How to get around Indonesia: domestic flights, PELNI ferries, fast boats, Java trains, Grab and Gojek, private drivers, scooters, and route-planning buffers.
By Asik Travel Editorial6/5/20269 мин чтенияIndonesia is not hard to travel, but it punishes routes that look tidy only on a map. The country spreads across thousands of islands and three time zones, so a good trip usually combines domestic flights, Java trains, public ferries, fast boats, ride-hailing apps, drivers, and sometimes scooters. The trick is choosing the right tool for each leg and leaving buffers where weather or small schedules can slip.
This pairs with our budget guide, since transport is where multi-island trips quietly overspend, and our best time to visit guide.
For long distances, flying is often the only sensible choice. Jakarta to Makassar, Bali to Labuan Bajo, Makassar to Luwuk, Sorong for Raja Ampat, and Manado for North Sulawesi are flight legs first, not ferry adventures. Book small routes early, especially in July-August, Christmas/New Year, and around Indonesian holidays. Check baggage before buying the cheapest fare, because surfboards, dive gear, and heavy bags can change the real cost.
With so many islands, boats are the connective tissue of Indonesian travel. PELNI runs public passenger ships across many longer routes and remote ports, while local ferries and fast boats handle shorter crossings. Fast boats are convenient for Bali-Gilis, Bali-Nusa Penida, and similar tourist routes, but sea conditions, delays, and operator standards vary. Do not schedule a tight international flight after a boat crossing.
Java is the exception to the island-hopping chaos. Trains link Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and other major cities, and they are usually more comfortable than short flights once airport time is counted. Book intercity trains in advance through official KAI channels or trusted ticketing platforms, especially on weekends and holidays. Outside Java, trains are not a serious planning tool for most travelers.
In cities and tourist areas, Grab and Gojek make short rides easier because the price is clear before you move. They are useful in Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta, Makassar, Manado, Labuan Bajo, and many larger towns, though coverage thins out in remote areas. Where apps do not work, use a reputable taxi, a hotel-arranged driver, or a local ojek with the fare agreed before you start. Private drivers are often the most efficient choice for full-day Bali, Java, Lombok, or Flores routes.
Use the apps, skip the haggle
Download Grab and Gojek before you arrive. They give a fixed price up front, so there is no negotiating and no meter games, and they are usually cheaper than a street taxi. Outside their coverage, stick to Blue Bird taxis or agree a fare before you get in.
For exploring at your own pace, a rented scooter is the classic Indonesian move, and on quiet islands like Sumbawa or in rural Bali and Lombok it is genuinely the best way to get around. It is also, as our safety guide spells out, the single most common way travelers get hurt. If you ride, wear a proper helmet, carry an international driving permit endorsed for motorcycles, check the bike before you take it, and do not learn to ride here in heavy traffic. Treat it as a tool for quiet roads, not city chaos.
A good multi-island route strings these together without pretending every transfer is frictionless: fly to the next region, use boats only where they make sense, take trains across Java, and keep apps or drivers for local movement. The art is sequencing the route so you are not doubling back, then leaving buffer days because boats and small flights slip. For how each island sits in the seasons, see our best time to visit guide, and to have the whole chain planned for you, plan a trip with us.
Written by
Asik Travel Editorial
Local travel editors
We write from the islands we sell, with first-hand notes from our guides and operators.
