So, we are back in Chiang Mai, Thailand for a couple of months and wanted to take a few moments to share our impressions of Indonesia. Before we begin let me state that Indonesia is, by far, the largest island country in the world. Indonesia has more than fourteen thousand islands. We visited two. Is it presumptuous to give a review based on our one month experience of two islands? Yes it is. But that’s what travel blogging is all about. The BOLT mission is to travel, share our travels and inspire travel. We offer this review in that spirit.
We visited the islands of Bali and Java, staying in two spots on Bali and three on Java. Our experience on and impressions of Bali versus Java are quite different. This review will reflect these differences.
We LOVED everything about Bali! Bali is definitely a place we hope to return to, many times, hopefully with some of you!
We first stayed in the cultural hub of Ubud. The whole town is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We walked everywhere…
Met beautiful people…
Enjoyed amazing food…
Stayed in an affordable, beautiful and tranquil spot…
Picked up some beautiful cloth…
Visited the Sacred Monkey Forest…
And even got to enjoy the amazing Ogoh Ogoh Festival, part of the Balinese New Years Celebration.
We also stayed in the sleepy little fishing village of Pemuteran, popular with divers. We had a wonderful, relaxing stay there…
Everyday we took a walk down the village lanes, enjoying the rural atmosphere.
Even our drive to the ferry to leave Bali was awesome. We got to stop at this lovely lake shrine.
But what about Java? The island of Java is the economic hub of Indonesia and the capital city of Jakarta is located there. We took the train all the way through from the east to west with a stay in central Java. We departed by plane from Jakarta.
While Yogyakarta, in central Java, was enjoyable it is not a place we hope to visit again. There were spots of great beauty and history like this 18th century water palace.
We met lots of friendly people. The prices were good, the food was tasty and our accommodations were great. But for us, there is just no reason to return.
We also visted Borobudur in central Java. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home of an ancient temple. Again, beautiful, historic, interesting but no compelling reason to return. One negative I can put my finger on is that Borobudur felt very touristy. There were vendors everywhere which took away from the spirituality of the site.
I shared, in my previous post, about our visit to the big capital city of Jakarta. It was actually a great visit just not one we care to repeat.
So, in closing, if any of this appeals to you, I really encourage you to consider a visit to Indonesia. Also, if this post leaves you with any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at boltraveling@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page at Black Old Lesbians Traveling .
BOLT: Black Old Lesbians Traveling 
Hi Marci! Deni here (Vicki’s sister in Oakland)! I enjoyed your blog and was considering a trip to Bali (solo) in September–do you recommend going alone?
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Hey Deni, You will love Ubud. It is an hour away from the airport by car. We asked our hotel to pick us up. Ubud Is home to a large and growing yoga culture. The book Eat Pray Love has turned it into a spot where women from around the world drop in for shopping or exercise or long walks or smiling. The Balinese are extraordinary hosts and you will be well taken care of. Take a stroll through the rice fields. No need for a driver or tour guide. Just walk you will find it. Any other questions just ask. We loved Ubud. Be well. And enjoy.
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