I Found Paradise in Indonesia (And It’s Not Bali)

While tourists crowd Bali’s beaches and fill Lombok’s resorts, I’ve spent the last decade discovering Indonesian islands so pristine that some don’t even appear on Google Maps. These hidden paradises cost less than a night in Seminyak but offer experiences that money usually can’t buy.

1. Pulau Run

Remember the tiny island that the British traded for Manhattan? This is it. While the Dutch got the raw end of that deal, Run remains a hidden gem with the world’s most expensive spices growing wild along its hiking trails. The nutmeg trees here are over 400 years old, and local families still harvest them the same way their ancestors did. The real secret? The sunset-facing beach is where you can snorkel with sea turtles that have never learned to fear humans.

Stay with Pak Ahmad’s family near the old VOC fort – they’ve been growing nutmeg for seven generations and make the best spice tea I’ve ever tasted. Their guesthouse might not have AC, but your bedroom window opens to a view that’s worth millions in Manhattan. Time your visit between October and December when the spice harvest happens and the whole island smells like Christmas.

2. Moyo Island

Just off Sumbawa’s coast lies Princess Diana’s favorite hideaway. The local village only got electricity five years ago, but that’s exactly why it’s perfect. No phones ringing, no WiFi – just pristine reefs and waterfalls you can jump into. Ask for Pak Ali at the dock; he knows a hidden waterfall that tourists never visit because it’s not on any map.

The best part? The honey collectors climb 30-meter trees to harvest wild bee nests. They’ll take you into the jungle to see the harvest if you bring cigarettes (they use the smoke to calm the bees) and don’t mind getting a few stings. The honey tastes like nothing you’ve ever tried – locals say it’s because the bees feed on cashew flowers.

3. Gangga Island

North of Sulawesi, this speck of paradise has more turtle nesting sites than human residents. The local dive master, Made, showed me a spot where you can watch baby turtles hatch almost year-round. Skip the one guesthouse and stay with a local family – they’ll probably invite you to help harvest sea grapes, a local delicacy that tastes like ocean champagne.

Every full moon, the entire village gathers for a traditional ceremony to bless the fishing boats. Tourists are welcome but rarely know about it. Bring a flashlight – after the ceremony, the fishermen will take you night fishing using traditional methods. You haven’t lived until you’ve caught squid under a full moon in the Celebes Sea.

4. Belitung

Remember “Laskar Pelangi” (Rainbow Troops)? This is where that famous Indonesian story takes place. Think granite boulders scattered across white sand beaches like a giant’s marble collection. The local fishermen will take you island hopping on their traditional boats for a fraction of what you’d pay in Bali. Don’t miss the blue lake – an abandoned tin mine that nature reclaimed and turned into something magical.

Stay in the old town where Chinese shophouses serve the best noodles you’ll ever taste. The secret ingredient? Dried Belitung fish that’s only caught during certain moon phases. Visit during the cultural festival in August when locals reenact the island’s tin mining history through dance performances on the beach.

5. Maratua

Off the coast of Borneo, this atoll has the highest concentration of manta rays I’ve ever seen. The local resort is actually cheaper than most Bali hotels, but here’s the trick: book the homestay next door. The family who runs it knows exactly when the mantas come to feed. During my last visit, we saw 18 mantas in a single morning.

The real magic happens at night when phosphorescent plankton light up the shallow lagoon. Local kids know the best spots to see this natural light show – just bring them some school supplies (the island’s school is always short on materials) and they’ll show you their secret spots.

6. Pulau Kakaban

Imagine swimming in a lake full of harmless jellyfish. This island’s interior lake is one of only two places on Earth where you can do this. The jellyfish lost their sting over millions of years of evolution. Local tip: go early in the morning when the sun hits the water just right – it looks like you’re floating in liquid gold.

The island’s caretaker, Pak Rusli, has been studying the jellyfish for 20 years. Buy him a coffee and he’ll show you rare species that most scientists don’t even know exist. He can also guide you to a hidden mangrove channel where baby barracudas shelter – it’s like swimming through an underwater nursery.

7. Banda Neira

The Banda Islands are slowly getting discovered, but Neira remains gloriously unchanged. Colonial mansions from the 1600s sit crumbling in the jungle, and the world’s oldest nutmeg trees grow in people’s backyards. The fort offers the best sunset view in the Moluccas, and if you bring the guard a coffee, he’ll tell you stories about the island’s spice-trading history that never made it into history books.

Stay at the old Dutch governor’s house – it’s now a guesthouse run by a local family who serves traditional Bandanese food. Their kenari nut pancakes alone are worth the journey. Time your visit for the sea almond harvest when locals gather on the beach to crack nuts and share stories.

8. Seram

They call it the Switzerland of the Moluccas because of its mountains, but that comparison doesn’t do it justice. The interior has waterfalls that nobody’s photographed yet, and beaches where you’ll find nautilus shells just lying on the sand. My guide, Pak Denny, knows a spot where you can see birds of paradise performing their mating dance – but you’ll have to wake up at 4 AM.

The local Nuaulu tribe still practices traditional hunting, but they’ve also become incredible conservationists. Stay in their village and they’ll teach you their ancient tracking methods. They can spot a hornbill nest from half a kilometer away just by watching how the birds fly.

9. Selayar

South of Sulawesi, this island chain has better diving than Komodo but sees maybe 100 tourists a year. The locals still hunt using traditional spears, but they’ve also created one of the most successful coral restoration projects in Indonesia. Time your visit for the traditional whale hunting season – don’t worry, they don’t hunt anymore, but the whole village still celebrates with music and feasts when the whales migrate past.

The best food on the island comes from Ibu Ani’s kitchen – it’s not a restaurant, just her house, but everybody knows it. Her fish curry uses a recipe that’s been in her family for generations, and she grows all the spices in her backyard. She might even teach you how to make it if you ask nicely.

10. Pulau Abang

Just off Batam, this tiny island cluster is Jakarta’s best-kept secret. The water visibility regularly hits 30 meters, and the coral reefs are recovering instead of dying. The local kids have started a plastic cleanup initiative – join them for a morning and they’ll show you their secret swimming spots afterward.

The island’s fishing families have turned their boats into floating restaurants during the day. Pick any boat, climb aboard, and they’ll serve you the freshest grilled fish you’ve ever tasted, caught just hours before. Try to catch the bio-luminescent plankton displayed during the new moon – it’s like swimming in stars.

The Real Indonesia

Last week, a traveler asked me if these islands are “worth the hassle” of getting to. I showed him a video of me swimming with manta rays in Maratua – we were the only people in the water, and you could hear nothing but the sound of waves. Then I showed him my receipt for the day: less than what I spent on my last dinner in Bali. Some questions answer themselves.