TRIP TO INDONESIA

All accommodations in Raja Ampat are really simple. Forget 5-star hotels (even 3…) and get ready to regain contact with nature.

I must admit, however, that, except for the initial impact, we loved Raja Ampat’s kind of life and we did not miss any “comfort” we were used to.

Nature and freedom, day and night…
I assure you it is magnificent!

As I said before, I recommend staying at a Dive Resort, which are usually nicer and with better services (and often even a little more expensive than Homestays)

We slept HERE and talking to other guests it was already a comfortable accommodation.

We chose Gili Air, because everyone said that Gili Trawangan is the most lively and youthful one, Gili Meno is the quietest one for those seeking relaxation, while Gili Air is a good middle ground, but above all it is the most authentic one.

The southern part (near the port) is certainly the busiest area, where most of the clubs and activities are located. Obviously it is also the part where most of the boats arrive so they “spoil” the atmosphere of a remote island a little.

The northernmost part is instead quieter, from where you can admire magnificent sunsets. If there are no clouds, you can also see the island of Bali very well in the distance.

One of the things we liked most about the Gilis is the total absence of cars. On the island you can travel on foot, by bicycle or aboard nice buggies pulled by little horses that are a little tired and cooked by the sun.

The roads are obviously not the best in terms of accessibility. Along the coast, some parts have sand, the asphalt is a bit bumpy and the inner roads are often dirt. All in all we got away with the suitcases (with no little effort) and after all the island is very small and you cross from side to side in about 20 minutes, so walking around the island remains, in my opinion, the best way to get around.

Here too the watchwords are: snorkeling, diving and relaxation. You can organize excursions anywhere on the island, just enter one of the many diving centers or agencies to negotiate the best price.

If you go snorkeling, they will probably propose you to use the boat with the Glass Bottom which is essentially a small glass on the floor through which you can see the bottom of the sea, but you will almost never see anything. So in case they ask you for a supplement, kindly decline as it is not worth your money

In addition to this you can take Indonesian cooking classes (there is a place at the beginning of the main street near the port), do some shopping in the little shops, there is a cinema at night on the beach just before Mowie’s with armchairs and covers

It is also possible to organize tours for the island of Komodo, usually of 4 days and 3 nights, directly from here.

Indonesia is one of the places with the largest marine biodiversity in the world, so you can see an infinite number of marine species that you can only dream of in other places.

On the island there are many Diving Centers and it is possible to organize dives of all kinds, for all levels (even for those like me who had never even done a dive before) and also organize courses and licenses.

I recommend without a doubt the Oceans5dive diving center, very easy to find because it is practically in front of the port ticket office.

In addition to being very professional and prepared, they are also the only DDI (Disabled Divers International) center in all of Indonesia!

This means that they specialize in diving with people with any disability. With me they were really good and I can’t really complain about anything and so… I did my first dive!

It was truly magnificent and we also managed to see a beautiful sea turtle and a very rare Blu Ring Octopus, and everyone envied me because apparently it is very rare and it is also the most poisonous animal in the whole ocean …

The last stop on our trip to Indonesia is Yogyakarta (which is read Giogiacarta) or for the locals Jogja.

Yogyakarta is the cultural and artistic center of the island of Java. The city and the surrounding area are full of attractions to visit.

As soon as you arrive in the city you will encounter the typical Indonesian traffic, although I must admit that we were quite lucky.

The city center is quite small and you can therefore walk around without problems.

Otherwise you can move around thanks to one of the characteristic rickshaws, if you can find an awake driver…

We only spent one night in Yogya and one of the most characteristic activities is definitely walking along Malioboro Street at night and tasting the street food it fills up with when the sun goes down.

There are two temples, Borobudur and Prambanan, which are definitely a must and if you have come to Yogyakarta, you are almost certainly here for the two of them.

You will find plenty of tours departing from every point and hotel in the city to see Borobudur and Prambanan.

The prices for a 10-hour tour with private car and driver are around 500 thousand rupees (about € 30), while for 5 hours about 300 thousand rupees (about € 20).

You can then visit the two temples on the same day, but personally I recommend that you organize two excursions on two different days to see Borobudur at sunrise and Prambanan at sunset.

You can then add some other activities along the way or stop to admire the landscape somewhere.