Lynn Donovan Photography, Greensboro, NC (2026)

06/17/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Natural Habitat Adventures Amy Schwartz Travel

Tuesday, April 21 ~ Kuching & Semenggoh Nature Reserve, Borneo

Buffet breakfast in the hotel’s River View Cafe then we met at 10am in a private room where we met our Natural Habitat guides and fellow travelers. Bedley is our Expedition Leader and Akhmal is our local guide and naturalist. Our group totals ten people from all over the US. Bedley gave us an overview of the wildlife we will encounter, particularly the Bornean Orangutan that we hopefully will see this afternoon. At 11:45 we met in the lobby and boarded our bus where we were formally introduced to Don the local Kuching guide. First stop was lunch at the Telangusan Hotel Restaurant where we were treated to all kinds of local foods including our choice of ice cream bars for dessert! After lunch we made the forty minute drive to Semenggoh Wildlife Center. Established in 1975 to care for wild animals found injured or orphaned in the forest, it has cared for over 1,000 animals. The orangutan rehabilitation program has been so successful that the surrounding reserve has reached capacity. We made our way to the feeding platform to wait and see if any orangutans decided to come. Saw several new birds and an Asian Giant Tortoise while we waited. We could hear the keepers way back in the forest calling the orangutans. Then suddenly a huge, flanged male came swinging down to the feeding platform. He ate for awhile - amazing to watch him - he suddenly jumped down to the ground and headed right for where some of us were standing. The staff told us to move but we had already backed off! And just as quickly as he came he was gone. WOW! Bedley told us we were very lucky, his last several groups had not seen any orangutans here. We walked back up to the electric buggies for our ride back to the bus and the hotel.

06/16/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Amy Schwartz Travel

Sunday, April 19 ~ Sanur, Bali, Indonesia

Got up and sat on the balcony before going for a walk on the boardwalk. Beach was pretty, you could see the volcano across the water, but the boardwalk was so full of people and bicyclists that it was not enjoyable to walk on. We gave up and went to breakfast. Very nice buffet. Went back to the room and relaxed before heading out for a walk on the streets of Sanur. Lots of shops and restaurants. We found a Thai place that we will probably come back to for dinner. Back at the room we changed into our bathing suits and headed for the pool near the beach. We got towels but decided to head for the other, smaller but much quieter pool. Water felt great, there was a nice shaded ledge with a wall covered in flowers that was really nice to sit on. The whirlpool bath felt great too! There was a place that guests could check out snorkeling equipment but the attendant said we would need to wait until high tide to snorkel. Instead we went and claimed a couple of lounge chairs on the beach and went swimming. Very relaxing afternoon. Back at the room we grabbed showers and got ready for dinner. We walked to Oh My Thai, the restaurant we found earlier and had a really good dinner. Mine was quite spicy, but still excellent. Leisurely walk back. Very nice day.

Monday, April 20 ~ Sanur, Bali to Kuching, Borneo

I got up and walked down to the beach for sunrise. Nice color reflected in the shallows and sand. A little cloudy and hazy but still nice. I let Dan sleep! Packed and got ready to leave before going to breakfast. Our bags were brought down at 10:30 and we checked out. Our taxi arrived at 11 am and we headed for the airport. Found Air Asia and our flight listed and went to the check-in counter. Checked our bags through to Kuching and made our way to our gate. Boarded on time, landed in Kuala Lumpur, successfully found our connecting flight and arrived in Kuching, Borneo around 9pm. We were met by Don, a local guide, from Natural Habitat and driven to the Hilton, checked in and settled in our room. Travel days are always long and stressful. Glad for the large room and comfortable bed!

06/15/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Amy Schwartz Travel

Saturday, April 18 ~ Ubud to Sanur, Bali, Indonesia

Leisurely breakfast, then back to the room. Dan read and I went back out to see if I could find any new birds with another couple we met. Found a few! Packed, then had lunch before checking out at 2. Our ride met us and we drove south for 40 minutes to Sanur and our hotel Griya Santrain on the beach. Checked in and went to our room. It was on a corner, lower level and a high traffic walkway went right in front of it so we had no privacy sitting on the veranda. I went and asked if it was possible to get another room and they took us to one on the second level, a much bigger room. They said since we were only staying two nights they could do it! We moved our stuff and settled in. Could see little bit of the ocean from the balcony although no rooms had ocean views. We walked around the property - two pools, one further back that also had a whirlpool bath, the beach area had nice chairs and umbrellas. We walked the boardwalk for a little bit, of course there were several temples. Someone told us there were over 1,000 temples in Bali! Back to the room to relax, and apply for our ETA visas for Malaysia. Dinner was at the Starfish Lounge right on the beach. Nice listening to the waves as we ate. I had been seeing it on menus so I finally tried Dory fish, it was good.

06/12/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Viking Amy Schwartz Travel

Friday, April 17 ~ Ubud, Bali, Indonesia ~ Evening

Back to the hotel where we changed for dinner - I wore my new dress and jacket and Dan wore his linen shirt - met at 5:30 and drove back through Ubud to the Arma Resort. We were met in the courtyard by Balinese drummers who played for quite awhile. We finally processed through the complex, over a bridge & stream to a huge pavilion area with tables set and a very large stage. The other groups finally arrived, we found out we were all to have come in together but they were late! Food was buffet style, all Balinese dishes. Then we were treated to a Barong dance performance taken from the Mahabharata epic. It had two giant kings, a beautiful angel, and a clown and a nymph. Very elaborate costumes and dance. A very nice evening.

06/11/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Viking Amy Schwartz Travel

Friday, April 17 ~ Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Leisurely breakfast at 7am them met our tour bus at 8:30. Our first stop was Tegallalang Rice Terrace, a beautifully terraced hillside with rice paddies, greenery, zip lines and jungle swings. A really pretty spot. We wandered around taking pictures, did not do the zip line! Next stop was Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu, an 11th century temple & funerary complex with ten rock-cut shrines carved into cliff niches. We were given sarongs to wear as we entered. The temple was uncrowded and quiet with beautifully carved shires. On the way out there was koi pond full of very large koi. I decided to go across the way to buy a sash for my dress and Dan found a beautiful white short sleeve jacket that would look perfect with my dress. Good finds! We then drove to Segara Windhu Coffee Plantation where we learned all about the production of coffee, luwak coffee and tea. We had tastings of ten coffees and five teas. My favorite tea was Roselle (Hibiscus), all of the coffees were good but the sweet ones - vanilla, chocolate & coconut - were not my favorites. Someone in the group bought cups of luwak coffee and shared the male and female cups with everyone. Luwak coffee is one of the world’s most exclusive and expensive coffees and is made from coffee cherries that have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet (luwak). They had a civet in a cage as we came in. The coffee was really not that much different from the others but I could tell a difference between the male and female cups. The story and process is much better than the final product! On the way-out there was a nice shop but we didn’t buy any coffee or tea. We next headed for one of Bali’s volcanos, Mount Batur. We stopped at the Lakeview Restaurant which has really nice views if the volcano and lake. Some decided to eat, we simply enjoyed the views and the birds. We headed back before 3pm for the hour drive to the hotel. Next up, dinner & a show!

06/10/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Viking Amy Schwartz Travel

Thursday, April 16, 2026 ~ Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Unbelievable the amount of scooters on the road in Bali and sooo many people!! After making it through the traffic our first stop was Museum Puri Lukisan, the oldest museum in Bali which is dedicated to Balinese art and surrounded by tranquil gardens. Several buildings are filled with traditional and modern paintings and wood carvings. Fascinating works. I needed to use the restroom before we continued on so I went, told our guide not to leave me. Guess what, he did. Luckily Dan had waited and another Viking groups was just leaving to walk to the Palace so we joined them. The Royal Palace, Puri Saren Agung, was originally built in 1640, damaged in a 1917 earthquake but quickly rebuilt. It still houses descendants of the royal family. We walked across the street to the Ubud Street Market, several floors of stalls selling everything. We saw our guide and told him he left us and found out where to meet the bus. We then did a little shopping. I ended up buying a really pretty ankle length dress and Dan bought a linen shirt. By then it was time to meet the bus. We headed for Kayun Restaurant and a Balinese lunch. Much of the food is organic and grown onsite and the dining area was open air. We actually sat at an outside table. On the menus was Balinese Soup, Chicken Betutu (Balinese Spiced Chicken), Vegetable Urab (Balinese mixed vegetables, coconut & spices) and Tomato Sambal (chili sauce). It was all excellent. For dessert we had Black Rice Pudding. After lunch we visited Yana Art Gallery Wood Carving where we saw locals carving the different woods into gorgeous art pieces. My favorite was Alligator Wood, a light colored wood that made beautiful carvings. There was also a rice paddy beside the gallery. We drove back to Kappa Senses and Dan relaxed in the plunge pool. We ordered dinner in again, ate outside on the deck. Nice way to end the day.

06/08/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Viking Amy Schwartz Travel

Thursday, April 16 ~ Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Buffet breakfast at 7am, lots to eat. Also did a little birding sitting there! Walked back to the room via the garden area, pretty. Our tour left at 8:30. Our first destination was the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, a nature reserve and temple complex home to over 1,260 Long-tailed Macaques. These monkeys are sacred to the local Balinese. The entrance area is surrounded by a moat full of koi and the pathway in is lined with thick forest. Monkeys of all ages began appearing everywhere. In trees, on the walkway, steps and walls. So much fun to watch them interact. We made our way up to the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, the Great Temple of Shive built in the 14th century which is for locals use only. We started back out and I couldn’t find Dan. He had wandered the other way. I continued on the path we came in on, watching monkeys eat on the walkway. When I got back to the main area Dan was there, he had come around another way! Fun place. We got back into the buses and headed into Ubud.

06/07/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Viking Amy Schwartz Travel

Wednesday, April 15 ~ Bali, Indonesia

Went up to the World Cafe for breakfast then came down at 8am to collect our bags from our stateroom. Gonna miss our suite! We sat in the Exploers’Lounge reading until time to disembark at 9:15 for our Ubud extension. We found our bags and they were tagged to be transported to our hotel in Ubud. We loaded into three buses and headed out, stopping on the way at a traditional Balinese compound in Batuan. The compound consists of an open air cluster of smaller buildings each serving a unique purpose. We were able to meet the residents and see them in their spaces. Very enlightening. Our next stop was Sari Dewi Gold & Silver. As we entered there were local artisans crafting the jewelry they were selling inside. Very intricate and beautiful. We then stopped at Nadisuari Batik Factory to see how the batik fabric was made as well as the end results for sale. Very pretty. We finally arrived at Kappa Senses Ubud, our home for the next three nights. The resort abuts a rice field and is kind of tucked back off the road. Our villa is beautiful - large room, outdoor deck and plunge pool and a beautiful outdoor bathroom. We settled in and tried out the pool, cold! We then walked around checking out all the pools, the garden, the spa and restaurants. Very nice place. We ordered dinner in our room and ate out on the deck by our pool - Dan had Nasa, Mie Goring Kappa Way and I had Indonesian Gado Gado. Both were very good.

06/05/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Viking Amy Schwartz Travel

Tuesday, April 14 ~ Lembar, Lombok ~ Indonesia

We headed for Sukarara Weaving Village and arrived after 5pm. We were greeted by the villagers and walked through their village. We saw weaving demonstrations and met some delightful students who were eager to practice their English. There were also lots of cats! We finished at the village by shopping in their ‘store’. Beautiful fabrics and clothes but nothing we couldn’t live without. We headed back to port and the ship passing lots of rice paddies along the way and enjoyed a nice sunset. We arrived around 6:30, 30 minutes after the back on board time. We had our last dinner at the World Cafe then went and packed. Suitcases have to be out by 10pm for collection. Tomorrow, Bali.

06/04/2026

March 27 ~ May 3, 2026 ~ 50th Anniversary Trip ~ Australia, Komodo, Bali & Borneo

Viking Amy Schwartz Travel

Tuesday, April 14 ~ Lembar, Lombok ~ Indonesia - Part 1

Breakfast at the World Cafe then a 9:30 lecture on Bali. Lunch before our 1pm arrival at Lumbar, Lombok. Our tour met at 1:20 in the Star theatre and disembarked to our bus through the terminal. Outside we were welcomed by a group of dancers and musicians. We drove from Lembar for almost an hour to the Mayura Water Palace. Upon entering we were given red sashes to wear to ward off evil spirits. We entered a pavilion on the water then walked to the Pura Jagatnatha Mayurs, a temple located in the Mayura Park complex. This temple is one of the important historical relics from the era of the Karangasem Bali Kingdom which once ruled Lombok in the 18th century. The name "Mayura" comes from Sanskrit which means "peacock", symbolizing beauty and splendor. Mayura Park was built in 1744 by King Anak Agung Ngurah Karangasem. In this park, there is a large pond and a meeting hall that was once used for royal deliberations and customary courts. We also visited the Pura Kelepug a small Hindu temple closely related to the Meru Temple. We were then led to another pavilion where we were served tea, coffee and cake while being entertained by musicians and a dancer. Back on the bus we headed for the Islamic Center NTB, Great Mosque. Very ornate on the outside. We decided not to go inside, we had to wait to get dressed - you have to be covered - and was not sure if we had the time. We wandered around outside before boarding the bus. Next up a weaving village.

Lynn Donovan Photography

06/17/2026

06/16/2026

06/15/2026

06/12/2026

06/11/2026

06/10/2026

06/08/2026

06/07/2026

06/05/2026

06/04/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Establishment

Shortcuts

Share

Category