Indonesia rewards travelers who build a trip around a few well-chosen bases. The country is spread across thousands of islands and three time zones, so the best first trip links a few contrasting places rather than trying to cover everything. This 10 day Indonesia itinerary spends four nights in Ubud, three in Yogyakarta and two on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, with a flight home on day 10.
You’ll find a day-by-day plan, realistic transfer notes, booking advice and notes on where to stay. It follows the first-time route suggested in our Indonesia travel guide, with the detail you need to plan it. Opening times, ticket rules and government travel advice change, so confirm anything important with the official sources linked below.
10 Day Indonesia Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1: Arrive in Bali. Transfer to Ubud and rest.
- Day 2: Ubud. The Sacred Monkey Forest, markets and an evening dance performance.
- Day 3: Rice terraces and water temples. A day trip with a driver.
- Day 4: A flexible day. Crafts, a cooking class or a guided volcano hike.
- Day 5: Fly to Yogyakarta. The Kraton and the old city.
- Day 6: Borobudur. A Buddhist monument and the countryside.
- Day 7: Prambanan. A Hindu temple compound, then wayang or gamelan.
- Day 8: Fly to Bali. The Bukit Peninsula and a clifftop temple.
- Day 9: Beach day or boat trip. Choose the calmer option if the sea is rough.
- Day 10: Departure.
Each stop in this 10 day Indonesia itinerary has a different pace. Ubud is culture and green landscapes, Yogyakarta is temples and Javanese traditions, and the Bukit coast is cliffs and beaches. You change bases twice and take two short domestic flights, so treat transfer days as part of the plan. If you want to add Lombok, the Gili Islands or Komodo, you would need extra days.
Before You Go: Entry Rules and Safety
Before you follow this 10 day Indonesia itinerary, check your entry requirements. Canadian travel advice says a tourist visa is required, which you can obtain in advance or on arrival at select entry points, and that your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry. The official eVisa site is the place to apply, and you should never hand your passport to anyone offering visa services. Other nationalities have different rules.
You also need to complete the All Indonesia Declaration Form on the official All Indonesia website, up to 72 hours before arrival, and show the QR code when you land. Foreign tourists entering Bali pay a levy of IDR 150,000 per person, separate from the visa, and the official site emails you a voucher.
Read the full Government of Canada travel advice for Indonesia before booking. It currently says to exercise a high degree of caution because of political and social tensions and the threat of terrorism. Pickpocketing and bag snatching occur in tourist areas such as Bali, card fraud is common, and scooter crashes are the leading cause of death and serious injury among foreigners. This itinerary assumes a hired driver in Bali and taxis or a driver in Yogyakarta, rather than a rented scooter.
Book the Key Sights First
To keep this 10 day Indonesia itinerary on schedule, book these first:
- Domestic flights. You need two short flights, Bali to Yogyakarta on day 5 and back on day 8. Check baggage limits and allow a buffer before any international departure.
- Borobudur. News reports in 2022 described a plan to limit climbs to the upper terraces to 1,200 visitors a day, with online reservations, a registered guide and special footwear. Rules and prices have been reviewed since, so confirm the current process on the official ticketing channel before you go.
- Arrival paperwork. Complete the All Indonesia form and pay the Bali levy before you fly.
- Drivers and transfers. Arrange your airport pickup and Ubud day trips through your accommodation or a reputable operator.
- Hotels. Book Ubud and Yogyakarta early for the drier months.
Day 1: Arrival in Bali
Fly into Bali, collect your bags and go to your hotel in Ubud. A pre-arranged driver is the simplest option after a long flight. Canadian advice recommends reliable taxi companies and metered cabs, and says never to get into a cab that already has passengers. Rest, then take a short walk to get your bearings. Keep your passport in your hotel safe and carry a copy, because Smartraveller says immigration officers have carried out random ID spot checks in tourist areas.
Day 2: Ubud
Start at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, which the official site describes as a nature reserve and temple complex, open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm with the last entrance at 5 pm. The monkeys are semi-wild and not pets, so follow the posted guidelines, keep food and loose items out of sight, and do not touch or feed them.
Spend the afternoon in Ubud’s markets and craft shops, and see a dance performance in the evening. UNESCO lists the three genres of traditional dance in Bali, described as sacred, semi-sacred and recreational, accompanied by gamelan music. Dress modestly at temples and never step on the small daily offerings placed on the ground, as Bali’s official Do and Don’t list says.
Day 3: Rice Terraces and Water Temples
Hire a driver for a day trip into the countryside. UNESCO lists Bali’s subak landscape, a system of rice terraces and water temples, including the royal water temple of Pura Taman Ayun, built in the 18th century. Ask your driver which terraces are quietest early in the day, and wear shoes you can walk in on uneven paths.
If you prefer a hands-on day, join a cooking class that starts with a market visit. It is a good way to meet the dishes in our guide to what to eat in Indonesia.
Day 4: A Flexible Day
Day 4 is deliberately open. You could visit craft villages, take a second cooking or batik class, or rest. If you want a sunrise volcano hike, book a licensed guide and check the current volcano status with local authorities first, because Canadian advice notes that Indonesia has 129 active volcanoes and that ash can disrupt flights, including in Bali. Pack for an early start and a cold summit.
In the evening, pack for the flight tomorrow.
Day 5: Fly to Yogyakarta
Take a morning flight to Yogyakarta. Check which airport your flight uses and how far it is from the city, and confirm train and taxi options in advance, because Yogyakarta now has a newer airport outside the city. After you settle in, walk the old city. UNESCO says the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta is a six kilometre line, laid out in the 18th century, that links Mount Merapi and the Indian Ocean with the Kraton, or palace, at its centre. The Kraton is a good first stop, and Malioboro Street is a lively place for an evening walk.
Day 6: Borobudur
Spend the day at Borobudur, which UNESCO describes as a Buddhist monument from the 8th and 9th centuries, built in three tiers with 72 openwork stupas on the circular platforms and low reliefs on its walls. It was restored with UNESCO’s help in the 1970s. Book ahead, follow the guide and footwear rules for climbing, and bring water and sun protection.
Allow most of the day. The drive from Yogyakarta is not short, and the area around the monument has villages and countryside you can visit with a local guide. Return in the late afternoon and rest.
Day 7: Prambanan, Wayang and Gamelan
Visit Prambanan, which UNESCO describes as the largest temple compound dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia, with reliefs illustrating the Ramayana. Go early or late in the day to avoid the midday heat.
In the evening, look for a wayang or gamelan performance. UNESCO lists wayang puppet theatre as an ancient storytelling form that originated on Java, and its gamelan ensembles are built mainly from ornate, percussive instruments of hand-forged metal. Ask your hotel to recommend a performance and confirm start times.
Day 8: Fly to Bali and the Bukit Peninsula
Take a morning flight back to Bali and transfer to the Bukit Peninsula in the south. Settle in, then visit a clifftop temple near sunset. Keep belongings secure, because monkeys at temples may grab items, and stay behind barriers on the cliff edge. If you plan to see a dance performance at a temple, confirm the schedule and dress code.
Day 9: Beach Day or Boat Trip
Smartraveller says many Indonesian beaches are unpatrolled and can be dangerous because of rough seas and strong currents. Swim only where locals swim or where there are lifeguards, and ask your accommodation about conditions.
If you want a boat trip to an offshore island, choose a reputable operator and check that life jackets are available for every passenger. Canadian advice says ferry accidents are common, and Smartraveller notes that operators may not meet international safety standards. If the sea is rough, choose a calmer beach day or a spa afternoon instead.
Day 10: Departure
Allow plenty of time for the airport, particularly if you have a connecting flight. Smartraveller notes that travelers have been refused entry with a damaged passport, so keep yours in good condition for the return journey as well. Check your departure date against Bali’s Day of Silence, Nyepi. News reports say Ngurah Rai airport suspends all flights for 24 hours during Nyepi, and the date changes each year, so confirm it before you book flights.
Indonesia Travel Tips
- Plan for the heat. Carry water, wear sun protection and schedule outdoor sights for the morning.
- Health. The CDC recommends hepatitis A, hepatitis B and routine vaccines for all travelers and typhoid vaccination for most. The CDC says there is no malaria transmission in Ubud or the resort areas of Bali and Java, but malaria is present in some other parts of Indonesia, so ask a travel clinic about your full route. Prevent mosquito bites, and see the CDC’s current notices.
- Money. The currency is the rupiah. Carry some cash, use ATMs inside banks and check your card statements.
- Dress and behavior. Dress modestly at temples and mosques and avoid disrespectful photographs at religious sites. Our Indonesia culture guide explains more.
- Drink safely. Never leave your drink unattended, and avoid homemade spirits, because methanol-tainted alcohol has killed people.
- Emergency numbers. Police 110 or 112, ambulance 118 or 119, fire 113 and search and rescue 115, according to the official tourism site.
Where to Stay on This Itinerary
Ubud
Stay in or near the center of Ubud for easy access to the Monkey Forest, restaurants and dance performances. Quieter guesthouses further out are good for rice terrace views, but you may need a driver or a taxi for dinner.
Yogyakarta
Stay near the Kraton or Malioboro Street for walking access to the old city. If you want a rural setting near Borobudur, ask about the extra time it adds on the other days.
Bukit Peninsula
Choose a base near the beach or cliffs you prefer, and check access before you book. Some beaches need a steep walk down, and some areas have strong currents.
Best Time for This 10 Day Indonesia Itinerary
Canadian advice says the rainy season runs from November to March, and Australia’s advice says the wet season is usually around October to April, so the drier months, roughly April to October, are the most comfortable for temples and beaches. They are also busier. April and October can balance weather and crowds. Canadian advice warns of haze from burning in Sumatra and Kalimantan from June to October, and notes that El Niño conditions were expected to strengthen through 2026 into 2027, so check forecasts close to your dates.
Is 10 Days Enough for Indonesia?
Ten days is enough for a first introduction, but not for the whole country. This 10 day Indonesia itinerary focuses on Bali and central Java and leaves out Lombok, Flores, Komodo and Raja Ampat. With 14 days, you could add Lombok and the Gili Islands, or Flores and Komodo, rather than rushing between more bases. Our Indonesia coastlines guide covers the islands in more detail.
If you only have 7 days, spend them in Bali and one other area, such as Ubud and the coast, or drop Yogyakarta and keep the pace slow.
Final Thoughts on This 10 Day Indonesia Itinerary
This 10 day Indonesia itinerary is built for a first visit. It balances Balinese culture and green landscapes with Javanese temples and a few beach days, and it leaves room for the heat and the travel days.
Complete your arrival form and Bali levy before you fly, book Borobudur and your domestic flights early, avoid renting a scooter unless you are experienced and licensed, and read the current government advice before you go. For a full overview of the country, see our Indonesia travel guide.
If you’re comparing destinations in Asia, you may also want to read our 10 day Thailand itinerary and 10 day Vietnam itinerary.