A Spontaneous Trip to Labuan Bajo - A truly Indonesian Archipelago

In April 2016, I had a long holiday from work. I suggested to my best friend to take this chance to visit other part of Indonesia. The list shorted into two options; Makasar and Labuan Bajo. After doing some research and checking available flight ticket and the price of course, we decided to go to Labuan Bajo. We directly bought the tickets for the day after. It was only IDR 1,1million for return ticket flying with a small plane. It took around 1 hour to get to Komodo airport from Ngurah Rai airport.

Arriving there, I checked my phone to call the hotel that we have booked to pick us up at the airport. Unfortunately, there is no network signal on my phone in this island. What? I did not prepare this to happen. It was a fortune that our hotel has sent the driver to pick us up. Knowing that there is only one provider that works here, I directly bought a sim card of this "red" provider at the airport.

From airport to the hotel took us only 15 minutes by car, not far at all. The hotel is located at Waecicu beach and has amazing beachfront and sunset view. The beach has white sand and a perfect calm wave to swim. Interestingly there were jellyfish, starfish and other kind of fish on this beach, such a beautiful giant aquarium. I could swim forever here :)

The first two days we spent our time mostly at the hotel beach, swimming, snorkeling, and canoeing to the closest small islands. The third day we went to the area where people call it the city of Labuan Bajo. I was quite excited to go around the city. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the city three times a day which is really a good idea because there is no really taxi service here that you can call anytime. Other public transportation like Bemo do not have the route to go or pass the hotel. Even, an ojek charge for more to go to the hotel but still reasonable price though, 20 k each. The people in the city claimed that the hotel I stayed is in the middle of nowhere, thats funny when it is only 15 minutes away.

On the hill close to the hotel

Labuan Bajo Harbour

Anyway, the city is not really much to explore but here you can find cheaper boat/sailing package to the other islands such as Komodo, Rinca, Kalong, Kanaya, etc island. Here there is a lot cheaper accommodation as well, also food. I heard the hotel rate in the city is only around 200k/night. Well the food is at normal price vary from 15-30k. There are also available several shops and convenient stores as well.

After seeing some good offers for one day trip to Komodo island, we decided to book a charter boat for the next day. The price for person for this trip is 350k including life vest, water, tea and coffee, and lunch. They also provide a snorkeling gear for 30k per day.

The following day we were ready at the harbor to start one day trip to Rinca island and three other islands around. We did not go to Komodo island as it is much farer and it is a bigger chance to see Komodo in Rinca instead of Komodo island because of the size of Komodo island is so much bigger.

Guide at Komodo National Park

Rinca island is also part of Komodo National Park. They have trained guides to show around the island who speak English and some other languages.

The entrance fee to the island is around 260k for foreigner and 65k for local/Indonesian.

It is a spoiling trip for my eyes and soul, really. I realized how wonderful Indonesia is with its amazing scenery, various kinds of animal, various culture and form of society. This is why I love to travel.

Definitely will come back here to visit pink beach and other islands I have not visited.

View on the way to Rinca island

Tips for you:

Prepare the red provider (Telkomsel).

Visit now before the big resorts start their construction, as it will be their private hill to see beautiful island view.

Better booked hotel for the first day only, this way you can flexibly change your plan to stay on other cheaper hotel or have a sailing trip.

Unforgettable Short Trip to Nusa Penida, Bali

Nusa Penida has been in my list of 'place to go' for quite long time. I just had not had any chance to go with friends. It is the biggest island among the other two Nusa islands: Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.

On June 4 2016, I was lucky being offered to join a weekend trip to the island by a friend of mine, Okta. It was a group trip of his sister's colleague but they were open for more seats. Well, it just felt that it was the right time. I decided to join them.

We were 11 people taking the first boat to the island, this time we took Caspla boat. At those days there were big waves all around Bali sea. Some days before, it was reported that there was a married couple pulled out into the ocean by a big wave in Nusa Penida, but that did not change our plan to go there.

We gathered in Sanur at 8am where the fast boat would depart. It took only 40 minutes to get to the island. The cost was only IDR 75k one way for local, not sure for tourist.

The Crew

Cave Giri Putri Entrance

On this trip the first day we spent going to several temples in this island. As this was my first time, I was so excited. There is one specific temple that I have been looking forward to see. I have heard and seen many photos of this temple which is in a cave where the entrance into the temple is so narrow; can only be fitted by one person.

When I successfully entered the cave and got inside, I was amazed, the feeling to be there cannot be described. It is a really huge cave which has the size of soccer field. It felt so peaceful and being there such a gift for me. There is a mix culture we can see in this temple, as there is also a temple for Buddhism and a statue of Dewi Kwan Im. This temple is called Pura Giri Putri, find more about it here.

Our spiritual trip continued to two other temples in the area, which are Pura Kerangkeng and Pura Puncak Mundi. The last temple we went to is Pura Dalem Peed which is located very close to where we were staying, a homestay called Full Moon, click here.

It is located close to the harbour.  It is a clean place and we got a really affordable price. We paid only one hundred thousand rupiah per person for three rooms one night, a bit more than one million in total.

The second day was time for vitamin sea for us. We had the same driver as the previous day, the coolest driver and car ever, coolest means driving like a flash! but thank God we were all safe :D.

We were planning to go to three beaches but ended up only going to two only as it took hours to get to all three and we did not plan to miss the boat. hehe

We first went to Uug beach or Broken beach which is located next to Billabong angel point, not sure who named it Billabong and why. 

We cannot really go down to the beach, we only saw the beach from the hill. It is a shame that I did not take picture on Billabong angel point because here where the couple was taken into the ocean, and there was a red restriction flag to not go there at that time. Well, it can be a reason to go back and take picture another time.

Broken Beach

The second beach is located closer to the homestay, around 1 hour if im not mistaken. It is the famous Crystal Bay, most wanted diving spot for the divers who wish to see Mola-Mola fish.  Again, there were big waves everywhere around Bali at that time, and we chose to not dive or do snorkeling there even though some of us have planned and prepared to snorkel. So we just took some photos, honestly, loads of photos.

We went back to homestay and had a nice lunch, ohya the price of nasi ayam lalapan is more expensive here than Bali :D, actually the same price as its in Labuan Bajo while nasi

Crystal Bay

goreng is only 10k.

Anyway, we were so happy, especially me, I have been to the island I have not been before and made some new good friends.
Great trip!

Tips for you: There is no good signal so Google map does not work here, wear sunglasses and a mask driving around cus its real dusty, wear sunblock too! The distance between beaches felt double or triple because of the road condition, so get ready! Bring water!

Nyang-Nyang, The Virgin Beach

Many photos of this beach I have seen and the sign is there since long ago but I wonder why it is not being commercialised as quick as other beaches in the area.

One weekend I decided to discover this famous virgin beach and made a new diary note for this blog.

Nyang-Nyang beach is located in Pecatu area on the same way as going to Uluwatu. Good that it is on google map. 

To get to the beach, as other beaches in the area you will need to go down the hill. 

While Greenbowl or Gunung Payung beach have decent stairs access, this beach has no the same kind. It is still so pristine. 

Going down the rocky hill you will need a suitable sandals/slippers.

It took me around 20 minutes to arrive down on a lush green grass field, which is very beautiful with the white sand beach at the end of it.

There was a middle age man sitting there at that time looking after his cows, what? how on earth can the cows live here and get here at beginning? Well, nothing is impossible.

I went straight to the beach and found body part of a broken ship. Interestingly it has graffiti on it meaning there has been someone specifically coming here to do it.

Let me repeat, it was on the weekend but there were no other people. Only me and my friend and the man with the cows. 

Sometimes it felt a little creepy though but three hours being spent there swimming and enjoying my private beach is not too bad at all haha.

If you are thinking to go there, go now before it is being commercialised in a couple of years or even months.  Remember to bring your own food and drink and bring back your rubbish/plastic home.