Indonesian cruising permit or not?

[ahun]

The price increase idea didn't go down well with the locals. Every business went on strike, and they announced, anyone who tries to break the strike will have their business burnt down. So, we will see what's next. As for the environmental damage, not sure who is worse, the locals catching the last finger size fish out of the sea and throwing bags and bags of plastic rubbish into the sea, or the tourist.

[wingssail]

I would follow the rules. We didn't in 2010 (unintentionally) and wound up in some trouble.

When we visited Indonesia in 2010 the CAIT cruising permit process was in force. We obtained one while in Langkawi. Now there is a newer process, the Yacht Electronic Registration System. Information on this system is available on Noonsite. A VISA is also required.

We did understand that Indonesia required a VISA but we understood that we could obtain a visa on arrival.

We sailed to an Indonesian port of entry on Sumatra Island and anchored. Calling on the radio we were instructed to bring a boatload of very polite, uniformed, officials, to our boat (I ferried them in the dingy). Everything was fine until they asked for our Visas. Turned out that Visa on arrival was only available at an international airport. We went to shore and reported to the Port Captain. The next thing we knew we were in the back of a big black SUV going we had no idea where. At some other facility they put us in a room and shut the door. Then they told us we were in the country illegally and wanted us to surrender our passports. Judy cried and they fled the room (LOL). Then they told us we could keep our passports but had 24 hours to get out of the country, which we did, and they put a guy personally in charge of us to supervise our presence until we left. It was pretty clear that while they were polite and treated us with a degree of kindness, they were totally serious and formal.

We returned to Lankawi and a few months later reapplied for visas and a new CAIT, which were both granted, and this time our visit was completely pleasant and normal.

We actually loved Indonesia, very much, but we don't recommend fooling around with their rules.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Last I heard the Govt of Indonesia was doing everything they could to dissuade touristas from visiting Komodo National Park.

Deal being that Indonesia finds resolving the contradiction between making money from tourists and the damage the tourists cause to the conservation values of Komodo National Park quite difficult.

The money from rich gawkers is of course welcome - economic inequality is still v high in Indonesia, with around 30% of kiddies stunted by inadequate protein nutrition (current push to encourage parents to feed each kiddie a hen's egg each day). The environmental damage is less welcome. One of the few big benefits from the mishandled Covid-19 pandemic is that govts and people in SE Asia have seen environmental damage diminish massively and even reverse with fewer tourists.

The immediate measure is to impose a cost on each individual tourist to Komodo National Park of Rupiah 3.75 million (a few hundred US dollars, depending on the exchange rate). *The tourist charge for Komodo NP starts on 1 January 2023, probably.

Pulau Rinca might be doable, should you have a pressing need to pay reverence to your lizard deity. Perhaps you could just spend some time listening to Jim Morrison fronting The Doors instead?

I think it depends on where you are going. In 2019 I went to Rinca, where the tourist center is, and where guided tours to see the Komoda Dragons are. It wasn't expensive at all. There was a smallish anchorage that was open to anchor anywhere. It quickly filled up with tour boats so you need to get there early.

Wandering around and stopping at more remote islands was a different story. Anchoring is not allowed, and you must use one of the very few mooring balls. I'm not sure what the fees were, but it was much less inviting. But if you just want to see the park and dragons, that isn't very hard unless it has changed.

There was one boat I met that wandered out to another island and hit a reef. Their crew bailed and got on another boat in Lombok. The owner was in serious trouble and being fined a very huge sum of money. I didn't hear how it ended, but I doubt it ended well.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Wandering around and stopping at more remote islands was a different story. Anchoring is not allowed, and you must use one of the very few mooring balls. I'm not sure what the fees were, but it was much less inviting. But if you just want to see the park and dragons, that isn't very hard unless it has changed.

There was one boat I met that wandered out to another island and hit a reef. Their crew bailed and got on another boat in Lombok. The owner was in serious trouble and being fined a very huge sum of money. I didn't hear how it ended, but I doubt it ended well.

I guess you must be talking about Komoto National Park. My experience in Indonesia was different. Once we were admitted to Indo we were free to go where we wanted, and we did. For a few terrific months we wandered on the west side of Sumatra and we never saw another boat or met anyone who didn't have a smiling face (and surfing in the Mentawis is really stupendous).

So avoid the tourist traps and go where no boats go before.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I guess you must be talking about Komoto National Park. My experience in Indonesia was different. Once we were admitted to Indo we were free to go where we wanted, and we did. For a few terrific months we wandered on the west side of Sumatra and we never saw another boat or met anyone who didn't have a smiling face (and surfing in the Mentawis is really stupendous).

So avoid the tourist traps and go where no boats go before.

Yes, this was islands within the park. Outside the park we could go anywhere we wanted.

[swanman]

Thanks too many of you for valuable feedback.

[Iains boatyard]

Had a friend leave Phuket late last year sailed around the outside of Sumatra direct to Darwin. He single handed, stocked up no issues about 5 weeks I think.
Very do able, I think cruising permit can be done online. Or as mentioned go straight thru the shipping lane but no stopping.