
Everyone knows about Bali and it’s no secret that I actually LOVED my time on the island. That being said, it is often easy to overlook all the other amazing places in the country that definitely don’t get enough attention. In fact, I’ve always said that Indonesia is one of those underrated places that for anyone wanting to go off-the-beaten-path, this is the place to do it.
As you’re planning your trip to South East Asia, make sure you pay attention to the whole country of Indonesia and everything it has to offer. I’m going to share with you a few places that you might not’ve heard of and why you should consider adding them to your itinerary.
Read more about Indonesia
- Bali in 5 days itinerary
- The 5 must-sees in Bali
- Best things to do in Ubud Bali
- What to pack to Indonesia – packing list tips
How to get the best deals in travel
- Hottest deals – Bookmark the travel deals page.
- Car rentals – stop getting ripped off and learn about car rental coupon codes.
- Hotels – Use corporate codes or get Genius 2 tier with Booking.
- Flights – Have you ever heard of the “Everywhere” feature?
- Insurance – Make sure you’re covered and learn more about where to buy the best travel insurance.
Seeing Indonesia Beyond Bali
Bali is awesome but over the years has gotten over-crowded and over-hyped. We’ve seen the same photos over and over and it’s become very touristy.
When planning a trip to Indonesia, I’m not saying you shouldn’t do Bali but you should also take advantage of all of the other incredible places in the country that don’t get a lot of attention.
Labuanbajo

One of Indonesia’s lesser known islands is called Flores, named after “Flowers” by the Portuguese. Tucked on the west coast is Labuanbajo and is the perfect springboard for Komodo National Park where you can these rare prehistoric beasts and also charter local boats to cruise multi-day cruises around the park’s waters for epic diving, beaches, and hiking.
Labuanbajo itself has also developed into its own charming harbour where you’ll find great spots for food, and guesthouses etched into the hills.
As tourism has developed on the island, not only is this town perfect for Komodo, the rest of the island is accessible by a road that connects the west with the east. This makes it possible to explore untouched traditional villages, volcanoes, and spectacular vistas.
Yogyakarta

One of the highlights of my trip to Indonesia back in 2012 was my stop in Yogyakarta (pronounced ‘Jogja’). What made this city so special was how much this was the soul of Indonesia. I say that because it’s where you’ll find a high concentration of art, culture, and religion here.
The star of the show here is no doubt the archeological site and Buddhist temple in Borobudur where I highly recommend you do the sunrise entry ticket. The second large site that is worth visiting is Prambanan which is a jaw-dropping Hindu temple. Both of these sites give hints at the melding of Hindu and Buddhism art on the island of Java.
You’ll also find here that there is a large presence of batik, an ancient traditional technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to cloth. Yogyakarta is a great place to learn about the process and maybe even make a purchase as a souvenir.
Semarang

North of Yogyakarta is the bustling city of Semarang. It may not be known for its tourism but amidst its booming modern development, you’ll find pockets of Dutch colonial architecture, Chinatown and traditional villages which are very interesting to explore.
Currently, I’d say that Semarang is off the primary tourist path but it is definitely a place to consider because they have an airport that provide easy domestic and international connectors to cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali, and Singapore. This is important to note because land transportation in Indonesia isn’t always the best so a quick hop could save you a lot of headache.
If you’re looking for a cheap hotel deals in the city, you have plenty of budget friendly options. Whiz Hotel Semarang is a good choice if you want to be central and be walking distance from Paragon Mall and Lawang Sew.
Medan

Indonesia is a country of islands and Sumatra presents an interesting option for it’s a place that’s filled with adventure where wildlife and an unspoilt fierce landscape that is begging to be explored.
Medan is Indonesia’s third largest city and as such, has all the trappings of a modern city. There are plenty of malls, motorbikes, restaurants, and temples to be seen here but the true reason to adding this to your itinerary is to use it as a launching pad to say, Bukit Lawang, which is next to the dense Sumatran jungle where you’ll be able to see orangutans in their natural habitat. There’s also Lake Toba which is the largest volcanic lake in the world. This is its own little paradise where Samosir Island emerges in the middle of the lake and offers everything from fishing, hiking, sailing, motorbiking, or sailing.
It’s safe to say that you’ll end up falling in love with this part of Indonesia is you’re a fan of nature and adventure.
To say this is everywhere else in Indonesia that’s worth exploring would be a lie. There’s so much more to see and I haven’t even gotten to the island Sulawesi which is east of Borneo but hopefully this gives you a few ideas to start thinking outside of just Bali and to the rest of this amazing country.
What you should read next
Travel Resources For Your Next Trip
If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.
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Wifi Hotspot: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.
Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.
Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental (now eligible for One Key).
Tours and Activities: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.
Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.
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If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.
It’s Semarang not Samarang
Thanks for the heads up. I’ve corrected my typo!