Classic Java and Bali

Arrive at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta. Upon arrival, meet your guide and driver and transfer to the hotel in the city (5 miles, 20 minutes). Hotel check-in time is usually 2:00 pm.

Settle into your room, and after lunch, proceed for sightseeing. The town of Yogyakarta- also spelled as Jogyakarta is a center of art and education and the cradle of traditional Javanese culture. Because of its proximity to the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan, it is the most popular tourist destination in Java.

Today, the guide will introduce you to one of Indonesia’s most famous crafts in a traditional batik factory. Here you will learn about the old methods and also witness skilled artisans. You can make your design, apply wax and dye, and your product can be delivered to your hotel after it's dry. 

After breakfast, proceed with your guide and driver to explore Yogyakarta and experience its diverse cultures!

The tour begins from Sultan’s Palace, also known as Kraton. It is at the center of the Mount Merapi and Parangtritis Beach lines hence the central aspect of the Javanese cosmology. Constructed between 1756 and 1790, this living museum sets an excellent example of traditional Javanese sultanate architecture and also showcases Javanese Culture and relics, and it's still the residence of the Sultan. Depending on your day of visiting, you may have a chance to witness a cultural show- Golek Menak Puppet‘s to Macapat – a traditional Javanese Poetry performance. 

Enjoy becak ride and explore the neighboring Kauman village built in the vicinity of the Kraton. Becak is similar to a cyclo or trishaw. This village is the principal keepers of the Islamic religion as authorized by the Sultanate. The village has small laneways designed to be passable only on foot. Hence travelers are requested to keep quiet or do not do anything that may disturb the students. We get off at the Taman Sari Water Palace, which was an addition to the royal complex. The first Sultan built it with bathing pools for his harem more than 200 years ago.

Attend a short demonstration of Wayang Kulit- a famous Javanese leather puppet show followed by lunch at a local restaurant. 

Afternoon tour takes you to Prambanan – a substantial 9th-century ancient Hindu temple-recognized as UNESCO Heritage Site in 1991 (14 miles, 45 minutes). The three main inner shrines are dedicated to the Hindu trinity god, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. As you walk around the temple, your guide will explain the fascinating history and symbolism of the temples. 

Enjoy our early dinner in a nearby Prambanan local restaurant. You will also be entertained by the legendary performance of the Ramayana ballet dance at an opened theatre with the illuminated temples of Prambanan as a background. 

Note: Ramayana ballet dance is a seasonal show at Prambanan - between May and October- and on certain days of the week. So when there’s no show at Prambanan, it will be replaced by the similar one performed at the Pura Wisata theatre in Yogyakarta. 

After dinner, get transferred back to your hotel in Yogyakarta.

Meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby and proceed for exploration of the famous Borobudur - a must-visit sight in Java (26 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes). Borobudur is believed to be the largest Buddhist Temple in the world. The UNESCO Heritage site exists with splendid carvings and an exceptional yet remarkably beautiful bulk structure. This temple involves thousands of volcanic and river stone blocks. Built entirely by human labor, it took more than 75 years to complete the construction! 

After lunch in a local restaurant near Borobudur, hop on a local horse carriage- called dokar and wander through the serene Candirejo Village (2 miles from Borobudur Temple). Travel through the small lanes with traditional houses lined up on either side and stop to see the making of cassava crackers, people enjoying gamelan, and harvesting of local crops. Next, visit the pyramid-shaped temple houses- Mendut and Pawon temples; these are even older than Borobudur and have three extraordinarily carved beautiful stone statues (3 miles, 15 minutes).

Late afternoon, return to your hotel in Yogyakarta.

An early start today! Meet your guide at the hotel lobby at 6 a.m. and transfer to Yogyakarta Railway station for a scenic train ride to Jombang in East Java (156 miles). Do not forget to pick up your breakfast box provided by your hotel. The train usually departs at 6:45 a.m. and arrives at Jombang Station at 10:33 a.m (Note that your driver leaves for Jombang the previous night). So, please bring your luggage down by 10 p.m. the previous night and make sure you have a clear luggage tag or identification on your bag). You will meet your driver with luggage when you arrive at Jombang Railway station in East Java. It can be quite chilly inside the compartment and so don't forget to bring a shawl or a jacket.

The train journey allows you to meet the local people and also enjoy the volcanic landscapes of Central and East Java.

Upon arrival at Jombang, meet your driver with your baggage. Visit the nearby Trowulan, which is the site of the former capital of the Majapahit Kingdom, who ruled the island of Java for centuries (12.5 miles, 40 minutes). Also, visit the archaeological museum and the temples of Candi Bajang Ratu and Candi Tikus.

After lunch in a local restaurant, proceed on a scenic journey to Mount Bromo (We pass by the coastal town of Pasuruan located on the northeast coast of Java.

Upon arrival, check into your hotel in Tosari (72 miles, 4 hours)or Ngadiari (82 miles, 4 hours 30 minutes) on the edge of Tengger Caldera.

Sunrise tour of Mount Bromo: Wake up early morning before dawn and travel by a 4WD jeep to the viewpoint. Enjoy the spectacular views of the Bromo volcano and equally beautiful surroundings. Watch the astounding sunrise from behind the volcano in Penanjakan. 

Continue to the volcano caldera; in the early morning, it is often still covered by mist. The mist, combined with the grey ashen-covered ground form to create an unusual atmosphere, often compared to the surface of the moon. Take a short horse ride to the foot of stairs leading to the rim of still-active Bromo crater. 

Please, bring warm clothes as it can be chilly in the morning. If your trip happens to be during, you are required to pay a $10 fee, and this cost does not include in the trip cost.

Return to your hotel by jeep. Have your breakfast and get refreshed before checking out. Then, embark on a long drive along the northern coast of Java towards its eastern end, and en-route enjoy your late lunch in a local restaurant. You will arrive at the hotel either late afternoon or early evening in Ketapang or Licin village near Ijen (180 miles, 8 or 9 hours).

You will have your dinner served at the hotel.

We will rise early in the morning to go for an excursion to Mount Ijen by a 4WD vehicle. We will have our breakfast in the hotel, but as an option, we can ask for a breakfast box to eat later on the way. 

We will reach the Paltuding base camp (23.75 miles), which is at the altitude of 1,850m or 6,068 ft and takes about one and a half hours. Now, we begin our hike on a broad and dusty trail to the top (1.88 miles) of the mountain. Once on the top (Altitude 2,385m or 7, 823 ft.), take your time to soak up with the surrounding. Enjoy the views of 200 m or 656 ft deep Crater Lake containing about 36 million cubic meters of steaming, acidic water. Here, you will see the miners collecting and carrying the sulfur blocks up to the crater rim. 

Important notes:

• Local authorities only allow watching the scenery from the rim of the crater – it is strictly forbidden to walk down to the lakeshore due to very toxic fumes escaping from the lake. Only the sulfur porters are allowed to this area.

• This trekking requires good physical condition as well as good walking shoes and some warm clothing because of the low morning temperatures.

• Mount Ijen is an active volcano; therefore, access is subject to volcanic activity at the time of the visit. An alternative program to Kaliklatak coffee and rubber plantation is there if the volcano is closed during your stay.

• There will be weekend surcharge USD 5 per person applied for a visit to Ijen.

We backtrack our way down to the base camp and continue by road to Banyuwangi for a late lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, check-in at the Ferry terminal in Ketapang before crossing the Bali straits to the island of Bali by local ferryboat for a beautiful journey to Gilimanuk on Bali’s western shores (3.75 miles, 45 minutes by ferry).

Upon reaching Bali, you will continue by road to Pemuteran (20 miles, 45 minutes).

Overnight at Pemuteran.

Distance and journey time:

Ketapang – Banyuwangi – Paltuding Ijen base camp (38km): 1 hour 15 minutes.

Licin – Platuding Ijen Base camp (22 km): 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Ketapang harbor East Java – Gilimanuk harbor Bali (6 km): 45 minutes (by ferry).

+ 1 hours’ time difference between Java and Bali.

Gilimanuk – Pemuteran (32 km): 45 minutes.

After a long and exhausting trip from Java Island, spend the day at relaxation. If you are interested, you can take optional snorkeling in Menjangan Island.

After breakfast, check out hotel as the travel continues to Munduk (34 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes).

About 27 miles from Pemuteran, we stop in Banjar to visit Brahma Vihara Arama- a rare Buddhist temple in Bali. Due to its location within Bali—a predominantly Hindu island in Indonesia—this temple has a lot of Hindu influences in the statues in architecture.

We will also visit a holy spring at Banjar on the north coast, which is the natural Sulfur hot springs with their greenish milky water. These hot springs are supposed to have medicinal qualities. There are two pools with soothing water, but different temperatures, and you can choose the one you prefer and take a dip. You will have good soak here and then descend to the beautiful Munduk area in Northern Bali.

Check in to the hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Munduk is surrounded by tropical rainforest with stunning waterfalls. It has a cool temperature from 20-25°C. So, you will see there are many fruits, vegetables, and spices grown in the area, and it's also an ideal place for light trekking. 

In the morning, begin your 2 hours’ trek. The trek is pleasant and will take you through many plantations growing coffee, cloves, vanilla, avocado, and more! You will also witness the process of growing and harvesting. Return to the hotel for freshening up and check out.

After lunch in a local restaurant in the town, we leave for Ubud. We will drive over a small mountain road overlooking two superb lakes: Buyan and Tamblingan and then continue to Lake Bratan. We will stop at Lake Bratan and visit the beautiful Ulun Danu Temple (12.75 miles, 40 minutes). Due to the temple's setting in the lake’s calm waters on a small bit of land, it gives an impression of floating. Visit the nearby traditional local market of Bedugul. You will find numerous fruits, vegetables, and orchids from the area’s gardens for selling. Also, you will find stalls selling exotic spices and souvenirs.

Return to the south via the UNESCO heritage listed rice fields of Jatiluwih (13.75 miles, 45 minutes)- enjoy some photography and a coffee break.

Now, proceed on a non-stop drive to Ubud (25.63 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes); check-in hotel upon arrival and balance of the day is at leisure. 

After breakfast, we set off to explore Ubud, known as the center of traditional crafts and dances! The surrounding with rain forests and terraced rice paddies are also among Bali's most beautiful landscapes. 

We will begin from Ubud Palace- a historic building complex and the former official residence of Ubud's king. Next, visit the Ubud Market- a place where locals come to buy and sell food, handicrafts, and textiles.

Now, proceed for the exploration of Sacred Monkey Forest- a sanctuary of Balinese long-tailed Monkey, in scientific called Macaca fascicularis. The forest covers about 27 acres of land and provides a home to more than 700 monkeys. Visitors are required to wear traditional sarong! 

The final stop of the day will be at the ARMA Museum (Agung Rai Museum of Art) that has rich collections of Balinese and Indonesian paintings and sculptures. A visit to ARMA provides an excellent overview of the island’s rich artistic traditions.

After lunch in a local restaurant, transfer back to the hotel and balance of the day, spend at leisure.

Today, we transfer to a beach resort in Sanur. Before we leave the town, we visit Pura Gunung Kawi – the 11th-century temple set amidst lush rice terraces in the village of Tampaksiring. This temple is accessible by a series of staircases only, but it's worth the effort. On the top is an array of beautiful ten shrines carved directly into the rock. The shrines feature the blend of Hindu and Buddhist architecture.

Next, we will proceed to a nearby water temple called Pura Tirta Empul. This temple is famous among the local devotees. We will learn the importance of water in Balinese Hindu culture and also know its usage as a holy medium at special ceremonies. Then soak in Tirta Empul’s fresh spring water, pouring from the several fountains that fill the pools.

Following lunch, take a scenic drive with occasional photo stops. We will especially stop in this traditional countryside village called Penglipuran- famous for its distinctive Balinese entrance gates and exceptional architectural traditions.

Check into the beach resort in Sanur (17 miles, 1 hour from Ubud). The balance of the day is at leisure.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your next destination.