Cycling across Indonesia - A Bike Touring Adventure from Jakarta to Lombok - Cycling during Ramadan

Welcome to Cycling Indonesia. Over six weeks we cycled through the north of Java, across Bali, Gili Menno and around Lombok, exploring just four of the 17,500 islands that make up this amazing country in Asia's south. We encountered endless friendly locals and stunning scenery. We rerouted around flooded areas, rode through rice paddies, busy cities and along empty beaches. We ate some delicious and new foods and experienced cycling in a Muslim country during Ramadan. It was an awesome adventure to cross this culturally diverse country but first we had to find our way out of Jakarta. This city with a population of over 30 million people saw us winding our way through all sorts of roads, laneways and marketplaces and as much as we were looking forward to getting out into Indonesian countryside, it was hard not to enjoy exploring this bustling metropolis. Traveling across Java would see us take on all sorts of roads, from busy highways to small rural pathways through plantations and rice fields. But almost every road led us to one thing, more delicious food. Everywhere we looked we saw street vendors and morungs selling a huge variety of Indonesian dishes we'd never tried before. Exploring new foods is one of the best parts of travel for us, so several times a day we'd stop at these roadside restaurants to try out whatever was on offer. A favorite breakfast for us was definitely Berber Ayam, a simple chicken rice popular in Indonesia, so on the roads we met plenty of other cyclists who were always happy and a bit surprised to meet foreigners riding in their country. Riding through areas that don't often see tourists meant we're also a bit of a novelty for most locals we met, who would often ask for photos with us, especially Laura, and it was always fun obliging their requests. Days were hot and plenty of sweat was exerted as we rode along the often dusty roads, so plenty of stops at convenience stores were needed. Luckily in Indonesia you're never far from an Alphamart or an Indomaret, so hourly stops for cold drinks and ice cream were easy to come by. We encountered some flooding in the north that meant that many roads were blocked and that we'd have to change course, so we headed further inland and onto some smaller farm roads. Not only found a way through, we found some amazing countryside and communities along the way. As we neared the end of Java we passed Mount Merapi on our way towards the coast, and while lots of our riding in Java had been scenic and we'd enjoyed the food and the friendliness of the people, there were times that we felt we were just going from one place to the next, with little to see in between. We were craving a change and a break in our routine of just getting up and riding from one town to the next, and that change was just around the corner, as we made our way towards our ferry that would take us to the famous tourist island of Bali. We arrived in Bali right in time for the Galingan Festival. Galingan is one of Bali's most important religious festivals, embodying the spiritual essence of the island and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of its people. This Hindu celebration sees the local people decorate the streets with offerings to the gods, and symbolizes the victory of good over evil, reflecting the spiritual values deeply ingrained in Balinese Hinduism. We turned inland from the north of the island towards Bratan Volcano. This meant two days of riding uphill via Munduk, taking in the cultural celebrations along the way. Up and over the volcano we rode, deciding to skip the touristic part of Bali and head towards another ferry, this time to take us to the Gili Islands, where we'd take a few days off to rest, relax and drink cocktails on the beach. After a few days rest, we jumped onto a much smaller boat to take us the short trip over to Lombok, our final island to visit in Indonesia, and the one we've been looking forward to most. We arrived in Lombok just in time to catch the end of the Oga-Oga festival, during which statues of mythological beings are carried through the streets by the Hindu population here to purify the environment of any spiritual pollutants. And the very next day was the start of Ramadan, the most sacred month for the almost 250 million Muslims that live in Indonesia. As well as being a month of prayer, reflection and community, this month is observed by fasting between sunrise and sunset. Even though we aren't Muslim ourselves, we would respect the local religion by only ever eating or drinking during these hours if we found a secluded area away from people to do so. Although difficult to not reach for our water bottles while riding through the Indonesian heat, it was important for us to show respect and feel connected to the local way of life here. Although Lombok is only a short boat ride away from the famously touristic Bali, it felt worlds away. Not only is it a majority Muslim island, as opposed to Bali being Hindu, it just felt so much more relaxed here, as we rode through the often empty streets, through small villages, with farmers in their fields and beaches lined with through some empty countryside, checking out some beautiful beaches and hanging with the locals and enjoying their way of life. We also enjoyed some great off-road riding here, which took us to some for us was a truly amazing place, full of friendly people, where we saw the type of landscapes and lifestyle that make us love traveling this part of the world. It's somewhere we'll definitely be coming back to, and it capped off a great time in Indonesia. That's it from us for now, but if you'd like to follow along as we continue our adventures through the rest of the world, please like and subscribe this channel, and find us on Instagram at We Ride Bikes Places.