21D Best of Malaysia and Indonesia

Join our 21D Best of Malaysia and Indonesia tour, and get the best of the 2 countries. Visit the indigenous tribe and the orangutan’s sanctuary deep in the jungle, and walk through the historical city of Malacca in Malaysia. And see the architectural beauty of Indonesian temples, the volcano, and end your trip with a laid back days in Ubud.

Route : Kuala Lumpur – Kuching – Melaka – Yogyakarta – Borneo – Surabaya – Banyuwangi – Ubud

Highlights : Iban Heartland, Lemanak Longhouse, Malacca, Borobudur Temple, Tanjung Puting orangutan’s sanctuary, Mount Bromo, Ubud

Day 1     Kuala Lumpur Arrival

Pick up at Kuala Lumpur Airport. After meet and greet with our driver and guide, we will take you to your hotel for a rest.

Day 2     Kuala Lumpur – Kuching – Lemanak

Departing to Kuching by morning flight, and transfer by car heading to Lemanak River. Our first stop is the colorful farmers’ market in Serian town, with time for shopping or a coffee break in one of the many cafés. Continue through rural Sarawak, enjoying the distant mountain scenery while passing paddy fields, rubber plantations and the occasional longhouse. Visit a pepper garden to learn how this valuable spice is grown.  Lunch is at Lachau Bazaar, where local Iban farmers come to sell their produce and handicrafts. After lunch, the van ascends the steep hill known as Bukit Begunan and we enter the Iban Heartland, with longhouses every kilometer or so along the road. After about 90 minutes we arrive at the Lemanak River jetty and board our native longboat  for a 40-60 minute river journey in the shade of overhanging ensurai trees, before arriving at the longhouse jetty.

We will then enter the longhouse, where some 20 or more families live together under one roof. Most people will be going about their daily business, mending fishing nets or winnowing rice on the outer verandah (tanjong), and if we are lucky one of the ladies might be weaving an exquisite pua kumbu. We will spend some time viewing the longhouse and its surroundings, before enjoying a splendid dinner of fresh native produce, cooked by our multi-talented guideand his enthusiastic native helpers. After dinner we will be officially welcomed by the longhouse chief (Tuai Rumah) and entertained with music, cultural dances and rice wine (tuak), along with many photo opportunities. Overnight in the longhouse, which offers basic accommodation and facilities.

Day 3     Upriver by Longboat Tour

After breakfast, we board our longboat to explore the upper reaches of the Lemanak. After an hour or so of cruising through shallow rapids enclosed by steep tree-lined river banks, we arrive at a pebble beach formed by river erosion, known as a kerangan in Iban. We disembark and the native boatmen and our guide prepare our lunch, while we bathe in the river or explore the riverbank and the jungle surroundings. After a feast including jungle ferns and manok pansoh or ikan pansoh (chicken or fish steamed in bamboo tubes over an open fire), we head back downriver in the late afternoon. Dinner is once again served by our guide and his native team, and afterwards we are free to sit on the ruai (inner verandah) and spend a quiet evening chatting with the residents. Overnight in the longhouse.

Day 4     Lemanak – Kuching

After breakfast, our hosts will conduct a blowpipe demonstration and we will be invited to join in. We will depart by longboat around mid-morning to retrace our journey. En route we will make one or two stops to view wild orchids and several species of pitcher plants. Lunch will be served at Lachau Bazaar, with some extra time at Lacahu for souvenir shopping.  We should arrive back at our hotel in Kuching by mid-late afternoon. Upon arrival in Kuching, check in hotel.

Day 5     Kuching – Kuala Lumpur

Today we will fly back to Kuala Lumpur area. Upon arrival, check in hotel. You can spend your day resting at the hotel, or take a walk in the hype Bukit Bintang area where your hotel will be located.

Day 6     Kuala Lumpur City Tour

Today we will have a city tour around Kuala Lumpur, visiting Batu Caves, a limestone hill complex that also serves place as the most popular Hindu Temple outside India with its 140 ft. Lord Murugan statue. After done, we will head to Bukit Tinggi to take a leisure walk along the Japanese and French Village, which also called Colmar Tropicale. After done, we will take you to Alor Street, where you can experience the local culinary which may suit your taste buds.

Day 7     Kuala Lumpur – Malacca

After breakfast and check out hotel, we will head to the center of the city to visit Petronas twin tower. You will have a couple of hours of free time exploring the shopping mall, or we can go to Malacca by car directly. Malacca is the historical state of Malaysia, immersing all the culture from their former occupier, the Portuguese. Upon arrival in Melaka, check in hotel, and free program at your own leisure.

Day 8     Malacca

Today we will have a walk in the small town of Malacca, visiting Christ Church (the red building), the Ruin of St. Paul Church, A Famosa Fort, and Taming Sari Revolving Tower. You can spend the rest of the day enjoying the laid back atmosphere, taking the boat tour along the river, or join the crowd in their Jonker Street night market (weekend only).

Day 9     Malacca – Kuala Lumpur – Yogyakarta

After breakfast and check out hotel, we will proceed back to Kuala Lumpur airport for your flight to Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Then we will proceed to Magelang area. Upon arrival, check in hotel close to Borobudur Temple.

Day 10   Magelang – Yogyakarta

After breakfast, you will visit the main compound of Borobudur Temple, world’s largest Buddhist temple. After done in Borobudur, we will check out from the hotel, and proceed back to Yogyakarta. Upon arrival in Yogyakarta, we will visit Kotagede, a region famous for its fine silver handicraft. For dinner, we will take you to the hype Prawirotaman area. After done, we will proceed to your hotel for check in.

Day 11   Yogyakarta

After breakfast, we will visit Keraton Jogja (Sultan Palace) and Taman Sari water castle. Then we will continue to Malioboro traditional street market for your own free shopping spree, and test your ability to bargain cheap clothes and souvenirs. After done, we will visit Prambanan Temple, and then we will go back to the hotel for a good rest.

Day 12   Yogyakarta – Semarang – Tanjung Puting National Park

We will check out from your hotel at around 7AM, and head to Semarang Airport for our flight to Pangkalan Bun. Upon arrival in Pangkalan Bun, we will be transferred to Kumai, where our boating trip will start. Our first stop will be at Tanjung Harapan. We will trek at around 1km into the jungle to see the feeding of the orangutan. After done, we will go back to our boat and do monkey watching. We will then have dinner and overnight on the boat, while seeing thousands of fireflies around.

Day 13   Tanjung Puting National Park

After a simple breakfast on the boat, we will head to the second station, Pondok Tanggui, to feed breakfast to the orangutan. After done, then we will head back to the boat, cruising and passing through a small river with black water, where we usually see crocodiles hanging around. We will make another stop at Camp Leaky Station to give the orangutan’s their lunch. At night, we can have a light trek around the jungle to find night animals and the glowing mushroom.

Day 14   Tanjung Puting National Park – Surabaya

Early morning, we will head back to Kumai, where we will be transferred back to Pangkalan Bun for our flight to Surabaya. Upon arrival in Surabaya, check in hotel, and you can explore the hotel’s surrounding.

Day 15   Surabaya – Bromo

After breakfast and check out hotel, we will proceed to Bromo area. Upon arrival in Bromo, check in hotel, and you can have your own free time and explore the beautiful surrounding area. You will be advised to rest early, because you will rise early morning the next day.

Day 16   Bromo – Ketapang

Morning call at 3AM. We will be picked up with 4WD jeep and depart for Penanjakan 1 sunrise view point max. at 3.30AM. Done enjoying the warmth of the sunrise, we’ll go down and to the Bromo Crater through the sea of sands with 2 options : walk the 3 km distance, or take the horseback ride. Both, you still have to hike a 250 steps of stairs to reach the rim. After this adventurous trip, your breakfast will be served at the hotel. Done in Bromo, we will proceed to Ketapang area for an overnight stay.

Day 17   Ketapang – Ubud

After breakfast and check out hotel, we will proceed to Ketapang Harbor for our ferry ride to Bali. Upon arrival in Bali, we will head to Ubud area, with a stop at Git Git Waterfall and Candi Kuning Fruit Market, the most well known fresh fruit and vegetables market in Bali. Upon arrival in Ubud, check in hotel.

Day 18   Ubud

Free program and leisure on your own.

Day 19   Ubud

Free program and leisure on your own.

Day 20  Ubud

After breakfast, we will continue to visit Tegallalang rice terrace, have a taste at the organic kopi luwak (civet coffee) and Balinese coffee, and a visit to Tampaksiring and Tirta Empul water temple. Then we will proceed to Kintamani Highland area, and see the wonderful view of the active volcano and Lake Batur. After lunch with the panoramic view of the lake, we will go back to the hotel.

Day 21   Ubud – Denpasar

Free program and leisure on your own, until time to transfer to Denpasar Airport for your flight back home. End of tour.