Those who know Indonesia, please weigh in on a geography/transport question?

**Lulubelle** · 08-07-2010, 08:45

Uh, first of all, hope I have the right forum.

I am going on a dive trip to Indo. Part will be land based diving out of places near Bali. Part will be a weeklong liveaboard in Komodo.

In trying to figure out if I will still choose to go, I need to pose a question which involves geography I don't know.

How long would it realistically take to get from the boat in Komodo, back to Bali, and be medically transported to Jakarta? I am planning for this to be unnecessary. But I would like to share this information with my doctors this week. I understand that good and modern care is available in Jakarta, and time from onset of the problem to receiving medical care is an important factor.

I may be tabling this trip or not based on this information. The trip will happen, but may need to happen at another time.

I have both DAN and Dive Assure Diamond.

**chinacat46** · 08-08-2010, 11:11

Well when I did Komodo I took a boat both ways from Bali but I know there is an airport on Flores which is right next to Komodo. I think the best person to ask would be thesmoothdome as he was just in Komodo and flew from Bali. As for taking a flight from Bali to Jakarta I'm sure there are many flights but traveling domestically in Indonesia is terrible. I'd think though the hard part would be getting from Komodo back to Bali probably not many flights daily. Sure hope you don't have to cancel Komodo is great.

**chinacat46** · 08-08-2010, 11:29

Was just checking looks like you would fly out of Labuan Bajo(LJB) on Flores probably one or two flights a day. Getting evac could be tough.

**bversteegh** · 08-08-2010, 20:10

I just returned from Komodo - incredible diving. Not sure what type medical care you are worried about - there is a chamber in Manado (a friend of mine had a visit a couple years ago : ( which is on Sulawesi. If you need medical care - I would check out Singapore or Brisbane. I love Indonesia - but for medical care it wouldn't be my country of choice.

**Quero** · 08-09-2010, 00:59

Lulu, you would want to get travel insurance which would cover air ambulance from Komodo to Bali. There is a service offered by Air Bali. Once you are back on Bali, get a commercial flight to Singapore or Thailand rather than to Jakarta. Medical care for foreigners is world class at both of these places. You could also go to Malaysia, but it's not quite as good. I would avoid Jakarta for more complex care unless your local doctor has a specific colleague s/he recommends and a specific facility which s/he has consulted with regarding the standard of care.

**Lulubelle** · 08-09-2010, 05:31

Originally Posted by Quero

Lulu, you would want to get travel insurance which would cover air ambulance from Komodo to Bali. There is a service offered by Air Bali. Once you are back on Bali, get a commercial flight to Singapore or Thailand rather than to Jakarta. Medical care for foreigners is world class at both of these places. You could also go to Malaysia, but it's not quite as good. I would avoid Jakarta for more complex care unless your local doctor has a specific colleague s/he recommends and a specific facility which s/he has consulted with regarding the standard of care.

Hi Quero,

Thanks for the recommendations. I have good travel insurance and medivac insurance. The question is one of time though, so what is your best guess as to total transit time from Komodo to Singapore for instance? It matters, a lot, in my decision as to whether or not I will choose to go.

**Quero** · 08-09-2010, 05:53

Air Bali has a couple of medivac helicopters to get you from your boat to Bali, and then they've got a low-flying air ambulance that can get you to Singapore, since it sounds like you won't be able to wait for a commercial flight or want to put up with whatever delays there might be to get yourself on a possibly crowded aircraft.

I only know about Air Bali because I book customers on Komodo liveaboards and need the information for Emergency Assistance Plans, but I've never looked into getting sick divers off Bali to someplace else since there's a chamber on the island and a Western-standard medical clinic for "ordinary" emergency treatment.

To be sure of the information you are basing your decision on, I think you should just make a phone call to Air Bali directly and get the details from the source. They have a 24-hour service, and it's now nearly 7 pm there, so if you call now, they could certainly put you in contact with a manager who can estimate flight times, and you'd have the information when you consult with your doctors later today.

I do think that the small plane that is used for medivac to Singapore will be about a 3 hour flght, and the time it takes to dispatch a helivac to you wherever you might be in Komodo and then return to Bali would be another several hours, at best, at a cruising speed of 185 km/hr. One issue that could influence your thinking might be that the helicopters will only fly during daylight hours (from 6-ish to 6-ish), so that if you are concerned that you might fall ill during the night, take that into consideration as well.

I hope it works out for you, but I'm pretty sure that should you choose to go, I'll worry, even though I only know you virtually.

**navyhmc** · 08-09-2010, 06:24

Any stop gap meds you can take? Might be something to bring up to the doc...If you're worried about what I think you are, that might be a good plan. Since you have a medical background, it might be easier for you to work that angle.

**chinacat46** · 08-09-2010, 06:49

Flight time from Bali to Singapore is 3 to 4 hours on a jet. Since you would have been diving you would need a low flying plane as Quero stated. Otherwise you would have the bends in addition to original condition.

**Lulubelle** · 08-09-2010, 13:38

Originally Posted by navyhmc

Any stop gap meds you can take? Might be something to bring up to the doc...If you're worried about what I think you are, that might be a good plan. Since you have a medical background, it might be easier for you to work that angle.

Well...that is the question. But the need for immediate IV treatment is the deal breaker. I'm not sure what basic items will be on board. Does anyone know if liveaboards carry basic IV/fluid supplies? I would think they might actually. Could always carry the meds, with me and a doc on board (there is one). Shame to put all of this effort into something which is only a "what if".

Quero, no worries. I'm fine, this is a theoretical concern. But the specific information you have provided will be really helpful tomorrow when I see my doctor and try to make a decision on the trip, so thank you!