Java, Bali and Gili Meno

Java, Bali and Gili Meno Overview

Three Islands, Java, Bali and Gili Meno Indonesia island-hopping adventure on this unforgettable itinerary. Explore Java’s volcanos, walk through rice terraces and banana plantations, pray at iconic temples and cruise to Bali. Experience Balinese culture, visit Ubud's art scene, before heading to Gili Meno for a few days.

See Java’s natural wonders Travel by jeep, and on foot to Mt Bromo and Mt Injen

Explore Bali’s spiritual side Visit several temples, including Pura Beji and Besakih, as well as the sacred monkey forest to learn about local beliefs.

Relax on Gili Meno. Spend three days on this tiny, tropical island, enjoying white sandy beaches or opting to snorkel in the tranquil waters

Day 1: Fly to Jogjakarta

Depart with your choice of carrier to Jogjakarta.

Day 2: Arrival Jogjakarta

On arrival, you will be met by an Eastravel representative and driver for a private transfer to your hotel. Depending on the time of arrival, there will be an opportunity to visit a home batik factory and attend a short demonstration of Wayang Kulit, the famous Javanese leather puppet show.

Proceed to your selected hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free to spend at leisure. Relax at the hotel or head out for a bit of independent exploration.

Overnight in Jogjakarta.

Jogjakarta Airport – Jogjakarta city centre (6 km): 20 minutes

Day 3: Local Market, Kraton, Taman Sari and Borobudur

Breakfast in the hotel. Leave with your private guide for a stroll along Jalan Malioboro to Beringharjo Traditional Market for an introduction to the exotic vegetables and spices unique to Indonesian cooking, as well as the seasonal tropical fruits.

Continue to visit the Sultan’s Palace, also known as Kraton. This building, built between 1756 –1790, is a fine example of traditional Javanese sultanate architecture. Take the local cyclo to Taman Sari Water Palace and Garden. This addition to the royal complex was built over 200 years ago by the first Sultan, with bathing pools for his harem.

In the afternoon, drive to the UNESCO Heritage site of Borobudur to explore this massive Buddhist temple. Continue with a visit to nearby Mendut Temple. Older than Borobudur, this pyramid-shaped temple houses three impressively carved stone statues; Sakyamuni, Awalokiteswara and Maitreya. The statues are thought to be some of the most impressive in Java. There will also be time for a stop at Pawon Temple, a simple yet beautiful monument known for its precise symmetry and a former storehouse for King Indra's weaponry.

Return to the hotel late this afternoon.

Overnight in Jogjakarta.

Yogyakarta City Centre – Borobudur (42 km): 1 hour 20 minutes

Day 4: Jogjakarta – Mojokerto – Bromo

arly morning departure transfer Jogjakarta Railway Station for a scenic train ride to Mojokerto in East Java. Travelling by train in Java is a wonderful opportunity to meet local people, and is also the best way to enjoy the volcanic landscapes of Central and East Java. Upon arrival in Mojokerto, meet with the local driver who will be waiting and travel by road to Ngadisari or Tosari.on the edge of Tengger Caldera. These spectacular villages are one gateway to Mount Bromo.

Check-in at the hotel and overnight.

Overnight in Ngadisari or Tosari in Bromo.

Distance and journey times:

Jogjakarta – Mojokerto (250 km): 4 hours by train

Mojokerto–, Bromo (102 km): 3 hours 30 minutes

Day 5: Tosari – Banyuwangi

Awake early in the morning for a sunrise tour of Mount Bromo. Travel by 4WD jeep to a viewing spot with stunning views of Bromo volcano and its surroundings. Watch the sunrise from behind the volcano in Penanjakan -a truly unforgettable experience. Afterwards, continue by jeep down to the volcano caldera, often still covered by mist in the early morning. A 20-minute ride on horseback heads to a set of stairs which lead to the rim of the still-active Bromo crater. Return by horse and jeep to the hotel in Tosari or Ngadisari for breakfast. Check out and continue by road to Banyuwangi via Probolinggo. Follow a scenic coastal road in East Java to the hotel for the evening.

Upon arrival, check in and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.

Overnight in Banyuwangi.

Distance and journey times:

Tosari – Banyuwangi (272 km): 9 hours

Day 6: Banyuwangi – Paltuding Ijen base camp

Awake early this morning for an excursion to Mount Ijen. Set off by 4WD jeep for a 90-minute drive, reach the Paltuding Base Camp (1850m). The trek to the top is 3 kilometres and follows a wide, packed-dirt pathway. At the top of Mount Ijen is a large crater lake surrounded by sulphur mines.

Upon reaching the top (2,385m) take time to enjoy views of the crater lake which is 200 metres deep and contains about 36 million cubic metres of steaming, acidic water. Witness the agility and strength of the famous miners as they collect and carry the sulphur blocks up to the crater rim. Return via the same route to base camp and continue by road to the former Dutch Plantation of Kali Klatak. Take a delicious traditional lunch on arrival complete with a sampling of local coffee before embarking on a tour to learn about the production and harvesting of produce such as cacao, coffee, pepper and rubber using techniques that have been handed down from generation to generation. Finish the tour with afternoon tea at a viewpoint that provides a fantastic vista across to Bali.

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

Overnight in Banyuwangi.

Distance and journey times:

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

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

Day 7: Ketapang Harbour – Gilimanuk Harbour – Lovina

Travel across the Bali Strait to the island of Bali by local ferry for a scenic journey to Gilimanuk, on Bali’s western shores. Upon reaching Bali, continue by road to Lovina – one of Bali’s renowned volcanic black sand beach destinations, on Bali’s peaceful and scenic north coast.

Overnight in Lovina.

Distance and journey times:

Ketapang Harbour – Gilimanuk Harbour (6 km): 45 minutes (by ferry)

Gilimanuk – Lovina (78 km): 2 hours

Day 8: Lovina – Beji Temple – Kintamani –Ubud

Meet your private guide. Start the morning with a visit to the Pura Beji, a temple famous for its beautiful stone carvings and for being the largest ‘rice temple’ in Bali. Travel along the winding mountain roads before stopping at the temple of Pura Puncak Penulisan for amazing 360-degree cloud-shrouded views across the valley – well worth the steep ascent by stairs. This temple also holds a vast collection of deified king and queen statues dating to the 10-14th centuries.

Continue to the crater village of Kintamani, which offers spectacular views over Lake Batur and its volcano. Mount Batur stands at 1,412 meters tall and, although it’s not the tallest volcano in Bali, it is the most active, having erupted more than twenty times during the last two centuries. It’s also surrounded by a spectacular caldera.

Here, enjoy a late lunch in a local restaurant.

Afterwards, continue the drive to Ubud, in the centre of Bali, and check into the hotel late in the afternoon. The rest of the evening is free to spend at leisure.

Overnight in Ubud.

Distance and journey times:

Lovina – Beji Temple – Kintamani (66 km): 2 hours 10 minutes

Kintamani –Ubud (36 km): 1 hour 10 minutes

Day 9: Tengalang rice terraces, Blanco Rennaisance Museum and Monkey Forest

Meet your private guide. Travel north to the lush rice terraces of Tegalalang. Here, take a soft two-hour trek through the rice fields and learn from the guide about subak systems of rice irrigation, which are a signature method of cultivation in Bali. Visit the Blanco Renaissance Museum. Antonio Blanco is arguably the most famous artist to have ever lived in Bali, and his former home has been converted into a museum with an extensive collection of works as well as his studio. The museum stands as a testament to his love for Bali.

Take lunch at a local restaurant with views along the Ubud River.

Then, learn about the Hindu spiritual significance of the Pura Dalem Agung at Sacred Monkey Forest. This temple is located at the highest point in the forest and is still used for ceremonies. The guide will also explain the architectural details of the Holy Bathing Temple and the Cremation Temple.

Afternoon at leisure to explore the many arts and crafts that are available in Ubud. In the evening enjoy a local performance of one of the many styles of Balinese dance in a local village -one of the most magical experiences to be had in Bali.

Overnight in Ubud.

Day 10: Ubud – Klungkung – Besakih Temple– Tirta Gangga – Taman Ujung- Candidasa

After breakfast, start the day with a morning tour of the traditional Ubud Market. Mingle with the locals as they go about their morning activities buying fruits, vegetables, spices and sweets. The market is also filled with the colourful flowers that the Balinese use in daily temple offerings.

Continue to the smallest regency of Bali, Klungkung, to visit the former Royal Court of Justice known as Kertagosa. The highlight here is an elaborately decorated ceiling featuring a wayang-style painting depicting the battle of good versus evil. Kertagosa Taman Gili is a unique building set on a fishpond giving it a ‘floating’ appearance.

Continue along small, scenic roads to Besakih, which is also known as the ‘Mother Temple’ of Bali. Located on the western slopes of Mount Agung, Bali’s tallest volcano (2,567 m), Besakih is the largest and most religiously important temple on the island.

Take lunch at Maha Giri Restaurant, with stunning terraced ricefield views against a backdrop of Mount Agung, Bali’s tallest volcano.

Pay a visit to Tirta Gangga. Meaning 'water of the Ganges,' this sacred water palace was built in the early twentieth century by the last king of Karangasem. It boasts many decorative ponds, fountains, lush plant life and natural bathing pools.

From here, drive to the nearby Taman Ujung Water Palace, one of the most impressive and unique buildings Bali has to offer. Continue along roads of terraced rice fields to the east coast of Bali to the hotel in Candidasa.

Overnight in Candidasa.

Distance and journey times:

Ubud – Kertagosa, Klungkung (21 km): 40 minutes

Klungkung – Besakih Temple (20 km): 40 minutes

Besakih Temple – Tirta Gangga – Taman Ujung (34 km): 1 hour

Tirta Gangga – Candidasa (14 km): 35 minutes

Day 11: Speedboat to Gili Meno Island

Transfer to Padang Bai for a speedboat to the Gili Islands. Upon arrival in the tropical paradise of Gili Meno, be welcomed by our representative and transferred by cidomo (horse-drawn cart) to the hotel. There are no cars on the Gili Islands and the transportation available is by either cidomo or bicycles -so the island retains a peaceful, quiet atmosphere.

Overnight in Gili Meno.

Padang Bai – Gili Meno by Fast boat: 1 hour 30 minutes

Day 12 and 13: Gili Islands

Relax and enjoy the sea or take an excursion. Options include snorkelling trips, touring of the other islands, scuba diving or glass-bottom boat excursions. In addition to being some of the clearest and bluest waters in Indonesia, the waters around the Gilis are also teeming with coral, a multitude of tropical fish, sea turtles and other marine life.

Overnight on Gili Meno Island.

Day 14: Departure from Gili Islands with option to extend in Lombok

Take a local boat in the afternoon to Lombok and, upon arrival, continue by car to Lombok Airport for your departure flight. Time permitting, you may wish to consider an excursion of the Sasak Villages and South Lombok.