Before you pack your bags, pack your reading list. Whether you're heading to Bali for the first time or you've been dreaming of the archipelago for years, these five books will give you a deeper feel for Indonesia than any guidebook can — the history, the culture, and the stories behind the craft traditions (like the hand-dyed batik we work with every day at Kasih Co-op).
1. Indonesia, Etc.: Exploring the Improbable Nation — Elizabeth Pisani
Journalist and epidemiologist Elizabeth Pisani spent a year traveling across the Indonesian archipelago, and this book is the result: part travelogue, part crash course in the history and politics that hold together the world's largest island nation. If you only read one nonfiction book before you go, make it this one.
2. A House in Bali — Colin McPhee
A Canadian composer's memoir of building a home in 1930s Bali and immersing himself in Balinese gamelan music. It's a classic for a reason — quiet, observant, and full of the kind of detail that only comes from actually living somewhere rather than just visiting.
3. The Malay Archipelago — Alfred Russel Wallace
The naturalist who co-developed the theory of evolution alongside Darwin spent eight years exploring Indonesia and Malaysia in the 1800s. His observations on the region's natural history, flora, and fauna still hold up as one of the most thorough accounts of the archipelago ever written.
4. Eat, Pray, Love — Elizabeth Gilbert
You knew this one was coming. Say what you want about the movie — the Bali section of Gilbert's memoir is the reason half of Ubud's expat cafes exist, and it's still a genuinely good read if you're looking for the "why do people fall in love with Bali" answer.
5. The Rainbow Troops (Laskar Pelangi) — Andrea Hirata
Our one own-voices pick on this list, and arguably the most important. Andrea Hirata's semi-autobiographical novel about a group of children and their teacher on Belitung Island is one of the best-selling Indonesian novels of all time — required reading if you want a story about Indonesia told by an Indonesian.
Which one are you starting with? Let us know in the comments — and if you're packing for a trip, don't forget a batik bandana. It doubles as a scarf, a headband, and a great conversation starter about where you got it.
