Life is full of surprise and celebration. ~nes, Dec 2018.
2018 is about to end, a year full of life stories, joy and sad, tears and laugh, fight and no regret. I jumped myself into an open trip to Labuan Bajo. It was a sailing trip 3D 2N but I put an extra 1 night staying at hotel before the trip. Here’s few things I wanna share about the trip.
1. How to get your ass to Labuan Bajo
Citilink has direct flight from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo. I thought everyone know this, but some of my travelling partners not know this so here i mention it. If you lucky, you can get IDR 1,8jt – 1,9 per pax by citilink (leave and return). Other flight might have to transit at Bali. Visit a travel fair is always a good idea, or you can keep an eye on traveloka π. If you have much time, you can fly to Bali and then sail to Labuan Bajo, I heard people do that. Buy first, think later! Haha!
I was so amaze when I first landed to the airport. It’s like a WOOOOOOWWWW!!! Never seen this kind of view before, poor me! First thing comes to my mind was that it reminds me to jurassic park and kingkong movie.
2. Where To Stay
Labuan Bajo is a small city with not so many people. I talked to my taxi driver, he said that the city is quite safe, people can leave their motorbike in front of their house and it’ll still be there in the morning! No “begal” case, no thieves (in a serious case number), no chaos. I think everybody know everybody, and they just live in peace.
Driver pick me up from the airport to my hotel: The Jayakarta. Pick up is free, just give a tip to the driver. Jayakarta is located in a quite area about 20min from the airport. If you wish for a backpacker hostel or other hotel in town, Le Pirate or other around it would be a good choice, but a bit noise since they had a life music at night. I found that Jayakarta has kind of private beach (?π) so I explore it myself.
Many hotels (I think all hotels) provide a free shuttle for their guess to explore the city. At 6pm they’ll take you from hotel to town. And they’ll pick u up again at around 9pm. Free! π
3. What to do at first arrive
Join an open tour, they’ll start the trip in the morning, which then I decide to come a day before the trip.
When I walk around the city, I found some tour provide 1 day tour, then sailing tour for just 2D1N. I didn’t find this offering when I search for before I leave.
Exploring the city you may go to Kampung Ujung and then Paradise Bar to catch the sunset. I plan it but I missed this out due to my travelling partner was sick and I have no heart to leave.
But then, around 8pm, I took a ride to the city and found a store selling ice cream and gelato!! π
4. The Sailing Trip
I got couple of optional vendor for the trip but then I fall to Indonesia Juara, as I found the reviews are fine. Less complain, and yes, we were well taken care by IJ π.
You can choose to live on board or do a day trip could be fine as well. This time I join the sailing tour. IJ has 2 type of boat: VIP and regular one. We took the regular one. They have beds and bathroom.
Who can resist watermelon in a hot sunny day π
IJ also provide snacks like this fried banana with chocolate sauce and cheese! What a perfect summer day π
5. Islands
Florest consist many islands, we had 3 days to explore some islands like the Kelor Island, this is our first destination.
Nice, ha? I reach to the top with an effort. To reach it you have to pass this kind of way:
Sunset at Kalong Island
Bats flies from this island to flores island by the sunset. It’s just an amateur video. The real one was so amazing. Sky full of bats!
Komodo Dragon at Komodo Island
There are 2 island that the goverment use as a captivity for the komodo dragon: Komodo Island and Rinca Island. This time we were not visit Rinca.
Last count of komodo population was 1.600 komodo. At this trip, we just met 3 of them π.
Do you dare to touch the top predator?
Wow, Imma is so brave that she friends with komodo. She was touch it heads and say “good boy, good boy…” lol, behind the scene was like:
Hahaha!
Padar Island
This is the icon of Labuan Bajo
Woke up at 3 or 4pm the trekking to the top, catch up the sunrise!
Then when you look down, you’ll find this kind of wonderful view:
Pasir Timbul
It was mid day and we ain’t hide from the sun!
Kanawa Island
To have this sunset makes me think that Heaven is exist, no? π
Snorkling and Manta Ray
Check out this happy face about to snorkling. We should leave the boat and continue with a small boat to reach snorkling spots.
I realize that this picture below makes us look like we’re group of people try to escape from i don’t know what π
And then here come when we can see Manta Ray:
There was 4 that we saw. I can not dive (I can’t even swim!) but I can tell you it was so beautiful. The Nemo movie was right, little fish are staying in the manta’s body. I see them like dancing, colorful, and manta’s body is the dancing floor π
Port
Many islands provide a deck/port, I guess it’s to avoid boat damage the choral. Deck, sunshise, blue sky! Perfect!
Pink Beach
It’s called pink beach as the sands seems pink. Beside at Labuan Bajo, I heard that pink beach also exist at Malang and Lombok.
There’s one island that we visit but I forget the name. It starts with M π
6. What to Prepare
– Personal medice and medicine like: antimo (for sea sick), tolak angin. Prepare vitamin as well, as trip to Labuan Bajo are about: trekking, snorkling, sailing. You’ve got to be at your best!
– Cash!! Stores are still only receive cash. Even at the airport. Can’t swipe debit card.
– Extra hair clip. I break one when I was shower at the boat. I suggest you bring more than one.
– No need to bring hair dryer if you do the sailing trip.
– Sunblock with spf >50. And aloe vera gel to protect ur skin from sunburn.
– Bikini(s), hat.
7. End of the Trip
Well, this is us π.
The trip was end at noon, and IJ drive us to the airport. At second floor of the airport you can find stores for souveneer, coffee, and massage. All in cash! Told you. But they’re cheap. There’s a reflexiology cost 130K per person for 60min.
Cup of coffee only cost 22K. Then, if you follow them on instagram you can get a free postcard! π.
8. What to bring back home
Special gift from flores are coffee and Sambal Luat. You can get coffee grind or bean package, just simply buy at the airport. Outside airport there’s a store sell it but same price, same item at airport!!
Sambal Luat was special chilli. So spicy you may die π
Other than that, you can buy shirts and souveneer!
I’m about to write more but I’ll put my crap at another post!
Cheers for the travellers! See you on my next episodes of life stories.