Kingdom and Dragons…first trip in 2023
We are in week 1 of the wonderful Kingdom and Dragons adventure…first trip this season. We are a “small” Small Group…only 12 of us but a very compatible, well traveled group. We have Debra Grant as our TD And she’s one of the best we’ve had with Tauck…and we’ve had outstanding ones. Singapore did not disappoint. We happened to be there on Sunday May 14th, the hottest recorded day for that day…99…which for a Texan that’s pretty typical and not record setting. It is indeed humid but no rain any of our days so far.
If you go, do NOT miss the Garden by the Bay light show…spectacular, free and not to be missed. The month of May features operatic music accompanying the light show. Crowds come but easily viewed! Some people watch from the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel but incomparable to being in the park. IMHO. The waterfront is great, we’ve certainly met our daily step goal in Singapore! The Raffles Hotel is a step back in time, gorgeous update…a real treat to stay there…and well located. Gorgeous suite! Tauck uses excellent guides in Singapore…learned so much and loved our stay. We did add two nights and so glad we did. The bum boat ride goes right by Merlion…we added a night visit to the river sites…really spectacular!
We are in Java Indonesia now, ready to move on towards Bali in the next few days. Our stay at Amanjiwo resort has been challenging…as pointed out by British and perhaps other…if steps are a challenge…be prepared. A spectacular resort…not an ADA ramp anywhere 😉. Four out of our 12 travelers have knee issues…lots of need for Tylenol, walking sticks for some…but no complaints. Our suites are over the top…views are magnificent. The pool here is close to 60 yards long…Tom walked it off! Our visit to Borobudur was great…they opened the ramp pathway which was so helpful! No climbing on the Stupas any longer…too crowded so they shut it down… We encountered wonderful school groups, all wanting photos with the “long” Americans (some of us are tall😅) Children of all ages are so beautiful and friend.y all over the world. Treasured moments for us too.
This is a wonderful experience and as of day 6…it’s a fabulous trip! More when we get to Bali! So happy we came!
One important additional comment! Be sure to print off your entry form and bring copies with you. Mine was in the system, Tom’s was not..,glad I had the copy and QR code…no delay that way.
Comments
Nancy Hi
BIG THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! for taking the time and effort. I love it.
Keep having a great time.
Nancy, love your personal commentary & practical notes. Sounds wonderful. Alas I wilt at 70° in the sun, so will enjoy vicariously for now.
Nancy Hi.
Hope you're having a great time and weather is cooperating.
Nancy, may I ask you a favor... could you kindly, keep in mind the name of the Rice fields offered for the afternoon hike, please.
I know it can change, but just to have an idea of what they are offering.
I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Nancy - Great review, thank you, I loved this trip.
Nancy dear, are you okay- are you back, are you still on tour? Hope you're okay.
Have a lovely day.
Nancy,as we are getting ready for this trip starting 6/3,any updates will be very useful. Thanks
Sudhamali, HI!
Hope we get to hear from Nancy before 6/3- and Please , as you come back give us your impressions and tips on the tour.
Thanks, in advance!
Yes of course!
I'm doing this tour in August 2024 so I should have loads of reviews, tips, suggestions, etc to benefit from prior to my tour.
I'm going soon. I have already booked some extra tours Pre/Post Tauck. Have a private guide for Pre day #1.- 8hours while in Singapore &
another one for Denpasar. Also, my 1/2 Day Ubud tour and all!!! my 4 Spa treatments.
I'm set!
and just received some toys for my iPhone and also my camera.
Mil, what are you doing for your half day tour in Ubud? I'm on the 7/8 departure and all I'm finding are full day tours.
Nichole Hi!
In Ubud- After the cooking class I will go with a private/guide driver (offered by the Four Seasons Sayan) and will do the "Keep the Secret tour" - we will visit the Tirta Empul Temple and also around the city center. I also have a Spa treatment on arrival day after Yogyakarta.
https://au.hotels.com/go/indonesia/tirta-empul-temple
https://www.fourseasons.com/sayan/services-and-amenities/village-tour/
https://au.hotels.com/go/indonesia/tirta-empul-temple
Thank you!
Nichole - 5 hours $130.
I need to pick up where we were, leaving Singapore. I do want to share that my delay has been a terrible fall in the Komodo Island hotel on this trip. Warned about the 2step entry to the bathroom…but in the middle of the night, you don’t always process well. I’m very fortunate that I was not hurt worse butTauck truly needs to reconsider this property. Two of us fell, mine unfortunately required a trip to the ER, stitches, myultiple cuts, bruises and hematomas. I’m still laid up after being home nearly a week…more later.!
This trip was terrific…having Debra as our TD, the great local guides, bus drivers…I can’t rave enough about the whole trip…or nearly so. The Four Seasons hotels are great, we especially loved the one in Sagan. What a wonderful setting…we loved the gorgeous surroundings etc. Indonesian people are among the best…friendly, gracious and proud of their land, culture, history and heritage. Great experiences at every stop. The cooking class was great…a few chose the museum, most of us cooked and laughed and loved it. Every day held new ways of transportation, new tastes of Indonesian foods, and experiences. As a shopper, missing out on my last days in Bali was disappointing due to my difficulty walking. I must add Tauck was there for us…never felt alone. They do what they promise.
We encountered children all over Indonesia…they loved to have photos with the “long Americans”….we are tall! We always marvel at the happiness on the faces of children all over the world…life may be different than what our children and grandchildren experience but the joy and friendliness shines through and makes you realize that we’re all the same and we share this same world. Travel is a great reminder!
Two hotels have platform beds…not great if you have knee issues…and travel alone. It took Tom to get me out of bed a couple of times. Challenging if you have weak knees. The trip to Komodo island did not disappoint…we saw lots of dragons, oddly most were near the visitor center….just lazing in the sun, looking like a log…with eyes😉. We all got photos with a dragon, safely staged and protected by the guides…if you call a two pronged long stick a weapon! The boat ride was delightful, restful and fun. Only our group was on it…all the amenities! The hotel…hmmm, not my favorite! See above!
Take half the clothes you think you need, I need to heed my own words, Nancy! We rank this experience in our top 5 with Tauck…it was on our bucket list and are so glad we went. I will glad,y answer questions if you have any..,this trip has been taken by many of us. The 14 hour trip from Singapore to SFO was brutal with a hurt leg…Singapore Air gets high marks from us..,the we’re outstanding in taking care of me. I’m now home, seeing 3 doctors for wound care, facial issues and a broken rib! Not the best ending to a great trip.
If you have a desire to see this wonderful part of the world…do it! Just be careful of steps in the night! I still say in the words of Louis Armstrong…what a wonderful world!
Nancy, so very sorry to hear of your fall. We definitely had no steps into the bathroom in our Komodo hotel room. We had a huge suite and bathroom. In fact. The strange thing about that bathroom was that the toilet was in a huge clear glass enclosure which was rather pointless. I believe rooms were all different there. Wasn’t it the only hotel so no other choice.
I do remembering having difficulty getting out of one of the platform beds, I just put my legs out straight and slid out. I do have training in how to safely maneuver people carefully in those kind of situations which helped me figure it out.
I did mention in my original report that this tour has lots and lots of steps both within the hotels and In touring and please consider your abilities before booking the tour. I tripped and fell on our Arabia tour, fortunately although a. big internal knee hematoma on my knee, bruise on arm and chest, I was perfectly fine. Thank goodness.
Nancy,
I am so sorry to hear about your accident but glad you are home now and recovering. I was concerned. It must have been very difficult having to continue with the tour when you were not feeling well.
I always enjoy reading about your travel experiences.....but not the falls! I wish you a speedy recovery.
Above, two pics of the bathroom and our private pool there.
British - Quite the room. Did they confuse you for HRH or something?
Nancy, glad to hear you are back home doing better and will have time to recuperate and have your Dr's take care of you. I can only imagine the 14h flight after all you went through.... I felt 2 weeks ago, nothing besides Bruise elbow and knees, but still sore.
About the Komodo Isl. hotel, besides the horrible fall, it is also a big change after coming from a Four Seasons, specially the Sayan, which it's consider Best of the Best. best world hotel 2018 .
https://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/four-seasons-bali-sayan-best-hotel-in-world
I hope you get better and enjoy the rest of the summer.
Take care and thanks for the update.
Mil
Nancy so sorry to hear about your fall and wishes for a full recovery. I don't remember having any steps booing to the bathroom in that hotel.
Hi, Nancy! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your trip experience! So sorry that you took a fall - sending lots of healing ❤️🩹 wishes and vibes your way! I wondered if you took the insurance with Tauck and if that covered your hospital visit, or if you had to go through your own insurance for that? I’m asking as we are trying to decide whether to get the trip insurance with Tauck or an independent insurance company (Allianz) for our future trip. Hope you feel 💯 very soon!!! Thanks again for the detailed account of your adventure! It sounded fabulous! Here’s to a quick recovery!!
Hi Nancy ,Sorry about your fall and injury.We are now in Singapore starting our tour today.Thanks for all the info and warnings.
We are in Singapore and enjoying the sights immensely.It took us a couple of days to get over jet lag.Coming here a day before the tour started was helpful.Raffles hotel is awesome;was anxious about steps in this hotel from reading reports on this forum.Luckily even though our suite is on the third floor ,the elevator right next to our suite spared us from the dreaded steps.It is hot and humid but the pace of the tour made it tolerable.off to Java tomorrow!
Nancy I'm sad to hear about your fall. I hope your recovery is becoming more comfortable. Thanks for sharing your trip report.
sudhamali HI!
Enjoy every min. The steps situation it's mostly the Amanjiwo hotel , the Four seasons Sayan and the Komodo after hearing about Nancy's fall.
How is the food? and has it rain? is your group big? Who is your TD? Female or male?
Enjoy and don't think too much about what "Could" happen! just be careful.
Keep posting!
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!
If you get Debra, she is awesome.
Nancy Hi!
How are you doing? Are you wearing a cast?
I Hope you're feeling better and healing, now that you are home... it will be much easier since you're not having to move around every 2 days or so...
One question, how far in advance did you filled the entry card? on the website it says 3 days in advance, but I wonder if 4-5 day still okay.
on the 3rd day I'll be flying most of the day.
Well dear, keep in touch.
Have a great week.
Mil.
We are at Amanjivo.Just arrived today.The drive from Yogyakarta airport seemed longer than the flight time.At arrival the reception was so good .Yes the steps here are steep and too many to count.The platform bed and the marble floors can be treacherous if one is not careful.British : Our TD seems very nice;Siddhartha is his name.So far the food has been excellent.Lots of vegetarian options!The resort is just so beautiful and our rooms are spacious with so many amenities .No TV in the room!