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Cecil | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Indonesia tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Indonesia

When you travel in Indonesia, you're a millionair - you deal in hundred thousands and millons. 1 Singapore dollar is equal to 7,500 rupiahs.
Our tour for 11 days from Jarkata to Bali on a 25 seater tour bus with good air con cost 6,2 million rupiahs.Price wise its ok however even though we ask for at least 3 stars hotels, most of the hotels were 2 stars and 1 I would consider 1 star. One should look for a tour company that gives value for money - not cheap. Kudos to the drivers and bus but not to the tour company and tour guide. Toiletries provided for 2 to 3 stars are only soap and towel, don't forget to remind them of twin sharing or you'll get double bed.
Our journey covered Jarkata, visited the Buginese schooners and Fatahilar Maritime museum, to Pandalarang and then to Ciater where the hot springs and pools were.
Day 2 visited Tangkuban Perahu and saw crater kawah ratu, then to another crater known as kawah putih.
Day 3. Kampong Naga on the way to Tasikmalaya, aroud 300+ steps into the valley, easy going down, tough getting back up. Then to the green canyon and stayed at Pangandaran, small seaside town where there are only small hotels, The seafood is fantastic though, 2 kilos lobsters, 1 kilo large prawns, 2 kilos flower crabs, a huge fish, vegetables, etc for 1 million rupiah.
Day 4. Visited Merapi mountain it was raining and misty, so couldn't see the mountain.
Do not watch Merapi from afar on a watch tower, there is a nearer location, don't let the guide tell you otherwise. Stayed at Bandung then visited Borobudur in the morning, again unfortunately even though it was not raining, it was cloudy and the sunrise wasn't spectacular. Best way to take sunrise at Borobudur is to stay at the hotel by Borobudur as you can only enter through the hotel -_pay entrance fee if you're not staying there - and its like 5 am kind of time and guess what time you'll have to get up if you're somewhere else.
Day 5. Sarangan, nice mountainous resort but had the worst chinese food in my whole life and at twice what we normally pay for dinner (700,000 rupiahs instead of the usual 350 to 500 we pay for indonesian food), the restaurant is call the Mandarin.
Day 6. Mount Bromo. Finally got a good sunrise, very cold, make sure you bring a jacket or you can rent a jacket for 10,000 rupiahs. This is a must visit. Sat on a horse to reach the base of Mount Bromo and climbed 253 steps to reach the top of Mount Bromo. Worth it to see the smoky live crater.
Day 7. Reached Bali and stayed at Lovina beach. The next morning went to sea to see the dolphins swimming around. Need your longer lens if you want to photograph them, 70 -200mm.
Day 8. Gitgit waterfall and Begugul which is nothing great - can give it a miss.
Visited Tanah Lot for sunset shoot but unfortunately it started to rain. This is a must go place to shoot sunset.
Day 9. Stayed at Ubud. Sunrise shoot of rice terrace at Ubud. The sun rises very early in Indonesia, around 5.30 am.Another must visit is Uluwatu Temple which is right on the edge at the top of a cliff. Then its off to Jambaran beach for an expensive dinner (twice the price half the seafood of the one at Pangandaran. Shot sunset at Jambaran beach.
Day 10. Beautiful sunrise at Sanur, another must shoot place for sunrise. Visited Turtle island, a santuary for turtle breeding. What we didn't like was the forced donations, we were like intimidated to donate. Don't mind paying, but sure mind being intimidated to donate.
Day 11. Morning, watch the Barong Dance. Shopping at Kuta beach and off to the airport we go.

Generally, it would be faster to travel by train as all the roads from Jarkata to Bali are single lanes and therefore traffic is very slow. Took us 7 days (if straight through without stopping is 36 hours) to travel 1,000 kilometres.
The Indonesian restaurant and food are value for money and fantastic. Average cost per meal is around 350,000 rupiahs for 8 persons.
There are no trishaws in Indonesia but instead they have horse drawn buggies which is kinda quaint and neat.
If you're going on a photographic trip, then one of the condition to the tour guide and company would be that you can stop anywhere along the way if there is a scenic view.
11 days is too tiring, 8 days would be better.
February is not a good month to visit as its still rainy. Middle to end March might be better and maybe September.

Apology for the big logo. If you want any photo, do contact me.
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11 Sunrise Bali Sanur.jpg
11 Sunrise Bali Sanur.jpg
Bali Jambaran Bay Sunset.jpg
Bali Jambaran Bay Sunset.jpg
Ind9215200 Bali Nusa Dua copy.jpg
Ind9215200 Bali Nusa Dua copy.jpg
5 Uluwatu Temple.jpg
5 Uluwatu Temple.jpg
3 Beach Sunset.jpg
3 Beach Sunset.jpg
4 Sail.jpg
4 Sail.jpg
9 Sunrise Bali Sanur.jpg
9 Sunrise Bali Sanur.jpg
10 Bali Kuta Beach.jpg
10 Bali Kuta Beach.jpg
8 Mt Bromo.jpg
8 Mt Bromo.jpg
6 Mt Bromo.jpg
6 Mt Bromo.jpg
Ind9218129 Borobudur copy.jpg
Ind9218129 Borobudur copy.jpg
7 Silhoutte.jpg
7 Silhoutte.jpg
Ind9214001 JarkataFaliharMuseum.jpg
Ind9214001 JarkataFaliharMuseum.jpg
Ind9214002 Jarkata Bugis Port copy.jpg
Ind9214002 Jarkata Bugis Port copy.jpg
Ind9214003 Jarkata Bugis Port copy.jpg
Ind9214003 Jarkata Bugis Port copy.jpg
Ind9214004 Jarkata Beggar copy.jpg
Ind9214004 Jarkata Beggar copy.jpg
Ind9214006 ToCiater Pineapple copy.jpg
Ind9214006 ToCiater Pineapple copy.jpg
Ind9214007 ToCiater Horsebuggy copy.jpg
Ind9214007 ToCiater Horsebuggy copy.jpg
Ind9214008ToCiater Rabbit Satay copy.jpg
Ind9214008ToCiater Rabbit Satay copy.jpg
Ind9214009 TangkubanPerahu KawahRatu crater copy.jpg
Ind9214009 TangkubanPerahu KawahRatu crater copy.jpg
Ind9214010 ToCiater Padifield copy.jpg
Ind9214010 ToCiater Padifield copy.jpg
Ind9214011 ToCiater Padifield copy.jpg
Ind9214011 ToCiater Padifield copy.jpg
Ind9214012 ToCiater StreetHawker copy.jpg
Ind9214012 ToCiater StreetHawker copy.jpg
Ind9214013 Kawah Putih copy.jpg
Ind9214013 Kawah Putih copy.jpg
Ind9214014 KawahPutih WeddingCouple copy.jpg
Ind9214014 KawahPutih WeddingCouple copy.jpg
Ind9215015 ToCiater Srawberry Farm copy.jpg
Ind9215015 ToCiater Srawberry Farm copy.jpg
Ind9215015a Ciater Srawberries copy.jpg
Ind9215015a Ciater Srawberries copy.jpg
Ind9215016 Ciater Srawberries copy.jpg
Ind9215016 Ciater Srawberries copy.jpg
Ind9215017 Ciater Cat copy.jpg
Ind9215017 Ciater Cat copy.jpg
Ind9215018 Ciater Cats copy.jpg
Ind9215018 Ciater Cats copy.jpg
Ind9215019 Ciater Lunch copy.jpg
Ind9215019 Ciater Lunch copy.jpg
Ind9215020 Ciater LunchTilapia copy.jpg
Ind9215020 Ciater LunchTilapia copy.jpg
Ind9215021 Ciater LunchTilapia copy.jpg
Ind9215021 Ciater LunchTilapia copy.jpg
Ind9215023 Ciater PadiField copy.jpg
Ind9215023 Ciater PadiField copy.jpg
Ind9215025 Ciater PadiField copy.jpg
Ind9215025 Ciater PadiField copy.jpg
Ind9216026a Naga 300steps copy.jpg
Ind9216026a Naga 300steps copy.jpg
Ind9216030 Naga 300steps copy.jpg
Ind9216030 Naga 300steps copy.jpg
Ind9216031 Naga 356 steps.jpg
Ind9216031 Naga 356 steps.jpg
Ind9216032 Naga Village copy.jpg
Ind9216032 Naga Village copy.jpg
Ind9216033 Naga Village copy.jpg
Ind9216033 Naga Village copy.jpg
Ind9216035 Naga Village copy.jpg
Ind9216035 Naga Village copy.jpg
Ind9216036 Naga Village Drum copy.jpg
Ind9216036 Naga Village Drum copy.jpg
Ind9216039 Naga Village PoundingRice copy.jpg
Ind9216039 Naga Village PoundingRice copy.jpg
Ind9216039 Naga Village Toilet copy.jpg
Ind9216039 Naga Village Toilet copy.jpg
Ind9216041 Pangandaran copy.jpg
Ind9216041 Pangandaran copy.jpg
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