Hey Reader,

In case you missed last week's note, our expert travel advisor Alexandra is taking over the newsletter for about a month as she explores Indonesia firsthand. If you're coming along for the ride, here is part two!

Cheers,

Jordan

From Alexandra's desk

I head to Indonesia soon, and there's something I see people misunderstand about this destination all the time.

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People plan Indonesia like it’s one destination. It’s not.

Indonesia is massive—stretching more than 3,000 miles across thousands of islands—so getting from one incredible place to the next can involve flights, boats, long drives, and essentially full travel days. I even made the mistake early on of thinking, “Oh, since we’re already over there, we can just combine Indonesia with Thailand,” only to realize that Bangkok to Bali is roughly a 4.5-hour nonstop flight. Hardly a ‘quick trip’!

The biggest planning mistake is looking at Indonesia as one stop on a map rather than a collection of destinations that require thoughtful routing and enough time to experience them properly (I still feel like we may not have enough time). Assuming you can do it all in one trip can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, not refreshed and energized as a destination like this should!

Here are three things I see people get wrong—and what I'll be confirming (or correcting) when I'm there in person:

MISTAKE #1: TRYING TO SEE TOO MANY AREAS IN TOO LITTLE TIME

Indonesia looks deceptively easy to combine on a map, but inter-island travel adds up quickly.

Flights + airport time + boats + drives = what looks like a “transfer” can consume most of a day.

It's easy to fall into the trap of wanting to see it all. In the beginning, I wanted to do Borneo but quickly realized how far and remote it was from everything else that logistically it didn’t make sense to combine it with other destinations.

Smarter approach: fewer destinations, longer stays, and routing that actually makes geographic/logistical sense.

What I’m evaluating: Which transfers feel easy vs. exhausting? How many nights does each stop really deserve? Which combinations flow well?

MISTAKE #2: ASSUMING ALL LUXURY HOTELS ARE THE SAME AND WORTH VISITING

Indonesia has some spectacular bucket-list hotels, but location matters enormously. A gorgeous remote resort may mean sacrificing easy access to temples, villages, restaurants, beaches, hiking, etc.

Some properties stand out on their own enough to build an itinerary around. But even if they photograph beautifully, does it justify the price or the complicated journey? Luxury here may be less about thread count and more about access, guides, service, privacy, and seamless logistics.

MISTAKE #3: THINKING INDONESIA IS RIGHT FOR EVERY LUXURY TRAVELER

A lot of people book Indonesia because it looks incredible. But "looks incredible" and "is the right trip for you" are two different things. Probably not ideal for someone who wants everything predictable, effortless, and highly polished from start to finish. Heat/humidity, boats, small planes, winding drives, bugs/wildlife, early mornings, uneven terrain, etc. could be incredible for adventurous luxury travelers, but potentially frustrating for someone who equates “luxury” with zero inconvenience.

I'll be testing all of this in real time and reporting back the moment I'm home! In the meantime, if Indonesia has made you hesitate, let me know what you'd like me to scope out. And if you have questions about this destination before I go, drop them in a reply. I'll bring a running list with me.

Happy Travels,

Alexandra

P.S. My husband thinks we’re going on vacation. I’m thoroughly conducting field research 😏