17 days to split between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Indo - Raja Ampat, Komodo or Bali??

[Nevek]

Hello folks,

We're heading to SE Asia between May 10 and the 27th with an arrival in KUL and departure in SIN. My wife and I are experienced divers looking to experience good food, good surfing and good diving (no muck diving). I'm still working on splitting up the trip between the cities, Sumatra/Java, and dive areas and I need a little help with direction. We have about $1k total set aside for diving.

Komodo certainly seems more easily accessible from the surf areas and the diving seems great.

Bali is likely the most accessible of all and a good jump off point for other surf/diving locations

Raja Ampat seems incredible with the whale sharks and coral but a royal pain in the butt to get to.

Would we regret skipping Raja Ampat because it's so inaccessible? We're already trekking halfway around the world so an extra few hours won't hurt. Or do you think on our budget and time Komodo and Bali should do the trick?

This will be our last trip before starting a family so we want to make the most of it!

 

[billt4sf]

If I understand you right, you have 17 days to split between:

KL
Singapore
Sumatra
Java
Surfing
Diving

And you have about $1,000 to spend for the diving portion? Is that the situation?

- Bill

 

[outofofficebrb]

Based on your budget for diving and limited time for all these places on your list, I would suggest Bali and/or Komodo. I’m not sure what your day breakdown is for the 17 days so not sure if you can do both or one or the other. Sorong (Raja Ampat) is more of a pain to get to and if not a liveaboard, the land options tend to be more expensive than Komodo on a whole though you can probably find homestays that are budget friendly. Komodo has a lot of options given the supply. You can hop on day boats quickly and easily. Bali and Komodo sound way more easy logistically and to stay within budget.

 

[Maverick17]

3 days KL (including a day trip to Penang for food)
.5 days travel to Bali
4.5 days Bali
1 day travel to Komodo
5 days Komodo
1 day to Singapore
2 days Singapore

 

[Luko]

If you don't mind traveling and flying:

- skip KL; just overnight on May 10th to see the Petronas towers and get a char kuay teow at a streetfood stall on Jalan Alor. Penang was a good idea but when you finish with S'pore it's not worth getting up here just for food, it adds flights and time). If you really insist, I'd suggest take a day trip from KL to Melaka for peranakan food but I don't think it is worth overall compared to the rest of your trip.

May11th
-Fly with Airasia to Lombok and get yourself an accomodation on the south coast (Kuta Lombok - not Bali-) ) this is here where you get the best surf around. You may also take a day trip for visiting the Sasak culture and coutryside.

May 15th
- Hop to Bali immediately arrange a speed boat to Lembongan (Scoot cruise can come and take you from the airport) : you'll have diving (mantas) and surf as well. Go diving in the morning, go surfing in the afternoon or rent scooters to ride around the island. Dine at Indiana Kenanga, great restaurant and french chef Clément (he's an ex surfer from Tahiti btw) book ahead. Their fisherman basket in coconut foam is a killer, for dessert take the pear with liquorice/anis caramel, for really good indo food I like Pondok Baruna, be there early.

May 18th
- Come back to Bali in the afternoon and go to Ubud : check out and book Hujan Locale restaurant. Their spicy tuna tartare with watermelon and thai basil is one of my favorite starters. Rinse with Chilian white wine. Visit the painting museums in Ubud and have a trek in the rice fields nearby.

May 20th
- Get up early and fly to Komodo (LBJ), although I' not sure accessible surf is great there. (I am not an expert) but the diving is some of the best in Indonesia (ses my photo gallery) If budget is critical stay at Dragon Dive Komodo it's a hostel where you can privatize 4 or 6 bed rooms with ensuite bathrooms. Dine at "Le Pirate" or at the local fish market for excellent grilled fish.

May 24th
- take a flight combination to Bali then YogYakarta. Go and see Borobudur and/or Prambanan temples on May25th.

May 26th fly and overnight in Singapore to have a chili crab.

 

[Dan]

My vote: Like Luko says. IMHO, you need to double your diving budget to $2000 / person to make it enjoyable.

Skip Raja Ampat for now. Keep it on top of your bucket list to come back to in the future.

 

[Lorenzoid]

We always try to pass through Singapore on our way to dive that side of the world. It's often like just 12 hours to leave the airport, eat some chili crab, have a few Tiger beers, and head back to the airport. Singapore is easy to get around, KL is more frenetic and sprawling--I'd save KL for another time.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Do you want to see a lot or explore what you see? Basic question, not a judgement. I have found that enjoying Indonesia doesn't have to rely on seeing lot's of places. Then again, I'm not one who enjoys blitzing through city traffic, hoping I make a crowded inter-island flight that I also hope hasn't been cancelled. Just saying, factor in the travel aspects that need to happen once you get to wherever.

The more inveterate travelers here always offer great advice but their Indo experience is part of what helps them to get around more easily. If your Bahasa skills are a bit lacking and you wish to stay within budget, you might find it more engaging to pick a place like Bali and really explore it. That's just me however and I can appreciate that you might want to see a lot and stay on the move more.

Were your aims listed in order of preference: eat, surf, dive? If so, Bali fits. Shore diving in Tulamben (shout out for Liberty Dive Resort!) is "good" diving ("!!!") and about as inexpensive as it gets. Every time I go through the Denpasar airport I see plenty of surfboards so the Bali waves must be ok. If you still want to do Komodo it's easily done from Bali. Food? You're in Indonesia. No worries.

As for Raja A., you are right about it not being easy to get to. Great diving but not inexpensive. (Plus I've never exactly heard anyone refer to it as Surf City.) Eh, just get to Indonesia, you'll do fine. Ratz, that reminds me. I'm not there. // ww

 

[Centrals]

We have about $1k total set aside for diving.

$500.00 each?
With this kind of budget stay on Bali.
Surf on Bali and couple of day trips out from Labaun Bajo. But you have to add the cost of domestic flight for two.

 

[Nevek]

Excellent recommendations all, I really really appreciate it. Sounds like RA is out, which is in line with what I expected.

Budget would be about $500 each for diving (hoping to get 2-3 days in) but that would exclude lodging or flights related to those trips. I'm flexible, it seems like I need to bump that up a little more so I'll definitely take that into consideration.

As for KUL the flights are already booked so we're going there. We are flying into KUL and out of SIN. Now I just need to figure out what flights I need to book in between.

Luko's itinerary seems pretty on point so I think I am going to start there and tweak accordingly.

Thanks again, I'll report back as the trip gets finalized.