Java Or Sumatra?

jackthelad321

Has anyone been to either/ both? I am considering going to one or other for a month. Here is my itinerary:

In Vietnam, need to fly to either Singapore or Jakarta. My flight home is Bangkok 22nd Sept. So need to work back up through Malaysia And Thailand.

Option 1. Singapore means going to Sumatra from there, going around in a rough loop i guess, before crossing over by boat and going back to Malaysia (preferebly over Singapore) so i can go on up through Malaysia, Thaliand for a flight from Bangkok. Flight Hanoi- Singapore (90 dollars)
Are boats cheap? Basically boat to indo, again back accross to malaysia (if possible)

Option 2. Jakarta means flying from Saigon. Need flight to Saigon from Hanoi (75 dollars) Fly Saigon-Jakarta (100 dollars) Fly Bali- kuala Lumpur (70 dollars) all prices as of today.

Option 1- sing- is better for me from a financial and positional sense. So i am wondering if Java/Bali is that much better to Plunge deeper into the pockets and go there?? I have read a bit about both but am still stupefied. I know the infastructure in java is much much better. Plus more volcanoes. But is it worth the extra money (200 dollars ish) for the experience.

Thanks in advance! I love this site:D

JACK

RATM

I've only been to Bali and then east towards Flores and Komodo. But a mate has been to Sumatra and loved it a lot- he said Lake Toba is spectacular and the big temple (forget the name, begins with a is superb.

Boats to Medan shouldn't be too expensive as its a very short hop. If I were you though I'd skip Malaysia and spend more time in Indo. Malaysia is tame in comparison to Indo and Thailand IMO.

I'd fly Hanoi- Jakarta/Bali and do a loop up to Singapore. Then either get a cheap flight from Singapore to southern Thailand and re-start your journey from there. Either that or get an overnight train right through Malaysia if you're stuck for time. Also Malaysia is far more expensive than Indo which bears thinking about.

kraggy

Oh Jesus, Sumatra.

I'll get back to on this. Have to head out now but must remember to tell you my experiences. Was there for a month up til Christmas last.

Probably tomorrow by the time I get back to you but all I can say is that it was definitely the most difficult bit of travelling I've ever done.

Some inital information:

The boat from Singapore to Sumatra will bring you to a port from which it is 15 to 20 hours by bus to the nearest tourist areas.

And doing a rough loop of Sumtra is like saying you're going to do a rough loop of the Iberian Peninsula. Sumatra is HUGE.

More details tomorrow.

jackthelad321

kraggy wrote: »

Oh Jesus, Sumatra.

I'll get back to on this. Have to head out now but must remember to tell you my experiences. Was there for a month up til Christmas last.

Probably tomorrow by the time I get back to you but all I can say is that it was definitely the most difficult bit of travelling I've ever done.

Some inital information:

The boat from Singapore to Sumatra will bring you to a port from which it is 15 to 20 hours by bus to the nearest tourist areas.

And doing a rough loop of Sumtra is like saying you're going to do a rough loop of the Iberian Peninsula. Sumatra is HUGE.

More details tomorrow.

hmmm i had a feeling i would get something like this. I was Aware Sumatra was that big but i thought i might do a loop in the north or something so we can be back in the port to go back to Singapore.


Any thing good tom report on this matter. as I am going to Sumatra now, Bali was too expensive initially anyway, Fly from Hanoi to Ho Chi Min to fly to Jakarta. Was realy expensive. Just flying Hanoi to Singapore. I guessed Sumatra would be tough, but maybe it'll be worth it, meant to have some great volcanoes and brilliant surfing.

Any more things you can prepare me for? Nice one:)

kraggy

The ferry from Singapore to Sumatra will bring you to a port that is nowhere near the touristic parts of Sumatra.

How about you enjoy Singapore for a few days, then bus it up to Kuala Lumpur for a copule of nights (only 4/5 hours away) then head up to Penang. That is an island that is very resorty but you can get a ferry from there to Medan (the main point of entry for Sumatra). It takes 8-10 hours as far as I can remember.

That way, you get to see KL and Penang and enter Sumatra at the most popular entry point.

Seriously, look at a map and see the distance between your port of entry that you have planned at the moment, and Medan. Bear in mind that the touristy stuff is north west, and south west, of Medan (Basically the top left hand side of the island).

Regarding things to do on Sumatra

Surf - One of the best left hand breaks in the world is on an island called Pulau Nias. Off the west coast of Sumatra, it's 11 hours by ferry. MAKE SURE YOU GET THE METAL BOAT AND NOT THE WOODEN BOAT. We got the wooden one on the way over and it was infested with just about everything you don't want to ever see. The port on the mainland is called Sibolga. Avoid staying the night, we found the best hotel in the city after hours of checking and there were still plenty of cockroaches etc in our room, no hot water. No shower. Just a big container of water and a pan for throwing it over your head. This is standard in Sumatra.

Danau Toba (Lake Toba) - near the middle of the island. You stay on an island called Samosir. Samosir is an island, in a lake, in a volcanic crater. The volcano is extinct (obviously). This place is quiet but good for cheap relaxation and the strongest magic mushrooms you can imagine. I can tell you where to stay that's very cheap, friendly and where to get the mushrooms.

I went up as far as Banda Aceh. Banda is the capital of the province Aceh, the place most affected by the tsunami. The city is 12 hours by overnight bus from Medan. It's got nothing really but to see a very large ship parked in the middle of a housing estate 8km from the shore really makes it hit home how big the wave must have been.

Banda is also the gateway though for a short (1 hour) ferry trip to a beatiful island called Pulau Weh. Beautiful with unbelievable diving and snorkelling. You can see for what seems like eternity underwater.

***Warning. Do NOT hook up with local girls or boys in the Aceh province. If caught by the Muslim police, you will quite possibly be given a public flogging and deported. I'm not kidding.

The rest of the island is ok in that regard. It's just the Aceh province that has Sharia Law.

That's all for now. Any other questions, just holler.

jackthelad321

Thanks man, good heads up. Think i'm going top print off your post. Been in Asia now 4 months, two left, wanna spend 3-4 weeksw in Sumatra, and the most of that time i want to spend dping either snorkeling, diving (might do PADI course there) and then spend most, really, learning to surf. My bro is living Vicariously through me and, upon hearing i'm going to Indo, he pretty much warned me to learn to surf there, or he'll never forgive me. It's breaking his heart, the surfing in Ireland.

Anyway, you don't want to know that. I certainly will take you up on that offer for more questions. Definitely. Tour guide! That thing about KL is great, will save us so much needlesss hassle, it would seem. Good man.

Yea with my Gfriend so riding any girls/boys will not be an issue for me, unless the shrooms are that good and i imagine the whole thing. I'll def be asking you more on the shroom front.

So all i wanna do is surf (learn) dive (prob learn) def snorkle. Sounds class really.

My first question for you, my good man: what kinda budget do you think for a day over in ol' Sumatra? i have around 25 yo-yo, 30 euro, a day if i want, but that's me living it up, i am really a very frugal person, my living costs in Thai, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have very rarely been over 20 dollars a day, even on a session. Often under 15. Hence my high budget still.

Much appreciated\ (no time to spell check i'm being hunted out here)

Jck

kraggy

That budget will be fine althought it depends on how much you like your drink. Because of the importance of Islam in the country, there is a high tax on alcohol. But you'll still get a large bottle of beer in the shop and some bars for 15,000 rupiah which is about €1.30.

Food is cheaper than anywhere in SE Asia. But accommodation is slight more expensive for really, really, really terrible lodgings.

Forgot to tell you about seeing Orag Utans in the wild. 50 euro for an overnight stay in the jungle and you will see the big fellas, almost guaranteed. That's in a place called Bukit Lawang. It's about 4 hours by bus from Medan.

One route you could do is

Medan - Bukit Lawang - Medan - Lake Toba - Sibolga - Pulau Nias.

Try and stay as little time as possible in Medan and Sibolga. Pointless holes with nothing, I mean nothing, to do. And the rooms are ****.

Acommodation cheaper and better in the other places. I can recommend you places to stay when you get to them.

Vernon

yeah Sumatra is sure big. I've surfed there a lot. So here's my 2 cents worth. Just go to one area at a time. Like south sumatra has some great surf - www.surfcampsumatra.com and then of course Nias (as mentioned) - although it's busy. Then there's the Mentawais - a true surfing mecca. Its amazing there. But expensive. A new camp I've heard of is www.mentawai-surfcamp.com - but still its expensive. Up North at Aceh there's waves too. But it's fickel and very very seasonal ude to the winds. You'd need to go October-March. I have a friend called Yudi (google Yudi's place) - I'm sure you'll find it. He's the local legend surfers and a great guy. Safe travels...