Hi everyone
So I’m back from my 3 week trip to Indonesia. I have a lot of things in my mind to write now, and not sure where to start, but I will try to write as detailed as I can in this 1st part.
This is my first time in Indonesia, though I know Jakarta has a reputation as a very chaotic city, I was still surprised. The traffic is very busy and noisy with horns honking, and driving is disorderly, to say the least. (TALK ABOUT DUTCH QUARTER, CHINA TOWN AND SHOPPING MALLS).
I spent a night in Jakarta and that’s all, I needed to get out of it. I accidentally booked a hotel for 2 nights in Jakarta, but I left and wasted a night of accommodation. So my recommendation to you is spending a night in Jakarta only unless you have friends there (more on this in part 3!).
My next destination is Bali. I chose to stay in Kuta where it looks fun and easy to get around. The nightlife here is absolutely exciting; there are many bars around with live music, cheap food and drinks. I ended up coming back to my hostel at around 4 am, can’t say enough how fun it is there. It is pretty safe for a solo woman to travel, people there are friendly and helpful. Be careful when you do shopping, they often overcharge a lot so bargain down around 1/3 price if possible. Remember to ask yourself “would I pay this price in my country?”.
(RECOMMEND ESPRESSO BAR AND TWICE BAR, HARRY POTTER BAR)
In my time in Bali, I hired a motorbike to explore around, the price for a day will be around 70 IDR without petrol. The bike goes with a good quality helmet. Some of the destinations I explored by bike Kanto Lampo Waterfall, a short drive from the main town. A beautiful waterfall perfect for swimming. There are some great restaurants along the path towards the waterfall.
Bali Blowhole, located in the Nusa resort area, where you can admire the waves crash into the rock, blow up the water like bubbles. Be careful not to get wet!
The next day I bought a day trip to West Nusa Penida, this is a MUST SEE in Bali. Believe me, this trip will blow your mind. I have my best photos here. I paid around 770 IDR per person, though if you want to do snorkeling you may need to pay a little extra. This is where I saw the most amount of manta ray, at least 30, they are everywhere around you which is amazing. For the rest of the day trip, I explored Angel Billabong ( climb down and have a quick deep in the water here, it’s so cool!), Broken Beach (where I had my latest profile picture), and Kelingking beach (perfect white sand and crystal beach). I did not have enough time to swim at Kelingking Beach, so maybe if you have more time you should spend two days on Nusa Penida island. It really is beautiful and breathtaking, with some of the best views of my trip.
Food, yes, food is my life. And I have to say Indonesia food is amazing! I hardly eat steamed rice in my life cause I don’t like it in Vietnam, where the rice is generally not that fresh and very oily. , However, I ate rice most of my time in Bali! The warung nasi there is soooo yummy. There are lots of options, but what makes it so good is the spiciness. You choose 3 or 4 options to mix with rice, you can choose spicy, curry…all mix up together. My favorite restaurant there (and of the whole trip) is Warung Makan Nikmat, stumbled into it when I was wandering Kuta. This one is a cut above any of the other warung restaurants I tried. 30+ options of foods, heaps vegan and vegetarian options, tasty flavor, cheap price. If you want to try local food in Bali, make sure you come here. You won’t be disappointed, it really is that good.
Leaving Kuta, I decided to spend 2 days in Ubud, though it has a lot to see there and I may recommend you spend more time in Ubud if possible. In my short time, I managed to see Tegenungan Waterfall ( by motorbike) and then a sunrise trekking tour to see Mt Batur the next day. To see the sunrise you will have to get up around 1.30am when the tour company comes and picks you up at your hotel. The tour often includes small light, snacks, water and then breakfast to eat when you reach the mountain peak. This is not an easy hike (for me) so make sure you have good sport shoes. The hike is mostly uphill, in the dark, and some parts are very slippery. It took me 2.5 hours to go up and 3 hours to go down. The way to go down we went a longer but easier way, mostly flat road. This is not recommended for pregnant women, old people or people with a heart issue. I am a pretty strong person but still felt exhausted and out of energy sometimes. Some local guides will accompany you on the walk, one was lovely and really took care of me. I gave a 50,000 IDR tip. It will be pretty cold on the peak so make sure you have a warm jacket (jackets also available for hire). All the tiredness will be gone when you stand on the peak and admire the sunrise, see its reflexion on the lake far below as mountains loom in the layers of golden clouds. Unforgettable!
Part 2 will be about my stay in Gili Trawangan and 4 days on the ocean, wait for it!