travelsololife
New Member
Finished my Southeast asia tour earlier this month covering Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Loved Vietnam for its insanely beautiful caves in Phong Nha and Thailand for its cheap food.
But the winner of the trip for me was Indonesia, especially Luwuk Banggai Islands!
I found it by luck from a fellow backpacker in bali who just returned from there and was going all gaga over it and trashing bali for being too touristy lol
Bali to Banggai flight cost me around $220 one way (Batik air) with a stop in Makassar (east Sulawesi island in Indonesia).
If I am not wrong, direct flights to Banggai from Bali were around 2.5 hours but a bit costly so I chose the transit option.
Booked a private banggai trip of 5 nights and 6 days costing me around $300 where everything is included from transport,stay and food.
Obviously, you won't find luxury of bali here so do not expect that. We had simple homestay and 3 star hotels on our Luwuk trip.
But man oh man, the tour was one of the best things I did in Indonesia
We swam with a whale, did snorkeling in the cleanest lake I have ever see (lake Paisupok), visited gorontalo with luwuk banggai too and had dinner in one of the loneliest and most beautiful beaches which can rival maldives!
Besides us, I only saw 2 other western tourists in other tour group. Its really quite hidden and in stark contrast with Bali where you will see tons of tourists wherever you see.
I am definitely coming back again one day to do even a bigger tour and cover more of the banggai islands and rest of central Sulawesi!
Loved Vietnam for its insanely beautiful caves in Phong Nha and Thailand for its cheap food.
But the winner of the trip for me was Indonesia, especially Luwuk Banggai Islands!
I found it by luck from a fellow backpacker in bali who just returned from there and was going all gaga over it and trashing bali for being too touristy lol
Bali to Banggai flight cost me around $220 one way (Batik air) with a stop in Makassar (east Sulawesi island in Indonesia).
If I am not wrong, direct flights to Banggai from Bali were around 2.5 hours but a bit costly so I chose the transit option.
Booked a private banggai trip of 5 nights and 6 days costing me around $300 where everything is included from transport,stay and food.
Obviously, you won't find luxury of bali here so do not expect that. We had simple homestay and 3 star hotels on our Luwuk trip.
But man oh man, the tour was one of the best things I did in Indonesia
We swam with a whale, did snorkeling in the cleanest lake I have ever see (lake Paisupok), visited gorontalo with luwuk banggai too and had dinner in one of the loneliest and most beautiful beaches which can rival maldives!
Besides us, I only saw 2 other western tourists in other tour group. Its really quite hidden and in stark contrast with Bali where you will see tons of tourists wherever you see.
I am definitely coming back again one day to do even a bigger tour and cover more of the banggai islands and rest of central Sulawesi!