Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
“Do you want to go to Indonesia?” my Editor bellowed out from his office one morning.
Why he felt the need to even ask I don’t know, considering the Far East is my favourite region to travel around and this was an opportunity to visit a country I’d never been to before.
After a week of hectic urban metropolises, golden beaches and lush greenery, it’s safe to say this was one of my favourite experiences.
Indonesia is an archipelago of 17,508 islands of various shapes and sizes, sandwiched between the south-east Asian mainland and Australia. It is home to 255 million people and countless religions, although Islam is followed by the majority.
There are a plethora of activities to take part in, from exploring the hugely diverse biological species, both marine and land, viewing the variety of landscapes which stretch from grassy hills and forests to the sandy beaches and the concrete cities with their bustling markets and street stalls, not to mention outdoor activities like hiking, water sports … and golf!
Of course, our group barely scratched the surface in just a week, but with our schedule packed on the familiarisation trip organised by the Indonesian Embassy of Bahrain, I felt fulfilled and itching for more by the end.
Our first stop was Jakarta, by far the craziest city I’ve ever visited. I’ve never seen traffic quite like it, but for the first time I was delighted to be in the middle of it as it afforded me time to take in the rivers, docks, buildings, monuments and, of course, people who would stop and wave as we passed by.
Even more incredible was how lanes of traffic, sometimes five or six wide, would all pull in one direction and flow smoothly without any accidents, despite the scooter and motorbike riders zipping in and out while pulling off crazy manoeuvres.
Our first proper day saw us visit the Royale Jakarta Golf Club, a group of courses punctuated by white bunkers and deep blue lakes, threatening any errant shots. Most striking of all though, was the entourage of female caddies that greet prospective golfers.
As I was soon to learn, this is ubiquitous across golf clubs around the country. Before your round begins, you can either choose two of the ladies to accompany you around the course or have them assigned to you, and they are all fully-trained caddies who provide knowledge of the course and which clubs to use, as well as carrying them and other equipment.
What I didn’t expect during my tour of the club was to be frequently accosted by these ladies for ‘selfies’ and even my phone number on a few occasions. Of course, the young man in me was happy to oblige even if it was all a little surreal!
A stop at the Damai Indah Golf Club showcased more of the city’s hidden beauty, with fabulous sunsets and views of the coastal wetlands the star of the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.
Dinner in the oldest part of Jakarta, Kota Tua, was our farewell to the city, where we were treated to live music and dance performances as our tables were laid with plates of seafood, meat dishes and veggie delights.
There was no time to rest though, as we jetted off to Bali the next day and were welcomed with flower wreaths that sum up the island: bright, vibrant and very beautiful.
A feast on the beach pre-empted another day of visiting fabulous golf courses such as New Kuta Golf, a traditional links course which offered panoramic views of the limestone cliffs and Indian Ocean below, and the Nirwana Bali Golf Club with its signature Par 3 hole which encourages risk-takers to drive directly over a cliff and Hindu temple below.
A trek up through mountain roads also brought us to the highest golf course on the island, the Handara Golf & Resort Bali, which was my favourite course thanks to the rolling views of the highlands and the dormant volcano in which it lies.
I will always have very fond memories of this place thanks to a rather unfortunate incident which saw one of my fellow journalists somehow contrive to miss the brake pedal on his golf buggy, sail over the 18th green (on which he was deposited unglamorously) and end up wedged in a bunker. It still brings tears of laughter to my eyes thinking about it, and my only regret is that I was too enthralled by the You’ve Been Framed! moment to take out my phone and record it!
Our final day was a welcome change of proceedings, with a visit to the Sukawati Market where we sampled the local art, sculptures and handicrafts made by locals. Coming from a country where ‘the price is the price’, I absolutely hate bartering out of fear of either being conned and paying way over the odds, or mortally offending someone. Luckily, a local girl who was part of our tour team helped me out and secured me a few souvenirs.
After stopping off for some Kopi Luwak, the world’s most expensive and luxurious coffee (as it is produced from cherry beans that have been digested by the local civet cat), we finished our trip at the Tanah Lot temple where we watched the incredible Kecak Fire Dance, a drama inspired by Hindu mythology that featured chanting, mesmerising moves and a healthy dose of humour too as the sun set over the stone.
Bali is an incredible place, and it’s hard to believe it’s in the same country as Jakarta due to it being so different in terms of geography and culture. I was truly devastated to leave, barely having had time to explore the local Kuta Beach area near our hotel and the myriad of activities there thanks to our packed schedule.
But I will return, and hopefully soon. I’ve made a promise to the amazing bunch of friends I met on my travels who keep pestering me to come back, and I can’t let them down after I was so well looked after.
TRAVEL TIP: Flights from Bahrain to Jakarta leave daily, and the cheapest flights at this time are with Emirates at BD372. Flights from Bahrain to Bali also leave daily and with Emirates cost BD406.
