On March 2nd, I embarked on my longest journey so far – a journey that took me through…
Times visited: 1
Cities visited: Jakarta, Tanjung Pandan, Denpasar
Towns and villages visited: Manggar, Kuta, Uluwatu, Ubud
UNESCO sites visited: 1/10
At the start of my 3,5-month journey through Asia, I spent two weeks in Indonesia – and I had one very specific reason for going: the total solar eclipse of 2016!
I landed in Jakarta, where I spent two days recovering from a major culture shock. To this day, Jakarta remains my least favourite city. The lack of interesting sights, the pollution, the stray animals roaming the streets, and the constant catcalling made it a difficult place to enjoy. I couldn’t wait to leave. But everything changed when I arrived on the island of Pulau Belitung, my eclipse destination. The island was refreshingly untouched by mass tourism, and I quickly teamed up with two fellow travellers for a spontaneous three-day roadtrip around the island. We discovered pristine beaches, went island hopping, explored jungles and lakes, were invited to a temple by kind-hearted locals, and even ventured to the remote south, where children screamed in delight at the rare sight of tourists. The highlight, of course, was the total solar eclipse – an unforgettable moment shared with new friends and a crowd of excited locals, all cheering as the moon swallowed the sun. It was every bit as magical as I’d hoped for.
Coming from quiet and authentic Belitung, arriving in Bali was a shock to the system. It’s the most touristy place I’ve been to in Southeast Asia, and although I appreciated some of its beautiful temples, the cheeky monkeys, and an adventurous volcano climb, I didn’t really enjoy my time there. I even felt homesick for the first time in my life. Ubud, in particular, left me underwhelmed. What helped immensely, though, was reuniting with two sets of old friends, which brought warmth and comfort to an otherwise challenging chapter of the trip.