Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Hello All,

Leaving UK in about 9 weeks (not that am counting :p), aiming for NSW but on the way OH and I plan to do some backpacking in SE Asia. Travelled in several countries over there before but never Indonesia, so that is our first stop for adventure & we'd plan to be there about 2 months before heading up to Thailand etc. Would love to hear any stories / tips / advice from anyone who has backpacked thru Indonesia on a budget. Thanks!

PamE :)

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Indonesia is an awsome country! When we travelled around it (a few years ago now mind!) we stayed mostly in Sumatra - got the ferry over from Singapore which was a bit hair-raising. Then on a rickety old bus across the equator to Padang. Beautiful.

Some beautiful national parks etc over there.

Never been to Java but did recently go to North Sulawesi although this was really a diving trip so didn't see too much else.

Overall expect a very cheap place to be, some eye-opening poverty, some incredible food (although hygiene sometimes seems to be an issue!), very friendly people and some beautiful beaches.

Then of course there's bali, but that's not the 'real' indonesia for the most part.

I'm so jealous, I love SE Asia!

Graham :)

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Hi Pam, I haven't backpacked around Indonesia (or anywhere!) but I've been a good few times.

I'd go to Bali but get off the beaten track. There's a lot more to it than Kuta.

Lombok, Bali's little sister, is worth a trip. You can get a room on one of the Gili islands very cheaply. We stayed on Gili Trewangan and there were a lot of backpackers (and magic mushrooms for sale in the supermarkets :lol: ).

As Graham says, Sulawesi is worth a trip particularly if you are a diver (you can go Silk Air from Singapore) but do take account of the unrest there - not sure what it's like at the moment but it can be a bit scary. Again, we stayed offshore on Gangga Island but that resort is not cheap by Indo standards. Lovely though :)

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Me too - I miss it more than I've ever missed the UK. :)

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Sulawesi is excellent. I backpacked from Manado in the north through Tana Toraja in the centre and down to Makassar (then Ujung Pandang). Did rafting (great rivers), jungle trekking, volcano walking and snorkelling. Also the centre has great ancient tradition and funeral ceremonies.

Java is not to be sneezed at - Jakarta is good for a couple of days then out to Bandung and across to Yogjakarta. (You could also fit in Krakatoa in the west - I haven't been there).

I like Bali also.

It's my intention to take the kids island hopping eastwards from Bali to Timor in a few years.

Selamat jalan!!

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Hi Graham,

Thanks lots for message. Ooo I'm even more excited now with all lovely enthusiatsic posts :eek:
I'm waiting for my replacement PADI card to arrive atm (AOW) so I may be back with more specific dive questions once we get things a little more organised :D

Hi Seasider, thanks for tips! All duly noted & much appreciated :)


Hi NK thank u - this is great info, really appreciate your input - I may be back for more if that's ok! When were you there?

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

My father lives in Indonesia and travels extensively around the region. He is coming home to the UK this week for a visit and I will ask him for things to do if you like.

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Ooo yes please - any thoughts on things that are unmissable & budget (cos we will be on that shoestring :) )
Many thanks!

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

You will be amazed how far your money goes so long as you're not staying in 4* hotels in tourist enclaves.

I know you said you've travelled but do be careful with the water and raw food, fruit from street stalls, etc. I always get unwell for a few days in Indonesia (and Thailand) regardless of how expensive an establishment we stay in and how careful I am.

Use bottled water even for brushing your teeth. This one often got me, being used to Singapore's ultra-clean water!

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

We're more used to sharing with 4 cockroaches than 4 stars, otherwise we couldn't afford to do this at all :) Daresay will get ill but hope not to bring back any sick-making parasite like last time (microscopic apparantly but I still expected it to come bursting out of my foot any moment :rofl: ) You're right about expensive places not being any less hazardous for sure, it is tempting to throw caution to the wind just cos surrounding look nicer or cost more. Did you live in Singapore then? How exciting!! I have only been once, just for a couple of days. I didn't drink the water tho, I didn't realise it was ok to drink. Does it taste nice? Where have you been in Thailand?

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

I really enjoyed Lake Toba on Sumatra and Mount Bromo on Java (get up at 4am and walk to the summit for sunrise :thumbup:).

And, as someone else said, Bali off the beaten track is enchanting :)

Have fun!

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Oh wow didn't realise you were a diver. North Sulawesi is a must if you can get up there - simply sensational 'critter' diving, and then huge wall/drift dive sites too.

Some photos from our last trip HERE

Bali also has awsome diving (Tulamben) although strong currents. PM me if you need any more info on diving there :)

Graham

PS - Oh yeah, Lake Toba is great too - as mentioned by The Crow.

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Hey, I've stayed in USD22 a night places in Vietnam that were spotless and had no cockroaches, and SGD/AUD400 a night places that were crawling. Cockroaches know no class system. ;)

My husband used to go to India a lot on business and initially was always ill, until he followed others' advice to eat vegetarian, eat cooked, and never eat from hotel buffets even in the best hotels.

Yes lived in Singapore - actually you might get some good info if you venture into the Far East Forum although it's pretty quiet, and you're getting excellent advice here from fellow travellers. Singapore's water is fine although very warm straight from the tap. :lol:

I'm not much of a roughing it girl so I've only been to the Thai tourist traps - Bangkok (hated it the first time, loved it the second), Phuket and Koh Samui. They are what they are. :) Would love to go to Chiang Mai one day but am now an awful long way away.

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Just re-reading this thread cos we are finally about to head for Indonesia - went to Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam first over last 6 months, and this is our last wee southeast Asian adventure before flying from Bali to Brisbane at end November (very very excited that we are almost in Australia at last after so many years of visa carry on and waiting :) )

Am just a little nervous about Indonesia I must confess - my research to date has mostly thrown up terrorism, earthquakes, tsunamis, fundamentalist islamic groups, dangerous volcanoes, threat of jail for over-staying visas, don't stay at the scene of an accident for fear of angry mobs etc...we are not timid travellers by a very long shot but Indonesia has me a little trepiditious! We have narrowed things down to 3 weeks in Java and one week in Bali (for regular little hol before reality bites!). Rough route is: Jakarta > Pangandaran > Yogyakarta > Mt Bromo (@The Crow yes def want to get up v early for that sunrise trip!). So, if anyone has any more special Java recommendations or tips (and thanks again for those below) would very much appreciate share - thank U very much! :)

Re: Indonesia - hints & tips pls!
 

Indonesia is a great country and actually statistically extremely safe for Westerners unless you have penchant for drugs.

I backpacked the other way, fly into Bali and then went overland to Malaysia via :

Denpasar
Ubud
Surabaya
Mt Bromo
Surakarta
Jogjakarta
Bandung
Jakarta
Padang
Bukittingi
Medan

Pretty much all those places have highlights, however the bus from Jakarta to Padang was an absolute nightmare.