There is much more of Indonesia – a nation of 16,000 islands – worth discovering beyond Bali. Here is just a sample of some of the highlights.

Lombok

Apart from Bali, Lombok is perhaps Indonesia’s most tourist-oriented island, and it is recovering well from earthquakes in mid-2018.

With good infrastructure (excellent roads, hotels, restaurants), plus activities (spas, surfing, snorkelling, diving, and cultural excursions to weaving and pottery villages), Lombok is an easy holiday choice.

Most of the resorts and hotels in the north and the offshore islands known as the Gilis (“gili” means island in the local language, Sasak) have reopened for business, and there are plenty of post-earthquake booking bargains.

There was no earthquake damage to resorts in the south (including on the quieter, less-discovered southern Gilis). A new tourist precinct, Mandalika, is taking shape at Lombok’s own Kuta Beach, the start of a stunning stretch of coast. However, Mount Rinjani, Indonesia’s most scenic volcano climb, will remain closed until September 2019.

More information here.

Lombok is recovering from last year’s earthquakes, and new areas are opening up for exploring. Photo: Getty

Raja Ampat, West Papua

Don’t come here unless you’re interested in snorkelling or diving, or bird-watching, especially rare species such as birds of paradise.

It helps also to appreciate exquisite natural beauty, as displayed in this archipelago of limestone islands, surrounded by shimmering waters that redefine the word “clear”.

Raja Ampat’s marine reserves protect what is the most diverse and abundant sea and coral life on the planet, according to Conservation International.

Due to its remoteness, Raja Ampat has a reputation as being expensive as well as paradisiacal. But if you use the brilliant Stay Raja Ampat website to book homestays and transfers, and are content with fairly basic accommodation, you can enjoy this superlative place at reasonable rates while also directly supporting its conservation and the local villagers.

More information here.

Raja Ampat offers more snorkelling, diving and bird-watching than you can poke a stick at. Photo: Getty

Flores

Most visitors base themselves in Flores’ booming port town of Labuan Bajo, where you can find fine Italian food (among other Western delights) and from where you can do day trips by land or sea.

More adventurous travellers may prefer to head off on the Trans-Flores Highway to discover photogenic traditional villages, laid-back beach resorts, the Liang Bua cave where the remains of the “hobbit” Flores man (Homo floresiensis) were found, or to climb Mount Kelimutu, with its three crater lakes of various hues.

Flores’ biggest tourist phenomenon occurs at Easter when thousands of Christians flock to the eastern town of Larantuka for spectacular 400-year-old Holy Week ceremonies, including an all-night procession of multitudes of torch-bearing pilgrims accompanied by guards in mediaeval European garb.

More information here.

One of the three brilliantly coloured crater lakes at Mount Kelimutu on Flores. Photo: Getty

Komodo

Labuan Bajo is also a jumping off point for boat trips to the islands of Padar (an Instagrammers’ favourite), Komodo and Rinca, which together form a national park for the ancient Komodo dragons.

Looking startlingly like gigantic goannas to Australian eyes, the potentially lethal dragons are not difficult to find, but you need to be accompanied by rangers equipped with long forked sticks.

It’s a memorable experience to gaze on beasts that could have come from a fable or a time-travel tunnel.

A wave of mass tourism was anticipated to arrive here soon, but this might be curbed by the introduction of a day fee of US$500 ($A698) proposed by the regional governor. Either way, now is a good time to go.

More information here.

A Komodo dragon on the island that is its namesake. Photo: Getty

Central Java

European and domestic Indonesian tourists flock to central Java, which seems to have it all. There are upmarket resorts and affordable four-star and boutique accommodation, Hindu and Buddhist temples, a thriving foodie culture, traditional crafts, historic palaces, museums, galleries, markets and malls, and many opportunities to see dance, puppet shows and music performances.

Lively Yogyakarta has a packed festival calendar, and is a centre for traditional culture and modern art. The nearby rival royal city of Surakarta (aka Solo) is quieter but no less fascinating to explore (Mangkunegaran Palace and the Danar Hadi Batik Museum are highlights).

The region also has its scenic, rural side: rice-fields, farms, forests, river gorges, waterfalls and national parks. The adventurous can trek up mountains, go white-water rafting, or ride jeeps over lava flows on Mount Merapi. The biggest drawcard by far is Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist monument, a masterpiece restored with help from UNESCO.

More information here.

Borobudur is a restored temple that draws tourists and the faithful to central Java. Photo: Getty