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