Welcome to the Travel Forums


Why join TravelBlog?

  • Membership is Free and Easy
  • Your travel questions answered in minutes!
  • Become part of the friendliest online travel community.
Join Now! Join TravelBlog* today and meet thousands of friendly travelers. Don't wait! Join today and make your adventures even more enjoyable.

* Blogging is not required to participate in the forums
Advertisement


Travelling Indonesia in 6 weeks...any suggestions!

Advertisement
Going to Indonesia for 6 weeks... need tips!!
15 years ago, April 16th 2008 No: 1 Msg: #32716  
Hi there,
We would love any information from travellers who have been there!
We have been travelling Thailand, Cambodia, Lao, Malaysia and Vietnam for the past 6 months and we're really excited to head into Indonesia, but we haven't heard too much about it (except for the Gillies are supposed to be beautiful but pricey?!)

We are very laid back travellers. We prefer to stay in cheep beach bungalows and we are wanting to hit Sumatra, Lombak and maybe the Gillies! If you know of any chilled out surf towns less touristy and a little more remote please let us know. Reply to this

15 years ago, May 1st 2008 No: 2 Msg: #34012  
Hi there.. if you are thinking to visit sumatera, you should go to samosir island - Lake toba . It is a very beautifull place, nice and quiet, cheap, they are rich in culture, music, and nature. See this site it is very usefull, at least you will an idea about the area
Reply to this

15 years ago, June 26th 2008 No: 3 Msg: #39973  
N Posts: 6
you can try this site:



this site all aboat indonesian and travel for six day.
Reply to this

15 years ago, July 8th 2008 No: 4 Msg: #41232  
Hallo Brian & Dana, how about west java? i have a lot of friend here who love backpacking
beach :
Reply to this

15 years ago, July 9th 2008 No: 5 Msg: #41361  
N Posts: 6
Dear Brida,

I suggest to do Jawa Over land tour for step #1, arrive Jakarta...
Accomodation: Jalan Jaksa , it's a backpacker budget. stay in Bloom steen hostel. if you would like more above stay in Margot Hotel.
You just need one or two days in Jakarta to cool it down for you starting adventure trip.
After that, for budget surfing spot...try Pelabuhan Ratu...it's in West Jawa. take a bus in jalan Kwitang, Senen there is a bus shuttle called 48,to go to SukaBumi regency to Pelabuhan Ratu...It's well known place.
In jalan Jaksa you find also surfing agent that can take you to Sumatera area...called Freelane. Place to surf near jakarta, panaitan island or if you want to go more far, mentawai, siberut is an option.
After your experience neither you decide to go to west jawa or sumatera, you back to Jakarta, take a train to Surabaya, to go to mount bromo. Take a tran called Argo Bromo. Once you arrive in Surabaya terminal take a taxi to take you to terminal bus, take bus to probolinggo. arrive in probolinggo take a mini bus to mount bromo and stay one night back to probolinggo take a bus to heading to Bali. Arrive in Bali...Well, bali is a tourist place but it's a gate for you to go more eastern side of Indonesia...Well known site for surf is in Roti, you enter from kupang airport...You can rent a fisher man boat to take you if you in budget consideration.
But if you wan to do beside surf. do little diving...from bali you can go to from Bali to Lombok...in Bali you can contact perama tour, this tour operator can take you to lombok by bus, you arrive in Lombok you can go to gilis. but why dont you do book air ticket..here airfare for domestic is cheap...go to labuhan Bajo to see komodo island. excellent to dive.
This country is big as United states. It's all best place to see, explore.
Go to sulawesi side to do dive, eastern site is more excellent side history and culture interesting.
RAJA AMPAT, West Papua...for diving...
It you toword more asolate place eastern indonesia is a best choice, get lost...chill out, explore and you will get a real experience!
I am actually a boat girl, I operate a liveabord here in Indonesia, check out my site http://www.songlinecruises.com
from cruising, sailing, diving and ofcourse surfing...with traditional wooden schooner. made from people of South Sulawesi.
More info just feel free to contact me.

happy traveling,

Rima

Reply to this

15 years ago, July 10th 2008 No: 6 Msg: #41512  
B Posts: 135
Heyyy Bri da,

I think you should go to Indonesia, it's nice place and the people there they are very friendelly. I have been there during 2002, So will help you with the names of the places,

Jakarta - is just another city. You dont need much time there,, couple of days i think will be enough.
Punchak - is around 1 - 2 hours far from Jakarta. the weather is nice because it a highland actually.
Bogor - there were few big waterfalls there. I think you have seen enough in Laos in Luang Perbang.
Bandung - Very Very beatiful area, I loved it. If iam not mistaken it's 4 hours driving form Jakarta. I loved the Spring water there it called Chyater I guess.
Yogjakarta - The very old capital of indonesia. It was nice place. From there i took a bus to Burubodr (As i heared from my Indonesain frined it's consider as one of the World wonders, iam not sure,, but it was so beautiful).
Bali - If u r not visiting Bali then dont visit Indonesia, hehe.

I heared that Sulawesi is gorgeous according to the tourist i met in SE Asia.

Good luck. Reply to this

15 years ago, July 20th 2008 No: 7 Msg: #42422  
Hi Brian and Dana,

What are primarily your interests?
That helps with choosing destinations in Indonesia.
If you are up for adventure, jungle trekking, volcano climbing then Sumatra is probably a great choice.
Bukit Lawang for orangutans but not wild ones- you need to head to Ketambe in Aceh for the wild ones.
Loads of places to stay in Bukit Lawang up along the river where it is all happening these dats like Jungle Inn- 100,000-300,000: Sam's Bungalows-80,000-150,000: Rain Forest- 30,000.
Others include Eco Lodge, Wisma Sibayak etc down in Bukit Lawang.
There are places to play pool and drink cold beer like Greenhill, Jungle tribe for great food and cocktails, Sam's for great food as well and Jungle Inn.
Lots of options to go into the jungle from just a day tour to over night for 1, 2, 3 or more nights.

Besides Bukit Lawang there is another magical jungle place 2 hrs by motor bike from there called Tangkahan. Motor bike is with rider and costs about 150,000 rupiah/person/one way.
In Tangkahan best places to stay are over the river- you get there by small ferry- first place on left is Mega Inn around 65,000+/night, Bamboo River at 85,000 and my favourite Jungle Lodge 75-85,000 where one is near to the hot springs and swimming in the river.

Also in north you have Lake Toba about 4 hrs from Medan and Brestagi for climbing volcanoes.

West Sumatra the home of the Minangkabau culture is worth a visit too and Padang the capital is only a 2 hr flight from Medan in the north. Cheapest airline is Batavia.
Besides Padang you have cooler Bukittinggi up on the hills and the very beautiful Lake Maninjau. One can do a jungle trek from Bukittinggi down to the Lake- 2 days and a stay over in the jungle at Anas Homestay a special rustic place high up in the jungle.
Many guides can take you down, however a really great reliable guide is Hendri.
There is a seires of posts written last year with loads of info' on this forum.
Here is the link http://www.travelblog.org/Forum/Threads/6162-1.html

Java is a lot busier but with a train service travelling is much easier than Sumatra and you will get to see more touristic things like temples etc like Borobudur in Central Java and Gunung Bromo the crater in East Java. Kawah Ijen the sulphur mining mountain is worth a visit too.
In West Java Bogor with the Botanical Gardens and only a 2 hr bus trip from Jakarta Airport. A bus trip from Bogor to Bandung offers wonderful scenery through the Puncak Pass, Cipanas, and Cianjur regions. Just make sure you do not go at the weekends when every person in Jakarta tries ot get out of the city for 2 days- travellers' worst nightmare.

Bali offers a different culture esp outside the main drag of Kuta Legian, Seminyak etc.

Lombok is great esp the south around Kuta Lombok, wonderful beaches, great surfing, relaxing place.

And of course there are loads more islands east but travelling between them with only 6 weeks is difficult unless you drop Sumatra, java and head east and spend your time there.

Whatever you choose you are more than welcome to contact me for more information. I have been to Indonesia 8 times over the last 11 yrs and spent 5.5 months travelling there in 2006. Fantastic country and fantastic people, great things to see and do and it is probably one of the cheapest places to visit in the whole of South East Asia.
Pamela.
Reply to this

15 years ago, July 22nd 2008 No: 8 Msg: #42653  
B Posts: 61
I travelled around Indonesia for 4 weeks. I did over land Flores, took about 1 week, then across Sumbawa and Lombok to the Gilly's then Bali. if I had to do it all again and now knowing how long it takes I would start from Alor and make my westwards. I think you could go from Alor to Sumatra in 6 weeks. Happy travels! Reply to this

15 years ago, October 27th 2008 No: 9 Msg: #52663  
Hi,
Just wanted to let travellers know who have contacted me in the past at pamelajoyfuge@hotmail.com will be getting an email from me saying I am stranded in Africa.
Please ignore this- I am safe, happy and well here in Sydney Australia.

I have been duped and these people have my password.
Anyone wanting to contact me please contact me privately here and I will try to check here every day.
That hotmail address is still linked to this website, so I will not get the message in my email as I can no longer get into that email.
Sincerely Pamela.
Reply to this

15 years ago, October 27th 2008 No: 10 Msg: #52671  
Hi there, I just came back from Indonesia, and obviously it depends what you are looking for, but we went to Bali, and basically stayed there for 3 weeks of it. I absolutly loved it. Sun, Surf, Good parties, Cheap, beautiful. We actually hired a car for around 4 pounds a day and did a road trip around the island for a week of it! It was amazing, because some of the beaches are surf spots and some are completly still, its very diverse. then obsiously you need to party it up in Kuta beach for at least a week! maybe 2! wicked place to go, people nice, everything you want to just kick back
Hope that helps!


Reply to this

15 years ago, October 27th 2008 No: 11 Msg: #52674  
Hi,
An Update on my hijacked Hotmail.
I got in touch with Microsoft this morning who in turn gave me the MNS telephone number here in Sydney and I have been able to reclaim my hotmail back again, mainly because I pay every year for it.
And there were so many emails sent yesterday that I cannot send any out for another 24 hrs from this hotmail account.
However, I have been able to send emails to everyone via other email accounts.
Thanks to all who expressed concern on the forums and in reply emails.
I have certainly learnt a lesson from this.
Pamela. Reply to this

15 years ago, October 27th 2008 No: 12 Msg: #52675  
Hi Luke,
Thank you for your report. Do you have any photos of your time there? would love to see some.
Pamela. Reply to this

15 years ago, October 28th 2008 No: 13 Msg: #52758  
In six weeks you should be able to see a lot. As pPamela says though you might have to miss Sumatra/wherever out because of the timescale depending on your interests.

We have been to Indonesia twice, the last time was in December last year. We flew into Jakarta, headed to Yogyakarta and saw Borobudur etc then went on an organised trip to Mount Bromo which included transport to Bali. Once on Bali we went to Lovina (north coast) and Ubud. From Ubud we headed for the Gilli's to spend Christmas there...it isn't too expensive, we got a air con hut with hot shower and breakfast for 150,000 rupiah. For over Christmas this was a very good deal, outside of Christmas and high season you can get a fan cooled room with cold water and breakfast for about 50,000 rupiah. We loved the Gillis! We then headed to Kuta for New Year...we aren't that keen on Kuta it has to be said! Food everywhere in Indonesia (and beer!) is very cheap and good quality.

We did all this in a month and it wasn't too strenuous with the travelling, so you would be able to add a few more places in without stretching yourselves too much. Depending on how much you want to spend you could add on a few internal flights to speed things up.

Indonesia is a lovely country and we plan to go back again! Reply to this

15 years ago, October 30th 2008 No: 14 Msg: #52911  
If you want to really see some orangutans in Indonesia...get up to Bukit Lawang in Sumatra. Best accommodation is Jungle Inn @ about $40 Us dollars a night or Indra Inn (next door and budget but nice) around US10 to $30 night....and ask for Obiwan from Indra Inn to take to trekking up to orangutans..a delightful young man who lost his family in the 2003 floods and supports his younger brother. The orangutan feeding is fabulous but a simple day trek into the forest with a river rafting after is the greatest day out. Monkeys will just come by in the afternoon to visit you...so..keep a few bananas on hand. You'll never regret it...what a pretty part of the world... Reply to this

15 years ago, October 30th 2008 No: 15 Msg: #52990  
JAVA IS A MUST!!!!
despite what others may say, java is wonderful. i flew into jakarta, stayed there fro a few days, then headed to jogjakarta, an awesome city, see borabadur early in the morning. climb mt. merapi! i think you start at around 10 pm, and arrive at the summit by around 4am, it is not that difficult, just long. i travelled in sea for 5 months, and the most beautiful thing i experienced was being at the top of mt. merapi sitting by a steam vent and watching the sun rise over java while listening the the gentle hiss of the steam vents and the thousands of mosques below blaring the first call to prayer...truly amazing.....1000 times better than bromo. you may have to bribe the guide around 50,000 rupiha to take you right to the top, but make sure you go right to the top, the plateau just short of the summit isnt nearly as good. anyway thats my advice....whatever you do..... Dont miss Merapi!!!!! Reply to this

15 years ago, November 1st 2008 No: 16 Msg: #53123  
Hi, everybody....
I jus tjoining in this forum...
Why you don't visit to Bandung, West Java...?
The beautiful view island, with many culinary foods, historical building, night life, factory outlet or silent places to relax or meditation......Feel the different ....!!! It's cozy places...
I reccomend you to visit all touring places at West Java such : Bandung, Garut, Ciwidey, Lembang, etc...
Which places do you want to go...?

@ Donna and Neil, we appreciate your visit to Indonesia, especially to Java Island and Bali...
Reply to this

15 years ago, November 4th 2008 No: 17 Msg: #53417  
Hi Brian and Dana,
I just got back from my surf trip in Indo.

Fantastic!!!!!
Rene
Reply to this

Tot: 0.069s; Tpl: 0.008s; cc: 8; qc: 42; dbt: 0.0298s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.1mb