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10 Best Historical Tours to Check Out in Indonesia This Year [Updated]
Indonesian history is a mix of conflict, religion, and culture. To help you find the right tour to explore Indonesian heritage, we have compiled a list of the 10 best historical tours in Indonesia.
These tours offer unparalleled insights into the Indonesian people’s lives, practices, and architecture, among many other things.
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1. Ubud: Past to Present - Walk Through the Centuries!
Location: Ubud, Bali
Duration: 3 Hours
Price:
- International Adult: Rp 350,000/$22.69
- Domestic Adult: Rp 300,000/$19.45
- Children under 10: Rp 200,000/$12.97
- Children below 5: Free
Ubud: Past to Present is a perfect all-rounded tour that covers the entire history of the cultural and spiritual heart of Bali in just a few hours.
This historical tour will take you on a journey through the transition from “Old Bali” to modern-day Ubud as it covers key sites such as the monumental Hindu temple of Pura Gunung Lebah.
With lush green trees around, you will walk to Ubud’s Palace of Paintings also known as the Museum Puri Lukisan, the Royal Palace, and finally, Lempad’s House.
If you’re looking for the perfect chance at cultural exploration of beautiful Balinese sites, book this trip now!
2. Lempad’s Legacy Tour and High Tea - Explore Ubud’s Art, Architecture, and History
Location: Ubud, Bali
Duration: 3 Hours
Price: Contact for Availability
I Gusti Nyoman Lempad is one of Bali’s most prominent artists and architects famous for a rumored ability to predict his own death. This rumor along with his significant contributions to Indonesian art led to a global interest in his life and work.
“Lempad’s Legacy Tour and High Tea” is designed to help people discover this majestic artist’s work and see its glory firsthand. You will visit key places, such as the Royal Palace and Saraswati Temple. These sites present his work in Ubud with an overview of his work, life, and legacy.
If you’re interested in Indonesia’s rich artistic history, you will definitely appreciate this tour. Check it out here!
3. The Myth of Pejeng - Learn About the Legends of Pejeng
Location: Pejeng, Bali
Duration: 2 hours
Price:
- International Adult: Rp 350,000/$22.69
- Domestic Adult: Rp 300,000/$19.45
- Children under 10: Rp 200,000/$12.97
- Children below 5: Free
“The Myth of Pejeng” tour is designed to highlight the beautiful religious history of Bali and its connection with the Buddhist-Hindu heritage.
Located in the Petanu River Valley, Bali’s Pejeng village is home to the famous Moon of Pejeng temple and the Pura Pusering Jagat temple. This historical tour will give you mesmerizing experiences of these holy places along with a chance to see the world’s largest single-cast bronze kettle drum which dates back thousands of years.
Your tour guide will take you to fascinating local sites such as burial grounds, centuries-old local stores, and beautiful artifacts.
Find out more about the “The Myth of Pejeng” tour here.
4. Bandung City Walk Tour
Location: Bandung, West Java
Duration: 3.5 hours
Price:Â Rp 508,035/$ 33
Bandung, also referred to as the “Paris of Java” is home to unique architecture which is a blend of European and Indonesian styles.
As part of this tour, you will get to visit historical Art-Deco-style buildings and other important sites. Highlights include Gedung Sate, one of Bandung’s most iconic buildings, and Asia-Afrika Street, which hosted the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference.
5. Koto Gadang Historical Walk Tour
Location: Koto Gadang, Sumatra
Duration: 2 hours
Price: Rp 450,000/$29.21
Koto Gandang is a small yet centuries-old village hosting over 2,500 people and is known for the high value it places on education.
This historical walk gives an overview of colonial-era architecture and includes a visit to local homes. For an additional Rp 100,000, you can also visit the Koto Gadang Wall.
While architecture, education, and the natural beauty of the region are key drivers, many people also come to interact with the local Minangkabau community.
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6. Kawa Putih Heritage Tour
Location: Ciwidey, Bandung
Duration: 4 hours
Price: Rp 800,000/$51.93
The “Kawa Putih Heritage” historical tour takes its name from the Kawa Putih lake, a unique volcanic crater lake that is the endpoint of the tour.
The tour starts from local rice terraces and takes the visitors through village homes, the old train bridge, and then a hike up Mount Patuha.
Overall, you will learn about the history of Kawa Putih and how it connects with the Dutch colonial rule in Java.
7. Hindu Kingdoms Tour - Spend a Day Exploring Ancient Hindu Temples
Location: Yogyakarta, Java
Duration: 4 hours
Price: Rp 1,862,795/$121
The Hindu Kingdoms Tour will take you on a journey through the history of Hinduism via temples, stone carvings, and ceremonies.
It revolves around the Prambanan Temples which are a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A breathtaking sight to see, it is Indonesia’s largest Hindu temple and is full of intricate carvings and towering spires.
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8. Ruins of The Majapahit Kingdom Tour
Location: Mojokerto, Java
Duration: 2 hours
Price: Rp 300,000/$19.47
Trowulan is a key archaeological site in Mojokerto, Indonesia, and hosts the remains of the powerful Majapahit kingdom which was once the center of a vast maritime empire.
Highlights of this tour include the paduraksa-style Candi Bajang Ratu gate and the Tikus Temple, a place of ritual purification.
9. Kota Tua City Tour
Location: Jakarta
Duration: 5 hours
Price: Rp 550,000/$35.70
Kota Tua, literally translating to “Old Town”, is a locality in Jakarta preserving the old city remnants.
This unique historical tour goes through the streets of Kota Tua and its important landmarks such as the Jakarta Old Port, Fatahillah Museum, and the Wayang Museum.
Location: Tenganan, Bali
10. Tenganan Pegringsingan Tour
Duration: 2 hours
Price: Rp 450,000/$29.21
What better way to experience Indonesian heritage than to witness the preserved traditions of the Indigenous Balinese people?
The Pegringsingan village is home to the Bali Aga with their unique practices.
This tour will give you a glimpse into the lives of this native community through their homes, one-of-a-kind weaving practices, and the magical powers that they attribute to the objects around them.
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Check Out Ubud Story Walks!
Indonesia’s rich history, art, and heritage are treasures waiting to be explored. Whether you’re passionate about history and architecture or are drawn to cultural experiences, there are multiple heritage tours that will captivate you.
Looking to go beyond the typical path for your trip to Indonesia? Check out Ubud Story Walks for immersive experiences that you will forever look back to!
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Read what people say about Ubud Story Walks...
Ubud Story Walks is something different. It’s a fun, entertaining and refreshing way to delve into Ubud’s past. The knowledgeable guides place as much emphasis on how they tell a story as they do on what they’re sharing, which means all sorts of magical and mystifying details are revealed. I believe the best way to get to know a place is to walk its streets, which makes Ubud Story Walks one of the best ways to get to know Ubud.
Julia Winterflood
We had a fantastic time walking around the historical centre of Ubud! Even though we've been based in Bali for a few years, we'd never had an actual tour of some of Bali's most iconic landmarks and learning about the history was fascinating. Our guide was hilarious and full of information and it was a lovely and relaxing way to learn so much. The tour was early in the morning which was perfect timing as the temperature was still cool and we were able to witness the morning bustle of Ubud's famous markets. 10/10 would recommend!
Rahima Saikal
Vicky Ilankovan2024-12-13A great way to get to know Ubud, past and present. Win and Kelly were fantastic tour guide: knowledgeable, friendly, and open. I’d just landed in the country and this was the best welcome to immerse myself in some of the culture and historic as well as get a bit of a lay of the land. It was great to visit historic sites as well as the museum, and here fun stories. Bonus points for traditional sweets! Many thanks to both. Would definitely recommend this walking tour
LH Sim2024-12-10Joe was our guide for the Ubud Story Walk Tour : Past To Present. He is very professional and knowledgeable who has many interesting stories to share. During the tour, he showed pictures related to the history for our better understanding. Besides pictures, he also showed us coins that were used in the past. Apart from being proficient in conducting the tour, he is also a very caring guide as he offered us sunscreen, mosquito repellent prior to his tour and brought us snacks and water when we had our short break during the tour. Thank you Joe for the excellent commentary. Will definitely join the other Ubud Story Walks on my next trip to Bali.
Jessica HĂĽbner2024-12-05Ubud story walk past to presents was one of our favorite things to do in Ubud. Our guide Joe was super fun and very informative! Thank you Joe for the great time we had. I highly recommend this tour
Andrea Slosar2024-12-03I was on two tours and I really liked them. They are beautifully and comprehensively designed. Old black and white photos are an interesting addition. I was especially impressed by Windari with her communication skills and knowledge of the English language and Balinese culture. I wish the whole team much success in their future business and on discovering and solving pieces of the puzzle of Balinese culture.
Neeraj Goswami2024-12-01I went on two walking tours, loved both! The guides Ira and Win shared excellent insights on Balinese culture, history and traditions - helping me understand local context, beyond the usual pics on social media. I hope they add many more such interesting tours in the future!
Vinay Kashyap2024-11-26It's an essential part of a traveller's journey to know the history of a place he visits and my decision to choose Ubud Story walks was a good one. Joe, the guide took us through Ubud, the past to present and the walk was very informative. Its a good initiative done by a small team and I am happy to learn the efforts that the team is putting. Those who are coming to Ubud must consider opting for their guided tour.
tamara fields2024-11-26Enjoy a lovely morning with Ira as she expland the story of Bali, Ubud, Hinduism, the style of the houses and much more. Would recommend this walk to anyone that is interested in connected with the history and culture of bali while having someone who can answer your questions to have a deeper look into the life of the people living here.
David Hodgins2024-11-25We had a lovely and informative morning walk with Win. Her perfect pace, both physically and with information sharing , provided us with a rich understanding of Bali’s history and culture
Jill Boulter2024-11-22Great walking tour of Ubud. Ira was very knowledgable and spoke good English. Nice places to stop, little alleyways and quieter parts of Ubud. Very well looked after. Would recommend đź‘Ť.
Shafiga Elshan2024-11-15It was an amazing experience to learn more about Bali's history and culture. Our guide, Ira, was incredibly knowledgeable, positive, and caring. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!