Java & Bali Beach Holiday

Welcome to Indonesia! Your personal assistant will meet you at the airport in Bali upon your arrival and escort you to a luxury hotel for check-in. After that, you could take a rest at the hotel to adjust to jet lag or go for a leisurely walk on the beaches to acclimate to Bali’s tropical weather and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

➤ SIM Card
You can purchase a SIM card with data packs at the airport, mobile network shops, or chain convenience stores. Telkomsel is the largest network operator in Indonesia, with relatively good network coverage and signal. The top choice is priced 150,000 Indonesian Rupiahs (approximately USD 10) with 25GB of data, valid for 30 days. XL Axiata is another good choice with more affordable prepaid plans.

➤ Health Tips
Do not drink tap water or brush your teeth with tap water in Indonesia, for which might cause diarrhea. Drink bottled water or bring a filtered water bottle with you. There are mosquitoes which may spread dengue virus in island areas, so use mosquito repellent to protect yourself.

➤ Recommended Activities for Early Arrivals
Relax yourself and enjoy the scenery on the serene Nusa Dua Beach. There are restaurants along the beach. Maybe enjoy your dinner at Ikan Restaurant & Bar (The Westin Resort Nusa Dua), where you can try traditional Indonesian food like beef Rendang, barbecue pork ribs, and satay. Rendang is one of the must-eat dishes in Indonesia, which is a kind of beef stew with spiced coconut milk and was ranked as No.1 on CNN’s World’s 50 Best Foods list. Choose an open-air seat and enjoy your food in the comfortable ambience. The average cost per person is about USD 10.

Accommodation: Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa (5 stars) or similar

After breakfast, let’s head to Melasti Beach. Backed by steep cliffs, it is one of the southernmost beaches in Bali. On the white beaches, you could enjoy the sunbath, swim in the crystal clear water, take beautiful pictures, or walk leisurely around to feel the sea breeze. Next, we’ll proceed to Padang-Padang Beach. Surrounded by lush trees, the beach is a hidden gem for surfers. The shade of rocks and trees gives a mild environment to the beach. Lie on the beach or experience surfing on the sea. After relaxing for several hours, you’ll be led to the famous Uluwatu Temple which is a Hindu temple situated on the edge of a cliff, offering an intoxicating view of the sea. With a history of over 1,000 years, the temple is one of the top 6 temples and the only clifftop temple in Bali. At dusk, you’ll enjoy the traditional Kecak Dance in the seating area. The performance features unaccompanied human vocal singing. Wearing splendid clothes, the performers dance with fire against the backdrop of the setting sun over the sea. After that, we will return to the hotel.

➤ Tip: There are some notorious groups of monkeys near Uluwatu Temple. Beware of them because they may snatch tourists’ things like sunglasses, bags and hats in exchange for food. Please take care of your belongings while visiting.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa (5 stars) or similar

Today will be free for you. With peaceful beaches and calm sea, Nusa Dua is one of the best areas for relaxing in Bali. You could enjoy the beautiful coastline and sunbathe on the beach. Drink some coconut water, meditate, or draw something in the sand. Take a free shuttle bus from the hotel to Bali Collection, where you can get all you want including fashionable clothes and shoes with international brands, souvenirs, jewelry, as well as delicious food. Have a taste of authentic Indonesian food like Nasi Campur (mixed rice) and Babi Guling (roast pig). If interested, maybe try the famed Balinese massage. Of course, you could just relax at the hotel to refresh for the following Indonesia Yogyakarta tour package.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa (5 stars) or similar

Today, your driver will pick you up at the hotel and escort you to Bali Airport for a 1.5-hour flight to Yogyakarta! Upon arrival, your local tour guide will meet you and lead you to visit the Royal Palace of Yogyakarta, a royal complex completed in 1756 and served as Sultan and his family’s residence. The elegant Javanese architectural complex faces the majestic Mount Merapi, and plays an important role in local rituals and culture. Take photos in front of the exquisite palaces and experience Javanese culture and traditions. Then continue to Taman Sari Palace, also known as the Water Castle, located in the southwest of the Royal Palace. It used to be a royal garden of the Sultan’s family, surrounded by complicated traditional Javanese houses. Appreciate the fine reliefs of flowers and birds on the gate, and the bathing pool which is the best-preserved in the palace.

The last stop but also today’s highlight is Borobudur Temple, which is the largest Buddhist monument in the world and the largest historical site in the Southern hemisphere. The main structure of Borobudur comprises base, body, and top. The 9 platforms are decorated with 2,600 lifelike reliefs that tell the stories of Buddha and depict people’s daily lives. Walk up the steps, see the solemn Buddha statues in the bell-shaped stupas and feel the wisdom and consummate craft of the ancient people. After the visit, you’ll be transferred to the hotel. As we’ll set off early tomorrow to admire the sunrise, you’re advised to go to bed early tonight.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Plataran Heritage Borobudur Hotel (5 stars) or similar

Have your drinking water and comfortable shoes ready, and today’s sunrise will undoubtedly be one of the most impressive views of this tour! Your local guide will pick you up early, around 4:30 am, with a pre-packed breakfast and take you to Punthuk Setumbu Hill to capture the stunning Borobudur sunrise and admire the magnificent temple highlighted by the sun. After that, we will drive northwards to visit the beautiful Dieng Plateau at central Java, which features volcanic landscapes, sulphur springs and lakes, and is named as “land above the clouds”. As you approach the Sikidang Crater, you could smell sulphur in the white fog. Wear a mask to go around the pool to feel the bubbling of the crater. Then we’ll drive to Arjuna Temple Complex, which was built between the 7th and 8th centuries, mainly consisting of 5 well-preserved Shiva temples. The weather-beaten buildings and the surrounding mountains and trees show a perfect blend of nature and history. After the sightseeing, you’ll be transferred to the hotel in Yogyakarta by a 3-hour ride.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Melia Purosani Yogyakarta (5 stars) or similar

Today, you’ll first visit Prambanan Temple, a gorgeous Hindu temple complex built entirely from volcanic rock and was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1991. It was composed of 240 temples dating from the 9th century, but due to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, it was almost destroyed and only 24 of the temples are rebuilt. Look up at the striking 47-meter-tall (154 ft.) structure, admire the rubble with ancient reliefs and touch the traces of history.

Next, you’ll get an unforgettable exploring experience into the Jomblang & Grubug Caves accompanied by a professional cave guide. Put on a helmet, rappel down to the cave mouth of Jomblang and explore the mysterious world with a headlamp or flashlight in the dark. Walk for about 300 meters (328 yards) along the underground path to Grubug Cave. With a height of over 100 meters (328 ft.), the cave attracts numerous adventurers with the heavenly beam of sunlight lighting up the cave.
➤ Tips: It’s very damp inside the caves and the path might be muddy and slippery, so please mind your step and follow your guide closely. Take a waterproof phone pouch to keep your mobile phone dry and a change of clothing in case your clothes get wet.

After the exploration, your guide will send you to Yogyakarta Airport for your flight to Surabaya. Upon arrival, your local guide will pick you up and transfer you to Bromo and check in at hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Bromo Terrace Hotel (4 stars) or similar

The Bromo tour will start in the early morning! Today we’ll have a jeep tour to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. First, drive to Penanjakan Mountain, the highest place where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Mount Bromo – one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world, and capture the beautiful sunrise view. Then continue to drive through a desert-like landscape and reach the foot of the Mount Bromo. The grand active volcano with a height of 2,329 meters (7,641 feet) is surrounded by Laut Pasir, which means “Sea of Sand”. We will ride horses for about 15 minutes traversing through the black volcanic sand to get to the mountain top. Stand by the grand crater, and feel the pulse and heartbeat of the earth. After the visit, you’ll be escorted on a 6-hour car ride to the hotel in Ijen. After checking in, you could take a shower and enjoy the rest of the day. To have a better view of the rare blue fire on Mount Ijen, you’ll need to get up very early the next morning, so you are advised to go to bed early and get ready for tomorrow.

➤ Tips: You are recommended to wear a dust mask to protect against volcanic ash. Not all parts of your trail around the crater is covered by safety railings, so keep distance with the cliff edges and be careful when you take photos. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Grand Harvest Resort & Villas Banyuwangi (4 stars) or similar

Today’s journey will start at around midnight because we are going to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience on Mount Ijen to take a glimpse of the phenomenal blue fire. Mount Ijen is said to be one of the only two places in the world to see this natural wonder. Your guide will meet you at the appointed time and then you’ll be accompanied by a local ranger to trek to the crater and see the tremendous blue flame, which is created by the combustion of sulfuric gases. The crater lake of Ijen is a 1-kilometer-wide acidic lake with turquoise water, around which are dead trees with different postures. After the tour, your guide will accompany you back to the hotel for breakfast.

➤ Tips: Please note that your trek today is physically demanding so sturdy shoes are necessary. A gas mask is imperative for you to protect your respiratory system from the irritating toxic gas. In addition, wear a windproof warm jacket since it could be very cold during your trekking on the mountain.

After a short break in the hotel, around 10:00am, your guide will escort you to the harbor, for a ferry to west Bali, which takes about 5 hours. After arrival, a local driver will pick you up and escort you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Menjangan Dynasty Resort, Bali (5 stars) or similar

You will spend a wonderful day in West Bali National Park. Menjangan Island, a pearl of the park, is the best place to discover the diversity of wildlife and experience snorkeling. The uninhabited island is attractive for its unpolluted sea water, pristine beaches and mangrove forests, and spectacular coral reefs. After breakfast, a snorkeling boatman will accompany you to enjoy snorkeling in the sea near Menjangan Island. Dive into a romantic world full of colors, explore the beautiful coral gardens with parrotfish, or encounter turtles, dwarf seahorses, reef sharks, garden eels, and clownfish. After snorkeling, you’ll be guided to visit a large Hindu temple on the island to catch a glimpse of Bali’s cultural traditions and architectural wonders. “Menjangan” is literally “Deer Island” in local language, indicating herds of wild deer that live on the island. You’ll have a chance to meet with a lot of lovely deer around the temple. They are usually tame and willing to let you stroke them, but it’s not a good idea to feed them. Overlook the sea from the temple, and take photos with the furry creatures. In the late afternoon, we’ll go back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Menjangan Dynasty Resort, Bali (5 stars) or similar

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up and drive you to the next destination, Ubud. Along the way, we’ll first stop at Brahmavihara-Arama Temple, which is located on the hillside of Banjar, North Bali. It’s a sacred retreat for meditation, surrounded by lush green. What makes the temple distinctive is that it’s the only Buddhist temple among the 20,000 temples in Bali, and others are all Hindu temples. You can see a lot of statues and beautiful gardens, as well as some unique structures, such as 2 dragon statues along the stairs and a miniature version of Borobudur Temple. Then, let’s continue to drive to Bedugul Highlands and pay a visit to Lake Beratan and Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. The temple, with a history of over 300 years, is situated on the edge of the lake and dedicated to Hindu Gods Brajma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the goddess of the lake, Dewi Danu. When the temple is enveloped in dense fog, embraced by flowers and verdant pine trees, it looks more like a serene and mysterious fairyland. Afterwards, we’ll proceed to admire the picturesque Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, the largest terraced field in Bali where you could enjoy the refreshing natural scenery. Wander around the rice fields, take a deep breath of the fresh air, or chat with the local farmers and get an insight into their lives. Upon arrival in Ubud, the guide will help you check in at the hotel and you could have a good rest.

➤ Jatiluwih Rice Terraces vs. Tegalalang Rice Terraces
Tegalalang Rice Terraces is one of the most visited sites in Bali, with complete facilities and popular photo spots like jungle swings. But at the same time, it might be overcrowded especially during the peak season. Jatiluwih offers a more tranquil and comfortable experience for you to either take photos without busy background or get close to nature. If you prefer to visit Tegalalang Rice Terraces, we are glad to make an adjustment for you.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Puri Sebali Resort, Ubud (4 stars) or similar

You could start this morning with a free yoga class in the hotel. Whether you are a beginner or not, it’s a great way to help feel the inner peace and awake your body in the relaxing surroundings. After breakfast, you’ll be sent to Ayung River with a sharing transfer organized by the local rafting company. Upon arrival, you’ll experience an adventurous and exciting rafting passing through falls, cliffs, and riffles. Ayung River is the longest river in Bali running about 68.5 km (43 mi), and the fun rafting experience takes about 2.5 hours. Fully indulge yourself into the adventure and feel the joy of a surge in adrenaline. Feast your eyes on the lush trees along the twisting watercourse, splash water over one another and enjoy the coolness. After the rafting, a fancy buffet lunch will be served for you.

➤ Tips:
1. Pack light and keep your valuables like phone and wallet in a waterproof bag with you. A waterproof camera is convenient to take photos.
2. It’s easy to get wet during the rafting, so please remember to take some extra clothes with you.
3. Apply sunscreen to protect your arms and shoulders from the hot sun.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Puri Sebali Resort, Ubud (4 stars) or similar

Today will be the last day of your vacation. After breakfast, you could swim in the hotel or visit the surroundings on your own. After checking out, your driver will send you to Bali International Airport, which takes about 1.5 hours on the way. Hope you have a smooth homeward journey!

➤ If you want to take in the sea view and spend more time on the beach before leaving Bali, please let us know to add a night for a seaside hotel for you. If you want to extend your holiday to other famous attractions like Nusa Penida Island or Komodo National Park, just contact us to tailor an itinerary for you.

Meals: Breakfast