With some exceptions, most countries (includes EU, U.S, Asean, Japan, China, Korea) do not require a visa for a 30 day visit to Indonesia. For more information visit this site.

Generally dry and clear.  Weather conditions check here.

It is also Indonesia's tourism peak season with many European travellers.  Weekends will see a surge in local and nearby countries visitors.   Which is the reason why we get up early to get to good vantage points & places before others arrive.

From where you are, you can fly to Jakarta with usually a 1 stopover connection.  Middle East airlines will require a connection stop in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Bahrain.   Alternatively, you can fly to Asian air hubs. From Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Hong Kong there are direct AirAsia flights to Jakarta.  Check skyscanner for airline options, best fares and connections.

You should book your flights as open-jaw or multi-city segments.  Meaning, you arrive in Jakarta and depart from Bali/Denpasar.

Don't forget, it will be summer.  You are likely to get better airlines & hotels deals the earlier you book them.  Don't wait till the last minute!

You just need to be reasonably fit as the tour requires some walking which is at a comfortable pace and mostly flat ground.

Life vests are available on the Borneo boat trip.

I aim to keep the group small and cosy. You'll understand that we simply can't take 7 photographers and 7 companions;-).  Due to limited places, space, transport requirements and location, travel companions pay the same rates as the photographer*.  Your travel companion should follow the tour schedule.  We are not able to make separate transport arrangements.  Your travel companion should be aware that this is a photography tour tailored for photographers and photography opportunities and we set on local tours at unusual hours.  The timing and schedule may change en route to fit photography opportunities and local situations.  We wake up very early in the mornings ;-).

Please be on time (grace period of 5 mins waiting time for late-comers) as we will depart after the grace period.  If you or a travel companion are late, you will have to sort out transport arrangements yourself at your own cost to get to the photography point.

As an alternative, we suggest that your travel companion meet or reunite with you in Bali..

* Please get in touch if you plan on travelling with a  non-photographer companion and we can see if we are able to make specific arrangements or suggest alternatives.

As long as your share my core travel values, follow the schedule -  Yes you can!  

Due to the nature of the tour and location, we are not in a position to accept travellers under 21 years of age.

Please get in touch if you plan on travelling with family and children and we can see if we are able to make specific arrangements or suggest alternatives.

Due to the nature of the tour and location, we are not in a position to accommodate travellers with special needs.  However, if in doubt please let me know your special needs and I can advise if I can meet your requirements.

Sure! Transparency is important so you are in full control of your budget.

All transport (except where specified), workshops and local tours are included as outlined in the travel Itinerary.

Excluded :

• International airfares and domestic air travel costs to arrive in Jakarta and departing from Bali.
• 3 domestic flights within Indonesia. (Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun. Banjarmasin to Makassar. Makassar to Bali). Budget about €280 in total.
• Meals and accommodation (9 nights).
• Most entrance fees
• Tips and expenses of a personal nature
• Travel insurance.

Included :

•  3 Days/2 Nights Boat trip.  All meals on the boat. Simple sleeping arrangements. Individual mattresses laid out on boat deck with individual mosquito nets.
•  1 night post boat trip accommodation in Pangkalan Bun next to the river. Simple room but clean and comfortable (shared bathroom). Simple breakfast  included.
•  1 night in Rammang Rammang. Simple, clean and comfortable  indiviudal room accommodation (private bathroom). Simple breakfast included.
• All land transport/transfers.
• Your photography workshop.
• My daily good humour!

In the detailed program you will receive, there will be links (booking.com) to where the workshop leader will be staying at each destination, always centrally & conveniently located with options from budget to luxury accommodations. You choose what suits you in that area, make your booking through any hotel booking search engines of your choice.  Simple!  Just a few clicks!

You having choices, freedom and control over your budget & personal needs is important to me.  Booking a group with a hotel is not less expensive and sometimes more, requires significant advance payments, and offers less flexibility for any changes. Online hotel booking search engines offers more choices and payment flexibility and zero commission for me = cheaper for you!

Some reasons that may help you understand my philosophy :

• Each of us have different accommodations needs and budgets. This way you can book your own accommodations that best corresponds to your requirements.
• You are after all on vacation.  Outside of the workshop, you can choose to have your own space & time or hang out with those who wish to hang out together.
• We have different meal, dietary & dining companion(s) preferences.  At times due to the locations, the best or even only arrangement will be to dine together. You still have the flexibility to hang out with the group on an ad hoc basis.
• I try to make the photography workshop and tour  accessible to different people.

The workshop activities as well as transport pick-up point will be centred at the hotel where the workshop leader is staying (a mid-priced hotel).  When booking your hotel, it is recommended that you should be within reasonable walking distance to the workshop leader's hotel.  You can easily check this on google map or www.booking.com.  If in doubt, just ask!

Indonesia is a relatively affordable place to stay and accommodations are of a reasonable standard without splashing too much money.  You can get by comfortably by for under €50 a day including reasonable accommodation standards and meals (about half/half).  Stretching it out over the remaining 9 nights and if you have a tight budget, it works out to about €450.

It is always possible to do it for less by sacrificing some comfort in your accommodation and meal choices or really treat yourself to a nice vacation with a higher budget.

You should also be aware that if breakfast is included in your accommodation, in most cases, we depart before breakfast is served!

There are 3 flights you need to book yourself.  You will be provided the exact flight number and date so eventhough you are making your own booking, you will be travelling with the group.

Ther 3 flight segments are :

• Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun about €80-90
• Banjarmasin to Makassar about €110
• Makassar to Bali €90

Prices are an indication and subject to changes by the airlines.

Yes, I'll be happy to help you look for a roommate! Just let me know and I can share your contact details with other participants who might potentially be looking for a roommate.  

The involved parties will contact each other directly to see if there is a good fit and make arrangements. I cannot accept any responsibility for the outcome.

As Indonesia is a relatively affordable country, sharing rooms will not make much of a difference and will save you about €150!

Travel insurance is not included.  Participants are required to have a travel insurance with coverage for cancellations. medical, or evacuation emergencies.

The photography tour is designed for DSLR and high-end mirrorless camera users.  Compact cameras, phone cameras and mobile devices are not suitable however, they can of course be useful to supplement your casual photography.

Personal laptops with Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop  installed are 'nice to have' as we will be reviewing images and editing as we go along.  If you don't come with one, no big deal, just follow the visual presentations.

For more details, read the Suggested Equipment List.  You will find useful informtion on 'must have', 'nice to have'.

While we will go through some quick revision about the camera & exposures, you should have some knowledge of handling your camera in manual mode, reasonable understanding about exposures (what f-stops are, controlling apertures/shutter speeds/Iso/focus on the camera).

If you are a beginner and using your camera in auto, you'll get some help in getting started.  Do be aware that it takes quite a bit of time to grasp the concepts of exposure and camera handling. Please understand that I am not able to provide you 100% attention at the expense of other participants.

Alternatively you can also arrive a day earlier and book a half day 1on1 session with me to jump start your photography pasion with the necessary skills.

Over the next 14 days, you can improve, deepen your skills and go home with great photographs to share!

Payment is only through Paypal which is 100% safe and secure.  You will receive a link to make the payments using your bank or credit card. Payments are made in 2 intervals and in EUR.

1st Payment.

A non-refundable deposit of €500 to secure your booking.   (€300 for early bird bookers before 15th April)

2nd Payment.

Balance payment of €750 to be made when you arrive in Jakarta.

Read the Tour Terms & Conditions.

Just send an email with your specific questions(s).