I have somewhat unexpected vacation time coming up very, very soon. I essentially have all of June off, until the 24th.
I'm an experienced solo traveler, female in her late 20s, flying from the west coast of the US.
I am thinking of going to Indonesia for this vacation, as the weather is supposed to be about as good as it gets there in June (it is said to be drier this time of year and the humidity not quite as ruthless...though coming from the Pacific Northwest, I'm sure I'll still melt). Not to mention I've found a ticket price that is reasonable for such a last-minute trip (about $1,100USD)!
This is by far the least amount of time I've had to plan a trip. I'd love some advice from those of you who have been. I always get the best advice from r/travel and once again I seek your wisdom.
Obviously, Indonesia has a lot of beaches. This is not what primarily attracts me to Indonesia, though I'm interested in a few days on the coast. However - I'm not a fan of "beachy towns" overrun with tourists. In the last few years I've been to a few places that other people really recommended - Caye Caulker in Belize and Morro de Sao Paolo in Brazil - and found them quite uninteresting and too kitschy for my taste (though I can see how 10 years ago they would've been truly amazing!). As much as possible I'd like to avoid those types of places. If you can recommend an island or coastal community that is laid back but more authentic, I'd love your recommendations!
Traveler to traveler, how is Bali? Is it a must or something to pass as it has become very popular? For a long time, I have had a dream of biking around the island, through green paddy fields and beautiful landscapes. If not Bali, where can I spend a few days biking and exploring an island?
I'm a mountains, rainforest, breathtaking vistas kind of girl. I love small towns and lots of interaction with locals. I'm looking for some inspiration and some quiet. What would you recommend for that?
If anyone has experience renting a motorcycle, what was your experience like? Would you recommend it, as someone who has never ridden solo on one before?
5 Any experiences you enjoyed I would really appreciate! I will also search for general recommendations in the r/travel history.
Thank you kindly!
p.s. Despite how it sounds, I don't hate people! I am coming off of a stressful period of life and would like some beautiful places to relax, adventure around and collect myself.
p.p.s. I posted a few weeks ago seeking advice on Mongolia or Kyrgyzstan. Thanks everyone who responded! Unfortunately, the ticket prices are all $2000+ for June so I've had to rule it on for that reason. I definitely plan to go to Central Asia next summer, and hopefully for a good amount of time.