Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago, offers a mind-boggling range of natural attractions including sun-kissed beaches, majestic volcanic lakes, vast rolling plains, and striking mountain ranges. Combine that with a refreshing cultural experience and you are in for a real treat.
Beaches, Temples, Culture, Adventure
Indonesia is blessed with hot tropical weather throughout the year. The monsoons begin in October and April when it is both hot and wet at the same time. The months between May and September witness a hot and dry spell which makes it the best time to travel.
There are few places as kinetic as the Indonesian capital, where layers of history mesh with the contemporary, and modern drinking and dining venues are elevating the city’s game—and the most elevated address in town is the new Park Hyatt Jakarta.
It’s hard to make a multi-hundred-room hotel feel like home. So, major props to The Apurva Kempinksi Bali, awash in great vibes, feel-good design, a mystifyingly cozy feel—and almost too many pools to count.
T+L’s monthly selection of trip-worthy places, experiences and events.
Ending 2019 on a high note, the final piece of the Desa Potato Head puzzle opens this month. Nestled among the village, the floating ring is lifted by reinforcements and houses 168 guest rooms and a sunset bar.
Twenty places to visit this year, including the majestic Hunza Valley, Bangkok for those with an appetite, and a new-look Kyoto.
In a palm-oil plantation in Sabah, an unlikely eco-tourism alliance paves the way for Borneo pygmy elephants.
These stylish watering holes at InterContinental resorts serve up drinks with a view.
Sail into Komodo territory, visit retired elephants in Phuket, or try horse whispering in Gurgaon—this assortment of new experiences across Asia provides animal-friendly answers to the call of the wild.
A new wellness experience by Amanwana teaches guests an old Indonesian style of meditation, guided by the purifying waters of Moyo Island.
The acclaimed hotel group is redefining luxury through authentic local experiences.
With a prolific population of creative, locally-minded cool kids, the place to be in Bali right now is surf town Canggu.
You know that phrase, “do it for the gram”? We’re pretty sure floating breakfasts were born from it, and, well, as long as we get the shot, we’ll welcome the trend from every angle.
The first beach lounge of its caliber on Bali’s sister island of Nusa Lembongan, Ohana’s brings an unprecedented air of cool to one of Indonesia’s most laidback ocean escapes.
Bintan is known as a resort paradise, with many visitors never straying far from their hotels’ manicured grounds. But the island’s diversity makes for a pastoral family trip.
Creatives work hard and play slow at this stylish boutique stay in Bali’s happening Canggu.
This all-inclusive family resort sits beachfront on Indonesia’s Bintan Island, just an hour from Singapore. White sands, long sweeping shores and an endless array of fitness activities make for a rejuvenating vacation the whole clan will fondly remember.
Hotel designer Bill Bensley has dreamed up some of Southeast Asia’s most glamorous resorts, but his favorite travel memories are those of childhood camping trips. That love of nature, along with Bensley’s obsession with old-world style, informed his vision for the first Balinese property from the Singapore-based Capella Hotel Group.
Low-budget, high-design, next-gen hotels have begun to sweep Asia, an on-trend fit for digital nomads, flashpackers and aesthetes alike.
Brunch’s favorite cocktail has made its way from the bar menu to the spa menu at the St. Regis Bali. Veronica Inveen checks in for a booze-infused treatment that redefines happy hour.
From a former royal guesthouse to a room with sweeping Mount Fuji views, these intimate, extravagant and picturesque resorts are just the spots to celebrate those once-in-a-lifetime moments.
With designer digs and creative spaces, a new crop of hotels is making it easier than ever to ditch the nine-to-five and embrace the digital nomad lifestyle.
With sweeping views of the Indian Ocean from atop a 40-meter cliff, this comfortable resort features 389 rooms and suites, plus 19 private villas.
Perched on the edge of the breathtaking Ayung River Gorge in Kedewatan Village, Amandari has done its best to grow organically within its surrounding community, honoring at every turn the Balinese culture embedded in its DNA.
The Fairmont Jakarta’s debut added considerable panache to the Indonesian capital. The slick hotel clearly caters to business travelers with its direct subterranean connection to the prominent Senayan Office Towers, which allows busy executives to bypass the city’s notorious traffic jams, and a full 3,500 square meters of function space.
Though there’s no shortage of over-the-top indulgent hotels in Bali these days, The Mulia stands out from the pack thanks to a series of thoughtful, inventive touches.
Given the quantity and caliber of hotels in Nusa Dua, resorts in the region face some stiff competition. Fortunately, the stylish Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort delivers in spades, with 415 rooms (including 39 suites and 17 villas) overlooking the Indian Ocean.
With its dramatic setting atop a limestone cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean, Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa offers an impressive refuge from which to take in the sights of Bali.
If you want to feel like a VIP, the COMO Shambhala with its sprawling lush grounds suspended over the Ayung River, is the perfect place to indulge.
Nestled between the cliff and the ocean at more than 150 meters above sea level, the 59-villa property offers views of the Indian Ocean and access to a 1.5 kilometer–long beach via an inclined elevator.
Entrances don’t get much more dramatic than this: from the driveway a footbridge suspended 25 meters above a velvet-green gorge connects to an elliptical lotus pond set on the rooftop of the resort and descends into the 180-degree-view lobby.
Perched atop a cliff at the southern tip of Jimbaran Bay, this Four Seasons is, expectedly, luxurious and dramatic.
Nestled along the shores of Seminyak, Bali’s upscale enclave, the beachfront W Bali – Seminyak eschews literalism when it comes to traditional Balinese design.
Beach retreats are aplenty in Bali, but what sets Ayana Resort & Spa apart from the crowd is its secluded clifftop location and majestic surrounds on Jimbaran Bay.
Ideal for families or couples looking for a getaway, InterContinental Bali Resort is surrounded by 14 hectares of lush tropical foliage interspersed with authentic Indonesian-style stone statues.
The rooftop pool of the Kempinski Jakarta, complete with surrounding botanical garden, may be one of the best reprieves from the city’s busy streets.
Nestled on the pristine beach in the stunning enclave of Nusa Dua, The St. Regis Bali Resort offers unparalleled access to a world of exquisite living.
