Lombok and Bali Trip Oct - Nov 2021

[Wisnu]

Part 1 - the journey.

Our last trip to Indonesia was in February 2020.
Due to prolong pandemic, no chance to visit again until this October although we managed to visit other countries - not for diving though.
Our last dive trip was Liveaboard in red sea, September 2020.
Assuming I'm not lazy, this will be long report of several posts and include topsite activities too.

It's long journey for us to reach Jakarta. No direct flight to Bali so far.
Took 2 hours helicopter ride to Lagos.

After an overnight in Lagos then 18 hours Qatar airways flight with short transit in Doha.Very smooth flight and nice biz class.

Landed in Jakarta ahead schedule. Took less than 2 hours for registration, baggage collection, PCR test and get the report/clearance to leave the airport for five (5) days quarantine in Borobudur hotel, central Jakarta. Very spacious accommodation, 75m2 with separate living room, kitchen and outdoor balcony at very reasonable price.

Yes, the quarantine requirements was 5 days at that time. Now, reduced to 3 days. Not bad at all for me, as I was WFH during the quarantine days.

 

[Wisnu]

Part 2 Mt. Rinjani

After a week in Jakarta we leave for Lombok with Batik air. We'll be trekking Rinjani and then scuba diving in Gili before we cross the strait to Padang Bai Bali for another diving trip.

Mount Rinjani, at 3,726 meters, is the country’s second highest volcano.

Before trekking, we had an overnight at Rinjani lodge, a nice resort in Senaru village overlooking the stunning Senaru valley and the majestic Mt. Rinjani.



We also visited waterfall within walking distance from the hotel.


The next day, we start trekking from Sembalun village, an hour drive from Senaru.
After 5 hours trekking, we reached the Sembalun crater rim where we camped and got rest few hours before summit trekking.

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Woke up very early 02:00 am to start summit trekking. After 6 hours strenuous trek, we reached the summit.

 

[Wisnu]

Twenty minutes at the summit, then 3 hours trekking down, we reached our camp at 2600m asl. Took a nap for couples hours, had a lunch and then we moved down to the Segara anakan crater lake at 2000m asl - very steep rocky trek, more difficult and dangerous than summit hiking, torturing our old knees for almost 4 hours. For us, going up is more manageable than going down.
Stay one more night here.



Next day, after breakfast we went up to Senaru crater rim at 2605m asl. We moved very slow due to frequent rock slide on the trekking path. Took almost 5 hours to get there.
The view from the rim was very beautiful. Here, we camped for our last night at Rinjani.



Next day, we finalized our Rinjani trekking at Senaru village. More than half of the trek through dense rainforest jungle, long trek but not steep. supposed o be easy Unfortunately, it was raining most of the time,. with our wobbly legs, took almost 7 hours. We were also accompanied with few fat leeches - at least 3 inside my pant.

So, total 4 days/3nights trip excluding overnight at Rinjani lodge hotel on arrival day, 36 km trekking distance, 4000m elevation gain, 3600m elevation loss.

The trip organizer, Green Rinjani did great job for us, from airport pick up, best view accomodation at Rinjani lodge overlooking stunning Senaru valley and certainly the Rinjani trekking adventure.
The team, consist of Syahril (guide) and three porters (murdi, sultan and Nas) provided the best service and a luxury. Good quality tent, great food, drinking water, tea/coffee, table and chair, and toilet tent are always available.

More over, something that we really respect,, they clean the camping and bring back all rubbish including (sadly) other rubbish from unresponsible trekkers.
Hope other trekking organizer follow their paths.
Kudos to the team.

Late afternoon, with a chartered boat from Nara bay, we crossed to Gili air. 10 minutes journey cost us Rp. 250K

 

[Wisnu]

Part 3 Gili Air

Nor much too say about Gili air. Very quiet, almost dead. Most of accomodations, restaurant and dive center are close.

We stayed at Gili air for two nights only, had 4 dives. Nothing special. Just okay for a warming up dive before another dive trip in Bali
Here is few shots from Gili island.


Gili islands is not really our favourite destinations. The diving there is just okay. The dive center mostly cater fun dives. The dive guide is good for typical fun dive but not for underwater photography.
We decided to left one day earlier than our original plan, crossing Lombok strait with fast boat to Padang Bai, Bali.

 

[Wisnu]

Part 4 - Padangbai

Padangbai, a small coastal town is our other favourite diving destination in Bali. We know personally most of dive centers in the area.
Very sad to see many of them (particularly who rely on foreign customer) not able to operate daily or even they have to close for unspecified time.
Our favourite hotel in the area - Puri Rai - is also closed.
In Padangbai, we dived with Widana Dive service, a very small outlet, the one that still operate daily (and busy during weekends) - very basic and humble, more like a street stall rather than a dive center. However, their service is five stars.
Lot of underwater macro photographer including William Tan knows him and use their service to find very small animals in Padangbai.
The smaller, the better they are. We talk about 5mm and smaller. Pak widana himself is an avid underwater photographer. His assistant, Didu is equally as good as him to find small critters.
I told him, I'm too old for anything less than 5mm. Still, he love to torture me with very small nudies.
For macro, typically we dived at small area, some time less than 100m2. Many dive centers limit the dive time to 1 hour. Here, no time limitations. We often dived more than 75 minutes.
Few shots from Padangbai

 

[Wisnu]

A pleasant surprise at bias tugel dive site - we found a Purple Paddle-Flap Scorpionfish (Rhinopias eschmeyeri).


We did not find this fish on our visit February 2020. The guide also told me that they haven't seen for several months and they never see it at this site.

For this time, we skip the jetty

Few more from Padangbai

 

[pelan-pelan]

Thank you for the photos, the scorpionfish and nudis were great. Diving in the local swimming pool just isn't the same!
Just hope we can make it in 2022. Enjoy your diving.

 

[Mr.Poseidon]

Thanks for sharing! I miss diving Indonesia. Hopefully things get back to normal next year.

 

[subadiver]

Amazing and thanks for sharing, something to look forward to in the near future.

 

[Wisnu]

Thanks for sharing! I miss diving Indonesia. Hopefully things get back to normal next year.

If the criteria of normal is prepandemic, I don't think we'll get back.
Traveling is more complicated and riskier - hopefully less in the near future. Is up to us whether we can accept or consider all the hassles and risk are worth.
I'm personally comfortable with current situation in Bali and Jakarta. the people I met and spoken in Jakarta, Lombok and Bali have received complete vaccination. You are not allowed to enter mall and public facilities without at least one vaxed.
More people wearing mask in Jakarta and Bali compared to what I saw on my previous visit to Egypt, UK, turkey and US.