Jakarta to Bali by train vacation

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

Whilst in Indonesia, this trip is flight-free, reducing the need of internal flights and making use of the local rail network. By using the rail network it also reduces the need for long overland car journeys, further reducing our carbon footprint within the country.

On all of our tours we try to incorporate locally owned and ran hotels, which keep in with the natural environment and benefit the local community. Whilst in Malang we stay at Hotel Tugu Malang, where they use locally sourced and grown fruits, vegetables, coffees and teas from their own plantation in their restaurant, as well as providing food sources to the local village. Other initiatives they have in plaxe is zero waste policy and several recycling programs, for example using any old or leftover cooking oil and recycling it to make candles and oil lamps.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

All the hotels we use on this tour have strong environmental and sustainability initiatives and values within their policies. Some of the hotels used on the tour are part of larger hospitality groups, such as Marriott International and Accor Group. The Hermitage in Jakarta is part of the Marriott group, who have their ‘Serve 360’ sustainability and social impact platform, and have set goals for 2025 and beyond. They are currently on track to reduce carbon intensity by 30%, and are making progress in reducing water consumption in occupied rooms by 15%. We also use the Phoenix Hotel in Yogyakarta, which is part of the Accor Group. Accor are working with sustainable certification programmes to gain external and independent recognition of the sustainable practices in place by their hotels. Accor are part of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and also partnered with Green Key and Green Globe which are recognised by the GSTC.

On this tour we visit Prambanam and Borobudur Temple, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our visits to these places help to support local projects to conserve the area's cultural and geographical heritage.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We have a local partner who we use for this tour who use local guides, drivers and vehicles. This means that the money stays within the local economy, benefiting the local people rather than being outsourced to bigger companies or other countries. We believe locals know best and keep all guiding and services to the locals, with the help of our partners within Indonesia.

We visit a number of important historical sites on this tour. The entrance fees that we pay at these sites helps fund their preservation and ensure that this aspect of the region’s cultural heritage remains for others to enjoy in years to come – particularly important in a country where finding resources for this can be difficult. In addition to this some of these sites contain ancient and fragile religious frescoes that are very susceptible to damage. We make a point of advising our travelers not to touch these valuable paintings to ensure that they remain as they are.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

On our trips we like to include experiences and interactions with the local people. We visit the village of Candirejo, a traditional Javanese village which is supported by a local organisation to implement a sustainable tourism project to share the Javanese way of life. Not only does this provide our clients with a more intimate experience but also provides additional income and employment for local people that may not have other opportunities. Our local guides will carefully explain the customs and cultures of the communities visited to ensure that our travelers are able to behave sensitively towards fragile communities, and help them gain from tourism while not being affected by some of its more negative aspects. By visiting these communities, many of whom live outside the cash-based economy, you are able to contribute to their ability to trade with mainstream society and gain some of the associated benefits.

Our philosophy is to only use small and locally owned suppliers, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within such suppliers means that your experience will be enhanced. We also try to engage with our suppliers on an equal basis – getting the lowest possible price usually isn’t the best outcome for local communities and is ultimately unsustainable. We aim to always treat our suppliers fairly and with respect; they are after all part of the key to our success and to us working together is much more than just a business arrangement, but an ongoing relationship that we aim to ensure truly benefits everyone involved.