Want a cheap Maldives-like holiday in Indonesia? The problem is getting there

As Indonesia banks on Bali to boost back its tourism sector, places like Seram Island and Raja Ampat are crying out for investment

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A view of Ora Beach on Indonesia’s Seram Island. Indonesia risks losing its tourism potential by over-relying on Bali and neglecting underdeveloped gems like Seram Island, experts say. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:15am, 12 Aug 2025

Ora Beach on Indonesia’s Seram Island is framed by tropical vegetation and dramatic limestone cliffs, the waters are aquarium-like, and there is nary an influencer with a smartphone in sight. It is a Maldives experience for a fraction of the price.

Some 1,600 kilometres (990 miles) away in Bali – not that there is any direct flight – traffic snarls around temple corners, the air is thick with noise pollution from motorbikes, plastic rubbish is matted into gutters, and the surge of visitors has, in many places, eclipsed the island’s deeper spiritual essence.

And yet, that is where the government is placing most of its tourism bets.

Officials want Bali to be a holiday escape and everything else besides. There are plans to establish Bali as a family office hub and an export centre for seaweed. In late June, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated the Sanur Special Economic Zone to develop medical tourism.

A beach on Seram Island. Photo: Shutterstock

Banking on Bali – Indonesia’s most internationally recognised destination – was a deliberate strategy to help the Southeast Asian nation’s vital tourism sector recover in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. But that approach is not paying off, with the province’s economic growth slowing as visitors’ spending declines.

Meanwhile, tourism operators in other parts of the country are crying out for investment.

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Want a cheap Maldives-like holiday in Indonesia? The problem is getting there

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}As Indonesia banks on Bali to boost back its tourism sector, places like Seram Island and Raja Ampat are crying out for investment

As Indonesia banks on Bali to boost back its tourism sector, places like Seram Island and Raja Ampat are crying out for investment