In a nutshell
- Java is still a under-the-radar gem among the islands and attractions in Indonesia — and a seriously great backpacking destination.
- We spent 10 days exploring Java independently and are sharing our full itinerary and firsthand experiences with you here.
- For each stop on the route, we cover the top attractions, how to get to the next destination on your trip, and the best places to stay.
- We also share a few practical tips for Java — including the best time to visit and whether Java is safe for travelers.
Where is Java?
Java is located west of Bali and east of Sumatra.
It is Indonesia’s most densely populated island — approximately 152 million people live on Java. That’s more people than in all of Russia. In terms of area, Java is roughly the same size as Greece.
Our Tips for a Java Itinerary
During our trip to Indonesia, we spent ten days backpacking on Java and found it to be perfect. In that time, you can hit all the major highlights on the island.
If you want to take things at a slower pace and discover some lesser-known spots on Java, plan for two weeks.
Here’s our suggested Java itinerary for ten days:
- Days 1–2: Jakarta
- Days 3–4: Yogyakarta
- Day 5: Surabaya
- Days 6–7: Bromo Volcano
- Day 8: Tumpak Sewu
- Days 9–10 Banyuwangi & Ijen Volcano
The Java Itinerary and Attractions on a Map
We’ll walk you through the itinerary in detail and show you the most beautiful places to visit on Java. This route works especially well for backpackers.
Days 1–2: Jakarta
Day 1: Arrival at the Airport
On your first day, you’ll land at Jakarta Airport (CGK). From there, we recommend taking the train to your hotel. All our tips on how to get from the airport to Jakarta’s city center can be found in another article:
Also read our tips on Jakarta Airport
Your best bet for accommodation is the Menteng neighborhood — it’s easy to reach from the airport too.
Also read our hotel tips for Jakarta
Since you’ll probably be exhausted, we recommend not planning much on your arrival day.
Day 2: Sightseeing in Jakarta
Day two is packed with sightseeing in Jakarta. You’ll quickly notice that the city is pretty chaotic and hot. If you’d rather not explore Jakarta on your own, it’s worth booking a guided city tour.
You can also explore on your own using public transit or Grab/Gojek (both work just like Uber).
These are the top things to do in Jakarta:
- Jakarta’s Old Town: Kota Tua
- Jakarta History Museum
- Chinatown
- Monumen Nasional
- Istiqlal Mosque
- Jakarta Cathedral
If you’re exploring on your own, start with the Old Town, the museum, and Chinatown. Take the train to Kota station — all three are within easy walking distance from there.
Our restaurant tip for lunch: Thien Thien Lai in Chinatown.
Afterward, take the train to Juanda station and walk (or grab a Grab) to Monumen Nasional. In our opinion, admiring it from the surrounding park is enough — but you can go inside if you’d like.
Then check out Jakarta’s Cathedral and Mosque.
Also read all our tips for Jakarta attractions
Our Hotel Tips for Jakarta
Days 3–4: Yogyakarta
Day 3: From Jakarta to Yogyakarta
On day three, you’ll take a train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta. Most trains depart from Gambir station, which you can reach by Grab. Book in advance on Traveloka — a few days ahead is usually fine.
The trains on Java are comfortable, there’s food on board, and you’ll have plenty of space. The journey takes about six hours.
Almost all trains from Jakarta stop at Yogyakarta station, which is centrally located. From there, a Grab to your accommodation is easy.
In the afternoon, you’ll have time to visit the Taman Sari Water Castle and the Sultan’s Palace. Both are right in the center of Yogyakarta — just don’t expect too much from either of them.
Day 4: Borobudur and Prambanan Temples
Day four is all about the two most famous temple complexes near Yogyakarta: the Buddhist temple of Borobudur and the Hindu temple of Prambanan.
You can reach both by public transit, Grab/Gojek, or by booking a guided tour — the latter is the most convenient option since the temples are outside the city.
Book the guided tour to Borobudur and Prambanan Temple from Yogyakarta
If you want to save money and have more flexibility, you can take buses to the temples — just ask at your accommodation for the best connection.
If flexibility matters more to you than price, a Grab to the temples is the easiest option.
Our Hotel Tips for Yogyakarta
Day 5: Surabaya
Day 5: From Yogyakarta to Surabaya
On day five, take a train to Surabaya (again, best booked in advance). Depending on the connection, the journey takes four to six hours. Since there isn’t a whole lot to see in Surabaya, leave Yogyakarta whenever it suits you.
If you have time in the afternoon, you can check out highlights like the Masjid Nasional Al Akbar mosque or the Suramadu Bridge. Keep in mind that both are a bit outside the city center.
Our Hotel Tip for Surabaya
We stayed at the Choice City Hotel and loved it. It sits at the top of a shopping mall with great views over the city, it’s affordable, and the rooms are spacious.
We also had our best dinner on Java at the Tong Tji Tea House in the same mall — seriously good.
Days 6–7: Bromo Volcano and Malang
Day 6: From Surabaya to Cemoro Lawang
On day six, you’ll travel from Surabaya to Cemoro Lawang — the closest village to the Bromo volcano. You can book a transfer through your hotel, take a Grab, or go by public transit.
If you go by public transit, first book a train from Surabaya to Probolinggo via Traveloka.
At Probolinggo station, grab a taxi to Cemoro Lawang. If you’re lucky, you’ll find other travelers to split the cost with.
To save money, you can also make your way from Probolinggo station to the Probolinggo bus terminal and catch a minibus to Cemoro Lawang. We’d skip this option, though — we’ve heard you can wait forever for the bus to fill up and depart.
You’ll probably arrive at your accommodation in Cemoro Lawang in the afternoon. Don’t plan anything big, since you’ll be getting up very, very early the next morning.
Our hotel tip in Cemoro Lawang: Don’t expect luxury from any place to stay near Bromo. The Artotel Cabin Bromo is a really solid option.
Day 7: Trip to Bromo Volcano (morning)
Around 3 AM, you’ll set out for the King Kong Hill viewpoint near Bromo.
King Kong Hill offers the best views of the sunrise and the volcanic landscape. The hike up from Cemoro Lawang takes about an hour.
Our tip: Don’t hike all the way to the very top — it’s packed with tourists up there. Find yourself a quiet spot a little lower down instead.
After the sunrise, hike back down to the village and treat yourself to breakfast. From there, walk or take a mototaxi to the Bromo volcano crater — it’s about four kilometers away.
Aim to arrive at the crater around 8 AM, when most of the tourists who booked guided tours have already cleared out.
After the four-kilometer flat walk to Bromo, the final stretch to the crater rim is a climb of about 250 meters in elevation — the most strenuous part of the hike. From the top, you can look straight down into the Bromo crater.
Also read all our tips for Mount Bromo
Day 7: Drive to Malang (afternoon)
Around noon, you’ll be back at your accommodation in Cemoro Lawang. From there, take a transfer to Malang.
Since you’ll be pretty exhausted, don’t even think about tackling this route by public transit. It’s absolutely worth spending the money on a transfer for around 600,000 IDR (about 40 euros).
The drive to Malang takes about three hours. Once you’re there, check into your hotel, and if you’re not too tired, take a stroll to the Jembatan Brantas Bridge.
From the bridge, you’ll look out over two slums: Kampung Biru Arema (the blue village) and Kampung Warna Warni Jodipan (the colorful village).
Before you get some well-deserved sleep, make sure you grab something to eat.
Our restaurant tips for Malang: MoMo’s Coffee & Bakery in the city center and Kedai Pipir Lepen by the river
Our Hotel Tips for Malang
Day 8: Tumpak Sewu
Day 8: Hike to Tumpak Sewu
On day eight of your Java itinerary, you’ll head to Tumpak Sewu waterfall in the morning. You can get there by public bus or private transfer — we explain this in more detail in our article on Tumpak Sewu.
Either way, aim to check into your accommodation near Tumpak Sewu by midday. Head to the waterfall around 2:00 PM — that’s the sweet spot, since it’s the least crowded.
Plan on two to three hours for your visit. You can view it from above or descend steep stairs into the 120-meter-deep gorge and continue on to the caves. Admission is 120,000 IDR (about 7 dollars) in total.
Find all our tips for Tumpak Sewu waterfall here
Our Hotel Tip near Tumpak Sewu
We stayed at D’Corner Homestay. The owner was super friendly, spoke great English, and breakfast was genuinely delicious. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the homestay to Tumpak Sewu.
Days 9–10: Banyuwangi & Ijen Volcano
Day 9: Travel to Banyuwangi
On day nine, you’ll make your way to the town of Banyuwangi. We’d recommend booking a transfer — the alternatives take forever. A direct transfer takes about five hours.
If you want to go by bus and train, set aside the entire day (we explain how in the Tumpak Sewu article).
There isn’t much to see in Banyuwangi itself — but that’s fine, since you should be resting up early anyway. You’ll need to be awake again around midnight.
Our hotel tip for Banyuwangi: We stayed at Robiu Bed & Breakfast. Affordable prices, nice rooms, and really welcoming hosts. Breakfast can be added on.
Day 10: Hike to Ijen Volcano
We booked a guided tour to Ijen Volcano, but you can just as easily visit the crater on your own — you just need to arrange a driver yourself.
On the tours, you’ll be picked up around midnight and start hiking to the crater rim at 2 AM — a distance of about 3.5 kilometers, mostly steep uphill.
Once at the top, you can descend into the crater to see the blue fire (unfortunately it wasn’t visible when we were there). You’ll also watch the sunrise from the crater rim — for us, that was one of the absolute highlights of Java!
After the sunrise, you’ll hike back down the same steep trail and be back at your accommodation by around 9 AM.
From Banyuwangi, you can continue your Indonesia road trip on to Bali. The ferry takes less than an hour.
Also read all our tips for Ijen Volcano
When Is the Best Time to Visit Java?
Honestly, Java is a great destination year-round — the weather is tropical and it’s warm no matter when you go.
That said, the best months are during the dry season from May through October, when rainfall is at its lowest. Java works really well as a July travel destination, for example.
Just keep in mind that September and October are the hottest months. It doesn’t make a huge difference though — you’re going to be sweating no matter what.
Read our tips on the best time to visit Indonesia
Is Java Safe?
Yes. We felt very safe on Java.
The island is very poor and the cities are run-down, but Java is not dangerous. You should still keep a close eye on your bags and valuables, though.
The one thing to watch out for is traffic. There are hardly any traffic lights on Java, and motorcyclists weave in every direction. There’s also left-hand traffic to get used to.
Our tip: When you want to cross a busy street, walk slowly and keep an eye on the cars and motorcyclists. They’ll usually just drive around you.
Read our travel tips for Indonesia too
