Day by Day Itinerary

June 22 Meet in SAN FRANCISCO
Friday
Meet your traveling companions at San Francisco, SFO airport for our Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore SQ1 departing just after midnight. This routing provides the best connections from all parts of the west coast and most parts of the U.S.

June 23 Depart SAN FRANCISCO
Saturday
Depart San Francisco at 1:20 AM. Cross the International Date Line and lose a day, which we will regain on the return.

Meals aloft

June 24 HONG KONG
Sunday SINGAPORE
JAKARTA - JOGJAKARTA
Arrive Hong Kong at 6:50 AM for a brief stop, and continue to Singapore at 8:00 AM. Arrive Singapore at 11:40 AM connecting to SQ960 at 3:20 PM. Arrive at the island of Java, in the city of Jakarta at 4:05 PM. Welcome to Indonesia. Head to the Garuda Airlines desk for check-in. Garuda airlines flight GS214 departs at 5:10 PM. Our short flight arrives in our final destination of Jogjakarta (Yogyakarta) where we are warmly greeted and assisted. Check in to our hotel, Melia Purosani, where we’ll also have dinner tonight. The evening ends early in order to retire for a good night's rest. (D)

*****Melia Purosani Hotel

June 25 Jogjakarta
Monday Prambanan
Ramayana Ballet
The local expert will take you to feel the experience by Becak (traditional transport) to visit Tarumartani the Cigar Factory, then proceed by bus Kraton Palace. Gamelan music is often playing and a treat to the ear. Witness the old Mataram kingdom where you admire culture of Java through the Kotagede silver works, the Batik home industry, and leather handicrafts. Lunch at a local restaurant in Yogyakarta.

Early afternoon tour to the magnificent 9th century Hindu temple of Prambanan also famous as Roro Jonggrang temple (the slender virgin). Then a time to see the Ramayana Ballet performance at the Purawisata theatre. Retire early this evening to prepare for tomorrow's sunrise excursion. (B-L)

*****Melia Purosani Hotel

June 26 Borobudur Sunrise
Tuesday
Early morning we drive to greet the sunrise in a peaceful and silent way atop the Borobudur Temple (Candi) Complex, a magnificent 8th Century Buddhist temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the history and the mystery of one of the world’s greatest architectural masterpieces because of its size, quality, sophistication and excellent state of preservation. It exceeds the size of the complexes at Pagan (Burma) and Angkor (Cambodia). Built by the Sailendra Dynasty (778-856 AD), the monument is exquisitely decorated with over 5000 reliefs, 1450 narrative panels and over 500 Buddha statues, which must have been magnificent when previously painted in bright colors. The excursion includes a visit to the smaller temples of Mendut and Pawon, carved with reliefs of boddhisattvas and taras. Then back to Jogjakarta where a hearty meal awaits you. Visit the Sonobudoya Museum in the afternoon. The rest of the day is at leisure to experience the Javanese center of art and culture or the Sonobudoyo Museum. At our elegant hotel, we have the pleasure of relaxing in a picturesque setting this evening. (B-L)

*****Melia Purosani Hotel

June 27 Jogjakarta – Bali
Wednesday Makassar
(Ujang Pandang)
Morning transfer to the Jogjakarta airport for our Lion Air flight, JT 1814 /786 departing at 6:00 AM (via Surabaya) to the island of Sulawesi and its provincial capital, the historic port city of Makassar. The Orchid Island (because of its shape), was formerly called The Celebes. Makassar was a key center for Malays working in the Spice Islands trade, as well as a valuable base for European and Arab traders from afar. We start with a city tour and visit the fort of Tunipallangga. Learn about the Portuguese and Dutch colonists, as we walk the esplanades, visit Fort Rotterdam (Benteng Makassar) built by the King of Gowa in the 16th century. See the two-masted Buginese wooden schooner in the busy and colorful Paotere Harbor. Buginese refers to the nomadic Malaysian people of Sulawesi. Have a look at the Somba Opu shopping center, known for fine quality silver and wooden handicrafts. (B-L)

*** Clarion Makassar

June 28 MAKASSAR
Thursday TORAJA LAND
After breakfast, depart by mini-bus on a most interesting 8-hour drive to the Central South Sulawesi highlands passing through magnificent lush landscapes and fascinating Buginese villages. Lunch will be served at a restaurant in Parepare and refreshments in Bambapuang.

A journey into the strange world of mysterious Toraja people is truly a rare adventure. Accommodation and dinner at Toraja Heritage Hotel in Rantepao, the first four-star international hotel in Toraja.
(B-L-D)

**** Toraja Heritage Hotel

June 29 TORAJA LAND
Friday
We spend a full day exploring Toraja Land – its people, culture and way of life. Visit Lemo (the hanging graves), Londa (the cave graves), Kete Kesu-Siguntu-Pallawa (the typical Torajanese village) and Rantepao the business center of Toraja, to observe local artisans at work. The Toraja are a mystical people, whose culture embodies worship of the dead, and who, believing that they descended from heaven in ships, built houses to resemble up-turned ships. Lunch at our hotel or local restaurant enroute. Dinner at the hotel tonight. (B-L-D)

**** Toraja Heritage Hotel

June 30 TORAJA LAND
Saturday
Another memorable day’s sightseeing in Toraja Land to visit Batutumonga, a mountainous area of fantastic scenery passing through the green paddy fields on the way visit the rock graves. Soft trekking for wonderful views, unique sites and through villages of Toraja with their unique boat shaped wooden houses to see the way of life of the people. Palawa the oldest villages of Toraja with old Tongkonan House and rice barns surrounded. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Marante, the hanging graves. In the past our groups have had the opportunity to witness a wedding or a funeral celebration. Absolutely unique! (B-L-D)

**** Toraja Heritage Hotel

July 1 TORAJA LAND
Sunday DENPASAR, BALI
This morning we will journey south for a stop in Pare-Pare for refreshment and lunch. We then proceed to Hasanuddin airport of Makassar for our Garuda flight GA525 to Denpasar, Bali departing at 5:20 PM.

Arrive at Ngurah Rai Airport in the island of Bali. Meet our Balinese guide and drive to Ubud to settle into our beautiful accommodations. (B-L)

***** Alila Ubud, Bali

July 2 AYUNG RIVER
Monday RAFTING
The day starts with an exciting rafting adventure led by professional and experienced guides on the Ayung River for those who wish to participate. Drive 30 minutes to the north where we start (near Ubud). Then walk down through terraced paths to the river. After an introductory talk enjoy a two-hour raft ride ending in Kedewatan where we stop to shower. Following, we’ll have a buffet lunch at the Riverside restaurant. The rest of the day is free at leisure. This is the time to explore Ubud at your own pace and mingle with the locals. (B-L)

***** Alila Ubud, Bali

July 3 UBUD VILLAGE ART &
Tuesday CRAFTS TOUR
This morning our guided tour focuses on the artistic aspect of Ubud. Stop at Kemenuh, famous for its wood carvers. Then visit the homes of artists to have an opportunity to see them at work. You may also explore the Painting Museum, with modern Balinese paintings on display, the Wenara Wana - a small forest nearby inhabited by a group of playful monkeys and Pengosekan, a village well-known for its handicrafts. It has become more popular, since Queen Elizabeth II and Prince of Great Britain visited this village a couple years ago.

We are at Tanah Lot Temple at sunset. It is possibly the best-known and most photographed site in Bali. Perched on a little rocky islet, the temple is superb when starkly outlined at sunset. For the Balinese, Tanah Lot is one of the most important and venerated sea temples. (Bottom picture of cover.) Included is a visit to the Monkey forest and Mengwi known for its wooden pagodas and the former Royal temple of Taman Ayun. (B-L)

***** Alila Ubud, Bali

July 4 BESAKIH & BARONG
Wednesday TOUR
We will start the day with a thrilling performance of the Barong & Keris Dance, accompanied by Gamelan music. Then journey to the “Mother Temple of Bali”, high on the slope of Mt. Agung to visit Goa Lawah (Bat Cave), a temple built in front of a cave inhabited by thousands of bats and snakes. In the afternoon, we travel southwards to the beach resort town of Sanur, stopping enroute at Klungkung to see the ancient Kertha Gosha Court House. (B-L)

***** Sanur Beach Hotel (Ocean View)

July 5 BLIMBING VILLAGES
Thursday
This morning we drive to Blimbing villages, passing the terraced rice fields where we will visit an elementary school to see Balinese children's games played by the students of the school, and you are welcome to join them. Group present are presented by the leader of the group to the head master of the school. (If you would like to bring little gifts from your home town you can do so). Then we do soft trekking from the village to the rice field where we see rice activity are prepared such as planting and cows working. You can try your hand at planting rice. The opportunity to visit the villager’s house at treat. (B-L)

***** Sanur Beach Hotel (Ocean View)

July 6 BALI
Friday
This morning is free for independent activities. Take the opportunity today to enjoy all the amenities of our resort, or further explore this beautiful island known as one of the loveliest in Indonesia.

Late afternoon, depart for the nearby village of Uluwatu to enjoy the unusual dance performance, Kechak. It is probably the best-known of the Balinese dances. The Kechak is unusual because it doesn't have a gamelan accompaniment. Instead, the background is provided by a chanting 'choir' of men who provide the, local pronunciation, 'chack-a-chack-a-chack' noise which distinguishes the dance. The Kechak tells the tale of the Ramayana and the quest of Prince Rama to rescue his wife Sintha after she has been kidnapped by Rahwana the King of Alengka. Dinner at a local Sea Food restaurant in Jimbaran. (B-D)

***** Sanur Beach Hotel (Ocean View)

July 7 Bali - Singapore
Saturday Hong Kong
Arrive San Francisco
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for our flight, Singapore Airlines, SQ943 to Singapore departing at 1:05 PM and arriving at 3:35 PM. Connect with SQ2 departing Singapore at 5:50 PM. Arrive in San Francisco at 8:25 PM the same day, regaining the day we lost. Welcome home! (B)

B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner
Flight schedules are always subject to change.