Where to go after Bali: Komodo, Raja Ampat, Sumba, and Lombok.

Most tourists associate traveling in Indonesia with a trip to Bali. But what to do when the island has already been explored? You have been to Nusa Penida, witnessed the sunrise at Batur, visited waterfalls, and know where to spend an evening by the ocean. It's time to move further.

Bali certainly enchants with its beauty. But your adventures don't end there. Surrounding are equally mesmerizing islands, each offering its unique experience. Indonesia is incredibly rich in nature, culture, and landscapes. That's why we've gathered for you the brightest routes after Bali – Komodo, Sumba, Sumbawa, Lombok, and Raja Ampat. These islands are often compared to each other, although each offers a completely different experience and shows Indonesia in its own way.

Komodo: dragons, pink beaches, and boat tours from Labuan Bajo

Komodo is famous for its futuristic landscapes and unique inhabitants - Komodo dragons. These giant lizards are considered one of Indonesia's rarest animal species and are found only in this region, within the Komodo National Park and neighboring islands. Another natural phenomenon attracting travelers from around the world is the pink beaches. Their delicate hue appears due to the mixing of white coral sand with fragments of red corals crushed by waves.

Komodo is one of the most popular destinations for a cruise boat journey. The trip format can be tailored to different budgets, paces, and durations. There are short one-day group tours for those who want to see the main archipelago locations without a long route, and multi-day cruises on boats with comfortable cabins for those who want to spend more time among the islands and ocean. In a short trip, it will be an eventful day with key stops, in a multi-day cruise - a full sea voyage: sunrises on deck, overnight stays on the boat, more time for snorkeling, swimming, and leisurely stops. Choose your Komodo tour: from affordable group options to private boats for couples, families, and companies.

Before the trip, it's worth separately checking when it's best to go to Komodo and how to get to Labuan Bajo. Learn more about this in a separate guide on planning a trip to Komodo.

Sumba: non-touristy Indonesia, tribes, and waterfalls

Sumba is the southernmost part of Indonesia, where mass tourism has not yet penetrated. It combines the traditions of ancient tribes, luxurious beaches, and majestic waterfalls. It's one of those destinations where the route is as important as the locations themselves.

That's why Sumba is more convenient to explore within a planned route. We offer a 4-day tour of the island, which allows you to travel from west to east without the need to independently piece together complicated logistics. Over a few days, you'll explore the western and eastern coasts of Sumba, visit a traditional village with houses of the Sumba people whose thatched roofs reach 20 meters in height, learn about local traditions and ceremonies, swim among coral reefs, see powerful waterfalls, and watch the sunset at Walakiri beach. Its mangrove trees with bizarre trunks grow directly from the water and have become one of the symbols of Eastern Sumba.

The tour can be chosen in a group or individual format. The group option suits those who want a ready route and clear organization, while the individual option suits those who prioritize privacy, a flexible pace, and the ability to spend more time at the locations. In both cases, the program is already assembled to ensure that in a few days, you see different sides of Sumba without unnecessary logistics and chaotic transfers.

Raja Ampat: the best diving spot in the world

Raja Ampat is an archipelago in the east of Indonesia, far from the usual tourist routes. It is considered one of the best places for diving and snorkeling in the world. Here, there is clear water, the richest coral gardens on the planet, reef fish, turtles, sharks, and dozens of spots well-known to experienced divers.

Raja Ampat remains a remote region, lacking typical urban infrastructure, with many villages maintaining a daily routine that has hardly changed under the influence of mass tourism. In Papua settlements, you can acquaint yourself with local life, traditions, and hospitality of people for whom the ocean, boats, and islands remain part of the usual day.

Traveling to Raja Ampat requires a detailed plan and a lot of time for preparation. This is not a destination where it's enough to buy a ticket and decide everything on the spot: connections, numerous water transfers, island selection, and route understanding are essential. Our expedition includes a full-fledged program for seven days: with thought-out logistics, accompaniment, and different comfort levels to choose from. In any option, the route is already assembled so you see the main sights without expending energy on complex organization.

Komodo, Sumbawa, and Lombok: a four-day sea journey

If after Bali you don't want to choose just one destination, but instead combine several different islands into one journey, the route Komodo — Sumbawa — Lombok is suitable. Between Lombok and Komodo lies one of Indonesia's most breathtaking sea routes: the islands are combined into a large yacht journey with stops in places inaccessible by land.

In four days, you'll travel the sea route through Sumbawa, visit Kenawa Island, encounter whale sharks, swim at the Mata Jitu waterfall on Moyo Island, climb to the top of Padar Island, see pink beaches, Komodo dragons, and swim with majestic manta rays near vibrant coral reefs.

This tour is well-suited for those who want to get the most out of Eastern Indonesia. Repeating it independently won't be possible: some locations are only accessible from the water, and logistics depend on the weather, currents, boat schedule, and team's experience. It runs on fixed dates, with a limited number of spots on board — and it's precisely this that makes it special.

There are two route options: from Lombok to Komodo and vice versa. Both cover the same locations, differing only in sequence. Choose the format that is more convenient considering your Indonesian itinerary or flight from Bali.

Komodo, Sumba, Raja Ampat, Sumbawa, and Lombok are not competing destinations but different ways to continue the journey and see the country. You can choose one destination or compile several islands into one route. It all depends on what you want your trip's continuation to be.