Indonesia Overland: Bali, Nusa Penida, Ijen's Blue Fire, Mount Bromo and Java All the Way to Jakarta
From Kathmandu to Jakarta and on to Bali, then the long way back by road across Java: Ketapang, Ijen's blue fire, Mount Bromo, Tumpak Sewu waterfall in Lumajang, Yogyakarta and Bandung.
By Hafiz Tayyab · 23 October 2026 · 1 min read
The route
- KathmandutoJakartaBatik Air (Malindo)
- JakartatoBali
- BalitoKetapang
- KetapangtoIjenBlue fire
- IjentoBromo
- BromotoLumajangTumpak Sewu
- LumajangtoYogyakarta
- YogyakartatoBandung
- BandungtoJakarta
Ijen's blue fire
Blue flames inside a volcano crater, before dawn.
Mount Bromo
Sunrise over the volcano and its sea of sand.
Tumpak Sewu
The curtain waterfall in Lumajang.
After Nepal I flew on to Indonesia. Instead of flying everywhere, I chose the long way: all of Java by road.
Getting there
From Kathmandu I flew Batik Air (formerly Malindo) to Jakarta, and from Jakarta took a domestic flight to Bali.
Bali and Nusa Penida
I spent days exploring Bali and took the boat to Nusa Penida, with its cliffs and beaches.
Across Java by road
Then the big part: back to Jakarta by road, crossing the whole island of Java.
- Bali → Ketapang: the ferry across to Java.
- Ijen: the famous blue fire, flames of burning sulphur inside the crater, seen in the dark before dawn.
- Mount Bromo: a volcano rising out of a sea of sand.
- Lumajang: the Tumpak Sewu waterfall, a huge curtain of water.
- Yogyakarta: Java's cultural heart.
- Bandung: cooler hills before the capital.
- Jakarta.
It's a long way, but going overland shows you a side of Indonesia most visitors never see.
Out via Mumbai
From Jakarta I flew IndiGo, via Mumbai, to Jeddah. As a Pakistani, transiting through Mumbai was its own experience. From Jeddah, the Saudi Arabia leg began.
Tips
- Ijen means a midnight start. Bring a warm layer and a proper mask for the sulphur.
- Bromo is best at sunrise. Book the jeep the evening before.
- Java is big. Budget at least a week overland.
- Halal food is easy. Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority country.
The Indonesia vlogs are coming to the channels. Follow the Indonesia series.
Questions people ask
Can you travel from Bali to Jakarta by road?
Yes. Hafiz Tayyab crossed by ferry from Bali to Ketapang on Java and travelled overland through Ijen, Bromo, Lumajang, Yogyakarta and Bandung to Jakarta.
What is Ijen's blue fire?
Blue flames from burning sulphur gas inside the Ijen volcano crater in East Java, best seen before dawn.
How did he fly from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia?
IndiGo from Jakarta to Jeddah, connecting in Mumbai.
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