Stories

  1. Berastagi Weekend Guide: Cool Highlands, Volcanoes and MarketsWhen Australian travellers finish a week in Bali and start scrolling for somewhere new, North Sumatra rarely comes up first. That is a pity, because the…
  2. Chasing the Wildest Plunge Pools of North SumatraAustralians tired of the same Bali circuit often fly further north, where the cool highland air of the Bukit Barisan range spills into some of the most…
  3. What to Pack for a Mount Agung Volcano Trek in BaliStanding at 3,031 metres, Mount Agung is the highest peak on Bali and the spiritual heart of the island. It is also a demanding climb, with steep volcanic…
  4. Riding the local bus from Yogyakarta to Borobudur TempleBorobudur rises out of the Kedu Plain like a stone mountain wrapped in carved clouds, and it pulls travellers from every corner of the world. For Australians…
  5. Sidemen Valley Rice Terraces: A Quiet Corner of Eastern BaliStretching along the lower flanks of Mount Agung in the Karangasem regency, the rice terraces of the Sidemen Valley offer a slower, greener alternative to the…
  6. The Best Snorkeling Spots on Gili Trawangan for BeginnersGili Trawangan is one of Indonesia’s easiest places to try snorkelling for the first time. The island has calm-looking beaches, warm tropical water and several…
  7. Ijen crater blue fire: a practical guide for Aussie travellersFew natural phenomena capture the imagination quite like the electric blue flames flickering inside an active volcanic crater at the dead of night. On the…
  8. Your practical guide to the Mount Bromo sunrise viewpoint in East JavaThe volcanic skyline of East Java draws travellers from across the world, but few arrive in greater numbers than Australians. Direct services from Sydney,…
  9. A Budget Traveller's Guide to Street Food in SoloSolo, or Surakarta, doesn't shout for attention the way Bali or Jakarta do, and that quietness is exactly why backpacking through Java feels like finding a…
  10. Stepping aboard a traditional fishing boat in the Riau IslandsThe Riau Islands sit barely a stone's throw from Singapore and just a few hours' flight from Australia's eastern capitals, making them one of the closest…