Indonesia

A ninth-century stepped stupa designed to be walked upward past a continuous band of relief carving. Access to the upper terraces is capped and managed for conservation, so check the arrangements before visiting. An hour by car from Yogyakarta.

Sharply pointed Hindu temples in a cluster, close enough to Borobudur to see both in a day. In the evening the Ramayana dance is staged in the open air. Some areas remain under earthquake repair.

Tanah Lot becomes a rock island at high tide; Uluwatu stands on a cliff edge and is known for sunset. Uluwatu stages the kecak dance as the light goes. Monkeys take glasses and hats — hold on to your things.

Islands where the world’s largest lizard lives wild, entered only with a ranger. Pink Beach and the viewpoint on Padar usually come with the same trip. You go in from Labuan Bajo, often sleeping aboard for a night or more.

A pre-dawn climb to a viewpoint above several volcanoes and a sea of cloud. The standard version is a jeep tour leaving in the middle of the night, and it is very cold at altitude. Access closes on days when activity rises.

Among the highest coral and fish diversity anywhere, which makes it a diving and snorkelling destination. It is remote and expensive, and correspondingly empty. Build slack into the schedule for the domestic connections.

What is listed is the cooperative irrigation system that has maintained the terraces for more than a thousand years. Jatiluwih and Tegallalang are the photographed terraces. Early morning brings both better light and fewer people.

Effectively the only place the Javan rhino survives, connected to the Krakatoa volcanic area. Actually seeing one is very unlikely; the forest and coast are the visit. Access is awkward enough that people go on a tour.

Tropical, yet high enough to hold permanent ice, so one park runs from coastline to glacier. Access and permits make it impractical for ordinary visitors. Worth knowing about for its ecological significance.

Where the Java Man fossils were found, with a museum on site. The ground itself is plain, so it means most if you care about human evolution. Close to Solo.

A colonial-era mine, railway and port preserved as one system. Reachable by road from Padang, and cool because it sits on high ground. It pairs well with the Minangkabau traditional houses nearby.

One of the few places to see wild orangutans, entered from Bukit Lawang with a guide. In the wet season the trails are slippery and there are leeches. It is a more demanding trek than people expect.

It divides into the southern beaches, Ubud’s rice fields and yoga, and the eastern volcanoes and diving. Accommodation and food are good and English is widely spoken. Southern traffic is heavy — allow more time than the distance suggests.

The base for Borobudur and Prambanan, with the palace and batik workshops in town. Prices are low and the city is manageable on foot and by ride-hailing. About an hour from Bali by air.

Not a sightseeing city, but it takes most international flights and connects well domestically. Traffic is severe, so mix rail with ride-hailing. The museums and the old Batavia district are the things to see.

Less developed and calmer than Bali, and the three Gili islands have no cars at all. Trekking Mount Rinjani is the island’s signature. Reachable from Bali by fast boat or short flight.

Labuan Bajo is the jumping-off point for Komodo National Park, and inland Flores has crater lakes of different colours. Multi-day boat trips are the main event. Sailings are restricted in the wet season.

The Toraja highlands are known for their houses and funeral ceremonies, and Bunaken in the north for diving. Distances are long, so allow time. Few tourists.

Less rain and clearer water, which is best for diving and volcano treks. July and August are peak, and Bali room rates rise. High ground gets genuinely cold before dawn.

Rather than raining all day it tends to fall hard in the afternoon, so a morning-first schedule still works. Prices drop and crowds thin, but boat cancellations happen. Rougher seas make island hops less reliable.

A Hindu new year whose date moves each year, on which the entire island stops. The airport closes, lights and movement are restricted, and you cannot leave your accommodation. The giant effigy parade the night before is worth seeing, so knowing the date helps.

Since the seasons barely change the temperature, altitude decides how it feels. Ubud and Bromo are cool at night, so bring a light layer. The sun is strong all year, so sun protection is not seasonal.

Short tourist stays are commonly handled by visa on arrival or an e-visa arranged beforehand, with a set way to extend. Remaining passport validity and an onward ticket may be checked, so have both ready. The rules change often — work from official guidance.

Places that look close on the map can be hours apart by sea. Domestic flights are cheap and frequent and save real time; fast boats cancel in rough weather. Do not book connecting flights tight on the same day.

Cities and the Bali tourist areas take cards, but small restaurants and remote islands do not. The notes carry a lot of zeros and are easy to misread, so count carefully. ATM withdrawal limits are low.

Hindu temples require a sarong at the waist and covered shoulders, and most lend them at the gate. Do not enter areas where a ceremony is under way, and do not step on the small offerings left on the ground. Notices may also restrict entry for menstruating women.

A consolidated 112 line operates, with separate numbers still used in some areas. Scooter accidents are common, so read what your travel insurance says about riding one. Riding without the correct licence usually voids the cover.

This is the Ring of Fire; eruptions and earthquakes are not rare. Check the day’s alert level before climbing and stay out of closed zones. Eruptions do close airports for days at a time.