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**Road Hog** · #1 10 Sep 2018

I am in China now and plan on making the HU meeting in west Java Indonesian. Looking for advice on ferries from Singapore to Java? Will not have a lot of extra time to sort this out when I get close.

Bob

**Snakeboy** · #2 10 Sep 2018

I have not ever heard about a ferry on that stretch. And I have travelled a good bit in that area and have friends living on Java. There might be one even though I dont know of course...

I think your possibilities are:
1. Shipping with Mr Lim vegetable boat from Penang to Belawan. Mr Lim is very experienced and have done this many hundred times so no frills. And then ride across Sumatra and cross over to Java.
2. Take the passenger ferry from Port Klang to Dumai (or nearby locations, sorry I dont remember the exact locations) Should be ok but a little more hassle with paperwork I have heard and very broad motorbikes such sa BMW 1200 GS with boxer engine is reported to not fit through the entrance of the ferry.
3. Take a roro ship to Borneo, cross into indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan) and from one of the west coast towns there are ferries to different locations on Jawa such as Surabaya, Semarang.

**Tirthankar Bose** · #3 10 Mar 2019

Would suggest you to check out this thread from LonelyPlanet.

**Road Hog** · #4 13 Mar 2019

At this time there seem to be no options to get from Malaysia to Sumatra with motorcycle other than shipping bike to Borneo via ferry and you fly down. Then work your way to Java via ferry then ferry to Sumatra.

There were two options that have closed, onion boat and people only ferry would take some motos. Both are no longer options. Neither are now options.
There was talk foo a roro starting after the first of the year but that looks like a lot of talk no action.

**Sun Chaser** · #5 14 Mar 2019

FWIW, I was able to take the motorbike from Bali to Java on the ferry...that was easy.

Getting to Borneo was not so easy, cost wise. I gave up, left the motorbike on the mainland, flew myself to Borneo and rented for the tour around Borneo.

A German BMW sidecar owner needed to use his own motorcycle on Borneo for some reason. His only option was flying it and himself from mainland to Borneo and back. Big $'s, huge!

On Borneo I met motorbike travelers (BMW GS or Yamaha Tenere?) in Begawan who had comes across the China Sea from the Philippines (and were going back) on a ferry, but they had Philippines title/rego.

This is "old news" as was several years ago.

For the price the German paid to get his sidecar rig over to Borneo you could buy a new motorcycle on Borneo, flip it when you're done. I found a friendly Kawasaki dealer in Kuching that offered up that alternative.

Regards,
Dr. G
Chief of the World Adventure Affairs Desk, CITY BIKE magazine, researching adventurous affairs around the globe
Adventure Strategy Columnist, MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS magazine
Sole sexual survivor: www.greataroundtheworldmotorcycleadventurerally.co m

**Snakeboy** · #6 14 Mar 2019

There is more info about this issue in the gollowing facebook-group:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/155084...1382?ref=share

There are rumours about a roro/vehicle ferry that will start operating between Johur Baru (Malaysia) and Dumai (Sumatra, Indonesia) But no more details are public about this possible route for the moment.

There seem to be another option getting from Malaysia mainland to Sumatra, Indonesia and that is via Singapore to the island of Batam and from there to Sumatra. Not the easiest option but someone has done it already it seems, so its possible.

Theres always the option to go via Borneo with a roroferry from Port Klang to Kota Kinabalu and ride across Borneo/Kalimantan and take a ferry to Java. That roroferry get good reviews btw.

**Chris Scott** · #7 14 Jan 2020

Quote:

Theres always the option to go via Borneo with a roroferry from Port Klang to Kota Kinabalu and ride across Borneo/Kalimantan and take a ferry to Java. That roroferry get good reviews btw.

I just got more details on that from @joshuwaa
A few days - not weeks - Klang to Kota for around £160, roll on with baggage (no pallets, etc).

He used:
https://www.poslogistics.com.my/solu...pping-services
It's not a car ferry, as in Indo, but a freighter that ships cars regularly. You fly.

Seems like a great 'back door' into Indonesia.
The only problem might be the greater expense and hassle in getting from Indonesia or Timor to Australia, if that's your plan.