Trip to Ampat

[NorCalDM]

I prefer to book with Air Asia From Jakarta to Sorong as you can prepay for extra baggage allowance at very cheap cost.

Batik had this option as well but it let's you get all the way to payment then doesn't accept any payment. Knowing what I do now I won't use them again.

 

[Dan]

You can send a direct message to @aquabluegreg about trip to Raja Ampat too. He posted a lot of special deals to Raja Ampat. Just search for “Raja Ampat” posted by him.

BTW, Raja means King. Ampat means Four (number 4). The words are referring to 4 major islands in Raja Ampat.

 

[drrich2]

Have local currency for any baggage fees as the domestic flight has less allowable baggage than the international flights and they did not take credit cards or US dollars. Also none of the ATM's at the airport took our US debt or credit cards and we got in late on Sunday night so the currency exchange was closed so it was a scramble.

This is something that maybe doesn't get enough attention.

In planning a hoped for trip, I was told for the Indonesian domestic flights on Batik Airlines my Blue Water Dive Travel agent Tim Yeo arranged, I get a 25 kg checkin allowance. But he said in his personal experience flying domestically in Indonesia, their excess policies are seldom clear, a lot depends on the person you get at the counter, typically they don't care if you check 1 or 2 bags as the total weight is what matters, and while excess baggage weight charges are usually a lot less than he pays in the U.S., it's charged per kilogram and he's paid anywhere from $1 to $5 per kilogram. He said their credit card machines are often not working, I might have to pay in cash, it'd be better to pay in local IDR but they accept most major currencies like UDS and EUR (albeit with a les than desirable exchange rate).

I literally got that info. this afternoon, then here on ScubaBoard you post that you used Batik Air, they weren't taking credit cards or US dollars, none of the ATMs took your US debit (I assume not debt) or credit cards, and late Sunday night the currency exchange was closed (wonder what their hours are?) so it was a scramble.

Please tell us more about the scramble. What did you do?

Also, those of you who've been to Raja Ampat from the U.S., how important is it to carry IDR on your person, and if so, how much? When and where do you usually get it?

 

[NorCalDM]

This is something that maybe doesn't get enough attention.

In planning a hoped for trip, I was told for the Indonesian domestic flights on Batik Airlines my Blue Water Dive Travel agent Tim Yeo arranged, I get a 25 kg checkin allowance. But he said in his personal experience flying domestically in Indonesia, their excess policies are seldom clear, a lot depends on the person you get at the counter, typically they don't care if you check 1 or 2 bags as the total weight is what matters, and while excess baggage weight charges are usually a lot less than he pays in the U.S., it's charged per kilogram and he's paid anywhere from $1 to $5 per kilogram. He said their credit card machines are often not working, I might have to pay in cash, it'd be better to pay in local IDR but they accept most major currencies like UDS and EUR (albeit with a les than desirable exchange rate).

I literally got that info. this afternoon, then here on ScubaBoard you post that you used Batik Air, they weren't taking credit cards or US dollars, none of the ATMs took your US debit (I assume not debt) or credit cards, and late Sunday night the currency exchange was closed (wonder what their hours are?) so it was a scramble.

Please tell us more about the scramble. What did you do?

Also, those of you who've been to Raja Ampat from the U.S., how important is it to carry IDR on your person, and if so, how much? When and where do you usually get it?

Batik charged us for anything over 20Kg which is stated on their website and it was $9.55 per Kg over that, their website offers a prepay for luggage at $33 for for 5kg but it does not allow you to actually pay. They finally allowed us to pay in US dollars once they realized it was the only way they were going to get any money. We tried 5 different ATM's and multiple debit cards/credits cards and no go. On our return flight we arranged local currency but at the ticket counter they did not take the cash, you had to go to customer service to pay after they weighted everything and then come back and get your boarding pass. Now that said the locals didn't seem to have this issue and had tons of luggage and went straight through with airport personnel helping them "just my observation". We were able to use our cards everywhere else in the airports including paying for our Visa's, hotels and restaurants were no issue just seemed to be Batik and the ATM's. I would carry some IDR

 

[Centrals]

Batik charged us for anything over 20Kg which is stated on their website and it was $9.55 per Kg over that, their website offers a prepay for luggage at $33 for for 5kg but it does not allow you to actually pay. They finally allowed us to pay in US dollars once they realized it was the only way they were going to get any money. We tried 5 different ATM's and multiple debit cards/credits cards and no go. On our return flight we arranged local currency but at the ticket counter they did not take the cash, you had to go to customer service to pay after they weighted everything and then come back and get your boarding pass. Now that said the locals didn't seem to have this issue and had tons of luggage and went straight through with airport personnel helping them "just my observation". We were able to use our cards everywhere else in the airports including paying for our Visa's, hotels and restaurants were no issue just seemed to be Batik and the ATM's. I would carry some IDR

Check in counter does not accept cash? Same in HK and at least in Philippines.
As for the special "treatment" for the locals? They know how to deal with it!!! Welcome to Indonesia.
I have actually seen it in Philippines: slipped a few thousand of peso to the official and he was waved through with a huge trolley of bags.

 

[Dan]

Batik ticket counter told me that I had 2 kg over weight on my check bag when we were going to Sangalaki, two months ago. I told her that I was the group leader for the other 7 people behind me (in Bahasa Indonesia) and told her to please weigh in the check bags for the rest of the group, if the sum was over 160 kg, we'd pay the over weight. It turned out that the total weight was around 163 kg and she let us through without paying the excess weight.

 

[Manneca]

I booked a stay in Raja Ampat at Sorido several weeks ago (for February 2023). I am planning to fly to Singapore and then to Manado for a short stay at Lembeh and Bangka. then I will fly Lion to Sorong and then Garuda from Sorong to Jakarta and then on to Singapore (same ticket). You can fly Lion to Sorong but that is a nightmare. You can usually use an American Express to pay for Lion flights (but not visa or MC). It's not that hard. OTOH, I'm in Bali now and scheduled to fly to Alor next week. Lion has cancelled our flight from Kupang to alor twice now. I've looked at flight aware and it seems unusual (all the Kupang-alor flights have flown this week.) But it's making me nervous. Also, if you aren't already aware of it, the Indonesia visa is really 29 days, not 30. they count the arrival day as day 1 even if you arrive at 11:30 pm. I'd pick Garuda over any other Indonesian carrier. They sometimes have an additional baggage allowance for sporting equipment (this seems to come and go). I'd fly Garuda to Sorong from Jakarta but it's a multistop itinerary that lasts about 24 hours. At least last I noticed. It's nice to have someone to backstop you when something goes wrong, but I generally just do my own booking.

 

[Joneill]

I'd fly Garuda to Sorong from Jakarta but it's a multistop itinerary that lasts about 24 hours. At least last I noticed. It's nice to have someone to backstop you when something goes wrong, but I generally just do my own booking.

Garuda does have a nonstop from Jakarta to Sorong (leaves a bit after midnight) - but not flying it every day at present. I’m taking that flight in late December, booked it direct and had no issue using a US credit card.

 

[Dan]

Garuda does have a nonstop from Jakarta to Sorong (leaves a bit after midnight) - but not flying it every day at present. I’m taking that flight in late December, booked it direct and had no issue using a US credit card.

I assume you'll be on Blue Manta? We'll miss each other by a few days. I'll be in Raja Ampat also on Mermaid 2, from 4 to 12 December, 2022 (in late December to early January 2023, I'll be on Infiniti, South & North Visayas, Philippines).

I booked Batik Air, nonstop Jakarta-Sorong, leaving Jakarta on 3 December at 00:35, arriving Sorong at 06:40. A four-hour flight, instead of a 24-hour one as mentioned by @Manneca in previous post. I'll stay in Swiss-Belhotel for a night before boarding on Mermaid 2.

Fingers crossed, Batik Air has been good to me in August. Leaving at midnight would usually be on time. If there's a delay or cancellation, I have the whole day to find an alternate flight that would take me to Sorong by 4 December noon.

Tiket.com also let me purchase the tickets via my US credit card.

 

[Joneill]

I assume you'll be on Blue Manta? We'll miss each other by a few days. I'll be in Raja Ampat also on Mermaid 2, from 4 to 12 December, 2022 (in late December to early January 2023, I'll be on Infiniti, South & North Visayas, Philippines).

I booked Batik Air, nonstop Jakarta-Sorong, leaving Jakarta on 3 December at 00:35, arriving Sorong at 06:40. A four-hour flight, instead of a 24-hour one as mentioned by @Manneca in previous post. I'll stay in Swiss-Belhotel for a night before boarding on Mermaid 2.

Fingers crossed, Batik Air has been good to me in August. Leaving at midnight would usually be on time. If there's a delay or cancellation, I have the whole day to find an alternate flight that would take me to Sorong by 4 December noon.

Tiket.com also let me purchase the tickets via my US credit card.

Yes - I’m on Blue Manta: with your help I got on this trip after your group trip last February got cancelled (thanks, again!)

I’m flying Newark to Singapore on the Singapore Airlines 18.5 hour nonstop on Dec 18, staying at the airport Crown Plaza over night and then flying on to Jakarta on Singapore Airlines the next morning (Dec 20). I fly to Sorong on the midnight Garuda flight that night which gets in to Sorong early AM on Dec 21. I’m then staying 2 nights at the Swiss-bel Hotel before getting on the boat on Dec 23.

Really looking g forward to this trip - and getting to meet you on another trip at some point!