Wanderfilms

HI again,
wondering if someone can advise the best way to plot this out and the easiest ways to get around. I'm going to be in Bali first and then would like to see Komodo just for a day or 2 and then spend 3 or 4 days in and around Yogyakarta and Borobudur. Wondering what the easiest way to get from place to place is...
also, at end of my trip I need to get to Singapore so i'm assuming it will be easiest to get there from Yogyakarta rather than Komodo- back through Bali...
would love to hear from you experts!
thanks again!
k

tripplanner001

Hi, the easiest and quickest way to get from one island to the next is to fly. If you are looking for affordable options, check out AirAsia. It's a no frills airline, but it's fairly reliable. I don't know about Komodo, but there are plenty of flights between Yogyakarta and Singapore as well as Bali and Singapore.

Kathie

Komodo will be the difficult place to get to. Do you really want just a day there?

Here's a report on Komodo you might find interesting: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...agons-post.cfm
You will have to click through to his blog.

marmot

To get to Komodo from Bali you fly into Labuan Bajo in Flores. From there you can arrange transportation (or a tour) to Komodo and/or Rinca Islands and the waters that comprise Komodo National Park.

There are several domestic Indonesian airlines that fly from Denpasar Bali to Labuan Bajo. You can also arrange a 4 day/3 night boat trip from Bali or Lombok to Komodo. I haven't done the trip myself, so I can't recommend one over the other.

If you don't plan to overnight in Bali on your way from Komodo to Yogya, you should choose an airline that will check your bags through from Labuan Bajo to Denpasar to Singapore. Garuda will do this. Maybe some of the others too, I'm not sure.

For flights from Bali to Yogyakarta and from Yogya to Singapore, I agree, AirAsia is a good choice, though again if you're connecting to an international flight in Singapore you'll have to claim your bags and check in again. If you fly Garuda or Silk Air they will check your bags through.

mareeS55

Go into any of the little travel places, they will sort you out.

Our son works and lives between Darwin and Indonesia, gets around cheaply enough. We're around and about in the places where you plan to go.

It isn't that hard. No need to plan too far ahead, unless you're going to somewhere difficult (parts of Indonesia are like that, and parts of Asia, like Burma).

Investigate a bit, and book on line. We never have dramas. The information is there.

Wanderfilms

HI all, thanks so much for your comments. well, it now looks as if i'm going to be traveling for part of this vacation alone so I'm going to stay in Bali and then go to Java for a few days. KATHI, wondering if you could commend on this itinerary i got from Wiedy. I read through your trip report again, but not sure you hit some of these places. Not sure how interesting I would find traveling to Merapi Volcano. I'm much more interested in culture and the arts! Also, not sure about Dieng Plateau as your review and someone else's didn't sound that enthusiastic
As for the Cave, again, not reading great reviews of that and I love seeing beautiful nature, but would be more interested in seeing people and their way of life.

I would also ask to upgrade the hotels as I do like great design and a little more comfort I'm also a single woman traveling alone so I would feel a bit safer.
Anyway, would love your thoughts on the suggestions below or any alternatives you may think are more suitable. thanks all!

DAY 1
· Arrive Yogya, pick up and drive to Merapi Volcano.

· Proceed check in Manohara Hotel.

· Afternoon visit the temple, stay MANOHARA BOROBUDUR.


DAY 2-
· Village tour, Full Day Dieng Plateau Tour

· Stay GRAND ARTOS MAGELANG

DAY 3-
· Check out and have Pindul Tubing (Cave) Tour

· Afternoon Prambanan Hindus temple

· Yogyakarta City Tour

· Evening Ramayana Ballet

· Stay QUALITY HOTEL YOGYAKARTA

DAY 4-
· Yogyakarta City Tours

· Sultan Palace, Water Castle, Bird Market

· Afternoon free and easy

· Stay QUALITY HOTEL YOGYAKARTA

DAY 5
· Check out and Transfer to the airport is 30 minute drive.

Kathie

The Manohara is a basic place, but right at Borobudur. The drive to Merapi would be interesting for the scenery rather than the volcano itself, IMO. But if you aren't interested in the volcano, say so.

I don't know anything about the Grand Artos Magelang, but if you want something better, just tell him.

In Yoggyakata, I recommend the Phoenix, a lovely old hotel but many people like the Hyatt just outside of town. Hotel prices on Java are very reasonable.

marmot

My overall impression is that you really don't need a guide every day. I'd pick a few guided destinations and a few that you can handle on your own.

It's not clear that Wiedy actually plans Mt. Merapi itself in your itinerary. It sounds like he's just using it to represent the general area around Borobudur.

The Manohara is fairly basic, but it's just steps from Borobudur, which to me is worth putting up with the less than outstanding design. (Of course if you can afford the Amanjiwo. go for it.)

I like the idea of staying at Borobudur so that you can visit more than once. The countryside is incredibly scenic.

What I'd do on Day 2, with or without Wiedy is go back to Borobudur at sunrise. Then I'd have brunch at Amanjiwo (for the architecture alone!), do some shopping in the area before heading to Magelang or Yogya.

I like the Dieng plateau. You can access it from Yogya too though it's a longer -- but beautiful -- drive. Magelang is a pleasant medium sized Javanese city, but not really a destination. Magelang is also used to refer to the general area between Yogya and Semarang.

Again if it's in your budget, consider the Megastila Wellness Resort (AKA Losari Coffee Plantation) in the Magelang area. I haven't been there myself but it's generally well recommended among Jakarta expats. I'd try it for a day of pampering in beautiful and serene surroundings. I think they'd take good care of you and they offer a lot of activities both wellness and culture related.
http://www.mesahotelsandresorts.com/mesastila/

"Village tour" sounds suspicious. I'd find out what this actually means. There are enough bona fide villages; you don't need one that's designed for tourism.

I haven't been to Pindu cave. It sounds fun, but if tubing through a dark cave with a lot of local tourists isn't your cup of Java, you can surely find something else to do.

I'm not familiar with the Quality Hotel. From their website, I think you could do better. We always stay at the Hyatt because we find the garden setting to be a relief from the congestion of Yogya though it's not really a walkable location. Everyone seems to like the Phoenix too.

You won't have any problem getting around Yogya without a pre-arranged guide. Your hotel can provide a car and driver, or you can venture out on your own. It's safe and people are very hospitable.

Yogya and Solo (Surakarta) are really the arts and crafts center of Indonesia so you might want to arrange some workshop visits -- batik, puppets, wood carving, pottery, glass painting, bamboo.

Try to see the dance performance at the Kraton (Sultan's Palace) and look for a shadow puppet performance as well.

Avoid Borobudur on weekends -- it is swamped with school groups! Also, end February early March will be low season. negotiate hard on rates.

Kathie

I forgot to mention, make sure you see the Ramayana at Prambanam, not in Yogya.

And marmot is right about the need for a guide. We asked Weidy for a driver, then got a guide at Borobudur and at Prambanam. You can see the city sites on your own.