Indonesia Secret Escape - 14 days

Upon arrival at Jogjakarta airport, you will be met and greeted by your guide and transfer to Magelang for hotel check in. The rest of the day is free at your leisure. 

Meals: Nil 

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Early in the morning, you will visit Borobudur Temple for sunrise then head back to the hotel for breakfast.

Your day continue later with a visit Candirejo Village by Dokar (horse cart) to see the daily life of the Javanese farmer. You will also observe how to make Krupuk, Javanese crackers in a traditional way and learn how to play traditional Gamelan music.

Return to your hotel and the afternoon is free at your leisure.

Borobudur Temple

Borobudur Temple is one of the biggest and most impressive monuments ever erected by mankind. The terraced temple tells of the times and lives of the Lord Buddha in well over 1.500 expressive reliefs. The renovation, finished in the early eighties of last century, reflects the will of man to preserve the past. Once enshrined by a wild jungle, it took more than ten years and great effort to renovate the monument. This gargantuan task got finished late last century. It is now Now one of the finest examples of Buddhist architecture.

Village Experience – Candirejo Eco Tourism

Candirejo is a model village, supported by the Indonesian government and overseas aid organizations in its role to conserve local culture. It is located near the Borobudur area at the base of the Menoreh Mountains. This local community set in an authentic Javanese village, is expert in preserving traditional farming methods.

A tour along its lanes by `delman`, a traditional Javanese horse drawn carriage, is a highlight and provides insight in the daily life of the Javanese farmer. Drive past local houses with their kitchens often separated from the living and sleeping quarters. Wood is the cooking material of choice. Learn how the local agricultural produce is moved to and traded at local markets.

You might even stumble onto some rare ceremonies, which one does not expect on a predominantly Muslim island. There are rituals dedicated to the Gatekeeper of the Mountain, who can predict volcano eruptions and are part of an extensive series of rituals governing the complex relationship between God and humans, according Javanese mythical beliefs.

Bamboo is abundantly available in Candirejo. The result is found in products like home furniture, kitchen tools and even bamboo painting. Meet the local jamu mixer. She will share with you how locals firmly believe that a daily portion of this semi-magical potion will keep its consumers healthy and attractive!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

After breakfast, you will depart for Yogyakarta. Enjoy exploring Yogya city including a becak (rickshaw cycle) ride.

First, visit the Kraton, then walk to Taman Sari to visit an underground mosque. You learn how to make Jamu, a traditional Javanese drink and a visit a Pathok Bakpia factory to see how to make a traditional Jogya snack.

Return to your hotel for some refreshment and in the evening, enjoy Javanese dance performance at Purawista in town.

Yogyakarta City Tour (Kraton, Taman Sari, Kota Gede)

Today, you discover the typical sights and sounds of Yogyakarta. The city calls itself the vanguard of Javanese culture. The venerable Sultan`s Palace is the centerpiece. Located in the center of town, it is treated with respect by the people of Yogya. Surrounded by white-clad houses and quiet lanes, there is hardly any traffic in this part of town. Taman Sari as it is called by the locals, is the former pleasure dome of the Sultans. It features well restored subterranean passage ways, secret chambers and ponds.

In Kota Gede, the streets are lined with silver factories, ranging from modest family enterprises to real superstores. What they have in common though, are the skilled hands of mostly older men, producing wonderful home ware and exquisite jewelry. These days the fine art of batik is produced at family compounds in villages surrounding the city.

Ramayana Ballet Performance

These dances were an instrument in the education of young princes and princesses as they required an utmost control of body and spirit. Performed in an open stage, they depict the dramas of Ramayana, which are vivid illustrations of the eternal struggle between Good and Evil, as old as Mankind itself. The spectacle, with the slow and hypnotic tones of a Javanese gamelan orchestra, will capture and keep the attention of any spectator, from the first gong beat until the last sacred movement.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

In the morning, you depart on a cycling tour of the Prambanan complex and visit the Prambanan Temple. Then, in the afternoon, you head to Yogyakarta airport to catch your flight to Denpasar, Bali.

Arriving Denpasar Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Ubud.

Cycling with Prambanan Visit

Near the royal city of Yogyakarta, the temple gardens of Prambanan were once dedicated to kings who considered themselves Gods. The centrally located Shiva temple overlooks a series of smaller shrines, a spread out open-air museum of Hindu-Javanese antiquities. This marvelous temple garden features prime examples of powerful Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms, who ruled much of Sumatra and Java in the 7th and 8th century AD.

Then, you continue cycling through small villages nearby Prambanan passing Lumbung, Bubrah, and Sewu Temples, while enjoying the panorama of seasonal local plantations including rice fields, tobacco, sugar cane, mais, tomato, cassava, chili, egg plant and many others. You stop at a local house to meet the people and sample the local harvest. If time permits, you could visit a local home industry, “Pabrik Tahu”, or Tofu Making.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Note:

Your flight schedule is YOG-DPS GA 252, flight time 16.25 – 18.40. Please note that flight schedule is subject to change.

The morning is free at leisure for your own relaxation.

In the afternoon, you take an amazing journey on the old but well-kept, open-sided VWs. Progressing at a slow pace, you will enjoy to the fullest the enchanting Balinese scenery. From Ubud, the journey follows rural routes, visiting Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul Temples.

Late afternoon, you return to your hotel in Ubud.

Gunung Kawi

Gunung Kawi refers to a series of 11th century tombs cut from the rock face. To reach it, you have to walk down a steep flight of some three hundred steps, through a massive rock-hewn archway, all the way to the sacred Pakrisan River. It is an impressive spot, completely enshrined in a lush valley.

There are lots of theories about the origins and function of the Gunung Kawi tombs or candi, and they are considered sacred. Most likely they were erected as memorials to kings from a long lost era, possibly the 11th century, and their queens. Before crossing the river, turn sharp left to the Queens` Tombs, a series of four huge, square-tiered reliefs, chiseled from the riverside cliff face to resemble temple facades.

After crossing the Pakrisan River, you enter the actual Gunung Kawi temple complex, which contains an unusual cloister, complete with courtyard, rooms and cells, entirely cut from the ravine rock wall. This was probably built for the holy men who looked after the five royal tombs at the back of the temple complex. These are in better condition than the Queens` Tombs, and you can see the false doors and facades quite clearly defined.

Tirta Empul Temple

All Balinese make regular pilgrimages to Tirta Empul. They come seeking to cleanse themselves spiritually and to cure their physical ailments by bathing in the holy springs, which have been considered sacred since at least the tenth century. The shallow red-brick bathing pools are sunk into the ground of the outer courtyard of a temple, fed by water from the springs in the inner sanctuary.

Men, women and priests each have their own segregated sections in which to immerse themselves, though most modern devotees just splash their faces and smile for the camera.

Bathing in holy water at Tirta Empul Temple (Ritual Bath)

Tirta Empul is divided into 3 courtyards. At the first courtyard there is also the pool for public bathing and tourists can enter the pool. The water source at Tirta Empul is believed to be the source of life and prosperity.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Note:

If you would like to join the bathing ritual, please prepare your own towel and clothes for changes. And please do not use swim suit.

In the morning, you will join a silversmith class for 2 to 3 hours. With guidance from professional local silversmiths, you will learn the craft and have your own creation. 

After the class, return to the hotel. End the day with total relaxation with a 60-minute Balinese massage in your hotel.

Silver Class in Ubud

Silver processing has long been part of traditional handicrafts in Bali. It was traditionally centered on Celuk, located east of Denpasar, bordering the district of Gianyar. Many families run small businesses catering for larger production facilities in the area. Some distinguish themselves with unique designs, rooted in local culture. The trade has expanded to Ubud, which has become a global village of the arts and crafts. It is home to countless galleries displaying works of arts of all kinds. Well known local artists and foreign painters have set up shop in a place that is recognized to kindle inspiration.

For the class, you will visit a charming studio on the outskirts of Ubud, run by a very enthusiastic and friendly Balinese. He is your guide and teacher for a couple of hours, introducing you to the wonderful world of silver processing as adopted by the Balinese. The results are striking. During the course at his house compound, you can come up with your own creations, with material provided by the course.

Traditional Balinese Massage

Massage is an inherent aspect of Balinese culture and an ancient way of healing. Such therapies combine gentle stretching, long therapeutic strokes and skin rolling. Palm and thumb pressure techniques are applied to alleviate the deepest stress and tension, greatly improving the blood flow. Massage is a pleasant way to alleviate travel fatigue and jet lag.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Note:

• Silversmith classes normally will take 2 to 3 hours and run Monday to Saturday.
• Every class will have at least two expert silversmiths to ensure maximum attention to each student.
• Students can create one item per person, up to 10 grams of silver.

Today, you will join a full-day tour with 4WDs across the heartland of Bali. Prepare yourself to visit the most remote corners of the island. Your first visit is Taman Ayun Temple in Mengwi and then, continue to drive to Batukaru.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant, then you will visit Jatiluwih rice terraces before returning to your hotel in Ubud.

Taman Ayun Temple

Located in Mengwi, the 17th century royal temple sheds a magnificent light on the principles of traditional Balinese temple architecture. Very few other temples were constructed along such `ideal` lines. Three terraces blend harmoniously into one, each representing different worlds dedicated to the negative and positive forces in the universe and their relationships.

Candi bentars, the typical Balinese split temple gates, separate from one another. The complex is surrounded by a beautiful pond, adding to the elegance of the place. The last and highest court, dedicated to the Gods, is only accessible for Hindus, but by walking, you have an excellent view on the meru`s with their uneven roofs, a quintessential element of Balinese architecture.

Batukaru Temple

Pura Batukaru is one of the largest and oldest Hindu Temples in Bali. Built against against Mount Batukaru and enshrined by lush tropical rain forest, a solemn atmosphere reigns. We can mingle with Balinese, praying and offering amidst a series of shrines and merus.

Jatiluwih

A startlingly beautiful area of verdant, terraced rice fields nestled in the shadow of Mount Batukaru, the second highest peak of Bali. In 2007 this area was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

After breakfast, you will prepare for check out and head to Bangun Lemah village for an easy hike. Enjoy experiencing the authenticity of Balinese life and visit a Balinese Healer.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. Then, you proceed to your hotel in East Bali, Candidasa.

Authentic Balinese Life Experience (With Balinese Healer)

This is a wonderful way to experience the natural beauty of Bali. The walk starts from Bangun Lemah village and we learn about the local cropss such as coffee, cassava, pineapple and others. Pass through a village temple and a school.

You can truly get in touch with the local people and their way of life, and even bathe in the river. You get to feel as one with the community, learning more of their culture and lifestyle. It is also interesting to watch the locals planting or harvesting crops, cutting grass for their cattle or carrying loads on their heads.

Then, you finally arrive at a local housing compound where you enjoy some local Balinese coffee an some cakes. After changing clothes, you wear a sarong for a visit to a Balinese Healer (Balian) who is said to be able to read your health, fortune, and can heal mystical illnesses.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

In the morning, you will visit Amlapura market to learn about spices, local vegetables and fruit and get the produce for your cooking class. You can sample some produce and observe real-life Balinese actions in the hustle and bustle of the market.

Then, head to the restaurant for the cooking class using traditional equipment and techniques, followed by lunch. You then visit Tirtagangga Water Palace before returning to the hotel.

Tirta Gangga Water Palace

Located at Ababi Village, Tirtagangga lies less than 100km from Denpasar. This water garden was built in 1948 by the King of Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, blending Balinese and Chinese styles. In the late forties, this was a playful weekend retreat for one of the last raja`s of Bali. There are enough water basins, fountains and bizarre statues to charm you, while the surroundings are pretty and quiet.

The water comes from one of the nearby natural springs. The place has always been regarded as holy. Tirta means blessed water, gangga came from Ganges, the holy river in India, and the holy water is required for ceremonies in the temples as far as Tirtagangga. The springs have a huge output of pure water, first to a reservoir where it is divided in two parts. One third provides drinking water for the town of Amlapura. The remainder goes into the upper swimming pool through an underground pipe. The overflow of water goes into the lower swimming pool, the other ponds and finally into the rice fields.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Today, you head to Padang Bai harbor and depart for Lombok via a fast boat. Upon arrival in Teluk Kode harbor, you then transfer to your hotel in Mangsit and spend the rest of the day free at your own leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Note: 

The boat schedule is Bluewater Express boat at time 09.15 – 11.00. The boat schedule is subject to change.

This trip on fast boat is not suitable for:

• Pregnant women, people with heart or back problems or other physical impediments.
• Infants (children under 3 years old) are not recommended nor covered by insurance. In case the parents insist, it is compulsory to complete a Disclaimer Statement released by fast boat company.

The whole day is free for you to explore at your own leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Today, you will be driven to the west coast of Lombok and take a boat to Gili Meno for snorkeling at the “Meno Wall” with a chance to see Manta Rays. Then, you visit Air Island and do some fish feeding before enjoying lunch at local restaurant.

You return to Lombok by driving through a monkey forest.

Gili

Just off the northwestern coast of Lombok is a true tropical paradise, a trio of tiny coral-fringed islands, each with white sandy beaches and water teeming with a vast array of reef fish. Delightfully free of cars and motorcycles, the Gilis are home to just the tinkling cidomo and the odd bicycle. Snorkeling is excellent.

Each Gili has its own character and charm, Trawangan has a party scene, Meno is very mellow and Air`s atmosphere falls somewhere between the two.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

The day is free at your own leisure until transferring to the airport for your onward flight to Bali.

Upon arrival, you will then transfer to your hotel in Jimbaran. Spend the rest of the day freely exploring around town and return to the hotel for dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: There are 3 hotel ranges for your selection, please scroll down.

Note:

Your flight from Lombok to Bali is LOP-DPS by GA 451, flight time 13.20 – 14.20. Please note that flight schedule is subject to change.

The day is free for you to relax before transferring to the airport for your flight home or onward to your next destination. 

Meals: Breakfast

Note:

The hotel’s check-out time is 12.00 pm. You may store your luggage at the reception and still enjoy the facilities of the hotel.