Indonesia Itinerary Suggestions ?

[jglauds]

Hi:

We have a 44' cat, currently in Cairns, AUS, and plan to leave for Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand after cyclone season.

We need to specify the islands/groups we'll be visiting in Indonesia for our cruising permit, and I'd love any sample itineraries from fellow cruisers. We plan to spend 3 months, and would like to visit the Banda Islands at a minimum.

Many thanks for any/all ideas!

/jon

[ozskipper]

Great story in the Dec2010 Cruising Helsman on indo. It would be worth grabbing a copy.

I havent done any of Indo except for Bali, which is culturally different to just about every other part. But one tip I have heard is to take along trinket gifts for village kids etc. Some people take cheap T's from lowes Best less etc. My mother used to take little tin/gold kangas and koalas etc. You can usually get them from the $2 shops.

Keep us posted.

Cheers
Oz

[svBeBe]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Great story in the Dec2010 Cruising Helsman on indo. It would be worth grabbing a copy.

I havent done any of Indo except for Bali, which is culturally different to just about every other part. But one tip I have heard is to take along trinket gifts for village kids etc. Some people take cheap T's from lowes Best less etc. My mother used to take little tin/gold kangas and koalas etc. You can usually get them from the $2 shops.

Keep us posted.

Cheers
Oz

Women approached our boat in small canoes and begged for lipsticks and bright red nail polish and books for small children. The kids begged for treats of any kind. The men begged for cigarettes mostly; some asked for beer (which we did not give). We opted to give the men small size fish hooks instead.

It got to the point that every anchorage was like "trick or treating" on Halloween. The locals would paddle out and ask for all kinds of things and settle for whatever they could get. This got old very quickly and we were glad to leave Indonesia.

FWIW, Bali was great!! Would return there any time the opportunity presents itself. Cleared ourselves in and never a hint of a bribe wanted by any officials. But visiting the islands with the komodo dragons and orangutans was of no interest to us. Have those in the zoo back home and can see them there without being eaten alive by insects. Other loved going up the rivers and hiking through the jungle.

Hope you enjoy your time in Indonesia.

Judy
S/V BeBe

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by svBeBe

Women approached our boat in small canoes and begged ....The kids begged........ The men begged..... for cigarettes mostly; some asked for beer (which we did not give)....

It got to the point that every anchorage was like "trick or treating" on Halloween. The locals would paddle out and ask for all kinds of things and settle for whatever they could get. This got old very quickly and we were glad to leave Indonesia.

Hope you enjoy your time in Indonesia.

Judy
S/V BeBe

Yep. That sounds like Indonesia. They have learned that it works for them.

[lorenzo b]

If you like to dive, Manado is fabulous as is Irian Jaya. The Banda Islands were our favorite. Wonderful people, great food, and breathtaking islands.

[btrayfors]

Hi, Jon...

Glad to hear you made it to Oz and are headed for new adventures in Indonesia.

I began my sailing in Indonesia over half-century ago, with a heavily built teak 18-foot sloop. It was a foot longer than my age! Sailed to many of the islands off of Djakarta, where I was then living with my parents. Here's a pic of my engineless boat, Vagabond, headed toward Damar Besar (Big Light) island in 1957. You can just make out the lighthouse near the left end of the island.



My suggestion to you would be to: (1) enjoy the incredible cuisine of Indonesia as well as the wonderful people; and (2) learn a bit of Bahasa before you go. Jennifer could pick it up quickly...the words are pronounced exactly as they look and much as they would be in Spanish. A little facility with the language will open many doors for you.

Best to you and Jennifer.

Selamat djalan.

Bill

PS: have you used the sextant and/or the dipole yet??

B

[MarkJ]

Have a look at the Sail Indonesia website for their itinerates of their past rally’s and the list of cruisers websites.

Indonesia is an extremely difficult place to cruise. They really have no concept of tourism or cruising. You are looked upon suspiciously by the authorities and a vast open wad of cash by everyone else. The stealing rip offs that is cruising there in their rubbish strewn archipelago make it a pain in the damn neck. (Bali is different as its tourist savvy - still try to rip off cruisers though!)

However, forewarned, and if you are extremely intrepid, Indonesia is the new frontier of cruising.

Try Tual 005 38 S 132 44 E its close to Banda. The islands in between all look beautiful. Banda is too cute for words and you are right to have that on the list!

Ambon is interesting but only to show you how the locals treat the environment - All town rubbish is stuffed into plastic bags and shoved into the bay!

Kumi in Borneo for the Orangutans. Its a rip-off but one you will be delighted to pay. Negotiate well


Beware: There is NO rainforest in Borneo anymore. Its all been cut down. The fragments that still exist are just that. Fragments. There is a bit left in the north... but all that is destined to be converted to oil Palm too.



At least their girls know what a REAL man looks like!

[beau]

I hope to cruise from Thursday island, Australia and check into Indonesia at Meurake, Irian Jaya before Tual, Banda, Ambon etc.

Is it possible to check in at Meurake?

[Teremoana]

In about 1991 I spent three months going from Darwin to Mindanao. I saw one or two other yachts.

List as many places on your cruising permit as possible. I basically copied the table of contents of the BA Pilot, which was approved by Jakarta. Use an agent for the application.

Learn some Bahasa, which is not too difficult a language.

At the time, it was very rare to encounter anyone with much fluency in English. Dutch was actually a more common European language, but I expect that had more to do with the Moluccan's close relationship to Holland.

The Bandas are very worthwhile.

[malukusailor]

After 21 years cruising among these islands I can see where most of the comments are coming from, but it is sad that those on a headlong rush through Indonesia feel most qualified to pass judgment on what is as one post said, 'frontier cruising'. I thought thats the reason we came? I expect Disneyland offers better value for money, don't know, because probably never go. Too busy looking looking for Dragons on their home zoo at Komodo and Rinca Islands. Back to the original post, more yachts are enjoying the eastern islands inc Banda and Ambon ,where you can checkin to Indonesia, on to the northern spice islands of Ternate and Tidore ,a short run over to Menado and the diving in the Bunaken national park, over the top of Borneo to Kota Kinabalu and the marina at Sutera Harbour. Just an idea, and Sail Maluku will assist with all paperwork inc C.A.I.T. and Customs bond. Indonesia isn't hard, just slow down. Oh and yes , do learn a few words of Bahasa, people the world over love it when you make a effort.
Feel free to email or PM for any further info.

[surfmachine]

Ahoy Jon.
Put every island on your itinerary, all the main ones, plus any others that you dont even think you may go to, there is plenty of room on the CAIT for the list!

Indonesia is still a third world country, no potable water, rampant corruption!

I spent 6 months in Sumatra last year, on the islands off of the west coast and loved it! People are lovely, but the officials treat you as a floating ATM!!!

Plus, there are many "free lance" officials that will try it on for the bite. No need for gifts, except a smile and conversation?

Be absolutley sure of your correct CAIT and social visa and resist all attempts at bribery, even if they get the cuff links out and brandish an M16, like they did to me in the Banyak Islands. All smiles afterwards and bye byes from the official who said his name was Elvis Presley, when pressed for ID!!

It's real exploration sailing, never move at night or in periods of low visibilty anywhere near land. Radar, radar and radar..... is the only thing that is a worthwhile aid. The chart plotters are way out in the remote regions.

Fair winds from Keith.

[jglauds]

Hi Bill -- sorry for delay! Thanks for nice note and fond memories; my Dad was born in Indonesia and spent his teen years in a concentration camp (!) ... so I look forward to visiting for lots of reasons ... all is well -- have used the sextant on a learning basis, teaching others the fine points of a noon site ... and the dipole works fine but have not used it except to test since shroud antenna works so well.

Thanks for everything, and hope you are well!

/jon