Why Java Might Be the Best Island in Southeast Asia

When my mom asked where she should go in Southeast Asia after her work trip, I didn’t hesitate—Java. As someone who’s been to every country in the region (except one, I’m coming, Myanmar), I think Java is one of the most underrated islands in Southeast Asia. It’s not the place for luxury resorts or the best beaches. But if you’re after volcano hikes, wild adventures, and jaw-dropping scenery, Java is hard to beat.

There are over 40 volcanoes, more than a dozen national parks, and waterfalls all over the island, including about 1000 just at Tumpak Sewu. It’s surprisingly easy to get around, yet you won’t find the same crowds you see in Bali. Add to that deep cultural roots, ancient temples, and some of the friendliest locals you’ll meet, and it’s easy to see why Java is a place I keep recommending.

Getting to Java

Before diving in, I highly recommend checking out my post about traveling in Indonesia.

You can fly into Jakarta, Yogyakarta, or Surabaya, depending on your route. If you’re coming from Bali, you can take a bus and ferry combo that’s cheap and scenic by booking it through 12GoAsia. If you’re more adventurous and coming from Sumatra or Borneo overland, you can take ferries from both islands.

Getting Around in Java

Getting around Java is easy, though it varies by region. Java itself has one of the best train systems in Southeast Asia. You can also take buses (ranging from decent to awful) and flights between major cities. Ferries connect Java with Bali, Sumatra, and even Kalimantan (Borneo), though the last one is quite long.

Java’s train network is fantastic – affordable, punctual, and scenic. You can book trains easily on apps like 12Go Asia. Long-distance buses connect cities and smaller towns but vary in quality. For short distances, use Grab or Gojek (Indonesian Uber). These tend to be very affordable, cheapest, and fastest if you opt to take the motorbike option. I highly recommend setting up cards on these apps, to avoid having to fumble with money and change at the end of your ride.

The high-speed train from Jakarta to Bandung is a newer option that cuts travel time significantly, though it’s pricier than the regular trains. If you want to take this train, you need to download a specific app (Whoosh) and purchase your tickets in advance through it.

A First-Timer’s Route

The Route

This route follows the 7 main stops that I recommend for someone’s first trip to Java. The route is in chronological order, going from West to East, though it can just as easily be done the other way around. Some of these are more popular than others; many people even skip West Java completely. East Java (the last 3 stops) focuses on the amazing nature of Java, whilst the West is more about culture. The Yogyakarta region in the middle has a mix of both! I have included a list of other places in Java that you can add to your route depending on your interests!

West and Central Java

Jakarta (1-2 nights)

To be perfectly honest, Jakarta is not a must-see. It’s probably my least favourite capital city in South East Asia. I didn’t stay long, just two nights in the city. It’s crowded and chaotic, and unless you’re into urban exploration or local food scenes, you won’t miss much by skipping it. That said, it does have everything you might need from a major city, including a major airport to get in and out of Indonesia, and it will likely be on your route.

If you do find yourself here for a day or two, check out the National Monument (Monas), National Mosque (Istiqlal Mosque), Kota Tua (port area), and the old town area for a glimpse of Dutch colonial architecture. The Jakarta History Museum (50k ~ $3) is here as well. Visit Café Batavia for a coffee in a beautifully restored historic building or Regusa es Italia for the famous Spaghetti Ice Cream(40k IDR ~ $2.45). If you’re into street food, Jalan Sabang is buzzing at night. Otherwise, move on quickly.

If you have a second day or half day, hop on the metro to the nearby town of Bogor. It’s much quieter, famous for the Botanical Gardens (entrance 26k IDR ~ $1.60) and the Presidential Palace. Though again, it really isn’t too special and not worth visiting Jakarta for.

Half day to Bandung: slow train ($10)

Bandung (2 nights)

Bandung felt like a breath of fresh air after Jakarta. Again, not an essential stop on a trip to Java, but it is a great step in the right direction. It’s surrounded by mountains and volcanic craters, and it’s a popular weekend escape for locals from the capital. That being said, it’s still quite a busy city, as everywhere is in West Java.

In town, Dago and Lembang are nice areas to walk around, with a cooler climate, hillside cafes, and scenic views. I also explored Taman Hutan Raya Djuanda Nature Park (57k IDR ~ $3.50). It’s got some war history and a cool waterfall at the end of the trail. At night, Bandung hosts the traditional shadow puppet shows, called Wayang. While the city itself isn’t wildly exciting, it’s the nearby nature that makes Bandung worth the stop.

Kawah Putih

The biggest draw for me was Kawah Putih, a surreal milky turquoise crater lake that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. It’s a bit of a drive out of town, but well worth it. If you can, go early in the morning to avoid crowds and catch the mist rolling over the crater.

There is an entrance fee for the volcano (~$7 for foreigners), as it is mandatory to ride a golf cart up to the volcano. Once at the top, the view at the base of the volcano is free, but they make you pay again to visit the main viewpoint at the very top, which I found a bit ridiculous.

You can visit the volcano either with a tour or by renting a motorbike and doing it yourself. Either way, this is usually combined with a walk through the tea plantations nearby and a stop at one of several volcanic spas (80k IDR ~ $5) in the area. Make sure to pack a bathing suit.

8h day shuttle to Pangandaran ($13), public transport is much longer

Pangandaran (2 nights)

I wasn’t expecting much from Pangandaran, but I ended up loving it. It’s a quiet beach town on the south coast, known for its surf and its laid-back vibe. It’s one of those places you can pass through and spend a full day, but you can also easily spend a week just relaxing at the beach. It feels a lot more local than Bali or even Lombok.

Besides surfing, there is one main tour built for foreigners (the ones for locals are different, and definitely not as good). It cost 450k IDR ~ $27.50, which seems like a lot for Indonesia, but it’s the only option considering you need a guide (and boat!) for both of the main attractions anyway. The tour goes to a rice and palm tree farm, a Wayang doll maker, and then the Green River. Here, we followed a small trail to some cliff jumping and swimming holes, then floated down the river. The end has a shallow pool where the Indonesian tour groups go, as the majority of the population doesn’t know how to swim.

The best stop was saved for last: the Green Canyon. I would say visiting Pangandaran is worth it for this alone. We took a boat through this stunning river gorge, which looked like it was out of a movie. At the end, we climbed up on some rocks and walked further through the ravine.

Half Day to Yogyakarta: 1h Gojek ($11 for the car) + 3h train to Yogyakarta ($11/person)

Yogyakarta (4 nights)

Yogyakarta is one of my favourite cities in Indonesia. It’s got the right mix of culture, history, and energy—busy without being overwhelming, and full of things to do. If you take one recommendation from this blog, it’s to stay at Laura’s Backpackers. Make sure to book in advance!

The two major must-sees here are Borobudur and Prambanan, Indonesia’s most famous temple complexes, both of which are UNESCO Sites. Here’s a tip: you can buy a joint 3-day pass for both temples (for foreigners, with the student discount, it costs 450k IDR ~ $27.50), which saves you money and gives you enough time to visit them at a more relaxed pace. You can buy these tickets at the gate; however, if you want to climb the temple, tickets for that are about 2x the price and need to be booked weeks in advance. I recommend visiting Borobudur for sunrise and Prambanan for sunset.

Many tours take you to Borobudur, but you can also just rent a motorbike and drive there yourself. The third option is to stay a night in the town of Borobudur. Go to one of the spots for sunrise, such as Puncak View Sunrise (they all cost $50k IDR ~ $3), and visit the chicken church (Bukit Rhema Gereja Merpati Putih), which is neither a chicken nor a church ($25k ~ $1.50). Bonus tip: If you need to extend your visa in Indonesia, you can do so at the temple grounds, which is much faster than at the Immigration offices, taking only about an hour. However, the service is only available on certain days of the week.

In the city itself, which again is a UNESCO site, I explored the Water Castle (Taman Sari), Sumur Gumuling (the underground mosque), the old Sultan’s Palace (Kraton), and spent hours walking down Malioboro Street, where you can shop for batik, try local street food, and soak in the atmosphere. If you’re into art or coffee culture, there are loads of cool little galleries and cafés to discover. I could easily spend a week here.

The hidden gem of Yogyakarta is a night hike to see Mount Merapi erupt. Take a grab over to this parking lot after dark, and follow the trail up to a viewpoint where you can see the lava flowing from afar.

Full Day to Bromo: train to Probolinggo ($13) + bus to Cemoro Lewang (60k IDR ~ $3.70)

East Java: Best for Last

This part of Java is the most popular among tourists, and for a good reason. There are many tours designed to hit all three of these spots in as little as 2 and a half days, and they tend to start from Malang, Surabaya, or even Bali.

But for those not tight on time, I will give you the itinerary at a more relaxed pace.

Bromo (2 nights)

This was the most epic stop of my Java trip. Mount Bromo is an active volcano that you can hike at sunrise, and yes, it’s absolutely worth the hype. This can be done independently, and I wrote a guide on how to do this. This has many pros, but the one downside is having to stay two nights in Cemoro Lawang. If you choose to do it with a tour, the tours start from Malang and take jeeps up through the sea of sand. They start at around midnight to make it up to Bromo for sunrise.

I stayed in Cemoro Lawang, a village right on the edge of the crater, which makes it super convenient for doing the early-morning hike to King Kong Hill. That’s where you get the iconic view of Bromo with the sun rising behind it, and the sea of clouds spilling through the valley. It was freezing cold but magical.

We waited until the thousands of tourists left to hike down into the crater itself and then up to the edge of Mount Bromo. Standing on the rim, hearing the volcano rumble and looking down into the steaming crater, was wild, and we had it all to ourselves.. I also decided to climb Mount Batok afterwards, which gave a different perspective, and again we were the only ones at the top.

Half Day to Malang: bus to Probolinggo (70k IDR ~ $4.30) + bus to Malang (50k IDR ~ $3)

Malang (2 nights)

Malang was a pleasant surprise. Relaxed and colourful, with a mix of colonial architecture and artsy neighborhoods. It’s known for its cooler climate and student population, but I came mostly to visit Tumpak Sewu.

The half day was enough to explore everything in town. We started by heading to the main square, then through a crazy animal market which was quite depressing. We saw the monument square and headed to the blue village, which seemed very quiet – no tourists, few locals. Right next to it was the more famous rainbow village (15k IDR ~ $1), the highlight of Malang. We wandered around through the small streets where many locals hungout, but also passed a handful of tourists. We headed back to the same place for dinner (Urban Market) before calling it a day.

As most things in Java, Tumpak Sewu can be visited with a tour, or independently if you are willing to drive there. This time, we weren’t willing to drive so we found a driver (400k IDR/pp ~ $24.50) which included entry fees. I wish they took us to Coban Sriti nearby.

This waterfall is insane. From the top, it looks like a giant horseshoe of water pouring into the jungle. But the real adventure starts when you hike down into the canyon. It’s slippery and muddy, and you will get soaked, but being at the base of Tumpak Sewu looking up is something I’ll never forget. Make sure to also head a bit down the river: Goa Tetes, a cave with cascading waterfalls and hidden pools.

Half Day to Banyuwangi: 8h bus ($17)

Ijen (1 night)

If you’re going to Java, Mount Ijen has to be on your list. It’s one of two places on earth where you can see blue fire, actual flames caused by burning sulfur gas.

You have to do the hike at night, starting around midnight, to reach the crater before sunrise. It’s a tough walk in the dark, but once you get to the bottom and see the electric-blue flames dancing in the dark, it feels like another planet. After that, climb back up to watch the sun rise over the acidic turquoise crater lake, which is equally stunning.

It’s also humbling to watch the sulfur miners at work, carrying massive chunks of sulfur out of the crater. They do this every day, often without proper equipment. It makes you appreciate the volcano in a whole different way.

Since the hike is overnight and you are done by early morning, you may not even need to book a place to stay, and can head off to Bali as soon as you’re finished hiking.

Other Places Worth Visiting in Java

• Baluran National Park – Often called the “African Savannah of Java,” this park is full of open plains, wild buffalo, and great views of Mount Baluran.
• Meru Betiri National Park – Remote and biodiverse, it’s known for jungle treks and turtle nesting beaches.
• Surabaya – Java’s second-biggest city. A little chaotic, but interesting for foodies and those flying in or out.
• Sangiran Early Man Site (UNESCO) – One of the richest archaeological sites in the world for early human fossils.
• Mount Merapi – Hike the volcano itself from Yogyakarta, but don’t get too close to the lava!
• Dieng Plateau – Best explore by motorbike. Colorful volcanic lakes, steaming vents, and ancient temples in a highland setting.
• Karimunjawa – A group of remote islands just off of Java perfect for beach time, snorkeling, and diving.
• Ujung Kulon National Park (UNESCO) – The last refuge of the Javan rhino, wild and hard to reach but worth the effort.

Java isn’t the easiest destination in Southeast Asia—but that’s part of its magic. It rewards you with unforgettable landscapes, genuine local experiences, and a feeling of adventure that’s harder to find in more tourist-heavy places. Whether you follow this exact route or carve your own, you’ll leave with stories you’ll want to tell for years.