Indonesia Tours and Travel

The following is our signature Java By Train tour, which takes in the island of Java by railway, before finishing with a ferry to Bali. This can be done in its entirety or combined with other tours within the country or region. For more information about our other packages, check out our bespoke tours to Indonesia, or get in touch.

Day 1 – Jakarta

• Arrive at your own leisure in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, which is well connected to major hubs across Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia.
• Self-transfer to our centrally located hotel in Jakarta. Known for its chaotic energy, sprawling traffic, and dense mix of cultures, it is a city that overwhelms and fascinates in equal measure.
• In the evening, we’ll have our pre-tour meeting at a local eatery to introduce the tour, meet your fellow travellers, and enjoy the first taste of Jakarta.
• Overnight at Whiz Hotel Cikini.

Day 2– Jakarta

Morning

• We begin the day with an orientation walk through Gambir and Monas, the National Monument. This obelisk is both a symbol of Sukarno-era pride and Indonesia’s postcolonial ambition. Surrounding government buildings display the layers of Jakarta’s political history. Monas was inaugurated in 1975 by President Suharto to commemorate the struggle for independence, standing as a symbol of national pride.
• Street breakfast stop: try gado-gado (a warm mix of vegetables in peanut sauce), nasi uduk (fragrant coconut rice), or lontong sayur (rice cakes in spicy curry broth).
• Explore Kota Tua, Jakarta’s Dutch colonial Old Town, where canals, cobbled streets, and crumbling art deco facades recall a time when this port city was the heart of the Dutch East Indies.

Afternoon

• Step into the shadowy cellars of the old VOC (Dutch East India Company) headquarters, once used as a prison for political dissidents. The damp air and low stone ceilings are a reminder of colonial brutality.
• Visit the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics or the Museum of Jakarta History, complete with a mock guillotine and displays detailing the city’s turbulent past.
• We’ll enjoy a taste of coffee and pastries at Café Batavia, a colonial-era café featuring slow-turning fans, faded woodwork, and a menu that has remained almost unchanged since the early 20th century.
• Drinks at Jalan Jaksa, once the backpacker heart of Jakarta, now a gritty mix of neon signs, local bars, and a hint of the old city vibe.
• Overnight at Whiz Hotel Cikini.

Day 3 – Jakarta – Bandung

Morning

• Board the Argo Parahyangan executive-class train from Gambir Station at 9:25am. The train winds through the volcanic highlands and terraced rice fields, offering some of Southeast Asia’s most scenic rail views. This route follows a line first established by the Dutch in the early 20th century to connect Java’s key cities.
• Onboard snack: keripik tempeh (crunchy fermented soybean chips), and hot Kopi Tubruk, the thick, sweetened black coffee served in traditional cups.

Afternoon

• Arrive at 12:15pm in Bandung, a former colonial hill station dubbed the “Paris of Java.” The cooler climate and Dutch-era architecture make it a unique contrast to Jakarta.
• Visit Saung Angklung Udjo, a cultural music school where children perform on traditional bamboo instruments. Learn the history of angklung, its connection to local rituals, and enjoy an interactive performance.
• Explore Jalan Dago, lined with Dutch-built tea houses, art deco buildings, and small galleries showcasing Bandung’s colonial heritage and modern artistic revival.
• Drinks at a jazz café on Braga Street, a narrow avenue that has been a hub of Bandung nightlife for over a century, with retro vibes, local musicians, and a mix of students and expats.
• Overnight at Mogens Guesthouse.

Day 4– Bandung – Yogyakarta

Morning

• Depart Bandung Station on the Lodaya Pagi Economy train at 6:30am. This early journey passes rice terraces, jungle outcrops, and volcanic ridgelines. The sunrise over Java’s mountains is breathtaking.
• Train lunch: mie goreng from the onboard kitchen or purchased at platform stops along the way. A simple yet quintessentially Javanese meal as the countryside slides by.

Afternoon

• Arrive at 1:10pm in Yogyakarta, Java’s cultural heart. The city has been a seat of Javanese royalty since the 18th century and remains a centre for art, batik, and traditional performances.
• Walk along Malioboro Street, a sensory riot of batik sellers, fried snacks, horse carts, street performers, and neon signs.
• Dinner at a colonial-era eatery near the train station. Try ayam goreng kalasan (crisp fried chicken with sambal), and gudeg (sweet jackfruit stew), alongside the ambient chatter of locals and travellers.
• Drinks at a rooftop bar overlooking the city. Lanterns glow across the skyline, students gather beneath trees by the Tugu monument, and the night hums with quiet energy.
• Overnight at Arys Hotel Yogyakarta.

Day 5– Yogyakarta

Morning

• Visit Kraton, Yogyakarta’s royal palace, which is still home to the Sultanate. Observe traditional ceremonies, palace architecture, and collections of heirlooms that have survived centuries of colonial rule.
• Explore Taman Sari, the Water Castle. Its maze of pools, tunnels, and abandoned courtyards once allowed the Sultan and concubines to bathe in privacy while moving unseen through the complex.
• Sample local snacks at Pasar Ngasem: sweet bakpia pathok and warm ginger dessert soup, wedang ronde, providing a taste of traditional Javanese sweet treats.

Afternoon

• Visit Prambanan, the 9th-century Hindu temple complex. Marvel at its towering spires, detailed stone reliefs of the Ramayana, and the sheer scale of a site that has survived centuries.
• Stop at a nearby warung for soto ayam and es cendol. Observe locals chatting, children playing, and temple-goers passing by as you taste this authentic, everyday Javanese meal.
• Drinks at a small craft beer bar in Prawirotaman. Listen to gamelan-infused background music, relax into the evening, and reflect on the day’s temple and palace explorations.
• Overnight at Arys Hotel Yogyakarta.

Day 6– Yogyakarta – Banyuwangi

Morning

• Visit Ullen Sentalu Museum in the Kaliurang highlands, one of Java’s most atmospheric cultural museums, dedicated to Javanese royal life.
• Wander through the local bird market and batik workshops, witnessing artisans at work and sampling the cacophony of sounds and colours.
• Lunch at a roadside warung with sate klathak, mutton skewers grilled over iron rods, paired with simple rice and sambal.

Afternoon

• Free time to explore Yogyakarta’s backstreets, capture street photography, or enjoy a massage at a Dutch-era spa.
• Board Wijayakusuma 158 at 6:30pm for the overnight train to Banyuwangi. Executive air-conditioned carriages with reclining seats take you east across sugarcane fields, small towns, and sleepy villages.
• Overnight on the train.

Day 7 – Banyuwangi

Morning

• Arrive at Banyuwangi at 5:20am and transfer to the guesthouse near Mount Ijen.
• Breakfast of nasi tempong: spicy rice with sambal, fried chicken, and fresh vegetables.
• Visit local markets, watch villagers selling produce, and observe the preparation of daily essentials.

Afternoon

• Explore the Osing villages to learn about the culture, daily life, and traditions of Banyuwangi’s indigenous people.
• Dinner at a seafood warung on the beach, with grilled squid, sambal prawns, and fresh young coconut.
• Drinks at the hotel bar, preparing for the midnight volcanic trek.
• Overnight at Kampoeng Joglo Ijen.

Day 8 – Mount Ijen Blue Fire – Bali

Morning

• Depart from the guesthouse at 12:15am to the Mount Ijen base camp. The Ijen Crater trek takes approximately 3 hours, beginning gently and turning steep over switchbacks of volcanic rock and loose gravel. Paths can be slippery after rain. Headtorch and warm clothing are essential.
• By 1:00am, we reach the foot of Mount Ijen and begin the trek to witness the electric-blue sulphur flames, a phenomenon found only in two places in the world.
• As the first light of day creeps over the horizon, the crater comes alive. Below us, the turquoise lake glows softly in its steaming cradle. On the rim, silhouettes of sulphur miners appear, carrying heavy baskets through the smoke.
• Descend to panoramic views over the turquoise crater lake.
• Return to the guesthouse for breakfast, a hot shower and a morning nap.

Afternoon

• Transfer to the Ketapang ferry terminal, driving through coastal scenery where fishermen mend nets and coconut palms sway gently in the breeze.
• Board the ferry at 3:00pm for a 45-minute ride across the Bali Strait, a shimmering ribbon of sea that separates Java from Bali.
• Transfer to our hotel in central Kuta.
• Farewell dinner and drinks at a beachside bar overlooking the ocean, reflecting on the volcanic, cultural, and urban landscapes explored across Java.
• Overnight at Gora Beach Inn.

Day 9 – Bali

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• The tour concludes. YPT can assist with onward transport, or you can continue directly on to the East Timor tour, starting from Bali.