Question Luggage & Packing Questions

[Cisco_Pug]

Hi everyone. So, we are going on the Damai 1 Liveaboard out of Nabire this summer. I've been doing a LOT of research and it has required a spreadsheet to plan out all of the flights and hotels to get us there and back. We only have a few things left to book and I have a couple of questions.

So, we are flying from Chicago to Jakarta via Tokyo (with an overnight in Narita - staying at the WAQOO Naritasan Hotel. We get into Jakarta on a Friday at 5pm and don't leave until Saturday just after 8am, so we will be staying overnight in Jakarta at the Anara Airport Hotel.

Then on Saturday morning, we fly from Jakarta to Makassar on Garuda Indonesia and will be staying in Makassar for 2 nights (no hotel picked yet). We fly from Makassar to Nabire on Monday and will stay overnight in Nabire for 2 nights before boarding the liveaboard.

So, there are only 2 options for flights from Makassar to Nabire - Lion Air (no direct flights - so a lot more chance for delays, baggage loss, etc.) and Sriwijaya Air (direct flight, but leaves at 3:15 a.m.). With all that I've heard about Lion Air, and especially with lack of direct flights, we are going to go with Sriwijaya Air.

Now for my questions - given the places we are staying - do we need to worry too much about dress codes anywhere we will be - for dinner, sightseeing, etc.? Or can we pack and wear the same stuff we will wear on the liveaboard? Does hubby need like khakis and a collared shirt for anything? Or is dress shorts and a nice shirt enough? We are trying to pack as light as possible, given all the scuba and photography gear.

We are not worried about luggage for our flights from here to Jakarta as everything is included. I see that Garuda allows an extra bag for Scuba Gear for each of us, so that helps a lot. But their listed carry-on allowance is 7kg, which is just slightly over 15 pounds. My camera bag wheeled-carry on is definitely more than that. I haven't weighed it lately, but it's got everything camera related in it (camera, housing, strobes, etc.) so I'm guessing it's a good 30 lbs. Is Garuda going to weigh my carry-on or will that be a non-issue? If I need to pay for extra for it up front, I will - I just want to know ahead of time so I can take care of it. I really just want to keep it as a carry-on - I don't want to put it in with checked bag Will they force me to do that - or just make me pay extra for it? We are travelling on business class with Garuda, if that makes any difference.

Then, on Sriwijaya Air, there is no allowance that I can see for Scuba Gear, and they only allow checked luggage of 15kg - so about 33 pounds. So, we will be paying extra $160 for the carry-on for my camera bag, and $567 each for the scuba bags for the round-trip. We are each going to bring a medium suitcase with our clothes for the trip - and we'll just be sure to keep those under 33 lbs. so that they will not cost anything additional. Same question for this airline - will they weigh my carry-on? If so, will they just let me pay extra but still keep it as carry-on, or will they make me check it?

Sorry for the long post - just trying to do the best planning to eliminate headaches once we are there! Any suggestions, advice, information would be greatly appreciated!

 

[FishCity]

What is he wearing on the plane? Shorts? It gets cold on long flights. He could wear comfortable pants on the plane.

 

[Cisco_Pug]

What is he wearing on the plane? Shorts? It gets cold on long flights. He could wear comfortable pants on the plane.

That is true - He could wear the khakis and nice shirt for travelling to save space. For the liveaboard, I assume 2-3 pairs of shorts and 5 or 6 t-shirts is sufficient? Also, for dinner in Tokyo, Jakarta, and Makassar - are shorts ok?

 

[crabapple58]

Good idea for husband to have any kind of long pants even sport pants, hotels may have errant a/c or if u visit any religious landmark, modest dress. Re: baggage : at the counter , before paying anything, state ‘scuba gear’ with an added pointing to your camera bag. (It is for scuba, too) Lion Air did not weigh or charge for anything but I did have to show the gear and sign a form stating it was gear. Safe travels

 

[FishCity]

You need pants in Tokyo for sure. I wouldn't wear the dress shirt to travel unless you get laundry service

 

[JonnieB]

That is true - He could wear the khakis and nice shirt for travelling to save space. For the liveaboard, I assume 2-3 pairs of shorts and 5 or 6 t-shirts is sufficient? Also, for dinner in Tokyo, Jakarta, and Makassar - are shorts ok?

Casual clothing is fine throughout Indonesia...down to shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. For LOB, 1-2 shorts and 3-4 tees are more than enough. (Easy to wash with shampoo in the bathroom sink and will dry within an hour in the tropical sun.) Shorts are fine in Tokyo, unless you're going Michelin 5 Star.

 

[JonnieB]

What is he wearing on the plane? Shorts? It gets cold on long flights. He could wear comfortable pants on the plane.

I would wear those long pants that can be unzipped into shorts...kills two birds with one stone.

 

[Wobbegong_th]

Bring some lightweight long pants for your land-based day. Casual wear will get you by easily in most SE Asia countries. If you plan to visit any religious sites during your land-based day, long pants and Polo Shirt should be ok. Closed shoes is recommended.

Not sure what kind of 'Camera Bag' you're using. If it's a Pelican, or a Pelican-knockoff, the bag itself took up a lot of allowable weight. My personnal solution on this is using a Semi-hard plastic wheel regular luggage. Then find a padded insert bag for camera gear to put inside. As you'll be 'carry-on' these camera bag, you don't really need Pelican-level of protection. I'd also put the heavier, non-sensitive parts of the camera rig in check-luggage along with other clothing to reduce the weight of the carry-on.

At the airport, act like your carry on isn't heavy until you're already on the plane. Full-fare airline like Garuda rarely weight the carry on, unless it's visibly large/heavy or the passengers seems to carry too many bags. For low-cost airline, they might ask but if you say it's computer/camera gear, typically they'll allow.

Also, check for laundry service during your land-day. That migh help you cut down the amount of clothing.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Long pants for Japan and airplane.

 

[Tim Clark Diving]

I wear lightweight khaki pants and an aloha shirt or long sleeve Columbia fishing shirt on the plane depending if I think there will be mosquitoes at night. I carry 2 board shorts and 2 quick dry T-shirt’s for the boat. Laundry every night in a bucket when I take a shower. Clothes are also used as extra padding for camera gear. And crocks so I have lightweight closed toe shoes that are waterproof and float.

Airlines differ in baggage policies. I’ve been to Indo a couple times and never had my carryon weighed.