Indonesia Heritage, Volcano & Beach

After enjoying the yummy breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transferred to the airport to take a one-hour flight to Semarang, which is the capital and the largest city of Central Java Province. Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly welcomed by your private local guide and driver and then be transferred to the hotel in Magelang, which takes around 2 hours on the way. After settling in, you’ll be free to enjoy the rest of the day. You could hang out on your own to soak up the charm of this historic city, or take a leisurely stroll around the nearby woods or coffee plantations.

► Health Tip: Please do not drink tap water during your tour in Indonesia. Even locals don’t drink tap water because it is not potable and is possible to cause severe diarrhea. Consider buying big bottles of purified water for teeth brushing and drinking. In addition, try not to taste drinks sold at small street stands, as they are most likely made from tap water.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: MesaStila Resort and Spa, Magelang (5 stars) - Plantation Villa or similar

The whole day will be devoted to Magelang. You’ll be guided to experience the charming atmosphere of this resort and enjoy the fascinating mountain scenery and the tropical gardens. First, visit the Colonial Railway Station of Java. During the Dutch colonial period in the 19th century, railway stations were built in this important military city, which was a milestone in Indonesia’s railway development. The old facilities and trains were well preserved, attracting train fans from all over the world. Appreciate the antique telegraph machines, ancient typewriters and calculators, and centuries-old train tickets. Get close to the rare jagged-shaped train wheels and the old-fashioned locomotives. Next, learn about the history and culture of Magelang through visiting the Joglo villa, a type of traditional architecture in Indonesia. The word “joglo” refers to the distinctive tall roof of the villa, which is highly related to the social status of its owner because only members of the aristocracy could afford the high quality and expensive building timbers. Afterwards, you’ll be transferred back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: MesaStila Resort and Spa, Magelang (5 stars) - Plantation Villa or similar

In the morning, you’ll be escorted to visit the picturesque Menoreh Hill by 1.5 hours’ drive. Located in the thick teak forests, it is close to the world-famous Borobudur Temple. Trek through dense trees and a coffee and tea plantation, and get insight into the Javanese culture and the planting history of coffee and tea. Breathe the fresh air and admire the native pretty birds. Enjoy the panoramic view of Borobudur and the Kedu Valley from the summit of the hill.

★ Cultural Immersion: Learn Traditional Gamelan Music at Candirejo Village

After the trekking, we’ll drive to the picturesque Candirejo Village, where you’ll enjoy a freshly cooked local lunch and spend a fancy afternoon. You can choose to tour around by traditional horse-drawn carriage or bicycle. Backed by Menoreh Hill, the village is dotted with verdant paddy fields and vegetable gardens, as well as rustic bungalows. Relax yourself and feel the fresh air and peaceful atmosphere. Later, you’ll have a chance to attend a class to learn the Gamelan music, which is a kind of Indonesian traditional orchestra featuring string instruments, metallophones, gongs, drums, and bamboo flutes. It’s one of the oldest, most distinctive and most influential musical forms in the world, and plays a significant role in important occasions like religious festivals, weddings, and funerals. After that, we’ll transfer to the hotel for check-in.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Plataran Heritage Borobudur Hotel (5 stars) - Deluxe Room or similar

Today we will set off early in the morning, and head to appreciate a wonderful sunrise over the Borobudur Temple. This stunning temple complex is one of the landmarks in Indonesia, and one of the four great Wonders of the Ancient East, along with the Great Wall in China, the Taj Mahal in India, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. As the largest and oldest Buddhist monument in the world, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. The history of this “Buddha Temple at the Peak” dates back at least to the 8th century, since there’s no written record of who built it and why. Borobudur Temple was constructed of grey volcanic stones, with 9 tiers and a height of about 40 meters (130 ft.). The 4 sides of the base are guarded by 32 lion statues. Walking up the steps, you’ll be surrounded by a series of lifelike reliefs on the walls of the cloister, which depict Buddhist stories and every aspect of ancient life. Then, you’ll be guided to visit the traditional Kris-maker. Kris, or Keris, is a kind of Javanese dagger, featuring a unique wavy blade and a handle with exquisite carvings. It’s more a spiritual and artistic symbol than just a weapon in Indonesia or even Southeast Asia. You may encounter reliefs of soldiers carrying weapons like Kris in Borobudur Temple as well.

Next, proceed to the Prambanan Temple, the largest and most magnificent Hindu temple of the country as well as a shining jewel in the history of architecture, sculpture and painting. It was built of the rocks from the active volcano Merapi in the 9th century. Prambanan Temple once consisted of 250 mausoleum temples, but most of them collapsed due to a volcanic eruption in 1006 and was partially rebuilt with the original stones in the 20th century. The existing 3 towering temples are respectively dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva - the 3 most important gods in Hinduism, of which the central one is 47 meters (154 ft.) tall. Under the temples are a heap of rubble of the ancient buildings, telling the past disasters and its forgotten history.

★ Watch a Ramayana Ballet Show

This evening, you’ll watch a Ramayana Ballet Show as you dine on an Indonesian dinner. The performance is based on Ramayana - the great epic poem of India, telling the story of how Prince Rama struggles to save his wife Shinta with the help of the monkey god Hanuman. Admire the exotic Javanese dance and traditional Gamelan music, and get ready to be captivated by the cultural charm. After that, you’ll be sent to the hotel and stay overnight in Yogyakarta.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Melia Purosani Yogyakarta (5 stars) - Deluxe Room or similar

★ Special Experience: Enjoy a Beautiful Train Ride from Yogyakarta to Mojokerto

After breakfast, we’ll take a train eastwards to Mojokerto town. During the 3.5-hour train ride, you could relax and enjoy the volcanic view of Java. Feast your eyes on the fascinating natural scenery, idyllic towns and ancient buildings from the carriage. Also don’t miss the precious chance to interact with the locals and share your feelings and stories with each other.

Upon arrival, you’ll be taken to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park to admire the grand Madakaripura Waterfall. With a drop of 200 meters (656 ft.), it is the highest waterfall in Java and the second highest in Indonesia. It is said to be the meditation and the final resting place of a great military commander in Javanese history. There are also two statues of him at the entrance of the site. You could get a close up view of this natural wonder by a short hike to the bottom of the waterfall. The water here never stops pouring down, which is believed to bring blessings to people passing by. Afterwards, we’ll continue to head to Bromo while enjoying the stunning view along the way.

► Tips: We suggest you wear waterproof clothes and non-slip water shoes or sandals, and take a raincoat or an umbrella if you mind getting wet. It is recommended to take dry clothes, so that you could change your clothes after playing in the water. Near the waterfall are scattered slippery rocks and stones, so please follow your guide and mind your step.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Plataran Bromo (5 stars) - Deluxe Room or similar

No one would say no to a spectacular sunrise view over Mount Bromo. We will set out early this morning and go deep into Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Take a jeep to the viewing deck on Penanjakan Mountain, and from this 2,770-meter-high (9,090 ft.) peak you could get an incomparable view of the volcanoes at the break of dawn. Enjoy the scene as Mount Bromo is lit up by the golden morning sun from the top to the craggy textures left by lava, like a picture of landscapes being slowly unfolded in front of your eyes. Constant volcanic activity has created the lunar-like terrain and surreal landscapes on and around Mount Bromo. Then, after crossing the desolate Sea of Sand, you’ll arrive at the top of Mount Bromo, which is at 2,329 meters (7,640 ft.) above sea level and is one of the most active volcanoes in Java. The volcano is still emitting thick smoke and acrid odor of sulfur. Hear the sound of the volcano purring, and feel the pulse and tremble of the earth. The closer you get to the crater, the more you could feel about the power of nature and humanity’s insignificance.

► Tips: Dress in layers as it can be very cold during the early morning on the mountains. Long sleeves and trousers are necessary. Take a dust mask to avoid breathing in sulfur gas or volcanic ash.

Afterwards, you’ll be escorted to return to the hotel for refreshing up and getting ready for the following 6-hour ride to your hotel in Banyuwangi, which is on the Ijen Plateau featuring volcanoes, forests and beaches. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Ijen Resort and Villas - The Hidden Paradise (4 stars) - Deluxe Room or similar

This morning, you’ll be accompanied to embark on a 1.5-hour hike into an astonishing volcano fairyland and appreciate the crater lake of Mount Ijen. Although less famous than Mount Bromo, Mount Ijen has its unique charm for the largest acidic crater lake in the world. The vast aqua blue water is surrounded by a lot of twisted dead trees, which will definitely leave you unforgettable memory. Mount Ijen is one of the only 2 places to witness the blue fire in the world. It is an entire natural wonder that happens when the sulfur gases that are emitted by the volcano come into contact with oxygen, and they will produce a rare blue flame like the hellfire. Along the way, you might encounter the local sulfur miners carrying baskets of light yellow sulfur on their shoulders. They do the hazardous work every day with few protective measures just for a living, while they earn only USD 5 to 10 per day. Upon on the top, a magnificent landscape will come into your eyes.

► Safety Tips: Due to the long trek, it’s better to wear steady walking shoes and warm clothes. A gas mask can help protect you from the toxic gases which can be irritating on the eyes and hurt your health. Mind your step while taking photos by the crater lake. Don’t lean on a dead tree because it can be very dangerous.

After that, we will continue to move forward to Banyuwangi’s port, where you will take a 1-hour ferry to Bali and then check into the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Plataran Menjangan Resort & Spa, Bali (5 stars) - One Bed Room Forest Villa or similar

You will enjoy a whole day inside the West Bali National Park. With the sea on three sides, West Bali National Park, occupying 10% of the total area of Bali Island, has volcanoes, tropical rainforests, lush mangroves, grasslands, coastal beaches and many other landforms. It houses the best preserved original natural environment in the local area, and is home to over 300 species of animals including 160 species of birds, many of which are endangered birds unique to Bali Island. Start early in the morning and bring the breakfast box. We’ll drive to the port for your boat transfer to the untouched coral beach of Brumbun at Prapat Agung Peninsula of the national park. Enjoy the cool air, go to the release area of Bali starling and search for the rare birds, silvered leaf monkeys and deer. Trek through low bush forests and mangrove forests guided by the park ranger who will explain about varieties of the flora and fauna. Our trip will end at Shorea Beach, where you will take a boat back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Plataran Menjangan Resort and Spa, Bali (5 stars) - One Bed Room Forest Villa or similar

Today will be a free day for you in Bali. You can choose to join in the activities organized by the resort, like trekking through the surrounding jungles with the guide or kayaking in the mangroves. Alternatively, you may also choose to relax on the 360-degreee ocean viewing deck, or experience a spa while overlooking the azure sea water. At dusk, please don't miss the beautiful seaside sunset.

► Recommendation for Dinner (at your own expense)
The Octagon Ocean Club can be reached by a 15-minute walk from your hotel. It is a coastal restaurant where you can enjoy seafood and Asian dishes. Taste some fresh fish and embrace the breathtaking ocean view on the beach. 
Average Cost per Person: USD 15
Address: Jl. Raya Seririt - Gilimanuk, West Bali National Park

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Plataran Menjangan Resort and Spa, Bali (5 stars) - One Bed Room Forest Villa or similar

Today will be the last day of your trip. You’ll first be accompanied to visit the coffee plantation at Munduk Village, and then enjoy the view of Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan, which are known as the twin lakes. Created in the crater of Bedugul volcano at an elevation of 1,217 meters (nearly 4,000 ft.), they were once a single body of water and later separated by a landslide. The peaceful atmosphere and fresh air make it a paradise for hikers and bird watchers. Next, we’ll take a canoe to pass the tranquil water area and visit Ulun Danu Bratan Temple. It’s not hard to find that the temple usually appears on postcards as a landmark of Bali. It is also pictured on the 50,000 Rupiah currency note. Built in the 17th century, this Hindu temple is situated by Lake Beratan and enshrines the water goddess Dewi Danau. Ulun Danu Bratan Temple is unusual because it is constructed entirely above the water as if suspended at the lake’s surface. Especially when it’s foggy, you may feel like being in a wonderland.

After that, you’ll be escorted to the airport to take your departure flight. Your Indonesia travel packages will draw an end here. Thank you for choosing us!

► It’s about 4.5 hours’ drive from the hotel to the airport via the twin lakes and Ulun Danu Bratan Temple, so please book a late departure flight in case today’s itinerary is too tight for you to fully enjoy. If you want to stay one more night in Bali to go sightseeing on the south coast and visit the Tanah Lot Temple or Uluwatu Temple, please let us know to add one night’s hotel for you. If you intend to further explore other islands or cities of Indonesia, we are glad to tailor the itinerary for you.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch