Hello everybody

My name is Zeno, I'm a 19 years old guy from Italy.

My plan is to spend one month from mid June to mid July ind Indonesia, all by myself. It is the first time I'm visitng Indonesia, so I don't really know where to start.

I can consider myself as quite rugged, it's going to be a bapacking trip and I want to truly live the Indonesian nature and life, without the help of any guide. I want to explore it by myself! Sleeping on the beach or up on some mountain wouldn't be a big deal, I love being surrounded by untouched nature and nothing else.

I am looking for a place with not many tourists, but where I may find some friendly Adventurer like me and team up for some while. But this isn't the biggest deal: I love being by myself.

I love hiking, and along with scuba diving and photography, I'd like it to be one of my main occupations in Indonesia. Where should I head for the best hiking trails? I think I will move around by public transportation, even if I might consider renting a motorbike (I'm working on my driving licence.. but I'll have it by this summer!).

So, this is an approximate description of my trip-style. The big question is: where should I head? In my mind I was thinking of Sulawesi, starting from the North (beautiful parks and diving sites), and gradually go south, following the heart and the local suggestions. I'd love to visit Togean Islands too!

Would you guys agree with me? I was also considering Flores, Java and Sumatra, but I haven't really studied them (I was more focused on Sulawesi, but now I'm thinking that it's plenty of wondeful places in Indonesia, which I just don't know!), so I'm very open to experienced suggestions. Also, I could start one one Island and thenfly off to another one, it depends on hoe much each island has to offer.

Thanks for your time,

all the best
Zeno

Sulawesi is a wonderful choice for adventure travel. There are plenty of other interesting places too, but I think you could easily fill up a month in Sulawesi.

Getting from one part of Sulawesi to another overland is very difficult as there aren't too many roads and those that are there are undeveloped. Public transportation is extremely limited. I would suggest that you look at domestic airline flights (which are quite inexpensive). Local ferry services are also available but their safety record is worrisome, so may advice would be to fly from town to town and explore overland once you get there.

In addition to North Sulawesi (Manado/Lembeh Strait) I would suggest you visit Tanah Toraja in South Sulawesi, both for culture and nature. The best way to access Toraja is by bus from Makassar. I haven't been to the Togian Islands but I think the investment in time that it would take to get to them wouldn't be worth the effort. There are plenty of undeveloped islands that are more accessible -- the Wakatobi area in Southeast Sulawesi for example.

Sleeping out of doors isn't so common in Indonesia, but there are many cheap homestays (called losmen or kos) in all small towns and villages. For trekking in wilderness areas, get a local guide! There aren't many marked trails, and it's easy to get lost.

Be aware that July 15 will be the beginning of the 10 day Islamic holidays that follow Ramadan (called Lebaran or Idul Fitri in Indonesia). All modes of transportation will be crowded at this time. North Sulawesi is predominately Christian and would be a good place to concentrate on during this period.

You can enter Indonesia visa free for 30 days. If you want stay longer than 30 days you either need to get a 60 day visa before you arrive or extend your visa while in Indonesia. Visa extensions can only be accomplished in certain locations, and take about 10 days, so research this carefully before you leave. If you intend to extend you must buy a visa on arrival. Make sure your passport will be valid for at least 6 months after arrival.

Lastly, make sure you are covered by medical evacuation insurance! The dive organization, PADI, offers a good, cheap policy.