Living in Jakarta for more than 20 years now, she still have not manage to cover the tip of Indonesia’s diverse destinations, people and even food! Pearl loves shopping as much as enjoying luxury but she knows all these have to be done sensibly and on a budget. Therefore you may find the best scoop and offers in Jakarta and beyond with her.
How to get to Flores from Bali / Lombok?
Q – I plan to get to Flores and also to the Komodo National Park after my visit in Bali / Lombok. What is my best option to get there? Thanks!
– Dana
One of the fastest way and easy is to take a flight from Denpasar Airport, Bali or Bandara International Airport, Lombok to Labuanbajo (Komodo Airport) in Flores.
Or you can take the Pelni boats from Bali or Lombok to Flores if you like this sort of thing, it isn’t more budget in comparison and take longer time and safety is a question. You may find a lot of tour operating for this or you may catch the boat independently. The boats sail from Bima, Lombok and Benoa, Bali to Labuanbajo
And if you are into adventure riding and photography, you may choose to take the long tedious (note: very long and tedious) way overland, a bus from Bali to Lombok to Bima and then Sape and then end with a Ferry to Labuanbajo.
Author: Pearl
Living in Jakarta for more than 20 years now, she still have not manage to cover the tip of Indonesia’s diverse destinations, people and even food! Pearl loves shopping as much as enjoying luxury but she knows all these have to be done sensibly and on a budget. Therefore you may find the best scoop and offers in Jakarta and beyond with her.
View all posts by Pearl
How many days to travel in Yogyakarta?
Q: How many days should I spend in Yogyakarta. I do not have that much time but would like to explore all the important sights at a leisurely pace. – Indah
A: You would need about 3-4 days for a good leisure pace to enjoy all the important sights such as Borobudur, Prambanan (which both take a day each) and also explore Yogyakarta city itself for silversmiths, puppet makers, street arts and food vendors, culture, people and Indonesian food!
Booking.com is a good choice as most of the bookings can be cancelled right up to the trip, allowing flexibility. While Agoda.com * has one of the most extensive listings in Asia with great deals.
In Yogyakarta, staying in the city center would help to save time in visiting all the must-visit places, but if you are looking for also some relaxation, just a little off center to north or south are some great choices. Here are a few of the best accommodations that we recommend to stay in Yogyakarta:
Luxury (from 150 USD)
Rosseno Villa
For those who want tranquillity and privacy, this villa lies just 15 minutes south of the city center surrounded by rice fields. It comes not only with a private pool, but also all meals provided and an all-day use of a car and driver! Well worth the splurge here.
Check out the latest prices on Booking.com *Check out the latest prices on Agoda.com *
Phoenix Hotel – McGallery by Sofitel
Run by the well known Sofitel, this hotel is for those who wants their luxury in the center of Yogyakarta. The hotel’s interior comes with a blend of grand Asian and European decor, with the rooms terraces overlooking a courtyard and pool.
Check out the latest prices on Booking.com *Check out the latest prices on Agoda.com *
Mid-range (50 – 150 USD)
Novotel Yogyakarta
For those who seek a well known brand and comfort, this hotel is located strategically to visit the tourist attractions. You can expect clean modern rooms with wide range of delicious breakfast. It also comes with a pool. Definitely value for money.
Check out the latest prices on Booking.com *Check out the latest prices on Agoda.com *
Dusun Jogja Village Inn
For those looking for a nature getaway and some tranquility, this hotel is like an oasis in the middle of the city. Surrounded by tropical gardens of palm trees around a beautiful pool. It is also well located, just south to the main attractions area.
Check out the latest prices on Booking.com *Check out the latest prices on Agoda.com *
Budget (below 50 USD)
Griya Wijilan
Just nestled next to the Keraton Palace, this small and Javanese designed boutique hotel is for those who knows a good deal. The location is hard to beat! There is also nice terrace and garden for those who hang to rest in between the hustle and bustle.
Check out the latest prices on Booking.com *Check out the latest prices on Agoda.com *
Rumah Mertua Boutique Hotel
For those looking for a boutique hotel, combining comfort with budget, this hotel comes wih Javanese decorated rooms and a pool surrounded by romantic gardens. It is located 20 minutes drive north from the city center in a tranquil setting.
Check out the latest prices on Booking.com *Check out the latest prices on Agoda.com *
Author: Pearl
Living in Jakarta for more than 20 years now, she still have not manage to cover the tip of Indonesia’s diverse destinations, people and even food! Pearl loves shopping as much as enjoying luxury but she knows all these have to be done sensibly and on a budget. Therefore you may find the best scoop and offers in Jakarta and beyond with her.
View all posts by Pearl
Q: I will be traveling a month (30 days) in Indonesia, cause that’s the maximum days in visa requirement, so what itinerary is best for the making my trip worth it? I know this is quite a general question as I understand Indonesia is huge. I will be flying into Jakarta as starting point and do not have an exit point yet, so can be flexible.
– Billy
Answer:
I agree it is a really general question indeed. What kind of things are you interested in? Cultural? Historical? Beach? Relax? Diving? But anyhow, you can always do a mix and match of our Indonesia Itineraries. For a start, below is a suggested itinerary for you for 1 month / 30 days traveling in Indonesia:
Day 1 to 3 – Jakarta
As you will land here in Jakarta, plan to stay at least one or two night to explore this capital city of Indonesia. It is the epitome of a mega city in Asia and well worth the hustle and bustle to get a feel of it. This city had many hidden treasures and it is well known as a shopping haven. It is also famous for its nightlife.
Jump on the train and ride the only extensive train network in Indonesia from Jakarta to Yogyakarta. This city is also one of my favourite spot in Java, and if anyone is to ever ask me where is one place to see in Java, this would be it. Here you will have access to the largest ancient Buddhist temple Borobudur and the ancient Hindu temple Prambanan. Besides, the food here is amazing and there are also castles and parks to check out.
After that move on to Mount Bromo at Eastern Java, one of the a must visit places in Java. Here you will hike for a sunrise view over the famous Bromo volcanic crater. After that, get down have some breakfast and then trek onwards to the mouth of the crater. There is also a Hindu temple to visit on the way there. From here, head on to Banyuwangi to catch a bus to get over to Bali.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple, Bali. Photo by melburnian
If you want, you can also split the days with Lombok or Gili Islands, which are recommended if you are looking to dive. Lombok is the sister to Bali but minus the tourist crowds. Gili Islands would be your remote paradise islands, with no motorized vehicles on land and untouched seas for you to explore.
Hop on a Komodo boat tour from Bali to Flores that includes exploring remote islands or fly directly from Bali to Komodo Island. Here you will come face to face with the famous Komodo Dragon, not many of its kind left in the world. Here you will also find the best diving sites in Indonesia, with rich marine life and coral reefs.
Komodo Dragon walking at the beach. Photo by Adhi Rachdia
Day 29 to 30 – Jakarta
Return to Bali from Komodo Island and from here you may fly out via Denpasar international airport. Do some last minute shopping before heading out, either flying back to Jakarta for a transit or to other international places that Bali airport serves.
Comfortably counting all the travel days, this itinerary will take up about almost a month. There are also some buffer times if you want to do some sidetrack or stay longer in any places. This covers basically from cityscape to cultural and historical, beaches and nightlife of Indonesia. It includes the regions of Java, Bali, Lombok and Flores. With this, you would have covered most of the best of Indonesia, but rest assured there are more to explore next time when you come back!
We will be staying in Jakarta for about 4 days before heading out to Bali and Lombok. I heard that it is a shopping paradise. Can you suggest a few good places to shop?
– Victoria
If you want to shop for clothes. shoes, bags and other various electronic goods, Blok M is the place to go. But if you want to go for more designer stores, then you can head to FX Mall or Plaza Indonesia. For local finds of souvenirs and household items, you may go to Pasar Ikan. For cheap and imitation goods, head out to Mangga Dua, you’ll be surprise to find that the quality is actually quite good.
Author: Pearl
Living in Jakarta for more than 20 years now, she still have not manage to cover the tip of Indonesia’s diverse destinations, people and even food! Pearl loves shopping as much as enjoying luxury but she knows all these have to be done sensibly and on a budget. Therefore you may find the best scoop and offers in Jakarta and beyond with her.
View all posts by Pearl
