Indonesia

The dry season, April to October, is prime across most of the archipelago — Bali, Java and the Gilis at their sunniest, with the calmest seas for diving. Remote Moyo Island (Amanwana) runs roughly April to November. The wet season (November to March) is greener and better value, with short tropical downpours rather than all-day rain. July and August peak; May, June and September are the ideal shoulders.

Seven to ten nights suits a first Bali trip, pairing the Ubud hills with the southern coast. Add more for a multi-island route — Borobudur in Java, or an Aman island like Moyo. Indonesia rewards a well-planned multi-centre itinerary, and we arrange the inter-island flights and speedboats so the joins never eat into your holiday.

Ideally both, though the island divides into more than two. The Ubud hills (Four Seasons Sayan, Ritz-Carlton Mandapa) give river-valley calm and culture above the rice terraces, while the south splits again between the Uluwatu cliffs, the calm bay at Jimbaran and the gated estate at Nusa Dua — three quite different holidays. Most first trips pair Ubud with one of them, and we sequence the two so you get the contrast without backtracking. Our Bali guide sets out all five areas and who each one suits.

You pay the same nightly rate as booking direct and gain preferred-partner benefits — breakfast, upgrades when available, and resort credits. The real value here is the multi-island logistics: the private flights and boat transfers between Bali, Java and the remote Aman islands, plus touches like a private dawn visit to Borobudur before the gates open.

In Bali, Four Seasons Sayan, Ritz-Carlton Mandapa and Capella Ubud lead the Ubud hills, with Bulgari Resort Bali on the Uluwatu cliffs and Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay on the bay. Beyond Bali, Amanjiwo faces the Borobudur stupa in Java, Amankila clings to the cliffs of East Bali, and Amanwana pitches luxury tents on the jungle island of Moyo.