Secret Paradise: Traveling through Indonesia’s hidden gem islands

I love island life. The sheer thought of extraordinary dives and surfs in warm tropical waters, sinking my toes in white sandy beaches and feasting my eyes on stunning azure bays is my prime idea of paradise. After a hectic few weeks at work, I was itching again for a taste of adventure. Having travelled to some of the best island destinations in the world however, my eyes were set much closer to home this time: Indonesia.

As it turns out, Indonesia is home to an astounding 17,000 islands. While most people typically flock to the more familiar shores of Bali, I was drawn to her lesser-known islands. I’ve heard phenomenal stories from fellow island lovers and water sport enthusiasts about the paradisiacal beauty of its islands like Lombok and Flores that were apparently far more beautiful than Bali. It was with this in mind that I packed my bags and set off, kicking off my island-hopping adventure in Indonesia in Lombok.

Lombok, often nicknamed “an unspoiled Bali”, turned out to be a tropical haven of beaches, magnificent waterfalls and of course, the imposing Mount Rinjani. Located just east of Bali, it is the perfect gateway for tourists traveling to the famous Gili Islands and (more elusive) Flores. After a direct AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur, I finally landed in Lombok International Airport in Praya, Lombok.

Kuta, a sleepy coastal town just 20 minutes from the airport, was my first destination in Lombok. Not to be confused with its Balinese namesake, this world-class surfer’s paradise boasts of remote pristine beaches surrounded by unbelievably blue waters and awe-inspiring jagged mountainous landscapes. My brief stint in Kuta saw me frolicking on its beaches (Kuta Beach and Pantai Seger) and braving strong currents at its best surf breaks (Seger Reef, Air Guling and Gerupuk) before making my way to my next destination, the Gili Islands.

Arguably Lombok’s most popular destination, Gili Trawangan, also known as Gili T, is the largest island of the three Gili Islands. It took me a two hour-long chartered boat ride from Senggigi in Lombok (the easiest way to get there) before I arrived. Despite being reputed as a ‘hippie’ party island, Gili T is also a thriving diving hotspot. Its emerald-green waters are home to an arresting array of marine life; I came nose-to-nose with green and hawksbill turtles, black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, and more. The currents here were strong though, and I found myself retreating to my eco-friendly lodge every night worn-out but buzzing with adrenaline.

From Gili T, I made my way to Flores (Portuguese for ‘flowers’). After seeing the most spectacular pictures of this former Portuguese colony, this was the island I had been most anticipating to visit. I was absolutely thrilled to find a four-day sailing trip from Gili to Komodo, an island along the northern coast of Flores. If I thought Gili and Lombok were absolutely magical, words fail me in describing the beauty that was Komodo, Flores.

Over the next four days, the boat ride took us on an unforgettable island adventure through the Komodo National Park: Satonda Island (where we got to hop off for a quick snorkel); Gili Laba (a beautiful island surrounded by waters in seemingly every imaginable shade of blue with fantastic views); Manta Point (aptly named for the huge manta rays abound); Pink Beach (a phenomenal snorkeling spot with over 60 types of coral reef and thousands species of fish, with sand that glows pink at sunrise!) before arriving on Komodo Island, named after the massive and lethal Komodo Dragons that prowl the island.

My Indonesian island-hopping travels also saw me in Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra, a popular access point among tourists headed to the surfing sites of Mentawai Islands. Reputed as having some of the most perfect surfing breaks in the world, I was intrigued to pay a visit. Upon arriving at their popular surf spots such like Pagai and South Sipora, I understood why this was the surf mecca for experienced surfers: the shallow waters pack plenty of punch and you could see coral reefs peeking through the clear waters.

Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, was my last destination on my travel itinerary. It came recommended to me by a fellow diver I had met at Gili as another diving haven. Thinking it would be a challenge to get to, I almost didn’t include it in my travel, before discovering a direct flight to and from Kuala Lumpur daily. From the city’s Fort Rotterdam, I hopped on a short day trip via boat to Pulau Samalona. Adi, my boat guide, explained to me that the island is shrinking every year, hence its active preservation efforts. It was a shame, I thought in dismay, as I took in the pristine white sands and waters so clear I could see the beautiful coral reefs from the boat.

Before I knew it, I had finally concluded my Indonesian island adventure in Makassar. After the island adventure of a lifetime, I felt completely reinvigorated, energised and with a buzzing zest for life. There’s something magical in the beautiful islands and waters of Indonesia that does that to you. Over my trip, I was glad to have crossed off so many island destinations on my travel bucket list. Despite this, I still felt like there was still so much more the Indonesian archipelago had to offer. I’ll be back soon, I thought to myself as I stepped on the AirAsia aircraft in Makassar finally bounded back for home.

This post was written with the collaboration & support of the Ministry of Tourism Indonesia. Air Asia offers the best connectivity to Indonesia, check out their 15 destinations here!