Forget the 'New Balis,' visit these Indonesian escapes instead

Sprawling archipelago offers multiple 'hidden' island paradises

The view from Medeka House, Maluk sm.jpeg

The view from Merdeka House, a surfing lodge on the west coast of Indonesia's Sumbawa Island. This coastal stretch is a paradise of beaches honeycombed with rocky promontories that are home to the country's best-rated surfing waves. (All photos by Ian Neubauer except where indicated)

IAN LLOYD NEUBAUER, Contributing writer

November 9, 2024 08:09 JST

BALI, Indonesia -- In 2015, Indonesia launched "10 New Balis," a campaign to reduce the country's dependence on visitors to Bali, the resort island that accounts for less than 3% of the country's landmass but draws more than 40% of its international visitors.

In 2021 the list was whittled down to five "super priority" destinations, and Jakarta earmarked 18.9 trillion rupiah ($1.2 billion) for infrastructure projects and promotional activities designed to encourage tourist flows to those locations.