Smoking Gunungs

This route involves a fair bit of hiking, some longer and more challenging journeys and a few eye-wateringly early starts, but by choosing the less-obvious path you’ll get to see this part of Indonesia from an extraordinary angle.

Wander through eerie landscapes, discovering more about the communities and industries that have grown and flourished in the shadows of volcanoes, before experiencing a quieter side to Bali’s volcanic coast, ideal for relaxing and reminiscing about Indonesia’s most rugged landscapes.

Timeless temples and lush plantations

Losari

This route starts as it means to go on, with an immediate detour into a less well-known part of Java. Losari is nothing short of breathtaking: lush forested hills surrounded by a ring of eight volcanic peaks that rise above the treeline. By spending your first couple of nights in this out-of-the-way region, you’ll gain a wider perspective on what makes the island tick. 

Along the way, take time to wander the ancient pathways of Mt Ungaran, stopping at the ruined temples of Gedong Songo and enjoying panoramic views towards Mt Merbabu from the summit, before heading back on the road towards the MesaStila resort. Right in the middle of Losari’s stunning landscape, the quirky luxury of MesaStila makes it a favourite with the Selective Asia team. Whether you’re staying overnight on this 200-year-old coffee estate, or visiting from another nearby resort, you can spend a day learning the secrets behind the legendary ‘cup of Java’, before tasting the finished product amid the phenomenal surroundings where it was created.

Mirroring the power of nature

Borobudur & Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is the perfect counterbalance to the untamed Losari, and beautiful in a completely different way. Begin with a night just outside of the town near the iconic Borobudur Temple (whose carved, pyramid-like form is reminiscent of a volcano itself, being made of grey volcanic stone) and be in a prime position before dawn to see the sunrise between its stupas.

A few days in Yogyakarta gives you time to sink into the history and rhythms of Indonesia’s revered seat of spirituality. Dive into traditional batik production, learning about the meanings behind the intricate patterns once worn only by royalty. Stop at the Sonobudoyo Museum to see over 1,200 keris (Javanese heirloom daggers) and other wonders, amble through the atmospheric Sultan’s Palace and adjacent Taman Sari Water Palace, and pause to people-watch at the Beringharjo market. Sample plenty of the city’s street-food, and wash it down with a soothing cup of kopi joss, its smoking shard of red-hot charcoal echoing those lava-formed volcanic landscapes. Round off your visit back in the countryside, cycling close to smouldering Gunung Merapi (one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes) and visiting Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia.

Sunrise over two peaks

Bromo & Mount Ijen

There’s always something magical about watching the land around you wake up as the sun rises, and watching it rise over a volcano takes that to a whole new level. Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen are both volcanic, but are wildly different. Seeing how the day begins from each in turn brings their contrasts into sharp focus. 

Travelling out of Yogyakarta by train gives you time to watch the elegant cityscape transition into the raw wilderness of Bromo-Tengger Semeru National Park. Take the scenic route to a viewpoint on Mount Penanjakan (at 3:30am!) to watch the sunrise over Mount Bromo, then walk across the otherworldly, grey volcanic ash known as the ‘sea of sand’, climb Bromo’s slopes and peer into its smoking crater. 

A day’s scenic drive east, Ijen holds wonders of a different kind. Starting 6,000 ft up at Paltuding base camp, follow a dirt pathway to the summit to see the sunrise over the extraordinarily vivid (and abrasively acidic) turquoise crater lake, and glimpse the region’s miners carrying rough yellow mineral rocks out of one of the world’s last sulphur mines.

Smoky sands and hidden idylls

Pemuteran

One of the best ways to round off an exhilarating and energetic holiday around Indonesia’s wonders is with a few days unwinding on a picture-perfect beach. Bali’s southern shores are always popular, and Komodo is a great option if you’re looking for something a bit more out-of-the-way, but for a trip focusing on volcanoes there’s one northern Bali beach that has to get top billing: Pemuteran. 

It takes a little more effort to get to this small fishing village (a ferry from Java, and a winding drive), but once you’re laying back on the bay’s smokey-black volcanic sands, trekking through its bordering rainforests, and hopping over to the the tiny island of Menjangan to snorkel and dive offshore, you’ll be glad you chose the route less travelled. It’ll make all the difference.