Best Of

Day 14 - Fly home day. We check out at noon, no late check out was available, and spend the afternoon at the poolside bar/restaurant until our 6:30 PM pickup for transfer to the airport and the start of the long journey home.

End of Review!

Day 4 - A very early, 5:20 AM, departure to the airport for the flight to Java. Upon arrival you gather luggage and board the coach for a 1.5 - 2 hour police escorted ride to the hotel, the Amanjiwa. You have lunch immediately upon arrival at the hotel. The afternoon is free with dinner and entertainment provided poolside.

Day 13 - At 9:00 AM you board the bus for a visit to Uluwato temple. The temple is located on the southern most part of Bali and is the home to some ‘aggressive monkeys’. They tend to try to pilfer anything they can from unsuspecting tourists. ‘Monkey guards’ are provided - armed with sling shots (no ammo, just the snapping sound of the rubber band is enough deterrent).

After the temple visit you ride to the GWK (Garuda Wisnu Kencana) statue. You will no doubt have spotted this large statue earlier during your time in Bali. After your visit to the statue and corresponding gift shop you return to the hotel.

The poolside farewell reception and dinner is this evening starting at 6:00 PM.

Day 12 - Duffels are collected at 7:15 AM for an 8:30 AM departure to the airport for a 9:50 AM flight back to Bali.

Upon arrival in Bali you board your bus and stop for lunch along the way to a Kite flying demonstration prior to your check at the Four Seasons Jimbaran at around 3:30 PM. You have the chance to participate in the Kite flying. These aren’t you normal kites.

At around 5:30 PM there drinks, appetizers, and entertainment at the Sun Downer in the the Coconut Grove area of the Beach.

Following the entertainment, dinner is on your own. As in the other Four Seasons transportation around the resort is via buggy.

Day 11 - Your boat excursion to Rinca Island and Komodo National Park begins at about 5:45 AM. Breakfast is on board.

Upon arrival at the park, you are met and led by rangers/naturalists who will escort you on your walking tour of the park.

At completion of the walk you have some time for a gift shop visit for reboarding you boat for the return to you resort.

On the return voyage you will stop along the way for lunch and snorkeling if you desire. Things such as tides can impact the location of the lunch and snorkeling, which impacts the quality of the snorkeling.

You get back to the resort at around 4:00 PM. This arrival time could vary based on if you participate in snorkeling or not.

Day 9 - You have a choice of participating in a local cooking class or visiting an Art museum this morning. You depart at 8 AM for the cooking class or 9 AM for the museum visit. We chose the museum visit.

The whole group meets back up at the site of the cooking class for lunch.

Following lunch the entire group goes to the Monkey Forest for a guided walk through the facility.

You have the option to stay and visit an artisan workshop area or return to the hotel.

If you choose to return to the hotel you arrive about 2:30 PM. If you choose to visit the artisan workshop area you return between 4 - 5 PM.

Day 8 - You wake, call for a buggy ride (the means of transportation around the resort) to take you to breakfast. Breakfast opens at 6:30 AM. It usually takes about 5 minutes for the buggy to show up and then a few minutes to take you to breakfast.

About 8:45 AM you take a police escorted Volkswagen Thing ride (weather permitting) to Subak Guiliang Village for a walking visit of the village. You learn the interworkings of the village, including a rice field. The walk concludes with lunch overlooking the rice field. The Volkswagen Thing ride was great fun.

After lunch you make you way to a nearby temple where you hear the details of the temple and are lead through a blessing (if you wish to participate).

You return to the hotel about 3 PM. There is entertainment provided in the bar each evening.

Day 7 - We visited the Sultan Palace via ride on a pedicab(rickshaw) after breakfast and putting out luggage for flight to Bali.

Following the Sultan’s Palace visit we drove to the airport, had lunch, and flew to Bali (about a 90 minute flight).

Upon arrival in Bali you take a police escorted bus ride to the Four Seasons Sayan hotel in Ubud. It’s about a 90+ minute bus ride. You arrive about 6 PM. Dinner is included one of the three nights at this resort. You can select which night.

Day 6 - There is an optional early morning return to the Borobudur complex to visit the upper levels of the complex returning in time for lunch.

We departed for Yogyakarta about 1:00 PM, checking in to the Phoenix Hotel around 2:15 PM.

At 3:15 we depart for the Prambanan Temple Complex dedicated to three major Hindu divinities. After we visit an adjoining Buddhist temple complex before dining outside overlooking the temples.

Following dinner we watch a Ramayana Ballet, a Javanese dance performance on an outdoor stage, departing at intermission, getting back to the hotel around 9:30 PM.

Day 5 - An early 6:45 AM departure to the Borobudur complex with the return for breakfast around 8:45 AM.

Depart for the Candirejo village and horse carriage tour around 10:15, returning to the hotel for lunch.

In the afternoon there is a batik demonstration with an opportunity to make your own batik.

At 4:00 PM tea is served in the lobby followed by a lecture on the kingdoms of Java in the Library.