2 months in Indonesia

Old Dec 2nd, 2014, 04:43 AM
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2 months in Indonesia

Hi,

I'm a 26 year old male travelling solo through Indonesia.

I'll be spending 60 days there with the first 15 days in Bali and the rest of it trying to see as much of Indonesia as possible.

I'd like to get my dive ticket while I'm there - suggestion of best place to do this?

Also please note that I'll be flying out of Indonesia to Singapore at the end of the 60 days so if you could please keep this in mind when making itinerary suggestions.

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
eterones is offline  
Old Dec 2nd, 2014, 03:22 PM
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First and foremost, make sure you are covered with medical evacuation insurance!

Your itinerary will depend a lot on your budget and your interests, and to a lesser degree, the time of year that you are travelling.

There are many excellent dive spots in Indonesia -- some readily accessible, some more remote. One of my top choices would be North Sulawesi, either in the Bunaken area or in the Lembeh Strait. This is a good place to learn as the water is calm and clear and there's a LOT to see underwater. Pick a resort with a house reef so you can dive (and snorkle) off the beach. The national parks in the area are excellent for day trips or longer rain forest treks.

While in Sulawesi you could also visit the Tanah Toraja in the central part of the island. A fascinating culture in a profoundly beautiful area.

After that I'd pick some of the more remote eastern islands. If you're up for remote and exotic, Indonesian Papua has Raja Ampat for diving, Baliem Valley and Asmat for primitive culture.

Nearer in but still undeveloped the Moluccas, Sumbawa, Flores offer adventure and culture travel. Plenty of Scuba opportunities. And surfing in Sumbawa.

I'd end up in Java -- East Java for Bromo and Malang, Central Java for Yogyakarta and Borobudur.
You can fly back to Singapore from Java. Or you can visit Bali again or Lombok at the end of your trip. After so much wilderness, you'll welcome the social atmosphere.

Sumatra and Borneo (Kalimantan) are also possibilities, but require some logistical planning.

The major budget item will be air travel from island to island, especially to Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Papua. You can find water transport from Bali to Nusa Tenggara but you need to be VERY careful in selecting your boat and crew. Spend more and get solid recommendations. Check the safety equipment personally.

It's best to get a 60 day visa in your home country before you leave. If not, you can get a visa extension in Bali. If you use a service it takes about a week and costs about US$75.

Pick up a copy of Elizabeth Pisani's book Indonesia, Etc. It's a wonderful account of travel through the farthest flung parts of Indonesia with a lot of very funny cultural commentary and useful information.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 06:41 PM
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Hi Marmot,

Unfortunately, this forum doesn't allow private messages to members, but I wanted to get your feedback on a trip to Raja Ampat. I've traveled to a few places to dive and snorkel... Bonarie, Belize, St. John USVI, Hawaii, Koh Tao, Turkey, Greece, Iceland, Cozumel, Little Cayman... I'm looking for one last trip, just to snorkel fringing reefs, before getting married and having kids. I'm thinking Raja Ampat is the best place in the world for this. If you agree, do you know the best way to do it. I'd most likely be traveling solo and I'd rather not do a liveaboard. My favorite snorkel trip I've done was either Koh Tao, where I just stayed in an off the beaten path beach bungalow and had a beautiful cove with a fringing reef to snorkel everyday, and also nice adventures to other parts of the island, or when I went to St. John and pretty much snorkeled around the island using VRBO for places to stay. Koh Tao was really a gamble, I didn't know much about it and the place I stayed at, only took my first name a few months before I got there. I just showed up and luckily they had me down!! Do you recommend a particular beach in Raja Ampat to do an epic snorkeling trip? I've read about Cape Kri, Mike's Point and Kaleidoscope. I just don't know how feasible it is.

Thanks in advance,
John
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 03:23 AM
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Good advice from marmot. We are heading back at the end of the month to west Papua, Raja Ampat, the Banda islands and Timor., then in July to Manado, off South Sulawesi, for the clove harvest to visit our in-laws for the festival.

Go to Bali,you will have a nice time. I swore I would never go there, but it has really gotten me in now. Hard to explain why, except it gets better every time.

Also, East Java. Malang, Jogjakarta, Surabaya, Borabodur.

If you can manage it, Sarawak, which is the Malaysian side of Borneo/Kalimantan.

Happy travels.
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 05:12 PM
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John, I've never been to Raja Ampat so I can't provide specifics. Most of my friends who rave about the experience (snorkeling and trekking) have gone on live-aboards, both luxury and modest.

I'd also recommend Northern Sulawesi. I especially like the Lembeh Strait area. Kungkungan Bay Resort is terrific in so many ways. Fabulous snorkeling right off the beach. Multiple dive sites. Nice people, both staff and guests.

Bunakan is very popular too.
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Old Feb 11th, 2016, 05:31 PM
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Thanks so much marmot!
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