I'll be in the region during the same time period.

- Which mountains should we aim for?

There are many, many to choose from, but keep in mind that you are going in the heart of the wet season. Many may be inaccessible.

- How easy is it to get from Bali to a worthwhile mountain to bag?

From our trip planning, it seems pretty easy. In fact Bali itself has nice peaks, though places like Batur are touristy.

Java is a short way away and has many mountains. Lombok has many peaks as well.

We're going to try and climb Gunung Lawu near Solo (Java) since it's supposed to be OK in the wet season. The peaks in the Ijen Plateau area are in far east Java right next to Bali and are supposed to be reasonable in the wet season as well. The most spectacular peak in the area is supposed to be Sumeru, but it is also active and may be problematic in the wet season.

On Bali itself, Gunung Agung (3142 meters) is the highest point and it sounds very interesting, but is supposed to be a trial in the wet season. Gunung Batur is supposed to be reasonable in the wet season, but it sounds quite touristy so you may not be interested in it.

Lombok has mountains up to 3726 meters which is quite respectable for an island.

If you want a real adventure you can fly to New Guinea where there are plenty of spectacular and mostly unexplored mountains, though it would probably take more time and gear than it sounds like you have available.

Chewy,

Go for the diving. Surfing. I'm planning to do Raja Ampat next year. Days when the surf is high, fly to New Guinea. Flights are cheap in that part of the world.

Greetings form Indonesia.

Yeah, it is smack in the rainy season. I was lucky when walking up Rinjani in Lombok that the wet season had appeared to stop the day before and that was on April 1st.

Gunung Agung is a fun day trip in Bali at 3,101 m. If you leave at midnight on a clear night you can often get some awesome views. The descent can be ugly though if you hit a wet patch.

I need to find out what the wet season implies.

This may give you a good idea:

If it's sliding around on mud all the way to the summit, then I might do something else.

Apparently on many of the mountains, it sounds like that is just what is in store.

Gunung Lawu (the one we are going to try and climb) is supposed to be reasonable in the wet season since the road is paved and that part of Java is a bit drier than other parts. Also, the trail is very good since it’s a holy mountain with a Hindu Temple part way up so people do climb it year round.

It’s supposedly a very long day climb (assuming you aren’t bringing camping gear), but supposed to be a good one.

The road to the peaks around Kawah Ijen is also paved and that part of the island is also supposed to be a bit drier than the rest.

Bromo is said to be sometimes good and sometimes not, but most of the other on Java at least sound rather inaccessible. Same with Merapi.

If you want to see an active volcano though, Indonesia has more than any other area in the world. You have an excellent chance of seeing one if you want to (hopefully from a distance).

Greetings form Indonesia.

Do you still live in Indonesia? Are you still going to be there in December?

Scott wrote:

I need to find out what the wet season implies.

This may give you a good idea:

If it's sliding around on mud all the way to the summit, then I might do something else.

Apparently on many of the mountains, it sounds like that is just what is in store.

Gunung Lawu (the one we are going to try and climb) is supposed to be reasonable in the wet season since the road is paved and that part of Java is a bit drier than other parts. Also, the trail is very good since it’s a holy mountain with a Hindu Temple part way up so people do climb it year round.

It’s supposedly a very long day climb (assuming you aren’t bringing camping gear), but supposed to be a good one.

The road to the peaks around Kawah Ijen is also paved and that part of the island is also supposed to be a bit drier than the rest.

Bromo is said to be sometimes good and sometimes not, but most of the other on Java at least sound rather inaccessible. Same with Merapi.

If you want to see an active volcano though, Indonesia has more than any other area in the world. You have an excellent chance of seeing one if you want to (hopefully from a distance).

Greetings form Indonesia.

Do you still live in Indonesia? Are you still going to be there in December?

Scott, I work in Indonesia, I should be around in Dec although I mainlyhang out in Jakarta or Kalimantan.

Chewbacca wrote:Thanks for the replies. Obviously, I've chosen the wrong time of year to go to Indonesia.

I think any peak-bagging will be done on short notice and weather permitting. I'll take my hiking boots and some light-weight gore-tex clothing with me and see what happens.

John Duffield wrote:Chewy,

Go for the diving. Surfing.

This might be the time to get the divers license. The courses seem to be about half-price compared to back home. (USD 375,- for 3 day PADI Open Water Diver Course, including diving manual, certification fee, equipment, lunch, transport etc.)

A friend of mine spent three years there with his boat looking for the HMS EXETER.

http://www.robin-brooks.com/articles/hms-exeter-wreck-found-press-release.pdf

Wasn't him that found it. There's an awful lot of ocean there.

Try to summit anything in the jungle and you'll need a Parang to hack your way to the top. Might even take weeks. The locals wil have paths usually avoiding any high points. Even getting some fisherman with a Bangka to dump you off to some crummy little island for a few days can be all the adventure you could ever wish for. Cliffs, Reefs, and Jungle. Maybe a few headhunters. My kind of place.

Rain season - but but the volcanos Agung, Rinjani and Tambora are well worth a trip! Sumbawa has one of the best surf spots and Tambora is located on the very same island. Papua has also the rain season but parts of Maluku should be o.k. - however far to travel.
I would stick to the surfing / diving.

John Duffield wrote:Chewy,

I'm planning to do Raja Ampat next year.

I'm getting jealous!

Its not exactly climbing but the walk up Mt Rinjani in Lombok is one of the best hikes I have done. Where else can you see a new volcano emerging out of a lake at 2,700 m.

I also recommend Rinjani on Lombok. The scenery is unique and you're likely to hear volcanic rumbling as you near the crater. I also climbed Agung on Bali this year. It was a nice volcano hike, but not worth bragging about. I want to make a week long trip over to Papua either this winter or next spring. Also planning a climb up Kerinci within the next couple months. For real climbing, I go to Thailand or local crags in Malaysia.