Travel · Malwina Marcińczak 0%
Bali is memories. an unforgettable adventure. a way of life. art and ritual. Indonesia from within.
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Bali rice terraces at dawn

Discover the Indonesia no tourist has ever seen.

Curated journeys led by art historian Malwina Marcińczak — in small groups, from inside the culture, religion and art. Not through a coach window.

Procession of women carrying gebogan offerings on their heads
A farmer on the rice terraces at golden hour
A smiling family in a village on Flores
Chapter one

The journey begins
long before the flight.

Before you set foot on Bali, you will come to know its scent, its sound, its rhythm. Because the real Indonesia is not something you sightsee — it is something you live.

The morning opens with incense and small offerings of flowers laid on doorsteps. Somewhere below, the valley answers with the echo of gamelan. Women in lace kebaya carry pyramids of fruit on their heads. Mist rises over the rice fields, and an old priest opens the gate of a temple you will find in no guidebook.

This is not a list of attractions. It is a story Malwina knows from the inside — and one she opens to a small circle of guests.

ScentsTemplesMorning ritualsArtists' villagesRice fieldsSilence
Malwina Marcińczak in ceremonial dress at the Ulun Danu Beratan temple
24+journeys to Indonesia
Meet your guide

Malwina
Marcińczak

She is not a travel agent. She is an art historian and heritage scholar, a mother of four — a woman for whom Indonesia has become a second home.

  • Art historian and heritage scholarShe understands what she sees — reading temples, reliefs, masks and dance like an open book.
  • A life written anewShe has begun again more than once — from brain surgery to the loss of a daughter. It was Indonesia that taught her gratitude, humility and harmony.
  • More than 24 journeys across the archipelagoShe knows the local culture, religion and customs — and knows personally the people she brings you to: guides, artisans, families.
  • She leads every journey herselfFounder of Art Bali Travel and SPA&ART Bali. She does not tick off sights — she invites you into a world that has become part of her own story.
“A journey is not about covering kilometres. It is about changing the way you see the world.”
Why Art Bali Travel

A journey no travel agency can sell you.

01

Knowledge and experience

Every journey is led in person by an art historian who shares the history, religion and culture of Indonesia you will not find in ordinary guidebooks.

02

Intimate groups

10–12 people instead of a crowd. Time for conversation, for silence, for a true encounter with a place and its people.

03

We support local communities

We work with Indonesian guides, drivers, artisans and families — every journey brings real support to the people of the archipelago.

04

A bridge between Poland and Indonesia

For years we have organised events and workshops about Indonesia in Poland, working with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Warsaw and partners across the islands.

05

Journeys made with heart

Not only the most beautiful places — traditions, ceremonies, art and people, thanks to whom a trip becomes an experience rather than sightseeing.

06

Clear, honest terms

The full price listed with every journey, a 20% deposit, a clearly defined scope. No asterisks, no fine print, no artificial padding.

The Uluwatu temple at sunset
“Tak kenal maka tak sayang.”
You cannot love what you have not truly come to know.
Indonesian proverb · the motto of Art Bali Travel
Upcoming journeys

Choose your story of Indonesia.

A Buddha statue at Borobudur at sunrise
Java · Bali · Sumba

In the Footsteps of the Archipelago

8–31 October 202624 days · 22 nightsgroup of 12optional: +6 nights on Gili
8 900 zł + 450 USD / person · 20% deposit
Last places of 12 — bookings open
See the day-by-day itinerary
A temple ceremony at dusk
Coming soon

Future journeys
2027

5–8 journeys a year

New dates and routes are announced first to the readers of our journal.

Be the first to know
Journey calendar

When we set out.

X2026
In the Footsteps of the Archipelago: Java • Bali • Sumba
8–31.10 · 24 days · 22 nights
Last places
Book
XI2026
Extension: island calm on the Gilis
31.10–6.11 · 6 nights · +1500 zł · for journey participants
Optional add-on
Ask us
2027all year
Further curated journeys — 5–8 a year
Dates and routes to be announced soon
Bookings soon
Be the first
The explorer's map of Indonesia

Touch an island. Hear why I keep going back.

The golden line is the route of the October journey. Click an island and I will tell you what awaits you there.

Sumatra Borneo Sulawesi Java Bali Gili Sumba Flores · coming soon Yogyakarta Bromo · Ijen Ubud Ratenggaro
Borobudur in the mist
Days 2–9 of the journey

Java — the heart of ancient kingdoms

This is where the story begins. Dawn over Borobudur, stone mandalas, batik workshops and the sultan's palace. I take you to Java because without it, you cannot understand where the soul of Indonesia comes from.

See it in the itinerary
Gallery

The Indonesia you will see with your own eyes.

Voices of our travellers

They come home changed.

★★★★★
“For the first time, I did not feel like a tourist. Malwina opened up a Bali you will find in no guidebook.”
A
Anna K.Journey: Art and Ritual, 2025
★★★★★
“Malwina's knowledge makes all the difference. Suddenly every relief, every mask, every gesture of a dancer begins to mean something.”
M
Marek W.Journey: Java & Bali, 2024
★★★★★
“A small group, real encounters with people, ceremonies where we were guests, not spectators. The journey of a lifetime.”
J
Joanna & PiotrJourney: Spiritual Bali, 2025
★★★★★
“Borobudur at dawn, before the crowds arrived. That journey changed the way I look at art forever.”
K
Katarzyna M.Journey: In the Footsteps of Ancient Kingdoms, 2024
★★★★★
“A night in the village of Wae Rebo, high in the clouds of Flores. No travel agency offers anything like it.”
T
Tomasz R.Journey: Indonesia from Within, 2025
★★★★★
“Malwina knows people, not attractions. Thanks to her, we were guests in artists' homes, not clients off a coach.”
E
Ewa & JanJourney: Art and Ritual, 2024
Journal · Art and Indonesia

Before you set out — read on.

Ritual

Canang sari — why Bali blossoms every morning

The small offering of flowers you will see on every doorstep. What does it truly mean?

Architecture

The water that binds a world — subak and the lake temples

A thousand-year-old irrigation system inscribed by UNESCO — and its spiritual dimension.

Art

Barong and Legong: a theatre where gods do battle

How to read Balinese dance — and see in it the entire cosmology of the island.

Instagram · Spa&Art Bali

A piece of Indonesia, every day.

How it works

Five steps to paradise.

STEP 01

Choose your date

Browse the journey calendar and reserve your place on the date that suits you. There are never more than a dozen or so places.

Open the calendar
STEP 02

Pay for your booking

A deposit secures your place. Pay online or by bank transfer — whichever you prefer. The balance is due closer to departure.

STEP 03

Receive your confirmation

A booking confirmation arrives by e-mail, together with an invitation to the travellers' group — where you will meet your fellow participants and find every detail.

STEP 04

Pack your bags

Before departure you receive a list of everything you need — passport, insurance, light luggage. All laid out step by step, no guesswork.

STEP 05

Fly to paradise

At the airport, Malwina is waiting with a small group of people — the ones you are about to see Indonesia from within with. The rest is the story itself.

See the journeys
Before you travel

What to pack for paradise.

Documents and formalities

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months from your return date
  • e-VOA visa — arranged online; we guide you step by step
  • Travel insurance — we can recommend trusted options
  • Booking confirmation and the full information pack from us
  • Some cash in USD for small expenses on the ground

For your suitcase

  • Light, breathable clothing — plus something long-sleeved for the evenings
  • A sarong or scarf for entering the temples
  • Comfortable shoes — including a pair for the volcano and the waterfalls
  • Swimwear, high-SPF sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat
  • Mosquito repellent and a basic first-aid kit
  • A plug adapter and plenty of room for keepsakes 🙂

We send every traveller the full, detailed packing list before the journey.

Questions and answers

Before you pack your suitcase.

What language are the journeys led in?

The journeys are led in Polish — Polish tour leaders are with you throughout, and every meeting, workshop and story is translated as we go. English comes in handy while shopping, and you can always reach us in English before you book.

Is the journey suitable for travellers over 60?

Yes. This is a cultural journey, not an extreme one — we adjust the pace to the group, and the most demanding moments (such as the night ascent of the Ijen volcano) are optional. The itinerary also includes days of rest by the ocean.

What about the flight and connections?

We fly together from Poland, usually with one or two connections. All the logistics — times, airports, luggage — are shared before you book, and once more in the full information pack before departure.

How much time do we spend on the road?

Less than you might expect — Indonesia is an archipelago, so we combine comfortable minibuses with a luxury train, ferries and domestic flights. Longer stretches are always broken up with places worth stopping for along the way.

Is the itinerary intense?

It is rich, but wisely paced. Days full of impressions alternate with free days (Pemuteran, Padang Bai), and the evenings are yours. We do rise before dawn at times — but sunrise over Borobudur is worth every early alarm.

What kind of hotels do you choose?

Comfortable ones we have vetted in person — with air conditioning, a pool and breakfast. We choose places with soul and a good location, not anonymous chains.

What is included in the price?

Accommodation with breakfast, all transport on the ground (minibuses, train, ferries, domestic flights), all entrance tickets, the workshops, and the care of 2 Polish tour leaders and an Indonesian guide. Not included: the visa, tips and meals other than breakfast — you will find the full breakdown alongside the itinerary.

How much money should I bring?

Breakfast is included, and we plan the remaining meals together — we eat in good local places, where lunch usually costs the equivalent of 20–50 zł. Allow for tips and a budget for keepsakes: batik, silver and coffee are hard to leave behind.

Do I need a visa or vaccinations?

The tourist visa (e-VOA) is arranged easily online — we walk you through it step by step. No vaccinations are mandatory; it is worth discussing the recommended ones with a travel medicine doctor.

What is the weather like in October?

It is the tail end of the dry season — warm (26–32°C), with plenty of sunshine and the chance of a brief afternoon shower. Beautiful light for photographs and a pleasantly warm ocean.

Is there free time?

Yes, it is written into the itinerary — whole days of rest in Pemuteran and Padang Bai, and evenings at your own pace. And if you would like to stay longer, you can extend the journey with 6 nights on the Gili Islands.

How large are the groups?

10–12 people. Deliberately intimate — so we can enter places large groups never see, and so everyone has space of their own.

Can I travel on my own?

Of course — many of our travellers join solo. A small group quickly becomes a close-knit crew, and many friendships made on these journeys last for years.

What is the pace of the journey?

Slow travel with an expedition's spirit: in the mornings we are wherever dawn is worth witnessing, and the afternoons flow more gently. Less ticking off, more taking in.

Do you help with preparations before departure?

Yes — you receive a packing list, help with the visa and insurance, an invitation to the participants' group, and a pre-departure online meeting where we answer every question.

Newsletter

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Malwina Marcińczak invites you
A personal invitation

“Write to me.
I will tell you about Indonesia
before you ever see it.”

— Malwina Marcińczak

Begin the journey

Let's talk about your journey.

If I don't pick up — I am most likely travelling. Leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

By The SeaClick to play