Along with Dale and Linda (Corey’s parents), we joined Holland America Line (HAL)’s MS Westerdam in Auckland, New Zealand, for a 30 day sailing: south around New Zealand, up the Australian east coast, and through Indonesia, to arrive in Singapore.

In just 30 days, we visited

• 5 ports in New Zealand (plus scenic cruising!)
• 7 ports in Australia
• 3 ports in Indonesia

This segment of the trip had some booms and busts. Not everything can be perfect, right? Read on to see what worked out well for us and what we literally ran away from.

Komodo Island

This was the port we were most excited to experience on the whole cruise! The coolest chance to see Komodo dragons live and in their environment. The entire island is part of the Komodo National Park and there are certain conditions in place and rules to follow in order to go ashore. To leave the cruise ship, you must be part of an organized tour group. This means you can either book through the ship or through an independent company, but you are not allowed to stroll off the boat on your own and wander into the jungle. This is for the protection of the animals, but also for the protection of the humans. Hungry dragons have killed humans in the past, especially if the humans had been fishing (and smelled of fish or bait) or if the humans had an active wound.

Komodo dragons “smell” with their tongue and they can actually smell carrion from miles away!

Because this port was so important to me, I researched and booked a tour months in advance. I found independent tours with much better itineraries, for half the price of the tours sold through the cruise ship.

Tour operators do not guarantee that you will see dragons, but we did! In fact, we were able to observe five different dragons.

We had a very messy morning leaving the ship, because the ship’s guest services department did not maintain good records of those who were on independent tours. Although we had checked three times with the front desk to confirm our arrangements, that morning there was no sign of our names on the list. After some fuss, we made it on a tender boat to shore, where we met our tour party of around a dozen people. We had two guides and a national park employee in our group. The guides carry long sticks to guard against the dragons and keep everyone safe, and the park employee makes sure that everyone respects the park and its flora and fauna.

Our tour started with a 60 minute flat trek through the jungle. The path was wide and well-blazed. It was also blazing hot! Within our first two minutes of walking we saw a “baby” dragon near the welcome compound. Komodo dragons take five to eight years to reach maturity, so a small dragon could be a number of years in age, and this “baby” was likely 3-5 years old.

We then walked through the jungle and our guide pointed out some of the island’s plants and shared stories of experiences with dragons.

After about 10-15 minutes we came to a large clearing and saw two large dragons lazing about. Then an adolescent dragon crept closer and joined the party.

Here are the pics from our close encounters!

There are four trails on Komodo Island, and we were being guided on the “medium” path. The loop eventually circled back to the shoreline where we started.

After the trekking we were led through an open-air market selling all types of souvenirs, and a selection of refreshments. We saw a cool Komodo dragon magnet that we thought our nephew would like. I also picked up a hat.

Our tour then included a boat trip out to Pink Beach. This was a big draw for me because I love exotic beaches and it gave us the opportunity to see other parts of the island.

So we walked back to the pier and we were shocked that to get to our boat, we had to scramble across another boat. It’s Asia, I should not have been surprised but it’s been awhile since I was last here.

Somehow, we were all able to climb aboard our boat and we sailed out of the bay and around the corner. On the way we snacked on delicious freshly-fried bananas. I spotted a beautiful beach and pointed it out to Corey, “how beautiful!” It turned out to be Pink Beach!

Why is it called Pink Beach?

The coral gives it a pink shade. Can you see it?

From the rickety pier we walked down and around the shoreline and waded in the clear waters. It was easy to snorkel right from the beach and our guide provided good equipment.

There was one shack selling some drinks and a few vendors selling similar souvenirs to what we saw previously. We passed on buying anything and just enjoyed the area.

Eventually our guide rounded us up and loaded us back on the boat. When we got back to the main pier everyone else from the tour went back to the ship to stand in line for the tender boats. Since we hate lines, Corey and I sat on the beach and watched the waves and the fishing boats. It was pretty late in the day by this point and some local kids were playing on the beach. One of them had managed to steal a stack of paper cups from Holland America Line and was throwing them around the beach. I took and set them up like bowling pins on the sand, fetched a coconut floating nearby and we created our own beach bowling game! The kids gathered around to watch and then gave it a try themselves. Eventually there were 10 kids all vying for a chance to roll the coconut down the sand and knock some cups over. Not sure if they got bored of it but I hope they’re still playing that game there. Who knows, maybe it will become a famous game from Komodo one day…beach bowling!!

Lombok

We have heard that Lombok is what Bali was like 30 years ago. Less tourists, less hotels, less scooters.

We definitely experienced that rustic vibe as we toured around the west and north side of the island. We also learned a lot that day. We learned about vetting drivers, time management, and how you should always save the cruise port address on your phone. So let’s get into it…

I joined a Lombok travel group on Facebook and reached out to a few drivers in advance to set up an all day tour. I found one and it was a relatively easy process. The price was reasonable, the car looked good in photos, and the driver was friendly. When we arrived and walked across the pier, he was there to meet us right on time (actually he was early!). So we had a good start but overall the driver and our plan fizzled out as the day went on. A good driver will know more about the area than what can be found on Google Maps. Unfortunately, our driver was from Bali…

But let’s get back to the morning and the story will unfold. Our first stop was a visit to Senggigi Beach, which we had read was fairly quiet and very scenic.

From the moment our feet sunk into the first grains of sand we were bombarded with various locals trying to sell us everything from coconuts, sarongs, massages, and t-shirts. After trying to escape by sitting at a table and regrouping, we were encircled by hawkers. There were ladies rubbing my back and Dale’s back trying to get us to agree to massages. After about five minutes of hard selling by a coconut vendor, Corey strongly suggested that we leave and we did just that. I don’t even have a photo of that place. Based on the map, Corey thinks that we did not even make it to the scenic part of the beach before we turned back.

We met our driver back at the alley to the beach and we continued up the coast for lunch. Lonely Planet had recommended a lovely spot right on the coast. We had a tasty lunch and enjoyed the salty air. Our driver joined our table and we had a nice conversation. He volunteered that his wife likes to make local foods for foreigners at their guest-house and that they hope to open a warung (café) in Bali one day. He said that he can set up dinner at his home for us that evening and his wife will cook. We were all really excited about this opportunity!

After lunch we made our way northward on small twisty roads. I got so carsick we had to stop after an hour so I could get some fresh air. We think the anti-malaria drugs made the carsickness worse but the roads and traffic were pretty bad. The road is the width of a driveway and there are cars and scooters passing each other. There are also toddlers stumbling around the edge of the road, dogs running across, and bicyclists pedaling around. It’s chaotic and nerve-wracking. The drive did have some highlights as well. There were great sea views and we saw the Gili Islands to the west, and as we made it to the north side of Lombok, we overlooked rice paddies, and we got a glimpse of Mount Rinjani.

We eventually made it to our key destination which was waterfall trekking at Air Terjun Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep (Air Terjun means waterfall in Bahasa Indonesia). We got great information on the hike from this blog.

By this point, it was about 2 PM. At the entrance to the park is a parking lot and a spot where guides hang out. We had read that a guide was not necessary for the hike, and that the hike was easy. When we parked, the guides swarmed our car and recommended that we hire two guides for four people. We compromised and paid for one. As far as the trail goes, well, easy is very much subjective. There are hundreds of steps to this hike, and upon hearing that, Linda decided to stay in the parking lot with our driver and the other guides.

Dale, Corey and I followed our guide and took the paved stairs and path down to the first waterfall, Sendang Gile. It was a beautiful lush valley with waterfalls of various sizes pouring out over the green cliff. We stuck around for a few minutes taking photos, and then Dale journeyed back up the 200 steps to wait with Linda while the rest of us made our way to Tiu Kelep.

This is where the guide was well worth it. If you’re reading this and planning to do this hike: don’t get a guide if you’re only going to the first waterfall, Sendang Gile. You don’t need it: the path is well-marked and if you can handle the stairs, it is an easy hike.

If you’re going to the big one, Tiu Kelep, we recommend hiring a guide. This path is… interesting and our guide helped us navigate river crossings, and scramble over loose rocks. The trail can be done without a guide, especially during the busy parts of the day when there are other hikers coming and going. But a guide is inexpensive and we found that he added value to our experience.

He also shared information about the area and took lots of photos for us. We timed it right because we were the only ones there! We had the whole waterfall to ourselves!

Here are the amazing photos!!!

We wore swimwear just in case we decided to jump in the waterfall, and this was a good decision. Even without getting in the water, the power of the waterfall completely soaked us. It felt like we were in a tropical rainstorm with the wet gusts coming off the rocks.

On the way back Corey opted to take the “adventure route” while I stuck to the main path. Corey followed our guide into a long dark tunnel that is carved into the hillside, which is used to transport water. This is something that he would have never tried without a guide who knew the route.

By the time we made it back to the group it was getting a little late. We had to scrap two items from our agenda, as there was no way we would have time to visit the village, spend some time at the rice paddy overlook, and make it back in time for dinner before the ship sails. This is where a knowledgeable local driver can ensure a successful trip. I had ran the itinerary by the driver prior to the day and he confirmed that we would have time for everything. Unfortunately, Google Maps is not accurate when it comes to predicting the speed on these country roads.

As we drove back toward the ship, the sun set and darkness settled in. This made the drive even more precarious as many of the scooters are not equipped with headlights. I think we all had white knuckles as we drove in silence. Time was also getting tight. Corey and I continued to check Google Maps, and based on our expected time of arrival, the window for dinner kept shrinking.

Suddenly our driver slowed down and said he needed to get gas ASAP. He rolled to a roadside shop that has liter bottles of gasoline (this is common in Southeast Asia, which surprised Corey). He bought a bottle to get down the road, gas light still on. Then a separate stop at an ATM.

By this point the silence was incessantly interrupted by the drivers phone. It was his wife. And he didn’t pick up the phone. I was in the front seat with the window down and I was ready to answer it just to tell her we were okay, just late. The poor woman was probably so worried. Plus, she was cooking our dinner and had no idea when we were going to arrive!

Then we stopped again, at a real gas station. The four of us chatted while the driver was outside. We decided to still go to dinner even though to make it back to the ship, our time was at 30 minutes for dinner.

We let our driver know about the time crunch and that we felt bad this his wife had been cooking all day. We finally get back to the drivers house and a feast is waiting for us. It all looks pretty amazing. Great care had been taken to put together a spread of Indonesian treats.

I set a timer on my phone and we scarfed down bites of food while the drivers family (wife, son, father, mother) looked on. It would have been nice to have a conversation. It also would have been nice to have authentic food! The driver had said that his wife knows how to cook for foreigners. Ugh, that’s code for no taste. Unfortunately, the food looked outstanding but the flavors were bland. Even the sambal was lacking any heat.

Once the timer went off, they insisted on packing up all the leftovers for us and I requested we all get in the car. It took several more minutes to put the food in takeaway containers and pull the car around. At this point our timing was very tight and we were getting worried.

We drove off into the dark night toward the cruise pier. We were in the car for awhile and driving down a bumpy narrow road when the driver turned to me and asks “is this the right way?”

What???!!!!!! How was I supposed to know??

I offered to pull up Google Maps and navigate even though that is literally what we were paying him for. I searched for “Lombok cruise port,” which sent us back to the Port of Lembar. Corey also checked whatsinport.com and this appears to be the correct spot. The directions said to turn around and travel the other direction around the bay. We retraced our steps for a few minutes, when the directions told us to turn left at a potholed road that looks impossible without a truck. I didn’t remember it and it didn’t look right. The driver also doubted the directions and looked at my phone. At that point he said that we were not going to the right pier, and our ship was at the Gili Mas pier, where he was originally driving us to before he lost his confidence. The name of the pier would have been great information 10 minutes prior, when I could have put that into Google Maps! Errrrrrrrr….

So we turned around yet again. I had a huge knot growing in my belly (which I can feel again while writing this post!). We have never missed a sailing before, but at this point we were five minutes from all-aboard time, with at least a fifteen minute drive. We could not see the ship or the pier, just darkness and the blinding headlights from occasional oncoming traffic.

Corey looked on his ship card, which has a phone number to reach the ship. He dialed the number, which first states that calling the ship required a credit card and cost $8/minute. But it would be worth every penny if it works! Once the credit card information was processed, the automated system went through every Holland America ship, in alphabetical order. After a long period, Corey selected the Westerdam, and let the ship know that we would be there in under five minutes, and then pled for them to hold the sailing. At least we were not on the Zuiderdam!

We continued down the dark road and finally caught a glimpse of the Westerdam lights in the distance. She was still there! We swung around the final curve of the bay and got to the guard gate. We told the guard that we were late and that was our ship. His eyes opened wide and he swung the gate arm up so that we could get dropped off right next to the gangway. We sped through the empty parking lot and parked as close as we could.

It was a funny scene as the port workers were telling us to slow down, not to worry, and asking about our day. At the same time, the Holland America security crew was yelling at us to hurry and not to stop. Once onboard, the second officer lectured us straight away about being late and that many people were waiting on us. He explained further that the pier workers were on overtime, which is likely why they were so friendly with us! I explained the problem with the driver and apologized.

This was my first time as a pier runner! Not a title I ever wanted to have.

If the ship leaves without you, you are still able to continue your cruise… but you have to catch up with the ship at a later port! For this one, we would only have needed to find a ferry to travel the short distance to Bali, the next island over. But we still would have needed to find accommodations for the night, pay for the ferry, and then we would miss our day of sightseeing in Bali.

We think the ship provided us the grace period because we made the effort to call (instead of no-showing), and also because the sailing was so short. If time was of the essence (due to tides, weather, or distance), we would probably have arrived to see the aft-side of the ship off in the distance.

Our lessons:

• Always save the drop-off location for the ship. We use “dropped pin” in Google Maps to save the exact drop-off location for your ship. Many cities have more than one cruise ship pier (including Seattle). Even at the right pier, there can be multiple terminals and other confusing pathways to get to the ship itself.
• Don’t be afraid to vet your driver and their experience with the local area. Our driver was a lovely man, but his heart is in Bali, not Lombok, and that is also where he had familiarity. A good driver should be able to consult on attractions, and the timing needed to make a successful day.
• Take the gamble on asking for authentically-spicy food. Indonesia is known for having some of the spiciest cuisine in the world, and we experienced some great dishes at lunch. But our dinner played it too safe, leaving us disappointed with the outcome.

Bali (Denpasar)

This is such an ideal place to visit. Digital nomads, honeymooners, Aussie partiers, British families…everyone is looking for their slice of paradise in Bali.

With only 7.5 hours we knew we’d see very little so we focused on what I really wanted to do: go to the beach and get a Balinese massage. We did both but only one of them ended up being fantastic! We ended up adding other attractions to the list and overall it was a very good day.

Our driver met us at the port. He was the brother of a waiter from a previous cruise, and Corey had set up the itinerary.

We started the morning at the fish market at Jimbaran Beach, and then planned to spend the morning at the beach.

Jimbaran Beach

Jimbaran Beach is a popular spot for sunset seafood dinners. Since we arrived by cruise we did not have the luxury to come at night. During the day, it is a working beach for a large fishing fleet. The fish market was outstanding with a wide variety of fresh fish and shellfish that had been brought in that morning. It was neat to spend a few minutes walking through the dense combination of indoor and outdoor stalls.

Unfortunately the beach itself was underwhelming. There was garbage and litter covering the sand. It was disgusting. We strolled down the beach and there were a couple places where workers were raking up the debris, especially in front of the resorts. Perhaps by evening the trash is gone and folks get a view from the restaurants. But when we were there, it was in no condition for a beach day. There were a couple folks walking dogs and a couple swimmers, but otherwise the trash dominated the scene. We decided to move on after 15 minutes.

Since we had some time before lunch, our driver suggested that we try a coffee and tea tasting. It was a fab idea!

We toured a small garden that offers kopi luwak, aka civit coffee. Yes, it is poo coffee! Supposedly this comes from coffee cherries that have been eaten and excreted from a local animal related to the mongoose. Once out, it is washed, hulled, then roasted. Not sure if it is anything more than hype, but we all liked it.

Each couple shared a sampler and it was so fun to try them all. My favorites were rosella tea, lemongrass tea and the cocoa spices coffee. Corey liked the red ginger tea and lemongrass tea.

After getting caffeinated we were ready for lunch. I had quickly found a good spot using reviews on Google. Malini Uluwatu, aka Malini Agro Park, is a small cliffside restaurant and pool club, right next to Uluwatu Temple. It was a good find.

It has the same views as the Uluwatu Temple, but you get to sit and drink. Those views were outstanding, the food was amazing, and we got to use the pool for free. I’d totally go back!

Uluwatu Temple

After our pleasurable dining experience, we drove down the street to visit Uluwatu Temple.

This is an incredible complex nestled into the cliff side. When first arriving the walk takes you through a lovely wooded area with lots of monkeys around. We heeded the warnings and put away our cell phones and glasses.

There is a small admission fee, and appropriate temple attire is provided on a complimentary basis. Corey and Dale were provided with orange sashes to wear around their waists. People who need coverage are provided with purple sarongs.

We walked around the area and admired the temple construction and the views.

Our time at the temple was a bit short so that we could make our prescheduled massage appointments. It was really hot and humid so a short visit was just fine.

Balinese Massage

I had looked up the best massages in Benoa area and Laniakea Spa was on the list as being a great budget option. We each had a wonderful 120 minute treatment. Well…..117 minutes. We were getting nervous that the traffic might be too snarled on the way back to the port and definitely did not want to repeat the nightmare from the night before. We figured just the few extra minutes would help us out. Each treatment started with a relaxing foot bath filled with flowers and we were escorted to our rooms. Corey and I decided to do a scrub and massage package. Dale and Linda opted for a massage. 117 minutes later we reconvened in the lobby with big grins on our faces. Each of us felt wonderful and the price tag was astonishing! We each had a 2 hour treatment and spent less than $120 USD total. That’s like the price of one 60 minute massage at home.

The traffic was heavy on the roads. Cars and scooters unbelievably close to each other in small lanes. The anxiety started growing in my stomach as we seemed to find a red traffic light at every intersection. It looked like this trip would also be down to the wire. I crossed my fingers that other excursions would also be coming back late because of traffic. We finally hit a long stretch of highway and our driver understood the assignment. He hit the gas pedal and we reached the port right on time. As we entered the port area traffic was slow and heavy again. This was actually a good sign, because it meant there was were many others arriving at the same time.

Not only is Bali a hot destination for cruisers, but Holland America employs a lot of Indonesians as crew. They love having the opportunity to visit family and friends and eat good, familiar food.

Then our driver surprised us. He pulled up to a security guard, said something, and was then directed around the line. Turns out that speaking the Balinese dialect can pull some strings!

When we left the car, we joined a large contingent of both passengers and crew coming back on board. I overheard other guests complaining about long bus rides in traffic with undersized air conditioning. I was glad that we had a good driver (with strong AC) for the day!

Sea Days

Bali was our last port of call. We had two sea days before eventually sailing into Singapore and starting our land journey through SE Asia.

So what is it like on a ship when not in port?

When not in port, we had plenty of spaces onboard to relax. Our favorite place to to meet was lido deck aft, by the pool.

Some days were windy but we were still able to enjoy the pool and hot tubs on many occasions.

Corey and I did not feel like Westerdam had many activities for guests and we entertained ourselves by reading and prepping for future ports.

We also typically attended the nightly entertainment in the showroom. Things like dance, comedy, and magic.

The ship did have happy hour at all of the bars between 4-5pm so that was fun. We tried several different drinks around the ship and even ordered the off menu classic, Wang Wang.

My favorite activity onboard is walking the outside decks. HAL ships all have a great promenade for walking laps. Nothing beats the fresh air and views!

Especially sunset views. Here’s some of my favorite photos taken at sea.

This is our last cruise for a few months but we do have another sailing on MS Westerdam in 2023! We will fly from Bangkok to Tokyo and sail Westerdam “home” to Seattle.