2-week itinerary for Indonesia with kids

Hello, The Kinabatangan in Sabah (Malaysia)?

No, I might have made a mistake—I meant Tanjung Puting National Park to see the orangutans.

Yes, it could work like this:

Flight Jakarta-Pangkalan Bun, meet-and-greet at P.B. airport by an agency booked several weeks in advance for a 3-night organized trip to the park. Flight P.B.-Semarang, then continue to Yogyakarta/Borobudur by bus, 4 nights total. Lion Air* flight to Denpasar and continue by taxi to Padangbai, overnight transit. Fast boat to one of the 3 Gili islands, 4 nights. Short boat ride to Bangsal, then transfer to Lombok airport and flight back to Jakarta.

* Preferred for its schedules and convenience.

Alternatively, snorkeling at Karimunjawa instead of the Gili islands would save you a big detour and 1–2 flights, like this:

Flight Jakarta-Pangkalan Bun, meet-and-greet at P.B. airport by an agency booked several weeks in advance for a 3-night trip to the park. Flight P.B.-Semarang, short transfer to Jepara and overnight transit there. Boat the next day to Karimunjawa, 4 nights. Return by boat to Jepara, then continue to Yogyakarta/Borobudur (possibly via Semarang) by bus, 4 nights total. Return to Jakarta as you prefer. Don’t make Karimunjawa the last stop.

In both options, you’ll have 2 extra nights to add wherever you like.

Thanks for these great tips! 😊 For the orangutans, I know Medan is also an option, but I’ve read that the treks can be slippery and sometimes tough. Our kids are good hikers, but since we don’t know the area, I went with what seemed simpler (hoping the animals are really well-treated). Have any of you gone diving or snorkeling in Karimunjawa?

No.

Hi there,

The itinerary seems quite spread out for just 15 days, especially with young kids. Domestic flights, overnight layovers after an already long international flight.

In short, a lot of time spent in transit and a higher risk of delays/cancellations.

For only 15 days?

As for the orangutans, I saw them in Sumatra. It’s nice, but nothing like the wildlife encounters you get in Africa.

Also, the weather doesn’t seem ideal in October for the park you’ve chosen.

Hello, Well, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?

The itinerary is quite spread out for just 15 days

Yes, the stop in the Gili Islands makes it spread out, but to fix that, I suggested a variant that would eliminate the issue.

transit nights

Just one in each of the two options.

after an already long international flight.

We don’t know where they’re coming from. We don’t even know if extra days are planned before or after these 2 weeks, which, according to the revised starting point, will only include Tanjung Puting, Yogyakarta, and the Gili Islands as main stops. But at worst, if these 14 days also had to include 2x1 night for passing through Jakarta on arrival and possibly departure, they’d still have the "2 nights to add wherever you want" for that.

Basically, a lot of time spent in transit

With the flights I suggested, it’s not that much—actually less than what many travelers would do.

a multiplication of risks for delays/cancellations.

Like always and everywhere when traveling. That’s actually why I advise against making Karimunjawa the last stop—to reduce that risk.

Regarding the orangutans, I saw them in Sumatra.

Which wouldn’t make the itinerary more spread out...

nothing like the sensations experienced in Africa in terms of animal encounters.

Pffft...

the climate doesn’t seem favorable in October for the chosen park.

In October, it’s still fine—it’s afterward that things start to go downhill.

Hi there, Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, we haven’t planned a trip to Africa. What route would you recommend?

We don’t know where they’re coming from.

Their profile says France.

But if they live in Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur as expats, it’s definitely closer. [:P]

but worst-case scenario, if those 14 days had to include 2x1 night for the stopover in Jakarta

Jakarta didn’t exactly sell me on the dream during the night/day transit I had there.

As always and everywhere when traveling.

Yeah. That’s why with experience, I now try to avoid multiplying internal or initial transfers by public transport.

I even wonder if that’s partly why I prefer road trips now! [:)]

Ffffhh...

It’s not my fault if Southeast Asia has kinda wrecked its wildlife... Between palm oil and orangutans, the wallet made the choice pretty quick.

In October it’s still favorable, it’s after that things start to go downhill.

I’m guessing the departure is during school holidays, so end of the month.

This site doesn’t seem to agree with you. Well, it’s hot and humid pretty much all the time anyway.

Personally, I’d stick to eastern Java and Bali. Just one domestic flight if your international flight is a Denpasar-Denpasar round-trip.

In short, one island or two close ones with a boat connection.

And most importantly, a place with no more than one stopover on the long-haul flight from France (assuming that’s where you’re based).

Indonesia’s amazing, but it’s not super well-connected from Europe and it’s huge. You’ll need to plan for a lot of travel days if you try to cover too much ground.

Save South Africa for another trip if you’re excited about the wildlife—it’s perfect with kids (little to no jet lag, easy international flights, good sanitation, and tons of animals!)