Indonesia: con jobs and hold-ups?
 

Hi,

Self and travel buddy will be riding Malaysia to East Timor via Borneo in a couple of months.

He has some concerns about safety, having heard stories of bogus "officials" demanding special payments, and even highway robbery at gunpoint.

Recently a contact in Indo, from whom we were seeking advice about ferry schedules, came back with the advice that we should avoid Flores at all costs, due to bandits and bogus officials. Interestingly, he is from Java and it tends to confirm my earlier advice that Indonesians frequently advise against travelling in other provinces (i.e. anywhere but their own province). I have no idea if he has actually been to Flores, although he was recommended as being well travelled. Coincidentally he did not provide any information at all about the ferry schedules.

I've travelled in poor countries before, usually alone, had my camera snatched, been the only white person in sight, and I know that sh!t can happen when there's an opportunity and a motive. That's something you have to manage in adventure travel.

But reading the various blogs and posts, I'm really very surprised that this guy has warned against Flores. It seems like a fine place to ride. I've been emailing with an Aussie couple who road across it last year and they loved it, although they said the road is slow going.

So my request is this: aside from con-artists trying their luck on niaive tourists, is there really anything my travel buddy needs to worry about in Indonesia? In particular Flores, Sulawesi or Kalimantan? Can anybody on the forum confirm an actual armed hold-up? (no anecdotals please ... just confirmed incidents).

cheers
Colin
Sydney

I can't comment specifically on those islands Colin, but I can corroborate your comments that people all over the world are highly parochial and xenophobic, thinking that everyone but there are immediate neighbours are out to get them. In my experience, quite the opposite usually proves to be true.

Best thing to do is go there with an open mind - that way the people you meet will sense your friendly vibe and be more likely to treat you appropriately. :)

We spent about 5 months riding the length of Indo. No trouble anywhere. Lots of friendly people. The only exception was when we stored our bikes in Kupang with a family, somebody stole some stuff out of a pannier.

Yes, Flores is slow going, but so are Sumatra and Java, unless you want to do battle on the main roads. Plan to fly out and get new 2-month visas once or twice.

Biggest danger, as usual, is the traffic. Like in India, it is expected and necessary to use the horn a lot, as people never look back.

A friend who lived in Philippines and Indonesia advised me to avoid the area around Danau Poso on central Sulawesi, due to ethnic strife.

leaving bikes unattended
 

Thanks guys ... does not really sound like a hot bed of violence ang gansters.

Peter, that issue of leaving the bikes unattended crossed my mind too. For example, we go some place where we have to walk to see a waterfall, or even just going for lunch and leaving the bikes. One of the downsides of bike touring. At least with two of us we can cover short stops for petrol or bathroom - that would be hard for solo touring.

Happy rides...

Colin

Indonesia
 

I live in Jakarta and regularly travel in Java and Kalimantan.I have recently returned from a trip to Flores and Sumba.

There is no security problem that an experienced traveller cannot cope with.Oportunistic theft may happen but not heavier crime.Imho you've got more chance of being mugged in London.

It's a great place to travel in.Mind the traffic,its only one peg up from India but nobody is deliberately trying to run you off the road-they just drive differently!!!!!!!!

..

Taking notes..

Thailand now. After some Cambodia and hit KTM Malaysia couple of days,my plan is too getting Indonesia in 2 months.

One thing i am wondering. My childhood legends are Komodo Dragons. Is it possible to go Komodo Island with or without bike?


Mehmet

We rode Sumatra-Java-Bali, only spend 1 month in Indonesia (which is way way too short!!)... our only casualties were my cellphone, that was stolen from a zipped pocket outside my pants by a gang of two slimebags, while exiting a Bemo in Bukittinggi. The other deliberately blocked the doorway, and the other stayed behind me, and opened the zipper. But it was a stupid place to keep the phone, cos I could not feel it being taken away.

Actually the phone was an old one, probably worth less than 5 dollars, and didnt even function properly any more, but losing the sim-card wasn´t good. May be the driver of the bemo was in the plot, too, because once outside the car it it took me just a few seconds to notice what had happened, but they were long gone.

The funny thing was, during this incident I was carrying a Canon 5D with expensive optics on a shoulder strap, this combination was worth around 2500-3000 euros! But I would´ve felt it, if they´d tried to take the camera, and do not even want to think, what probably would´ve happened next (a minor wrestling-match for sure!)...

Other than this one time, we had absolutely no troubles at all in Indonesia, quite the contrary in fact. And it´s a great and hauntingly beautiful country.

Unlikely: the car ferry doesn't stop there and both Komodo & Rinca are national parks, where you are only allowed in with a guide. The locals have bikes, but I don't think there is more than a few dirt tracks on the islands.

We just did a day trip to Rinca from Labuanbajo.

Komodo
 

Yes,Beddist is correct.

Day rip(or longer if you sleep in Ranger hut)with bike left in Labuanbajo(Flores).

Rinca is a better bet than Komodo for the Dragons.However,they are still all Indonesian Dragons:D

Im native indonesian

Nowdays, you dont have to worries about security concern in indonesia. flores, sulawesi, java, and kalimantan they were all ok. Except the papua closed to the freeport mines.

there is an american guy who did it, Travel every island in indonesia last year. His writing his trip on FACEBOOK, You may check and contact him at "darren young".

for poso it was a few years back ... the city was already safe although i havent travel there.

good luck ...

I think that is a classic method of pickpocketing - they work as a team. It happened to my wife in the Eiffel Tower - she had 800 in Euro notes in her outside jacket pocket. The easiest pocket to get into without her noticing. A few people crowded around her in the elevator and she didn't even notice. You can imagine how angry I was about that when I found out, especially when there are signs everywhere warning about pickpockets. She learned an expensive lesson from that.

Apparently this sort of thing used to happen at airport security checks too. They wait until you put your wallet or laptop through the scanner, then one of them jumps in front of you, and deliberately has something in his pocket to set off the alarm. While security is checking him out, you can't get through, and somebody else is walking off with your wallet and laptop. I won't put my stuff on the conveyor unless I am next in line. But it must have looked bad last time I travelled - I forgot I had a serated knife in my laptop bag. I use it to cut up oranges for lunch, which I grow in my yard :innocent:

I had my camera snatched in Lima and this was back in the days when an SLR was worth a lot of money (diigital not invented), and they were taking hostages in Peru. I know now that I asked for it by being the only white person in the district, bad street, and nbeing humble (i.e. showing the camera). But being only 21 at the time, I chased the guy down and took it back. Lucky I didn't get mobbed or stabbed. A passing citizen witnessed the event and stopped her car and motioned to "get the %^^& in". I didn't even realised until years later she may have saved my life. I liked the camera but it wasn't that important. It's all just trinkets. Bad karma to get obsesed about it. These days I never let the desire for a good photo become my motivation. There is no camera that can actually photograph what you feel.

Thank you very much for info guys. Good news that dragons are not only in Komodo.. Hope i can see one..

But i still have some roads ahead..