Indonesia & Papua New Guinea Adventure Tours
Our Indonesia & Papua Trips
Travelling to Indonesia and exploring the vast expanse of the islands of Indonesia unlocks the key to stunning biodiversity and cultural heritage. From the lush jungles of Sumatra, to the cultural hub of Java, all the way to the remote island of Papua there are endless possibilities for discovery. One could spend a lifetime simply island hopping throughout this surprisingly large nation.
Speak to a Indonesia & Papua Expert
Gavin started Adventure Alternative in 1991 during a long period of travelling, working in a wide variety of jobs, climbing mountains and organising expeditions. A solo trek across the Sahara Desert aged twenty one was a benchmark experience after which travel and adventurous exploits became a way of life.
Born in Kent, Gavin left his home at aged fifteen to attend secondary school in Western Australia. He then moved to Northern Ireland to study English Literature at University and...
About Indonesia & Papua New Guinnea
Just to the west of peninsular Malaysia in south east Asia lies the island of Sumatra. This volcanically active island is home to orangutans, rhinos, tigers, and elephants. An absolute dream among wildlife lovers and perfect for adventure holidays, Sumatra combines lush jungle with pristine white sand beaches. Danu Toba, Southeast Asia’s largest lake, is an excellent spot to explore the wild jungle. After you’ve had your fill of jungle adventure, head to Pulau Weh for a chance to relax and get away from it all. This sleepy island to the north of Sumatra contains incredible dive spots. Boasting manta rays and even whale sharks, this area is the perfect spot to explore what lies under the sea.
Bali is the most popular island among tourists for travel in Indonesia. Its unique blend of Hindu and animist religions gives this island a unique flair. The Balinese people are some of the friendliest around. Their charm and curiosity will have you smiling from ear to ear. This tiny island houses so much beauty and culture, it’s hard to choose where to begin. Ubud, the cultural centre of Bali is surrounded by lush green terraced rice fields. Explore the town market or step off the beaten path down one of the many charming streets in this town. Bali has world-class surfing at Bingin Beach. Take a tour to one or many of the island’s 10,000 temples.
Perhaps you prefer to explore underwater. Bali has plenty of great dive spots for all skill levels. Amed, Padang Bay and Palau Menjangan offer excellent dives with little to no current for the beginner. Menjangan sits on the side of a cliff, where you can explore small caverns, reefs, as well as a 19th century shipwreck Anker Wreck. For the more advanced diver, head to Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Candidasa for some drift dives. For added spice check out Liberty Shipwreck, a wreck site that suits both beginners and advanced divers.
To the north of Java and Bali lies the Indonesian province of Kalimantan. Taking up much of the island of Borneo, this region contains some of the most remote jungle terrain on the planet. The Orangutan, Indonesian for tree people call this island home. If you love remote and rugged nature be sure to stop in Kalimantan.
Further east of Kalimantan and Borneo lies the island chain of Sulawesi. Here you can find world-class diving, the unique culture of the Toraja people as well as flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth. The Torajas are a welcoming bunch and may even invite you to their lively funeral ceremonies, which usually involve animal sacrifice.
Nusa Tenggara, just south of the Sulawesi island chain, is home to the famous Komodo Dragon. A real-life dinosaur and the world’s largest lizard. On East Nusa Tenggara you will find Komodo National Park. At this UNESCO world heritage spot you can find these famous real-life dragons everywhere. This is the only true sanctuary for these endangered creatures. These amazing creatures can weigh up to 90Kg and measure 2.5m in length! Komodo National Park also houses a fantastic array of underwater life. With over 385 species of stunning coral Komodo National Park has some of the best diving and snorkeling around
New Guinea is the second largest island in the world after Greenland and is split, politically, into two halves. The western half of the island comprises two Indonesian provinces; Papua and West Papua. The eastern half forms the mainland of the country of Papua New Guinea. Adventure Alternative offers fantastic cultural tours in Papua, with the option to add on the mighty Mount Trikora. Mount Trikora is Papua’s 3rd highest peak. This trek is a great way to step foot on a peak without much technical mountaineering knowledge.
For an added challenge of an adventure trip, tackle one of the Seven Summits with our Carstensz Pyramid climb. Carstensz Pyramid, also known as Punchak Jaya is located on the island of Papua New Guinea towers at 16,023’ tall. This remote mountain is one of the lesser-climbed Seven Summits. Don’t let its low elevation fool you, this mountain is one of the more difficult seven summits as it is steep with very sharp rocks.