#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Indonesia Forum >  >  Indonesian Solar Eclipse Tourism March 2016

## Luigi

I’m thinking of taking my mother to witness the total Solar Eclipse that will be visible in parts of Indonesia in March 2016.

Bangkok is just on the cusp of seeing ‘Up to 90% totality’. 

The next one in Europe isn’t for another 10 yrs, so it would be a nice treat for her.

The strip of totality is about 145km wide. The biggest city seems to be Palembang. 

Great Google Maps link showing the strip of totality.

So how to get there from BKK.

There are flights to Medan in the North of the Island, but then another 1300km to Palembang. Flights seem to be $100 or so and not by major airlines.

The less travel the better though. She’s not exactly young. 

Jakarta is closer, but separated by sea. Flights from there to Palembang? An over night 1st class train from Medan (she loves traveling by train).
Other places also get totality.

It’s really about the easiest way to travel from BKK.

Any Indo lads got some advice?

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## taxexile

indo is a filthy shithole, watch the show on tv from a civilised country.

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## Luigi

Actually Air Asia Fly from Medan - Palembang too, but have to be booked separately as AA only do multi-city bookings for Air Asia X.

Schedule:

March 7th - Don Mueang - Medan.4-6pm.
March 8th - Medan - Palembang 7.30-9am.
March 9th - Total Solar Eclipse 7-9am.
March 10th - Pal - Medan 9.30-11am. Then only 1 hr later (cutting it fine) Medan - Don Mueang - 12.00-2pm.

Cost of the four flights are spot on 8k baht per person.

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## Luigi

> indo is a filthy shithole, watch the show on tv from a civilised country.


Mostly likely the mother's last opportunity to ever see one. 

She's seen one on TV before.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Looper

> March 9th - Total Solar Eclipse 7-9am.


Bit early in the morning.

When is the next afternoon or evening solar eclipse?

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## Luigi

> Originally Posted by Luigi
> 
> March 9th - Total Solar Eclipse 7-9am.
> 
> 
> Bit early in the morning.
> 
> When is the next afternoon or evening solar eclipse?


Tiz a bit early early.

Next one in SEA is 16th April 2023, but again is a bit early from around 9.00-12.00.

Not the easiest things to be finicky about, to be honest.  :Smile:

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## kingwilly

Palembang or Balikpapan are options to see it from.

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## Exit Strategy

> indo is a filthy shithole, watch the show on tv from a civilised country.


Thanks for your valuable input. I wonder where your civilized country exists, is it all pure fantasy? Closest match appears to be third reich, but then it does not exist right now.

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## taxexile

> I wonder where your civilized country exists


somewhere north of the mediterranean, west of the danube and east of los angeles.

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## Exit Strategy

Solar Eclipse is worth experiencing for anyone remotely interested in nature and science. Only time I saw it - it suddenly got dark - birds stopped singing. Very eerie

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## Luigi

> Palembang or Balikpapan are options to see it from.


Cheers. Have never been in Indo.

If you were traveling from BKK with a 70 yr old woman for two days, which one would you choose?

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## kingwilly

About the same, I think.

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## Exit Strategy

> I wonder where your civilized country exists
> 			
> 		
> 
> somewhere north of the mediterranean, west of the danube and east of los angeles.


Wolverhampton. I got it.

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## Exit Strategy

> If you were traveling from BKK with a 70 yr old woman for two days, which one would you choose?


I would choose the safest and friendliest way as money does not come into it when you travel with your mother. If she likes to travel By train as much as possible, like many do opposed to airline stress and security checks and lack of leg room then why not. I travel to Malaysia regularly but it is KL and Penang so can't help you here.

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## Exit Strategy

And Langkawi :Smile:

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## taxexile

> Mostly likely the mother's last opportunity to ever see one.





> Solar Eclipse is worth experiencing for anyone remotely interested in nature and science. Only time I saw it - it suddenly got dark - birds stopped singing. Very eerie


indo is a dump.

save your money, just put her in a dark room, shove some cotton wool in her ears and turn off the lights for 5 minutes.

she'll never know the difference.

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## steve down under

^ Jesus the  bloke  comes  here for a  bit  of advice and all you  can  come up  with is an infantile comment like that !

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## Cujo

> ^ Jesus the  bloke  comes  here for a  bit  of advice and all you  can  come up  with is an infantile comment like that !


Get a sense of humour will you.

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## Cujo

Whats the weather like in March ? Cloudy?
be a bummer to travel and then find it's a heavy cloud day.

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## toonami

My first ever post on here and i have to say the last response from taxexile was one of the funniest replies i have seen in a long time it had me in tears.
Brilliant

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## Cujo

> My first ever post on here and i have to say the last response from taxexile was one of the funniest replies i have seen in a long time it had me in tears.
> Brilliant


If you liked that watch out for seekingayassylums posts, that stuck up old queen will have you in stitches.

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## VocalNeal

> but have to be booked separately as AA only do multi-city bookings for Air Asia X.


Sorry I'm thick can you explain that for me? I used to work near palembang so ...

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## Luigi

> My first ever post on here and i have to say the last response from taxexile was one of the funniest replies i have seen in a long time it had me in tears.
> Brilliant


Hi Tax.  :Smile:

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## Luigi

> Originally Posted by Luigi
> 
> 
> but have to be booked separately as AA only do multi-city bookings for Air Asia X.
> 
> 
> Sorry I'm thick can you explain that for me? I used to work near palembang so ...


Booking multi-city would be booking Bangkok-Medan-Pal.

All done at one time.

They only allow that for Air Asia X.

So I would need to book Bangkok - Medan. Then after that book Medan - Pal separately. With only an hour or so between flights, if the first one is delayed, there is presumably no reimburment for the second flight.

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## kingwilly

So spend an evening in Medan to be sure of catching the flight.

Or spend the extra on Garuda.

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## Luigi

Yes, the point was explaining the difference between booking _multi-city_ flights and not.

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## neverdie

Ldjrudm

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## Luigi

yes..

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## YOrlov

Book on a  sea cruise,  better chance of not getting clouded out.  Don't wait,  find a real eclipse chasing company too.  Worth the bit of extra expense

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## Latindancer

Luigi big shaman. Know when sun go out. Urh.


I think Taxexile's comments are accurate, actually.

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## kingwilly

Mao inspired me, flights for Palembang booked. 

Dear KW,

Reservasi penerbangan Anda telah sukses dikonfirmasi. E-tiket Anda terdapat di attachment.

Penerbangan Pergi Penerbangan Pulang
DETAIL PENERBANGAN
Penerbangan Pergi
Jakarta - Palembang
Palembang - Jakarta

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## Luigi

Good job.

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## Dillinger

.....

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## kingwilly

Looking at hotels now, anyone have any recommendations ?

Aston
Novotel or 
Arista ?

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## Dillinger

One with a wake up service :Smile: 

The Agoda app is good for filtering hotels mate

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## taxexile

........

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## kingwilly

> One with a wake up service


I have kids, I don't need a wake up service.




> The Agoda app is good for filtering hotels mate


So is tripadvisor etc. I was wondering if anyone here, such as VocalNeil had a personal knowledge and/or recommendations. ..

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## Dillinger

> Looking at hotels now, anyone have any recommendations ?
> 
> Aston
> Novotel or 
> Arista ?


I see you've had no joy with the response there Willy....

Try adding Travel Lodge, Premier Inn, Tune hotels and Blarney Caravan Park  to your query and I'm sure Luigi's momma will step up to the plate with a few hundred recommendations. 

That woman could even show you how to stare at a total eclipse lying on your back without raybans after half a century of budget hotel star gazing 60 watt light bulbs  :Smile:

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## kingwilly

Oh boy. Do you think I'm a TEFLr?

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## Luigi

> Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> Looking at hotels now, anyone have any recommendations ?
> 
> Aston
> Novotel or 
> Arista ?
> 
> 
> ...


Put-Down Fail Extreme Edition.  :Smile: 


Now, to get back on topic, there's actually a full solar eclipse due in Hua Hin in August 2016 when Daffodil Jr. comes over and walks along the beach.  :Smile:

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## GRUMPY

I saw mention in the Jakarta post today.

Rare solar eclipse welcomed with fiestas | The Jakarta Post

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## kingwilly

Hey Grumpy, it's been awhile since you posted. 




> I saw mention in the Jakarta post today.
> 
> Rare solar eclipse welcomed with fiestas | The Jakarta Post


In South Sumatra, the provinces Culture and Tourism Agency acting head Irene Camelyn Sinaga said that the Ampera Bridge in the provincial capital of Palembang would be turned into a culinary center presenting local specialities on March 9.

The bridge will be temporarily closed and turned into a venue to observe the total eclipse, Irene said recently as quoted by Antara news agency.

The bridge, according to Irene, will be closed from midnight to noon on March 9. While waiting for the total eclipse to occur at about 7 a.m., local time, Irene said that visitors could enjoy breakfast on the bridge. 
- See more at: Rare solar eclipse welcomed with fiestas | The Jakarta Post

Sounds perfect.

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## deuhie

good information !

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## kingwilly



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## kingwilly



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