Travel Review: Tour of Bali & Indonesia, Java, Kalimantan, Yogyakarta, Prambanan, Mt Bromo, Rice Fields, Snorkeling, Music, Art

Each part of Indonesia brought special pleasures with it!  We sought a combination of outdoor experiences (seeing the orangutans, snorkeling, hiking the volcano at night to see sunrise, rafting), cultural experiences (experiencing gamelan and dancing, visiting art museums, visiting temples), and everyday life (visiting local markets, seeing the uniquely cultivated rice fields in Bali, visiting local villages).  All of these experiences together enriched our trip and made it special.  

Knowing it was all pretty wonderful,  I won't forget my time with a double ikat weaver exploring not only her weaving but fabrics that she had from other family members and friends and colleagues throughout Indonesia.  I loved hearing the history of each piece of fabric and selecting some to take home.  Likewise, we really enjoyed the music experiences- ranging from visiting a small village to hear the local men's gamelan to hearing professional gamelan players in Ubud.  

I also won't forget our time on river and land in Kalimantan.  Seeing the orangutans was a highlight but the time on the houseboat and river itself was also very special- many great monkeys, birds, flowers and trees.

In Yogyakarta, the experiences of Prambanan and Borobudur were profound.  We also experienced the beginning of Ramadan while we were in Yogyakarta, which allowed us to hear not only the call to prayer but ongoing prayers as these are broadcast to the broader community throughout Ramadan.

This was all enhanced by the beautiful, special and luxurious accomodations which all featured wonderful rooms, appealing properties, and fantastic service. I only wish we had more time to have spent enjoying these.

Finally, we were able to have a full range of Indonesia food, including eating at a restaurant in Ubud (modern European meets local creative chef), enjoying warungs in which we were the only non-Indonesians present, and savoring afternoon tea at our various hotels. 

As you can see, it is impossible to isolate just one or two aspects of the trip- while we had a limited time, and there is so much more of Indonesia to see, experience, and understanding-- the trip was compelling as a whole.