Volcanoes, Islands and Ice Cream: Our Overland Family Trip Across Indonesia

The Route

We decided to cross from Java to Lombok overland, building a route that mixed cities, volcanoes, jungle, beaches and islands. The plan: fly into Jakarta, take the train to Yogyakarta, road trip across East Java, hop over to Bali for Seminyak and Ubud, then finish on Gili Air. Along the way we used pretty much every form of transport available: plane, train, car, tuk tuk, scooter, horse cart, speedboat, bike and boat.

And it was fabulous. Occasionally a bit mad. But a journey full of contrasts, colour and amazing experiences.

We could have flown straight to Bali and stayed on one beach. Instead, we chose to travel through the country, so the kids could experience the diversity of what the country has to offer – chaotic cities, misty rice terraces, smoking volcanoes. And frankly, because I know the country well enough to plan something a bit more interesting.

If you like the idea of a layered, multi‑stop holiday rather than a single resort, Indonesia really rewards that approach.

Jakarta to Yogyakarta by rail: starting with the real Java

Jakarta is full‑on: traffic, noise, humidity. It is not everyone’s idea of a relaxing start, but it does remind you that you have arrived somewhere very different.

We did not linger. Instead, we took the train to Yogyakarta, which was where the holiday really started to feel like a journey. The train gave us:

• Space for the kids to move without being strapped into plane seats.
• A gradual transition from city edge to small towns and green rice fields.
• A glimpse of everyday life that you do not get if you hop straight onto an internal flight.

Yogyakarta itself was our base for the UNESCO world heritage site of Borobudur. Honestly I’m not totally sure the kids appreciated it, but I enjoyed myself.

East Java: slightly odd theme parks and a serious volcano

From there we headed into East Java with a private driver and guide. This part of the trip was a good reminder that when you travel overland, you do not just see the big sights. You also end up in places you would never put on a glossy brochure.

In our case, that meant some very eccentric local theme parks: Dino Land (a clunky homage to Jurassic Park) and Batu Flower Garden. The latter was a bit of a mistake – I thought it would be a nice botanical garden but it turned out to be something more akin to Chelsea Flower Show on acid. Picture an entire banqueting room set up with life size models of famous Indonesian figures having dinner together, followed by a ride on a mobility scooter through massive fake floral displays and vegetables with smiley faces. Very odd.

 The main target, though, was Mount Bromo.

The Bromo day starts early. Very early. There was an alarming jeep ride, the shared viewpoint and the standard “are we seriously doing this at this time in the morning” look from the children. Then the sun came up, the mist lifted and the whole caldera appeared, with Bromo quietly smoking away in the middle.

This is one of those places that really does live up to the photos. I even took my oldest up to peer down into the smoking crater of Bromo Kecil (with a firm hold on the back of his t-shirt).

Surabaya

This was our return to the city we once called home. And it’s not a place on many tour itineraries – it’s a sprawling, noisy, traffic-jammed behemoth of a city – but that’s a shame in a way because it has absolutely incredible street food and brilliant shopping. We enjoyed a couple of days, hopping between soft play centres (for the kids) and nostalgic revisits (for the adults).

Bali in two parts: coast and jungle

By this point, we had earned some easier days, so we flew into Bali and split our time between Seminyak and Ubud.

Seminyak was our time for long beaches, spa visits, great international food, and those famous sunsets. I enjoyed a fabulous reflexology and sunset drinks at the iconic Ku de Ta.

Ubud:
This was probably our favourite stay of the whole trip – we had a fabulous little villa tucked just off one of the main streets. We visited the monkey forest, went up to the rice terraces and mooched around the cafes and shops. I even managed to fit in a couple of morning yoga classes at the iconic Yoga Barn.

The best practical decision we made was booking a pool at every stop. In this heat, a pool is not a luxury, it is a pressure valve. We would do mornings out, then retreat to the water in the afternoon, which kept everyone much more willing to cooperate with the “interesting bits” of the trip.

Gili Air: no cars, lots of turtles

Our last stop was Gili Air, reached by speedboat from Bali. This is where the pace finally slows.

There are no cars, so transport is by horse cart or bike. The island is small enough that nothing is far away. We hired bicycles and spent the days cycling between different beach cafes and popping into the calm waters.

The island has amazing snorkelling – right off the beach. Within about ten minutes in the water I had seen my first turtle. I swam back in straight away to get my oldest and took him out with me to see it. An incredible moment for a little Octonauts fan.

The less glamorous parts: food, tiredness and negotiations

People often imagine that children will “discover” a love of local food on trips like this. Some do. Ours did not.

They ate chips. They ate ice cream. Occasionally they ate rice. That was about it.

At home I might have been stricter. On this trip I decided that if they were hydrated, relatively cheerful and game for the rest of the plan, I could live with their beige diet for a few weeks. They were surrounded by new sights, sounds and experiences; the food will catch up one day.

The other reality: long days and early starts have consequences. Tired kids are not impressed by your excellent itinerary. The way we managed this:

• Pool time baked into every stop.
• Not scheduling every hour.
• Accepting that sometimes “staring at a tablet by the pool” is part of a successful family holiday.

The trade‑off worked: we got our volcano, temples, trains and turtles; they got daily swimming, screen time and ice cream. Everyone went home happy.

What I took from this, and what it means for clients

A few things this trip underlined for me:

• Indonesia is incredibly diverse: In a single holiday we went from a capital city to a cultural hub, across volcanic landscapes, into jungle and finally to a tiny car‑free island. You do not get that range in many places in such a short time.
• Overland travel is worth the effort: The train journeys, road trips and boat crossings were not just “getting from A to B”. They were the frame that made the whole picture make sense.
• Family trips can be ambitious and still enjoyable: With realistic pacing, smart hotel choices and an honest acceptance of how children actually behave, you can do much more than a simple fly‑and‑flop.

Because I used to live in Indonesia and have now stress‑tested it with children, I have a clear sense of what works and what is simply too much on paper. When I design Indonesia itineraries for clients, I focus on:

• Keeping the sense of journey, without building a route that exhausts everyone.
• Choosing bases with the right mix of interest and downtime.
• Planning logistics so that the “every form of transport” element is fun, not stressful.

If you like the idea of seeing more of Indonesia than just one beach, but are not sure where to start, I can put together a trip that fits your family’s appetite for adventure, comfort levels and attention spans.