Itinerary for Malaysia-Singapore-Indonesia Trip 2014

I've done, by far, my most complicated travel to date, that is the three-country, one-week trip that together with my travel buddies, we've done last February, 2014. Now here's the itinerary we've had for that trip. I've revised some of it because some activities we've done and some are not due to factors that are unexpected.

The pool area of Colmar Tropicale

Day 1     Feb. 16      8:00 p.m.       Manila Departure

             Feb. 17     12:00 a.m.      Kuala Lumpur Arrival

                              7:00 a.m.      Breakfast / Visit Petronas Tower

                             10:00 a.m.     Berjaya Times Square

                                                 Shuttle to Colmar Tropicale

                              3:00 p.m.      Check-in Colmar Tropicale

                              3:30 p.m.      Free time / Rest / Sightseeing

                              7:00 p.m.      Dinner

We've arrived at midnight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and from there, we took a bus to the KL grand terminal. Since most establishments and the terminal itself were closed, we did what the locals do: find any cafes open, in our case, McDonalds, and there we could have some shut-eye. Many locals were there sleeping, too, waiting for daylight and the staff don't care! Awesome! Save some money from hotels.

Day 2      Feb. 18       7:00 a.m.        Breakfast

                               8:00 a.m.        Japanese Garden / Animal Park

                              12:00 p.m.       Check-out Colmar / Shuttle back to KL

                               2:00 p.m.        Check-in at Hostel Cosmopolitan

                               3:00 p.m.        Batu Caves

                               5:00 p.m.        Bukit Bintang, Petaling Street,

                                                    Petronas Towers by night

                               

Since it was raining and the weather seems to be getting bad, we've skipped the activities from 3:00 p.m. onwards and just settled in and rest at the hostel. We can't do anything when it comes to Mother Nature.

Day 3       Feb. 19       3:00 a.m.        Shuttle to KLCC Airport

                                8:00 a.m.        Kuala Lumpur Departure

                                9:35 a.m.        Singapore Arrival

                               12:00 p.m.       Day tour (Haw Par Villa, Botanical

                                                     Gardens, Marina Bay Sands)

Day 4       Feb. 20      9:00 a.m.        Breakfast 

                                                            11:00 a.m.       Shuttle to Airport

                                2:30 p.m.       Singapore Departure

                                3:30 p.m.       Jakarta Arrival

                                4:00 p.m.       Travel to Taman Safari by car

                               11:00 p.m.      Check-in Taman Safari Caravan Lodge

Day 5       Feb. 21    7:00 a.m.       Breakfast

                             8:00 a.m.       Safari adventure / animal encounter

                             3:00 p.m.       Travel by bus from Puncak to Jakarta

                             5:00 p.m.       Check-in Hotel 55

Day 6       Feb. 22    8:00 a.m.       Breakfast     

                             9:00 a.m.       Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

                            12:00 p.m.       Lunch

                             2:00 p.m.       Pasalubong shopping

                             6:00 p.m.       Dinner / Rest

Day 7       Feb 23     8:00 a.m.       Breakfast

                             9:00 a.m.       More pasalubong shopping

                            12:00 p.m.      Check-out Hotel 55

                             5:00 p.m.       Travel to Soekarno Hatta Airport

Day 8       Feb. 24    12:00 a.m.     Jakarta - Manila Departure

             

Our itinerary in Indonesia is not that hectic because we didn't expect heavy rains. We stayed at our hotel and, luckily, it's nice despite the bad weather.

Happy travels!

Day 6 and 7: Jakarta, Indonesia

After the safari adventures at the Taman Safari Park in Puncak, we braced for the commute back to Jakarta. It's a two-hour travel from Puncak to Rambutan, and from the terminal there we took a cab to the hotel. We rode an ordinary bus and we've been seated separately. Bus travels here are almost like in the Philippines, bu gosh, cigarette smoking in public vehicles is not prohibited so by the time we get off the bus, we're fumed with nicotine all over! And as usual, the traffic is worse.

We'll surely miss these lovable elephants of the Taman Safari!

Our hotel for the remaining two days in Jakarta is called Hotel 55, Hotel Lima-Lima as the locals called it. It's not a luxurious room but could pass the three-star standard. It's clean, complete with the complimentary toiletries, slippers, and the coffee and tea making facilities is a-okay, enough for the four of us and more. 

Good thing that the hotel atmosphere is homey because it rained for the next two days of our Jakarta stay but it did not stop us from going out. We hailed a cab ( more of like the receptionist called for a cab for us, one of the perks). One of the places we checked out was the Taman Mini Indonesia in East Jakarta. It's a park with life-sized replicas of houses and buildings the shows the Indonesian way of living. Since it's raining nonstop, we took the shuttle van around the park for RP5000. Disappointed we could not get to see each one of the house models up close.

Back at the hotel, since it's raining, we'd busied ourselves with all the food and snacks we bought at the nearest Carrefour. No 7-eleven around but there's Carrefour in every corner. 

Alas, it's our last day in Jakarta! It's pasalubong shopping! But first, we checked out a J.Co cafe. Of course, we brought the flavors we want and Jen also tried their sandwiches. J.Co is from Indonesia so what better thing to do than try it in its origin country.

Checking out of Hotel 55 is bittersweet, yet there's a satisfied smile in all of us. 

While waiting for the cab that will take us to the airport

We've completed our one-week, three-country tour and our itinerary was checked, although not 100 percent. For me, it's always an 80/20 chance because we can't expect perfection when there's too many things to factor in.

Checking in at the airport, we bid our goodbye to Indonesia, with a thought in each of us that we may come back for more. Remember, there's Borobudur and Bali waiting...

Happy travels!

Day 5: Roar at Taman Safari Indonesia

It's Day 5 and I'm super excited. Today, we'll get to check out the safari park. But first, we have to ready ourselves, which is super hard, because it's super cold. Took a shower (thank God for the hot water) and got ready for breakfast before everything else.

After a heavy brekkie, we strolled first within the lodge premises and checked out the pool. It's a foggy morning with morning drizzle that made the surrounding a bit gloomy. Taman Safari, by the way, is at the top of a mountain.

Foggy morning at 7 a.m.

The pool area.

We then went to the safari park ticket booth to buy safari tickets. A ticket costs 200,000 Indonesian rupiah. It includes free entrance and a safari bus will take us around the park. We envied those with private cars because they've got their chance of feeding the roaming animals.

Our tickets to safari... and we don't understand a word!

Private vehicles get to feed the roaming animals!

Feeling safari with the river and mud.

We also got a chance to watch the elephant show even though we don't understand what the characters are saying. But we enjoyed it nonetheless.
I also got a chance to take some photos with a baby tiger, so cute!!!! There's an adult tiger for photo op but then I got scared, long claws and big teeth, scary!

Cute baby tiger

The house of the tigers

We enjoyed our day so much that even though it rained, we didn't mind. It's the awesomeness of feeling connected to nature that made our day. 

Happy travels!

Day 4: Jungle Fever, Taman Safari Indonesia

After 24 hours in Singapore, having a blast even though we've only had a day, which is so short, the last destination awaits. We're going to Bogor, Indonesia. 

Before anything and everything else, we made sure we know how to count their currency!

From Changi Airport, we flew for one hour to Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia. From here, it's a four-hour travel by car to Puncak ( pronounced Pun-jak) in Bogor-Cianjur-Sukabumi regencies in the province of West Java. One thing I can say, the traffic here is worse!

This is what we're most excited about because we're gonna be staying in a caravan in the middle of the jungle. Awesome, isn't it?

Taman Safari Indonesia. The word "safari" is a given. It's a park full of animals roaming around. But we will be staying at Taman Safari Lodge in the middle of the jungle where you will just hear crickets at night. And occasionally, elephant sounds.

The caravan

What's great about the caravan is that they also have the amenities of a normal accommodation, with free tea and coffee making facilities, toiletries and linens. We don't need the air conditioner since we're up in the mountain and it's freezing cold!

Safari Lodge toiletries

It is a little compact and crowded for us four but it will do. Besides who needs a big space if you're on below zero degree temp. It really super cold!

After checking in and settling ourselves in the caravan, we went to the nearby Restoran Caravan for dinner. We're starving! 

Lamb satay

I ordered teh susu halia/milk ginger tea because it's freezing cold!

After dinner and feeling the day's toll on our fragile bodies, it's time to sleep and rest. It's another long day ahead. 

Experiencing the Indonesian traffic, the long ride up the mountain of Bogor sitting a long time in the car, the darkness along the road while our driver tried to locate the safari lodge, and the notorious language barrier strikes again (since we're so deep in the West Java provinces where mostly no one knows English). 

Welcome to the jungle... really!

Tomorrow, the animals will roar, literally!