Kingdoms & Dragons: Singapore to Bali

Singapore sights, Gems of Java, Bali Highs and Komodo Giants combine with stays in luxurious exotic resorts to make this small group adventure culturally enriching in every way. Go back to the future in sophisticated Singapore… discover jeweled palaces and sandstone temples in Borobudur… overnight in Yogyakarta for dinner and a ballet performance at 10th-century Prambanan Temple… experience the beauty and blessings of Bali at a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud… take a private boat ride to a Komodo island for a walk amidst dragons found nowhere else… and find bliss as you cast your kites and cares to the wind in Bali’s Jimbaran Bay.

ONLY WITH TAUCK

An overnight stay in Yogyakarta including a Tauck Exclusive sunset dinner and ballet show at the Prambanan Temple, and a visit to the Sultan Palace

ALL DEPARTURES SMALL GROUPS AVERAGING 24 TAUCK GUESTS

Tour prices are per person in US dollars. All hotel accommodations, entertainment, special dinners, motor coach transportation, sightseeing, porterage, admissions, the services of Tauck Directors, local guides and drivers are included. Transportation from Singapore Chiangi Airport to Raffles Hotel Singapore is included provided you furnish us with accurate flight arrival information at least three weeks prior to the start of your tour. Transportation from The Four Seasons Resort Bali to Ngurah Rai, Denpasar, Bali Airport is also included when you check out of the hotel. Transportation to and from airports and train stations may be shared with other Tauck guests.

Rates and schedules are not guaranteed until booked and will vary based on departure date.

ITINERARY

INCLUDED

INCLUDED HOTELS

Day 01 :

Welcome to Singapore

Tour begins: 5:00 PM. A transfer is included from Singapore’s Changi International Airport to the historic Raffles Singapore, a landmark of colonial elegance since it opened in 1887; declared a National Monument by the Singapore government, the hotel has just reopened after a meticulous restoration worthy of its iconic reputation as one of the city’s most luxurious retreats. During its 130-year reign, it has witnessed Singapore’s early colonial era, the Japanese Occupation in World War II, and its independence. Join us for a private welcome reception and dinner in this legendary setting tonight with a taste of the hotel’s famous Singapore Sling.

MEALS – Dinner

LODGING – Raffles Hotel Singapore

Day 02 :

Singapore Sights

Always a surprise to first time visitors, Singapore blends tradition with technology, evoking images of a futuristic and efficient Jetson-style setting with a nostalgic nod to its storied past. Start your morning off with a walking tour of Singapore’s colonial district, before embarking on a bumboat ride back in time along the Singapore River. Explore the incredible architectural sights, both past and present, on a drive through the city, stopping at a private house for lunch with your local host. Learn what it’s like to live in this modern city-state, governed by rules and regulations that make this one of the lowest crime, scrupulously run destinations in the world. This evening is yours to experience a taste of Singapore.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch

LODGING – Raffles Hotel Singapore

Day 03 :

Futuristic Gardens by the Bay

Start the day with lecture by a local expert before embarking on a visit to themed gardens “where wonder blooms” in a 250-acre fantasyland of space age biodomes, high-tech Supertrees and whimsical sculptures. Your guided tour includes time to wander amidst flowers that thrive in dry Mediterranean climates the around the world in the Garden Dome and through rainforest vegetation in its tropical Cloud Forest complete with a waterfall. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Easy to navigate, Singapore is a compact city with an array of fascinating ethnic neighborhoods, designer boutiques and a legendary street food and restaurant scene tempting with culinary creations difficult to resist.

MEALS – Breakfast

LODGING – Raffles Hotel Singapore

Day 04 :

Fly to the island of Java in Indonesia

A morning flight brings you to another world when you land in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Step off the plane in a cultural hub of puppetry, arts, sandstone temples and jeweled palaces that speak volumes about the soul city of Indonesia. Visit the royal Sultan Palace in the Kraton, effectively a walled city with shops, cottage industries and mosques, and where the sultan and his family live today. After lunch at a local restaurant, ride a rickshaw to the Taman Sari Water Palace, meaning perfumed garden. The site of an 18th century royal garden and bathing complex built to please the Sultan. The 12,600 acre grounds include water gardens, polls and artificial lakes, along with some 59 different buildings, some connected by underground tunnels. Then drive through the countryside to the town of Magelan in central Java, where your hotel is near the world’s largest Buddhist temple.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 05 :

Discover Borobudur

Sunrise is an extraordinary time to take in the 1,200-year grandeur of Borobudur, a colossal Buddhist temple whose resilience equals it long-standing legacy as a mountain of a thousand statues. Join us at dawn as we visit this 9th-century wonder, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for treasures untold. Its sculpted bas-relief panels depict the teachings of the Buddha and are allegedly designed to guide spiritual “the faithful” on a journey of spiritual enlightenment. Return to the hotel for breakfast then climb aboard a horse cart as you explore the Candi Rijo village, stopping to meet the locals. Spend the afternoon as you wish, before a private lecture about the historic kingdoms of Java. Dinner is a special affair tonight, featuring traditional entertainment and local culinary specialties.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 06 :

A palace in Yogyakarta & temples in Prambanan

Enjoy a leisurely morning before driving to your hotel in Yogyakarta, renowned as a center of traditional arts and cultural heritage. Continue to Prambanan Temple, built in the 10th century; a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the largest temple compound dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia. Your visit sparkles with a special dinner at a local restaurant followed by a private ballet show that comes to life through more than 200 professional dancers and musicians who perform on an open-air stage with the temples as a backdrop.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 07 :

Fly to Bali

Fly early this morning to the capital city of Bali, Denpasar. Touch down for a drive to Ubud in the middle of the island, stopping for lunch in a local restaurant and a visit to the Monkey Forest; home to over 700 monkeys and 186 species of trees, in the village of Padantegal. Arrive at your Ritz- Carlton resort late afternoon and enjoy dinner at your leisure.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 08 :

Life in Ubud

Experience a taste of daily life in one of the prettiest places on Earth as you embark on a walking tour of the Subak Guiland Village. See how its residents live as your guide shares anecdotes about the local customs and culture. Lunch in the village is overlooking the rice fields that blanket the landscapes here and is followed by a blessing and rituals performed by the priest of the temple you’ll visit. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you wish. You have the option this evening to go on a hike through the Bali Rice fields led by your local guide.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch

Day 09 :

The art of cooking or an art museum

Accompany a local chef on a visit to the village market this morning, before your choice of activities. Learn how to cook traditional Balinese recipes during a cooking class or visit an art museum and attend a talk on Balinese art. The evening is at leisure at your resort.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 :

Fly to Flores, gateway to the Komodo Islands

Spend the morning at leisure and have lunch at a local restaurant in Bali. An afternoon flight brings you to the island of Flores for a two-night stay at a secluded seaside resort nestled in a quiet cove on Waecicu Beach and a boat ride away from the island in Komodo National Park where the famous dragons roam. This evening, meet up for a sundowner and barbecue dinner on the beach where you will be introduced to traditional music and dance.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

LODGING – Plataran Komodo Resort and Spa

Day 11 :

Boat ride back in time to the land of the dragons

Hop aboard a motorboat for a ride across the bay to Komodo National Park and the island home of the giant Komodo dragons. Your local guide will lead you down paths to see these rare lizards in their natural habitat, providing insights about their behavior and pointing out the wildlife that share the landscapes with them. You may spot horses, buffalo, deer, wild boar, snakes and monkeys along the way. Board your boat again for a ride to an isolated tropical island for a picnic lunch and time at leisure for swimming and snorkeling. The evening is free to enjoy a leisurely dinner at your resort.

MEALS – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

LODGING – Plataran Komodo Resort and Spa

Day 12 :

Fly back to Bali

Fly back to Bali for a two-night stay at a Four Seasons Resort in Jimbaran Bay. For many, this part of Bali is paradise found. It’s a land of jeweled beaches, sun-kissed and shimmering in white, black and gold, and necklaced by crystalline waves, aqua-tinted and ocean fresh, forested mountain slopes, emerald hued, mangroved bays and tiered terraces adorned with rice and flowers as far as the eye can see. Visitors long to lose themselves in its ethereal embrace, savoring a treasure trove of natural riches and spiritual gifts impossible to resist. Check into the hotel and join us for a favorite island pastime, kite flying. The local youth will share tips and techniques with you as your take over the reins of your very own kite. Sundowners are also a favorite way to end the day for locals and visitors alike and when sunset provides the setting for a traditional Balinese Kecak dance performance, the day and place become more magical still.

MEALS – Breakfast

LODGING – Four Seasons Resort Bali

Day 13 :

Uluwatu Temple & Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

Temples play an important role in life on Bali and this morning’s visit to Uluwatu Temple, perched on the top of a steep cliff overlooking the sea, helps you understand why. Still functioning today, Uluwatu is one of six key temples believed to be Bali’s spiritual pillars and one of nine temples believed to keep evil away from the island. Watch out for the monkeys as you gaze out at the stunning views 230 feet above the sea. Later this morning, enjoy a stroll through Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, with a stop at the Garuda Vishnu statue, Indonesia’s tallest statue standing at nearly 400 feet! Return to your beachfront resort for an afternoon of bliss and join us tonight for our farewell reception and dinner.

MEALS – Breakfast, Dinner

LODGING – Four Seasons Resort Bali

Day 14 :

Journey home

Tour ends: Bali. Fly home anytime. An airport transfer is included to Ngurah Rai, Denpasar Bali airport from the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.

MEALS Breakfast

NIGHTS 1 – 3
SINGAPORE CITY, SINGAPORE

Raffles Hotel Singapore

Raffles Singapore is the flagship property of Raffles Hotels & Resorts. Opened in 1887, it is one of the few remaining great 19th century hotels in the world. No visit to Singapore is complete without a stay at Raffles; tradition demands it. A century after its opening, the hotel was declared a National Monument by the Singapore Government and today, its colonial architecture is beautifully preserved, allowing it to stand out from the contemporary style of its surrounding neighbors in the business and civic district. During the second half of 2018, Raffles Singapore will re-emerge from an extensive renovation featuring newly opened bars, restaurants, courtyards, and social areas; spaces designed to make Raffles the place to meet, spend time, shop and celebrate.

NIGHTS 4 – 5
MAGELAN, JAVA, INDONESIA

Amanjiwo Resort

Amanjiwo Resort, enveloped by the rainforest of central Java, is set within a natural amphitheatre – where the Menoreh Hills rise up nearby and the farmlands of the Kedu Plain spread below steep volcanoes on the horizon. Set in two graceful crescents, the resort’s 36 suites feature sunken bathtubs and thatched-roof bale pavilions, and open onto private gardens. Inspired by the nearby 9th-century Buddhist sanctuary of Borobudur, Amanjiwo’s suites feature four-pillar king-size beds on raised terrazzo platforms, spacious garden terraces, some with private swimming pools, and lounging pavilions. Views include terraced farmland and the Menoreh Hills, or the valley and Borobodur itself. The resort’s Restaurant, featuring a silver-leaf ceiling and views of Borobudur and volcanoes, serves Indonesian and Western cuisine. The Spa’s treatments include Mandi Lulur, a centuries-old wedding day body-polishing ritual for Javanese royalty.

NIGHT 6
YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta welcomes you with the luxury of another era. Elegantly set in the heart of Yogyakarta, close to Malioboro street, the majestic building of The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta, dating back to 1918, revisits in style the classical bygone era with a fusion of Asian and European decor. This MGallery by Sofitel boutique hotel, features a restaurant, a wine bar offering creative cocktails, a terrace overlooking an open courtyard, an inviting swimming pool, an indulgent day spa and modern conferencing facilities for your exclusive experience. Spacious guest rooms feature a 32″ flat-screen TV, rain shower head, safe deposit box and much more.

NIGHTS 7 – 9 BALI, INDONESIA

The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah

Hidden among the lush undulating hills of Bali’s culture-rich highlands, The Chedi Club Ubud sits among thriving rice fields as far as the eye can see. Just outside the artists’ village of Ubud, the former estate of Hendra Hadiprana – one of Indonesia’s most respected art collectors – has been transformed into an intimate luxury resort. Accommodations at the hotel include; a queen size bed, complimentary broadband internet, 32-inch flat screen TV, Bose entertainment system and iPod docking station. The restaurant at The Chedi Club Ubud offers panoramic views of the surrounding rice fields while offering you a sumptuous dining experience provided by a driven executive chef. Using freshly-picked ingredients from the surrounding organic gardens, the menu includes both Asian and Western cuisine as well as local dishes. The Spa at The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah, Ubud provides an elegant blend of effortless calm and modern facilities. Inside our two paddy-facing Spa Suites, you can view Ubud’s iconic rice paddies, which calm the mind as talented therapists stroke stress away from the body. Signature treatments include The Chedi Jade Massage and classic Indonesian cream bath, which deep conditions hair while experienced hands knead your scalp, shoulders, arms and hands.

NIGHTS 10 – 11
KOMODO ISLANDS, INDONESIA

Plataran Komodo Resort and Spa

Secluded in a quiet cove on Waecicu Beach on the island of Flores, Plataran Komodo Resort & Spa is a true tropical paradise. A luxurious base for indulging in sun-kissed days of relaxation and adventure in one of Indonesia’s most beautiful and untouched regions. A million miles away from the daily hustle and bustle, luxuriate in the privacy of intimate yet spacious villa abodes that are a charming blend of luxurious comfort and Javanese style. Dine beside the ocean waves, on the beach, or on the jetty – all under the Flores sun or beneath a romantic canopy of stars. Explore the amazing marine life in the surrounding waters, or hop aboard one of the Plataran private cruises for unforgettable island-hopping excursions and the chance to see the fabled Komodo dragons up close.

NIGHTS 12 – 13 BALI, INDONESIA

Four Seasons Resort Bali

Cascading down a hillside to a sweeping bay, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay is the perfect base for immersing yourself in on-site cultural experiences, all-day beach lifestyle, and the shopping, attractions and dining of south Bali. An expansive and elegant private Balinese villa inspired by traditional architecture awaits you at this authentically Balinese luxury resort nestled right on the oceanfront. Soak up the ocean views from your plunge pool, Balinese-inspired spa rituals and dramatic hilltop and oceanside dining as you’re immersed in the mystique of this spiritual land. Traditional, timeless and romantic, this legendary hideaway was listed among Asia’s Top 40 Resorts (#14) in the Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Awards 2016, and achieved a coveted Five-Star Rating in the Forbes Travel Guide 2017.