An Indonesian Road Trip, What You Need to Know Before Setting Off
- Written by News Company
Plan, and plan well!
If you want to truly make the most out of your Indonesian road trip, then you're going to have make sure you plan each mile of it meticulously. You need to do this, simply, because there will be large gaps between the cities and tourist attractions that you drive to and through, meaning you’ll be left with a lot of time on the road without much to see or much to do. So, you must plan what you are going to do to save you from both boredom and from running your trip.Specifically, you should plan your road trip into sections, making sure to take regular two to three days along the way. By doing so, and by going off the beaten track when you do, you will give yourself the chance to see a lot more during your time on the road that will mean none of your time on your trip is wasted. If you find your trip taking you though Bali (which it should), then checking out the not-so-touristy areas of Lovina and Ubud should most certainly come into your plans.
Something else that you should also be doing when putting your plans into place is to avoid main roads as often and as well as you can. You should do so because Indonesia is famous for its traffic, and there is nothing worse than traffic, especially when you are supposed to be on a road trip and enjoying yourself! What’s more, you might want to avoid the noxious fumes that are rife in this part of the world. So, you should most definitely be going off the beaten track!
Prepare to see some crazy things
Road tripping in Indonesia will mean you will see your fair share of crazy things, and you should most definitely be prepared for them. For instance, you are likely to see a heard of Indonesia cattle being, well, hearded almost anywhere in the country, city or countryside. Also, you would be very likely to see vehicles that are seemingly carrying much more than they probably should.
The more you prepare to see all of these crazy things, the better prepared you’ll be to act completely normal when you do see them. And, that could be the difference between you staying safe on the road, and you veering into danger.
Understand that Indonesian roads are more dangerous than any you've probably driven on before
Speaking of staying safe on the road, you will have your work cut out for you when you try to do so. You will have your work cut out for you because the roads in Indonesia are famously as dangerous, or maybe even more dangerous, than any other roads in the world. There are the previously mentioned overloaded vehicles, typically trucks. There are bus drivers that are, to put it bluntly, quite crazy when it comes to driving. There are mopeds that are carrying five times the amount of people that they should be. So, as you can probably tell, the roads aren’t the best. But, you can stay safe, if you keep your wits about you.
Know the costs
The costs of road tripping through Indonesia aren’t necessarily that big, but you should know them all the same so as to ensure that you budget for the trip correctly.
If you want to rent a motorbike for a stretch of your trip, or even all of it, then you should expect to pay between Rp120,00 to Rp170,000 for each day that you use the vehicle. And, accommodation, as evidenced in the price of rental properties on https://www.rumah.com/properti-sewa, will probably set you back about Rp50,000 for each night that you stay if you stay somewhere considered to be far more on the budget side of pricing. If you are far pickier with your accommodation desires, then you could spend anything from Rp250,000 to Rp500,000 per night. Basically, it all depends on your budget and what you want out of your accommodation.
Know where and what to eat
If you want to turn your Indonesian road trip into a culinary adventure, then you're going to have to know where to eat and what to eat. And, what this means is that you might just have to go off the beaten track from time to time ignorer to find all the gifted street chef’s that Indonesia has to offer, and this is how you’re going to get a true taste of this part of the world. Yes, this means forgoing all the big, flashy, five-star restaurants that you see dotted around the city and instead opting for street stalls and smaller restaurants, especially if they offer plenty of seafood. You see, there is no better culinary choice in Indonesia than seafood, as it’s predominantly all so fresh and all treated with such respect.
If you're a bit of a fussy eater, however, just know that there are plenty of culinary choices in Indonesia that will quite literally cater to your needs. This is because there are plenty of restaurants in Indonesia that offer both typical European dishes and typical Chinese dishes, meaning you'd undoubtedly always be able to find a little taste of home.
When it comes to the cost of food in Indonesia, those that is served outside of the main cities, expect to have to pay Rp60,000 per day. In the city, you could have to stump up between Rp100,000 and Rp150,000 a day.
Pack right, pack light
When going on any road trip, no matter where it is in the world, you would have to pack light if you wanted to pack right. And, in Indonesia, especially when your road trip entails bike riding, then in order to curtail to your road tripping needs you would have to pay light. You’d have to wear heavy clothes as often as you can and only carry essentials with you. But, because you're in a place that offers up so many beautiful beaches, make sure to pack your beach stuff.
How to keep your funds up
Any type of road trip will cause your funds to deplete, but there are normally ways to keep your funds up. However, in Indonesia, don’t count on it! Yes, in Indonesia, even when you have the necessary working visas, you will find it a struggle to get work and keep your funds up. You see, there aren’t many chances for people looking for work, especially those that are foreign in the country, to find the work they are looking for.
Keeping up with the outside world
You may want to escape from the outside world during your Indonesian road trip, but whether you wanted to or not you should know that the Internet in Indonesia is, erm, not so good! Yep, Indonesian Internet and WiFi is patchy at best, especially when you travel further and further away from the main areas of tourism.
Where to go
On your Indonesian road trip you're going to want to experience all the delights that this beautiful country has to offer, right? You're going to want to soak in all the liveliness, all the bars, all the music and all the skyscrapers in Singapore. You’re going to want to experience all the adventures, and the alleys that plays host to them, that Yogyakarta has to offer. And you're going to want to enjoy the paradise that is Bali. By hitting all of these areas on your road trip you’ll undoubtedly have the trip of a lifetime.
Whether you go on your Indonesian road trip via caravan, via car or via motorbike, you’ll be sure to have the absolutely best time possible. Just, when you do embark on your journey, make sure to take heed of all the advice above. Make sure to put your plans into place. Make sure to take enough cash out with you. Make sure to expect the unexpected. And, most importantly, make sure to try and see everything that Indonesia has to offer, and make sure to try everything it has to offer, too.