Bali & Sumatra Adventure

Say ‘Halo’ because it’s time for your Sumatra tour to begin! There’s no more waiting around, you and your new TruFam are officially on their way! Once you’ve arrived, we’ll pick you up from the airport and be on your way to meet the rest of your group and your Travel Ninja. We’ll run you through the next jampacked, exciting 9 days, where we’ll explore dense rainforests, encounter majestic wildlife, soak in scenic routes, and connect with local communities. Spend the rest of your evening exploring the wonders of Medan, Sumatra has to offer before you begin your journey around Indonesia’s largest island.

We hope you’re bright eyed and bushy tailed because we’re up early for our first full day! We’re off to the vibrant wilderness of Bukit Lawang, a beautiful spot nestled in the heart of Sumatra. Prepare to be captivated by the untamed beauty of nature as you set foot in this breath-taking paradise. Once we’re there, we’ll chill and grab a bite to eat before we head into the infamous Bat Caves (and we’re not talking the Christian Bale kind of bat either). You can watch in awe as the bats flutter and dance above your head and reveal their night-time rituals, it’s tru-ly an incredible experience. Get ready to start your own night-time ritual because after a full day, we’re going back to the accommodation for dinner and starting our first local night out!

Hopefully you’re not feeling too rough this morning because it’s an early start! Once we’ve had breakfast and fuelled up for the day, we’re going out to spot the local wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for orangutans, monkeys, tropical birds and more as we venture deep into the rainforest. You’ll work up an appetite from all this walking, as your local guide has prepared a delicious lunch for you to chow down on. We’re then switching up walking for boats! We’re then rubber tubing down the river straight to the hotel doorstep -try and tell us that that isn’t cool?!

After eating breakfast we’re catching an afternoon flight to Padang City. It’s a coastal location facing the Indian Ocean and is surrounded by lush green hills -it’s simply stunning. There’s beautiful beaches, amazing swimming opportunities, and views to soak in, so take advantage of some free time in the afternoon once we’ve arrived. This evening is a slightly slower pace as we appreciate the most beautiful sunset and get plenty of rest before a busy day tomorrow!

Rise and shine! We’re making our way to our very own TruExclusive today! Deep in the jungle lies the Mentawai village to spend time with the local people of Sumatra, whose warm hospitality and traditions are tru-ly incredible. This is one of those moments that you’ll cherish forever. We take a fast boat to Siberut and the heart of the village for an authentic rural experience. You’ll have a lunch prepared for the locals before exploring the surrounding farm, where our host family will welcome us with open arms and stay in huts. You can’t do this anywhere else, but you know by now that here at Tru, we don’t do things by halves. We’ll then take a trip to the market, a hub for local handicrafts, textile, and souvenirs. We end the night with a wholesome night of playing games, chatting to the host family, and hearing their stories, sipping ice cold beers, and falling asleep to the mesmerising sounds of the birds around us.

It’s a very early start so make the most of the rest of your morning here before jumping into a crazy jungle adventure! It promises to awaken your senses and ignite your sense of adventure. When the clock hits 06:30 AM, get ready to dive deep into Mentawai culture as you spend your day in a traditional house called a “Uma”. This isn’t your typical visit, you’ll make genuine connections, learn foraging and hunting skills, and get to know the village’s Shaman. In the heart of nature, we’ll get to learn the wisdom of the indigenous tribe, from crafting their traditional threads, to mastering survival skills, your time in the jungle will be educational and life changing.

Play Starships by Nicki Minaj because ‘let’s go the beach-beach, let’s go get a wave!’. Get packed up because it’s time to swap trees for sand. In the afternoon, we mosey down to Padang Harbour, and check out Nagari Sungai Pinang, the traditional fishing village that hugs the southern coast of Padang. We’ll spend our last few days in beach huts that are only a stone's throw away from crystal clear waters surrounded by nature -did someone say paradise?! Spend the afternoon however you want before we go to dinner and stop in a live music bar. Sit back, sip a cocktail, and watch the sun go down as we soak up the magic of our last few days in Sumatra.

Island hopping time! Say ‘ahoy’ because we’ll be boarding boats and heading to the surrounding marine hotspots to jump in. Grab your snorkel and masks as we dive down and swim alongside corals, fish and even turtles! Turtle Point, Nemo Point and Snake Island are all on the agenda today, where we’ll witness the natural beauty of Indonesia’s quieter island. Feel the sand between your toes, the breeze in your hair and the sun on your face as we have a chilled afternoon before going to a turtle volunteer project. We’ll learn the importance of conservation, how Sumatra supports turtles within the ocean’s ecosystem and even bathe and release turtles back into the ocean! In the evening, we’ll travel back to the beach huts to have dinner and drinks as the sun sets. We’ll be dancing on the beach and singing along to live music, it’s our final night together so make the most of it!

It’s time to say goodbye to the stunning island of Sumatra. We’ve had some amazing experiences so far and we can’t wait to continue our journey. Have a chilled check out and make the most of your final moments on this beautiful island before we head to the airport and make our way to Bali!.

We’ve made it to Bali! We’ll meet you at Denpasar airport before taking you to meet your new team. You’ll have a welcome talk from your Travel Ninjas who will guide you through your second half of your trip and meet the rest of the TruFam! We’ll spend the day relaxing by the pool, sunbathing on the beach, or if you’re up for it, exploring Canggu. Get ready to soak in the views because we’re ending the day by having dinner and drinks on a rooftop ready to start your Balian dream.

What’s a better introduction to Bali’s culture and history than visiting two of its most famous temples? (Make sure you pack something to cover your shoulders) We’ll make our way to the Royal Temple of Taman Ayun! It translates as ‘beautiful garden’ and it’s easy to see why. It's filled with gorgeous architecture, ponds full of exotic fish and lush greenery. Then we’ll head over to Tanah Lot, which is set on a rock formation and is so fun to explore. After a day of culture, get your dancing shoes on because we’re going OUT OUT. We’ll watch the sunset on one of the most picturesque beaches, before a big night out in Canggu. You may thank us, but your liver definitely won’t (Pretty Poison is also a cool club to check out, it’s essentially a giant skatepark indoors with bars and a dancefloor).

We hope you’ve recovered from last night's boozing because we’re gonna go catch some bitchin’ waves. Get your board and your swimsuits because it’s time for your very own surf lesson on Kuta Beach, one of the best places to surf in Asia. Here, one of the best local Kuta instructors will teach you the basics of surfing, starting with how to stand up because trust us, it’s bloody hard. After a day on the crystal-clear waters, we’re going to head back and chill. Relax at the rooftop pool, or the beach, or the bar -we know we’ll definitely be at the bar.

Make sure you’re up and packed because today we’re going to Ubud. Ubud is famous for its terraced rice paddies, temples, shrines, and yes, monkeys. We’ll stop off on the way to cool off in the most famous waterfall, Tegenungan waterfall, so make sure your cameras are charged and ready to snap some pics. If you can get a good picture of you emerging from the water flicking your hair, we’ll be impressed because we tried it and it’s not giving Little Mermaid at all. Once we’ve checked into the hotel, you’ll have time to do whatever you want whether you want to explore, chat to local people, or eat delicious food, before we go to one of Bali’s coolest live music destinations -it’s going to be a fun evening!

Time for a Tru-ly unforgettable day (see what we did there?) with a Tru Exclusive. Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver haven’t got sh*t on you after you’ve taken part in a traditional Indonesian cooking class! We’ll start by having breakfast, before having a sneak peek at the freshest ingredients at the local markets. Then we’ll join the amazing Wayan and learn how to cook some of Bali’s famous dishes, as well as Canang Sari, the flower offerings made for the God. Obviously you’ll then get to eat all of the delicious food you’ve made today. Once our bellies are literally at capacity of how much Balinese food we can stuff ourselves with, we’re going to walk it off at the famous, sacred Monkey Forest. Make sure you don’t have sunglasses on your head, headphones in, designer bags, or dangling necklaces because these literal cheeky monkeys will nick whatever you have to hand. That Louis Vuitton cross body bag you have? Yeah, don’t bring that. But it’s a bucket list moment, it’s believed the hundreds of monkeys protect the temples inside, they mean a lot to the Balinese people. Then in classic Tru style, we’ll head back, and you’ll eat and drink with your TruFam and catch up and talk about the memories you’ve made so far.

Fun fact: Half of the world’s population's daily diet is 20% rice! Get ready for one of the most famous and exciting things to do in Bali -wander through the stunning rice terraces of Tegalalang. Trek through the Ubud valleys, drink from a fresh coconut, and get the Insta worthy pic of you on a swing flying over the terraces that everyone recognises and will be jealous over! Whilst taking in the sites, you’ll also learn the importance of the grains of rice in the Balinese, and world, economy. After all of this, we’ll take you to Kintamani for some lunch overlooking the active volcano Mount Batur. The evening is all yours, spend it topping up your tan, picking up souvenirs at the vibrant, thriving markets, or drinking even more beer!

After a week of exploring and culture, we think it’s time we hit the beaches b*tchessss! We’re jumping on a bus before boarding on a ferry to the stunning Gili Trawangan (locally known as Gili T). We’ll check into our tropical accommodation in the heart of the island, where we’ll spend our final free days. Kick your feet back, paddle in the sparkling waters or sunbathe on the pristine, sandy beaches. There’s an incredible night life on this island, so get that bucket in hand and get ready to live it up!

It’s called ‘island hopping’, we call it sitting on a boat, feeling the sea breeze in your hair, and laying in the sun, aka bliss! We’ll hop around three islands, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air, home to some of the most incredible snorkel spots. Get those snorkels on because you’ll see turtles (did someone saw aw?), stunning coral, and diverse marine life.

Today we’re exploring the whole island on Gili T’s only mode of transport, pushbike! Think Ariana Grande Side to Side because we’re going to cycle around this beautiful island and explore all of the nooks and crannies, before taking a small trek uphill to the best viewpoint Gili T has to offer. You’ll then get the chance to enjoy one final sunset with your TruFam and reminisce about your epic time in Bali. You’ll have a farewell dinner (no tears allowed!) before finishing off with a small party to celebrate the best 18 days of your life.

Well, the final day has arrived. We know, it’s sad, but on the bright side you’ve had a memorable experience and met some friends for life! You’ll have a chilled check out, but if you’ve caught the travel bug and don’t want this to be the end, your Travel Ninja is on hand to help you on to your next adventure. Guys, it’s been a wild one. Whatever you do next, go home, and tell all your friends what you did on tour, or jet set elsewhere, keep in touch!