Indonesia

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Is there a Doctor in Bali?

What hospital should I go to in Bali?

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While I was there, we didn't use Doctors, we would go to one of the many pharmacies scattered around. There you can pick up all kinds of medicines and treatments.

 

For more serious illness/injury, there are small clinics located in the touristy areas. I would recommend Prime Plus Medical (Canggu/Seminyak region) where a friend had a pretty horrific scootering wound stitched up.

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In the case where a hospital is required, Siloam usually does the trick. If the injury is very severe and invasive surgery is required, if possible, I would avoid treatment in Indonesia.

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Do I need Malaria tablets for Indonesia?

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For Bali, Gilis and Lombok, Malaria tablets are no longer needed. For other islands, it is worth a quick internet search to check.

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Where should I base myself in Bali, inland or coast?

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My advice would be to pack light and move around. You do not need to base yourself anywhere.

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Which other islands are worth visiting?

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There is still a great deal of Indonesia that I need to explore. So far I would recommend everywhere I went, however, there are many more islands that are also worth seeing, if you have time (Raja Ampat etc).

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I am going to Indonesia for 2-3 weeks and would like to see Bali, Gili Islands, Lombok and maybe Komodo. I am keen on surfing, exploring the culture and some relaxed beach time. How long is realistic to spend in each place?

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This is quite a common question I receive. 

Obviously, my bias opinion would be that Bali is big enough to keep you occupied for at least a month, however, I understand the need to visit the other islands Indonesia has to offer.

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My answer usually looks something like this...

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Week 1: road tripping around Bali, seeing all its wonders.

Week 2: spent travelling over to Gilis (spend 2 nights, maybe do some diving) and Lombok** (climb Mount Rinjani, visit Kuta Lombok).

Week 3: spent travelling to and exploring Flores** (can take in Komodo, although it is a bit of an anti climax in terms of the actual dragons you see - other wildlife and scenery is spectacular).

 

**could spend at least 2 months travelling around both Lombok and Flores - so one has to pick and choose wisely what they are most keen to see / do

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Do I need to book all accommodation in advance or can we be quite flexible?

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I would say, choose your starting point and book your first 1/2 nights. After that, book a couple of days in advance or literally show up on the day and see what is there - this will be a cheaper option and probably more value for money.

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What is the best way to travel around the islands?

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I would fully support mopedding as the best way of getting around Bali and Indonesia. You can avoid the traffic, it is flexible, cheap and certainly the quickest option. I understand that it is not for everyone, therefore, taxis can take you pretty much anywhere but it will be more expensive. Sorting a driver for the duration of your trip, is quite a good option. I would recommend Gnurah, who can be reached via facebook here.

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Where is good for beginner/intermediate surfing?

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I have heard that Kuta beach is quite good for beginners, although I haven't tried it myself. Batu Bolong is also good as a beginner/intermediate. There are many good instructors to take you out and help you have a good, safe session.

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