Current as of: July 29, 2026 - 13:58

Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles

Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles Trip Notes

  • Ways to Travel: Guided Group
  • Destination: Indonesia
  • Programmes: Culture
  • Activity Level:

    2 out of 7 - Easy & Moderate

  • 8 Days: Land Only
  • Ages: 18+
  • Trip Code: LID

Trip Overview

Across Bali and Flores, Indonesia unfolds through sacred ritual, quiet encounters, and life shaped by land and sea

Experience Indonesia at its most soul-stirring, where sacred ceremony, the natural world, and daily life are deeply entwined. We begin in Bali, where ritual shapes temple courtyards, village kitchens, and volcanic highlands. Then, continue east to the wild natural beauty of Flores, where marine stewards, island villages, and a private speedboat journey to encounter Komodo’s extraordinary wildlife establish our coastal rhythm. This is Indonesia as few experience it: considered, elemental, and revealed through the expertise of your handpicked Signature Guide.

Venture to the very heart of each destination on our Signature Collection, where every journey is shaped by our unrivalled local connections and insider expertise. Step beyond the ordinary with private invitations, rare encounters, and experiences few will ever share. So when someone says, “I’ve been there,” you’ll simply smile, knowing you’ve experienced it differently.

Signature Day: Experience our distinctive Signature Day, choosing between carefully selected optional activities such as sunrise on a volcano, a spiritual immersion, village cycling, or Balinese offering workshop

Signature Stay: Experience Inara Alas Harum – set amid the lush jungle and rice terrace landscapes of Ubud, it offers a tranquil setting, stylish villa-style accommodation, and immersive connection to the natural beauty and culture of Bali

Signature Guide: Let your handpicked Signature Guide lead you to the country’s soul — sharing their home, heritage, and heart

Is This Trip for You?

We have graded this trip Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page.

Driving times: Transfers on this journey are relatively short, with the longest transfers taking place on Day 1 and Day 5 (two hours). We also have two internal flights (approximately 1hr 30min each).

Signature Day: Select from a curated menu of optional experiences to create a day that is personal to you, or choose to slow the pace and enjoy the facilities of your accommodation. Simply prebook your chosen experience at least 60 days before departure through your Signature Collection travel expert.

  • Mount Batur volcano: There is an easy walk (up to 1.25mi/2km) as we use a 4×4 for most of the journey. The activity requires an early start (4.30am), but taking part is optional. Good hiking shoes are recommended due to volcanic rock.

Komodo National Park visits: Weather and sea conditions occasionally affect access to Komodo National Park. If conditions are deemed unsafe by local authorities, your itinerary may be adjusted and alternative sightseeing or cultural experiences arranged to ensure you continue to enjoy the very best of your time in Indonesia.

Group

When it comes to unlocking a destination, your Signature Guide is the key holder. Hand-selected for their extensive experience and unrivalled local knowledge, they ensure your experience runs effortlessly thanks to their exceptional organisational skills. Our Signature Guides are named on our website, so you can begin your journey with complete confidence and anticipation of the wonders each day will bring.

Adult min age: 18

Min group size: 4

Max group size: 16

Itinerary

Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles

Land Only

  • Start City: Ubud
  • End City: Candidasa

Land Only Itinerary

Day 1
Settle into the rhythm of Ubud | Exclusive invitation for dinner at a royal Balinese home
Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles

Welcome to Ubud, where emerald rice terraces and jungle landscapes provide a serene introduction to Bali. Your complimentary arrival transfer brings you to Inara Alas Harum, our Signature Stay, a boutique retreat where modern Balinese design complements peace-inducing views of paddy fields and jungle.

As evening draws in, meet your Signature Guide for a welcome reception before travelling to the private residence of a Balinese royal family. We have an exclusive invite for the evening and our hosts share fascinating stories of the island’s royal heritage and centuries-old traditions over a dinner of authentic local cuisine. The experience is crowned by a private performance from renowned Legong dancer Cokorda Istri Rukmini, offering a captivating introduction to the artistic legacy of Bali.

Accommodation: Inara Alas Harum

Meals included: Dinner

Day 2
Trace Balinese spirituality | Join a private blessing and village-to-kitchen experience
Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles

Greet the day with an early morning private yoga session, if you’d like, or enjoy a more relaxed start.

Signature Experience: Then travel to the traditional farming village of Subak Guliang, where we visit the local temple for a private blessing conducted by a female priest. To add even more depth to the experience, your Signature Guide shares context on the priest’s lineage and the meaning woven through each ritual gesture.

After, we enjoy an immersive dive into Balinese cuisine. We first walk with farmers to their sawah (rice fields) to learn first-hand about seasonal planting or harvesting. Then head to a community kitchen to uncover the secrets of authentic Balinese cooking using traditional ingredients and preparation methods. A local historian joins lunch for an insightful introduction to Bali’s past.

Return to our Signature Stay to unwind and enjoy the facilities.

Accommodation: Inara Alas Harum

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3
Signature Day | Choose your path into Bali’s culture and landscapes
Pura Besakih, hindu temple of Bali, Indonesia

Today is your Signature Day, inviting you to connect deeply with Bali or perhaps just slow down and choose to wander freely. You could:

  • Rise before dawn to reach a secluded Mount Batur viewpoint with one of Bali’s pioneering female mountaineers. Watch first light spread across the caldera and lake, then enjoy a picnic breakfast, an exhilarating 4×4 journey over black lava fields and a relaxed lakeside lunch beneath the volcano (4.30am-2pm)
  • Visit Besakih, Bali’s most revered temple complex, with time to understand its spiritual significance and layered history. After lunch overlooking rice terraces, take part in a private Balinese dance or gamelan workshop, learning how movement, music and symbolism shape the island’s ceremonial life (8am-4pm)
  • Cycle at an easy pace through rice terraces, rural villages and temple-lined countryside, pausing to meet residents and gain a closer view of daily life. Continue to Sangeh Monkey Forest, where macaques move among centuries-old nutmeg trees within a sacred woodland sanctuary (8am-12pm)
  • Join a local practitioner to create a traditional canang sari offering from palm leaves, flowers and natural materials. As each element takes shape, learn the meaning behind this daily ritual and the quiet philosophy of gratitude, balance and devotion it represents (2pm-5pm)

Dinner is at leisure this evening – your Signature Guide can provide recommendations on where to eat.

Accommodation: Inara Alas Harum

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4
Ease into island time | Fly to Flores and settle beside the sea

Enjoy a relaxed morning at the hotel before travelling to Denpasar for your afternoon flight to Labuan Bajo, the starting point for your Flores journey.

On arrival, a private transfer takes you to Sudamala Resort Komodo, where time to settle allows the shift into a quieter coastal rhythm.

This evening, gather at a nearby restaurant for seafood and Flores specialities, followed by a briefing on tomorrow’s journey through Komodo National Park.

Accommodation: Sudamala Resort Komodo

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5
Encounter Komodo’s wildlife | Cruise, snorkel and unwind on remote shores
Komodo National Park Pink Beach

Signature Experience: Set out in a private speedboat for Komodo National Park. Accompanied by a ranger and conservation expert from a local NGO, walk across the open terrain of Rinca island – the wildest place to spot Komodo dragons, observe their behaviour, and understand ongoing protection efforts.

Return to the boat for a gentle cruise to Pink Beach, its blush-toned sand created by fragments of broken coral. Snorkel over reefs frequented by parrotfish, clownfish and, with luck, sea turtles. A private picnic is arranged on a quiet stretch of shore.

Weather permitting, continue to Taka Makassar for unhurried time in its luminous shallows before returning to the resort for a relaxed evening.

Accommodation: Sudamala Resort Komodo

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6
Journey into local life | Discover Manggarai culture and swim in Rangko Cave

Signature Experience: Travel inland to Todo village, where the culture of the Indigenous Manggarai community is expressed through circular houses and the steady rhythm of daily life. Walking through the village, meet local residents, sample traditional cakes, and gain insight into lineage, craft traditions, and the meaning of the nearby spider-web rice fields.

We have a short stop for a lunch at leisure before continuing by wooden motorboat to the entrance of Rangko Cave. Inside, a clear tidal pool glows in reflected light, creating a quiet place to swim beneath dramatic limestone formations.

Return to Labuan Bajo for an evening talk by a local NGO expert, followed by a beachfront barbecue where the boat crew share stories of their maritime heritage.

Accommodation: Sudamala Resort Komodo

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7
Return to Bali | Support coral restoration and share a farewell feast
Ocean Gardener coral project Bali

Fly back to Bali this morning and transfer to Candi Beach Resort, where gardens open towards the sea along the island’s quieter eastern coast.

This afternoon, visit the Ocean Gardener coral project to see how marine restoration is carried out alongside local communities. Learn about the methods used to rebuild reef habitats before returning to the hotel to refresh.

This evening, join a family in Tenganan village to help prepare Balinese dishes handed down through generations. Gather for a private rijsttafel-style farewell dinner, sharing stories, regional flavours and a final toast to the journey.

Accommodation: Candi Beach Resort

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8
Say a fond farewell to Indonesia

After a final breakfast, pause to take in the shoreline once more. Those with later flights may wish to linger at the resort, savouring the gentler pace of the morning.

Your complimentary transfer to the airport brings this chapter to a close, though memories of Indonesia’s layers of craft, ceremony and coastal life will remain with you.

If you wish to extend your stay, our Signature Collection specialists can arrange a continuation of your journey.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation

Experience the best of Indonesian hospitality

Every aspect of the Signature Collection is meticulously planned to take you deeper into the destination. That means your accommodation is a refined showcase of local hospitality, whether you’re staying in a pioneering luxury hotel or enjoying privileged access to a characterful stay designed to fully immerse you in the local culture.

Below are the accommodations we use on this adventure:

Ubud: Inara Alas Harum (nights 1-3)

Inara Alas Harum

Your Signature Stay sits amid rolling rice terraces and lush tropical greenery, where contemporary design and Balinese warmth create an atmosphere of effortless tranquillity. Spacious rooms and villas look out across verdant countryside, while the infinity pool, spa and elegant restaurants provide the perfect setting to unwind and soak up the natural beauty of rural Bali.

Labuan Bajo: Sudamala Resort Komodo (nights 4-6)

Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles

A contemporary shoreline retreat shaped by Flores craftsmanship. Spacious rooms use woven textiles, carved details, and soft earthy tones to create a cool interior refuge. The beach, pools, and shaded verandas offer ample space to unwind between expeditions into Komodo National Park or a visit to a Manggarai community. Evenings bring a calm coastal ambience that frames the slower pace of island life.

Candidasa: Candi Beach Resort (night 7)

Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles

Set beside a curve of the east coast, Candi Beach Resort blends modern comfort with coastal simplicity. Two pools, open-air dining spaces, and a thoughtfully paced service style create a gentle environment for reflection after days spent exploring temples, villages, and highland trails. Its setting places you close to the cultural heart of eastern Bali.

  • Enhance your stay: Personalise your experience with curated room upgrades and additional nights tailored to your travel plans.

Food & Drink

This journey is designed to deepen your connection to Indonesia through its food and drink. Share dinner in a royal Balinese home, sample thoughtful plant-based cooking in Ubud, and join community cooks in highland and coastal villages. In Flores, barbecued seafood and home-style dishes reflect island rhythms. Every meal is carefully arranged, leaving space for conversation, context, and hospitality. Where meals are not included, your Signature Guide will be on hand with considered recommendations, whether you choose to dine together or enjoy the evening at your own pace.

Transport

From the moment you land to the moment you depart, all transport is taken care of for you. On this adventure, we use private vehicles in Bali and Flores. Two domestic flights connect Bali with Labuan Bajo and back again. At sea, you travel by private speedboat and traditional wooden vessels, each operated by experienced local crews.

Weather & Seasonality

Bali and Flores experience warm tropical conditions year-round. May to September is typically drier with clearer skies, ideal for walks and marine activities. October to April brings higher humidity and short bursts of rain. Highland areas feel cooler at dawn, so light layers and breathable clothing ensure comfort throughout the journey.

Joining Instructions

As with all adventures in the Signature Collection, we take care of your arrival and departure transfers, allowing you to fully relax and immerse yourself in the local culture.

  • Arrival airport: Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)
    • Your adventure begins with a welcome reception at 6pm on Day 1 at our first accommodation.
  • Departure airport: Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)
    • Your adventure concludes after breakfast on the final day.

Complimentary arrival and departure transfers are included between the airport and the tour’s designated start and end hotels on the first and last day of your tour. If you book additional pre-tour or post-tour nights at the designated start or end hotel through Exodus, your complimentary transfer will also be valid for those arrival and departure dates.

Additional charges may apply for transfers on different dates or to and from alternative hotels within the same city. To ensure arrangements can be made, complimentary transfers must be requested through your Signature Collection Travel Expert at least two weeks before your tour departure date.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Ubud
Location end: Candidasa

What To Take

Essential Equipment

There’s no specialist equipment you need for this trip. For more information on what you might need to pack, please see our packing guide.

Practical Info & Visa

Visa

Indonesia

Many nationalities can apply for a 30-day visa on arrival at Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Batam, Bali and Yogyakarta at a cost of 500,000 Indonesian rupiah (approximately US$33). Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

All Indonesia Arrival Card

The All Indonesia Arrival Card is a health and customs declaration that must be completed three days (72 hours) prior to arrival.

• Visit allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id
• Switch the website to English → select “Foreign Visitor”
• Fill in the required details:
– Personal: nationality, full name, date of birth, passport number & expiry date, contact information
– Travel: arrival/departure dates, e-Visa (if applicable)
– Transport & Accommodation: airport/port of arrival, flight/ship details, hotel or residential address
– Health & Customs: recent symptoms/travel history, items to declare (e.g., animals, electronics, baggage)
• Submit the form to receive a QR code
• Present the QR code (printed or digital) along with your passport upon arrival

Travelers must still obtain the appropriate visa for their stay. Travelers with visa exemptions are still required to complete the All Indonesia Arrival Card.

Vaccinations and Health

Indonesia

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, polio, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. There is also a high risk of malaria in Irian Jaya (Papua) and low risk in Bali, Lombok, Java and Sumatra. Please speak to your doctor or travel clinic for the best course of action on all the above.

You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Additionally, dengue and zika fevers are known risks in places visited. Both are spread by mosquitoes. There are currently no vaccines or prophylaxes available; therefore, we recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Methanol: The FCDO warns travellers to be cautious of methanol poisoning when travelling in destinations visited on the trip.

Local Time

Indonesia's time zone: Asia/Jakarta (UTC +07:00)

Electricity

Indonesia's electricity:

Plug types C (two round pins) and F (two round pins) – 230V, 50Hz

Signature Indonesia | The Sacred Wild Isles

Money

Indonesia's currency: Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Tipping

On this adventure, tipping for any local support staff is included and will be taken care of locally by your Signature Guide. Tips for your Signature Guide are not included. We recommend a starting point of US$60 to US$75 per group member, to be given at the end. This is discretionary and you may wish to tip a different amount, depending on the service you have received.

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

We also weave Signature Legacy moments into your itinerary, so the positive impact of your trip lasts long after your stay. These are moments to remember which help people and nature thrive, ensuring you build a harmonious, positive connection with the places you visit.

On this journey, you can:

  • Support reef restoration, observing coral propagation and planting techniques. Gain clear insight from a local marine NGO into conservation challenges and the coastal communities safeguarding these fragile ecosystems.
  • Share a home-cooked dinner with a family in Tenganan and spend time in Todo Village, supporting community-led tourism while gaining a closer understanding of local heritage and daily life.
  • Move through Bali’s spiritual landscape with guided visits to temples, private blessings led by priests and shamans, and participatory dance or gamelan sessions.

Important Information

Your Safe Participation
When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call us and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary. 

Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity. 

By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred. 

Seatbelts
All vehicles used by us should be equipped with working seatbelts, except where approved by us based on the vehicle type or journey. Wherever seatbelts are available, we require our customers to use them for their own safety, even where it may not be a legal requirement.

Travel Safety
For additional information please have a look at the travel safety advice page on our website.

How To Book

Speak to our friendly team of experts to plan your adventure:

  1. Check availability: our website shows real-time availability of our guided group tours, or contact our team by phone, email or live chat.
  2. Hold a space: You can provisionally hold a space on any guided group tour to give you time to finalise your travel plans.
  3. Confirm your booking: Payment of a deposit will complete your booking and secure your place on the trip.

After booking
You will receive a confirmation document and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements. Our dedicated Customer Operations team will help you with any pre-travel questions or arrangements and can easily add extensions or extra accommodation to your booking. Final Joining Instructions will usually be sent out two to three weeks prior to departure.

Adding transfers to your booking
If you have arranged your own flights and would like to add transfers to your booking, please provide your arrival and departure details to our Customer Operations team around four to six weeks before departure.

  • Where complimentary transfers are included, they are available for any flight but can only be added to your booking once we have received your flight schedule.
  • Where group arrival and departure transfers are available, these operate at fixed times. You will need to arrive in time to meet the scheduled transfer. If the timings don’t align with your travel plans, our team can arrange private transfers once they receive your flight schedule.

Trip Note validity
Trip notes may be updated after booking; if any updates significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary you will be advised in writing. A link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes will be sent out with your Final Joining Instructions before departure.

The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes, and occasionally it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.

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