Hey, Explorers!

恭喜发财!

This Lunar New Year reminds me of one place in Indonesia that celebrate this festive season bigger than any other places around the country. This place is called Singkawang.

Besides it is known as the “City of a Thousand Temples,” Singkawang during Chinese New Year is more than just a celebration—it’s a sensory immersion into a living heritage.

What makes this West Kalimantan gem so special isn’t just the thousands of red lanterns reflecting off the river; it’s the Cap Go Meh festival (the 15th day of the New Year).

Tatung-the selected one to be the medium, Indonesia

Here, you’ll witness the world-famous Tatung parade. It is a breathtaking display of ancient traditions where mediums enter a trance state to ward off misfortune and cleanse the city of evil spirits.

It is raw, powerful, and deeply rooted in the harmony between Dayak and Chinese cultures—a beautiful reminder of Indonesia’s diverse tapestry. Although I’m a bit terrified watching them, I deeply admire how they’ve kept their traditions so strong from generation to generation.

Walking through Singkawang feels like walking through a living museum. It’s one of the few places where you can see a Mosque, a Church, and a Chinese Temple sharing the same street corner in perfect harmony.

Our journey to Singkawang isn’t complete without a deep dive into its local flavors. From the savory, thin-skinned Choi Pan to the iconic Bubur Gunting (literally ‘Scissor Porridge’) and the cooling, textured Che Hun Tiao, these dishes are more than just meals—they are a taste of Singkawang’s living heritage.

Good news!
Now there is a direct flight from Jakarta to Singkawang. In the past, we had to fly to the closest airport which is Pontianak, and drive for an extra hours to get to Singkawang.

Although getting to Singakwang via Pontianak is not really a bad idea, too, as we can visit the Khatulistiwa Park – the home to the Equator Monument (Tugu Khatulistiwa), a geographical and historical landmark in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. It marks the precise location of the Earth’s equator (0 degrees latitude), making Pontianak the only major city in the world to sit directly on this imaginary line.

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See you outdoors!

While some parts of the world are experiencing a heatwave, here in Indonesia, summer arrives in a different way. Think clear blue skies, golden sunsets, breezy evenings, and that magical combo of sunshine and saltwater… isn’t it pure bliss?

This is exactly the picture I have in mind as I type this.

It’s that sweet season where island-hopping feels like a must, tan lines become part of our wardrobe, and the ocean? Oh, it’s showing off big time. But, please don’t forget to reapply sunscreen, though! Sunburnt is not fun!

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In May, I visited Karimunjawa Islands. When I arrived, I noticed how much had changed—there’s now a wider range of accommodation options, from simple homestays to more upscale stays. Flights to Karimunjawa are also now available from both Semarang and Yogyakarta. However, unless it’s necessary, I’d still prefer taking the fast boat over flying—for several reasons.

If you’ve been following my updates over the past year and a half, you’ve probably seen the banner above—and maybe you’re even one of the coral adopters!

My main reason for visiting the Karimunjawa Islands was to finally meet our friends—something long overdue after staying in touch for so long. They’re the ones who initiated the coral restoration program in Karimunjawa and have been passionately raising awareness ever since.

During the visit, Joshua, one of the co-founders of the Trilogy Ocean Restoration Foundation, shared valuable insights about the ocean and the many challenges they’ve faced since the project began – including the heartbreaking loss of planted corals due to storm damage.

There’s something deeply moving about hearing firsthand from someone who truly cares about the ocean. I just wish there were more people like them—especially within Indonesia’s tourism industry.

We couldn’t make it to the coral planting site, but we did get to dive at several spots around the island. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the reefs were much denser and more vibrant than I remembered. Unfortunately, my camera just didn’t do them justice—I suppose I might need to invest in better equipment soon.

Joshua is the one on the far left

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It brought back all the memories from my last trip there. Unfortunately, our planned group trip to the Karimunjawa Islands didn’t happen. One of the main reasons was the long journey, which involved multiple modes of transportation and made the trip feel a bit tedious and inefficient at the time.

But then again—doesn’t it often take a bit of effort to reach those truly beautiful, remote corners of Indonesia? Haha… well.

I get it. Traveling around Indonesia can be challenging. That’s why I always do my best to make sure that anyone who joins my trips feels it’s worth both their time and money—and mine too. :)

I hope Karimunjawa Islands will be the next destination for us.

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As time goes on, challenges continue to arise. There are moments when I need to pause, take a step back, and reflect on the decisions I’ve made along the way. Even so, my commitment remains the same—I’m always here to support you in planning a meaningful and memorable journey through Indonesia. Whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation, or something in between, I’ll be glad to help make it happen.

Also, if you don’t have plans this August, come join us on our upcoming trip to Sumba! I’m not sure when I’ll be running this trip again anytime soon, so don’t miss the chance. As always, we’ll be traveling in a small group—perfect for those who love meaningful experiences over crowded tours.

So, see you soon!

Hey, Explorers!

Happy New Year – though it’s a few days late. Ha! I’ve opened and closed this page multiple times, unsure of what to share at the beginning of the year.

But… well, here I am.

I’ve been reflecting on the past year, 2024. It’s sad to admit that I haven’t been able to make a full comeback with Eazycation (Indonesia Explorers) since the restart about two years ago.

The pressures have been real – I’ve constantly battled with time and doubts.

At the end of 2023, I told myself I would give this travel business another chance. I decided to run it for another year and see how it goes. I’ve learned many things. I’ve exchanged ideas, sought opinions, and explored new partnerships—even hired marketers. But the desired outcomes are still elusive. Or rather, they’re not enough to cast away my doubts or give me the confidence to say, “Yes, this still works!”

I admit, I feel demoralized at times. It’s hard. I’m struggling more than ever before.

There are moments when I question whether I’ve made the right choices or taken the right path.

What did I do wrong…?

Is it wise to keep pursuing and should this still be my top priority? Or should I just end this altogether now?

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Trip Movement & Responses

Last year, even though the number of private trips slightly increased, I noticed that responses to scheduled group trips were far lower than I had expected.

In my opinion, there could be several reasons for these outcomes:

#1 DESTINATION

Indonesia remains the primary destination for Eazycation, even though I have been wanting to organize and explore trips to other countries for variety. However, it seems I should keep Indonesia as my main focus for the time being. Or should I not? Any thoughts?

#2 DURATION

I understand that not everyone has the privilege to take a full week off—or even longer. Our longest trip duration so far is ten days, while the shortest is four days. However, when the destination is at the far end of Indonesia (either the eastern or western regions), it becomes challenging to plan a short trip of less than five days.

Unless the destination is in a major city with a large airport, we often need to transfer via sea, land, or even another domestic flight to reach our final stop. After such a long and tiring journey, I doubt anyone would want to spend only a day or two seeing just a few things.

Indonesia lives up to its name as the largest archipelagic country in the world.

#3 TYPE OF ACTIVITIES
I always try to arrange a balance between activity time and leisure time. Unless explicitly stated as a trip for a specific activity—such as hiking or diving—I aim to include a mixed program.

#4 COST

I must admit that traveling in Indonesia isn’t always budget-friendly, especially when trips involve boat rentals. Sometimes, I feel like crying when I see the costs. Haha! And I haven’t even mentioned the domestic flight fares, which can be shockingly high. Okay, that’s a rant for another time.

We could choose lower-cost modes of transportation, but that often means longer, more time-consuming journeys, which can be tricky given our time constraints. It’s always a trade-off: we gain some and lose some. This is a similar challenge when traveling to other countries as well.

Another factor is that Eazycation always operates with small groups—no more than 12 participants, unless necessary.

#5 ME

Yes, me. I might have lost my way in communicating effectively and excelling at what I do. I try to build a sense of community among our members, but I realize I’ve fallen short in responding to messages promptly—or, worse, missed them entirely at times.

If this ever happened to you, I sincerely apologize. :(

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Moving Forward …

Despite these challenges, I’m still here, trying to make Eazycation work because I believe in its potential and in the joy that travel brings to all of us.

Your feedback, patience, and support mean everything to me as I navigate through these hurdles. Here’s to learning, improving, and hopefully creating more memorable adventures together in the year ahead.

Thank you for sticking with me on this journey. Let’s keep exploring!

Hey, Explorers!

We are supposed to be in the midst of the dry season, but it is still raining quite heavily now and then in Jakarta – and other places I visited recently. The unpredictable weather makes it challenging to make plans sometimes. However, one advantage is that it cools down the dry season heat! Phew…Well, we just need to prepare extra items for unexpected weather changes. Not much worries about that.

Anyway, the following are the trips that I would like to highlight for the second half of the year. There are Baliem Valley Festival, Explore Southern Taiwan, Explore South Sulawesi, Mount Merbabu Hiking, and a few more that you can find out more here. :)

We recently lost the last three months’ worth of emails due to some errors on our web hosting site. If you contacted us between April and recent weeks, please reach us again. We apologize if we missed your messages.

That’s all for now! The sun is out today!