Indonesia's Best Seaside Destinations

As the world’s biggest archipelago, Indonesia is blessed with expansive coastlines, hosting fascinating cultures and communities. Located along the equator, the tropical paradise is the perfect place for beach enthusiasts, surfers and divers. Here are some of Indonesia’s best seaside destinations that you will love.

Bali

This province is Indonesia’s foremost tourism powerhouse, welcoming more than 3 million international tourists every year. Bali island is surrounded by countless beautiful beaches, including the famous Kuta Beach, Padang Padang Beach and many more. Even so, Bali is so much more than beautiful beach views and unending surf. It’s also a community with an exotic, fascinating culture, which tourists can experience through food, dance, architecture, spirituality, and arts.

Belitung

Made popular by the book and movie The Rainbow Troops, this destination is gaining not only exposure, but also some major makeover and improvements. Still preserving the pure, pristine beaches, the island in the east of Sumatra is now ready for tourists with new resorts, landmarks, and attractions. The beaches surrounding Belitung are loved for their picturesque granite boulders, white clean sands, and tranquil waters. Better yet, the main island is surrounded by numerous offshore islands with matching charm and beauty.

Padang

Located in West Sumatra, Padang is lapped by the Indian Ocean. Its beaches, including the famous Air Manis Beach, are blessed with the strong waves, perfect for daring surfers. Padang also has a beautiful mountainous area, not too far from the amazing beaches. The city is also home to some historic sites to visit. And with the absorbing culture and renowned Padang cuisine, the town really has the whole package.

Manado

Other than plenty of beaches for seaside fun, the town’s beauty extends to the depth of the sea, home to wonderful coral beds. The Bunaken National Park in the Manado Gulf is strategically located in the center of a massive Coral Triangle, which is home to almost 400 species of oceanic creatures. Other than its reputation as a diving and surfing paradise, the city is also famous for its distinctive culinary landscape, dominated with special spicy seafood, fresh from the ocean.

Jakarta

Most tourists only know Jakarta as a metropolitan city with stern tall buildings, traffic jams, and a vibrant nightlife. But the province also includes hundreds of small beautiful islands just a few kilometers offshore. Called “Kepulauan Seribu” which means “a thousand islands”, tourists have a fantastic choice on offer. Some popular destinations are Tidung Island, Bidadari Island, Pramuka Island, and Harapan Island. Most of the islands area host fascinating corals and other oceanic species, so snorkeling or diving is a must-try.

Raja Ampat

This popular diving site comprises around 1000 small islands, which in itself promises a breath-taking view of shorelines and gorgeous scenery of island curves. Diving in the sea of Raja Ampat guarantees a glimpse of Indonesia’s rich marine biodiversity. But tourists don’t even have to plunge into the water to enjoy this town in Papua, as the panoramic view and sightings of jungles, beaches, lagoons, and caves are also staggering.

1. Lampung

Natural Feature

As the southernmost region in the island of Sumatra, the province is entitled to extensive coastlines to the Java Sea and Sunda Strait. Most of the province’s border is the sea, resulting in expansive wonderful beaches to visit. Lampung also hosts many smaller islands, each one with its own character and charm. Tourists who love wildlife will love Lampung, as the town provides many activities such as dolphin-watching, elephant-riding, and jungle explorations.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.