Japan -> Taiwan -> Philippines -> Indonesia
 

Here is our planned route for summer of 2012 to summer of 2013. We'll want to get across Russia/Siberia/Mongolia before it gets too chilly and so end up in Japan in about October. As you can see on the map, we would like to go from Japan to Taiwan to the Phillipines and then over to Borneo (either Malaysia or Indonesia). We are currently thinking that getting to northern India much before February/March would be too cold so that gives us about 5 months to do the Japan to SE Asia portion of the trip. The question is whether or not this route is even remotely reasonable.

• Has anyone here done any of these shipping routes before? By sea or air?
• Is Taiwan as impracticle to ride in as China (i.e. guides and guards)
• Is it possible to ship from the Phillipines to Borneo?

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/...013TripMap.jpg

Any advice on this particular portion of the trip would be appreciated.

With years of experience with the Japan overlander community, I have never heard of anyone taking his own bike to Taiwan. You may want to consider shipping your bikes by sea from Japan to the Philippines and renting in Taiwan while your own bikes are on the sea.

Thanks Chris,

I hadn't heard of anyone taking their own bikes to Taiwan either. We might end up simply using air cargo to Manilla then.

Well, you got Chris' comment already - and he is THE expert
for all kind of questions concerning Japan and Asia!

Don't forget to get with the foreign biker community before you
arrive in the "land-of-the-not-always-rising-sun"!! Those folks here
are more than helpful - right Chris!?!?!
:stupid: (me!!!)

Don´t know how up-to-date this is, as things always change in Asia... but 3 years ago in Indonesia, I met a German biker, who had ridden from Europe to Vladivostok, and then gone to Japan. After that he airlifted the bike to Taiwan, but customs denied the vehicle from entering. So after a while he decided he´ll freight it to Jakarta next.

Unfortunately the bike had then also got stuck at Jakarta airport, even though he had the carnet, with customs demanding from him a recommendation letter from the United Nations, or similar BS! Later on, I heard of an Italian guy, who had similar problems, his bike staying at Surabaya seaport for several weeks, and still had not been able to clear it.

Bikers usually enter via Belawan (Medan) and the land border between West and East Timor, so the authorities at those entry points are probably aware of the procedures... but any other border, and it seems there may be trouble. I have no idea, how it would work entering Indonesia from the Philippines (would be interesting to hear, though).

A little bit of info
 

Hi,

I did Borneo - Java - Bali last year, so can at least comment on that part.

Your map shows arriving at the top of Borneo, which is Malaysia (Sabah). Assuming you can find a shipping route, that will certainly be an easier point of entry than anywhere in Indo. My bike arrived there and I had no hassles with paperwork (except they didn't stamp the carnet ... maybe I didn't even need it!).

From there you can ride into Indo by either of two routes:

(a) East via Touwau - this requires another short water crossing. Easy for passengers, harder for bikes. You will have to arrange local shipping for that. I got ripped off badly. It arrives in Nunukan, which is an island. Most folks end up getting a ferry from there - ride-on-ride off. You could skip down to Tarakan or Balikpapan, or even over to Sulawesi. I bought passage for self and bike on a river boat and went straight across to the "mainland". Not a well-travelled route.

You can get a ride-on-ride off ferry from Banjarmasin to Surabaya.

(b) West via Brunei then Kutching. No water crossing, but one extra border. I've heard from a local you need a guide to navigate after crossing the border if you are going all the way down to Banjarmasin. But you can get a ride-on-ride off ferry from Pontianak to Jakarta.

You absolutely don't want to be in Borneo in the west season (but it still rains, every day, regardless).

About paperwork...

Indonesia has not ratified the vehicle carnet system, so the advice you've received is more or less correct. Some folks get a lucky break, others get a hard time. It depends on the who is working in the office that day.

I obtained a letter of authority from the Indo Consulate in Malaysia, confirming that I was allowed to enter. It cut the legs off a couple of local cops who sounded like they were shaping up to give me a hard time. But I still got delayed entering the country. They said I needed a letter of invitation from an Indo bike club. Will definitely try to get one next time.

Hope that helps!
Colin