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Best One World Flight Routing For Indonesia: September, 2018

Best One World Flight Routing For Indonesia: September, 2018

Old Aug 21st, 2017, 02:40 PM
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Best One World Flight Routing For Indonesia: September, 2018

My annual solo trip next year will most likely be to Indonesia. I want to work out the routing now, as the flight inventory will open in a few weeks.

Here are the constraints:

I will be traveling on an AA One World Award, and Cathay Pacific is the carrier in the region. After flying from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, there are three choices of destinations in Indonesia: Jakarta (Java), Surabaya (Java), or Denpasar (Bali). I can easily take Garuda flights within Indonesia on a paid ticket.

I typically get my international tickets a year in advance, and then worry about the details later. So my question to you is, given that I will have about 23 days on the ground, shall I fly into Surabaya, and depart from Denpasar?

My interests are culture, wildlife, and history, but not beaches or diving. I was thinking of seeing the historical sites in Java first, and then going to Sulawesi to see the funerals, and spending maybe just the last three nights in Ubud. At this point, I do not want to deal with the details of an itinerary--I mostly want to know it Surabaya is a better airport for flying into for the historical sites, versus Java. I looked at various trip reports here, but I am unclear what the ideal path is for Java--if I start in Surabaya, what airport would I use to fly to Sulawesi?

Thank you, as always.
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Old Aug 21st, 2017, 05:34 PM
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Surabaya is on Java as is Jakarta. Personally, I'd fly into Surabaya. Jakarta is not an easy city or an easy airport. But from Surabaya, you would want to fly to Yogyakarta or Solo to get to the cultural sites in central Java. You can get to both of these airports from either Surabaya or Jakarta. You can also get to either airport from Denpasar (Bali) and you can get to Sulawesi from at least Bali and Surabaya, probably also from Yogyakarta.
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Old Aug 21st, 2017, 05:43 PM
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Thanks, Kathie. So, given that I have to fly onward to Yogyakarta or Solo from the starting point of Jakarta or Surabaya, do you think Surabaya is a more desirable overnight stop than Jakarta? Did you spend any time in Surabaya?
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Old Aug 21st, 2017, 06:03 PM
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There are interesting historical and archeological sites in both Central and East Java. For Central Java you need to fly into Yogya; for East Java Surabaya.

There are many connecting flights to Yogya from all three Cathay destinations in Indonesia. Among the three, I would choose based on the best connection out of Hong Kong. Jakarta has the most connecting flights to the rest of Indonesia, but the airport is the most difficult to navigate. Surabaya is the most compact.

Yogyakarta is more or less equidistant from Surabaya and Jakarta. From Yogya you could either fly to Surabaya or take the train to Surabaya or Malang. After East Java you could fly to Makassar from Surabaya. You could also consider going overland in East Java to the ferry to Bali.

If you skip East Java you can also fly to Makassar from Yogya.

If you decide to go to North Sulawesi, it's best to backtrack to Makassar and fly to Manado from there. From Manado there are regular flights to Bali.

I would suggest that you spend some time on AirAsia or Garuda websites to determine the best sequence. Garuda has more flights but they are more expensive. AirAsia is cheap and efficient, but flies less frequently.

Other than those two carriers, there are several other domestic airlines operating in Sulawesi. They're all about the same to me, though I generally avoid Lion Air. Citilink is Garuda's budget branch.

I would consider both Garuda and AirAsia reasonably reliable. Delays and cancellations do happen, but not as frequently as on the other domestic airlines. AirAsia is always my first choice.
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Old Aug 21st, 2017, 06:07 PM
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I would try to avoid spending the night in either Surabaya or Jakarta but if I had to choose I'd go with Surabaya. The Majapahit is a wonderful hotel. Surabaya itself doesn't have a lot of attraction for me, but it's the jumping off point for Mt. Bromo and the historical sites of East Java. It's also fairly close to Malang (about 2 hours drive) which is a nice medium sized Javanese town, home of the famous Tugu Hotel.
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Old Aug 21st, 2017, 07:30 PM
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You might also consider flying into Singapore from HKG for a few days, then an onward flight to your destination in Indonesia. I love Singapore and the airport there and used it as a staging point for several trips to Indonesia and parts south, and though expensive, can always fit a short stop into the budget.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2017, 08:37 AM
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I would certainly recommend Surabaya over Jakarta both for a connection and for an overnight. We did spend a night in Surabaya as we were leaving Java. We stayed at the Majapahit, which we very much enjoyed. I "collect" Sarkie Brothers hotels and was glad to add this to my collection.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2017, 07:31 PM
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Thank you, marmot, MmePerdu, and Kathie.

marmot - You are always so helpful, and I look forward to getting more advice as I plan this trip. I have to decide how to divide the time between the three islands of Java, Sulawesi, and Bali. You mentioned Tongkoko National Park on the island of Sulawesi, on another thread. Have you actually been there? There seem to be some unique species of animals on the island.

MmePerdu - You are one of several Singapore fans on this board. I have typically avoided it because it's such an expensive place, but it certainly sounds intriguing.

Kathie - I just looked at pictures of the Majapahit, and it looks amazing, and quite reasonably priced. So it's Surabaya, not Jakarta for me.

So I have decided to fly into Surabaya, and out of Ubud. The return flight arrives in the afternoon into Los Angeles. If I fly into Ubud, and leave from Surabaya, then I arrive late in the evening into Los Angeles, which is not nice for my husband, the chauffeur. I am pretty confidant that this trip will fall into place.

Thanks so much, and one last question:

Regarding the Ramayana Ballet, is it performed every night, with a cycle of four different shows? It's sounds really nice, so I would like to incorporate it into my itinerary.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2017, 08:35 PM
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Yes, I've been to Tangkoko, though it was several years ago. We saw lots of hornbills and macaques, but we were on the wrong schedule for the nocturnal tarsiers.

I don't know anything about this place, but their website will give you an idea of what's on offer in the area.
http://www.tangkokoguesthouse.com/

We were staying at Kungkungan Bay (which I'd recommend even if you're not diving) about 2 hours away.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2017, 08:36 PM
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Oh, do go to Singapore when you have a chance, especially if you haven't before. It's known as an expensive place but I don't spend much, all things relative. I especially like that it's a walkable city, unlike many in Asia. Several great bookshops if you enjoy a book in hand, as I do. Every kind of food, many restaurants downright cheap. I shop in my favorite store in the world, a modestly sized and priced Chinese department store called Yue Hwa, also one in Kowloon. I hope you make it, next time if not this.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2017, 05:32 AM
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There is a condensed version of the Ramayana that is performed nightly at the open-air theatre at Prambanam Do see it there rather than in Yogya. Once a year, it is performed it its entirety over 4 (?) nights running until midnight each night.

Do see it - the dancing and costumes are wonderful.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2017, 08:42 AM
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If you are not used to heat and humidity, you may not find Singapore very "walkable". I think I could tolerate about 15 minutes before needing A/C, and that was at night. Singapore has a great airport though and I loved flying Singapore Airlines (great airfare from LAX this May). I think I booked about 3 or 4 months ahead.

If flying into Jakarta helps your schedule, you can always stay near the airport. Garuda is in a separate and much nicer terminal in Jakarta, than the other domestic airlines.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2017, 09:00 AM
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"If you are not used to heat and humidity, you may not find Singapore very "walkable"."

Though I don't live where there's heat & humidity, walking is for me the very best part of just about everywhere I go, especially in a part of the world so different from my own. I go slow, do stop regularly in places with AC for the fun of seeing them with the added advantage of a cool-down. I'd think someone who's sensitive to those sorts of conditions would be less inclined to visit south & SE Asia. And lots of other places in their warmest season.

I'm not one for making a beeline for the "must-sees", many might be shocked at what I haven't seen. My favorite "sights" are hardware stores, markets, bookshops, local eating places, fabric shops...the places in between, as Rory Stewart says.
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Old Aug 24th, 2017, 07:51 PM
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marmot - Tangkoko sounds intriguing, as I'm a big nature fan. So that's two regions of Sulawesi that I must see, the funeral region, and Tangkoko. I will ask your help with the logistics after I get my tickets--thanks.

MmePerdu - Yes, I will catch Singapore sometime, maybe on my next visit to Malaysia. I agree with you that the best sites are grocery stores, etc., and not museums. Thank you.

Kathie - The Ramayana ballet at Prambanam sounds good. I read about your trip to Java, and it sounds fascinating. How am I going to fit all this in? Thanks, as always, for the inspiration.

mlgb - Did you find Singapore worse than other Asian cities, in terms of humidity? And yes, Garuda is the airline of choice in the region. Thanks.
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Old Aug 24th, 2017, 09:32 PM
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Tangkoko would be considered North Sulawesi, accessed through Manado. Manado and Bunaken are on the west side of the peninsula; Tangkoko and Lembeh on the east. In the middle is mostly wilderness.

I would put AirAsia on a par with Garuda. Garuda has more flights, but their website is difficult if not impossible to navigate. AirAsia is a breeze to use on-line. They are clean, efficient,friendly, and considerably cheaper than Garuda. The downside of AirAsia is that everything is priced "ala carte" and you pay a penalty for date changes.
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Old Aug 25th, 2017, 09:53 AM
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Oh my, marmot, I'm wondering if 23 nights on the ground will be enough. That's my typical fall solo trip--I have 24 pairs of travel socks, so I must come home when I run out, lol.

So, I'm thinking, the first three nights in Ubud, and then 10 nights on Sulawesi (funerals and Tangkoko), and finishing with 10 nights on Java (time for Eastern and Central?), and then departing from Surabaya. Does that sound feasible? I'm leaving for Sri Lanka in six days, so I hate to come to class here without doing my homework, but does that make sense as a rough sketch?

Thanks.

Kathie, if you're there, please let me know if 10 days is enough time to do justice to Java. I know you're a fan of the island.
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Old Aug 25th, 2017, 10:19 AM
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I do think you have a reasonable plan. Java has so many things to see and do that your time there is infinitely expandable. If you have 10 days, then you'll choose 10 days worth of things to see and do. One thing to think about is whether you want to visit Mt. Bromo. We didn't but others here have visited.

Enjoy Sri Lanka!
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Old Aug 25th, 2017, 10:25 AM
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Oh thank you, Kathie, for the help and the good wishes. I'll pick your brain about Java after I get my tickets. That's reassuring to know that my plan is reasonable.

I looked at the "Insight Guide: Indonesia" while freeloading at a Barnes and Noble, and the pictures from Java were very impressive. I can see why you enjoyed your trip there.
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Old Aug 25th, 2017, 10:52 AM
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Singapore was worse than Labuan Bajo in Flores and SW Kalimantan (Borneo) near Kumai (But Ubud and Ruteng, being at elevation were positively pleasant.) I was lucky in Jakarta and caught some overcast weather which also took the edge off..Jakarta was actually walkable the day I was there, LOL).
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Old Aug 25th, 2017, 11:28 AM
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I've spent quite a bit of time in Ubud and one visit it was so hot/humid that the only way to cope was to not move. I spent much of the day in the big outside living area of my house with a fan blowing on me, reading. Fortunately there's a good English bookstore in town! Hotter than any visit to Singapore. The lesson for me...there is no definitive answer to weather/temperature questions. It just depends.
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