Overlanding Java with child

Hi

Wondering if anyone can give me any advice about travelling in Java with my 7 year old.

Do you know of any kinda budget tours to bring us from Jakarta to Bali, obviously ones that allow kids.

Planning to travel in July.

Also want to take a flight between Bali and Jakarta on way home. Which airlines are most competative?

Thanks in anticipation

K

Overlanding Java with child

Do you want to know information about overland tour from Jakarta to Bali?

Usually, the trip like this will take approx 1 week until you reach Bali (but normally most tour operator will go Java-Bali-Java all overland). However, you can always ask the tour operator to give you quotation for your specific tour. You can contact local tour operator in Jakarta such as Bayu Buana www.bayubuanatravel.com or Dwidaya Tour www.dwidayatrave.com Give them a call as email communication is often took ages to reply.

For your flight from Bali to Jakarta, there are quite a number of airline serving this route. As there are 2 terminals at Jakarta airport, if you intend to connect the domestic flight to your flight home, taking national carrier Garuda Indonesia is highly recommended as it is the only carrier operating from international terminal. www.garuda-indonesia.com (However, internet bookings can only be done if you have Indonesia-issued credit card, but you can buy through telephone or call their London office).

Other airlines serving Bali to Jakarta using domestic terminal (Terminal 1). You need to hop the shuttle service if you want to connect to Terminal 2 (for all international flights). All of these airlines are considered budget carrier (but don%26#39;t worry, it%26#39;s not as budget as Ryanair where they make you pay for everything). All these can be booked online.

Here%26#39;s the list from the most reliable and comfortable ones:

1. Mandala Airlines www.mandalaair.com (pretty good, but only 1 or 2 daily flights; 1 non-stop and 1 with 1 stop)

2. Lion Air www.lionair.co.id (okay, but some fleets are MD80s, pretty much like Spanair, several daily flights)

3. Batavia Air www.batavia-air.co.id (okay, 2 daily flights, mixed fleet of 737s and 320s)

4. Air Asia www.airasia.com (frequent delays especially for afternoon %26amp; evening flights, 4 daily flights, fares are sometimes really cheap but not good if you have tight schedule -- consider the delays, oh this one is similar to Ryanair, pay for food, baggage, seat selection, seat pitch really not generous).

Normally, these domestic airlines always have promotions and usually you can get promotional offer if you book 1-2 months in advance except if they have certain celebratory offer (such as free seats, usually 6 months in advance).

P.S. Bali airport is also known as Denpasar Ngurah Rai airport

Overlanding Java with child

Hi there

Thankyou so so much for taking the time to respond.

Yes, I%26#39;m planning going from Jakarta to BAli overland.

Lots of info to work with!

Thanks

Kathryn

Hi Kathryn,

Its easy and safe to travel with your child through Java. A good itinerary would be to spend a day in Jakarta.

Your son will enjoy Ancol ( a huge amusement park ) and Kidzania. Kidzania is a minitiaure town built kid%26#39;s sized with lots of activities. Its a little expensive( abt Rp 100 000) but well worth the splurge.

If you are watching the bottom line, take the public express bus up to Puncak. There are good walks around, a lovely waterfall and a superb Botanical Gardens. There is also the Taman Safari which can easily fill up the day with its drive through exhibits, animal shows and kiddie rides.

From Puncak, there are lots of buses that will take you to Bandung in about 2 hours. Bandung is strawberry farm country, has an easy volcano to get to ( Tangkuban Prahu) and lovely hot springs at Ciater. There are Sundanese puppet performances and angklung performances.

Its an overnight train ride ( 10 hours) to Jogja. The main highlights there are the Prambanan and Borobodur temple complexes.

If he is tired by now, you may want to consider flying to Denpasar. Most travelers travel on to Mount Bromo before gettng to Bali. It is a long ride by road although you can break your journey in boring Surabaya or lovely Malang.

There are lots of cheap tickets on flights from Bali to Jakarta. Lion Air is popular although there are some safety issues. You can get a local tour agent to book the flights if the booking engine at the airlines will not accept your credit card (as it does sometimes). The guys at www.itravelindonesia.com are very accomodating. Good luck.

Thanks so much for that advice. All taken on board.

Think Ancol is a must with my son before we set off on some long roadtrips!! as I%26#39;m not going to Java wihtout going to Bromo. I%26#39;ve heard its a highlight. He%26#39;s a pretty good little traveller though.

Thanks for your time

All Java Overland tour programmes include visit to Bromo mountain. Usually, you%26#39;ll need to wake up past midnight then take a trip climbing the mountain (some might get nauseous as the road is dirt path and a bit rocky), and you%26#39;ll be in Bromo just in time to see sunrise. It%26#39;s quite beautiful and you can rent a horse for you and your kids to ride.

Taking public bus to Puncak and Bandung as suggested by previous reviewer is definitely not recommended for foreigners especially travelling with small kid. This is 100% different experience than taking nice and comfy A/C coach in any European countries. Taking public bus in Indonesia for tourists, is only recommended for backpackers and certainly since you will be travelling with yr 7 y.o. I am sure you are not fall into this category. Renting a car in daily basis with driver is the most recommended solution. The rate also is not too expensive at all by any western standard. yet, you has all the luxury to hop in/out along the way from Jakarta to Bandung and stopping by at Safari Garden, Tea Plantation, Bogor Botanical Garden etc.

You can check www.bluebirdgroup.com for yr car rental solution

Totally agree with verdims. Traveling by public buses in Indonesia is highly NON-recommended for foreigners due to bus sanitary conditions, overcrowding, overall bus technical conditions, bus drivers reckless behavior on toll roads etc.