Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers

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14 Reviews

4.9 out of 5

Kate Thompson

Reviewed June 2023

Fabulous holiday, lovely country and people!

A great holiday. I’m not a sit-on-the-beach type and this trip was anything but that (though the beaches are beautiful!) It was all so interesting. Huge variety – cycling through villages and coffee plantations, snorkeling, camping, temples, rice paddies, mountains, volcanoes, craters, old colonial homes… Exodus packs a lot into this trip! And such friendly people. Yes, there are a couple of really big hills, but if you’re reasonably fit, they’re doable. We had plenty of breaks and went at the pace of the group. (Please see my note below on trip rating.) One thing I really liked was that the distances weren’t as long as on some Exodus trips I’ve done. That meant a more relaxing start (7am breakfast not 7am start!) And we generally got to the hotel at the end of the day in time to read a book or go for a swim. Made for the perfect holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

Can I have three? Cycling through the villages on both Bali and Java - marigold offerings at the gates in Bali, the call to prayer on Java. The snorkeling (Nemos, turtles, fish of every colour...) Camping at the beach and the great dinner the team put on.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira is a fantastic guide. Organised (things ran like clockwork), helpful, friendly. Great sense of humour. Patiently answered all my questions about his lovely country. Wayan, our #2 guide, was great fun and super-helpful too. And the rest of the crew couldn't have been more helpful and friendly. Lovely people.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack light but not too light! The humidity makes it hard to get washing dry. Having done several Exodus trips ranked moderate/challenging, I'd say this was harder than those more challenging trips. The distances were shorter, but the hills were bigger! If, like me, you don't eat red meat or chicken, Indonesia is your place. Excellent vege food and great fish. If you like gold and silver jewellery, you won't find better than at the first hotel in Ubud (where they make their own).

Suggestions

Just do it!

Niall Campbell

Reviewed May 2023

A trip to remember

Fantastic trip and a great experience. The guides were excellent and great ambassadors for Indonesia. We’ve all heard of the country but perhaps no little about it so it’s a great way to improve your knowledge and understanding about its geography, history and people. Food was also excellent and whilst rice is very common at meals there are other options available.

Most Inspirational Moment

The scenery and the friendly people. Bali and Java are incredibly beautiful and blessed with some fine scenery. The opportunity to go snorkeling for the first time was mind blowing with a huge variety of tropical fish to see. Each day we passed a number of villages and whilst perhaps it was unusual to see cyclists, the people, particularly the youngsters, were very friendly so always remember to wave back!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira was an excellent guide, always willing to share his knowledge about Indonesia and always on the ball with his briefings about the day's cycling. He also has a great sense of humour and kept us motivated throughout the trip. He's also got aspirations as a singer - as you'll find out on the night when you camp! The size of our group also warranted a second person to help with the cycling and in this respect Wayan was also fantastic. Always cheerful and definitely kept us all motivated, even on the days when the cycling was fairly tough.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't underestimate the cycling even if the trip is graded moderate. A couple of days require some significant gain in altitude so do some training beforehand. There's always a support vehicle if you don't feel up to it of course but the challenge of getting to the top is always rewarding. You'll also need to cope with the temperatures but as long as you keep your fluids up you'll be fine. Whilst a bloke I'd over-packed when it came to evening clothes so I wouldn't worry too much about having lots of different outfits to wear as you mainly eat in the hotel or a nearby restaurant. Whilst cycling you'll definitely get very sweaty but just accept it as everyone else is the same! There are one or two opportunities for laundry during the trip but you'll likely need to do it by hand half-way through as you won't spend sufficient time to get it laundered before leaving the hotel the next day. There's more opportunities though nearer the end of the trip if you get desperate for clean clothes! As regards money the trip notes are slightly out of kilt. The $100 mentioned covers both a kitty for misc. expenses plus the tips for the support crew including the second cycling guide. The tip for the leader of course is your discretion but as our one was excellent we each gave 1m rupiahs (approx £55).

Suggestions

If you're mulling over whether to go or not don't hesitate! It was an incredible experience and will definitely be a memorable one for you.

Krisztina Forrai

Reviewed October 2022

Amazing time in Bali and Java

Another brilliant trip with Exodus visiting the beautiful islands of Bali and Java. Breath-taking views, welcoming locals, delicious food and sometimes breath-taking climbs were the highlights of the two weeks. The fantastic support team made this already amazing adventure truly unforgettable.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of the highest climb in Java

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira and his team did an amazing job. Everything was perfectly organised for us all the time, we felt spoilt by the support team's attentiveness while they all made their hard work look so effortless and fun. Wira thought of everything, briefed us all the time on the next segment, the next program, the next day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do this trip! And pack enough spare clothes so won't need to rely on washing/drying opportunities as they are scares due to the schedule and the humid weather

Suggestions

I would have a free day in the middle if it's logistically possible instead of at the end of the trip. The itinerary is very busy and the tour contains some tougher rides, would be nice to have some spare time in between.

Neil Douglas

Reviewed August 2022

Great downhills

Cycling the hills – both up and down – was a thrill. And the last two days the flat village riding was charming. Traffic was a too heavy to properly enjoy the connecting sections. Accommodation was varied. Some lovely hotels. One rather damp and unpleasant hotel ( acknowledged as a fudge after covid closures). The homestay however was dire. Only 2 hours sleep after inconsiderate guests partied until 2 and then from 4 for an early start. Even without them however the homestay was going to to cause problems. Walls were quant but thin bamboo and the the whole place was seriously delapidated but still offering ~ 25 rooms.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the caldera rim on day 2.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira was keen, helpful and very efficient. Very personable. The whole team was too.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I hope you like rice! Vegetarians well catered for - I was nearly converted! Easy to avoid or indulge in chilli and spice.

Suggestions

The team were great. A special mention for Wayan and his cycling support. The bikes were good - some brand new. Exceptionally well maintained. Water bottles magically refilled themselves whenever we stopped! Generous snacks available throughout ride.

Janet Young

Reviewed September 2019

Great memories of a fascinating country

Cycling Indonesia was a brilliantly organised trip which offered a glimpse into a good cross section of Indonesian, from the quiet East Javanese beaches to the bustling cultural centre of Ubud. The countryside was wonderful and the traffic did not pose a problem as they seemed to navigate around us. The terrain was hilly but none of the climbs were extreme and all in our group made it up both volcanoes in their own time. The local people were so welcoming and friendly and our guide and his crew were equally outstanding.

Most Inspirational Moment

The best moment for me was camping on the beach in East Java - so quiet and remote considering we were on one of the most populous Islands in the world. I also loved the quiet achievement of cycling up the volcanoes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira, our guide was exceptional. He was patient, looked after all our needs and was always keen to answer any questions we had. He was a good cyclist and encouraged us to ride at our own pace which made for an enjoyable cycling experience. We could go as fast or as slow as we wanted. The rest of the Exodus team were equally efficient, making sure we always had refreshments, a hearty lunch and a well stoked supply of my favourite Beng Beng chocolate bars.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is the engagement with the people and the culture that is the standout and produce the strongest memories. Take time to look around and learn as much as possible. I would also advise to do some cycle training beforehand as there are quite a few hills.

Suggestions

The only negative of the trip was a very challenging participant whose negative and disruptive attitude made the experience less than ideal for the remainder of the people in the group. It would be good if guests could be rated by the guide and if certain people are seen to be substantially impacting the tour and other guests then they should be discouraged from future travel with you.

Mojgan N.A.

Reviewed May 2019

Beautiful trip

I really enjoyed this trip. Wira (our guide) and the support team worked very hard and ensured it all went smoothly. I had little knowledge about Indonesia and I feel that this trip has opened a new world to me. I learned a lot about the culture, history and customs of this beautiful country and Wira contributed a lot to this. Bali is covered with temples and statues and for me it felt like an open museum. Another interesting point that caught my eyes were the architecture of the mosques in East Java. It has influences of temples and shows that the two cultures have been integrated which was very interesting to see.
Everywhere we went people were very friendly and smiling and greeting us.
There were some tough rides, a few nasty uphills, some very steep and rough downhills and off roads which made this trip even more interesting. Wira explained the detail of the route and what to look out for which was very helpful.
The hiking up the Ijen volcano and watching how the sulphur miners work was the highlight of the trip for me. The other activities such as hot spring, snorkelling and swimming (pool and the sea) were all very enjoyable. Most hotels had a swimming pool so swimming after a hard cycling day under a hot humid condition felt like heaven! 🙂

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing the Ijen volcano. The landscape was beautiful and the view of the lake from the top was simply stunning. Seeing the sulphur mine workers carrying such heavy loads on their shoulders up that steep route was simply an eye opener. Riding on the old lava field (very rough off-road) was quite amazing too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira was an excellent leader. He was always calm, friendly and carried a beautiful smile. He was very knowledgeable and explained to us about people/farmer's lifestyle and customs. Every day he explained to us how the route would be in terms of points of interests as well as the challenging parts. The support teams also contributed to the success of the trip. They were very helpful and every little detail was taken care of, eg every time we had a break, they would fill up our water bottles without us even noticing it which was a nice touch.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you do your homework ie training! :) There are some tough uphills as well as very steep downhills with sharp corners and also some quite rough off-roads.

Suggestions

I would recommend this trip.

Alexandrina Duncan

Reviewed October 2018

Unique

An amazing and varied cycling adventure spent with a really lovely group and a fantastic local support team. This trip is filled with cycling challenges while riding both up and downhill on various terrain, cultural stops at temples and through villages as well as well deserved downtime by beautiful beaches. Wholeheartedly recommended to the adventurous curious minded cyclist.

Most Inspirational Moment

Making it to the top of Mt Ijen, camping under the starry skies

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira is calm, knowledgeable, organised, always motivating and giving us notice before treacherous or difficult stretches. His team were perfect, worked very well together, cooking delicious lunches, preparing refreshments, fixing bikes and catering for our needs.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Train before this trip and expect to cycle in temperatures of 30-35C on a daily basis. The accommodation was very good standard, however be prepared for very basic facilities at camping and homestay sites.

Suggestions

Go for it!

Kay Rutherford

Reviewed October 2018

One of my favourite trips

This cycling trip is up there as one of my favourites. There are some challenging sections of cycling but you are rewarded by great views as you cycle up volcanoes, through coffee plantations, past rice fields, and watch farmers harvest spices with the pungent smell of cloves as they are dried on the roadside. The mix of other activities makes the trip a real holiday adventure. Snorkelling off Mengangan Island was fantastic, with the colours and variety of fish breathtaking. We even were lucky enough to see a turtle. The.camping on the beach at Rajewesi Beach was a highlight, watching the sun set and rise over the beach was magical.
Wira and his team were extremely well organised, cooked lovely food, very encouraging on the tougher sections and nothing’s too much trouble for them. Their love of their country is very evident.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sun rise over Rajewesi beach

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira is an excellent leader. Organised, knowledgeable, handles whatever incidents thrown at him with expertise and sensitivity. He also makes the trip great fun.be

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for basic facilities at the beach and coffee plantation home stay but their locations more than make up for it.

Suggestions

Just go on the trip.

Jo Griffiths

Reviewed August 2018

Beautiful Bali ..

I loved this trip, Bali and Java are fabulous destinations and although cycling doesn’t always lend itself to achieving a full appreciation of local cultures, this trip certainly whet my appetite for a return visit. The accommodation was excellent, even those classed as basic had a certain charm and I enjoyed the coffee plantation ‘homestay’, it was in a great location, if a little lacking in amenities. The trip allowed for some welcome downtime sat around the pool or on the beach, but each day was packed full of great food, awesome scenery, fun and laughter, cultural insights and physical activity.

Most Inspirational Moment

Snorkelling off the Coast of Menjangan Island, it was fabulous! Also camping on Rajewesi Beach and the lovely dinner we enjoyed under moonlight was special, looking out onto the horizon with the soft lights of the lobster boats twinkling in the distance. Magical.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira is an absolute gem. Organised, knowledgeable, smiley, patient, great fun, unflappable, fit, and an excellent cook! The way he handled the earthquake we experienced on our first day and subsequent aftershocks demonstrated exceptional leadership. Ably assisted by Wayan who single-handedly kept me alive when cycling through busy city streets, anticipating all dangers and guiding me safely to our final destination. The whole crew were brilliant, sorting out our luggage, repairing the bikes when required, preparing snack breaks and picnic lunches, filling water bottles. A great team!

Advice for Potential Travellers

I found the cycling hard; some days were fast paced and I felt that the group I travelled with were quite competitive. This was my first cycling holiday and I wasn't prepared for the culture of cycling compared to my usual hiking holidays. Some sections of the countryside, including fabulous photo opportunities simply passed by in a blur. I sat out of 4 or 5 sections over the length of the trip. Not just up hills, but very steep downhills and some off-road sections. Wira was very supportive of my decisions, however in hindsight I was far too ambitious choosing to do a ‘moderate’ graded trip for my first outing on a bike. I consider myself to be fit, however my fitness level did not compare favourably with some other members of the group. This in no way affected my overall enjoyment of the trip, but it is worth considering before booking.

Suggestions

If you enjoy souvenir shopping, especially clothing and textiles, don’t leave it until Canggu, the road leading up to Banjar Hot Springs had a far better selection of goodies.

Martin Thomson

Reviewed July 2018

A Little Gem

This is an absolute gem of a cycling trip. There is something for every cyclist; from undulating and flat roads to tough climbs up two volcanoes (particularly the 2nd climb up Mt Ijen); plus a little off-road riding thrown in, most interestingly through an old lava field (from the 1963 eruption of Mt Batur). Every day was something different and interesting. Outside the South East corner (Denpasar area), Bali is a beautiful island, lush and vibrant, with flowers and tropical plants abundant everywhere. Some of the hotels we stayed in were incredible. I particularly liked the ones in Ubud and Menjangan (quiet location, infinity pool, hot tub, great food, etc), but all the accommodation was very good quality bar a couple of exceptions that could not be avoided. Plenty of opportunities to swim in volcanic hot pools, swimming pools and the sea. We went in May and experienced a couple of rain showers. Fortunately, most days were cloudy and ideal for cycling, as the sun near the equator is very strong. Indonesia is a lovely country to visit and quite a revelation.

Most Inspirational Moment

The challenging climb up to the crater rim of Mt Ijen was rewarding, and inside the volcano the acid lake and steam were impressive as was the sulphur mining by some exhausted locals. The Snorkelling was great and I was amazed they provided a mask for short sighted people like me so I could actually see all the various tropical fish. Overall it was the people of Bali and Java that stood out, very friendly, always smiling, so kind.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wira was outstanding. An excellent communicator, extremely informative about all the flora and fauna, politics, etc; and a great sense of humour. This was my 8th Exodus cycle trip and Wira is the best Tour leader I have met Indeed, the whole Indonesia team were faultless, as though they had done it hundreds of times (even though it was quite a new trip). Everything ran very smoothly. They were the A-Team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The climb up Mt Ijen is tough so get in some hill miles unless you want to take the bus. Snorkels and masks are provided (even for short sighted people) so you don't need to bring them. Take some toilet paper. Also, swimming gear, as there are numerous places to take a dip. You will sweat a lot as it is very hot & humid.

Suggestions

This is one of the best Exodus trips I have been on and one of the few that I would happily do again

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