13-Nights Tailor Made Indonesia: Java, Bali & Komodo National Park - Luxury Tailor Made Travel from $21,070

Itinerary Details

Abercrombie & Kent: Tailor Made Indonesia: Java, Bali & Komodo National Park

Day 1 Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Arrive in Yogyakarta on the island of Java, where you are expedited through immigration and met by your guide. Begin your cultural discovery with a visit to a small coffee plantation, which is located in Kulon Progo village. Stroll through the plantation to learn about the cultivation and harvest process as well as the traditional way of roasting the aromatic beans. Next, visit a kidalang tijab, a local puppet master. Javanese puppetry is a dying art, as it requires great passion and dedication. Listen to the story of how this craft has been passed down through generations of his family. You can also try your hand at playing gamelan musical instruments. Continue to a local restaurant for lunch. Set in a Joglo-style house, the restaurant offers spectacular views of Borobudur Temple. Transfer to your hotel, where you check in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Begin your day early with a drive to the UNESCO-listed Prambanan Temple compound, the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia. Its collection of sharp, jagged temples features three main inner shrines dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Afterward, explore Sultan’s Palace, known locally as Kraton. This splendid example of traditional Javanese court architecture is home to a museum housing cultural artifacts from the nobility. Continue to Taman Sari, also known as the Water Castle, which was once an elaborate pleasure retreat for the sultan and his entourage. Leave the complex through the back exit and stroll through a small village known for its many leather puppet makers. Stop by for a closer look at how these traditional marionettes are hand-carved and decorated. Stop at a workshop to discover the unique craftmanship of an Indonesian dagger, also known as a keris. Speak with the master keris-maker, who is a descendant of a celebrated keris-maker of the Majapahit Empire in the 13th century. Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Rise early to watch the sun rise from Dagi Hill, and afterward explore Borobudur. Learn the history behind the construction of this terraced, three-dimensional mandala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Drive to the rural village of Candirejo, travelling by dokar (horse-drawn cart) as you cross small lanes lined with traditional houses. Observe daily life pausing to take photos and get to know the residents. Return to your hotel where the rest of the day is at your leisure.

This morning, fly to Bali. Upon arrival, stop for lunch at a celebrated local restaurant. This afternoon, visit Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple, one of the region’s most revered sites. Perched 250 feet above the water on a sheer cliff, it offers vistas of the beach below, one of the island’s best surf spots. Watch the huge waves roll in and crash against the cliffs, keeping an eye out for the playful monkeys that inhabit the area. Proceed to Benoa Harbor, where you board ‘Aqua Blu,’ your floating home for the next seven nights. Set a course to Moyo Island as the sun sets.

Arrive in Moyo, a remote hilly island with a handful of fishing villages. Discover wildlife en route to the spectacular waterfall at the center of the island and snorkel at shallow, breathtaking Angel Reef.

Devote the day to exploring Sumbawa Island’s Saleh Bay, where you may have the chance to encounter whale sharks up close. These gentle, friendly giants are the world’s largest fish, weighing up to 20 tons and growing more than 30 feet in length. In the afternoon, kayak in the crater of the extinct Sattonda volcano. This evening, you may have the opportunity to witness the dramatic flight of the fruit bats at Sattonda.

Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast with the Sangeang volcano as the backdrop. Arrive at Komodo Island to discover the largest population of Komodo Dragons up-close. In the afternoon relax, dive, and snorkel in the beautiful bay of Batu Moncho.

Begin the day with a morning kayak excursion to explore a shallow coral reef. Paddle through a current-swept passage to reach an idyllic beach on Gili Lawa. Here, you may encounter wildlife native to the region, such as the rusa deer. In the afternoon, arrive at picturesque Padar Island, where you hike to a hilltop for iconic views, followed by a sunset cocktail on the beach.

This morning, cruise through a spectacular sea passage, arriving at Rinca Island’s dramatic, arching Horseshoe Bay, the remnants of an ancient caldera. Set out by skiff to watch sea eagles and Komodo dragons in their natural habitats or opt to dive or swim. In the late afternoon, cruise to an iconic pink-sand beach. After time for some sunbathing, witness the flight of fruit bats, visit a local village, or simply continue to relax on the beach’s soft, pink sands.

Start the day with a drift snorkel or dive along a stunning reef, which is full of soft and hard coral attracting scores of marine life dancing in the current. Spend the afternoon swimming from the ship and enjoying the calm reefs around Sabulon before viewing your final Komodo sunset of the expedition.

Cruise to the fishing town of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores, where you disembark and transfer to the airport for your flight to Bali. Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel in Ubud.

Begin the day with a Balinese blessing at a temple compound in Sala village. Change into a traditional sarong before the ceremony, which consists of a short meditation session in the temple, followed by ritual immersion in a waterfall, a spring water fountain and a holy pool. At the end of the ritual, take a seat on the bale beside the lotus altar and soak up the peace and serenity while listening to the chanting of a female priest. After a Balinese vegetarian lunch in the temple's pavilion. Pass through the idyllic rice terraces of Tampak Siring and stop to visit Gunung Kawi, a temple of the 11th-century Udayana Dynasty. The temple complex comprises of 10 rock-cut candi (shrines) carved into the sheer cliff face. These monuments are believed to be dedicated to King Anak Wungsu and his favorite queens. Continue on to Tegalalang village, a picturesque place surrounded by rice fields and rainforests where many Balinese artists live. This evening, watch the Kecak dance at Tanah Gajah. The captivating performance involves a troupe of boys and men from the local community who chant the “cak-cak” sound in various rhythms and tones while performing a traditional dance. After the performance, enjoy a royal Balinese dinner.

Visit the home of a spiritual healer in the heart of Bali’s rice-paddy-filled villages. Join him for a morning walk through his peaceful village to learn about the agricultural lifestyle as well as the subak irrigation system, which was developed through generations of Indonesian rice farmers. Afterwards, visit a local family in their home. Learn how to cook a range of Balinese dishes, using fresh ingredients and spices you hand pick from the family’s garden, over a traditional wood fire. Bask in Balinese hospitality as you enjoy your delicious self-made meal in your host’s home. Continue to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, featuring groups of cheeky, indigenous macaques, three ancient Hindu temples and jungle-covered pathways lined with mysterious statues.

After breakfast, relax before transferring to the airport for your homebound flight.