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Backpacking in Southeast Asia – Packing Guide
A Month Travelling in Java, Bali, Lombok and Flores
Summary
The Post Content
This post details my travels through Java, Bali, Lombok and Flores.
It describes my arrival in Jakarta from London and my plans for:
- spending a week slowly travelling through southwest Java from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, stopping on the way in Batu Karas for a few days;
- spending a short time in Yogyakarta, reminiscing about a previous trip when I visited the ancient temple at Borobudur and the volcano at Mt Bromo
- flying from Yogyakarta to Denpasar in Bali, to spend a short time in Sanur and then catch a ferry to the Gili Isles and Lombok;
- spending some time in the Gili Islands and exploring the main island of Lombok before returning to Bali;
- spending a night in Kuta before flying from Bali Airport to Labuan Bajo, Flores.
- travelling to Komodo Island in the Komodo National Park to see the legendary Komodo dragons; and finally
- spending around six days travelling across Flores from Labuan Bajo to Ende.
If you have plans to visit Indonesia this year, you can look at the cost of flights by using the link below:
Explore your flight options to Jakarta
A Bit About Me
I’m an experienced traveller, with niche travel likings based around::
- solo travel;
- budget travel;
- travelling overland; and
- using local trains and buses.
This adventure across Indonesia generally adheres to these principles, although time constraints and health issues necessitate some use of air travel and private car travel.
Nonetheless, when travelling on this journey, I generally utilise budget accommodation booked through Booking.com, the most trusted accommodation booking service on the internet.
Making Preparations in Jakarta
Jet Lag Recovery and Sightseeing
Days 1 and 2 of my adventure are spent:
- recovering from the effects of jet lag;
- doing a bit of sightseeing; and
- trying to sort out transport options for travelling between Jakarta and Yogyakarta, via the southern coastal beach resort of Pangandaran.
Some scenes of Jakarta
Sightseeing
My sightseeing in Jakarta is limited to visiting the old colonial area in the north, wandering through a few street markets and visiting the National Monument.
Jakarta is a large, sprawling city with a restricted number of sights of real interest. To be honest, if you are only staying in the city for a day or two and want to both see the city and understand a bit about Javanese culture, it’s probably best to book a full day guided tour with an experienced local guide.
The link below is an example of what is available for less than $40 for the day.
Full day highlights tour of Jakarta
Exploring Transport Options
For a variety of medical reasons, my usual approach of just catching trains and local buses is no longer practical. To sustain me on this trip, I have had to bring some 35 to 40 kg of liquid food along with me.
Anyway, for the first part of the trip, the only practical option appears to be either to hire a car and driver or to take a series of long distance taxi rides.
Deciding to Travel by Taxi
Given that I don’t intend to travel every day, the taxi option seems preferable, relying on hotel staff to help with the luggage burden at each stopping point.
The Alternative – Car Rental
By the way, if you need to hire a car in Indonesia, the following link may be a good starting point in exploring what is possible:
Book your car rental in Indonesia
Medical Note: Following cancer treatment some seven years ago, I now suffer from radiation induced swallowing issues. As a result, for the last year or so I have been reduced to taking all my food and drink directly into my stomach through a detachable feeding tube. It’s not as dramatic as it sounds, but it does raise practical issues when you need to carry your full month’s supply of food with you.
Post Edit (2026): Following this visit to Indonesia, my radiation induced issues subsequently got worse to the point where I could not breathe easily through my mouth. To address this, I was given a laryngectomy. Now I breathe through a hole in my neck instead of my mouth / nose. The upside of this is that I can now eat through my mouth again, so travelling is much easier. My speech has, however, been altered somewhat by the procedure. – You win some, you lose some, that’s life. Anyway, I’m now back travelling on trains. This year I have travelled from London to Sicily, Italy and also from London to Cadiz, Spain. Write-ups of these trips will follow in due course.
Travelling: Western Java
Jakarta to Pangandaran
The Road Conditions
Driving the 250km from Jakarta to Pangandaran takes around 7 or 8 hours.
A toll road is available as far as Bandung, but from there the remaining part of the journey needs to be made on single carriageway roads.
These latter roads are almost continually fronted by ribbon development attracted by the income opportunities presented by the road itself.
Average speed on these roads is generally around 30 kph due to continual congestion, parking issues and side road traffic activity.
A Stopover in Bandung
Breaking the journey with an overnight stop in Bandung seems a sensible move. It also provides the opportunity to maximise the chances of finding taxi drivers who are willing to make each leg of the trip at a reasonable price.
Bandung turns out to be less interesting than expected. It’s basically an industrial city and transportation hub. It nevertheless provides a useful stopover point before continuing to Pangandaran.
Attractions around Bandung
Despite my negative comments on Bandung, though, I understand that it is a popular destination for exploring the surrounding landscape.
Attractions include tea plantations and Mt Patuha. Both are located to the south of Bandung and can be visited in a single day’s trip.
I understand that the latter is a volcanic site that includes the White Crater Lake.
More details about visiting both of these can be found below:
Tea Plantations and White Crater Lake, south of Bandung
Bandung to Pangandaran
The drive between Bandung and Pangandaran, mainly on Highway 7, is, as expected, tedious and slow. Endless motorbike repair workshops, mini-markets and the odd school add to the chaos. I just hope that it is all worth it.
All in all, an Expensive Trip
Taxi fares from Jakarta to the Pangandaran area amount to over IND 2 million, which seemed to me to be extortionate, given that this is Indonesia. Anyway, so be it. I just need to be more organised in future and identify potential hire options prior to travelling.
One thing I quickly discover, though, is that the ‘Grab’ taxi app doesn’t seem to work for booking long distance City to City trips.
Pangandaran
Pangandaran Town
To be honest, on arrival, Pangandaran doesn’t excite. It’s just a typical local asian seaside resort with some concrete block hotels and fast food outlets. It’s obviously popular with locals though, as the municipality has set up toll gates around the town where all tourist buses and coaches are charged an entrance fee.
Pangandaran’s Western Beaches
The beaches to the west of the town, although mostly deserted, seem to provide good surf. They appear, however, to be uncared for and in some areas are covered in litter. Activity on these beaches appears to be limited to local usage, perhaps for income purposes as much as leisure.
Nearby Batu Karas
The Beaches, Batu Karas
Batu Karas Village
Batu Karas, on the other hand, a small fishing village some 10 km to the west of Pangandaran, is something quite different. It has a handful of small hotels and homestays, two or three eating places and a delightful beach divided into coves by a small headland.
Batu Karas’s Beaches
The eastern beach is mainly a landing point for the village’s fishing boats, while the western beach serves as a surfing area for visitors. During my stay, in late October, the surfing opportunities don’t appear that great, with relatively small areas of timid surf. This doesn’t deter the surfing brigade from trying to ride the waves, though.
The Java Cove Beach Hotel
While in Batu Karas, I stay at the Java Cove Beach Hotel, which I can highly recommend. It’s not much to look at from the road but has a swimming pool and gardens built into the hillside at first floor level.
Views across the bay from the swimming pool area are superb, and food and drink is available poolside.
Try to ensure, though, that you book a first floor room with sea views. The alternative ‘garden view’ rooms are at ground level and look out onto a small courtyard and a wall that divides the hotel from the local seafront road.
The Pool at Java Cove Beach Hotel
If you want to know more about the Java Cove Beach Hotel, you can use the link below.
Find out about Java Cove Beach Hotel
Eating Out in Batu Karas
At the time of my stay, the hotel restaurant is being rebuilt, but there is a local food restaurant a few metres to the west and the Salt Cafe, some 10 minutes’ walk to the east, serves a good choice of both western and Indonesian dishes. Be warned, though, that Batu Karas is a sleepy fishing village and most things are closed down by around 9 pm, if not earlier.
Overall, I spend three nights in Batu Karas, and it makes a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of Jakarta and the taxi rides to get there.
Batu Karas to Yogyakarta
More Travel Frustration
The onward road trip from Batu Karas to Yogyakarta is equally as frustrating as the journey from Bandung. It takes some seven hours to complete the 200 km drive but is marginally cheaper at IND 1.65 million (still expensive though in my opinion).
Better Travel Conditions at Last
The last 100 km of this journey are, though, thankfully considerably quicker than the first 100 km. Primarily because the driver diverts from Highway 7 onto a newly constructed single carriageway coastal road. This new road, which extends from west of Kebumen to Yogyakarta airport, is yet to be plagued by the scourge of urbanised ribbon development and therefore travel speeds are higher.
Will it Last However
One suspects, though, that it will only be a matter of time before it too deteriorates into the same scenario as the other older route.
Signs of the potential for such uncontrolled development are already clear, with an abundance of ‘for sale’ signs being attached to existing agricultural lands either side of the road. Indeed, there is already evidence of uncontrolled encroachment development taking place within the marked out highway ‘rights of way’.
Yogyakarta
My Hotel in Yogyakarta
Having left Batu Karas at midday (12 pm), I eventually arrive in central Yogyakarta at around 7.00 pm to a welcoming reception from the staff of the Novotel, who obligingly transport my 35 kg of liquid food from the taxi to my sixth floor room.
This hotel is two minutes walk from Jalan Malioboro, Yogyakarta’s main shopping street, and offers a touch of luxury at an affordable price. You can find out more about this hotel below.
Find out about Novotel, Yogyakarta
Just a Short Overnight Stay
On this occasion, my itinerary only allows for an overnight stay in Yogyakarta before flying on to Bali, via Yogyakarta airport, in the morning.
My Previous Visit to Yogyakarta
In any event, I have previously visited Yogyakarta back in 2016. This was immediately before my cancer diagnosis.
On that trip, I travelled overland by train from Jakarta to Malang via Cirebon, Yogyakarta, and Solo (Surakarta). I then continued overland to Bali by private tour van via Mt Bromo, Bondowoso and Banyuwangi.
Borobudur Temple
From my experiences on that earlier trip, the standout attraction in the vicinity of Yogyakarta is, by far, the ancient temple at Borobudur.
This can be seen in the photos below and is well worth a visit.
More information about visiting Borobudur can be found below.
Find out about Borobudur Temple
Mt Bromo and Ijen Crater
Also, if you decide to travel onward from Yogyakarta to Bali by land, as I did on my earlier trip, I would highly recommend that you visit both Mt. Bromo and the Ijen Crater Lake. Both are volcanic wonders and are truly spectacular to visit. Getting to them independently, however, is difficult.
Instead, I would highly recommend joining a three day / two night all inclusive private tour starting from either Yogyakarta or Malang. Such tours usually include hotel pickup, hotel drop-off in Bali, all transport and accommodation costs, together with sunrise visits to both Mt Bromo and the Ijen Crater.
Photos of Mt Bromo are included below, together with a link to a possible tour organiser.
Spend 3 Days / 2 Nights visiting Mt Bromo and Ijen Crater
A Stroll Along Jalan Malioboro
On this occasion, I simply spend the evening enjoying the pedestrianised atmosphere of Jalan Malioboro (the main shopping / tourist street in the centre of Yogyakarta).
It is packed full of Batik and other clothes shops, all targeted at both domestic and foreign visitors to the city.
Time for an Early Night
After a stroll through the centre, I make a visit to an ATM and purchase essential mineral water before retiring to my hotel room to administer my final liquid feed of the day. I then turn in for an early night in preparation for my flight the next day.
Scenes from Yogyakarta
Conclusions: Western Java
Was Batu Karas Worth It?
On the issue of whether this part of my trip was worth all the hassle and cost of getting from Jakarta to Batu Karas and subsequently travelling on to Yogyakarta, the truthful answer is that it’s questionable.
If you are staying only in western Java, then ‘Yes’, visiting Batu Karas is probably worth the hassle. On the other hand, if you propose to travel further afield to the likes of Bali, Lombok, the Gili Isles, and Flores, then there are better ways to allocate your time.
Nonetheless, like all travel experiences, you never know till you have experienced it.
Do You Regret Making the Trip?
Do I regret going? No. It was an enjoyable experience once I reached Batu Karas.
It was additionally a good education as to the state of Java’s road system. Completion of the country’s long planned extensive toll road system can not come soon enough.
Would Train Travel be Better?
As an aside, if you do need to travel overland between Jakarta and Yogyakarta, I would highly recommend using the excellent railway system (as I did on my earlier trip). It’s cheap, comfortable and quicker than using local highways.
It is also probably a better option than flying between the two cities, once the time needed for airport transfers, check-in and boarding are factored in.
Explore train travel between Jakarta and Yogyakarta
What Lessons Did You Learn?
Travelling long distances by taxi, as I found out to my cost, is both very expensive and time consuming.
The old adage of:
‘It’s the journey, rather than the arrival, that makes travel worthwhile’
didn’t hold true in this case.
Travelling: Bali, Gili Isles and Lombok
Returning to Sanur, Bali
The Flight
The AsiaAir flight from Yogyakarta to Bali is generally uneventful apart from being delayed by about 45 minutes. In comparison with my taxi journeys over the last few days, it was also excellent value. In total, including an additional 30 kg of excess baggage (total 50 kg), the cost was around IND 1.5million. Much cheaper even than Ryanair or EasyJet when the luggage costs are taken into account.
Explore flights from Yogyakarta to Denpasar, Bali
Storing My Luggage
Arriving at Bali airport, I make use of the airport’s left luggage facility to offload a suitcase full of liquid food bottles. Lightening the load, although necessitating a return to the airport later, means I can travel through Bali and on to the Gili Islands and Lombok like a normal backpacker (almost anyway – I still need to initially carry some 10 kg of liquid food feed with me).
For general reference, if you ever need to find somewhere to leave your backpack for a few hours or days, Radical Storage provide a brilliant solution. They have local partners all over the world. You simply look up your location on their website, and they will provide you with a range of nearby options. You can pay by iPay or similar and arrange everything in a few minutes. They can be found at the link below.
Explore local luggage storage options
Finding a Taxi to Sanur
On leaving Bali Airport, as is the case at Jakarta Airport also, finding the taxi rank isn’t easy. It’s located a considerable walk from the terminal exit, and it’s also not well signposted. This, thus, encourages a proliferation of touts to hassle you into using their vehicles instead of those available at the official taxi rank. Unlike Jakarta, though, I also discover that Bluebird taxis are prohibited from picking up passengers within the taxi rank area. One wonders what behind the scenes, under the counter, deals have led to this bazaar situation.
Ah!!, the Traffic – It’s Everywhere
Exiting the airport, via my touted but relatively cheap taxi, immediately teaches me that Bali, at least the south of the island, is not the idealistic bliss that it is advertised to be. The roads are heavily congested, and even using the toll road from the airport simply deposits you in a traffic jam at its northern end.
Pleasant Memories of Sanur
Thirty years ago, while I was working in Dhaka, Bangladesh, I visited Bali with my family for a rest and recreation escape from the chaos of Dhaka. For the first part of that holiday, before renting a car and undertaking a road trip around the northern part of the island, we stayed in Sanur, an idyllic beach resort, and stayed at the Swastika Guest House. Noticing on ‘Agoda’ that it still exists, I decided to return there for an overnight stay on my way to connect with the Gili Isles ferry at Padang Bai.
The Nightmare – Sanur Today
Oh, what a mistake – the idyllic beach resort is now a sprawling low cost, over developed, mess. Where once the Swastikita Guest House fronted onto a sandy road separating it from sand dunes leading to the beach, it is now located on one of the resort’s many thoroughfares. Both sides of the road are developed with what can only be described as low quality tourist facilities, and the dunes area now seems to be part of a large construction site, presumably providing yet more tourist facilities and accommodation.
Any charm that Sanur once had has now been obliterated by an incessant quest to milk the goose that laid the golden egg. Sanur now just seems to be another Kuta, but unlike Kuta it doesn’t benefit from a west facing sunset beach, and it also doesn’t have Kuta’s undeniably appealing (for some) nightlife.
A Tranquil Hotel in all the Chaos
Surprisingly though, amongst all of this chaos, the Swastika Guest House itself still has a certain appeal. To adjust to the changing outside environment, it has been extended toward the road by building a two-story ‘buffer’ area that shields the pool area and most of the guest rooms from the traffic noise and activity on the adjacent street.
If one could just stay in the guest house, without venturing outside, it would still be a good place to stay. That’s just not what vacations are about, though.
They say, ‘You should never go back!!!!’ – In Sanur’s case, this could never be truer.
The tranquillity of the Swastica Guest House Pool
Just in case you are still tempted by the sight of the Swastica Guest House’s pool, you can find out more information below.
Find out more about the Swastica Guest House in Sanur
Onward to Gili Trawangan
Getting to the Ferry at Padang Bai
The main departure point for Lombok from Bali is the port of Padang Bai. It’s located about 40 km and just over one hour north of Sanur. Thankfully, as Sanur fades into a distant memory, the traffic thins out and finally, for the last 5 km into the port town, both the scenery and the roadside development become more pleasant.
Padang Bai Ferry Port
The port itself is little more than a fishing village, with a bustling jetty and an associated small scale ticket booking industry. Be warned, though, the jetty itself is generally chaotic, with hundreds of backpackers waiting for numerous fast boats that depart every hour.
Secure your ferry ticket to Gili Trawangan
Finding My Ferry Boat
Passenger information is virtually non-existent, but thankfully, a highly efficient and incredibly simple boarding process is employed.
This is based around each passenger being provided with a boarding pass in the form of a departure specific colour coded neck tag. These neck tags allow you, as a passenger, to easily identify fellow passengers waiting for the same fast boat and also for the fast boat crew to round up their customers from amongst the hordes of backpackers.
The Ferry Experience
My boat to Gili Trawangan is scheduled to depart at 1.30 pm, so I am told, but eventually it leaves at 2.15 pm. The boat is serviceable and probably holds around 100 passengers. All luggage is collected and stored by the crew at the front end of the vessel and similarly deposited on the quayside when we arrive at the public landing point on Gili Trawangan. The fare is around IND 100,000, and the trip takes a little over two hours.
Looking Back at Bali
Looking back from the fast boat towards Bali as we initially follow Bali’s northeastern coastline, it appears that life in this northern section of the island has so far been spared the impacts of developers. Maybe it’s therefore only the southern areas of Denpasar, Kuta and Sanur that have been ravaged by the scourge of overdevelopment and rampant commercialism.
Relaxation in Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan – Paradise
Gili Trawangan is a world apart from Sanur.
Despite it being billed as the ‘party island’ of the three northern Gili Islands, in late October at least, it appears very relaxed, laid back and almost quiet. This is helped by all forms of motorised transport being prohibited on all three of the northern Gili islands. All transportation, including goods delivery, is therefore undertaken by horse-drawn trap or pedal cycles.
The beach is clean, almost white in colour. The guest houses are separated from the beach by a narrow thoroughfare used solely by pedestrians, cycles and small horse-drawn traps. The upper part of the beach is home to beach bars / food eateries and sunbeds, while the shoreline is home to small fishing and pleasure boats, swimmers and snorkelers. All of this is set against the blue / green azure of a crystal clear sea and the blue of a sun-kissed sky.
What more could one want from a paradise island? Perhaps only the absence of all of the above manmade features, I might hear you say – If indeed this is what you desire, other parts of the island’s shoreline, further away from the eastern public landing quay, can offer this too, as can the quieter Gili Air to the south.
The Blu D’a Mare Guesthouse
I intend to spend my three nights on the island at the Lonely Planet listed Blu d’a Mare guesthouse. This offers a collection of around half a dozen 1920’s Javanese bungalow houses set in a garden setting with a small pool. Each bungalow features old wooden floors, air conditioning and a modern sunken bathroom, complete with a fresh water shower. All of this at the giveaway price of IND 700,000 per night.
Book a room at the Blu d’a Mare
Sun, Sand, Laundry and Writing
Needless to say, I spend my two full days in Gili Trawangan relaxing on a sun bed, strolling around the beachfront area, getting eight days of laundry washed and catching up on writing parts of this blog post.
A Short Trip to Lombok
Time to Move On
Like all good things, my time in Gili Trawangan must come to an end if I am to carry on my journey across Indonesia. So, with a reluctant heart, I have now packed my bags and am heading for the fast boat to Bangsal on Lombok’s mainland.
The Public Boat to Bangsal
My first surprise of the day is that the public boat service between Gili Trawangan and Bangsal is considerably more passenger friendly than its private sector competitors. Boarding is done from a jetty that is level with the boat, avoiding any need for perilous leaps of faith between the jetty and the boat, and it leaves on time. In no time at all, we arrive in Bangsal, via stops at Gili Menon and Gili Air.
Book a boat ticket from Gili Trawangan to Lombok
View from rear of Public Boat, Gili Trawangan to Bangsal
A V.I.P Welcome in Bangsal
Maybe it’s because I look old and decrepit, or maybe I just look like easy prey, but for some reason all of the taxi brokers and ‘would be’ porters seem to make a beeline towards me once the boat has docked. To be fair though, I am probably the only foreigner on the boat that looks over 40.
Anyway, given my increased luggage burden (and my real-life decrepitude), I quickly give in to their persuasive offers of assistance and am whisked off the boat and towards a waiting taxi. After much haggling, we agree on an exorbitant sum of IND 250,000 for the 20 minute ride to my hotel in Sengiggi – I know I have been done, but at half the cost of a similar ride in the UK, with porterage services included, I feel quietly happy to be on my way.
Sengiggi, Lombok
5***** ‘Holiday Resort, Lombok’
My hotel for the next two days is the rather ordinary sounding ‘Holiday Resort, Lombok’, chosen primarily because it is considerably cheaper than its exclusive sounding neighbours.
On arrival, though, it has all the trappings of an exclusive 5-star resort hotel: a palacios semi open air lobby area, a large kidney shaped swimming pool with an exclusive bar and sunset facing terrace area and attractive and spacious sea view facing semi detached bungalows.
My bungalow comes complete with a semi open air sunken bathroom with its own jacuzzi and separate shower area. Can this really only cost IND 1,100,000 per night? Way above my targeted budget for the holiday, but a steal by western standards.
Book a room at the Holiday Resort, Sengiggi, Lombok
The Holiday Resort, Sengiggi, Lombok
2** Beach and Posh Vibe
The only disappointments, especially after having stayed in Gili Trawangan, are that:
- the beach is made up of an uninviting black sand and appears to be deserted; and
- the whole place has a disconcerting air of order and respectability about it which doesn’t sit comfortably with my more laid-back approach to life.
Shame I Can’t Use the Facilities
It is additionally rather galling that I can’t partake of the cordon bleu restaurant facilities or the drinking of cocktails on the sun terrace.
Also, after a recent experience of finding myself stuck in a bathtub in the Lake District, without the required strength to extricate myself, I think I will give the jacuzzi a miss as well.
Never mind, it’s good to be alive and to be here at all.
Sightseeing in Lombok
A Hastily Planned Day Out
Determined to see more of Lombok as part of my short stay, I hire a car and driver for the day. The plan is to visit the countryside, see some batik weaving, some rice fields and waterfalls and then follow a part of the coastal road around the north of the island.
Like all such plans, though, especially when they are hastily put together, the reality does not always match up to expectations.
Overview of Central Lombok
In general, the central areas of Lombok are a bit disappointing. They consist of fairly low lying agricultural areas with a mix of farmland and low income rural development. Batik weaving and rice growing are among the main activities in this area.
The Batik Weaving Centre
- The batik weaving centre that I visit, although interesting from its community cooperative approach to working, amounts to little more than an outlet shop for their products.
Central Lombok’s Rice Fields
- Although there are rice fields to be seen, these are generally dried out because of the lack of rain – everyone (apart from me) is apparently eagerly waiting for the wet season to start.
Traditional Batik Weaving, central Lombok
Rice Growing, central Lombok
Eventually, after spending some time among the dried out rice fields and batik weavers, we venture towards the foothills of northern Lombok. It’s here that we find the Benang Kelambu Waterfalls.
Benang Kelambu Waterfalls
These waterfalls are a bit more of an adventure.
As one might expect, they are difficult to reach. The pathed road ends about 3 km or 4 km short of the falls, and to cover the remaining distance it’s necessary to either walk or ride pillion on a motorcycle.
Against my better judgment, my body decides that walking is not an option, so pillion motorcycle riding is the only way forward. After a hair raising 15 minute dirt track ride, we arrive some 250 steps above the falls.
The remaining downward trek from this point to the falls is difficult enough, due to the poor condition of the steps and the lack of any handrails. Coming back up is a completely different story – fortunately, my guide has strong arms (and a lot of patience) to assist me over the difficult areas.
It’s all worth it, however, as the photos below testify.
Benang Kelambu Waterfall, central Lombok
The Northern Coastal Road
The last part of the trip along the northern coastal road is much more rewarding. A mixture of high altitude viewing points and local beachscapes provides some rewarding photo opportunities.
The north coast of Lombok
Book a similar day tour of Lombok
Returning to Bali and the Airport
After two nights on Lombok, it’s time to make my way back to Bali Airport, via the delights of Kuta, and then an onward flight to Flores and the Komodo dragons.
Ferry, Bangsal to Padang Bai
My journey back to Bali is fairly uneventful, apart from some fun and games negotiating taxi fares in Padang Bai, prior to spending a rather depressing night in Kuta.
Kuta, An Aussie’s Benidorm
As already expected, Kuta has all the charm of its partner, Sanur, except it does it better.
My hotel in Kuta is an Ibis chain offering. It’s cheap and cheerful, delivered with all the efficiency of an anonymous boarding house. It costs less than US$35 for the night, though so is it is generally a good find.
A walk, after dark, around the streets of Kuta further reinforces my expectations of the holiday resort. There is street after street of Aussie bars full of drunken holidaymakers determined to have a good time on cheap booze and late night openings. By 10 pm, however, most of the bars seem to be shedding their customers back onto the street.
It’s all a bit like watching the losing side’s spectators at a Premier League football match. All expecting a good night out and realising that things aren’t going to be as they might have expected.
Never mind, it’s somewhere to pass the evening away while waiting to board my flight in the morning to Labuan Bajo.
Conclusions: Bali, Gili Isles, Lombok
Based on my visit to these three areas, my conclusions are that:
Bali has seen Better Days
- Bali has seen better days. This once idyllic island has now succumbed to the impact of mass tourism. The southern part of the island is already overdeveloped and choked with traffic and package deal Aussie holidaymakers. It can only be a matter of time before this extends across much of the island.
Northern Gili Isles Win Hands-up
- The northern Gilis, by contrast, although very tourist orientated, are still generally an idyllic paradise of sandy beaches, clear blue seas and small privately run local hotels. The complete absence of motorised traffic adds to their appeal.
Lombok – Unspectacular
- Lombok, based on the areas I visited, is still generally unaffected by the impacts of mass international tourism. This is perhaps mainly because, although interesting to visit for its rural way of life, its rice fields, waterfalls, scenic coastline and northern mountains, it doesn’t really offer an outstanding awe inspiring experience.
Flores and Komodo National Park
Arrival at Labuan Bajo Airport
My first impressions of Labuan Bajo are not good. The airport appears to have been designed by a planner who has never travelled with luggage.
In several locations, there are no ramps or lifts between different levels, and then, as if to add insult to injury, all of the ATMs are located in the basement. An area which is totally inaccessible to anyone who doesn’t want / is incapable of lugging luggage down two flights of stairs – How do people with disabilities manage in places like this?
Not a good start, especially as I am short of local rupees to pay the taxi driver. Problem solved, though, by negotiating a fee in dollars. Slightly expensive but needs must.
The Blue Parrot, Labuan Bajo
Everything gets better when I arrive at my hotel. Although a bit further from the centre than I had realised, the Blue Parrot is perfect. It’s located in an elevated position above the town and provides spectacular views across the bay from its back room terraces.
The owner is also super helpful in providing contacts for boat trips to Komodo National Park and drivers if you want to explore Flores. In addition, he speaks word perfect colonial English, so no worries over language confusion.
Book the Blue Parrot in Labuan Bajo
It’s a bit on the expensive side, but the room is spacious, with its own en-suite bathroom and a private west facing terrace from which you can watch both the activities in the bay and the spectacular sunsets.
Sunset from the Blue Parrot, Labuan Bajo
As a bonus, the Blue Parrot is also located next to the Escape Bajo cafe / restaurant which offers a good range of food.
Just as well really, as all of the town’s other restaurants are a fifteen minute walk away. It’s all uphill on the way back as well. A pillion motorcycle taxi may be the best option for the return trip if, like me, you are challenged by excessive exercise.
Getting to Komodo National Park
My trip to Komodo National Park is arranged, through text messaging, late in the evening. It’s agreed that I will be picked up from the hotel at 6.30 am the next morning.
At 7.30 am, there is still no sign of a pickup, despite several texts to confirm it’s coming. Eventually, at 8.00 am, I receive a call asking why I’m not at the boat. Another exchange of texts follows, and eventually a car arrives. I’m hurriedly driven to the port and bundled into the boat minutes before it departs.
Later it transpires that the Labuan Bajo annual marathon started in the town this morning and caused traffic chaos all around the port area. The issues I experienced may therefore be a one-off.
Book a one day boat tour to Komodo National Park
Padar Island, Komodo National Park
This boat trip, which was hurriedly organised without much planning, apparently visits much more than just the dragons of Komodo.
It includes stops at Padar Island, Pink Beach, Komodo Island (The Dragons), Taka Masakar, Manta Point and Siaba Island. Also included in the experience are opportunities for swimming and snorkelling as well.
At nearly 70, I don’t think I’ll be participating in either. Just climbing on and off the boat in knee deep water is enough of an adventure for me.
At Padar Island (first stop), we fortunately join and leave the boat via a pier. Even this, though, involves clambering up and down a narrow staircase perched over the harbour.
Padar Island appears to be completely undeveloped. The spot where we land is within a small bay flanked by headlands. The beach itself is pleasant, although not spectacular. Its major highlight on this occasion is the arrival of a couple of deer who join us on the beach foraging for food. The deer are foraging, not us.
An hour of this rural tranquillity is more than enough for most of us. It’s back to the pier with my 40 or so other travellers, and off we go to our next stop, Pink Beach.
Pink Beach, Komodo National Park
What can I say, this is paradise on earth. Clear waters, pink sands, blue sky, rocky islets and a beach cafe selling cheap Indonesian food.
Sitting on the sands, though, it’s a bit hot. I should have brought sun screen and a hat with me. The latter is quickly solved by a beach seller peddling ‘Komodo National Park’ hats. No sun screen, though, but the brim of the hat is sufficient to shade my neck at least.
I think this place is idyllic. I just hope that the area’s status as a National Park and UNESCO site helps to preserve it for future generations to enjoy. Again, the dilemma between the increasing demands of tourism and the need for conservation comes to mind.
Can Indonesia, and other neighbouring countries for that matter, really be expected to singularly preserve the wonders that they possess? Maybe UNESCO and other international conservation societies should be providing greater financial assistance in this respect. After all, the benefits of such preservation will be realised internationally, not just within Indonesia.
Komodo Island, Komodo National Park
Visiting Komodo Island itself is all about the dragons.
On arrival, our small boat party is herded into a holding area with several other groups in readiness for a guided tour of the island and a bit of dragon spotting.
Before my visit, I had a vision that this would be all about viewing the dragons in their natural state, from hides set amongst the landscape of the island. I also expected the dragons to be active, striding across the landscape, perhaps fighting over food with each other or going about their lives with purpose.
In reality, none of these things materialises. All that happens is that we are taken on a one hour walk through a wooded part of the island. Every now and again our party is halted to watch what appears to be a domesticated dragon basking under a tree, half asleep. None of the half a dozen dragons I see could even bother to raise its head in recognition of its visitors, let alone actually get up and move.
At best, I must assume that the local guides keep them well fed so that they remain ‘onside’, both willingly participating in the unfolding circus, while not causing any danger to visitors. At worst, all the dragons are deliberately drugged with something or other to keep them quiet.
Either way, the presence of hoards of tourists descending on this island can not be described in any way as being beneficial to the dragons themselves. In my opinion, the whole experience was little better than that of visiting a zoo.
Never mind, I suppose I should have known it would be a disappointment. I just feel sorry for the dragons. Hopefully there are others on the island still living a ‘natural’ life away from the tourist ‘circus’.
To add to the above disappointment, further disaster strikes when we return to our boat. Somehow I manage to mislay my fellow ‘boaters’, and in a moment of panicked confusion I convince myself I have found them.
These ‘fellow passengers’. are already departing from a boat via a steep, narrow staircase which leads down from the pier. Gallantly, I follow them down the staircase to the boat, only to be turned away at the last moment by the captain. As the boat sets sail out into the harbour, my first thought is, ‘Wow, I’ve had a lucky escape here’
However, on reflection, maybe it isn’t. I am now left all alone at the bottom of this steep, narrow staircase overlooking the sea.
Panic sets in as I realise that one misplaced footstep will mean that I plunge into the sea below. I freeze, unable to move in any direction, and bellow out for help. Thankfully, a young man on the quayside hears my shout and comes to my rescue. He steps in and guides me back up the steps. I don’t think I have panicked like that for a long time. I will almost certainly have nightmares for a long time, just thinking about it.
Rescued, I suddenly discover the whereabouts of my fellow ‘boaters’ and return to the fold, trying to pretend that nothing has happened.
Thankfully, we soon depart Komodo Island and proceed to our next destination.
Komodo Island will now live in my memory for all the wrong reasons.
Taka Masakar, Manta Point and Siaba Island
To be honest, after the above terrifying experience, the remainder of the afternoon becomes a bit of a blur. We stop several times at various locations so as to allow most of my fellow ‘boaters’ to jump into the sea, fully equipped with snorkelling masks and flippers. I, meanwhile, remain firmly aboard the boat, watching and hoping that no one forces me into the water.
I must admit, though, the locations we stop at are quite stunning. Also, from what I am able to see by gingerly looking over the side of the boat, the surrounding sea seems to be full of marine life.
It’s at times like this that I start to wonder if I should now admit that my days of uninhibited travel have reached their end.
However, pulling myself together, I quickly reassure myself that, as long as I have paid to be on the boat, it is fully ok for me to enjoy the adventure just how I want, rather than according to others’ expectations.
In other words, yes, I know I’m much older than the rest of you, but who cares. I’ve as much right to be here as you!!
Travelling Across Flores to Ende
To be continued.
Further Reading
Detailed Posts on my Travels from London to the Arctic Circle
Details of My Various Long Distance Overland Adventures
Useful Country Factsheets
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