Bali,Java,Borneo 3 weeks
Apr 8th, 2017, 06:39 AM
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Bali,Java,Borneo 3 weeks
Hi,
This board has been so helpful to me in planning my trips. I am a woman in my 60's traveling with my 30ish year old daughter.We are considering a trip to Java, Borneo and Bali in August. Once in Bali, we are thinking of:
2 days Ubud
3 days Flores Islands to see the Komodo Dragons
and then the Beach, 31/2 days with our flight leaving on the 4th day. The question is which beach? Sanur has been recommended to us and I am not sure of where to stay or would one of the other beach areas be a better choice? We are adventurous, however not into a bar scene or need lots of night life. Also, are 4 days on a beach too much? Is there somewhere else to spend that time? Should we add another day to Ubud?
Actually, in thinking about Borneo-we are planning to be on a boat for 2 days to get into the areas where the orangutans are-any thoughts?
Thank you so much. Any input is appreciated.
This board has been so helpful to me in planning my trips. I am a woman in my 60's traveling with my 30ish year old daughter.We are considering a trip to Java, Borneo and Bali in August. Once in Bali, we are thinking of:
2 days Ubud
3 days Flores Islands to see the Komodo Dragons
and then the Beach, 31/2 days with our flight leaving on the 4th day. The question is which beach? Sanur has been recommended to us and I am not sure of where to stay or would one of the other beach areas be a better choice? We are adventurous, however not into a bar scene or need lots of night life. Also, are 4 days on a beach too much? Is there somewhere else to spend that time? Should we add another day to Ubud?
Actually, in thinking about Borneo-we are planning to be on a boat for 2 days to get into the areas where the orangutans are-any thoughts?
Thank you so much. Any input is appreciated.
Apr 8th, 2017, 08:15 AM
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My thought is that you are trying to cover too much in too little time. You plan to go to Bali, but you are spending a mere 5 days (do you have 6 nights to get you the 5 days?) and you are going to Flores and counting that as Bali. How are you getting to Flores? Are you taking a boat that will stop in Flores on the way to Komodo?
And for Borneo - where in Borneo are you going? And when you write of a boat, do you mean you are doing your sightseeing from a boat, as some of the lodges do? You certainly don't need to take a boat to get to areas where there are orangutans. Indeed, the area that will give you the best chance of seeing orangutans in the wild is the Danum Valley in Sabah.
Your title mentions Java, but you don't mention it anywhere else. Please give us more information - perhaps your complete itinerary as it will make it easier for us to advise you. Oh, and please give us your itinerary by number of nights in a place rather than number of days. This has the makings of a fine trip!
And for Borneo - where in Borneo are you going? And when you write of a boat, do you mean you are doing your sightseeing from a boat, as some of the lodges do? You certainly don't need to take a boat to get to areas where there are orangutans. Indeed, the area that will give you the best chance of seeing orangutans in the wild is the Danum Valley in Sabah.
Your title mentions Java, but you don't mention it anywhere else. Please give us more information - perhaps your complete itinerary as it will make it easier for us to advise you. Oh, and please give us your itinerary by number of nights in a place rather than number of days. This has the makings of a fine trip!
Apr 8th, 2017, 09:19 AM
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I must admit that I would find it difficult to include Java, Bali, and Borneo all in the same 3-week trip, but then, maybe I don't understand what, exactly, you hope to see or do.
I'm sure you will get lots of great feedback from the experts, but you might also find some useful information in my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...a-and-bali.cfm
I'm sure you will get lots of great feedback from the experts, but you might also find some useful information in my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...a-and-bali.cfm
Apr 8th, 2017, 04:49 PM
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Thank you so much. After reading your feedback, of course, I did not give you enough information.
we are going to:
3 nights- Yogyakarta
2 nights Tanjung Puting Park on a houseboat-Indonesia side !
4 nights Ubud
then fly to Labuan Bajo, Flores
3 nights on a boat to see the Komodo dragons
4 nights at a beach
fly home connect in Hong Kong and spend a few days there..
This is our basic outline of our trip. Not sure what beach to go to. Perhaps Sanur? Also, perhaps cut a day off of the beach and add an extra day onto the Komodo islands.
I know it is a lot of travel, I guess we don't mind the moving around. Also, has anybody heard of Wapa di ume resort in Ubud. I am wondering about the location?
Thank you for any input that you may have.
we are going to:
3 nights- Yogyakarta
2 nights Tanjung Puting Park on a houseboat-Indonesia side !
4 nights Ubud
then fly to Labuan Bajo, Flores
3 nights on a boat to see the Komodo dragons
4 nights at a beach
fly home connect in Hong Kong and spend a few days there..
This is our basic outline of our trip. Not sure what beach to go to. Perhaps Sanur? Also, perhaps cut a day off of the beach and add an extra day onto the Komodo islands.
I know it is a lot of travel, I guess we don't mind the moving around. Also, has anybody heard of Wapa di ume resort in Ubud. I am wondering about the location?
Thank you for any input that you may have.
Apr 8th, 2017, 06:16 PM
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I'm sure that marmot, who lives on Bali, can give you feedback about that resort in Ubud.
As I'm sure you realize, you have very little time in each place. Three nights in Jogjakarta is just two full days. One day should be for Borobudur. Perhaps, if you get there early enough, you can go to the Dieng Plateau with the beautiful scenery of terraced rice fields and the geysers. The other day, you will want to see Prambanam and attend a performance of the Ramayana Ballet at the open air theatre there.
Your two nights on the houseboat sound interesting. Remember that is just one full day - I do hope you get to see orangutans.
It appears that you have no time to see anything of Flores, you get on a boat to cruise to Komodo.
Your 4 nights on a beach should be somewhere you can fly to upon your departure from the boat. There will be flights to Bali, of course, but if you could get a flight to Lombok, the beaches are more attractive and less crowded. We like Qunci Villas on Lombok. Sanur is my preferred beach on Bali.
As you note, you are doing a lot of moving around. Transport within Indonesia is subject to delays. I hope you have built in some flex time. It sounds as though everything is booked, so you can't change anything.
You may find my trip report from Java to be of interest: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...n-to-jogja.cfm
I hope it all goes smoothly and that there are no significant glitches in your travel.
As I'm sure you realize, you have very little time in each place. Three nights in Jogjakarta is just two full days. One day should be for Borobudur. Perhaps, if you get there early enough, you can go to the Dieng Plateau with the beautiful scenery of terraced rice fields and the geysers. The other day, you will want to see Prambanam and attend a performance of the Ramayana Ballet at the open air theatre there.
Your two nights on the houseboat sound interesting. Remember that is just one full day - I do hope you get to see orangutans.
It appears that you have no time to see anything of Flores, you get on a boat to cruise to Komodo.
Your 4 nights on a beach should be somewhere you can fly to upon your departure from the boat. There will be flights to Bali, of course, but if you could get a flight to Lombok, the beaches are more attractive and less crowded. We like Qunci Villas on Lombok. Sanur is my preferred beach on Bali.
As you note, you are doing a lot of moving around. Transport within Indonesia is subject to delays. I hope you have built in some flex time. It sounds as though everything is booked, so you can't change anything.
You may find my trip report from Java to be of interest: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...n-to-jogja.cfm
I hope it all goes smoothly and that there are no significant glitches in your travel.
Apr 8th, 2017, 11:08 PM
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I think you've chosen some great locations, but the logistics of getting from place to place will be complicated. Will your total time in Indonesia be 3 weeks (as in your title) or 16 days (as in the total of time in each place)? This makes a huge difference as you'll be spending a lot of time in transit, at least a day each from Yogyakarta to Tanjung Puting and from Tanjung Puting to Bali. And the good part of a day from Bali to Labuan Bajo and the same to return.
Domestic airlines in Indonesia are inexpensive and the best way to get to farflung places, but not so reliable. Don't cut your connections too close and have a Plan B if the flights are delayed or cancelled. Fly Garuda or Air Asia wherever possible.
If you only have 16 nights for Indonesia, you really should cut one destination. Either way, it might be more efficient to go to Flores after Tanjung Puting (even though that will make a long day of travel) then put Bali at the end of your trip.
Yogyakarta is an interesting town, but rather congested and difficult to get around in. I'd recommend that you try to spend sometime in the Central Java countryside, around Borobudur. I saw your other post in which you asked about the Phoenix in Yogya. Yes, this is a very nice hotel, good for the city portion of your time Yogyakarta. Outside of town, I'd recommend the Manohara. It's quite basic but just footsteps away from Borobudur and a good jumping off point for exploring the country side and the Dieng Plateau.
Flights to Pangkalan Bun (the nearest airport to Tanjung Puting) connect through Semarang or Jakarta. The travel time by car or train from Yogyakarta to Semarang is about 3 hours. Same for the drive from the Dieng Plateau to Semarang. I believe you will need to through Semarang or Surabaya to connect to Bali (or Flores). Flights are available but connecting time will vary.
There is a lot of variation in the quality and safety of the live-aboards that sail from Flores to Rinca and Komodo. Choose your operator carefully and, if possible, see the boat, interview the crew and inspect the safety equipment before you commit. At the very least get solid references. There have been some terrible incidents lately due to substandard vessels and ill-trained crew.
How you split your time in Bali really depends on your interests. August is high season in Bali; rates will be inflated and everything is crowded, but you'll get good weather. In Ubud you'll get a wide range of nature and culture experiences. You could easily fill four full days, maybe more. Ubud refers to both the town itself and the surrounding countryside, and both have pluses and minuses.I haven't been to Wape di Ume, but the area is pleasant. It's walkable from the resort to central Ubud town, but a longish walk. I would look at the area along the Ayung River valley as well.
As for beaches, Sanur is a quiet community. The beach is protected by a reef and the water is calm. There are a few good restaurants and some friendly, family oriented resorts. There's a long promenade along the beach which is good for walking and biking.
Seminyak is a big wave, big sky surfing beach. You can walk several miles in either direction along the beach. There are beach restaurants and chairs/umbrellas to rent the whole length. I like the Petitenget area in the northern end of Seminyak for a good beach, some very good restaurants (at all price points) and a variety of shops and spas. Plus beautiful sunsets. I'd recommend the Colony Hotel, which is just a short walk to Petitenget Beach.
Domestic airlines in Indonesia are inexpensive and the best way to get to farflung places, but not so reliable. Don't cut your connections too close and have a Plan B if the flights are delayed or cancelled. Fly Garuda or Air Asia wherever possible.
If you only have 16 nights for Indonesia, you really should cut one destination. Either way, it might be more efficient to go to Flores after Tanjung Puting (even though that will make a long day of travel) then put Bali at the end of your trip.
Yogyakarta is an interesting town, but rather congested and difficult to get around in. I'd recommend that you try to spend sometime in the Central Java countryside, around Borobudur. I saw your other post in which you asked about the Phoenix in Yogya. Yes, this is a very nice hotel, good for the city portion of your time Yogyakarta. Outside of town, I'd recommend the Manohara. It's quite basic but just footsteps away from Borobudur and a good jumping off point for exploring the country side and the Dieng Plateau.
Flights to Pangkalan Bun (the nearest airport to Tanjung Puting) connect through Semarang or Jakarta. The travel time by car or train from Yogyakarta to Semarang is about 3 hours. Same for the drive from the Dieng Plateau to Semarang. I believe you will need to through Semarang or Surabaya to connect to Bali (or Flores). Flights are available but connecting time will vary.
There is a lot of variation in the quality and safety of the live-aboards that sail from Flores to Rinca and Komodo. Choose your operator carefully and, if possible, see the boat, interview the crew and inspect the safety equipment before you commit. At the very least get solid references. There have been some terrible incidents lately due to substandard vessels and ill-trained crew.
How you split your time in Bali really depends on your interests. August is high season in Bali; rates will be inflated and everything is crowded, but you'll get good weather. In Ubud you'll get a wide range of nature and culture experiences. You could easily fill four full days, maybe more. Ubud refers to both the town itself and the surrounding countryside, and both have pluses and minuses.I haven't been to Wape di Ume, but the area is pleasant. It's walkable from the resort to central Ubud town, but a longish walk. I would look at the area along the Ayung River valley as well.
As for beaches, Sanur is a quiet community. The beach is protected by a reef and the water is calm. There are a few good restaurants and some friendly, family oriented resorts. There's a long promenade along the beach which is good for walking and biking.
Seminyak is a big wave, big sky surfing beach. You can walk several miles in either direction along the beach. There are beach restaurants and chairs/umbrellas to rent the whole length. I like the Petitenget area in the northern end of Seminyak for a good beach, some very good restaurants (at all price points) and a variety of shops and spas. Plus beautiful sunsets. I'd recommend the Colony Hotel, which is just a short walk to Petitenget Beach.
Apr 9th, 2017, 05:00 AM
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THANK YOU for your thoughtful and prompt responses. I am so appreciative. I am going to look more closely at our connections as I can still make changes. I like to plan my trips on my own and when I started this one it felt a bit over whelming to put together all of the places that i wanted to see, and my work was not cooperating with my time so I did get some help from an agent. Now I am going to think about your input and look again at our trip.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Apr 13th, 2017, 02:29 PM
#10
I'll be leaving in a few weeks with a somewhat similar itinerary. I don't know if this helps...
We start in Jakarta (I can fly open jaw into there and out of Bali)
We first visit the mountainous area near Jakarta (staying in Bogor).
Then we fly from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun (Trigana Air at 9:35 am) and drive to Kumai for the transfer by river boat up the Sekonyer River to stay at the Rimba Lodge for four nights including visits to one or two of the rehab centers, visit to the forest at Camp Pasalat, and a cruise to the turtle center at the main estuary.
We return to Pangkalan Bun for a Kalstar flight (9:55 am) back to Jakarta, and then Garuda Air 2:15 pm to Denpasar, for one night in Bali. The next day a 2:15 pm Garuda flight DPS to Labuan Bajo (LBJ) to stay at the Bajo Komodo Ecolodge for two nights, to allow for a day trip to Komodo Island. Then two nights up at the Susteran Monastery in Ruteng and returning to Labuan Bajo for a final night before flying the next morning to Bali.
I stay on in Bali (Ubud) for a few days and nights).
So the main part of the tour is two weeks to include Java, Kalimantin and Flores, with an extension in Bali at the end.
The arrangements were done as a small group tour through Ecolodges Indonesia if you are interested in contacting them. Or you can wait til I get back at the end of May with reviews! They have several lodges around the country including Rimba and Bajo Komodo, as well as Udayana in Denpasar Bali (near the airport).
http://www.ecolodgesindonesia.com/
We start in Jakarta (I can fly open jaw into there and out of Bali)
We first visit the mountainous area near Jakarta (staying in Bogor).
Then we fly from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun (Trigana Air at 9:35 am) and drive to Kumai for the transfer by river boat up the Sekonyer River to stay at the Rimba Lodge for four nights including visits to one or two of the rehab centers, visit to the forest at Camp Pasalat, and a cruise to the turtle center at the main estuary.
We return to Pangkalan Bun for a Kalstar flight (9:55 am) back to Jakarta, and then Garuda Air 2:15 pm to Denpasar, for one night in Bali. The next day a 2:15 pm Garuda flight DPS to Labuan Bajo (LBJ) to stay at the Bajo Komodo Ecolodge for two nights, to allow for a day trip to Komodo Island. Then two nights up at the Susteran Monastery in Ruteng and returning to Labuan Bajo for a final night before flying the next morning to Bali.
I stay on in Bali (Ubud) for a few days and nights).
So the main part of the tour is two weeks to include Java, Kalimantin and Flores, with an extension in Bali at the end.
The arrangements were done as a small group tour through Ecolodges Indonesia if you are interested in contacting them. Or you can wait til I get back at the end of May with reviews! They have several lodges around the country including Rimba and Bajo Komodo, as well as Udayana in Denpasar Bali (near the airport).
http://www.ecolodgesindonesia.com/
Apr 14th, 2017, 07:33 PM
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mlgb, thanks for the link to EcoSafari. Their programs look quite interesting. I'll look for your travel report.
I hope Bogor is just a layover on your way to Kalimantan. If you're just overnighting you might want to stay closer to the airport.
50 years ago Bogor was a resort area for Dutch colonialists. It's a bit higher in elevation (though not really mountainous) and a bit cooler than Jakarta. Now it could be considered a suburb of Jakarta, part of the massive urban sprawl. The Bogor Botanical Gardens will be 200 years old next month and are really beautiful. They get very crowded on weekends and holidays.
The Puncak is the mountain pass about two hours south of Jakarta. It's a popular weekend destination for Jakartans, but has been overdeveloped and subject to horrendous traffic. The Cibodas Botanical Garden is also very beautiful.
There are several volcanic peaks in the area (notably Gunung Gede @ about 3000 meters) that have a range of hiking trails, but again, this is a highly populated area.
I hope Bogor is just a layover on your way to Kalimantan. If you're just overnighting you might want to stay closer to the airport.
50 years ago Bogor was a resort area for Dutch colonialists. It's a bit higher in elevation (though not really mountainous) and a bit cooler than Jakarta. Now it could be considered a suburb of Jakarta, part of the massive urban sprawl. The Bogor Botanical Gardens will be 200 years old next month and are really beautiful. They get very crowded on weekends and holidays.
The Puncak is the mountain pass about two hours south of Jakarta. It's a popular weekend destination for Jakartans, but has been overdeveloped and subject to horrendous traffic. The Cibodas Botanical Garden is also very beautiful.
There are several volcanic peaks in the area (notably Gunung Gede @ about 3000 meters) that have a range of hiking trails, but again, this is a highly populated area.
Apr 16th, 2017, 09:53 AM
#12
Thanks marmot,
Java was inserted as convenient break point between two legs of their tour, some will be flying in from Sumatra, some will be leaving at that point, and then the next leg continues on to Kalimantan. They have rearranged things a few times!
On Day 1 for this last leg we have a short jaunt to Pulau Rambut and after returning an afternoon visit to a nearby marsh boardwalk, then we head out to Bogor. The Friday and Saturday is two days, at least one in the Gunung Gede National Park and hopefully we will include Cibodas Botanic Gardens. Fingers crossed for at least a glimpse of some volcanos.
Java was inserted as convenient break point between two legs of their tour, some will be flying in from Sumatra, some will be leaving at that point, and then the next leg continues on to Kalimantan. They have rearranged things a few times!
On Day 1 for this last leg we have a short jaunt to Pulau Rambut and after returning an afternoon visit to a nearby marsh boardwalk, then we head out to Bogor. The Friday and Saturday is two days, at least one in the Gunung Gede National Park and hopefully we will include Cibodas Botanic Gardens. Fingers crossed for at least a glimpse of some volcanos.
May 18th, 2017, 01:41 AM
#14
Tanjung Puting you can fly from Jakarta on Kalstar or Trigana (the former is suggested). There will be agencies trying to book tourists at the airport If you haven't arranged. I can't recommend Rimba over a klotok.
For Komodo there are flights on Garuda from DPS to LBJ, and then a slowboat to Komodo can be chartered. There was also an agency at the airport, booking a large boat day trip at approx $90 $100 PP, they go daily with up to 34 passengers. There are also fast boats and tours from Lombok. There are lots of agencues in LBJ. Be aware that LBJ has mosquitos and dengue. Although I liked the Bajo Komodo Lodge, it probably isn't the best value, definitely look at other options which are increasing.
For Komodo there are flights on Garuda from DPS to LBJ, and then a slowboat to Komodo can be chartered. There was also an agency at the airport, booking a large boat day trip at approx $90 $100 PP, they go daily with up to 34 passengers. There are also fast boats and tours from Lombok. There are lots of agencues in LBJ. Be aware that LBJ has mosquitos and dengue. Although I liked the Bajo Komodo Lodge, it probably isn't the best value, definitely look at other options which are increasing.
