Our Remarkable Indonesian travels, courtesy of KimKim and planner Marc Urban
Indonesia
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May 27 - Jun 16, 2026
What an incredible trip!
If you ever have the opportunity to travel with KimKim and work with Marc, don’t hesitate—just do it. In an ever-modernizing world, this was the kind of authentic adventure that stays with you forever.
Marc Urban was our trip planner and made so much of this trip possible. My partner had more questions and worries prior to our departure than any two people could address, but Marc persevered. He planned and revised and answered questions and researched options and generally went above and beyond the call travel arranging to make it our dream experience and for that we are grateful.
Our journey began in Jakarta, where we stayed at the extraordinary House of Tugu. From the moment we arrived, we knew we were somewhere special. The team are true masters at creating a memorable guest experience. It is part boutique hotel, part living museum, and everywhere you look there is something beautiful to discover. We enjoyed a couples massage with traditional scrubs and oils, followed by dinner, and it was absolutely magical.
From there, we traveled to Bukit Lawang, determined to see the orangutans. We stayed at Ecolodge Bukit Lawang, which was wonderfully rustic and perfectly immersed in nature. Our guides, Lucy and Sugay, were brilliant. Lucy was an endless source of knowledge about Sumatra, its history, its people, and its agriculture.174c9fd1-20d8-4f7a-b701-b6bb00d6c7ed.JPG
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The trip also provided one unforgettable surprise: I was taking a shower with the balcony door open when a macaque decided to help itself to our luggage! I came out to find it enthusiastically going through our bags like someone shopping at Filene’s Basement. 😂 It finally accepted a banana as payment to leave. It remains one of my favorite travel stories.
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Unfortunately, I became ill and couldn’t complete the jungle trek to see the orangutans, although my partner was able to continue. Even so, I saw many other monkeys and still had an incredible experience. We toured terraced rice fields in a motorcycle-powered sidecar, watched dark sugar being made from the sap of sugar palms, drank from fresh coconuts, and watched sunrises turn the sky the colors of fire. The lodge restaurant served simple, delicious food, and I highly recommend the becak tour and palm-sugar demonstration.
Our next stop was Plataran Borobudur Resort & Spa in Yogyakarta. What a beautiful contrast—from a rustic ecolodge to a luxurious private villa complete with our own pool. The staff were exceptionally gracious and attentive, the food was outstanding, and the expansive grounds were filled with beautiful surprises, including rehabilitated local animals and a koi pond.
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The views were breathtaking. In one direction, we could see Borobudur; in another, an enormous jungle-covered ridge rose dramatically into the sky. Our guides were consistently prompt, warm, and knowledgeable, taking us effortlessly from temples to towns to palaces. We even enjoyed a private gamelan lesson!
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Visiting Borobudur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was unforgettable, and Prambanan, the magnificent Hindu temple complex, was equally breathtaking.
Next, we headed to Munduk, which completely changed our perception of Bali. Forget the beaches—this was cool mountain air, lush cloud forests, waterfalls, and remarkable round cabins built on stilts high above a steep valley. Some were even reached by funicular.
Our guide expertly navigated the narrow, winding mountain roads that we would never have attempted ourselves. We hiked through beautiful countryside, explored waterfalls and mountain lakes, and paddled a canoe across a peaceful lake to a hidden temple. We also visited Rumah Desa, where I learned about village life and local cooking and even had the opportunity to plow a rice field with an ox! My partner was unfortunately sick during this portion of the trip, but it became one of my favorite cultural experiences.
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From there, we continued to Kappa Senses Ubud, another exceptional property. It is a beautifully subdued and elegant resort, with peaceful facilities, wonderful restaurants, and private bungalows with their own lap pools.
The Sacred Water Temple purification ceremony was one of the highlights of our journey. We also visited the Monkey Forest, which, although popular with tourists, was absolutely beautiful and so much fun.
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Rather than rushing to see every temple, we chose to slow down and immerse ourselves in the local culture. I created my own batik artwork and made a silver ring—two experiences and keepsakes I will always treasure.
Then came one of the greatest highlights of the adventure: our liveaboard from Labuan Bajo.
Our new ocean home, the Floresta, was a beautiful, traditional two-masted Indonesian sailing ship. The crew quickly became our friends and could not have been more gracious. Special recognition goes to our onboard concierge, Fansi, and to the charming young woman who prepared all our abundant meals and snacks. Every day, we were treated to multi-course meals featuring delicious local specialties made with fresh ingredients.
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We visited Komodo National Park, where we saw and photographed several incredible Komodo dragons roaming freely in their natural habitat. We snorkeled along lush underwater cliffs filled with coral and marine life and walked along Pink Beach, where tiny fragments of deep-red coral give the sand its famous rosy color.
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One evening, we witnessed something truly unforgettable: tens of thousands of bats emerging from their island caves at sunset and filling the sky as they began their nightly hunt. It was spectacular.
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We ended our voyage at Seraya Island, where we enjoyed extraordinary snorkeling and some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets imaginable. If you visit, don’t miss the walk up to the Sunset Bar—the view is worth every step.
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Finally, we returned to Jakarta and once again stayed at House of Tugu. Coming back felt like returning home. We were welcomed with tea and a leaf inscribed with the words “Welcome Home,” a simple gesture that perfectly captured the warmth and hospitality we experienced throughout Indonesia.
As wonderful as the destinations were, what made this journey truly unforgettable were the people. Every driver, guide, crew member, and hotel team welcomed us with genuine kindness and pride in their country.
We returned home with incredible memories, new friendships, and a much deeper appreciation for Indonesia’s culture, beauty, and hospitality. We were genuinely sad to leave, but enormously grateful to every person who helped make this adventure so extraordinary.
Thank you to KimKim, Marc, and everyone who made this journey possible. It truly was the adventure of a lifetime.
Hotel Reviews
Amazing.
This hotel was attached to the airport, so it was very convenient. It was quiet, comfortable and pleasantly appointed. When we checked out, very early in the morning, we found that our flight had been delayed for a few hours. The front desk manager gave us our room keys back so that we could a few more hours of sleep without charging anything more. I thought that was very kind. The selection at the food and drink at the complimentary breakfast is wide and the dishes were fresh and delicious.
The staff at Plataran were beyond cordial and conscientious. The restaurants were wonderful and the grounds beautiful and expansive from their zoo of rehabbed local fauna to their koi pond. The view of the ancient Buddhist temple at Borobudur in one direction was rivaled by our view of a sheer jungled ridge rising thousands of feet skyward in another direction. Our vaulted-ceiling bungalow was opulent and well-appointed with traditional Indonesian art. The private lap pool was also a nice treat
The accommodations in Munduk are set into such a steep mountainside drop-off, into a wide cloud forest valley, that many of the free-standing round cabins are built on stilts well above the ground. Some are accessible by way of a funicular. The food was delicious. The views were remarkable and the staff were friendly and always available. We had a couple of fascinating hikes to waterfalls and around mountain lakes and some very restful sleep. Lovely place.
Kappa Senses is a beautifully subdued and elegant resort. The private bungalows come with their own private lap pools The facilities are quiet, peaceful and almost spiritual. The restaurants are excellent. The staff is kind and patient.
We stayed at Hotel Anara Kualananmu for just one night. It was beautiful, peaceful and very well maintained. In the morning we were met by the crew of our liveaboard boat. The hotel grounds are nicely appointed with outdoor and trails to the beachside restaurant and bar. The room was comfortable. The bed was lovely. The hotel is located on a long stretch of wide, sandy beach. The bartenders at the beachside palapa bar were charming. The beachside restaurant had a lovely breakfast. A very calming and joyful place. The staff was very helpful in aiding our in process of flying onto the island and turning around the next morning to get to our boat departure.
We loved our temporary ocean home, The Floresta. It is a classic two-masted Indonesian ship which I think resemble a traditional Chinese junk. The crew became our friends. Special recognition goes out to our onboard concierge, Fansi, and the charming young woman who prepared all of our abundant meals and snacks. We were fed multi-course meals of local specialties with fresh ingredients from the area every day. Our shipboard travels covered many. Not surprising as Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 islands. We made a visit to the famous Komodo Island National Park, where we saw and photographed several Komodo dragons in their unenclosed habitat. We snorkeled along lush and fauna-filled underwater cliffs. We walked along the Pink Beach, an island beach whose sand is colored by the blood red coral from a nearby reef. We watched sunrises, starry nights and one remarkable sundown wherein tens of thousands of bats flew out of their island caves and into the sky to start their night of hunting flying insects. It was a wonderful trip with some wonderful people. The crew of the Floresta are a joy. Terima kasih!
We ended our sea-faring voyages at Seraya Island, where we enjoyed extraordinary snorkeling and some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets imaginable. If you visit, don’t miss the walk up to the Sunset Bar—the view is worth every step and the fellow travelers tended to be sunny and chatty. The staff were kind, friendly and helpful. Our beachside bungalow was just perfect and quite airy, especially private but roofless outside bathroom and shower. The restaurant has a great view over the ocean and off to nearby islands. The staff, food and drinks were great.
In the heart of the madness that is Jakarta, a city of 42 million residents, is the peaceful, quiet, opulent, intriguing House of Tugu. This hotel may very well be my favorite hotel in the world, From the moment we arrived, we knew we were somewhere special. The team are true masters at creating a memorable guest experience. Located across from the Old Town Square, it is part delightful boutique hotel and part expansive museum of the arts and artifacts of the many cultures throughout the history of Java and the Indonesian Islands, and everywhere you look there is something beautiful to discover. We enjoyed a couples massage with traditional scrubs and oils, followed by fine dining, and it was absolutely magical. When we returned prior to flying back home we were welcomed with tea and a leaf inscribed with the words “Welcome Home,” a simple gesture that perfectly captured the warmth and hospitality we experienced throughout Indonesia.
