Indonesia

“Our local friends can teach you Balinese dancing, landscape painting or regional variations on classic yoga poses – moves that’ll get the Lululemon set talking.”

  • Bendera Ku, Indonesia,
  • Borobudar site, Indonesia
  • Kids help each other in Indonesia
  • Before Melasti, Indonesia
  • Silent morning, West Java, Indoneisa
  • Sengkols fishermen, Indonesia

Discover Indonesia

A group of self-described Aman junkies recently asked us to create a bespoke holiday adventure in Java and Bali. Having experienced firsthand the luxurious Aman properties throughout Asia – as well as the pain of withdrawal – we simply had to comply with their polite list of demands, which included: great biking and walking each day; regular flashes of cultural insight; a few Indonesian cooking classes; encounters with people living well off the beaten tourist path; opportunities for creative philanthropy on a personal scale; and…oh yes, nannies for the kids, please. 

Needles to say, our guests’ wish list was right up our alley – or our Balinese footpath. We linked a trio of acclaimed Aman resorts, threw in an exceptional COMO hotel for good measure and went on to create the trip of a lifetime.

First stop was Amanjiwo on Java, where we explored the magnificent 9th-century Buddhist site of Borobudur at sunrise, then viewed it again at sunset from the hotel terrace. We invited a Cambridge-educated journalist named Budi (meaning “the wise one”) to explain Indonesia’s complex history and fascinating religious cohabitation. Budi was also a keen biker and walker; he happily joined the group for treks up volcanic mountains and shared the thrills of rafting down Class II to IV white water. And he introduced us to various friends, family members and complete strangers, helping our travellers find the genuine insights they were hoping for.

We next flew to Bali, where the deities became Hindu and the hospitality was as welcoming as ever. Setting out from the elegant Amankila resort, the group discovered Ubud, Tembok and Manggis. And they enjoyed every kind of cultural moment, from temple feasts to devotions in family homes, from artisans’ markets to whale spotting off the coast (or diving among shipwrecks below the waves).

The final destination was the island of Moyo, where our secluded hideaway Amanwana, accessible only by floatplane, is nestled in a cove on the Flores Sea. Here spectacular diving combined with decadent beach time creates the perfect ending to a story dreamed up by travellers who proudly declare their addiction to luxury adventure.

We’ll fulfill your particular dream in this fabled part of the world, whether it’s flying by helicopter over the volcanoes of Java or sailing to Komodo with wildlife experts to track the island’s famed dragons. Just tell us what you can’t live without, and we’ll make sure you get your fix.

Create your own story

We'll help craft a bespoke travel experience tailored to your unique needs and tastes.
To discuss what interests you about this or any other destination, call us: +44 203 358 0110

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