More than Bali: Discover 3 Amazing Indonesian Islands and Their Best Hotels

Lombok sits right next to Bali with only the Lombok Strait, measuring a stretch of 60 km, separating them. It’s a shame that, despite its location, Lombok is not always found on the itinerary of tourists going to Bali.

Just like its more popular neighbor, Lombok is adorned with pristine white sand beaches and offers a lot of hiking trails. It’s also home to Gunung Rinjani, the second highest active volcano in all of Indonesia. The highlight of this mount is its crater lake seen below. Take a hike to the top and you’ll pass lush green rice fields and small streams of running water. The miniature waterfalls near the summit give the illusion of being in a dreamland.

The southern part of Lombok is where you’ll find colourful beaches not endanger of being encroached on by the Bali crowd. This part of the island is also home to some of the best surfing waters in Indonesia. That’s how diverse and beautiful Lombok is, but you don’t have to take my word for it. The images speak for themselves.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of islands is that they offer a very good selection of resorts. Lombok is no different in this regard. Our top picks for affordable luxury resorts in Lombok are…

These islands are a divers’ paradise. They fall within the Coral Triangle, believed to be the most diverse marine site in the world. The emphasis on marine biodiversity is the core of the island’s tourism industry.

Raja Ampat literally translates to Four Kings and refers to the archipelago of four large islands in the region. This archipelago, in fact, consists of more than one thousand small islands that encompass the four large ones. With fewer than 50,000 residents the islands are so sparsely populated that, with a little effort, you can find your own secret beach or lagoon. If you and/or your partner want to go anonymous, you now know where to go. And biodiversity extends to its non-marine wildlife. Fancy bird watching? You ought to do it here!

Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of Borneo, the third-largest island in the world. It is home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world. As a matter of fact, it is 70 million years older than the famous Amazon rainforest. The diversity of flora and fauna is unmatched. A visit to the island is a must in order to see species native to the island including the endangered Bornean Orangutan, the Bornean clouded Leopard, Asian Elephant.

The word Kalimantan roughly translates to boiling weather. This hot climate is where rich plant and animal life thrives. To top it all off there are the Longhouses where the indigenous tribe (called the Dayak) live. It is highly recommended to visit them to experience their hospitality and unparalleled way of life.