Wakatobi Trip Report 23 September through 6 October 2012 Part 1

[rusti999]

Just want to share my experience flying JFK-SIN on Singapore Airlines last month. My carry-ons were one camera backpack and one carry-on size suitcase, each weighing more than 10kg (kg, not pounds!). At JFK, the person at the counter didn't weigh my carry-ons, but when entering the plane, a flight attendant flagged my suitcase (my backpack wasn't checked), and had it put with the other checked-in luggage, no extra fees though, although I was a little bit worried because my DSLR housing was in the suitcase. Coming back, I actually checked in with Silk Air in Manado onward to JFK. Again my carry-ons weren't weighed, and this time none were flagged, either in Manado or in SIN.

Also for flights to/from the US, most non-US airlines including Singapore Airlines have a piece concept for checked-in luggage, i.e. you are allowed two pieces of luggage, each weighing up to 50lbs.

 

[highdesert]

I think redseal1tx's experience in Texas was a result of agents who do not routinely board international passengers "interpreting" their own company's rules, rather than applying their written rules. No different than calling the IRS five times with the same question and expecting the same answer each time. Not gonna happen.

 

[Sideways]

5. Dress Code in Indonesia
We were informed by our guide that if women travel outside the resort, either Bali or Wakatobi, women are required to cover their shoulders and their thighs. If women wear shorts outside the resort, a sarong is the most convenient wrap to cover their legs. My wife wore something called “Capris” which look like pants that spent too much time in the dryer; Capris are acceptable outside the resorts.

Great TR, thanks for taking the time. I'm a bit curious by this statement, and maybe others can chime in. I've never heard in my research that there is a required dress code on Bali for women. I also saw nothing on the Wakatobi website regarding it. We've been to Muslim areas of Thailand before, and my wife wore shorts and tank tops with no problem. Are you saying a woman can't wear that on Bali and Wakatobi outside a resort?

 

[redseal1tx]

Great TR, thanks for taking the time. I'm a bit curious by this statement, and maybe others can chime in. I've never heard in my research that there is a required dress code on Bali for women. I also saw nothing on the Wakatobi website regarding it. We've been to Muslim areas of Thailand before, and my wife wore shorts and tank tops with no problem. Are you saying a woman can't wear that on Bali and Wakatobi outside a resort?

Sideways,

We were given the dress code requirement through the travel agency that developed the trip for our LDS.
When we arrived in Bali, our tour guide, Merta, reiterated that dress code when we were outside the resort.
The great staff at Wakatobi also told the women who were taking the local village tour to cover their shoulders and thighs.

 

[Quero]

In RE dressing appropriately in Indonesia--I suspect that the Bali "dress code" was emphasized by the tour guide because the group was planning a temple visit. At temples people are supposed to cover up. Even men can't wear shorts or tank tops. In addition, menstruating women are prohibited from entering the temple grounds, though I've never heard of anybody checking.... At Wakatobi the region is quite isolated and very conservative. For the village tour women need to cover up, but at the resort it's not necessary. Other than when going to conservative Muslim areas or visiting Hindu temples, and while in the tourist areas, women can dress in shorts and tank tops without an issue, though walking around in swimwear without a cover up (and similarly men going bare-chested), is frowned upon all over SE Asia, regardless of the religion that dominates the place.

 

[Will Rogers]

High Desert,

We flew Colorado, LAX, Singapore, Denpasar on United and Singapore Airlines earlier this year. 50 pounds on the bags. Nobody ever checked our carry on bags anywhere along our itinerary.

What a treat SA is - I wish I could fly them domestically! You will be very pleased if you haven't flown with them before.

Will

 

[Sideways]

In RE dressing appropriately in Indonesia--I suspect that the Bali "dress code" was emphasized by the tour guide because the group was planning a temple visit. At temples people are supposed to cover up. Even men can't wear shorts or tank tops. In addition, menstruating women are prohibited from entering the temple grounds, though I've never heard of anybody checking.... At Wakatobi the region is quite isolated and very conservative. For the village tour women need to cover up, but at the resort it's not necessary. Other than when going to conservative Muslim areas or visiting Hindu temples, and while in the tourist areas, women can dress in shorts and tank tops without an issue, though walking around in swimwear without a cover up (and similarly men going bare-chested), is frowned upon all over SE Asia, regardless of the religion that dominates the place.

Thanks Marcia, that pretty much jives with what my understanding has been, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something major. Question though, unless told by local folks or tour guides, what would you recommend for a guide or map to identify strict conservative Muslim areas on Bali? It would be a good resource to have, we surely wouldn't want to offend anyone or be offensive. Thanks

 

[Quero]

Thanks Marcia, that pretty much jives with what my understanding has been, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something major. Question though, unless told by local folks or tour guides, what would you recommend for a guide or map to identify strict conservative Muslim areas on Bali? It would be a good resource to have, we surely wouldn't want to offend anyone or be offensive. Thanks

My pleasure, as always!

Bali is a majority Hindu island, so you won't encounter too much in the way of conservative Muslim villages. The neighboring island Lombok, though, is Muslim, so if you go there, I would advise you to dress modestly. Now, this isn't too hard--t-shirts with short sleeves rather than tank tops, no tops that bare the mid-riff, shorts that are knee length rather than stopping somewhere along the thigh (definitely no "boy short" type shorts). Alternatively, as suggested, take along a sarong and just wrap it around your waist when you find yourself in a conservative place or if you spot a temple you'd like to visit.