To be sure, island-hopping through Indonesia isn't as simple as skipping through Hawaii, from Oahu to Maui and back.

For travelers looking for experiences beyond the usual, Indonesia's islands represent a virtual buffet of Southeast Asian culture. "Indonesia is all about variety," explains Tindall, who has traveled to Papua and also spent time with Indonesian tribes, whose customs have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Accommodations on the islands can range from simple losmans, or backpacker guesthouses, to high-end resorts. "There's the luxury of Bali; the remoteness of Nias, off the coast of Sumatra; and islands that combine ruggedness and luxury in one place," says Tindall. As such, for your island-hopping pleasure, here are a few remote jewels to consider.

Island: Lombok
Only a stone's throw from Bali is Lombok. It's the next island in the eastern Nusa Tenggara chain, and it has the advantage of being less developed while still being able to offer a decent infrastructure for visitors to get around.

"It's not just for backpackers anymore," notes Kidder. "There's still some remoteness to it, but now there are luxury hotels as well." That means that if you're not up for more rustic Indonesian traditions like the mandi - where you shower by scooping bowlfuls of cool water over yourself - you can check in at a place like the Oberoi Lombok, where prices can stretch to almost $1,000 a night for the opulent Royal Villa Ocean View.

Most visitors to Lombok congregate around the Senggigi area, a coastal sweep north of the biggest city, Mataram. The white-sand beaches, the Rinjani volcano (Indonesia's third largest), and the indigenous Sasak culture - perhaps best known for its elegantly designed home furnishings - are all natural lures. An added bonus is the island's relatively small size (it's slightly more than 40 miles across), which allows you to experience much of what the island has to offer without having to spend most of your vacation worrying about getting from point A to point B.