Indonesia

I went to Yogyakarta and instantly fell in love with Indonesia; its people, culture and art. I hope to go back and see more one day. Borobudur Temple was a once in a lifetime opportunity, truly beautiful

going to Indonesia was a great experience, it taught me not to take what I have for granted. I saw people living by the road under sheets of tarpaulin – it was shocking and I am definately now more thankful for the things I have.

Bali

I have travelled to many places in this country and each encounter still awes me. My travels to many countries outside Indonesia only confirm that Indonesia is one of a kind.

I remember spending about USD2,000 for one-week travel abroad and when I was looking out onto an island from my room in an adjacent island somewhere outside indonesia, a foreign friend of mine asked me, “Do you have something as beautiful as this in Indonesia?”

And I said, “In Indonesia, this kind of view will never make it to the tourist map as the people won’t consider that heap of soil there as something beautiful or worth-selling.”

Then I remember the many dollars I spent to another country to a city that they say “beautiful” and when I got there I said, “Only this?!”

One thing for sure, because 50% of Indonesians are Javans and Javan’s highest value is “humility”, marketing themselves is considered a shameful act, and they tend to downplay everything. No wonder many good things about this country is left hidden and you have to turn the stones to find the gems. Like every good traveler, you must plan your trip well and know where to go.

Its major drawback is that the country doesn’t have tourism infrastructure as advanced as it is in Australia: Car-rental with reliable companies (e.g. Eurocar, Avis, Blue Bird, etc.) is twice (if not thrice) the cost it is in Australia, many small lodgings do not have internet reservation and do not take any credit cards, the pick-pockets outnumbered the policemen, some places are acccessible only by back-packers or super-rich (no middle-class tourists).

Its major strength: It has everything for every kind of travelers.

Beware that though in general Indonesia is cheap, Jakarta is not.

Basically I only went to Bali :P
Had a great week there, the peoples are friendly and the scenery is breathtaking. Oh my, watching sunrise and sunset with your spouse is the best joy.
I enjoyed my trip.

spent a weekend here last year with my best friends and had an awesome time! we only got to explore Jakarta and Bandung though. would love to explore more of this country soon :)

I loved living in this country for 4 weeks. I enjoyed the warm climate and the people that I met along the way. I personally enjoy learning about many cultures especially those different than my own.

Nice country, unspoiled by consumer society. You can see wonderfull countryside, pure sea, superior food… and everything for small prices.
I recommend backbacking travelling. Use local buses (no turists ones), local restaurants etc. If you do this you can spent minutes and hours by chatting with locals. You wil find out social differences between their culture and “civilized world” culture.

I recommend!!!

Warm (if you know what i mean). everythings cheap

I would like to go to Bali (stay in Ubud) and….
- Do a jewelry class @ Studio Perak
- Do some yoga @ Bali Spirit Yoga Studio/Barn
- Have a massage @ Verona Spa
- And a scrub @ Beji Ayu Spa
- And perhaps a second massage or scrub @ Zen Bali Spa
- Visit the Monkey Forest
- And the rice fields (link includes the story of a trek to the top of a mountain)
- Cycle through rice paddies
- Do a PADI diving course @ Bali Scuba (certification in 4 days, off the coast nr Denpasar.
- Rent a moped to get from Ubud to Sanur? Nah, too dangerous and not enough free time in the day to actually enjoy the moped.

Then go to the west coast (supposedly better waves) and do a surf camp / surfari…

See this long long long list of things to do in Bali