Hello everyone,

I need to get some expert advice here from some of the more seasoned travelers...to make it easier Ill ask several questions and whoever wants to respond partially please feel free...this will be the 2nd time that I will be visit Indonesia (1st time 2007) and would like to lay out a plan for 20 days that we will be spending there (I am not counting almost 5 days in travel from JFK-FRA-CGK-FRA-ZRH-JFK)....
I am mostly interested in NATURE oriented things; god knows I see enough of shopping malls and concrete streets here in NYC
Our plan was initially to spend 2 days in Jakarta, then off to Borneo (Pangkalan Bun, Orangutan reserves), Gillies (Lombok) and little of Ubud and then back to Jakarta on the 22nd to wish it Happy Birthday, off to NY on the 23rd
Some advice I need on

1) Hotel in Jakarta to stay??, I do not want to spend more than $250/night...last time we stayed in MO (it was run down) but great service

2)I have found out that Travelindo could book tickets for domestic Indonesian flights (i have never dealt with them before but have heard they are difficult to deal with)...any advice on how to deal with them or what airlines to avoid...besides Garuda I had great experience with Merpati and LionAir

3)Rimba Eco Lodge was in my plan, did anyone have any experience with them? Also any other must visit places in Borneo (i know we have limited time but I am just trying to make the most out of it)

4) And if you guys have other suggestions please throw them at me...since my Gili plans are only solid, everything else we could work around

Thank you in advance

Sounds like a wonderful trip, in Jakarta I like the Hyatt in the price range you mentioned, a train trip up to the mountains, the old summer retreat hotels are brilliant. Flying in Indonesia is different to the rest of the world, I think their pilots get a bad rap, it's dam hard. I will contact a friend who may have more info on the eco side of the trip, will post if I find anything regards bkkrop

$250 will get you into almost any Jakarta hotel. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the JW Marriott, but location isn't as central as eg. the Hyatt.

For flights, Air Asia is actually probably your best bet overall for flights in Indonesia, although their network outside Java is limited. They're run to Western standards, do not cancel flights out of the blue (although like any LCC you will get delays), are very cheap when booked in advance, and above all, you can easily book their flights online, which at last check none of the other Indo carriers, even Garuda, let you do.

Pagi, Divjan. I have lived in Indonesia for the past year and a half, what an amazing country! The Hyatt is probably your best bet, the MO closed about a year ago for renovations, I don't think they have reopened yet. Cheaper, but ok, I would do Pan Pacific or Le Meridian (Pan Pacific better location).

I just got back from the Gili Islands about a month ago. Spent a couple of days in Bali, flew to Lombok on Trigana Airlines (not as bad as I envisioned), and then did a boat transfer to Gili T. If you are younger, and like a party island, you would love Gili T.

My favorite place I have seen so far? By far, Lake Toba, in Sumatra. Fly JKT to Medan, and then a four to six hour drive (depends on if your driver is race car trained. The place was clean, cooler, litter free, no pollution, quiet, and one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. No 5 Star, but neat little places to stay.

I will fly most Indo carriers, however, most of my colleagues stick to Air Asia, Garuda, and Merpati.

Feel free to private me if you have any questions.

Shangrila Hotel highly recommended.
Side visit to Borobudur also recommended

$250/night is a LOT for any hotel in Jakarta. If you want to be in 'Kota', Alila is a very nice hotel for $80/night and in the heart of busy Jakarta. Grand Hyatt and Shangrila are great hotels too

Dharmawangsa (100 rooms) - $225

Ritz Carlton Pacific Place (62 club rooms, 139 residences) - $198 weekend $288 weekday

Wirelessly posted (Palm TX: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D050; Blazer/4.3) 16;320x448)

Sounds like a very good rate for the Dharmawangsa..,

thank you for all of the input...I am still not decided on the hotel in Jakarta but will give it a further thought...here is another question
Is there arrival assistance company that I could use in Jakarta... just to expedite things little bit..i am arriving with LH in F but i do not think they offer any F arrival services,


thanks again