Hi, I’m Taro! 😊
In May 2024, I embarked on a whirlwind journey across Indonesia. Back in my university days, I made some wonderful Indonesian friends. Over the years, however, we gradually lost touch as life took us in different directions. Today, many of them have families and children of their own.
I had previously visited Bali, but I always felt that I needed to explore Indonesia’s main islands. One day, while casually checking flights to Jakarta, I stumbled upon a special deal from Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong.
For just around JPY 60,000–70,000 (around $400–$470 USD), I could fly from Narita to Jakarta via Hong Kong on a full-service airline—not a budget carrier! Plus, the schedule wasn’t too exhausting. Knowing that direct flights from Japan are usually quite expensive (often exceeding JPY 100,000 or $670 USD during this season), I jumped at the deal and booked it right away.
A Tight and Intense Itinerary 🏃♂️✈️
Due to work commitments, my schedule was incredibly packed. Here’s a quick rundown of my travel route:
- Narita to Hong Kong → Transit → Hong Kong to Jakarta
- Due to an air traffic control order at Narita Airport, my departure was delayed by about an hour, leaving me with almost no time to catch my connecting flight. I was really stressed, but since I was flying with the same airline, the ground staff and some fellow passengers rushed with me through the airport in Hong Kong, and I managed to make the connection just in time.
- One night in Jakarta → Visited Monas (National Monument) and Grand Indonesia Mall
- Train journey from Jakarta:
- Departed from Halim Station
- Took Whoosh (Indonesia’s high-speed train) to Padalarang Station
- Transferred to a feeder line to reach Bandung Station
- Two nights in Bandung → Returned via the same train route back to Jakarta
- I visited a local durian shop and took a nighttime stroll along Braga Street, which my Indonesian friends had recommended. The next day, I chartered a Grab and went to Kawah Putih.
- Flight from Jakarta (Halim Airport – HLP) to Malang (MLG) via Citilink
- Met a friend, explored local night markets and an amusement park
- One night in Malang
- Malang to Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport (SUB) via Grab
- Flight from Surabaya (SUB) to Banjarmasin (BDJ) via Super Air Jet
- The airline switched my booking to Lion Air 😅
- Had dinner with a friend’s family in Banjarbaru and one night in Banjarbaru
- Almost missed my flight due to long check-in lines but managed to get through with staff assistance!
- Flight from Banjarbaru to Jakarta (CGK) via Garuda Indonesia → Transit → Flight to Bandar Lampung (TKG)
- Met another friend’s family in Bandar Lampung, had dinner, and stayed for one night.
- Back to TKG Airport for my return flight but encountered an issue with my original AirAsia booking
- Had to go on standby and just barely caught the last Lion Air flight to Jakarta
- One last night in Jakarta
- Jakarta to Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific → Transit → Back to Japan 🇯🇵
A Race Against Time ⏳💨
Indonesian domestic flights are infamous for delays and cancellations. If I missed just one flight, it could have completely ruined my return journey, including my most expensive ticket home. Every transfer felt like a battle against time, making this trip one of the most thrilling and nerve-wracking experiences I’ve ever had!
Even though my trip lasted only a week, it was so packed that it felt like I had been in Indonesia for a whole month.
I planned my route to travel around Indonesia while minimizing transits through Jakarta as much as possible. In hindsight, if I had a month instead of just a short trip, this route would have been an even better way to explore the country.
I might share more details about my adventures in future stories—stay tuned! 😆