java to bali

Hi folks!
I am planning on doing a java to bali leg in my trip early next year. I was wondering if any one who has done this leg could recomend a time frame and budget? Im first time traveler but will have been through most of seasia by time i get there, is it a route i could easily enough negotiate by my self? Been suggested to me did tour as its supposidly difficult?
I was also considering going through sumatra would this be wise or not?

Cheers for any help
Rachel

Java to Bali is easy… just make your way to the port at Ketapang. The cost of the ferry is minimal (5000 rupiah if I remember correctly?) and the journey takes 30 minutes.

Then its just a case of getting to where you want to go in Bali… Lovina is quite easy to get to, its just finding someone who will take you there without ripping you off. But even if they do rip you off its still cheaper than doing a tour!! I think we paid 60,000 rupiah for it, but don’t quote me on that ($6).

Thank you! for the reply i though it might be easy enough as i though it was now quite a well travelled route.

I thought it would be too, but I hardly saw any other travellers in that region… (bromo aside).

Really? When did you go travelling there? How long did u spend there? Is it more or less the same costs as thailand? Would you do it again? Any recomendations?
Cheers rach x

I was there a couple of months ago.

Hmm its pretty similar costs to Thailand, though I’d say Thailand is cheaper for foreigners, as there’s a lot of fixed pricing there. In Indonesia, everyone just whacks up the rates if you are white! It was pissing me off so much I just gave up in the end, and left a few weeks early.

e.g. in Bali, we got a bemo and the locals doing the same journey as us were clearly paying 20,000rph each ($2). The driver insisted we pay 150,000rph each!! After a lot of negociating we got it down to 50,000 but unfortuntely he stopped in the middle of nowhere to demand this so we did not have much choice.

And some bloke tried to charge us $150 to hire his services to take us on a half day trip to a volcano (which he wouldn’t guide us up, just drop us off and bring us back!). He gracefully lowered it to $140 when we laughed in his face. Eventually we went with someone else who had a fairer price of $40 for the three of us, and would guide us, but that’s the kind of thing you are up against!!

And if you’re travelling solo its an utter pain in the arse as you pay by room generally than by bed , unlike some other countries. So if a hotel only has twin rooms left, even if you’re obviously the last customer they’ll get that day, you’ll pay for twin rates.

So generally prices were (on average):

Basic Room - 100,000-150,000rph ($10-15)
Food - Main dish in restaurant 20-50,000rph ($3-5), main dish in warung or street stall 5,000-15,000rph ($0.5-1.5).
Large Bintang Beer - 25,000rph ($2.5). Shops and bars are usally similar prices.
Transport - Really variable! But trains in Java are very cheap and you won’t get ripped off, I paid $10 for a 10hr trip in executif class.

My favourite places were….

Bali - Lovina!! We loved it there. Kuta is horrible don’t go there, if you need to stay in the area than Sanur is good. Also just off Sanur is the island of Nusa Lembongan, which was super chilled and we loved it.

Gili Islands!! I stayed on Trwangan and Meno; Trawangan is better for meeting people, Meno was better for chilling out in paradise.

Flores - I only did Komodo but that was ace, and wish I’d gone east to explore more of Flores as everybody who did loved it.

Sulawesi - This was one of my favourite places in the world. Go to the Tanah Toraja, wangle an invite to a funeral and enjoy the culture. And not many tourists get up here so you’re treated very well!

Also if you’re in the Bromo area do Mt. Ijen, its stunning - a turquoise blue lake with yellow sulphur rocks, and views all over the Ijen plateau and its other volcanic peaks. The sulphur mines are a bit depressing through, as the workers endure back-breaking, poisonous work for a meagre $8 a day…

I’d like to go back to Indonesia as I still had my second month planned and still want to do all those things I didn’t do, but it was just too much to do in one go, especially solo and it was just draining my money doing it that was. But yeah go for it!!

Thank u so much for ur post very helpful! X