Testimonials

Andi led me and four other volcano enthusiasts on our hikes to the crater edges of Ibu & Dukono volcanoes in Halmahera in mid-August, 2025. He and I are both geologists so we had lots to talk about, but Andi made sure to respond quickly to anyone in the group who had questions on technical, cultural, history-related or other topics. He also always kept us well informed about each day’s plan and what we could expect.

He and our other guide Donald did a great job of organising transport, porters and gear so that we could focus on enjoying the hiking. And Andi also proved himself an excellent camp cook with his tasty creations. I still remember his Pineapple a la Dukono with caramel & cinnamon syrup that we enjoyed on our return to camp from visiting Dukono. He also kept everyone’s spirits up when we had heavy rain while hiking by playing local music and dancing with Nancy, the one lady in our group. Andi also made sure there was plenty arak (local alcohol drink) for those who wanted it each night!

However, Andi’s real talent is knowing when a volcano is safe to visit and when it’s not. He has learned the patterns of activity for many volcanoes around Indonesia based on his many visits, discussions with government volcano monitoring experts and his understanding of their seismic signals. I felt very confident in his abilities and was happy to follow his instructions all the time, which ensured our safe visits to both Ibu and Dukono. I strongly recommend him as a guide to any Indonesian volcanoes, but especially to the more active ones.

Clyde Leys, retired mineral exploration geologist

My tour was a great success thanks to Andi, I really enjoyed travelling with him and hope to join him in Halmehara next year. He was very knowledgeable, friendly and extremely well organized. The volcanoes were obviously the highlight but the meals Andi arranged were a close second. The best Indonesian food I have ever had.

It was raining when we were first at Merapi, could not see the volcano, so I cancelled Bali and Andi arranged a new Merapi itinerary for me. It all went as smoothly as the rest of the trip. Seems easy but I know the effort required for smooth logistics.

I’m flying out tomorrow and will send a more detailed trip report later with some photos.

All the best, Gordon
Retired Geologist, Canada