Indonesia forum

Posted by SBE on 15/7/2011 at 05:23

I didn't find Kuta a very easy place to meet people anyway! Often the more busy and touristy a place is, the harder it is to meet people if you're traveling alone. Lots of groups of friends on holiday together or families in Kuta. Crowded but anonymous.

Ubud is a bit easier. Do you have any particular things you want to do or see? What's your budget? Maybe do a whitewater rafting daytrip or something if you're feeling a bit lonely and have enough cash. You'll be with a group of people all day and maybe hit it off with some/all of them and go out for a meal/drinks afterwards and bob's your uncle...you got friends!

There are longer boat trips all the way to Flores too. A poster posted this trip report a few months ago.

http://www.jacsjourney.com/?p=238

You're on a boat for several days with other people then! Similar snorkeling trips are also available if you aren't a diver. You can leave from either Bali or Lombok.

You can see komodo dragons on both Komodo and Rinca...I think Rinca might even be the better one for seeing dragons. If you do a trip in the direction Flores->Lombok/Bali there will probably be fewer tourists on board, so it'll be a bit more comfortable as there will be more space (on these trips you generally sleep on deck, no private cabins). I flew Bali to Labuan Bajo once and the flight was practically empty, 5 people on board. It was fully booked in the other direction though with people coming back from their snorkelling/dive trips! No real reason why you need to start in Bali or Lombok as you'll have to come back anyway.

Anyway, depends on your budget and what you want to do as I said.

Choosing the right guesthouse might help too. I stayed at Kajeng Bungalows in Ubud the last time I was there. It was good value (150,000/night I think) rooms were very nice, had a pool (where you can also get chatting to other guests) and I had a shared balcony with the room next door so me and my neighbor got chatting over breakfast which was served on the balcony too. We tended to do our own thing during the daytime (he was more into organized tours than I was) but in the evenings we nearly always went out to eat together, went to see traditional dances or check out a jazz club etc. Pleasant company for a few days without it being a constraint on either of us.

It's little things like having a shared verandah/balcony or a guesthouse with a communal area where guests hang out that can make all the difference sometimes...easier for a shy person than going and sitting in a bar all on your own.
I don't know Ubud well enough to recommend a GH where there are lots of solo travelers but maybe someone else on TF knows. (Or use google).

#3 SBE has been a member since 14/4/2008. Location: Global Village. Posts: 2,049
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Posted by deacon on 20/7/2011 at 00:43

How do you create a new post?

#5 deacon has been a member since 20/7/2011. Posts: 3

Posted by MADMAC on 20/7/2011 at 12:18

Boi
Got a note back from Lily, she didn't know, but she has a friend who lives there, and she'll ask.

#7 MADMAC has been a member since 6/6/2009. Posts: 6,957
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