Bangkok to Bali Overland - 29 days

Drifters Price: £532.00

RRP: £560.00

Trip Code: INTBBO

Local Payment: USD$400.00

Days 1-2 Bangkok

You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned aside from our group meeting in the evening, followed by dinner. Please check the noticeboard for a message from your group leader advising the time and place of your meeting. For those who arrive early, the noticeboard contains information and ideas on what to do and how to get there.

Please note that your leader will collect part of your local payment (8500 baht) at the meeting today.

Undoubtedly the best way to get around Bangkok is by water taxi, as the streets are often crazy with traffic. From the Chao Phraya River you have an excellent view of this vast metropolis. Bangkok is a fantastic city and there is endless sightseeing to be done.

On day 2 perhaps take a longtail boat to explore the canals of Bangkok. The life that goes on along these canals seems like a different world. We also recommend visiting Wat Pho, home of the reclining Buddha. You can have a traditional Thai massage either here, at a school that teaches massage within the temple, or choose somewhere near the hotel - this is highly recommended! Late in the afternoon we leave the hustle and bustle of Bangkok taking a sleeper train south to Surat Thani (approx. 12 hours).

Days 3-4 Khao Sok National Park

On arrival in Surat Thani, we have breakfast in a small coffee shop before jumping on a songtaew to head west (approx. 1.5 hours). At Khao Sok we find some of the best remaining rainforest in Thailand, reputably older than that of the Amazon Basin!

Our guesthouse sits by a clearwater stream at the edge of tropical jungle with our accommodation consisting of basic but comfortable bungalows with local-style bathrooms. Sleeping in these small rustic bungalows, surrounded by the sounds of the jungle, is an evocative experience. We take a short walk through the jungle with a local guide to a small Bhuddist temple.

There's an option for an elephant ride or to head out on foot to explore the forest walking trails, rivers and waterfalls. Be sure to bring good walking shoes with grip and be prepared to sweat!

Days 5-7 Krabi

We travel by public bus and songthaew to Krabi Province on the beautiful west coast (approx. 3-5 hours). You will soon discover why Thailand is so famous for its unspoilt beaches.

Our guesthouse is close to the beach and provides a perfect spot to mellow out and relax. Weather permitting, you can take a boat out to some of the beautiful islands and snorkel the reefs that have made southern Thailand so famous.

Your leader will fill you in on all the other interesting options, such as sea kayaking and rock climbing, that are available in the area.

This is the perfect place to get active or simply chill out and relax!

Days 8-9 Penang

Today can be quite a long travel day (approx. 10 hours). We say goodbye to southern Thailand and hello to the cultural melting pot of Malaysia.

We will arrive in Penang on the evening of day 8. The original Chinese atmosphere of the island still exists today, making it a fascinating place to explore.

Day 9 is free for you to explore the island. Take the option of a bicycle rickshaw to meander through the streets and lanes of Georgetown. You can also see colourful bazaars, bargain at the night markets or visit numerous Chinese temples. If time allows, a visit to the Butterfly Farm on the north of the island offers a great insight into Malaysia's fascinating insects.

Penang has something to offer everyone. Food is also a treat here with an impressive variety, from Chinese to Malay and Indian. Don't miss the waterfront night market that serves up excellent local food.

Day 10 Cameron Highlands

This morning we head for the hills (approx. 6 hours). The Cameron Highlands hill station is one of Malaysia's most famous. Established in 1885 by William Cameron, a British surveyor, the hill station is famous for its tea plantations and strawberry farms.

The afternoon is free to explore. You may want to take a walk along one of the many trails, or just relax and enjoy the 21-degree celcius temperatures!

Days 11-12 Kuala Lumpur

The trip to Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur (approx. 5 hours), can be a little winding but the scenery is amazing as we descend from the hills.

We have time to view the impressive architecture and experience the fascinating cultural mix that gives this city such a uniquely cosmopolitan feel.

We have a full free day in KL so you might like to head out of town to visit the famous Batu Caves or the Orang Asli Museum. The evening is best spent at the night market sampling the different cuisine and bargain hunting among the stalls. How about finishing off the evening with a visit to the second-tallest buildings in the world?

Days 13-14 Singapore

A short bus journey (approx. 2.5 hours) takes us to the old port town of Melaka where we can wander the narrow streets and absorb the atmosphere and heritage of this historically important town.

With the beginning of trade with China in the early 15th Century, Melaka rapidly became the most important trading port in South East Asia. Chinese traders were followed by those from India. With them came Islam and soon the Melaka sultans ruled the largest empire in Malaysia's history. Successively the Portuguese, Dutch and British arrived in search of trading wealth. While the effects of recent economic growth are apparent, Melaka remains one of Malaysia's premier destinations.

The streets of Chinatown are lined with Peranakan (Straits Chinese) shophouses offering their traditional cuisine, Nyonya. There are temples, churches and mosques, museums and forts to explore. It may also be possible to view Melaka from the water by boarding a river boat cruise. This is dependant on river tide levels.

We catch a morning bus across the border to Singapore (approx. 5.5 hours). Singapore has only a few areas untouched by modernisation but wandering the streets of Little India and Chinatown is a great way to see the old parts of the city. Our hotel is located in the centre of Chinatown and many shopping centres and places to eat are nearby! Being only 2 minutes' walk from Outram Park, it is only a short MRT (underground train) ride to the major shopping complexes of Orchard Road.

Day 15 Jakarta

Day 15 is the time to fly over to Jakarta for the second half of the trip. Depending on your flight time, you will have extra time in either Singapore or Jakarta for sightseeing. There is lots to do in both cities so both options are worthwhile. Your group leader can arrange a taxi to the airport in Singapore - expect to pay USD10 for this transfer and about Rp150000 for a taxi from the airport to our hotel in Jakarta.

The structure of the group and your leader may change today, as we commence the second half of our journey, bound for Bali.

Please note that your leader will collect the second part of your local payment (USD200) today.

If you choose extra time in Jakarta, the old port of Batavia with its traditional sailing schooners is well worth a visit, as is Taman Mini, the Indonesian mini-village, the National Museum and the Great Mosque.

Jakarta is a bustling city and our guesthouse is located in the shopping area with plenty of restaurants close by. Check at hotel reception for information and ideas on what to do. We will have a group meeting this evening, please check the noticeboard for the time and place. We depart Jakarta early on day 16, straight after breakfast.

Days 16-18 Pangandaran

After breakfast, it's straight into a full day's journey by train and bus (approx. 10-13 hours), but with deep gorges and lush green rice-terraced hills, the scenery makes it worthwhile.

We have 2 full days in Pangandaran. For half a day we walk through the superb coastal reserve where our experienced local guide seeks out porcupines, deer and monkeys for us to see. The walk is steep in parts but not difficult overall.

During free time, you may wish to take bikes into the countryside to experience rural Indonesian life, or head off for the adventure of Green Canyon.

Don't miss sunset on the west beach with hundreds of bats heading out for an evening of gorging on the nearby fruit trees.

Please note that the extra activities are optional and are not part of the trip.

Days 19-21 Yogyakarta

Please note for departure between 1.6.2006 and 1.7.2006 our trip will not be visiting Yogyakarta. Please see the amendments section for the revised itinerary.

Leaving the sea behind for a while we head inland to Yogyakarta - one of Intrepid's favourite towns in Asia. The trip takes about 9 hours in total.

Yogya ('Jogja') is the cultural centre of Java and a great place to base ourselves for a few days. It's a colourful city with plenty of atmosphere.

On our first morning (Day 6) you have the option to venture out on bicycle rickshaws (becak) to explore the Sultan's Palace, markets and the batik workshops of Yogya. There is also time to visit the impressive Hindu temple complex, Prambanan, which encompasses 224 ruined temples which are currently undergoing painstaking restoration. Yogya is also the place to see beautiful traditional Javanese dancing in the evening or to discover the art of puppet-making.

On the morning of day 7 perhaps head out of town for a day trip to the 8th-Century Borobudur - the largest Buddhist temple in the world (approximately 1 hour from Yogya), leaving the afternoon free for meandering through the markets in Malioboro Street.

Perhaps head out of town for a day trip to the 8th-Century Borobudur - one of the largest Buddhist temples in the world (approx. 1 hour from Yojya). There is also time to visit the equally impressive Hindu temple complex, Prambanan, which encompasses 224 temples in ruins and is currently undergoing painstaking restoration. Yogya is also the place to see beautiful traditional Javanese dancing in the evening or to discover the art of puppet-making.

Day 22 Seloliman Nature Reserve

The Seloliman Nature Reserve is a peaceful place situated on the slopes of the sacred Penanggungan volcano - a welcome treat after another long stint of travelling (7-8 hours by bus).

We meet volunteers who are working at the PPLH Seloliman Environmental Education Centre and eat the delicious food cooked by the centre's staff. We stay here for 1 night, in the centre's atmospheric accommodation, with open-air bathrooms built in harmony with the surrounding forest. This is a beautiful spot to appreciate nature - try sitting outside at night under the stars, absorbing the peacefulness of the surrounding mountain scenery - it's heavenly!

On day 23 PPLH staff take us on a morning walk around the Seloliman Nature Reserve, telling us about the local environment and the Javanese tradition of herbal medicine. The walk is not difficult (approx. 2.5 hours), but can be muddy and slippery so good shoes are necessary - trekking sandals are best because of the wet.

We journey on (approx. 3 hours) to the timeless homeland of the Tenggerese where we stay in simple lodgings for night 23. Here we get a glimpse of what we will explore in the morning - the steeply cultivated hills give rise to one of the world's greatest sights - the Tengger Valley. There may be time for a bit of a walk around the village in the afternoon but by night-time there's not much to do here - lucky, as it's early to bed to prepare ourselves for a very early start tomorrow.

Day 23 Mt Bromo

PPLH staff take us on a morning walk around the Seloliman Nature Reserve, telling us about the local environment and the Javanese tradition of herbal medicine. The walk is not difficult (approx. 2.5 hours), but can be muddy and slippery so good shoes are necessary - trekking sandals are best because of the wet.

We journey on (approx. 3 hours) to the timeless homeland of the Tenggerese where we stay in simple lodgings for night 23. Here we get a glimpse of what we will explore in the morning - the steeply cultivated hills give rise to one of the world's greatest sights - the Tengger Valley. There may be time for a bit of a walk around the village in the afternoon but by night-time there's not much to do here - lucky, as it's early to bed to prepare ourselves for a very early start tomorrow.

Days 24-25 Lovina

An early rise is necessary (3.30am!) to ensure enough time to cross the 'sea of sand' and climb the cone of Mt Bromo (optional). The climb is not too difficult (45 minutes), but can be very cold so don't forget the extra layers of clothing. The sunrise over this eerie sea of volcanoes is an unforgettable experience. There are ponies available for those wanting a bit of variety. After breakfast we continue our journey by bus, train and ferry to the tranquil north coast of Bali. This is a long and tiring day (8-10 hours by train and ferry), but the change of scene from Java to Bali is remarkable. Crossing the Java Strait by ferry takes about 1 hour.

Two nights and a full day of free time in Lovina gives us plenty of opportunity to experience the exotic marine life. An optional dawn trip by outrigger boat to watch the dolphins come into the bay to feed is incredible and can be followed by snorkelling on the reef or a dive (allow USD50) for the more experienced. Those who have never dived could opt for the beginner's dive, where you are personally taken by an experienced diver on an introduction to the wonders of scuba (approximately USD65). There is also opportunity to visit the hot springs and Buddhist monastery or drive into the nearby hills. Take a walk at dusk along the beach or perhaps sip a cocktail as we settle down to watch the magnificent sunset. In the evening we may be lucky enough to partake in a Balinese banquet at the home of our local friend Ibu Wayan, who lives on the beach in a small village. There is also good nightlife in Lovina for those who like a bit of live music and a dance!

Day 26 Tirtagangga

On the afternoon of day 26 we travel eastwards along the coast, skirting Mt Agung, to Tirtagangga (approx. 2 hours). We pass incredible landscape that is almost lunar in its appearance and a stark contrast to the lush green rice-terraced fields of Tirtangangga. In this small rural village we have free time to relax and enjoy the superb view from our guesthouse balcony or swim in the Raja's Water Palace where the pools are fed by natural underground springs.

Days 27-29 Ubud

With a local guide we have an early morning walk on day 27 through some of the most spectacular rice terraces in Bali (approx. 3 hours), visiting local temples, a unique silversmithing centre and other local cottage industries. We walk along village roads and rice-field tracks. In the afternoon our last drive (approx. 2 hours) takes us to Ubud, the final destination of our trip.

As the cultural centre of Bali, Ubud is a superb place for experiencing the magic that has made Bali such a popular travel destination. Time is free for visiting the numerous art galleries, museums, the monkey forest and some last minute shopping. The main street is lively and colourful with handicrafts from all over Bali available for purchase.

We go on an afternoon walk or bike ride, depending on group wishes, to some surrounding villages. Before dinner, we go to see a traditional kecak dance where performers are whipped up to a trance-like frenzy and conclude with a firewalking demonstration. This is a highlight for many of our travellers. Ubud has an abundance of fantastic restaurants serving traditional Balinese food and an array of other delicacies - perfect for a final dinner together.

You are free to depart any time on day 29, as no activities are planned.

Book this holiday On-line now.

Make a booking on-line with Drifters, Simply make a selection from the available dates in the dropdown box and click book now.

Great Drifters Deals.

We currently have the following great specials available for the following dates. Click buy now to book this trip.

Departure

Return

Special Price

Enquiries ?

Still not satisfied and need to know more ? Please feel free to call, email or come in and see us anytime, We would love to hear from you!