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The Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Indonesia

By Mike Kaplan · Last updated on March 16, 2025

Indonesia is a huge country, in both population and land area, with significant cultural and geological diversity. With 18,110 islands, 6,000 of them inhabited, it is the largest archipelago in the world. The population of around 240 million people is derived from 300 ethnic groups who speak over 250 different languages. While Bali is usually the destination most familiar to foreign visitors, there is a wealth of other top tourist attractions in Indonesia to discover in this vast and varied country.

10. Lake Toba[SEE MAP]

Lake TobaMax Grabert / Flickr

Lake Toba on the island of Sumatra is an immense volcanic lake about 100 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide. Formed by a gigantic volcanic eruption some 70,000 years ago, it is the largest resurgent caldera on Earth. Genetic estimates suggests that there were only a few thousand humans that survived the catastrophe. The island in the middle – Pulau Samosir – is the largest island within an island and contains two lakes. Besides visiting “a lake on an island within a lake on an island” tourist also come here to kick back and relax and swim in the volcanically warmed waters.

9. Tanjung Puting[SEE MAP]

Tanjung Puting

The Tanjung Puting National Park is located on the island of Borneo in the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan. The park is a popular ecotourism destination, with many local tour companies offering multi-day boat tours to view wildlife and visit the research centers. Wildlife include gibbons, macaques, clouded leopards, sun bears, pythons, crocodiles and – most famously – orangutans. Unfortunately the park is heavily threatened by illegal logging and forest clearing for agricultural uses.

SEE ALSO
10 Best Places to Visit in Lombok

8. Baliem Valley[SEE MAP]

Baliem Valley710928003 / Flickr

The Baliem Valley in the highlands of Western New Guinea offers a glimpse into what was recently a stone-age world. The valley was not known to the outside world until 1938 when an aerial reconnaissance flight southwards from Hollandia (now Jayapura) discovered a large agricultural population. Wamena is the starting point for most visitors who come nowadays to marvel at the mountain views, roaring rivers, tribal villages and at the tough but sweet spirit of the warm Dani people.

7. Mount Bromo[SEE MAP]

Mount Bromo

Gunung Bromo is an active volcano and part of the Tengger massif, in East Java. At 2,329 meters (7,641 feet) it is not the highest peak of the massif, but it is the most well known. The area is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Indonesia and Java. The top of the volcano has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white smoke. It is surrounded by the Sea of Sand of fine volcanic sand. The overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly.

6. Bunaken[SEE MAP]

BunakenTom Weilenmann / Flickr

Located at the north of the island of Sulawesi, Bunaken is one of Indonesia’s most famous dive and snorkeling areas. The island is part of the Bunaken Marine Park where you can see more than 70% of all fish species that live in the western Pacific ocean. The best time for diving in Bunaken is between the months of April and November.

5. Torajaland[SEE MAP]

Torajaland

Torajaland (Tana Toraja) is a highland region of South Sulawesi, home of the Toraja people. Torajans are famous for their massive peaked-roof houses known as tongkonan and spectacular but gruesome funeral rites. After a person’s death, the body is kept – often for several years – until the actual funeral ceremony which can last for several days. The deceased is then finally buried in a small cave or in a hollow tree.

SEE ALSO
12 Most Amazing Volcanoes in Indonesia

4. Gili Islands[SEE MAP]

Gili Islands

Lombok’s most popular tourist destination, the Gili Islands are an archipelago of three small islands: Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. The islands are very relaxed and laid-back, with countless little beachside cafes still playing reggae and no cars or motorbikes to disturb the peace. Note that the name “Gili Islands” is rather redundant as gili simply means “small island” in Sasak and there are many other islands around the coast of Lombok with Gili in their names.

3. Komodo National Park[SEE MAP]

Komodo National Park

The Komodo National Park is a national park located within the Lesser Sunda Islands that includes the three larger islands Komodo, Padar and Rincah, and 26 smaller ones. The park is named after the Komodo Dragon, the world’s largest living reptile that can reach 3 meters or more in length and weigh over 70kg. Although Komodo dragons eat mostly carcass of dead animals, they are formidable predators and will also hunt prey including birds, and mammals. Attacks against humans are very rare.

2. Borobudur[SEE MAP]

Borobudur

Located 40 km (25 miles) northwest of Yogyakarta on Java, the Borobudur is the one of the most famous Buddhist temple in the world. The Borobudur was built over a period of some 75 years in the 8th and 9th centuries by the kingdom of Sailendra, out of an estimated 2 million blocks of stone. It was abandoned in the 14th century for reasons that still remain a mystery and for centuries lay hidden in the jungle under layers of volcanic ash. Today it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Indonesia.

SEE ALSO
10 Most Beautiful Islands Near Bali

1. Ubud[SEE MAP]

#1 of Tourist Attractions In Indonesiamckaysavage / Flickr

Perched among stunning terraced rice fields, Ubud is considered the cultural heart of Bali and one of the top tourist attractions in Indonesia. There are dance and music performances every day throughout the city as well as numerous art galleries and craft shops to explore. Although Ubud has long been valued as a great place to learn about Balinese culture, tourism in Ubud boomed exponentially in the last decades. Fortunately, it only takes a short walk or bicycle ride to escape from the crowds and commercialism.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marc Packer says

    June 15, 2015 at 7:56 pm

    I agree with Azzam Rais. Raja Ampat is beautiful, also considered to be ‘the last paradise on earth’ – don’t know about that, but it was breathtaking for sure. We went diving in Raja Ampat (they called it R4) and went with live aboard started from Sorong. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We went diving before on other places like the Caribbean but Raja Ampat was something else.

    Reply
  2. Azzam Rais says

    December 10, 2014 at 6:30 am

    Where’s Raja Ampat? I think it should have included in the 11th list. It is the paradise of diving and snorkeling after Bunaken.

    Reply
  3. Bob Thea says

    October 22, 2014 at 1:02 am

    Yeah, Indonesia is a beautiful country, a lot of interesting places that we can visit. I’d love to go to Bali and Lombok Islands. I hope you can share information about the Lombok Islands, because a lot of people say there are some beautiful places in this island.

    Reply
  4. Yoshiewafa says

    October 8, 2014 at 9:23 pm

    I Like Jogja and Bali . . . So beautiful place.

    Reply
  5. Rudolph Andrew Furtado says

    July 14, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    Will be visiting Indonesian in August 2014 and hope to see a few of the attractions listed in this informative travel brochure.

    Reply
  6. nizam says

    July 12, 2014 at 2:17 am

    I like the highland attractions like Bromo and Dieng Plateu

    Reply
  7. Hunter says

    May 23, 2014 at 12:16 am

    Nusa Dua is also a great retreat in Indonesia, specially if you like being pampered and spoilt with every luxury! The Westin Resort Nusa Dua Bali is excellent in every sense of the word.

    Reply
  8. Edy Santpsa says

    May 6, 2014 at 11:11 am

    there is a great place in indonesia not listed yet
    Dieng Plateau Indonesia 😀

    Reply
  9. Hafa says

    February 7, 2014 at 1:37 am

    incredibly beautiful , I really can not wait to get out there. Raja Ampat is one of the best diving spots in the world not only diving and swimming , you can also do a lot of activities there

    Reply
  10. Firsta says

    January 31, 2014 at 4:21 am

    Great list. So many beautiful places in Indonesia since Indonesia has 17,000-ish islands. Anyways, The Baliem Valley looks very unique. Hopefully can visit that place someday.

    Reply
  11. Fadil says

    January 24, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    Visited all place on the list, and much more.
    You have to make a 50+ list of places to visit in Indonesia. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Invonesia says

    September 29, 2013 at 11:34 am

    Yeah, You must visit those places if you would come to Indonesia. But Indonesia not only those top 10 places, there are many more such as Mentawai, Raja Ampat, Wakatobi, Prambanan.

    Reply
  13. Cal Harris, Ph.D. says

    August 14, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    I haven’t visited Indonesia in 30 years. My last visit was a few days in Jakarta with a H.S. exchange student friend, a trip to Surabaya for three days, four days in Bali and then flew into Solo and took a bus to Jokjakarta. They were very friendly to Americans in 1981.

    I am a bit concerned about the general attitude towards Western tourists but would love to return to Bali and Jokjakarta.

    Reply
  14. Rudi says

    July 13, 2013 at 12:30 am

    me love Komodo National Park – very beautiful.

    Reply
  15. vina says

    July 7, 2013 at 11:03 pm

    Bromo is definitely a place worth going. I wouldn’t hesitate to go there again. The view is breathtaking.

    Reply
  16. Han says

    May 17, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    For me, Borobudur Temple is an amazing creation. The size is so big and high. You need extra energy to climb the temple to the top.

    Reply
  17. Reinhard says

    January 5, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    After several journeys through Indonesia I have seen most of the above mentioned attractions. However, the Gilis are my personal favourite. Especially the tiny island of Gili Air allows to relax in a certain way, that I could not find at any other place, not only in Indonesia.

    Reply

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