Bali is an amazing island in its own right. Even for a person living here, Bali has enough points of interest to keep things exciting, if one is willing to explore. The other major islands of Indonesia also have a wealth of places to explore. Here is a run down of places to check out.
•Sumatra:
•Mentawai Islands / Nias
Sparsely populated islands off of the west coast of Sumatra. Featuring simple village life, reef fringed islands with dense jungle and coconut tree forests. Popular with surfers and also great for jungle trekking (Siberut).
Getting there:
Fly to Padang from Bali with Mandala Airlines and take a local ferry. No need to book ferry tickets in advance.
Local trekking operators in Bukittinggi Sumatra will be able to connect you will jungle trekking tours. Live-aboard surf tours should be booked in Kuta Bali and will include all transport.
•Bukit Luwang / Lake Toba
Located in central northern Sumatra, the village is located in the center of the trekking area for Sumatra. Trekking can be arranged in the village. Bukit Lawang was partially destroyed by a flash flood a few years ago but is rebuilding and the area is as good as ever.
Getting there
Fly to Medan from Bali and take a local bus.
•Java:
Yogyakarta
The biggest cultural center in Java. The name Yogykarta means ‘prosperity without war’ and is the center of Java’s ‘realm of the dead’ as it is located in the center of many important ancient ruins. Great place to shop for batik and silver items. The food in Yogya is worthwhile too. The access point for the Buddhist temple Borobudor.
Getting there
Fly into Yogyakarta from Bali.
Mt.Bromo
A spectacular volcanic crater set in the highlands of East Java. Ideal for people who like to hike and enjoy cooler weather.
Getting there
Take a tourist bus from Bali to the Probolinggo area.
•Lombok:
•Gili Islands
A set of 3 white sand islands complete with clear water, some tourist development and no motor vehicles.
The Gili Islands offer a tranquil location where peace and privacy is guaranteed. The flight from Bali to Lombok is just 30 minutes and hotels and diving can be arranged in the Gili’s. This is an ideal place for rest and recuperation, a honeymoon or simple snorkeling / diving.
Getting there
Fly into Mataram from Bali, take a taxi to the port of Bangsal and a local boat to the islands. Or catch the fast boat from Sanur direct to the islands.
•Gunung Rinjani
The massive volcano on Lombok which requires a 3 day trek to get to the summit and back. Treks can easily be organized from one of the villages below. On the southern slope of Gunung Rinjani is the mountain village of Tetebatu, a popular location for backpackers in the cool mountain air. Getting back to Mataram from Tetebatu is easy using local bemo’s along the central road that crosses Lombok.
Getting there
Fly into Mataram from Bali, or take the Perama shuttle bus and ferry via Padangbai. Take local bus around the northern coast of Lombok to Senaru or Sembalun Lawang. As well as Mandala you might take a look at Lion Air and Merpati.
Domestic airline prices change wildly during holiday periods such as Christmas / New Years, July and the month of Ramadan. Generally its easy to book a domestic ticket for the next day at one of many local travel agents in the Kuta / Sanur area.
