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Birding Indonesia tour company - has anyone used them? (1 Viewer)

earpy1

Active member
United Kingdom
Hi there! My husband and I are heading to Java later this month and have been in contact with a birding tour company called Birding Indonesia. They have worked out an excellent itinerary for us and it's within budget etc with target species hopefully in mind too. However, they have sent me an invoice for full payment upfront. Is this normal? I haven't booked ahead of time like this with a company I don't know and can't find much information about so am a little concerned about sending a good chunk of money to someone I don't know.
Has anyone used this company before in Indonesia? Would be great to hear from anyone else who may have used them or from anyone with advice about paying full cost upfront.

Thanks in advance for any help and guidance.
 
Mehd arranges tours for international tour companies to all parts of Indonesia and is someone I would trust with regards of delivering for what you’re paying. I don’t know the other guide but heard good things about his birding / guiding skills. I’ll be guiding a W papua tour with both of them in July. I hope this info helps.
 
With regards to the payment, different guides/companies will have differing ideas of where the line is for up-front vs in person payments but in general if you are booking an all-inclusive and/or longer trip (more than a few days) than I would say it is entirely the norm to have to pay up front.
 
I dont have experience with Birding Indonesia, but almost all other tours we have done (mostly in Africa) with local companies we paid up front. Often 50% and then the outstanding amount 30 days before.

One guide in Thailand mentioned to us that he didnt ask for a deposit and he thought the trip was confirmed. He arrived at the airport and his guests were a no-show. A deposit works both ways.

In Indonesia: West Papua we had to pay the balance 30 days in advance, the same in Sulawesi for a 10 day trip. In Bali (8 day trip where we booked our own accommodation) we paid on landing.
 

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