Kuta Lombok to Labuan Bajo (Flores) the jumping off point for Komodo Island

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Due to my travelling companion's time constraints and my laziness we decided to fly (4 Hours, 1,400,000RP via DPS with Merpati) to Labuan Bajo instead of taking:

• Public ferry, See http://fourfootprints.com/2012/06/how-get-bali-labuan-bajo-flores-cheap-way/ and http://www.theeverydaymagic.com/2012/06/18/the-pelni-boat-getting-from-lombok-to-labuan-bajo/
• One of the tourist sightseeing boats which were allegedly all cancelled due to high seas but usually 3-4 days stopping at attractions on the way. Search for Parama Tours
• The overland option of ferry's and cars (400,000RP - 27 hours)

Labuan Bajo is a small village and the flight in had some spectacular photo's. A motor (car) to the centre of town was 40,000 for 3 people.

Accommodation options are plentiful from 50,000RP sharing a room up to some new monstrosity resorts with pools.

Organising trips to Komodo, and Rinca for 2 days with 1 night sleeping on the boat we negotiated it down to 600,000RP with all meals included, and sleeping on the deck, you should expect to pay a little bit more for a boat with a cabin, and substantially more if you want a dive boat.

Kuta Lombok

I imagine Kuta Bali would have been very similar to Kuta Lombok 20-30 years ago, the main attraction is surfing, or relaxing on the beach, its also a hot spot for domestic tourists and you can see why, white powder beaches:

Surrounded by lush green mountains and rice fields:

and even more greenery facing away from the beach:

The local sarong (50,000RP) salespeople, kids selling bracelets (10,000RP) and domestic tourists wanting to pose for a photo were the biggest concern and they were by no means a problem, "Tidak terima kasih" (No thankyou) was usually enough to get them to move on if you are not in the mood for buying anything.

We stayed at Ketapang Home Stay (100,000RP), which was basic but clean, the bathrooms had no basin and the water in the town was not very useful for cleaning anything but bottled water was 5000RP for a large cold bottle.

Ketapang is right on the beach but if you want to go surfing or enjoy some soft white sand you can rent a scooter (moto) for 50,000RP per day ($5) petrol is 5000RP a litre.

An incredible meal at Warung Bule (Foreigners Restaurant) is from 30,000-400,000 and is highly recommended. It's on the main road with signage at the T junction out of town, and is some of the best local food I have had (and an amazing chocolate milkshake).

Mushrooms here are cheaper than on Gili T at 20,000 per packet (currently in season) and can be found at some bars or the local bracelet selling children can get them for you, they are more expensive in a shake but obviously taste better.

$1-$2 for small Bintangs (local beer)

Gili T

Gili T is a chilled out island where backpackers and domestic tourists come to SCUBA dive, lay on the beach, snorkel, and party, no cars or motorbikes are allowed on the island so transport is by horse drawn carriage or bicycle, there are no police on any of the Gili Islands either.

"Magic" mushrooms are legal in Indonesia and are readily available, 2 packets of shrooms (10-15 per packet) in a pot of tea were $6 and tasted immensely better than shakes I've had previously. Weed is also readily available on Gilli T but is illegal and punishments are harsh.

The high wasn't as intense as Thai shrooms the euphoria was there but the enhanced visual experience wasn't.

A few quotes from the night:
"If there was a professor of flashing lights, it would be me"
"Pat the horse it's so furry, I wonder if they are all like this.... Let's find out"
"Do you think the staff are trained to screw with people on shrooms?"

Update: If you have more shrooms they are just as good as Thailand if not better.

Here is an amazing sunrise on Gili Trawangan:

Other available items $20
Dinner at food market $5.5 water, fried chicken, fried noodle, spicy chicken curry, two satay sticks.
Lunch at a restaurant coffee, water, nasi goreng $6
Bike hire $3 for the day
Shrooms $6
Beers, spirits, etc (enough to be happily drunk) $23

Gilli to Lombok

The trip from Gili to Lombok is a 30 min public ferry for $1 the view of the three Gili's and Lombok is pretty spectacular, you can also opt for a speed boat, but the local boat is a good experience, especially if there are chickens on board (this time there weren't any). The ticket office is on the beach, some people pay more if purchasing through an agent.

We then organised a guide (Jo) to pick us up from Bengsal Harbour in Lombok and take us for a quick tour of Lombok, breakfast and lunch, before dropping us in Kuta Lombok, the price for 3 people was 500,000RP or
$50 for 3 people, which is by no means the cheapest but check out the photo's of the waterfall we otherwise would never have seen, definitely worth the extra few $$. Here is our view for breakfast, you can make out the waterfall which is only a 10 minute walk after breakfast.

 Here is Jo at the waterfall:

 

 A quick stop to feed the monkeys, get some peanuts or banana's first.

 If you want to organise Jo you can contact him on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/jo.gili

We also paid 10,000RP or $1 each for entry to the waterfall, and both Jo's and our drivers lunch and coffee.Coffee for breakfast and lunch Mataram in the mall was $8. $10 per night for accommodation opposite Kuta beach is basic and could have done with a basin in the toilet but was otherwise OK. Small Bintangs were $1.60 and dinner of fried chicken with chili sauce, spring rolls, and 2 large beers was $8.

NYE 2013 @ Gili T

Starting the day with some snorkelling and some afternoon Yoga before a huge night. The snorkelling here is incredible with turtle sightings the norm.

Bringing in the new year with an epic firework display that makes Sydney look average (or maybe the shrooms were really good). Simultaneously hundreds of people and a few boats launched thousands of fireworks from 4 different islands. The view was amazing.

 

Cheap beers and 3 packets of mushrooms made the night one to remember that finished around 6 am, a minor burn from some fireworks was the only bad thing about the night.

 

I realised that you can't have sex on mushrooms cause "it's too purple around the edges" and that even though I can only speak one language "I can think in two"..... Needless to day the shrooms were quality.

 

New years day like most before it was a complete waste of a day but made better by cheap food and good weather.

 

Mushrooms $9 for 3 packets (about 10 per packet)
Other readily available substances $10
5 vodka red bulls, beers of an unknown quantity $40-$60 I can't really remember.
Seafood BBQ dinner with squid, snapper, prawns, lobster $20
Accommodation $25 (price was much higher for NYE period)

Bali to Gili T

Left Bedbunkers Hostel in Bali at 7:00am, overall a friendly clean and cheap place with very cheap room rates.

 

After leaving the traffic and chaos of the Kuta end of Bali we enjoyed scenic views of rice terraces, volcano's, and lush greenery on the way to Padang Bai, roughly a 2 hour journey.

 

After breakfast and some waiting around we board the fast boat and are treated to volcano's more lush greenery and rice terraces before getting soaked on the roof if the ferry and retreating below deck.

 

Gunung Agung rimmed by cloud

 

 

Arriving in Lombok we pick up a few more passengers and 10 minutes later arrive in paradise (Gilli Trawangan).

 

The remainder of the day is spent lounging on beanbags on the beach, at the amazing café below:

 

 

Fast boat one way $22 (some people were paying triple this by ordering online)

Breakfast omelette and coffee $3
Room on Gilli T basic with 2 fans Queen bed, western toilet and shower $25

 

I stayed at No Name Homestay and highly recommend it, its just off the main road if you turn at the Yoga and Freediving place. Agus the manager is awesome on the guitar and can also source cheap mushrooms for you and makes an incredible shroom tea.

Dinner at market BBQ squid, chicken wing, stay chicken skewer, fried noodles, small Bintang (beer), small water $6.5
2 x large water $1

$57.5 for the day

Sydney to Bali

When somewhere has as many tourists as locals you know that your not going to take much away from the experience.

It has flashing lights, drinking, scams, sex trade, all the usual suspects are here. I fail to see the attraction for more than 3 nights. Prices are high, tourists are obnoxious and a lot of locals just want your money. I wish I was here 15 years ago. My advice head out of the Kuta, Legion, and Seminyak area ASAP.

Today's spend:
$35 on VIP airport clearance run by of duty airport guards. Definitely beat lining up for 1 hour.

$10 on a taxi that usually costs $5 but avoided a huge queue.

Lunch $1.90 chicken curry with rice and not enough chicken, free tea and salad.

5 Bintang beers $10

12 5 shot Roman candle fireworks $18 and 25 minutes of haggling.

$25 boat from Bali to Gilli Trawangan

Dinner $15 (ate in Kuta) BBQ shrimp and nasi goreng.

Considering breakfast and the taxi too the airport in Sydney cost $47 I did $150? For the day but have transport to Gilli T, breakfast in Sydney and NYE fireworks sorted I think I did OK.

Regards,
Ben
Sorry for the short message this was sent from my mobile.