Gili Trawangan to Bali - Fast Boat

Two days before our departure date we could book onto the boat we'd like to get with Eka Jaya. We picked the earliest boat leaving at 11am and were told to turn up at 10am.

To be honest we didn't need to turn up that early, 20 minutes before departure would of been fine. We checked in and received our departure cards. Just before 11am around 5 different boat companies docked up on the shore so make sure you get on the right one! Our boat was the same as the previous one coming and we waited for everyone to depart before boarding. 

Leaving Gili Trawangan 

This boat was much more full than the one going however everyone still had a seat and the aircon was working. This boat went directly to Padang Bai, Bali and took about 1 and half hours. We enjoyed watching most of the new Tarzan film on the boat. 

Fun for people getting on a different boat!

We departed the boat, got our luggage and headed to the free shuttle services they provide. This part is where they let themselves down.

We were heading to Seminyak and they clearly didn't know how many people were going there. We were two seats short so we squeezed up to fit one more in but nobody else seemed to offer so the other must of got another bus. Being over 6ft 4in it was quite an uncomfortable journey for me and the person infront of me. Unfortunately my legs were cramped for the two hour journey. It also took a while for the minibus to cool down.

Our driver was always looking to race other traffic and we stopped once for fuel. I knew beforehand it was unlikely they would drop us off at our hotels as they advertise but that wasn't a problem. The only annoying thing is, he had no problem in taking the Indonesian couple to their hotel first, they look after each other but not tourists who pay the ridiculous prices!

Oh well, we got dropped off near Seminyak Square, grabbed some food and got a Bluebird meter taxi to our hotel.

Overall I would recommend Eka Jaya to anyone who wants to take a cheaper option! Compared to other boats we saw, they were much bigger and I only encountered an issue at the end due to my height!

Eka Jaya 4 out of 5 

Bali to Gili Trawangan - Fast Boat

The choices for fast boats to Gili Trawangan are endless and I spent a good while looking around online at prices and reviews. The best boat seemed to be Blue Water Express which costs three times the price of cheaper ones. Of course the cheap ones all had awful reviews on online websites such as TripAdvisor. 

After reading around, I decided to opt for Eka Jaya, instead of the likes of Semaya One and others. I can't remember why exactly but either way how bad could a short boat ride be? Prices online were a lot pricier so we booked a few days before at a travel agency in Ubud.

I went into several travel agencies and got offered tickets ranging from 500,000 idr return up to 1,500,000 idr. All the Eka Jaya return tickets were between 600,000 idr and 1,000,000 idr. Some people say you can get it for as little as 400,000 idr if you find the right travel agency on the right day.

Anyway we booked 2 return tickets for 600,000 idr with the shuttle bus picking us up at 11am and the boat departing from Padang Bai harbour at 1pm. We also had the option of being picked up at 7am. They arrived on time and we spent the next hour picking up other people from around Ubud.

Traffic near the boat harbour was very bad and when it passed 1pm we were worried we might have missed the boat. However, within 20 minutes we were all checked in at their office and running for the boat. We think everyone just about made it!

The boat was a nice surprise! Inside was quite modern with a film playing and plenty of room. We were on the Eka Jaya 23 boat, I think they have two boat types. The journey took around 2 hours and the sea was quite calm. We stopped off at Gili Air first to drop and pick people up. When we arrived our luggage was handed down to us on the beach. We headed off for our guesthouse, hopefully the return journey would be the same!

Arriving at Gili Trawangan

4 out of 5 

Medan to Bukit Lawang (Return) - Tourist Bus

Sorry I missed out this post of Medan to Bukit Lawang. 

We were able to book our bus tickets with our trekking company; Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking for 15€ each. They called it a tourist bus which is basically a 7 seater car. We arranged to be picked up 11am however our hotel got a phone call to say he was running half an hour late which wasn't a problem. 

'Tourist Bus' 

Another couple were already in the car when we got picked up and when we got chatting they were still to be dropped off in Medan. After that we picked up 3 more people which took a while due to the awful traffic around Medan!

One more short stop for the driver to have a cigarette and we were on our way. The car inside was very nice with plenty of space and a small music video screen in the front to watch.

The roads heading towards Bukit Lawang were truly awful from pot holes and it was an extremely bumpy ride. We went through many some villages with school kids waving to you at every opportunity! A very lovely scenic route towards the jungle in Bukit Lawang.

When we arrived we were picked up by motorbikes and taken to our guesthouse. This was a very fun experience, sitting on a motorbike with your big backpacks on!

The return journey to Medan was very similar to the one going! For some reason it only cost us 120,000 IDR each which is nearly half of what we paid going. A bit more of a basic car this time but again it was fine.

The only major downside of both journeys was how long it took due to mainly the traffic in Medan. Both journeys took about 5 to 6 hours each.

4 out of 5 

Medan to Bali - Flight

This flight caused us quite a lot of confusion and problems when we tried to book it. Firstly we couldn't find any direct flights from Kualanamu International Airport in Medan as they all had one stop. Some of these seemed very short and we presumed we would miss our connection. However we then realised that these planes stop once to drop off and pick up passengers without you changing planes.

We found Lion Air to be the cheapest airline offering flights to Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport. They have 3 flights departing a day and we selected the cheapest one. However after several attempts and different credit cards it wouldn't accept any. After some research online, people said it doesn't accept international credit cards. The next plan was to use tiket.com to purchase these flight tickets. I had read mainly positive comments about this website. This time I had my credit card blocked at the payment stage (also happened to a friend). After unblocking my credit card and confirming my transaction was unsuccessful I gave up with Lion Air. 

My next option was Garuda Indonesia which I had heard great things about. Yes two flights cost quite a bit more at 3,185,000 IDR but using there website was quick and simple. The only downside was the departure time of 7am!

After booking we got confirmation electronic tickets and a couple of days before the flight we checked in using the mobile app. This allows you to pick your seats and collect your tickets at the airport as finding a printer can sometimes be a hassle!

The airport shuttle taxi cost 200,000 IDR and we got picked up at 3.30am. Thankfully at this time of the morning there is no traffic. Medan is very new and modern and we arrived just before 4.15am. We checked in with no problems and passed through airport security. We found some comfy sofas with plug sockets to chill on for a couple of hours before boarding. Around 5.30am some cafes started to open so we managed to grab a coffee and some breakfast!

Impressed with Medan's new airport!

Boarding was quick and efficient, we took a short shuttle bus out to the small plane. The plane was around 2 thirds full with plenty of room for everyone. During the first flight we received complementary breakfast and drinks. Breakfast consisted of sausage, omelette, veg and fruit. They also had a selection of hot and cold drinks to pick from. The food was good for a flight. 

Boarding

We landed at the first airport in Palembang around 8.30am and waited for people to disembark and embark. This took about half an hour and we were off again with the plane half full. The second flight was fine and again we got another small meal. This time is was spicy beef with rice and some jelly fruit. Not bad again but quite hot!

Finally we landed on time at Bali Ngurah Rai International and collected our luggage. Now a lot of people write about taxis from the airport to anywhere and getting ripped off. It's cheaper to head out of the airport or to maybe head to arrivals but we thought we would try the taxi counter.

On the sign behind the desk is a price to all destinations, don't pay more even if your hotel is slightly out of the centre! For Ubud the price is 300,000 IDR which was fine however they asked for 350,000 IDR as my hotel wasn't in the centre. Our hotel was on the road next to the main road and I refused to accept. The young guy behind the desk was very arrogant and I felt sorry for the drivers who wanted the fare! I said no and headed back towards the airport where I'm sure I could find someone to take us. A second later another guy from the desk shouted wait wait, 300,000 IDR is fine. Of course they won't turn away money. It just puts you in a grumpy mood that they try to constantly rip you off.

The drive was fine and took about 1 and half hours and the driver was nice. However no tip was left due to way the taxi desk acted.

One final point about Uber, we think that this is now legal in Bali. I believe the price is under 200,000 IDR, so if you already use them maybe it is a cheaper better option! Just don't tell people that you use them as a lot of signs have been put up in Ubud saying they are banned.

4 out of 5

Kuala Lumpur to Medan - Flight

We booked our flights a month in advance as we knew we would be leaving Kuala Lumpur the day after the F1 Grand Prix. The flights weren't expensive and cost 314 ringgit for two people. This package included a meal and 20kg luggage. Once again I didn't receive any confirmation emails from AirAsia when I booked the flights and had to contact them.

With our flight at 8.40am we decided to jump in a taxi from Chinatown (Petaling Street) around 5.30am, as the LRT doesn't open until 6am. We got the taxi to KL Sentral for 15 ringgit and then got on the KLIA express train to the aiport KLIA2. This again cost 55 ringgit per person but was very quick and efficient.

Compared to other airports on our travels, this one was huge! Check in and baggage drop off didn't take long and we headed to grab some food. We had plenty of choice for breakfast ranging from fast food to cafes.

Flight on time!

The flight itself boarded and took off on time. It took about 50 minutes, so by the time your up in the air it feels like your descending for landing. 

Upon arrival at Medan, Kualanamu International Airport we picked up our luggage and headed outside to the taxi rank. It took well over an hour as the Medan traffic is very poor in the city centre. The meter cost came to about 185,000 idr + 3,500 idr for the toll. This seemed reasonable as the hotel wanted 200,000 idr for pickup (however it was unavailable for us).

We stayed at Permata Inn which was nice and cheap for backpackers! Please note that Medan doesn't have much to offer and I would only stay for a day or a stop over. Next stop Bukit Lawang for jungle trekking!

4 out of 5