Cycling Indonesia's Islands

Cycle through rural Bali and eastern Java on roads and dirt tracks

Active volcanoes tower over paddies and coffee plantations. Jungles fringe tropical beaches on the edge of coral-rich waters. Villages and temples dot the landscape where age-old traditions are still followed in Indonesia. This is the backdrop through which we cycle up to craters and down to fishing villages, along paved roads and rainforest trails. On two wheels, we explore quieter parts of the islands of Bali and Java, uncovering a patchwork of sights, sounds and smells.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers are well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises.
• One night is spent in Jampit Catimor in a local homestay within a colonial building on a coffee plantation.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment. For example, we venture to more remote locations in East Java and around Bali. We spend a night camping on Rajegwesi Beach and a night in a local homestay in Jampit Catimor.
• We also visit national parks including Baluran (for Ijen volvano), West Bali (for Menjangan Island) and Meru Betiri. Entrance and conservation fees contribute to the preservation of these areas and to the Indonesia Nature Research Centre (BKSDA).
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The Exodus Travels Foundation has launched the Community Kickstart Project to help our destination communities recover and rebuild following the impact of COVID-19. In Indonesia, we’ve contributed to the Eco-brick Building initiative, more details can be found here.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about Exodus Travels’ Planet Promise here, including our rewilding and carbon compensation commitments for every customer who travels.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at some accommodation and restaurants.
• This trip favours locally owned and run accommodation including spending one night camping on Rajegwesi Beach.

 Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Cultural respect

• Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country so modest dress is required when visiting holy sites (ie legs, shoulders and upper arms covered as well as a headscarf for women).
• One should not show the soles of their feet or touch someone’s head, both are considered disrespectful.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 4 (Moderate & Challenging) and classified Road. For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.  

• Nine days of cycling
• Average daily distance: 31mi (50km)
• 90 percent vehicle support

Terrain and route: Most rides are moderately challenging with mostly flat terrain. There are, however, two potentially very challenging days. The harder routes include the ride to the top of Batur volcano (Day 3) and, especially, the ride up Mount Ijen (Day 7). The daily elevations are listed on each day of the itinerary so you can be the judge of your ability.

There is the opportunity to jump in the bus at any point if necessary so there is no pressure to complete these two rides. The trip is 85 percent paved, 15 percent dirt tracks. The sealed sections vary in condition from relatively smooth paved roads to partially broken stone. The dirt tracks can be muddy if it has recently rained. Most of the roads are fairly quiet but you should be comfortable riding in traffic as we approach towns. There is vehicle support on most rides, including the harder mountain rides; however, there may not be vehicle support on a couple of the shorter rides on days 9 and 10. The heat and humidity can also make some of the rides tougher.

The trip ventures into some of the lesser visited areas of East Java and West Bali, where the accommodation can be more basic, in particular when we stay with a local family for one night where there are squat toilets and bucket showers. When travelling in some areas of the country, service may not be as fast or reliable as you are used to in other countries and Indonesian attitudes towards certain things such as animal welfare and food may differ from your own. That said, if you come ready for an experience, the country rarely fails to deliver. There are some vehicle transfers but journey times are usually one to three hours maximum apart from when transferring from Ketapang, Java, to Canggu, Bali, which is a longer journey by ferry and private minibus.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

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.

Mpox health pass and screening

As of 30 August 2024, all international arrivals, both Indonesians and foreigners, need to complete the SATUSEHAT Health Pass, an electronic health declaration form, accessed at https://sshp.kemkes.go.id

After completing the form, arrivals will receive a barcode containing their health and travel information. Travellers should save a copy of the barcode to be scanned at airport arrival gates. We recommend completing the form before boarding a flight to Indonesia.

In addition, body temperature checks will be conducted upon arrival and if a traveller’s temperature exceeds 37.5C (99.5F) they will be subject to further health screening.

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.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/indonesia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/indonesia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/indonesia/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Indonesia.html

Food & Drink

There are 12 breakfasts, 10 lunches and three dinners included.

Indonesian cuisine is generally fairly simple, with rice as the main staple, though noodles are also common, accompanied by dishes enlivened with ingredients such as cloves, chilies, coconut and lemongrass. Fish is popular but other meats are also common. Peanut-based dishes are also common on Indonesian tables (if you have a peanut allergy, make sure to inform us beforehand and to inform your tour leader). Food is often spicy but you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish.

Western food is available in Ubud and Canggu, though it is well worth trying the local cuisine.

Quite often, tea or water is drunk with a meal. Beer is often not cold and coffee is unfiltered and usually very sugary. On some days, we have a packed lunch as we cycle.

Vegetarian food is available in Indonesia; however, the concept of vegetarianism can be misunderstood, so if you are vegetarian please be clear and state you don’t eat meat, chicken or fish. Please advise at the time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.

Snacks and local fruit are provided when cycling but you may want to bring your own snacks from home too.

Weather

Indonesia has an equatorial monsoon climate with the weather remaining similar throughout the year. It is hot and humid; temperatures are 23C-33C (73F-91F) during the day and rarely drop below 20C (68F) at night. In the mountains, temperatures are much cooler; on the coast, sea breezes usually keep temperatures comfortable. In most parts of Indonesia, the long rainy season falls between late October and early May, though rain occurs throughout the year. Rain tends to come in sudden tropical downpours.