While I spent over three weeks in Indonesia, I barely scratched the surface of this sprawling island nation. There’s still so much left to see.
One drawback to planning travel while on the road is that there simply isn’t enough time to thoroughly scope out every destination. Before I embarked on this whirlwind RTW trip, I used to WAY over-plan my vacations — researching accommodations and day trips, copying and pasting all the info into a giant word doc, and then reorganizing the itinerary for weeks. I left no stone unturned. It was exhausting but I loved feeling confident that I’d arranged the best use of time to explore a destination.
If you haven’t already figured it out, I’m Type A to a T. Which is great for my line of work… give me a script and some colored pens and I’ll organize the heck out of whatever scenes we’re shooting, as evidenced by the pen necklace I used to wear when we shot on location at Young & Restless:
But on the road I’ve had to let go of these OCD tendencies and dramatically oversimplify my itinerary-building technique. And, duh, it’s WAY better when you don’t over think it! Nowadays I get advice from fellow travelers, the front desk at the hostel, and of course other travel blogs. Give me an afternoon and I’ll sort out my travel plans for the rest of the week. I’ve seen the light and never want to go back to the old days of 20+ page word docs of miscellaneous advice on any given destination.
I surrender to the fact that, in pursuit of easy trip planning, I might overlook something cool. And then kick myself for it later.
Such is the case with Indonesia… there are travel agents everywhere hocking multi-day boat trips from Bali / Lombok to Komodo Island, home of the enormous lizard-like creatures that call to mind extinct dinosaurs. I had little interest in seeing these animals. But after leaving the region, I met a handful of other travelers who raved about the area. All noted the less-than-safe conditions of the budget boat ride and recounted horror stories of seasickness, but declared that the end result was worth it. The best part wasn’t necessarily Komodo Island itself, but the cumulative journey of all the other islands and beaches they stopped at along the way. There are even a handful of outstanding dive spots.
Cue my groan. How did I write off this part of Indonesia so quickly?
Not only that, but I hardly scheduled any time in Lombok. I figured once I finished visiting Bali and the Gili Islands (which are technically part of Lombok) that I’d be ready to fly out and skip the rest of the island. But the day before my flight, I met a couple on the boat to Lombok and they told me about all the places I was missing: the beaches, the sunsets, the islands. In some respects this was more of the same, as I’d already experienced those things in Bali, but a quick Google Images search (my favorite way to browse destination highlights) turned up some impressive spots.
And there are even more tantalizing places just beyond Komodo — like the Kelimutu Colored Lake Trails on Flores Island and more incredible diving on Raja Ampat in Papua, Indonesia.
So I’m adding this stretch of Indonesia to my bucket list. Some travel around Lombok and then a boat trip (hopefully on a sturdy vessel) to Komodo Island and beyond, with a few diving spots tossed in. Check out this photo collage of the sites I hope to someday see with my own eyes.
LOMBOK
Kuta Beach is a highlight. While it has the same name as Bali’s largest city, that’s where the similarities end.
[image via]
Senggigi Beach on the east coast of Lombok is calling my name…
[image via]
According to reviews on-line, Tanjung Aan Beach in the south is perhaps the prettiest beach in ALL of Lombok.
[image via]
Mount Rinjani is an active volcano and popular hiking area in Lombok. I would spend 2 days / 1 night here and cross my fingers for an eruption-free hike.
BOAT TRIP FROM LOMBOK TO KOMODO
I’d probably sign up for a 4-day trip. This itinerary from Lombok Outdoors catches my eye. Highlights include…
Moyo Island – reefs for snorkeling and a freshwater lake with waterfalls.
[image via]
Komodo – the best place to see the legendary Komodo Dragons, which can grow up to ten feet (!) in length.
Rinca Island – it’s like Komodo, but less touristy so you’re more likely to see the dragons in their natural environment.
[image via]
FLORES ISLAND AND BEYOND
Hands down, the place I most want to visit on this island is the Kelimutu Colored Lake Trails — three crater lakes right next to each other, but each is a different color (red, green, and blue). It’s a natural phenomenon likely caused by active upwelling and reactions from chemicals in the minerals triggered by volcanic activity. (Thank you Wikipedia.)
[images via here and here / here]
Raja Ampat is reputed to have excellent diving. The giant limestone formations in the water remind me of the Rock Islands in Palau. This 10-day itinerary has me drooling. Why didn’t I get here when I was so (relatively) close?! Picture me kicking myself as I type this…
[images via here, here, and here]
Out of these places, which would you most like to visit? Have these photos nudged you to add Indonesia to your own bucket list?
The earth is such a beautiful place. Those colored lakes look so interesting.
I don’t know if I could ever break from my “10 page word document itineraries” when I travel without a tour group. But you do make it sound more exciting ‘winging it’ on the road. The only time we’ve ever done it like that was when we drove across the US to LA. We booked our hotels three hours before we were schedule to arrive in each city. But it seems easier in the US than in a remote country. You are brave. =)
RE: traveling on the whim, it’s easier to do in the off-season — and I happened to hit most places during an off-peak time. That made booking hostels and activities much easier, as I didn’t have to compete with other tourists. I found great resources along the way — like fellow travelers and the front desks at hostels — who gave great advice, better and more immediate tips than if I had researched it on-line in advance. I’m addicted with how simple this type of travel is. Granted if I was planning one big trip a year, I would probably go back to my regular over-planning mode, but for this sort of long-term backpacking I loved it!