- Indonesia
- Java, Bali and the Komodo Dragons
The world's fourth most populous nation with over 17,000 islands defies description, hundreds of volcanos dot the islands, dozens of cultures mix, rainforests hide sprawling temple complexes and stretch to beaches, where Dragon's laze in the sunshine waiting for their prey.
Depart the UK on your scheduled overnight flight to Jakarta.
Dinner
On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Java is an ancient island, discovery place of the 2-million-year-old Java man and home to volcanoes, rainforests and bustling cities. Relax before a welcome dinner.
Breakfast
One of the world's great metropolises, Jakarta is dynamic, vibrant, chaotic, and ever-changing, all of Indonesia pours into the great capital and provides a fascinating mix of the cultures, religions, and cuisines of this sprawling nation. Embark on a full day sightseeing tour of the capital with photo stops at Merdeka Palace, Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral. Continue to the National Monument, Indonesia Miniature Museum, Fatahillah Old Town Square and Sunda Kelapa Old Harbour.
Breakfast
Fly from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, flight times in Indonesia can vary so free time may be in either Jakarta or Yogyakarta.
Breakfast
Yogyakarta is the soul of Java, the centre of the islands artistic and intellectual heritage. Start the day with a city tour including the Sultan's Royal Palace, Bird Market, and Taman Sari Water Castle. Later visit Prambanan Temple, actually the remains of 244 temples dotted within a large park and dating back to the 9th Century.
Breakfast
Arguably the finest Buddhist monument in the world, Borobudur Temple was constructed in the 8th century, a frozen vision of the Buddhist cosmos in stonework, the complex was lost for nine centuries after an eruption at Mount Merapi covered the area in volcanic ash. Later, experience local life with a horse cart ride through Candirejo village to see the locals making cassava crackers, playing gamelan, and harvesting or drying vanilla and chilli.
Breakfast
Drive to Solo in Central Java, stopping at Candi Sukuh Temple with its themes of birth, sexual education, and fertility. Continue to Solo, visiting Mangkunegaran Palace, Pasar Triwindhu for antiques and Tjolomadu sugar factory museum.
Breakfast
Fly from Yogyakarta to Denpasar and transfer to Ubud, free time will be in either Yogyakarta or Ubud. Bali has become a byword for paradise with its rich culture and idyllic scenery and Ubud is the spiritual heart of the island.
Breakfast
Today you will enjoy a walking tour of Ubud including the monkey forest, Ubud Palace and Ubud Market. Relax with a local spa and massage before returning to your hotel.
Breakfast & Lunch
Explore the island by open top VW, including Taman Ayun Temple in Mengwi, Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, Ulun Danu Temple and Tanah Lot Temple.
Breakfast
Transfer to Denpasar for your flight to Labuan Bajo, Flores. Free time will be either in the morning in Ubud or the afternoon in Labuan Bajo.
Breakfast & Lunch
With an early start and takeaway breakfast, board your local boat to Komodo Island. Stop off at Padar Island for magnificent hilltop views. Continue to Komodo Island where we can encounter these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. The largest lizard in the world, reaching lengths of up to 3.5 meters and weighing up to 150kgs, they can be viewed safely from a distance with the guidance of expert local rangers. The island is also home to a huge variety of bird life including sulfur-crested cockatoo, noisy friar birds and megapode birds. Finish at Red beach before returning to the boat. You'll stop off at Kanawa and Kelor islands on the way back for swimming and snorkelling opportunities. A basic lunch will be provided on board.
Breakfast
Fly from Labuan Bajo to Denpasar and continue to the nearby beach of Sanur, a relaxed resort with a mix of local restaurants and cafes.
Breakfast
Take a day to relax at the beach or explore the local town.
Breakfast
After a relaxing morning, this afternoon explore Bali further, including Puri Luhur Uluwatu perched on the tip of a cliff rising 250 meters above sea level an home to a small colony of monkeys. Afterwards, enjoy Kecak Dance, a performance of The Ramayana epic-based with sunset as the background.
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK, or continue on to your chosen extension.
The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
Passport holders from UK must obtain a single entry Visa. This can be done on arrival at the airport. Alternatively, you can apply for an e-VOA online https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/ before travel which should save you time in the arrivals hall. You can apply for an e-VOA 14 days before your trip and no later than 48 hours before departure. Visa’s cost approx £25 per person and are valid for up to 30 days. As of August 2024, you must now fill in a SATUSEHAT Health Pass before arriving in to Bali. This can be done online through their official website https://sshp.kemkes.go.id/
Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your e-ticket and final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0871 360 2000, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves climbing of steep stairs and getting on and off coaches. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties. All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace for Java, Bali & the Komodo Dragons is intermediate. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and may be getting on and off coaches, trains and boats and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour.
The currency in Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupiah. The Rupiah is a closed currency, therefore it is advisable to carry US Dollars or British Pounds, which are widely accepted throughout. You can exchange your Pounds or US Dollars for Indonesian Rupiah at the airport and various official outlets throughout the tour. It is advisable to exchange only a minimal amount of Rupiah, as any remaining currency at the end of the tour cannot be taken out of the country. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour to withdraw money in your local currency. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most hotels and some shops and restaurants.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £600- £750 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.
Tipping is not compulsory and is at your discretion to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend tipping approximately £3 per person per day. Tips are accepted in the local currency.
Tourism Tax
The Bali Provencal Government has introduced a International Tourism Tax which is IDR 150,000 per person which is a one time payment (approx £8 pp). This has been brought in to support and protect the nature of Bali and help make Bali a more sustainable and green country. This tax needs to be paid before arriving in Bali and can be paid online at www.lovebali.baliprov.go.id or you can pay cashless via Bank Counter in I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport or Benoa Bali Harbor.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour meaning that you will be met by a local guide in each of the cities that you visit, ensuring that you always have first-hand knowledge. Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.
Boat
During your visit to Komodo Island you will be using a local wooden boat. Although facilities on the boat are minimal there are toilet facilities and a kitchen on board where your lunch of fish and rice will be cooked.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and India. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
A triple room is available but please note that this will be a twin room with a fold away bed for the 3rd passenger.
Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours..
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, and vegetarian options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. A bottle of water is supplied daily on your tour.
Indonesians celebrates a wide range of religious holidays, the main one being Hari Raya Nyepi. It is a day of silence, fasting and meditation for the Balinese. Ramadan is also celebrated widely through Indonesia, it is a time for people to be with their loved ones, self-reflect and renew their faith. During this time Muslims fast from dawn until dusk and abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum. If you are a tourist visiting Indonesia, you will not be expected to fast. Most attractions will be closed during this time. It is advisable to be more covered up to show respect to the local customs. We would recommend that women cover their shoulders and knees and men should wear knee length shorts or trousers when out in public areas during these times.
During visits Religious sites please note long trousers or skirts should be worn to cover knees, Long sleeved tops should be worn to cover shoulders.
On your arrival in Jakarta you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Marintur Indonesia, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Marintur Indonesia representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
Contact number: +62 813 3830 6610 / +62 878 6045 4519
Email: operationmgr.dps@marintur.co.id
Emergency 24 hour Contact number: +62 813 3830 6610 / +62 878 6045 4519, Email: operationmgr.dps@marintur.co.id