I have just returned from a 3.5 weeks unforgettable journey through Indonesia, from Jakarta to Bali. Our 3.5 weeks itinerary started in Jakarta, where we stayed for 3 nights. We were a bit dissapointed about the condition of the Indonesian capital, overcrowded and sinking. The highlights of this city were the stunning colonial-era buildings in the Old Town. In retrospective, 1 or 2 nights should have been sufficient, just for landing and continuing the journey towards more fascinating locations.
From Jakarta we took the high speed Whoosh train to Bandung. The Woosh train was honestly “whooshazing” – super fast and comfortable! With 350km/h we were in Bandung in 40 minutes. The Grab from the train station to the hotel took longer. Get used with the traffic in Indonesia! While in Bandung we focused more on exploring the nature around. We had one tour to South of Bandung where we visited Kawah Putih crater, tea plantations, Rengganis natural hotspring and an old Dutch railway bridge with rice view. For the rest of our stay in Bandung area we went for two nights at a resort with hot springs in the northern area of Bandung. In total we stayed 4 nights in Bandung.
 |
| Kawah Putih crater |
From Bandung we took the most scenic rail journeys in South East Asia (that's what others claim, so far this is my first time traveling by train in South East Asia and it's definitely stunning) to Yogyakarta. Trains in Java are very comfortable and clean. For most of our journey through Java we traveled by train. The train ride was 6h. Once in Yogyakarta we had two days of tours, one to discover the famous temples Borobodur and Prambanan, and another one to explores two caves: at Jomblang cave we were lowered 60m down and hoisted back up in an harness, all this being done manually by locals (what an adventure); at Pindul cave we were floating on a tube through the cave. In between the tour days we explored what Yogyakarta had to offer: batik workshop, Ramayana ballet performance, the Water Palace and the bustling Malioboro street. In total we stayed 6 nights in Yogyakarta. We had our itinerary tight to the visit to Karimunjawa (the next stop where we headed) otherwise 4-5 nights would have been suficient in Yogyakarta.
 |
| Borobudur temple |
 |
| Prambanan temple |
 |
| Being lowered 60m down in Jomblang cave |
From Yogyakarta we took a 3.5h train to Semarang where we stayed overnight. Upon arriving in Semarang, we were pleasantly surprised by this beautiful city, full of old colonial buildings still in use. In retrospective, one extra night in Semarang would have been nice to discover the Old Town. The next day we booked a transfer to a little hotel in Jepara where we stayed overnight, so we could eventually take the day after the boat to Karimunjawa. This island, part of an archipelago of 27 islands, is absolutely stunning – a true paradise! Karimunjawa is famous for its vibrant coral reefs and rich biodiversity, making it a popular destination for snorkeling and diving. The island also has a unique ecosystem with mangrove forests and tropical woodlands, making it one of Indonesia’s natural gems. An amazing place to unwind and enjoy nature! We stayed for 3 nights on the island, enjoying a snorkeling trip (our first one and an amazing one) and relaxing on the beach.
 |
| Overcoming my fear of swimming underwater led me straight to an incredible underwater paradise! From colorful reefs to meeting Nemo, it was pure magic down there. Proof that the best things often lie just beyond our fears. |
From Karimunjawa, we had a long travel day by boat to Jepara, by car to Semarang, by train to Surabaya. In Surabaya we stayed for 2 nights so we can do a sunrise tour to the famous mount Bromo. It was a sleepless night and totally worth it. Watching the sunrise over mount Bromo (well, a little bit to the left because of the earth rotation) was surreal. The eerie gas rising from the crater and the thick fog made it feel like another world. We combined the tour to mount Bromo also with the visit to Madakaripura waterfall, a magical 200m high waterfall.
From Surabaya, we flew to Bali where we stayed for the last 3 nights of our journey. The first time in Bali, I was not that impressed and this time I was even less impressed, with stray dogs at every step. Since both me and my boyfriend are afraid of them, it was very unsettling. That's why all the time there we were jumping from one car to another. We had our accommodation in Ubud which was really nice and we had the pleasant surprise to be upgraded to a villa with private infinity pool. During our stay in Bali we filled our days with another snorkeling trip (because we liked the first one in Karimunjawa we wanted to do it again) around Nusa Penida, Balinese cooking class, visit to Uluwatu temple and watching the kecak fire dance at sunset and a well deserved afternoon at spa before our flights.
After these 3.5 weeks I have realized how much my travel preferences have shifted over the time, from focus on cultural experiences to a deeper appreciation for nature. That's why in the coming holidays I will be focusing more on discovering the nature.
Comments
Post a Comment