First Time in Indonesia: Mistakes to Avoid
Planning a first trip to Indonesia can create a strange feeling: the more you look at the map, the more islands you want to add.
Java, Bali, Lombok, Flores, Komodo, Sumba, the Gili Islands, Borneo, Sulawesi… The problem is not finding things to see. It is building an itinerary that actually makes sense.
Indonesia has more than 17,500 islands, and each one almost feels like a destination in its own right.
After traveling across several of them, here are the mistakes we would avoid on a first trip.
If you are building your Indonesia itinerary, also read Indonesia 1-Month Itinerary: Our Route to Experience the Country’s Full Diversity.
1. Trying to Visit Too Many Islands
This is probably the number one mistake.
On Google Maps, Bali and Lombok look like neighbors. Flores does not seem very far away. Sumbawa sits right between them. And suddenly, a two-week itinerary includes five islands.
In reality, every island change involves reaching a port or airport, waiting, making the crossing or flight, then arranging another transfer to your accommodation.
For a short trip, it is better to choose one or two main regions and properly explore them rather than collect destinations.
For more on this, read How Many Islands Can You Visit on a Short Trip to Indonesia?.
2. Completely Underestimating Distances
Indonesia is not a country where 200 kilometers automatically means three hours on the road.
Ferries, mountain roads, connections and sometimes limited schedules completely change the equation.
In our own itinerary, traveling from Sumbawa to Flores-Komodo took around 14 hours, including connections.
The mistake is therefore to build your route based only on distance.
What really matters is the actual door-to-door travel time.
3. Booking Two Connections With No Margin
Your ferry is scheduled to arrive at 2 PM and your bus leaves at 2:30 PM?
We would avoid it.
Transportation generally works well in tourist areas, but one delay can disrupt an entire day. In more remote regions, schedules can also be much less flexible.
Our rule is simple: always leave a margin between two connections and arrive around 30 to 45 minutes before a boat departure.
This becomes especially important when the next ferry only runs once or twice a day, which is common in Indonesia.
4. Assuming a Scooter Is Always the Best Option
A scooter gives you enormous freedom in Indonesia.
We used one frequently, especially to explore the countryside, beaches and areas around certain towns.
But renting a scooter simply because “everyone does it” is a bad idea.
Traffic drives on the left, congestion can be very heavy and road conditions vary enormously depending on the region.
Above all: ride within your abilities.
A quiet road in rural Lombok has very little in common with traffic in some parts of Bali or Java.
5. Traveling Without Cash
In major tourist areas, bank cards are widely accepted.
But as soon as you eat in a warung, use certain local transportation or travel into less touristy regions, cash becomes essential again.
We kept around 300,000 Rp on us at all times, ideally in smaller bills.
A 100,000 Rp note is not always easy for a small business to change.
ATMs are widely available in the more visited areas.
6. Treating Every Island as Though the Logistics Were the Same
Bali does not necessarily prepare you for Sumba.
In tourist areas, ride-hailing apps, accommodation and excursions are easy to arrange.
In Sumba or some parts of Sumbawa, the experience can become much more improvised. Limited infrastructure, fewer transportation options and long distances mean more planning is required.
That is also part of what makes these regions so interesting.
But on a first trip, you simply need to understand that going further usually means accepting more logistical complexity.
7. Booking Everything Without Considering the Weather
The dry season generally brings the easiest travel conditions and calmer seas.
During the wet season, showers may be brief but extremely heavy, and sea conditions can affect some routes or activities.
Regional differences are significant, however: Flores and Sumba, for example, can remain relatively dry while other regions receive more rain.
The mistake is therefore looking for one single answer to the question: “What is the best season for Indonesia?”
It depends entirely on which islands you choose.
8. Assuming Everyday Travel Is Expensive Because Some Activities Are
Indonesia remains very affordable for food and accommodation.
In our guide, a simple local meal generally costs around 25,000 to 40,000 Rp, or only a few euros.
What really pushes the budget up are major experiences and transportation between islands.
Our three-day, two-night Flores-Komodo cruise, for example, cost around €275, while some alternatives or private tours can cost considerably more.
So in many cases, it is the itinerary that determines the budget far more than the price of a nasi goreng.
To anticipate your expenses, read How Much Should You Budget for a Trip to Indonesia?.
9. Building the Trip Around a Checklist
Borobudur, Bromo, Bali, the Gili Islands, Komodo, whale sharks, Sumba…
All of these experiences can be extraordinary.
But trying to include all of them on a first trip quickly turns the journey into a succession of early mornings, ferries and transfers.
Indonesia works much better when you accept that some islands can wait until next time.
Even our one-month itinerary through Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores-Komodo and Sumba already involves around 4,600 kilometers of travel.
That number sums the situation up fairly well.
Finally, the official Wonderful Indonesia website is useful for exploring the different regions and destinations across the archipelago. The Ministry of Tourism presents Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Bali and the Nusa Tenggara islands as distinct travel regions.
Our view: the biggest mistake on a first trip to Indonesia is not choosing the wrong island. It is trying to see too much. A good Indonesia itinerary is not the one that checks off the most destinations. It is the one where the transfers make sense and every stop gets the time it actually deserves.
Planning your trip?
The TAMAP Indonesia Guide includes this itinerary with transportation, travel times, best areas to stay, prices we observed, activities and alternatives. Each day can be followed exactly as written or integrated into your own route. Then it is yours to turn into your own trip.