13 Island getaways in Indonesia you need to explore that are not Bali!

Now, if you’re planning on a fun getaway with your squad or little ones, check out Pulau Rano – an exciting island featuring a giant floating water park!

To add, you also get your need for comfort at luxurious private islands like Bawah Island and Telunas Private Island where you get to stay in overwater bungalows! In fact, the archipelago boasts an array of exotic options for your every island desires and the best bet is to hop from one island to the next!

Read More: 12 Exotic hidden island getaway in Riau Archipelago less than 2 hours from Bintan and Batam

Advertisement

3. This is where you can find the Maldives near Jakarta! – Thousand Islands

Craving for a short escape from the crazy traffic and bustling city streets of Jakarta? Have you heard of beautiful white sand beaches and pristine islands just a short ferry ride away? Yes, we mean the Thousand Islands!

We know that it’s not easy to find islands that still have clean beaches and waters – a common complaint is that there’s trash floating in the waters near the islands, especially those near Ancol in Jakarta. Trash flows from Jakarta to the islands, and as the existing rubbish disposal infrastructure on the islands are still very poor, it is extremely difficult to clean it up.

However, we personally took a trip to the Thousand Islands, more specifically to Pulau Macan and found crystal-clear waters like in the Maldives! This is also where you get to spend the night in an overwater bungalow and wake up by the ocean! During the day, you get to explore other surrounding islands too so if you’re looking at an island-hopping experience that’s pretty close to the ones you get across Thailand; this is a good option – plus, you don’t have to travel that far from the city!

Read More: 8 Untouched day-trip beach destinations in Thousand Islands where you can escape from Jakarta, with 2D1N options!

About Pulau Macan (The Maldives near Jakarta): Our review of Pulau Macan: 4D3N in the Maldives of Indonesia with clear waters and overwater huts!

4. Why not sleep on a boat and traverse seas with manta rays?! – Komodo Islands

Beach please; if you’ve ever seen a picture of the Komodo Islands’ pink beach, I am guessing that it’s probably high at the top of your bucket list, and rightly so – the archipelago does it extremely well when it comes to crystal clear waters, dramatic sceneries and underwater world!

Now, one way to get the best of it all is by joining a liveaboard experience where you get to sleep on a boat, traverse beautiful waters, spot on dolphins, turtles and swim with manta rays while you wake up with amazing ocean views everyday! I personally joined Le Pirate Explorer and enjoyed every minute of it – two nights sleeping on the boat and the last night at a private island!

Coming to what’s there to see, one of the must-do while in the archipelago is of course to drop by the Komodo National Park or Rinca Island to take a walk with the enormous Komodo dragons. Besides, you’re also highly recommended to catch the sunrise on top of Padar Island where a postcard-perfect view awaits and sunset above water at Kalong Island with thousands of bats flying above you. It’s an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Read More: Guide to island-hopping around Komodo Islands and Flores: Best islands to visit, recommended tours, places to eat, stay and more!

Read More: 22 Best scenic things to do and attractions in Komodo Islands and West Flores

5. Did you know there are more than 3 Gilis? – Gili Islands (Lombok)

Been to Bali too many times? Think that Bali is overly commercialised? Time to start thinking about Bali’s sister, Lombok and its secret islets! And yes, there are more than just Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air!

Bali might have all the qualities you dream of when you picture the perfect tropical island – adventurous mountain hikes and waterfalls, white-sand beaches and spectacular views. But besides these, Lombok is made that bit more special with its extraordinary location featuring more untouched crystal clear waters for the best snorkelling sessions and amazing sunset spots!

Truth is, the Gili Islands are easily accessible both from Bali (2-hour boat ride) and from Lombok (30-minute boat ride). But besides the very well known islands, you can also find uninhabited ones like Gili Kapal, Gili Petelu, Gili Kondo, Gili Asahan and Gili Bidara with even clearer waters and much less of a crowd – they’re secret pristine islands as of now!

What’s more, you’ll find a bunch of beachfront stays at the popular Gili Islands too, some of which have amazing sunset views! But if you’re looking for somewhere super Instagrammable, with an on-site restaurant and fun vibes, I bet you belong to Le Pirate Gili Trawangan!

Read More: 5D4N Best of Lombok and Gili itinerary for beaches, fun adventure and spectacular views!

6. Discover these jungle-covered islands! – Raja Ampat

Have you heard of the last paradise on earth? Indeed, it looks like heaven! Nothing, nowhere can compare to the beauty of Raja Ampat – a collection of rocky jungle-covered islets that attracts intrepid travellers looking to escape from the well-known and explore much further! It’s also known to have the best diving in the whole world!

Because of the distance from the mainland, the sparsely populated Raja Ampat islands remain untouched and pricey to access. The territory is dominated by four main islands (Raja Ampat = Four Kings), namely Waigeo, Salawati, Misool and Batanta and a network of thousands of smaller islets.

And while there are a hundred reasons why you should just lay back and relax, there are other thousands for you to go and explore! You could begin your mornings with a swim with gigantic stingless jellyfish at Lake Lenmakana, hike up for one of the most spectacular views at Piaynemo or Telaga Bintang and why not bask in the clearest blues at the uninhabited Wayag Island.

Now what’s even more special here is that you get to connect with the locals at various villages and dance, sing with them or even sign up for some traditional craft class! If that isn’t heaven on earth, I don’t know what it is!

Read more about our adventure to Raja Ampat here!

7. For when you are done with Bali and Komodo Islands – Sumba Island

When it comes to surfing, Bali shines; but Sumba Island shines even brighter! Now we know that Flores, Belitung and Raja Ampat are the perfect illustrations to an exotic place but wait until you find out about how special Sumba truly is – the almost undiscovered paradise island is home to stunning surf breaks and wild rugged coastlines.

Of course, with its remote location you can’t expect finding a mini-Bali here, everything remains untouched and unexplored, an almost-exclusive island. Take note that it is not a cheap holiday destination for now (though there are very basic hostels available but those lack in terms of amenities), blame it on it’s accessibility, but the little pearl of an island is an absolute charm when it comes to natural attractions like stunning beaches, waterfalls or wait until you find out about Weekuri Lagoon (I’m seriously considering going there after looking at the pictures).

Besides, you could also get a little closer to local culture by exploring a traditional village – Kampung Ratenggaro. The Sumbanese culture remains one of the most unique across Indonesia (for instance;  horses and buffalo are sacrificed for funerals) and you’ll love getting to know more once there.

The fact of the matter is that if you have already seen Bali, Lombok and Flores too many times, there’s always a new one next door to explore – Sumba Island is just waiting for you with all of its beauty, which also includes the stunning Nihi Sumba, a beautiful accommodation option featuring luxurious villas with panoramic views of the ocean! Could Sumba even be your next romantic island getaway? I don’t know about you but it’ll be mine!

8. Where you get to fill your diving log with stunning sites! – Pulau Weh

I hate sugarcoating travel destinations so I’ll be completely honest with you – Bali is surely an absolute wonder but hey, truth is that the island doesn’t feature absolutely clear waters where you can snorkel and dive among lively corals, am I right? To add, it sometimes costs you an arm to go for a diving trip in Bali and your snorkeling session often ends up being chaotic due to the amount of people fighting to get the best underwater pictures.

I feel you! That’s exactly when you want to escape a little further than the well-known and explore Pulau Weh – a tropical Indonesian island that is completely off-the-beaten-path and which features over 20 incredible diving sites where you can spot on turtles, manta rays, whale sharks and more! You also don’t want to miss on exploring deeper waters and find Sophie Rickmers shipwreck – a unique diving spot!

There are two main beach towns on Pulau Weh – Gapang and Iboih (10 minutes drive from each other) but most of those coming to dive will stay at Iboih for cheaper rates.

I know you’ll be asking yourselves what’s there to do other than diving and snorkeling and no I am not going to say that this is all because there’s actually more to see on Pulau Weh. You could well be transported back in time and explore some WWII ruins, dip into hot springs and stand on top of Jaboi Volcano.

Note: Due to religious restrictions, you are not allowed to go around public areas in your bikini. Also, you are not allowed to take part in leisure activities until 2pm on Fridays (sacred day in Islam) while most shops and restaurants on the island close as early as 8pm everyday.

9. Explore a volcanic island in a lake – Samosir Island

While Medan is hyped for its glorious culinary scene, a real jet-setter should never miss on enjoying a lakeside vacation by Lake Toba (Indonesia version of Italy’s Lake Como!). With the newly built Silangit Airport, you can now fly directly from Kuala Lumpur to Lake Toba in less than 2 hours – saves time and money!

Not only is Lake Toba the largest volcanic lake in the world but it also has an added appeal – it is backed by majestic views of volcano calderas and offers various opportunities for fun activities like kayaking and swimming.

Right in the middle of Lake Toba, you will also find the volcanic Samosir Island with several affordable stays and restaurants that feature endless views of the crater lake.

And though we know that lakes are often overlooked in favour of coastal escapes, the stays at Samosir are made a tad bit special with spectacular views of Lake Toba that are sure to make you skip the beach on your next waterfront vacation (some even require a boat ride!).

If you decide to stay on Samosir Island, check out Tiara Bunga Resort & Villa – a stay where you get to choose a room with splendid lake views.

Besides, there’s also a bunch of natural attractions to explore and some fun activities to sign up for (read; banana boat on the lake!).

Read More: 12 Affordable Lake Toba hotels where you can enjoy scenic lake views

Read More: 24 Scenic attractions in and around Lake Toba where you can rediscover nature

10. The most untouched archipelago with volcanoes and pristine beaches! – Maluku Islands

We hear so much about the same handful of big Indonesian islands, the ones (or very specific one, ahem Bali) with large airports and infrastructure big enough to welcome cruise ships full of thousands of people. And yet, Indonesia is home to more than 17,500 other islands! The best thing yet is that you can even find over-water villas in Maluku Islands; one of them is Ora Beach Resort!

Now, if you want to get away from it all – I mean like really escape everything you could ever think of; you might well consider The Maluku Islands (or Spice Islands) which remain a remote and forgotten part of Indonesia. The most popular island out of the group is Ambon – this is also most likely where you’ll begin your trip and stay while you explore other islands around.

They are hard to get to but once there, you won’t be disappointed as you get to bask in white sand beaches, intriguing cultures and meet the most hospitable locals who’ll bring you deep down in history with a walk in their traditional villages around Tidore Island!

There’s also the possibility of swimming with manta rays, turtles and reef sharks. For those keen to go a little deeper, diving possibilities are also endless (check out Halmahera), bringing you up close to seahorses and other marine species unique to Indonesian waters.

11. For an underwater paradise like no other – Wakatobi

Nowhere else can get you to slap on your snorkeling or diving gear like Wakatobi! The stunning marine diversity and lively reefs are nothing like what you find around more popular islands in Indonesia. And thankfully, you also get to escape the crowd!

In fact, if you need more convincing – the famous Jacques Cousteau who was a researcher studying marine life, named Wakatobi as the finest diving site in the world, titling it as an ‘underwater nirvana’! A good way to take it all in is by signing up for a liveaboard experience and cruise through the surrounding crystal-clear waters.

The archipelago comprises four islands, namely, Wangi Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko. Besides its stunning underwater world, you’ll also get to meet nomadic sea gypsies who hunt and preserve the ocean since a very young age! Besides, you’ll also find unique and bizzare foods to try out and colourful parades and festivals to take part in dances and performances.That’s one unique way to immerse in both culture and nature!

Read more about our Wakatobi experience here!

12. Spot on whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, sharks, turtles and more! – Derawan Islands

Dream of ticking off the far flung islands of the Philippines? We know; they are constantly dubbed as the best islands in the world but hang in there! You might want to check Derawan Islands in East Kalimantan (Sulawesi) to avoid the flock of tourists!

Now, chances are that it’ll be quite hard for you to choose your desired body of water as there is a total of 31 islands, with the most popular ones being Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban.

The palm-fringed tropical paradise features a wealth of world known dive sites. In fact, it is said to be the world’s third most important biodiversity hotspot, with only Raja Ampat and the Solomon Islands being home to more species!

For the non-divers, you could still enjoy other natural wonders like the unique UNESCO Heritage Site of Lake Kakaban where you get to swim among stingless jellyfish or plunge right in Haji Mangku Cave – a lagoon cave that’s hidden deep in the jungles!

13. These islands are the pride of Central Java! – Karimunjawa Islands

Islands in Central Java? Yes, you heard that right! And not one but 27 of them, with two of them being almost-identical twins – Karimun and Kemujan. The islands’ name means “a stone’s throw” in Javanese.

Perfect crystal clear waters and pristine white sand beaches await; but not only! You’ll also get to check out a shark conservation pond and stand on top of Bukit Jokotuwo, a viewpoint with majestic views.

What’s best is that the group of islands isn’t popular among tourists as of yet so you could sometimes be the only ones; how cool is that! The ultimate activity is of course island-hopping; signing up for a tour means you get to explore one island to the next and snorkel in beautiful waters until sunset time!

Now that you know of these mind-blowing islands that you’ve probably never heard of before, time to grab your travel buddies! Tag them below and let them know where you’re heading to next!

Advertise with us