. Then, we walked to the bus stand where we would find vans for Bromo. Sadly, there weren’t any vans going so early because there weren’t a lot of passengers. Usually, you have to pay just 20000 Rupiah (100 INR) per person for reaching Bromo. However, since we were alone, we had to hire the entire van for 325000 Rupiah (1600 INR).

We spent some time on the Bromo and then we headed back to our room. We also wanted to watch Bromo from afar and climb other peaks. So, we hired two motorbike drivers to take us around. It cost us 225000 Rupiah (1100 INR) per person for the entire Indonesia trip. And, they dropped us back to the Probolinggo bus stand so that we could head back to Jakarta.

So we climbed the mountain on the bikes and it got so damn cold that we were freezing by the time we returned. But it was so amazing. We watched Bromo from afar and it looked lovely. But that’s not all, we witnessed one of the gorgeous sunsets too.

Mount Bromo to Surabaya to Yogyakarta

After having the time of our lives, we returned to Probolinggo. Then, we took a bus to Surabaya(30000 Rupiah – 150 INR per person). We reached in 2-3 hours but we still had to reach Jakarta from here which was around the 18-20 hours away. So, we took a bus to Yogyakarta for 138000 Rupiah (660 INR) per person.

Day 9 and 10: Yogyakarta to Kuningan to Jakarta to India

Yogyakarta to Kuningan

From here, things went a little downhill for us. We reached Yogyakarta early in the morning around 6 a.m. but Jakarta was still 12-14 hrs away. So we were waiting for a bus to Bandung which would have ideally left us closer to Jakarta. However, since we were in a hurry, we took a bus to Kuningan (180000 Rupiah – 860 INR per person).

Somehow we got a local bus to Jakarta for 150000 Rupiah (720 INR) per person, but we reached only by 8 a.m. so we ended up missing our flight to KL. Thankfully, we got another flight to KL leaving at 2 p.m. so we booked that and reached our destination (Additional cost of 4400 INR per person which we could have saved 🙁 ).

Cemero Lawang, Indonesia Trip
Last Village Before Bromo National Park, Cemero Lawang

If you want to enjoy a successful backpacking trip across Asia, then do read Backpacking Asia – 40 Things You Need to Know

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Puneet Pansari
Puneet Pansari
5 years ago

You could directly reached Jogjakarta from Kuala Lumpur. It would have saved you a lot of time as well as money.

nomllers
Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  Puneet Pansari

Hey Puneet,
Yes we could have had but return flight from Jakarta was considerably cheaper than the flight to Yogyakarta. 🙂
However, due to festival season it was probably not a good choice. We all learn from our mistakes. 🙂

MD FAISAL
MD FAISAL
4 years ago

Did u pay the entrance fee for Bromo National Park which is 217500 IDR on weekdays and 317500 IDR on weekends?

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