Indonesia Self-Launched: Java Volcanoes to Gili Trawangan

Fly into Soekarno-Hatta (CGK), take the Railink airport train or Grab/Bolt into central Jakarta (~£2-4). Stay in the Thamrin/Jalan Jaksa area where the group tour's first hotel is. Use the evening to sort a local SIM/eSIM (Telkomsel tourist SIM ~£8-10 for 30 days), withdraw rupiah and eat nasi goreng at a street warung.

🚌Railink airport train ~£2.50 + Grab ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Thamrin/Jalan Jaksa (~£12)

• →Orientation walk around Merdeka Square and Jalan Jaksa
• →Sort local SIM and cash
• →Street food dinner at a warung

Book the morning Argo Parahyangan or a morning Ciremai train from Gambir station to Bandung (~3 hours, £8-12 in economy/executive). Check into a guesthouse near Jalan Braga, then do the tour's 'orientation walk' yourself: Braga Street colonial architecture, Alun-Alun square and the Asia Afrika area. Sample Bandung's famous food scene in the evening.

🚌Train Jakarta–Bandung ~£10

🛏Guesthouse near Jalan Braga (~£14)

• →Braga Street and colonial architecture walk
• →Alun-Alun Bandung
• →Street food crawl (batagor, siomay)

Replace the group's included Ciater excursion with a self-booked day trip via Klook or a local driver/guide (~£30-38 shared, or ~£45 private split). The standard combo covers the Ciater tea plantation, Sari Ater hot springs and a nearby waterfall. Alternatively take an angkot and local bus towards Lembang/Ciater and pay entrance fees individually (~£12 total). Back in Bandung by evening.

🚌Shared day-trip vehicle or angkot/bus combination ~£30

🛏Guesthouse near Jalan Braga (~£14)

• →Ciater tea plantation walk
• →Sari Ater hot springs
• →Waterfall stop

Take the morning Argo Wilis or Turangga train from Bandung to Yogyakarta (~7-8 hours, £14-20). This is a long day but far more comfortable than a bus. Arrive Yogyakarta, walk to Sosrowijayan Street for budget guesthouses and Prawirotaman for cafes. Book your Borobudur sunrise and Prambanan tickets online that evening.

🚌Train Bandung–Yogyakarta ~£17

🛏Guesthouse in Sosrowijayan (~£12)

• →Sosrowijayan Street orientation walk
• →Prawirotaman cafe evening

Join a sunrise Borobudur day trip booked via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£28-38 including transport and entry) — cheaper than the group tour's advertised US$70 optional. The structure climb is timed-entry, so book ahead. Spend the afternoon on a self-guided walk of Kraton Palace (~£1.50), Taman Sari Water Castle (~£1) and Kota Gede's silver workshops (~£1).

🚌Shared sunrise shuttle included in tour ~£0 extra

🛏Guesthouse in Sosrowijayan (~£12)

• →Borobudur sunrise trip (Klook/GetYourGuide)
• →Kraton Palace
• →Taman Sari Water Castle
• →Kota Gede silver workshops

Get to Prambanan independently: take the Trans Jogja bus to Terminal Prambanan or the KRL/Prambanan Ekspres train (~£1 each way), then buy the temple ticket on arrival (~£20-25). Time it for late afternoon light. In the evening catch a Wayang Kulit shadow puppet show at Sono Budoyo or a Ramayana ballet at Prambanan (from ~£8-20).

🚌Prambanan Ekspres train or Trans Jogja ~£2 return

🛏Guesthouse in Sosrowijayan (~£12)

• →Prambanan Hindu temple complex
• →Wayang Kulit shadow puppet show

The group tour uses private transport; do it by public bus. Take a bus from Yogyakarta to Malang (~8-9 hours, £12-16), then an angkot or shared car up to Desa Ngadas in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (~£5, 2 hours). Book a Ngadas homestay directly through Booking.com or Airbnb (~£12-15 including simple dinner and breakfast). Wrap up warm — it's cold at 2,000m.

🚌Bus Yogyakarta–Malang ~£14 + shared angkot to Ngadas ~£5

🛏Ngadas homestay (~£14 incl. dinner)

• →Village walk in Ngadas
• →Home-cooked Tengger dinner

Walk the Ancestor Trail from Ngadas across the caldera to Cemoro Lawang (~3-4 hours, guide optional ~£15 but recommended for route-finding). Then do the Mount Bromo crater walk in the afternoon or save it for the morning after sunrise. Overnight in Cemoro Lawang so you're at the viewpoint without a 3am jeep transfer.

🚌On foot; optional local guide ~£15

🛏Budget guesthouse in Cemoro Lawang (~£14)

• →Ancestor Trail trek across the Sea of Sand
• →Mount Bromo crater rim walk
• →Tengger village walk

Do the classic sunrise viewpoint (Penanjakan or King Kong Hill) independently — either walk up from Cemoro Lawang (~1 hour) or book a shared jeep seat the night before (~£10-15). The national park entry is ~£15-20 including jeep. Then head east: shared car or bus to Probolinggo, then bus to the Banyuwangi/Jember area near Red Island beach (~£10-12 total).

🚌Shared jeep ~£12 + bus/shared car towards Banyuwangi ~£11

🛏Guesthouse near Red Island beach (~£12)

• →Bromo sunrise viewpoint
• →Sea of Sand at dawn

Book a beginner surf lesson directly with one of the beach shacks at Pulau Merah (~£12-18 for 2 hours including board). The beach break is mellow and forgiving. Afternoon is for hammock time and a seafood dinner — this stretch is the cheapest part of the trip.

🚌Walk / motorbike taxi ~£2

🛏Guesthouse near Red Island beach (~£12)

• →Beginner surf lesson at Pulau Merah
• →Beach sunset

The group tour buses over; do it as a ferry crossing. Take a bus from Banyuwangi to Ketapang port, the 45-minute ferry to Gilimanuk (~£1), then a bus/angkot to Gilimanuk and onward to Pemuteran (~£6-8, 2.5 hours). Check into a family-run guesthouse near the beach. Optional afternoon snorkel off the shore.

🚌Bus + ferry + bus ~£12

🛏Family guesthouse in Pemuteran (~£13)

• →Ferry crossing Bali Strait
• →Shore snorkel (optional ~£5 gear hire)

Join a local snorkelling boat trip to Menjangan Island (~£20-25 including boat, gear and park fee) — this is the best reef in west Bali. In the afternoon visit the Pemuteran Biorock reef restoration project. There's also a cheap local spa scene if you want a massaged reset before the busy south.

🚌Local boat trip ~£20

🛏Family guesthouse in Pemuteran (~£13)

• →Menjangan Island snorkelling trip
• →Biorock reef project visit

Take a public bus or shared shuttle from Pemuteran to Kuta/Legian (~4-5 hours, £8-12). Check into a hostel in Legian near the group tour's hotel. Style it out in the evening on Legian Street — it's a party strip but there are cheap beer bars and live music without needing an organised 'dance party'.

🚌Bus/shared shuttle ~£10

🛏Hostel dorm in Legian (~£10)

• →Legian Street night out
• →Beach walk at sunset

Book the half-day surf class the group tour requires pre-booking, but check Klook or walk onto Kuta Beach — lessons run ~£15-20 for 2 hours with board included. Kuta Beach's longboard-friendly waves are ideal for beginners. Afternoon: laundry, cheap massages, and book tomorrow's Ubud/Gilgit transport.

🚌Walk / Grab ~£2

🛏Hostel dorm in Legian (~£10)

• →Half-day surf lesson on Kuta Beach
• →Beach afternoon

Instead of the group's private transfer and community lunch programme, take a public bus or shared shuttle from Kuta to Singaraja/Lovina and on to Bulian village near Seririt (~4 hours, £8-12). Book a village homestay directly — several community tourism families list on Airbnb and Booking.com (~£15 including meals). Attending a village cooking demo or weaving session arranged by your host supports the same community-tourism goals.

🚌Bus/shared shuttle Kuta–north Bali ~£10

🛏Bulian village homestay (~£15 incl. meals)

• →Village orientation walk
• →Meet host family, home-cooked dinner

Do a Balinese cooking class with your homestay family or a nearby village kitchen (~£10-15) — market shop for ingredients, then cook sate, lawar and jukut ares. Afternoon options: walk to a local waterfall (free-£2), swim in a natural spring, or visit a dragon-fruit farm. This is the slow-travel heart of the trip.

🚌Walking; motorbike taxi ~£2

🛏Bulian village homestay (~£15 incl. meals)

• →Balinese cooking class
• →Village walk to waterfall or natural spring

Take a local bus or shared shuttle along the north coast road to Singaraja and on to Ubud (~4 hours, £8-10). Break the journey at Gitgit Waterfall (~£2 entry) just south of Singaraja. Check into a guesthouse in central Ubud near Jalan Hanoman. Evening walk to Pura Taman Saraswati, then book a Balinese dance performance for tomorrow.

🚌Bus/shared shuttle north Bali–Ubud ~£9

🛏Ubud guesthouse (~£14)

• →Gitgit Waterfall visit
• →Pura Taman Saraswati temple walk

Visit the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (~£5 entry), Tirta Empul water temple for a purification ritual (~£4) — hire a local guide if you want to understand the ritual. Afternoon: Puri Lukisan Museum (~£3) or a drop-in yoga class (~£8). Book a Kecak or Legong dance at Ubud Palace or Pura Dalem for ~£10-15 in the evening.

🚌Walking / Grab ~£4

🛏Ubud guesthouse (~£14)

• →Ubud Monkey Forest
• →Tirta Empul purification
• →Kecak dance performance

Book a fast boat + shuttle combo from Ubud to Gili Trawangan (~£30-35, 3-4 hours including road transfer to Padang Bai or Amed). Boats usually run morning only. Check into a budget bungalow on the quieter north or east side (~£15-18). Hire a bike and ride to the west side for sunset at the famous Gili T swing.

🚌Shuttle + fast boat ~£32

🛏Gili Trawangan budget bungalow (~£16)

• →Gili Trawangan Swing at sunset
• →Bicycle hire and island loop

Join a three-island snorkelling trip (~£15-20) with a local boat operator — you'll see turtles off Gili Meno and the underwater statues. Afternoon swim and beach-bar sunset: replace the group's 'beach celebration' with drinks on the sand with your hostel crew. Note the noise curfew in the north of the island if you want sleep.

🚌Bicycle ~£3

🛏Gili Trawangan budget bungalow (~£16)

• →Three-island snorkelling trip
• →Turtle spotting at Gili Meno
• →Beach bar sunset

Departure day. Fast boat back to Bali (Padang Bai or Serangan, ~£25-30) and onwards to the airport by shuttle or Grab (~£10). If your flight is late, leave luggage at a Kuta guesthouse and hit the beach. The group tour sells a 'Bali Express' post-tour transfer — book the public fast boat instead and save the difference.

🚌Fast boat to Bali ~£28 + airport transfer ~£10

🛏None (departure day)

• →Fast boat back to Bali
• →Optional Kuta beach stop before flight