Beyond Bali
Bali is where it starts. Ernest grew up on Komodo Island and has a network across Indonesia, so he can take you to the dragons of Komodo, the beaches of Lombok and the volcanoes of Java.
Komodo and Flores: Ernest's home
Ernest was born on Komodo Island, in the heart of Komodo National Park. Few people can show you this part of Indonesia like he can.
- Komodo dragons on Komodo and Rinca. The world's largest lizards live in the wild only on a handful of islands in this region.
- Padar Island, with its famous viewpoint over bays with white, pink and black sand.
- Pink Beach and snorkelling with manta rays.
- Labuan Bajo, the harbour town where the boats leave, a flight of just over an hour from Bali.
- Flores overland trip: about a week by road from Labuan Bajo across the island, past spider-web rice fields and traditional villages, to the coloured crater lakes of Kelimutu.
Lombok and the Gili Islands
East of Bali, a fast boat ride from Padang Bai or Serangan.
- Gili Trawangan, lively, with beach bars and dive schools.
- Gili Air and Gili Meno, quieter and perfect for couples and families.
- No cars or motorbikes on the Gilis: you get around by bike or horse cart.
- Turtles on the reefs around all three islands.
- Lombok: Mount Rinjani, waterfalls and the quiet beaches of the south coast.
Ernest books the boats and arranges your onward transport. See fast boat tickets.
Java: Bromo and Ijen
A short ferry crossing from the west of Bali brings you to East Java and two of Indonesia's most impressive volcanoes.
- Ijen crater: a night hike to see the blue flames of burning sulphur and a turquoise acid lake at dawn.
- Mount Bromo: sunrise over the smoking crater and the sea of sand of the Tengger caldera.
- Further west: the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan near Yogyakarta.
A typical trip takes three days and two nights from Bali.
Plan a trip beyond Bali
Tell Ernest where you would like to go, and he puts together a route and a price.