Hello guys! I'm currently planning my trip to Indonesia (first time there) and I need a little bit of tips and advises.
I'm traveling alone so I'd be kind of flexible with dates and things to do/see. Nevertheless, there are a couple of things I definitely want to do/see. That includes the famous komodo dragons, the pink beaches, some snorkelling/diving, a volcano hike and the famous Borobodur temple complex. I'll have a little bit more than a week to spend in Indonesia so I better plan well.
I'm planning to arrive in Bali from Europe. Possibly on 17th of August and either spend the night on the island or go directly to Labuan Bajo. From there I plan to visit the Komodo National Park but I'm unsure how much time do I need there? Is one day trip enough to see the dragons, do a little bit of hiking and snorkelling/diving + see the pink beach? If a day trip won't be enough what are my options? Should (and can) I stay on Komodo or should I go back to Labuan Bajo and go to Komodo again on the next day (that would be ridiculously expensive thou)... Then from 20 or 21 of August I plan to go back to Bali and then get the ferry/speed boat to the Gili islands. Is there a particular one you can recommend or all are good? I can spend 2 days there and then go to Yogyakarta (as a base) in order to go to Borobodur temple. Which would be the most fast and cheap option to do so? Fly from Lombok or ferry back to Bali and then take a flight? Around 27 or 28th I have to leave the country (to spend few more days in Singapore before heading back to Europe). Also, is there a volcano somewhere on the way/near places I'll visit?
All tips and advises will be highly appreciated. Also on a side note, is Indonesia (around Lombok) safe now after the earthquake?
Many thanks in advance guys!
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It seems like a lot (I would say too much) to do in such a short time span, with many domestic flights required.
"See the dragons, do a little bit of hiking and snorkelling/diving + see the pink beach" is possible in one day if you take a tour with a speed boat. Those usualy depart in the early morning (5:30 or 6:00 or so) and return around sunset. I did such a trip that included a hike up Padar island, a visit to the komodo dragons at Komodo island, several stops for snorkeling including Manta Point, and some time to relax at the beach. Personally I would think it's a pity to take the trip to Labuan Bajo / Komodo and just stay for one day.
Then after that you will go to Bali only to see the Gili Islands? The Gili Islands can be nice for some relaxing and partying, but if you have only little time I don't see the point of going there. What would be the reason for you to go there?
Volcanoes are everywhere, but looking at your itinerary you could consider Merapi, which is near Jogja and Borobudur.
Personally, with 7-9 days available only I would choose for maximum 2 destinations. As your flights are to (and from?) Bali, it would make sense to stay there for a few days. There are much more interesting things to see there than on the Gili Islands. And then you could combine this with a few days in either Labuan Bajo/Komodo or Yogyakarta. Combining both requires at least two flights, because there are no direct flights between LBJ and JOG.
If after all you would go to the Gili Islands, and also from there would need to continue to Jogja, you could indeed fly from Lombok Airport directly. The fast boats between Bali and the Gili Islands are often cancelled lately because of rough seas, so going by plane is a good option.
Indonesia is on the Pacific ring of fire, so there are always chances of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. There is no indication that Lombok is currently less safe, however the earthquake may have led to some instability on the Rinjani volcano leading to landslides.
"See the dragons, do a little bit of hiking and snorkelling/diving + see the pink beach" is possible in one day if you take a tour with a speed boat. Those usualy depart in the early morning (5:30 or 6:00 or so) and return around sunset. I did such a trip that included a hike up Padar island, a visit to the komodo dragons at Komodo island, several stops for snorkeling including Manta Point, and some time to relax at the beach. Personally I would think it's a pity to take the trip to Labuan Bajo / Komodo and just stay for one day.
Thanks a lot for that tip. I know that it's a general rule to never transfer money in advance and always book on the spot... how easy is doing so there? If I come for just a few days would I be able to book such a trip on the spot? I did a research online but it seems that I can't stumble upon a reliable tour operator... :(
Then after that you will go to Bali only to see the Gili Islands? The Gili Islands can be nice for some relaxing and partying, but if you have only little time I don't see the point of going there. What would be the reason for you to go there?
I actually can skip the Gili's... I prefer to see Borobodur instead :)
Volcanoes are everywhere, but looking at your itinerary you could consider Merapi, which is near Jogja and Borobudur.
Thank you! I'll check it out.
Personally, with 7-9 days available only I would choose for maximum 2 destinations. As your flights are to (and from?) Bali, it would make sense to stay there for a few days. There are much more interesting things to see there than on the Gili Islands. And then you could combine this with a few days in either Labuan Bajo/Komodo or Yogyakarta. Combining both requires at least two flights, because there are no direct flights between LBJ and JOG.
That's why I'm using Bali as a transfer hub :)
Agree with Erwin. Also don't forget Bali has 2 active volcanos..Batur which is hikable and not erupting but not dormant, and Agung which is famously active for the past several months. Don't forget with timing and possible delay of flights you could lose an entire day just transiting between 2 points.
If you go to Central Java there is also Prambanan and Ratu Boko plus many other smaller ancient temples.
Thanks a lot for that tip. I know that it's a general rule to never transfer money in advance and always book on the spot... how easy is doing so there? If I come for just a few days would I be able to book such a trip on the spot? I did a research online but it seems that I can't stumble upon a reliable tour operator... :(
When we were there it was easy to book a trip the day in advance, both with operators using 'slow' boats and with those on speedboats. The slow boat tours are nice because you can relax on board. On the speedboat it's more like sitting on a bus, with rows of four seats. However, because it is so much faster it is possible to see all those things in one day.
We took the speedboat from Alba Cruise. In the early morning they picked us up by van from our hotel, and then the boat departure was from the Laprima hotel.
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