Preliminary Day by Day Itinerary

June 24 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 25 Depart SAN FRANCISCO
Saturday
Depart San Francisco at 1:05 AM. Cross the International Date Line and lose a day, which we will regain on the return.

Meals aloft

June 26 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 SQ958 at 12:45 PM. Arrive at the Indonesian island of Java, in the city of Jakarta at 1:20 PM. Head to the Garuda Airlines desk for check-in. Garuda airlines flight GS214 departs at 4:40 PM. Our short flight arrives in our final destination of Jogjakarta (Yogyakarta) at 5:40 PM where we are warmly greeted, assisted, and whisked to Borobudur near Magelang (24 miles). Our lovely Saraswati Boutique Hotel is located within a five-minute walk of the temple complex. Enjoy a restful evening at the hotel.

****Saraswati Boutique

June 27 Borobudur Sunrise
Monday
Greet 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 is 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. Our guide will bring to life the meaning and symbolism of the shapes and figures meant to direct the pilgrim from temporal life to enlightenment. A shrine to the Lord Buddha, even today a Buddhist pilgrimage site, it is thought that the shrine was abandoned after the 14th century decline of the Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms of Java.

Following, visit the smaller temples of Mendut and Pawon, carved with reliefs of boddhisattvas and taras. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Rest of the day is at leisure. Enjoy sightseeing as we transfer to Jogjakarta, the Javanese center of art and culture. At our elegant hotel, we have the pleasure of relaxing in a picturesque setting this evening. (B,L)

*****Melia Purosani Hotel

June 28 Jogjakarta
Tuesday PRAMBANAN
The morning starts with a ride via Becak (pronounced bay-cha), a petite hooded cycle and a traditional form of transport, to Tarumartani Cigar Factory and then to the Sultan’s Kraton (Palace). Gamelan music is often playing and a treat to the ear. Continue by bus to the old Mataram kingdom to admire the culture of Java through the Kotagede silver works, the Batik home industry, leather handicraft and the Sonobudoyo museum. After lunch we have some free time in the afternoon and then proceed to the magnificent 9th century Hindu counterpart to Borobudur, Prambanan Temple also famous as Roro Jonggrang temple (the slender virgin). Also visit the nearby Kalasan, Sewu, and Plaosan temple. Enjoy a Javanese dinner in the evening and an elegant classical dance performance of the Ramayana. (B,L,D)

*****Melia Purosani Hotel

June 29 Jogjakarta – Bali
Wednesday Makassar
(Ujang Pandang)
Morning transfer to the Jogjakarta airport for our Garuda flight GA250/GA544 departing at 9:00 AM (via Bali) 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, the Phinisi (Buginese schooner) harbor, the famous orchid garden and sea shell collection at “Mr. Bundt’s Place”, and the Somba Opu Shopping center, known for fine quality silver and wooden handicrafts. In the evening, partake of a seafood dinner and then retire to the lovely and unique resort setting of the hotel with its floating cottages and tropical gardens, pictured at the bottom right. (B,L,D)

**** Hotel Pantai Gapura

June 30 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 hotel in Rantepao, the first four-star international hotel in Toraja. (B,L,D)

Toraja Heritage Hotel

July 1 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. (B,L,D)

Toraja Heritage Hotel

July 2 TORAJA LAND
Saturday
Another memorable day’s sightseeing in Toraja Land! We will visit Batutumonga, a mountainous area of fantastic scenery passing through the green paddy fields on the way to 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. (B,L,D)

Toraja Heritage Hotel

July 3 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 to Denpasar, Bali GA545 departing at 5:55 PM.

Upon arrival at Ngurah Rai Airport of Bali meet and transfer to Ubud for accommodation. The rest of the day is at leisure with time to explore the charm of Ubud- it's interesting streets and markets, galleries and shops or a visit to the famed Neka Museum at your own pace. (B,L)

***** Alila Ubud Hotel

July 4 AYUNG RIVER
Monday RAFTING
The day starts with an exciting rafting adventure led by professional and experienced guides on the Ayung River. 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. (B,L)

***** Alila Ubud Hotel

July 5 UBUD VILLAGE ART &
Tuesday CRAFTS TOUR
This morning our guided tour focuses on the artistic aspect of Ubud. Stop at Kemenuh, famous for it’s wood carvers. Then visit the homes of artists to have an opportunity to see them at work. You may also explore the Neka 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. Included is a visit to the Monkey forest, Mengwi, the former Royal temple of Taman Ayun. (B,L)

***** Alila Ubud Hotel

July 6 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

July 7 BALI AT LEISURE
Thursday
We have an entire day at leisure at the hotel and spa. Improve the harmony of body and mind with our treatments from toe to head, indulge your holiday pleasure with reviving, energize and emerged feeling refresh with silky-glowing looking skin. Featuring Indonesian traditional essential oil, get yourself ready, let us relax and pamper you. Experience the real taste of relaxation with Indonesian traditional essential oils! (B,L)

***** Sanur Beach Hotel

July 8 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.

In the late afternoon, depart for the nearby village of Uluwatu to enjoy the unusual dance performance, Kechak. Probably the best-known of the Balinese dances, the Kechak background music 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 following at a Sea Food restaurant in Jimbaran. (B,D)

***** Sanur Beach Hotel

July 9 Bali - Singapore
Saturday Hong Kong
- San Francisco
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for our flight, Singapore Airlines, SQ941 to Singapore departing at 9:15 AM and arriving at 11:45 AM. Connect with SQ2 departing Singapore at 5:50 PM. Arrive in San Francisco at 8:15 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.