Bantayan, Philippines Accommodation: Airbnb and Coucou Bar Hotel and Restaurant Duration: 6 days After a night in Cebu City we were ready to begin our journey north, up the west coast of Cebu Island and across the Tanon Strait to Bantayan Island. The Pittsburgh Penguins had an important game that morning which I was adamant about watching. My fandom left us with little time and a tight window to make the last bus that would allow us to catch the final ferry for the day. As we ran into the station we immediately spotted a bus with a sign for Hagnaya, the town where the ferry was to depart from. We hopped on with our backpacks only to find that it was absolutely packed with people. There was no room to sit let alone maneuver. We asked the guy working the bus if there would be another soon. He assured us there would be and told us to wait in the same spot. After 20 minutes or so doubt began to set in. We asked the station attendants who gave us ambiguous answers, leaving us with little confidence that we would be traveling that day. I started running around to other parts of the station when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small bus with a sign for Hagnaya Port! It was a different company and a much smaller, older looking bus…but it was going to where we needed to go. We got on and asked some locals if this was, in fact, the correct bus. They assured us that it was and off we went. The ride took about four hours. The bus dropped us off at the ferry station which conveniently left within minutes of our arrival. After an hour and a half on the ferry we arrived to the remote island, hungry and tired from a stressful day of travel. Bantayan is a fairly large island. There are a few communities that inhabit different parts of the island, some in small villages and others in slightly larger towns. The island itself is off the international tourist radar, leaving it pure and undeveloped. It is a hidden gem with beautiful beaches, amazing people and uninterrupted local flavor. I hope it never changes, but the locals are not optimistic. It’s remoteness saved it’s serenity and kept the large hotel chains away. The “airport” (which consists of one gravel runway and a plane used for skydiving) is not capable of receiving commercial flights, which has been the key to keeping Bantayan a secret. But once that changes, the island will as well. Vanessa found us an Airbnb accommodation with a family who has a spare apartment on their property. Crissy, the Airbnb host, picked us up from the ferry and drove us to their house. It was quite far outside of Santa Fe, but its remoteness and location added to the experience. After maneuvering down a few dirt paths we arrived to a very small village. The village was very rural with only a few paths among the trees. We pulled up to a gated house and drove into the property. We were shocked. It was like a parallel universe to the outside world. There property sat right on the beach and had a perfectly manicured yard scattered with palm trees, a volleyball court and a gazebo overlooking the clear water. Their quaint white house was quite the contrast to the village homes outside. Our apartment was separate from the house. It had a full kitchen and a huge bedroom/living room. We were excited to say the least. Crissy is Filipina and her husband, Joe, is a middle aged Scottish fellow. They have two children. Mixed marriages are not uncommon on the island (or in the Philippines for that matter). On the island there was a surprisingly large expat community almost exclusively made up of men, most of whom were either married to or dating locals. It seems a little weird at first, particularly when there is a large age gap between the two, but we met others that were much closer in age too. Many Filipina women do actively seek out foreigners and are often encouraged by their families to do so. This is typically for monetary reasons. I am by no means saying that this is always the case and we met plenty of couples with whom it was clearly not the situation. Honestly, it is usually quite obvious as the couples in it for the wrong reasons are usually far apart in age and visibly unhappy. We’ve seen this elsewhere, but it was definitely the most prevalent in the Philippines. Crissy told us that the village’s annual “fiesta” was taking place on the night of our arrival and warned us that the music would be blaring for most of the evening and into the night. We took that as an invitation. These are the opportunities that we hope for while on the road. Around 9pm we wandered out the door and followed the music. We maneuvered our way down a dark path and within minutes found ourselves in the center of the village at a full blown Filipino fiesta! The two of us stood out like sore thumbs. This is a village of 500 people so everyone knows each other. All eyes were on us. It was fairly dark with a few lights coming from the five or six food stands. There were also one or two gambling stands where dozens of men gathered around to bet on which number an oversized dice would land on. But the real party was on the basketball court. A 20x10 foot wall of speakers towered over the courts. Plastic tables and chairs filled with people drinking stood around the evening’s dance floor. Kids flooded the dance floor. Teenagers and adults also jammed out to the eclectic and repetitive mix that the DJ put out. We stood there wide eyed taking in the scene. I couldn’t help but smile to myself and appreciate the beautifully obscure moment in the middle of the jungle on a remote Philippine island. Apparently we caught the attention of a few young guys sitting at a table. They smiled and kindly invited us to join them. We accepted and made our way over. After some high decibel conversation we learned that two of them were brothers and the rest were friends. Their family was sitting at the table next to us. They offered us some of their libations (grape tang powder poured directly into a bottle of rum) and we shot the shit. We talked sports, family, jobs etc. The older brother was 27 years old and has two children with his current wife and one from a girl he dated when he was 16 who now lives in Ohio. His younger brother was 21 and has one child. One is a Stephen Curry fan and the other a Lebron fan. They both idolize Manny Pacquiao. Apparently, the annual fiesta is also the annual award ceremony. Trophies are given out for an array of local sports champions. Little did we know, but we were sitting with the basketball champs. After quite a few shots of their concoction we were convinced to dance. The whole family joined us on the dance floor. We stood in a circle moving and grooving Filipino style. It was hilarious. Depending on the song the dance floor is either full or empty, we went back and forth quite a few times…it was like clockwork. Apparently the DJ only plays song when someone pays. He would then announce the name of the the sponsor for the next X number of songs. To be a part of the annual fiesta in a small village on a remote island in the Philippines is something special. It is not always easy to find something so local and festive. It the kind of experience that we hope for every day during our travels. Bantayan continued to deliver. The following day we took the motorbike for a cruise to explore the backroads of the island. The bumpy dirt roads were canopied with massive palms. Small rundown homes were nestled among the lush jungle vegetation with a few makeshift basketball courts, churches and shops in between. I pulled over to take a few pictures when a group of young children immediately spotted me and ran over to say hi. They were so excited. All of them jumped into my shots and started to pose, it was hilarious. This scene caught the attention of a guy nearby who told us to follow him on our motorbike to a spot nearby where him and his friends were swimming. He seemed trustworthy enough so we followed his lead. A few minutes later we arrived to the bay where five or six of his friends were hanging out. They were in their early 20s, both guys and girls. The crew invited us right in. They told us that on this part of the beach there was a freshwater deposit and that the hole is the shape of a heart. Neither of us really wanted to go in. I was happy just chatting on the beach. They weren’t going to drag me in, but Vanessa was a different story. A very strong (and apparently drunk…as I found out from her friend) girl took Vanessa by the arm and literally dragged her in with all of her clothes on. It was pretty aggressive, but funny watching from the sidelines. I stayed on the beach chatting with a very outspoken young man. He was back visiting his family as he recently moved to Manila to go to university. Vanessa enjoyed the water. After an hour or so we said our goodbyes and continued our motorbike tour. That night, sick of Filipino food, we decided to check out a spot called Bantayan Burrito Company. It is located on the main road in Santa Fe in a small cove of outdoor restaurants. We were warmly welcomed to sit with a group of four foreigners. The tipsy crowd was very inviting and we quickly dove into conversation. The crew all knew each other. They were all expats who were living on Bantayan. One of them was the British owner of the burrito shop, another two were American brothers who ran a non for profit company building houses and repairing coral on and around Bantayan. They all had local girlfriends who were chatting in the kitchen, but later came over to join the party. One thing lead to another and the owner of the burrito shop told us that they all planned to go to a party at the “airport”. Our new friends invited us to join which we obviously agreed to. We drove our motorcade about ten minutes up the island until we hit a dirt road that lead us through an opening in a feeble fence that surrounded the airport. We rolled up to the only building on the airport’s property, a small rundown one-story house with three white rooms. Hanging out on the stairs and porch were eight very drunk locals and one weathered and adventurous looking older Canadian fellow. We quickly learned that he was the skydiving instructor that runs a small business on the island. He seemed drunk to us, but we quickly learned that he was many years sober. The young and friendly man next to him was unmistakably drunk, he was the pilot. There was a spread of food inside the building and a bottle of liquor outside. We were greeted warmly and offered plenty of drinks. It was a warm Filipino night at the airport, the light from the small terminal was the only one for kilometers. The local electronic music blared as the flushed faced locals swung their hips and encouraged us to join in. We did. The pilot and skydiving instructor took us to see their bright red three seater airplane, the only one on the island. It was old and awesome. It was a successful night with new friends and another for the Bantayan memory bank.
Top Things to do in Bantayan
Paradise Beach It’s an adventure to get here, but that’s what makes it special. On our trusty motorbike we followed directions that we found online. It required some hairy maneuvering down the backroads of Bantayan, particular towards the end. Given its remoteness we were surprised to find a guy chilling in the shade collecting a fee to enter. It was a nominal amount. The beach has flawless white sand and clear water. It is hidden in a cove providing a sense of enchantment. We were the only people there, it was perfect.
Kota Beach
Another very unique beach, but easier to find. The beach is located just off the main street in Santa Fe. It sits in front of Kota Beach Resort, but anyone can just walk on. While the water is clear, there are jellyfish (as there were at every beach) and some of them are deadly. I scouted the area before taking a dive into the ocean but obviously missed something. As I threw my arms into the water I felt a shock through my entire system. I dove directly into a four foot jellyfish. Its tentacles wrapped around my arm. I pulled away taking the tentacles with me which cause an excruciating stinging sensation. Immediately red lines appeared on my arm and within seconds they began to puff up like blisters. Luckily we were near the hotel. I ran over and asked for vinegar which they had readily available for instances like this. The vinegar subdued the swelling leaving me with red and itchy arms.

St. Peter and Paul Church

Located in the town of Bantayan, this is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. We walked into a packed house. The town of Bantayan is worth visiting, it reminded us of some of the small towns we stumbled across in South America. On the square there was also an excellent bakery worth ducking into for some dessert.

Ogtong Cave

The cave is located within a run down resort on the island. It costs a couple bucks to get in. In the middle of the resort’s property there is a short flight of wooden stairs that takes you into the small opening. Inside the cave is a beautiful fresh water spring. It was small but stunning. We swam around and explored a little deeper. Afterwards we walked down to the hotel’s beachfront and enjoyed the shallow waters.

Best Restaurants in Bantayan

Bantayan Burrito Company

This is where we met our expat friends. The burritos were as excellent as the company. The atmosphere is an inviting spot to sip on a San Miguel.

Local Seafood Restaurant across from Coucou Hotel

This place had made to order food, a rarity in a lot of the Philippines. The food was really good for a change and for the right price.

Jakarta

Accommodation: Capsule Hotel Old Batavia

Duration: 1 Day

Most countries have one - a big, bad city that you don’t really want to visit but feel obligated to before leaving. For Indonesia, that city is Jakarta. Most people we met did not have great things to say about the city of 30 million. We heard that it was congested, dirty, and without much to see. Either way, we had to fly out from there, so we made a day of it.

We took the train from Jogjakarta to Jakarta (you can buy the ticket the morning of). It was an extremely pleasant ride, particularly in executive class - the upgrade is well worth the extra few bucks. The ride took about eight hours. There were not many people in our car, so we had plenty of room to stretch out. We spent our time writing, talking, and staring out the window at the beautiful Indonesian countryside. Before we knew it we were in Jakarta, barely ready to get out of our very comfortable seats.

There are thousands of taxis weaving and honking their way through Jakarta. It’s tough to know which cab will drive you in circles on a rigged meter and which will get you where you want to go. After some research we learned that Blue Bird is the most reputable. They are known to be fair and to monitor their drivers. If you’ve read our other blog posts, you have heard our stories about scammy cab drivers.

It was difficult to find a reasonably priced hostel in the city, but after some searching Vanessa pulled through (as she always does) and found a funny little hostel in a back alleyway towards the central region of metro Jakarta. It was the first room of our entire trip that had no windows whatsoever. We could have slept for days.

With under 24 hours in town, we decided to keep our adventures relatively local to where we were staying.

Things to do in Jakarta

The National Monument (Monas)

A long and sweaty stroll brought us to the National Monument (Monas) - a surprisingly tall structure set in the middle of a desolate concrete park. The monument is a symbol of the struggles that Indonesia has endured as a country. It was fairly uninteresting, and the heat from the sun and concrete did not help.

Istiqlal Mosque

This was my first time in a mosque. The Istiqlal Mosque is the second largest in the world, second only to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Upon arrival we were guided to the only air-conditioned room in the building (which was also locked) where the tourist office was located. We took off our shoes and were given large robes to cover ourselves. The structure felt like something out of a sci-fi movie. Its shape, size, and flow were unique. We happened to be there during Ramadan, but between services. Inside the main prayer room were hundreds of people chilling and napping. The room, however, looked quite empty considering the capacity for the mosque is 200,000 people. Our tour guide spoke little English, but we were able to get some amount of info from him. As we left the mosque, we noticed the grand, neo-gothic Jakarta Catholic Cathedral just across the street, a physical embodiment of the religious tolerance that Indonesia embraces.

Grand Indonesia Mall

After a long day of walking in the scorching heat, we decided to hop in a Blue Bird Taxi and head over to the famous Grand Indonesia Mall. Jakarta is known for its malls, and The Grand Indonesia is the grandest of them all. In Asia, most major cities have a magnitude of impressive shopping malls. Often times these structures seem to be a refuge for the population; a place to escape from the difficulties of life and to enjoy a clean and cool public space with stores and restaurants from all over the globe. It is seriously a transformative experience to walk off the hot and dirty streets into a sterile and upscale environment.

The mall consists of two separate buildings connected by a multilayer walking bridge. We took our time enjoying the air-conditioning and pretending that we could afford what was in the stores. Obviously we couldn’t resist getting food at one of the many alluring restaurants, so we grabbed some spicy chinese noodles at a fancier than usual (for us) spot.

We made the most of our one day in Jakarta. It is not an easy city to navigate and requires heavy use of public transportation (or taxi). It’s busy, dirty, and without a ton to do. That being said, I don’t think that we are qualified enough to make any judgement on whether or not it is worth visiting. But, as a rule of thumb, we think it’s always important to spend at least a day or two in each country’s largest city. It helps to provide an idea of how a huge portion of the country’s population lives and a strong point of contrast when you are visiting the small rural villages.

Jogjakarta, Indonesia

Accommodation: Neo Hotel

Duration: 3 days

Jogjakarta is the cultural capital of Indonesia. It is a medium sized city that is spread out over a large area. There are few high rises, and day to day life is fairly traditional. Many Indonesians love Jogja for its tradition and history which brings a lot of local tourism to this central Javanese city.

Our flight from Bali (Denpasar Airport) left at the crack of dawn, landing us in Jogja just after sunrise. We were groggy and hoped that our hotel would let us check in early. That didn’t happen. Neo hotel wanted to charge us an additional 50% of a night’s stay for early checkin…bullshit. That meant we had to wait until 2pm for our room. It worked out however, as it forced us to get out to see the early morning action.

We made our way over to one of the many markets, conveniently located just around the corner from our hotel. We rarely have the pleasure of wandering a market so early in the morning. Generally, the first hour or so after opening is the most exciting time. People flood in to get the first pick of the day’s meats and produce. We were hungry and knew that there had to be some type of morning soup hidden in a corner of the market. Our travels taught us well, and before we knew it we were sitting down in front of a dirty little soup cart. We had no idea what we were ordering, and just assumed it was noodle soup. To our surprise it was actually rice soup, something we hadn’t seen much of during our time in Southeast Asia. The savory soup was just what we needed. We slurped it down as we took in the sounds, sights, and smells of the bustling market.

There were a few spots that we wanted to check out in the city proper. We had time to kill before check in so we made our way out for the day with a plan. As we made our way to the Sultan’s Palace, we stopped to take a look at our map. A nice man asked if we needed help. He explained to us that there was some sort of show going on outside the temple (which we knew), and that it would be best to avoid it and go later in the afternoon. He mentioned that he is actually a performer at the palace, but was on a day off. He proceeded to ask us if we had the chance to see Batik (an ancient Indonesian art form using wax and dyes to create detailed paintings). We told him that we had not had the chance to see it yet. He proceeded to warn us that most of the Batik in the markets is fake (aka printed), and often overpriced. He told us about a Batik workshop, where students of all ages go to learn from Batik masters. A school where we could go watch the students practice their skills. On the map, he pointed out where the workshop was located and mentioned that it is the best place to get a genuine experience and buy authentic pieces. It sounded cool to us. He helped us get into a becak (a rickshaw of sorts with two seats being pushed by a bike or motorbike…this was before we had our motorbike).

There we were, cruising through the city, happy as ever to have met this man and find out about the Batik workshop. Finally the becak pulled down a quiet alleyway and pointed to a building. We walked over to find an unassuming gallery filled with Batik, but no kids. There were some other tourists browsing. A charming gentlemen welcomed us in. He told us that normally the shop is full with students, but that they were busy studying for school exams. Not to worry, there was a woman working on a Batik in the back corner of the gallery. The man walked us through each step, giving us a detailed explanation of the Batik process. He then told us to take a look around as he handed us a sheet of paper with prices on it. The pricing system was organized by letters, with each letter representing a price, the cheapest being A and the most expensive being ZZ. The price was based on the level of the student, but the most expensive pieces were those of the masters. There were thousands of pieces, all sloppily attached to cheap wooden frames. It seemed legit, and we were actually happy to spend a little more money for a real piece of art. We picked out a few, one for us, two for our parents. He told us that we had good taste, and that larger one that we picked out was actually by a famous Batik master who has had exhibits all around the world. He showed us pictures and an article about the man. We loved it, even happier to have a Batik that could actually be worth something. He had us, and we were ready to pay. I tried to negotiate a bit, but the man kindly explained that this is a real gallery and not a market and that the prices are fixed. Fine.

Before we knew it we had spent $80 USD on three pieces, WAY more than we’ve ever spent on anything in our 18 months of traveling. I guess we were just excited, and the Batiks were honestly beautiful. They conveniently took credit card, so we swiped the plastic and headed out with big stupid smiles on our faces.

We made our way towards the palace, but wanted to grab some food first. A young guy selling soup from a cart stopped to ask where we were from. He was giving us all sorts of tips about the city and also asked if we had gotten the chance to see any Batiks. We explained that we had just come from Ori, to which he replied “that’s the best place in town”. Cool, we went to the best spot. Still smiling, impressed by the friendly people of Jogja, we walked towards the market, where yet another guy approached us. He looked at me and pointed to my arm; “nice skin”, he said. An interesting pick up line. He walked with us for a while, asking us a few harmless questions. He explained that he is a math teacher from Java and that he is with he is on a class trip but had the day off to wander the city. The trip took him five days by bus, and would take another five days to return. We were shocked. He was a lovely guy, and again, we were smiling, amazed by our strokes of luck finding nice people with helpful tips. He asked if we had been to Borobudur or Prambanan yet, we said no. He explained to us that the temples charge nearly $15 USD to rent a sarong and that it made more sense just to buy one for the same price. It sounded hard to believe that the temples would take advantage of the visitors like that, and we had been to other temples where the sarongs are typically free. He said he would show us what we need to buy in the market. We walked with him until he lead us to a small sarong stand, he whispered to us that it should cost 200k (~ $15 USD) rupiah, no more no less, and then left. This sounded insanely expensive to us, so we decided not to buy anything, figuring there must be a better option.

We made our way over to the Water Palace and got a guided tour that cost no more than a small tip. It was an interesting tour of the previous Sultans’ summer palace, where he would swim and court young virgins. The guide was informative. We told him how nice everyone in Jogja was, and that we had met so many helpful people throughout the day. His response was short and ominous, “not everyone is so nice”.

That was that, we got back to our hotel, checked in, and took a long nap. Vanessa started to look up some stuff up about the Batiks. That was when the dreaded reality all came into focus. It was all a scam! There were dozens of stories identical to ours online, some even had pictures of the gallery. The name of the gallery varied from story to story, and we soon realized that the gallery changes their name often in order to avoid being exposed. The entire day flashed before our eyes. Everyone we met was part of it. We were like big stupid, smiling targets, giddy about our perfect day. Everyone we spoke to was a scam artist, they are all a part of what is known as the Batik Mafia. The Batik scam is the largest scam in Jogja…and almost everyone falls for it. The sarong scam is the second largest. The temples do, in fact, provide free sarongs. We felt like idiots. In our 18 months of traveling, we have never fallen for one scam. The two of us our so cautious and skeptical, but on that day we were played. To be honest, it was an amazing scam. The scam artists are never pushy, they are extremely charismatic and not suspicious at all. They are so far removed from the Batik gallery, that you would never think anything of it. The craziest part to me was that the guy that lead us to the “Batik workshop”, was on a pretty empty street over five kilometers away from the gallery. There were barely any other people on the street, let alone tourists. He was just helping us with directions, and gave us an innocent suggestion. It seemed impossible that we just happened to walk right into his trap. On top of that, we also learned that the becak driver was in on it to. They actually take a lower fare in order to avoid any hesitation on your part.

We were furious and felt like absolute idiots. The two of couldn’t stop talking about it as we slowly added up all the pieces from the day. We weren’t going to just let it go…and we didn’t. The next day we decided that we were going to march back in there and demand our money back (even though they have a sign that says “no returns”). Our plan was to cause a scene, and make sure that every tourist in there knew that the entire thing was a scam. That’s exactly what we did. We rented a motorbike and found the little alleyway. The main guy wasn’t there, but the lady handling the money was. We got right into her face, calling her out and telling her that we know that everything in the gallery was fake. To our benefit, the gallery was full of other tourists. Everyone was looking our way. The lady put up no fight at all, she just wanted to get us out as quickly as possible. She offered to give all but $10 USD back, claiming that it was the service charge for credit cards. That was not going to fly with us, we demanded every last penny. She quickly complied, telling us that it is no problem at all. Money in hand, we stomped out of the store, telling every single person about the scam on the way out. They lost a lot of money that day because of us, but unfortunately the scam will go on.

One of the main pulls for tourism in Jogja are the Borobudur and Prambanan temples. These temples are both located outside of the city, and in opposite directions of one another. My recommendation would be to rent a motorbike for the entirety of your stay in Jogja. It was so convenient to get around town and also gave us the freedom to explore the countryside on our journey out to the temples (not only that, but to hire a shared van/driver to ONE of the temples costs more that our motorbike did for all three days in Jogja). We took a back route to Borobudur, avoiding the main roads. The scenery was beautiful. For me, not much beats cruising down a country road, passing over rivers and through rice paddies and villages seemingly stuck in time.

*Buy the combined ticket for both Borobudur and Prambanan, it will save you a lot of money. If you have a student ID, entrance is half the price! Otherwise it is quite expensive.

Things to do in and around Jogjakarta

Borobudur Temple

This temple, built in the 9th century, is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. It is made of nine stacked levels. Each level is ornately decorated with detailed reliefs and Buddha statues. The top two levels house dozens of bell shaped, perforated stupas.

Luckily the temple was not busy when we were there. The views were stunning from the top level. The ancient architecture adds a stunning mystique to the surrounding greenery. We had a great time taking in the scenery and trying to capture the beauty on our cameras.

The best way to get to the temple is by motorbike (if you are comfortable riding one). Going through a tourist agency (shared van) was more than the price of our motorbike for all three days in Jogja. The ride takes about an hour and a half. We decided to take the scenic route. It was a stunning drive through the countryside past rice paddies, over rivers, and through villages.

Prambanan Temple

Prambanan is a Hindu temple compound built in the 9th century. It is structurally and stylistically much different than Borobudur, which makes sense given that it is Hindu and not Buddhist. It is the biggest Hindu temple in Indonesia and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia.

The compound consists of eight main temples, though there are dozens of smaller dilapidated temples and shrines surrounding the area, but most of them are just piles of rubble. Originally there were 240 temples in total.

The temples are well maintained and pleasant to walk in and around. It was a little busier than Borobudur, as there were many local tourists and quite a few school trips. There were barely any westerners. People were fascinated by us. We were like celebrities. I could feel the eyes on me. We had multiple groups ask to take pictures with us. The best one was a group of 30 school kids. We saw them looking and talking about us for a while, so we decided to engage. They were so excited. Many selfies were taken. I was able to capture the magical moment as well (pic above)!

The grounds actually contain a few other temple compounds as well. We took a stroll around the property away from the crowds. Not far away, we found the Sewu Buddhist temple. There was not a soul in sight, we had the entire place to ourselves as the midday heat started to fade away.

Visit a Market

There are many around town. The best time to visit is early in the morning when all the action is taking place. It’s the perfect place to grab a local breakfast as well.

Sultan’s Palace

We planned poorly and ended up not making it to the palace. It closes surprisingly early, so make sure you get there in the morning or early afternoon. Jogjakarta has the status of Special Administrative Region. It is the the only region in Indonesia under monarchy rule. The Sultan still has control over this part of the country, making a visit to the palace a part of living history.

Water Palace

The water palace was the Sultan’s old summer home. It is no longer in use, but made for an interesting visit. The structure houses multiple pools and entertainment rooms used by the Sultan to court young virgins for marriage. In the past the Sultan had up to 40 wives. We hired a guide to give us some explanation. It was definitely worth the few bucks that we tipped him.

Malioboro Street

This is the busiest street in Jogja. It is packed with cheap clothing stores, street food, and street vendors. The sidewalks were packed with people. There were a few food stalls serving food to dozens of people sitting on mats laid out on the sidewalk. When more people come they simply add more mats. This is the typical way to eat in Jogja. We were hungry so we decided to give it a shot. We ordered some gudeg (see below) and found a mat that we shared with a local dude. He knew little English but we were able to have a basic conversation with him and learned that he is from Jakarta but works in Jogja as a freelance photographer.

Restaurants in Jogjakarta

Jam Pedas Waroeng “SS”

This is definitely a town favorite. There was a location right next to our hotel and one or two elsewhere around the city. We ate here a few times while in Jogja. Once you sit down the waitress hands you a sheet of paper to fill out. We checked off a few dishes and ordered plenty of rice. The dishes are small but pack a ton of flavor. Everything we tried was delicious, and some of it really spicy. This style of eating is very popular in Indonesia. It is pretty ideal as you can try a ton of different different dishes. We ordered a lot, but it only came out to about $3 USD each time…most dishes only cost around 50 cents.

What to Eat in Jogjakarta

Gudeg

Gudeg is traditional Jogja food. It is made by taking unripe jackfruit and boiling it in palm sugar and coconut milk for hour. It is usually served alongside meat and rice. Its unique and delicious.

Salak (Snake Fruit)

In all of our travels we had never seen this fruit. Each piece is about the size of a small plum. The skin literally looks like snake skin. Once the skin is peeled off you will find three or four sections of sweet flesh. It tastes a bit like lychee but has a harder bite, like jackfruit. It is honestly amazing, one of my all time favorites.

Ubud, Indonesia

Accommodation: Nang Ade Villa

Duration: 4 days

After being beach bums on Gili T, we were ready for a change of scenery. We decided to head to a a town in central Bali called Ubud. Ubud is considered Bali’s cultural hub. There are a variety of art galleries, workshops, museums and temples. Ubud is made up of 14 villages, each self governed by their own community.

The central part of Ubud is sprawling with businesses geared towards tourism. Unfortunately this centralized congestion leads to heavy traffic, and a generally unpleasant experience. It’s best to avoid the center of town and instead, cruise down the back roads and through the surrounding countryside.

We stayed at Nang Ade Villa, it was about 15 minutes away from town and tucked down a very small side street. We rented a motorbike since we were located further away. The villa was brand new and perfectly quaint. There were only five rooms at the hotel so we often had the pool and property to ourselves. The view from our room was wonderful as it overlooked the picturesque rice paddies directly behind the property. The room itself was tastefully designed and comparable to some higher end resorts. As mentioned the hotel was further away from the center, resulting in a reasonable price of $30 per night.

Whenever we have the chance to rent a motorbike, we go for it. It’s the best way to explore a new area and get into the nooks and crannies that would be hard to find otherwise. Our days were spent riding down side streets and zig zagging along dirt roads without a plan (very chasing corners of us!).

Top things to do in Ubud

Tegalalang Rice Terraces

The rice terraces in Tegallalang village are stunning. The layered green paddies appear almost infinite, winding and climbing around every bend, edging the lush indonesian jungle. We walked further into the paddies to get away from the crowds that gathered near the front. As we voyaged deeper into the terraces, we stumbled across a few gatekeepers; locals who collect a “donation” from tourists so they can maintain the walkways and bridges that connect the terraces. The term donation is used lightly as it is not official or regulated. We ended up paying a few dollars (they wanted more) in order to keep going but we were told by the staff at the hotel that this was not mandatory.

Elan had seen a famous picture circulating around social media from Tegalalang, so we were on a mission to find the exact spot. After several twist and turns, we found it, perfectly illuminated by the mid-afternoon sun. The vibrant green terraces had smooth curves and defined levels with tall palm trees gathered right in the center. It looked like a fairy tale.

Sure, the terraces were touristy, but once we continued moving further in, we lost sight of other tourists and barely saw anyone else.

Pamper yourself with a massage

We decided to embrace Balinese culture and opted for a massage at Putri Bali Spa. The massages were really professional and affordable! In Ubud there are countless spas offering traditional massages, so finding one that meets your budget shouldn’t be an issue.

Campuhan Ridge Walk

Doesn’t the name sound appealing? The trail only takes about one hour (round trip) and it lives up to its name. We felt like we were following the yellow brick road as we strolled along a brick path that led us up and down rolling hills into the distance. We didn’t have an end destination so we just walked until we were ready to turn around.

*Karsa Cafe is located near the end of the trail and their website provides clear directions for finding the start of the ridge walk: http://www.karsaspa.com/location.html

Saraswati Temple

This unassuming temple is located next to the Starbucks in the center of town. The ancient temple is surrounded by ponds covered with lily blossoms. Very Balinese.

Sacred Monkey Forest

The monkey forest is Ubud’s most famous attraction. Visitors are able to walk along trails within the forest and observe the Balinese monkeys in action. I’m not a fan of monkeys, so I just stayed at a cafe while Elan explored. We had a traumatizing experience in Cambodia when we watched as monkeys tried to steal our GoPro then chase down a nearby tourist! Once monkeys are accustomed to humans, they are fearless. They steal things, climb on people and sometimes they will scratch and bite if they sense aggression.

As I sat at the cafe safely reading, a pack of ten monkeys started to swarm the cafe looking for food! The staff grabbed trays and anything else in sight and started banging them to deter the naughty monkeys. They quickly fled and I was able to breathe again. Elan came back unscathed and we both laughed about my ironic experience at the cafe.

Drive Down the Alley Next to Starbucks

It’s unfortunate that we need to keep using Starbucks as a landmark, but it works. On the opposite side of the Saraswati temple there is an unassuming road. We decided to take our motorbike for a ride. The road quickly became nothing more than a skinny dirt path that cut directly between enormous rice paddies. Eventually we parked and continued by foot, walking alongside farmers wrapping up their long day in the field. We ended up in the woods, balancing on a concrete beam next to a creek that supplied water to many of the nearby paddies.

Pura Tirta Empul

This temple was about a half hour drive from town. We always welcome an excuse to cruise in the countryside. On the way we found an awesome noodle soup spot, perfect after a hot ride in the midday sun. The temple is a Hindu Balinese water temple. The temple is famous for its holy spring water, where Balinese Hindus bathe for ritual purification. The bathing structure consists of over a dozen spouts providing an infinite flow of spring water. There were dozens of locals and tourists bathing when we arrived.

Top places to eat in Ubud

Taco Casa

MEXICAN FOOD! This place was a surprise. We read some reviews online but didn’t have high expectations. As Americans we have high standards for Mexican food so we didn’t want to get our hopes us. The restaurant was packed when we arrived and we actually had to wait. The food was indeed worth the wait. We each devoured our burritos in record time and agreed that it was delicious. Although we are always supporters of eating local food, sometimes you just need to satisfy your burrito cravings.

Warung Garasi

This Vespa themed restaurant serves cheap local food. Our dishes were made quickly, they were authentic and delicious. It’s a great spot for those on a budget.

*We made the mistake of going there at 8:30pm one night and they were already closed, so try to get there earlier in the evening for dinner.

Warung Bintang Bali

This restaurant was conveniently located near our hotel. They serve surprisingly delicious BBQ ribs and local food as well. The remote location gave the restaurant an intimate and relaxing vibe.

Warung Pondok Baug

We actually came across this restaurant as we were driving on our motorbike to find another restaurant named Sari Organik. We took one look at Sari Organik’s menu and realized it was a bit too pricy for us.

When we saw Warung Pondok Baug, we figured we would give it a try. The captivating views overlooking rice paddies drew us in. The food was good and the views were even better. It’s a great spot to have lunch and to let your mind wander.

Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Accommodation: Komodo Lodge and one night on a boat (via Komodo Blessings Office)

Duration: 4 days

After returning to Kuta/Legian from Gili T, we had no plan whatsoever. Indonesia is daunting, the size is overwhelming and the diversity from island to island is drastic. Some say that Indonesia is like 12 countries in one. We could have easily spent three months in the country.

Before arriving to Indonesia, I had some interest in visiting the more remote islands in the southeast. I had a hunch that getting down to an island as southeast as Papua would be way above our budget level. My assumption was right, but I didn’t want that to stop us from venturing away from central Indonesia.

While on Gili T, we heard about a four day boat trip to Komodo Island (to see the dragons). On the way, the boat supposedly stopped on a few other islands and included some stunning snorkeling spots. After reading some stories online, we learned that the boat situation was miserable and that almost the entire journey is spent moving. The trip was fairly expensive as well.

While we didn’t want to take this four day boat journey, the idea of traveling to the exotic Komodo Island and swimming in some of the best snorkeling spots in Southeast Asia was extremely enticing. With that in mind, we started scanning the internet for cheap tickets. We were unsuccessful in purchasing a domestic flight online (card was declined on a sketchy Indonesian aggregator) so we had to do it the old fashioned way, go to the airport and buy them in person.

Indonesian airlines are some of the worst in the world; they make up 30 of the 50 worst airlines in the world. Their safety standards are low, the pilots are forced into situations based on capital rather than safety, and they have been known to use low quality recycled parts for repairs. While we’ve been on our fair share of sketchy overnight busses, flying was not something that we were willing to compromise with. We decided to buy our tickets from Garuda Air, the only airline in Indonesia permitted to fly in European airspace. The price for peace of mind was $40 extra dollars ($80 for each ticket). Though, on the way back we ended up flying with the sketchy airline anyway (Lion Air)…and then flew with them again from Kuta to Yogyakarta (and we’re still alive!). A low price tag can do strange things to your judgement. To give you an idea of the safety statistics, here is a simple comparison: on an American airline the chance of dying is one in a twenty five million people while on a low budget Indonesian airline the chances are one in a million people…not too bad.

Our flight landed us in Labuan Bajo, a small town on the northwest corner of Flores. This area is still on the fringe of the backpacker/tourist radar (mostly due to its remoteness), though it is expected to blow up in the next decade or so. The town is pleasant enough, nothing to write home about. There is very little to see or do, but the locals are really friendly and there are some fun and cheap food options…plus, the sunsets are epic. The main street has dozens of small tourist offices (way over saturated considering the low number of tourists) trying to sell a range of different packages, most including Komodo Island but also a wide selection of diving trips (this part of Indonesia is one of the best diving areas in the world). Almost all of these agencies are third party and end up sending their clients on trips combined with other agencies. That being said, each office has very different pricing, so ask around and try to find the cheapest option, it does not mean that you are getting worse quality.

At first we considered doing one or two single day trips, but quickly realized that an overnight boat was the best option. It was the most cost effective and efficient option, plus sleeping under the stars on the roof of the boat was one of my most memorable experiences in Southeast Asia.

We ended up paying 850k IPR ($65 USD) each for a two day one night trip with all meals included. We purchased the trip through a tiny rundown office called Komodo Blessings. This is definitely one of, if not, the cheapest option in town.

On the morning of our departure we woke up early and walked to the office. The guy working the desk grabbed our snorkeling gear and walked us to the port. At the port we met our four shipmates for the following two days. The boat was an old push boat, with a seating area in the front and a very small cabin with four beds. The bathroom was a closet with a toilet and no running water. It was as basic as it gets, but the views were all we really needed.

The itinerary took us to all the best spots around the Komodo Archipelago. All the while, we enjoyed delicious food (cooked on board), terrific conversation, and stunning views from the roof and bow of the boat.

Here is a list of all the spots we hit up on our two day journey:

Rinca Island

Rinca is one of four islands where it is possible to see komodo dragons. Chances to spot these monsters are actually higher on Rinca than on Komodo Island. We approached the dock to a sign warning visitors of crocodiles in the water. Monkeys were loitering around the entrance. It was wild. We paid a steep entrance fee (valid for both Rinca and Komodo Island), and got assigned our mandatory guide.

We immediately spotted a baby komodo in a tree, it was the size of regular lizard (a few inches long), a funny introduction to the largest lizard in the world. The guide explained that the babies live in trees until they reach a certain size to avoid being eaten by larger komodos. We made our way towards the kitchen area (for staff and reporters/photographers/videographers on assignment). Next to the kitchen there were eight enormous dragons just hanging out. The guide said that they are attracted to the smell and emphasized that they do not feed them but, there are rumors that they do in order to draw them in for tourists. I was a little let down that our first glimpse of the komodo dragon was not in the “wild”. Either way they were intimidating and impressive. It was surreal to see them in person. We were warned to keep our distance as they have attacked tourists (and guides) in the past. Each guide had a large stick with two prongs on the end, to control the dragon by the neck or tail. Based on the guides’ body language it seemed that komodos are pretty unpredictable.

We continued on through the forest where we spotted a young dragon, somewhere in between the baby and the full size dragon. The guide then pointed out some of their nests hidden in the bushes. He warned us that chances of seeing the dragons on the remainder of the hike were slim to none as we left the wooded area and made our way up the exposed hills. He was right, but the rest of the hike was beautiful. He told us that we should have come in the morning and that he didn’t understand why the tours timed trips the way they did.

Komodo Island

After an extremely long boat ride and a short snorkeling session we made it to Komodo Island just half an hour before closing. I was pretty pissed that we didn’t have more time. It turned out successful nonetheless. We spotted two enormous dragons hiding in the bushes, the guide was even shocked. He spent some time feeding us facts as we gawked over the beasts and explained that these two komodos had just eaten that morning. They were extremely comatose and, based on the noises they were making, seemed to have some deer bones stuck in their throat. As we made our way back towards the beach, we finally spotted a komodo in action, aka, walking. It was exciting to actually see the way that the lizards waddle. Overall, it was a short but successful visit.

There were also dozens of wild boar and deer casually walking around, easy hunting for the massive lizards.

Komodo Facts:

On average male komodos measure 8.5 feet and weigh around 190 pounds, while females average 7.5 feet and weigh around 155 pounds.

They only live on four islands in the entire world, all located in Indonesia.

Baby komodos spend the first few years of their lives in trees to avoid predators, including larger komodos.

They reach maturity in 8 to 9 years and can live until 30.

Komodos are cannibals.

Their saliva has bacteria in it that allows them to kill their prey. They hunt down and bite their prey then stalk them for a few days until they slowly die.

Komodos are solitary creatures; however, after a single dragon kills its prey, many komodos will come and share the feast.

They are most active in the morning, afterwards they just chill in the shade.

Manta Point

The Komodo Archipelago is famous for its marine life. The diversity is vast, and among that diversity lives the gentlest of giants, the Mantaray. I didn’t really know what to expect, but whatever I did expect was destroyed by reality.

Manta Point is an unassuming spot in the middle of a large cove surrounded by a few uninhabited islands. The captain warned us that the current was extremely strong and that if we want to go into the water, we all need to jump in together so that the boat could come scoop us as a group. We saw some splashing from the boat (manta rays) and all jumped in. The boat shrunk in the distance as we got swept away.

Within minutes, my mind was blown. We spotted a group of four manta rays swimming below us, against the current. They were ENORMOUS! I had no idea. It really took me back for a second. The rays were far bigger than me (6’2’’); they were almost double my size both in height and width. Their bodies soared through the water like birds, their “wings” had a hypnotizing flow. At their front, they have a white grate-like mouth that allows them to pull in large amounts of water in order to maximize their plankton intake. In the back, they have an intimidatingly long and pointed stinger. We were told that they are absolutely harmless.

The next few mantas that we saw were closer to the surface. It was a more intimate experience and gave us a chance to see their features closeup. It was stunning.

Flying Foxes

The flying foxes (pteropus) are the largest bats on the planet. They live up to their name, resembling little flying dogs. While in Batambang, Cambodia we witnesses 1.8 million tiny bats leaving their cave during their daily hunt for food. This experience was similar, save the size and quantity of the bats. Instead of a cave, the flying foxes live in a small mangrove forest. The sun set behind the island hills as the glow from behind the horizon turned the soaring colony of bats into a beautiful silhouette of black wings.

We learned that this spot was where we would spend the night. After a surprisingly delicious dinner, we made our way to the roof to set up our beds. I was really pumped to sleep under the night sky, floating in the water, away from any light pollution. Not much gets me more excited than a sky full of stars. I popped in my headphones, threw on some Moby, and got lost in my thoughts under the Milky Way.

Kanaka Island

Kanaka island is ranked as one of the best places in Southeast Asia for snorkeling. With that kind of hype, I had high expectations. As the boat approached the island, we could immediately see how Kanaka got its reputation. The water was perfectly clear and blue. It was shallow and covered in active reef.

We jumped in the water and swam towards the beach. On the way we got an introduction the underwater scene. There were thousands of colorful fish swimming among the infinite and diverse coral. It was like swimming in a fish tank. Visibility was the best we’d ever seen. The experience was a great way to close out our two day wildlife adventure.

*You can stay on the island in a basic bungalow. The prices were a little steep for our budget, but nothing crazy.

The wildlife didn’t stop once we were back on the mainland. In our room at Komodo Lodge we got up close and personal with an intrusion of cockroaches. After seeing two big guys emerge from the sink, we sprayed every opening with the provided roach poison. It seemed like the right decision until a dozen or so more roaches erupted from the various drains and into our room, escaping a certain death. I spent the better part of the evening with a boot in my hand, crushing the bright futures of these pests.

Restaurants in Labuan Bajo

Blue Corner

This is a simple and extremely cheap local restaurant in the middle of the main street. They have a few tables and whip up some flavorful dishes on their one burner, gas stove. They had some of the best fried rice we’ve had on our entire trip through Southeast Asia.

Warung Mama

Warung means a small family shop, the word is typically used for restaurants across Indonesia. This spot had the traditional Indonesian spread of pre-made food. Like most Indonesian restaurants, you get a large plate with rice in the middle, then pay per portion of vegetables, fish, meat, tofu, tempeh, etc. There are always plenty of options. Warung Mama was fresh and reasonably priced.

Grilled seafood at the night market

This is the spot for fresh seafood. There are over a dozen food stalls set up along the street, each has their own own colorful display of local fish and seafood. Behind each stall are a few tables and a grilling area. We took a stroll, checking out the goods and asking for prices. Eventually we picked a nice sized Mahi Mahi for maybe $5 USD, it came with rice and vegetables. We watched as they grilled our fish to perfection. The fish was sliced in half and secured between two grates. It was painted in a dark sauce and flipped repeatedly over an open flame. This process was repeated many times until it was ready. I can honestly say that this was one of the best pieces of fish I had ever had. The sauce was a sweet and garlicky soy sauce, it seeped into every bite. We destroyed the fish with our hands, picking out every bite. We even returned the next night to meet up with a friend from the boat trip and her local friend.

Gili T, Indonesia

Accommodation: Puri Sayang Bungalows

Duration: 5 days

As our boat approached Gili T, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The translucent water was a perfect hue of blue, the gradient changing as it approached the white sand beaches. The Gili archipelago is a set of three small, remote islands. They are located near the larger Lombok Island but are also accessible by boat from Bali. The archipelago is made up of Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan (where we were staying). During recent years, the islands have seen an influx of visitors, those looking to escape the rowdier scene and mediocre beaches in Kuta and Legian.

Gili T is the most popular of the three islands. There are a wide range of restaurants and affordable accommodation. Even with the influx of visitors and increased development the island still has a rustic and laid back feel. A few dirt paths line the island and cars and motorbikes are prohibited. The only way to get around is by foot, on a bicycle or on a hired a horse drawn tuk-tuk. The main street runs parallel to the beach and is part of a full loop that runs around the entire island.

Our accommodation at Puri Sayang Bungalows was perfect. Our bungalow was newly constructed from beautiful teak wood and was lofted above the three other bungalows on the property. We had our own balcony that provided calming views of the town. The location was also ideal as it was only a five minute walk to the beach and three minute walk to the main street. The only downside was the loud prayers that came from the massive mosque around the corner from us. We were woken up at 5:45am everyday. Luckily I had my handy earplugs to drown out the noise.

Top things to do in Gili T

Snorkel

There are a number of rental stands along the main road. They rent out snorkel sets (fins, snorkels and goggles). The price is typically negotiable. We recommend snorkeling in front of Melati Bungalows. The situation was ideal, as there is no need to pay for an expensive boat to take you out. The reefs off of the beach is where all the underwater action takes place. We saw countless fish and even swam with a few sea turtles!

Elan and I had an amazing time swimming around looking for turtles. We spent hours in the water. It had always been a dream of ours to see them in their natural habitat. They were shockingly beautiful and surprisingly adorable. The way that they glided seamlessly through the clear blue water was magical. We saw approximately five turtles that day and couldn’t have been happier!

Turtle Hatchery

This is a great place to visit if you are interested in the conservation of sea turtles. It is far from anything official or scientific, but at least the locals are working towards preservation. They have some useful information posted on boards as well as some tanks that house baby turtles.

We saw a drunk tourist carelessly walk in and actually pick up a baby turtle. He was immediately yelled at by the staff. So, don’t do that. There are literally signs everywhere. People suck.

Party

No matter the time of day, there are always people with a beer in hand. During the day it’s laid back and at night a few of the bars have live music or a DJ. We had a few late nights jamming out and drinking beers on the beach.

Watch the sunset

The sun sets on the quieter side of the island (the west side, obviously). To get there, It’s possible to walk or rent a bicycle. The journey over is beautiful, taking you through the local villages and farms.The sunset was breathtaking, and it was nice to see the other side of the island.

Top things to eat on Gili T

Vegan food at Pituq Cafe

This spot was just around the corner from our bungalow, but we unfortunately had no idea about it until our friends messaged us about it after realizing that we were on Gili T. The meals were healthy, flavorful and surprisingly filling. The prices were reasonable too. We definitely would have eaten here more if we had known about it earlier.

Grilled street corn

On the main street there are numerous vendors selling grilled corn. Do yourself a favor and get one…or a few. The corn is grilled then brushed with some butter and seasoning. Every night we went into town with enough money for beer and corn, we called it our beer and corn fund. One night we ran out of money and actually walked back to our accommodation to get money. It’s seriously that good.

Cheap food at Ocean 2 Restaurant

This restaurant is packed every night presumably because of their cheap prices. A plate of pasta and a complimentary all-you-can-eat salad bar with soup costs $1.50. The deal was too good to pass up so we ended up eating there almost every night. It was a hungry backpackers dream.

Noodle soup stand

We found an unassuming soto ayam cart off the main street in front of Yoga Garden. Soto ayam is essentially Indonesia’s chicken noodle soup. It’s comprised of rice noodles, dense rice cake, shredded chicken, hard boiled egg, scallions and a light curry broth. Once our bowls were constructed, we just stood next to the cart and slurped up the hot soup in the hot sun.

The people in Indonesia are really friendly for the most part. Whenever they find out we are American, they immediately respond with an, “Obama!” and a huge smile. Obama lived in Jakarta for a few years when he was younger, therefore Indonesians feel a connection to him. From what we gathered, it seems that they believe that Jakarta played a pivotal part in his life and that his success is directly correlated to their country.

Another thing we have noticed about Indonesians is that they aren’t very flexible or accommodating when it comes to food. We came across problems when we tried to order food that was vegetarian for Elan. We both ordered soto ayam (noodle soup), I had one with chicken and Elan had one without chicken. The vendor refused to adjust the price although the chicken was omitted from Elan’s dish. On another occasion Elan had ordered gado gado from Ocean 2 restaurant. The dish’s staple items and sources of protein are tofu and tempeh. When he received the dish, there was no tofu or tempeh, just vegetables. We were then informed that they ran out of both items, so understandably we asked if the price would be adjusted since half of the meal was missing. Surprisingly, they told us that the price could not be changed. We actually argued quite a bit with them, but they would not budge. Elan and I were shocked and ended up walking away and not paying for the food based on principle. In other countries, we felt that they were far more understanding in situations such as this one.

If you enjoy snorkeling, beer and beautiful sunsets make sure to spend some time on any of the Gili islands. The island is undoubtedly touristy, but as long as you know that going into it, it will be enjoyable. We ended up extending our stay because we couldn’t fathom leaving!

Kuta/Legian, Bali, Indonesia

Accommodation: Puji House (Legian) and Manggar (Kuta)

Duration: In and out for 5 nights

Kuta and Legian acted as our hub for central Indonesia. These two beach towns are right next to each other, located on the coast of mid-eastern Bali. Denpasar Airport is the cheapest portal to any island within a two hour radius. Lombok and the Gili Islands are also an easy bus and boat ride away.

As a destination, Kuta and Legian are not where you want to be. Both towns are disgustingly overdeveloped. The main strips are packed with overpriced restaurants, chains, and tourist bars. The streets are crowded with overweight, drunk Australians on holiday. The locals are in your face, pushing bootleg products and tours. As a backpacker, it was a culmination of every evil that tourism brings.

I had been to Kuta years ago, as a young, party obsessed college student. Even then I was under impressed with the main strip in Kuta. With that in mind, we decided to stay in Legian on our first stint in the area. We stayed at a lovely hotel called Puji House. It was small, new, and family run. They had a nice pool and the price was reasonable. It was a 15 minute walk to the main street.

* Getting to Puji House from the airport is a short story worth sharing, if only to pass on a helpful travel tip. 

Scammy taxi drivers have been a recurring annoyance throughout our entire journey. We’ve learned a lot, and have generally avoided getting ripped off. Leaving Denpasar Airport is like entering a war zone. The cabbie attack is overwhelming. We gave our standard pleasant smile and moved past, knowing that there was a public bus to our hotel. A few persistent cabbies followed us around, negotiating with themselves, slowly dropping their prices. We politely denied as we made our way to the bus stop (within the airport). A shared taxi driver came by and asked where we were going, we optimistically told him, hoping the price would be reasonable enough skip waiting for the bus. The price was outrageous and we declined. He began explaining to us that the bus does not go to where we wanted, he even went so far as to ask other drivers around him, laughing with them as if to make us feel crazy for trying to take the bus (a common tactic). 

We stood our ground and waited, as he continued to try and convince us that we didn’t know what we were doing and that the bus was not going to come. Guess what, the bus came. As we boarded, he even tried to get the first word in with the bus attendant as if to get him to tell us that the bus couldn’t take us to our destination. I actually anticipated him doing this, so I immediately pushed my way on, interrupting the drivers attempt to sabotage us. The attendant was nice, and informed us that in order to get to our neighborhood we would simply have to transfer buses. It was so easy, and cost us each 50 cents. 

Bottom line, don’t believe anything that the cab drivers say, or at least be cautious (some are trustworthy). Some other scams include: lying about distance (saying that it is a different terminal than usual and that is much further and therefore more expensive), telling you that the place you are trying to go to is closed and trying to get you to go somewhere where they will receive commission, and, of course, rigged meters…but this is much harder to avoid (the best tactic is to take only reputable taxi companies, though not every city has these).

The main area of Legian was just as bad as Kuta…fail. Among all of the overpriced western restaurants we found, what seemed to be, the only local restaurant in the area. Warung Jogja was insanely cheap and was a good spot to sample the local food. This was where my gado-gado addiction began.

We made our way to the beach. It’s a really large beach so the crowds were dispersed. The water was super dark, almost black, which was surprising. It was unimpressive, but the waves were epic, the biggest I’d ever seen. We grabbed a few beers from one of the surf stands. The local surf instructors were chilling hard so we joined. They told us that the waves were the biggest they’ve seen all year, over ten feet high. Being the avid body surfer that I am, I had to give the waves a shot. I spent a couple hours in the water, I couldn’t get enough. The waves were the best I’ve ridden, not only were they enormous, but they crashed far from shore, providing a nice long ride every time. If anything, the waves made our time in Legian worth it.

Like I said, we were in and out of the Kuta/Legian a few times over the following weeks. We found the perfect hotel for our one night stands. Manggar Hotel was within walking distance from the airport, they also provided one free airport drop off per stay. It was the perfect situation, allowing us to easily stroll over to purchase tickets and also avoid taxis when returning to Kuta. It was minutes from the main strip and the beach. There was also a really good Indonesian/Chinese restaurant just minutes away called Warung Segar. The hotel was decent enough, the rooms were clean and there was a nice pool and good breakfast.

The bottom line is, do not come to Legian or Kuta for any reason other than transit, or surfing I guess.

Singapore

Accommodation: My Aunt and Uncle’s apartment

Duration: 5 days

Singapore is a tiny and shiny city state (formally known as the Republic of Singapore). It is located south of Malaysia and to the west of Indonesia. The republic is known for its economic strength, strict laws, sleek architecture, and top ranking education systems. Singapore was founded by Stamford Raffles in 1819 as a British colony and trading post.

The city offers an impressive selection of food. For an expensive city, finding a reasonably priced meal is surprisingly easy. There are hawker markets, food stands, and food courts around every corner where you can find a meal for $3 USD. There are also some of the best, most expensive restaurants in the world. Most culinary influence comes from Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China, and England. These individual cultures and others thrive together and offer an impressive showcase of Asia’s best cuisines. Both of us had a wonderful time walking through the streets, malls, and neighborhoods in search of our next meal. My Aunt and Uncle also introduced us to some new foods at some of their favorite spots.

With our small budget, the idea of visiting Singapore was a bit intimidating. It is often listed as one of the world’s most expensive cities. For example, a glass of wine at a bar costs $18 and one bed in a hostel dormitory costs $20-$30. Luckily, I have family there so we didn’t need to worry about booking pricy accommodation. My Aunt Lisa, Uncle Tom and cousin Kayla live in a gorgeous and spacious apartment located right in the center of the city. Elan and I were very excited to spend some quality time with them since we only see them once a year. Over the course of the five days, we actively enjoyed the city’s attractions, cuisine and insanely clean streets.

Top things to do in Singapore

Feast at a hawker market

Hawker markets are open air dining venues where dozens of hawkers (food vendors) serve a large variety of made to order food at a cheap price. We visited Newton Circus Hawker Centre. It was recently remodeled and looks a bit more upscale than some of the others around town. There was a large seating area, beer stands, and delicious food options. With the help of my aunt and uncle, we ordered a perfect combination of dishes. We tried stingray, black carrot cake, oyster omelette, chicken satay and roti with curry sauce.

We also visited the Tekka Hawker Centre in Little India (see below).

Visit the Marina Bay Sands

The Marina Bay Sands was completed in 2010. I’m sure you have seen the iconic pictures of the resort and infinity rooftop pool (world’s longest elevated swimming pool). The Marina Bay Sands is an entertainment megaplex, including a luxurious shopping mall, ice rink, theater, resort, casino, park, museum, and more.

*If you are planning to visit the casino, it is important to bring your passport. Foreigners are able to enter the casino free of charge while Singapore residents need to pay $100. The government believes that the high entrance fee will deter locals from gambling their life savings and pensions away. However, foreigners are free to gamble away!

Gardens by the Bay is a massive and futuristic looking outdoor park (250 acres). The grounds are meticulously maintained and there are plenty of walking paths. Within the park, there are conservatories and bio domes.

The Art Science Museum is located just outside the hotel. The museum hosts a range of temporary exhibits. We were there during the Future World exhibit (quite appropriate, since Singapore is basically a city from the future). It showcased interactive art, moving visuals, and concluded with a mind blowing LED light display that triggered a state of euphoria.

Walk around Little India

Little India is a unique and authentic neighborhood that is easily accessible by the subway. The neighborhood is also known as the backpacker area because most of the city’s hostels are located there. Once we stepped out of the clean subway station, we found ourselves in a very polarizing situation. The streets were crowded, no longer so sterile and the architecture was very different (low rise colonial buildings).

We made our way to Tekka Hawker Centre (near the Little India MRT stop) and found large groups of Indian men eating and drinking extra strong beer. We later found out that Sunday’s are extra busy in Little India because that is typically a day off for blue collar workers. We found a empty table in a corner and each of us took turns picking out an Indian dish to order. While we were eating, we noticed some small scuffles break out between groups of men. Some even trying to pick a fight with the cops. It seemed like business as usual for Little India on a Sunday evening.

After a short stroll we purchased beer and found a seat near an apartment complex. Several minutes later a police officer approached us and told us that public drinking on Sundays are illegal in Little India. In every other part of the city, public drinking is allowed until 10:30pm everyday. We apologized and he politely asked us to finish up the beers and reassured us that we weren’t in trouble. Before we were approached, we actually felt like we were being watched…big brother style. In Singapore the rules are very strict and the residents tend to abide. If we had to guess, there were probably CCTV cameras surveilling the apartment grounds; that, or residents tattled on us.

In 2013, riots broke out in Little India and many believed alcohol consumption played a key role in the unprecedented violence. Soon after, the government changed the drinking laws and prohibited public drinking in Little India from Saturday to Monday because it is considered a high risk area.

Mustafa Center is worth visiting while in Little India. It is an enormous and hectic 24 hour mall that sells everything under the sun. The place was bustling with people at 9pm on a Sunday night. It’s a one stop shop for everything and anything you could imagine; clothing, home goods, medicine, food, electronics, etc.

Walk along the Singapore River

There is a pedestrian path along the river that provides a stunning view of Singapore’s most photogenic buildings and attractions. You can find the Merlion Park, Esplanade (also known as “The Durian”), Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands all within walking distance.

Party in Clark Quay (or watch people party because it’s too expensive)

Clarke Quay is best described as an adult playground. It’s a covered outdoor area with countless trendy bars, clubs and restaurants. Since we are on a tight budget, we purchased beers from a trusty 7-11 and joined others drinking on a pedestrian bridge near one of the entrances to Clark Quay.

We also stumbled across an Initiative office (Elan’s former employer) randomly within Clark Quay. Elan had spotted it and we couldn’t believe our eyes! In our tipsy state we discussed how spotting the Initiative office felt like a sign…maybe we should look for jobs in Singapore?

Jurong Bird Park

The bird park is a fun attraction for both adults and children. We went because my cousin Kayla is very interested in birds. We had a great day watching demonstrations and even fed some parakeets.

Top things to eat in Singapore

Chili Crab

Singapore is (rightfully) famous for its chili crab. The crab is stir fried in a flavorful and spicy chili sauce and left in the shell when served. We recommend going to Jumbo Restaurant for a delicious and messy chili crab experience.

* The pepper crab is also delicious

Laksa

A spicy noodle soup made with shrimp, coconut milk and spices.

Soon kueh

A starchy and chewy wrap that is filled with bamboo, turnip and dried shrimp.

Soft boiled eggs and kaya toast

This is the signature Singapore breakfast. It is comprised of a soft boiled egg that is cracked with a spoon then poured into a bowl. Depending on your preference, soy sauce and white pepper can be added to enhance the flavors. To compliment the savory egg, kaya jam (coconut based) is spread on toast and served on the side.

Fried Black Carrot Cake

This is not like American Carrot cake. It is neither made with carrots nor really a cake. The word in Chinese for radish can also be translated to carrot (literal translation: ”red radish”). It’s made with eggs, preserved radishes, and white radish flour cake. Molasses is often added to add a sweet element to the dish. The ingredients are fried up in a pan and served hot. Carrot cake is most popular at the hawker markets.

Oyster Omelette

A delicious Asian omelette cooked with juicy oysters. This dish is also often found at the hawker markets, usually at the same stand as the carrot cake.

BBQ Sambal Stingray

We also ordered this dish at the hawker market. If we hadn’t gone with my family, we would have had no idea that this was such a specialty. The stingray was mild and flaky and the sauce on top added a tangy bite. Surprisingly delicious.

Hokkien Mee

Singapore’s signature fried noodle dish. Usually made with prawn, fishcake, squid and pork fat.

Durian puff

These unassuming pastry puffs are filled with the infamously pungent durian! My aunt bought a box of these for us to try. I was raised eating durian so the taste and intense smell do not bother me. For Elan, the experience was not as enjoyable. The spiky fruit has a custardy interior that has a very pervasive smell. The smell is so pungent that it’s banned from most hotels and public transportation. (If you watch Bizarre Foods, the durian is one of the only things that Andrew Zimmern cannot eat).

Our stay in Singapore was really special. I loved being able to spend time with my family and get a glimpse into their lives in this iconic city. The city was so drastically different than most of the other destinations we’ve visited. Between the comfort of family and the modernness and cleanliness of the city, our few days were a luxurious vacation from our usual backpacking ventures.

Railay, Thailand

Accommodation:

Duration: 3 days

While in Koh Lanta we were trying to figure out what to do with our final few days in Thailand. We were flying out of Krabi and didn’t want to stray too far. Strategically, Railay made sense as it was only a short ferry ride away from Krabi.

We had heard decent things about Railay. The fact that it is only accessible by boat and that there are no cars was enticing to us. It is not an island, but is naturally secluded due to the massive rock faces surrounding it.

Railay is best described as a small tourist village. There is a cove on the east and west side of town. The western cove is where the swimming beach is. Small walkways connect everything. It takes less than ten minutes to walk from one side to the other. There are a range of accommodation choices from five star resorts to bungalows, though there are no true budget options. We luckily got the last room at one of the cheapest places in Railay. The place is called Railay Garden View Resort and is located in the southwest corner of town. The property has bungalows perched on a hill overlooking the water. The property was beautiful and the bungalows were rustic but well kept. However, there was no A/C (it was over 100 degrees fahrenheit every day). Luckily during the offseason the bungalows are half the price, otherwise we probably wouldn’t have been able to afford Railay at all.

Personally, I thought Railay was a little bit too touristy. The town is loaded with small resorts, mediocre restaurants, tourist agencies, and bars. Many bars have signs outside advertising “happy smoke” or a “free ticket to the moon”, alluding to weed and mushrooms respectively. High budget travelers mosey around enjoying their holiday over an overpriced cocktail and pizza…not quite our scene.

On our first day, we got to the beach in the late afternoon. The sunset and scenery were beautiful but the water looked murky and there were a lot of boats parked along the shore. Thankfully, the next day we returned in the afternoon to find crystal clear turquoise water and silky sand. The massive rock faces on either side of the coved beach added a regalness to the scene. On our walk home we saw an enormous pack of monkey’s playing in a nasty pool of water. There must have been over a hundred of them.

Would I recommend coming to Railay? Meh, probably not. It was fun enough, but there are so many places that I would choose first. There is one nice beach…where everyone goes, and on top of that, the entire town seemed to be fabricated for tourism.

Where to eat in Railay

Like I said, most of the restaurants in Railay are mediocre and overpriced. Though, I’m sure if you’re willing to spend a little money (aka more than us), you could find a few better options. We did however find two gems, where we ate at all three days.

The Last Bar

This was our spot, an anomaly in a sea of overpriced and mediocre restaurants. Their noodles were delicious and only a couple bucks, and their beer was as cheap as in the minimart. On top of that, this was the closest restaurant to our bungalow. We obviously were not the only people who appreciated this spot, they were pretty packed every night. They have a huge outdoor property, complete with a Muay Thai ring in the middle, and a small stage/DJ area to the side.

As if we weren’t already satisfied, they also had live music almost every night. This was not just any run of the mill, off key, Asian cover band. They had the star of the Railay, and maybe all of Thailand. This jacked Thai dude was one of the best singers/guitarists I have ever heard (no joke, ask Vanessa). We were seriously blown away on the first night, and so was everybody else. On the second night, it was fun to watch everyone’s initial reaction when he began to sing. He drew in a nice sized crowd. I don’t know what he’s still doing playing this type of gig, but he should undoubtedly get onto America’s Got Talent or something. On our second night we stayed later, only to discover that the entertainment did not stop with the singing. After his set, he was joined by a six year old boy and an older guy. The three of them proceeded to put on a ridiculous EDM fire show to close out the night.

One Stop Takeaway Shop

This is definitely one of the most popular spots on the island. It is the perfect place to pick up lunch to bring the beach. They have all sorts of delicious wraps for around $3 USD.