Indonesia: Hammocks & Hikes — Self-Launched (Jakarta to Kuta)

Land at Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) and take the Damri bus or airport train (Rp 100k / ~£5) into the city. Check into a budget guesthouse around Jalan Jaksa or Menteng. In the evening, eat your way through a local warung — try nasi goreng, sate ayam and es teh — then head to a rooftop bar or the Kota Tua old town for a first taste of the capital. Grab a local SIM (Telkomsel, ~£7 for data) so you can book onward trains and buses yourself.

🚌Airport bus/train ~£5

🛏Budget guesthouse, Jakarta (~£12/night)

• →Airport transfer by Damri bus or train
• →Evening street-food crawl around Jalan Jaksa
• →Optional: Kota Tua old-town walk

Take an early train from Gambir or Pasar Senen station to Bandung — the Argo Parahyangan or a cheaper economy train takes 3–3.5 hours (Rp 100–250k / £5–13). Book on the Traveloka or tiket.com app the day before. The scenery climbs into the cool tea highlands. Afternoon arrival: check into a guesthouse near Jalan Braga or Dago, then wander the colonial streets and sample Bandung's famous coffee and batagor.

🚌Train Jakarta–Bandung ~£5–13

🛏Budget guesthouse, Bandung (~£12/night)

• →Scenic train ride through the Parahyangan highlands
• →Explore Jalan Braga colonial strip
• →Evening food walk (batagor, surabi)

This is the day the group tour fills with a tea factory, waterfall and hot springs — do the same independently. Hire a scooter (~£6/day) or split a private car/driver (~£35/day between 3–4 people) and head north to Lembang and Ciater. Tour a tea plantation and factory (small entry/rp tips), stop at a waterfall such as Curug Cimahi, then soak in the Ciater hot springs (entry ~Rp 50k / £2.50). Back in Bandung for dinner.

🚌Scooter rental or shared car ~£6–10 p/p

🛏Budget guesthouse, Bandung (~£12/night)

• →Ciater tea plantation & factory visit
• →Curug Cimahi waterfall
• →Ciater hot springs soak

Long travel day south to Yogya. Best option is the morning train from Bandung to Yogyakarta (roughly 7–8 hours, Rp 250–400k / £13–21) — book ahead as seats sell out. Alternatively fly (Citilink/Lion Air, ~£30–45) if you'd rather save time. Arrive into Yogyakarta's backpacker hub around Jalan Sosrowijayan or Prawirotaman, check in, and refuel with gudeg and a cold Bintang.

🚌Train Bandung–Yogyakarta ~£13–21 (or flight ~£30–45)

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Yogyakarta (~£10/night)

• →Train or budget flight to Yogyakarta
• →Evening walk in Sosrowijayan backpacker area

Book your Borobudur ticket in advance via the official Borobudur website — the sunrise/manohara access package costs ~£30–40, standard entry ~£15. Hire a driver for the day (~£25 split) or use a shared sunrise tour (~£15 p/p) to get there before dawn. Afterwards, detour to the Hindu temple complex of Prambanan (~£15 entry) on the way back. Cool off with an evening on Jalan Malioboro for markets and street food.

🚌Shared sunrise tour/driver ~£15–25

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Yogyakarta (~£10/night)

• →Borobudur UNESCO temple sunrise visit
• →Prambanan temple complex
• →Malioboro street market evening

Spend a flexible day in Yogya at your own pace: the Kraton (Sultan's Palace, ~£1), Taman Sari water castle (~£1), the Sonobudoyo museum and batik workshops in the Kotagede or Laweyan districts. Join a cheap cooking class (~£12) or rent a bike to explore rice paddies. This mirrors the tour's free time so you can build in what matters to you.

🚌Local becak/bike ~£3

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Yogyakarta (~£10/night)

• →Kraton & Taman Sari
• →Batik workshop or cooking class
• →Optional: cave tubing at Goa Pindul

Travel east toward Mt Bromo. Take the train from Yogyakarta to Probolinggo (roughly 8–9 hours, Rp 150–300k / £8–16) or an overnight bus from Yogyakarta's Giwangan terminal. Arrive in Probolinggo and stay a night in the town or head straight to Cemoro Lawang village on the crater rim — guesthouses there start around £8–12/night. Organise your Bromo jeep for the next morning with your guesthouse.

🚌Train/bus Yogyakarta–Probolinggo ~£8–16

🛏Guesthouse, Cemoro Lawang (~£8–12/night)

• →Scenic eastward train/bus journey across Java
• →Settle into Cemoro Lawang crater-rim village

Hike the Ancestor Trail across the Sea of Sand to the base of Mt Bromo, then climb the ~250 steps to the smouldering crater rim — an unforgettable, sulp hur-smoke experience. You'll pass the Hindu temple of Pura Luhur Poten. Entry to Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park costs ~£15 for foreigners. Return to Cemoro Lawang for a hot meal and an early night ahead of sunrise.

🚌Walking; national park entry ~£15

🛏Guesthouse, Cemoro Lawang (~£8–12/night)

• →Sea of Sand walk to Mt Bromo
• →Crater rim climb & viewpoint
• →Pura Luhur Poten temple

Rise at 3am and take a shared 4x4 jeep to the Penanjakan or King Kong Hill viewpoint (~£15–20 p/p shared) for one of Indonesia's most spectacular sunrises over the crater. After breakfast, travel onward: shuttle/jeep down to Probolinggo, then bus or train toward Banyuwangi, or take an easy flight from Surabaya to Denpasar (~£35–50). Alternatively, the scenic overland route is the Ketapang–Gilimanuk ferry (~£1) into west Bali.

🚌Shared jeep ~£15–20; flight ~£35–50 or ferry ~£1 + bus

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, Kuta Bali (~£15/night)

• →Pre-dawn jeep to Mt Bromo viewpoint
• →Sunrise over the Tengger caldera
• →Onward journey toward Bali (bus/flight/ferry)

Arrive in south Bali and settle into a Kuta or Legian guesthouse. Remember to pay the Bali Tourist Levy (150,000 IDR / ~£8) online via lovebali.baliprov.go.id before or on arrival. Spend the afternoon on Kuta Beach, watch the sunset with a coconut, and get your bearings around Poppies Lane for surf schools and cheap eats.

🚌Local transport ~£3

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse, Kuta Bali (~£15/night)

• →Kuta Beach sunset
• →Poppies Lane surf-school browsing
• →Pay Bali Tourist Levy online

Choose your adventure: take the fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Penida (~£15 return) for Kelingking Beach and Angel's Billabong, staying a night in a beach hut or camping-style dorm if you want the islands. Or stay on Bali's mainland and head to Uluwatu temple for sunset and the nightly Kecak fire dance (~£8). Snorkelling trips around Nusa Lembongan run ~£20–25 including gear.

🚌Fast boat Sanur–Nusa Penida ~£15 return

🛏Beach hut/camp dorm, Nusa Penida or Kuta (~£12–18/night)

• →Optional: Nusa Penida Kelingking Beach & snorkelling
• →Uluwatu Temple sunset & Kecak dance
• →Optional: Nusa Lembongan snorkel trip

Head inland to Ubud by shared shuttle or scooter (~£6–10). Wander the Ubud Monkey Forest (~£4), Tegallalang rice terraces and the Campuhan Ridge Walk. In the evening catch a traditional Legong dance performance at the palace (~£5) and fill up at a healthy café on Jalan Hanoman. This is a great base for a couple of relaxed nights.

🚌Shared shuttle to Ubud ~£6–10

🛏Budget guesthouse, Ubud (~£14/night)

• →Ubud Monkey Forest
• →Tegallalang rice terraces
• →Campuhan Ridge Walk
• →Legong dance performance

Optional pre-dawn Mt Batur sunrise trek (~£30–40 with guide, including breakfast cooked in volcanic steam). Or take it easy and visit Tirta Empul water temple (~£3), Tegenungan or Tibumana waterfalls, and the Ubud art market. Round off the day with a cooking class (~£20) or a Balinese massage (~£8) — a fitting finale before the last night out.

🚌Scooter/tour ~£10

🛏Budget guesthouse, Ubud (~£14/night)

• →Optional: Mt Batur sunrise trek
• →Tirta Empul water temple
• →Waterfalls & Ubud art market

Travel back to Kuta / the airport area by shuttle or Grab (~£8–12). If time allows, squeeze in a last Kuta Beach swim or a farewell nasi campur before heading to Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) for your flight home. Book airport drop-off the night before to avoid stress.

🚌Shuttle/Grab to Kuta & airport ~£8–12

🛏None (departure day)

• →Shuttle/Grab back to Kuta & airport
• →Farewell Balinese meal
• →Departure from Ngurah Rai (DPS)