Wanderfilms

Hello again!
I'm hitting the road again - this time to Indonesia and wanted to once more consult the experts here for recommendations! I'll be spending at least a week in Bali, but trying to figure out what else i should do while i'm there.
I'm not much a beach person and don't dive so I won't be spending much time at beach resorts. I'm more interested in culture, arts, temples, religion, wildlife...
some of the things i was considering were heading to Sulawesi to see the Tana Toraja (although i'll be there in february through beginning of March and not sure if they will be holding any of the death rituals then). Also interested in seeing Yogyakarta and Borobodur temples...possibly going into Borneo to see wild life there if that's even possible as it sounds like most orangutan sightings are at specific refuge centers.
wondering if any of you had any other ideas on where to see interesting culture or not-to-miss sights. I'm not really a sporty person so would like to keep any hiking to a minimum of 3 hours if there is any trekking involved.
thanks in advance!
best,
k

tripplanner001

If you're after temples, culture, and the arts, then it seems like Ubud would be a good base for you. There is plenty to see in and around Ubud - many temples, ricefield walks, museums, art galleries, nightly performances, etc. Some of my favorite temples are Pura Saraswati, Gunung Kawi, Tirta Empul, and Pura Ulun Danu Bratan.

Central Java is definitely worth a few days - to visit Borobudur and Prambanan, tour the Dieng Plateau, and see the Ramayana Ballet.

I would also encourage you to read Kathie's trip report to Indonesia last year. She visited other parts of Java that may also be of interest to you. You can search for her name using the function above.

Kathie

Here is a link to my trip report of a year ago: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...n-to-jogja.cfm

This was my second visit to central Java, which I love. It was my first visit to Eastern Java. We decided to forgo the volcanoes for more temples and saw remarkable off-the-beaten track temples in Eastern Java.

Photos often help: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...n-to-jogja.cfm

A combination of Java and Bali would be a great trip.

Kathie

PS, Seeing orangutans in the wild is best down from Sabah. Access from Kalimantin is more difficult logistically.

marmot

In addition to Bali and Central Java, I would encourage you to visit Tanah Toraja. Even if you don't see an actual funeral ceremony, the art, culture and the natural beauty of the area is worth a visit.

It's not such an easy place to get in and out of, so leave yourself enough time. The architecturally rich villages and burial sites are fairly widespread so you also need to devote enough time to get from place to place within Toraja.

Wanderfilms

Wow! thanks all! Kathie, your report was so helpful! So have you done orangutan viewing from Sabah? And if so, is it worth the trip? Also, did you have a guide/driver you worked with there? I recently contacted a US based tour operator for help planning but the cost was pretty crazy...as a single traveler they were quoting me about $800/day.

marmot- any recommendations on who could help me plan logistically for Sulawesi and the Tanah Toraja?

thanks all!
k

Kathie

I did go to Sabah a number of years ago and stayed at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge. It was fabulous - and we saw lots of wildlife. Go to our photo site and choose Borneo. www.marlandc.com It's still complicated logistically, but not nearly as complicated as getting to Kalimantin.

We used a local agency to arrange our time in central and eastern java. $800 a day is just silly. We stayed in beautiful suites everywhere and never spent more than $200 a day. Never use a US agency to set up this kind of trip.

Kathie

Oh, I just realized that you were asking about arranging Sabah. The lodges are expensive, but book through an agency in Sabah and it won't cost as much as from a US agency. We did not use a car and driver in Sabah.

Wanderfilms

kathie, were you happy with your local agency that arranged time in central/easter java? Would love to get the info if you are comfortable sharing. If you want to email me directly i'm at [email protected]
thanks again!
k

Kathie

[email protected] is the contact for the agency we used. He was excellent. He arranged a car and driver, got us discounts on hotels, arranged guides at Borobudur and Prambanam.

Happy planning!

marmot

I don't have current recommendations for Toraja as it's been some time since I was there.

Your resort will arrange for a car and driver from Makassar airport. From Makassar it's an ~8 hour drive to Toraja. (I remember it being more like 6, but recently I've seen it described as 8 to 10. Maybe it depends on the weather and how long you stop along the way.)

There are also buses and, at times, flights from from Makassar to Rantepao. The buses sound reliable; the flights seem to come and go, so you have to dig deeper for up to date information.

Makassar's an interesting city too, so an overnight there wouldn't be out of the question. Legendary sunsets.

Most of the Toraja resorts are centered in and around Rantepao. Your resort will arrange for a guide. Try to find one who's actually from Sulawesi and who speaks the local language. Many are Javanese, which is not necessarily a negative if they've been working there for a while and have good English.

The burial sites and villages with spectacular Torajan architecture are located in all directions from Rantepao, so your guide will arrange a series of day trips. 2-3 days is good to cover the area.

If you want to visit any other part of Sulawesi you have to go back to Makassar and fly to Manado. I really like North Sulawesi -- Bunaken and the Bitung Strait -- but diving and snorkling are really the main attraction. Terrific national parks, though, with tarsiers and hornbills and profoundly beautiful natural surrounding.

Treepol

You may find these 2 trip reports to Sumatra and Komodo and Sabah useful, http://safaritalk.net/topic/11827-in...odos-and-bali/

and

http://safaritalk.net/topic/10674-bo...life-trekking/


Happy planning,


Pol

Wanderfilms

thank you all for your awesome tips and advice! Really appreciate it!