Java – This region of Indonesia has intrigued me for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Odisha, a state rich with maritime history in the eastern part of India, we were regaled with stories of ancient voyages from our homeland to Java, Bali, and Sumatra. At that time, I had no idea how Java would be like if I ever got to see it in person. Then Java happened on our 11th anniversary this year. And oh boy, what do I even say about this wondrous island. Not one, not two, but home to a myriad of natural wonders, Java gifted us many once-in-a lifetime experiences on this one trip. 

In a handful of days, we watched a surreal sunrise over an active volcano, then hiked to a mountain under a sky full of stars to watch a super rare blue fire and an enchanting yet acidic volcanic crater lake, climbed down a challenging path to witness the most magnificent waterfall that looked straight out of the Avatar world; And met the warmest and the kindest people at every step who made us feel like home. Java left us speechless, literally! 

If you want to experience the magic of Java like we did, here is our complete guide to help you plan your trip.

Good Time to Visit Java

The Dry season of May to October is ideal to visit Java with pleasant weather conditions and minimal rainfall. We visited during June 1st week and the weather was sunny and pleasant most of the time, except some rain on two afternoons. But it was not too bad and we were able to carry on with our outdoor plans.

Time required and What to cover

Java is a large and diverse island with varied natural beauty, including an array of natural wonders, iconic historical sites, vibrant cities and rich cultural heritage. So the number of days required to visit Java largely depends on your interest and destinations you want to cover. But overall, 12-14 days is an ideal amount of time for exploring different parts of the island. 

Since we had limited time (9 days) and were most interested in Ijen Crater, Mount Bromo and the temples, we zeroed on East and Central Java for our trip. If you have additional 3-4 days, then West Java can also be included in the itinerary.

Itinerary for East and Central Java

We finalised our itinerary after taking into account a lot of factors, including our time of arrival, entry and exit points, train schedule as well as tours planned. So you may have to tweak it a bit depending on your situation.

Out of the 9 days we had, 1 full day was simply gone in reaching our 1st destination (Banyuwangi) and last day of the trip was reserved  for traveling back home. So we ideally had 7 full days, of which we spent 5 days exploring East Java and 2 days in Central Java. Read More….

Interested in more such places around the world? Read our other blogs here.