Bali Sept 2009 -Bintang & Beyond! My Tips n stuff...

Bali – Bintang, Babi Guling & Beyond!

Firstly – before I start - warning - this is a bit long - and can I just mention the trip hubby and I took 4 weeks ago to Bali was not a honeymoon - but first anniversary celebration - so could afford to “slum it” a bit, and not go overboard on the 5star honeymoon-esque trappings like we did last year.

We stayed in Nusa Dua in the South for 8 nights which suited us as close to the airport -
and had a lovely beach and some posh hotels and a golf course to visit should
we want to "go posh". Having read on here some Bali info we knew we could venture to the Grand Hyatt next door to our hotel, but it was empty -although looked lovely and very upmarket - but crazy prices. Cocktails were about £8 each! London yes – Bali = big no no!

Because we went low rent at the Inna Putri we had stacks of cash to spend on
seeing and doing Bali - rather than stay on a beach / by a pool
worrying about budgets. Hubby and I are adventurous on our travels and are happy to DIY any tour or excursion. I hate being talked "at" for lengths of time - and he hates listening to overly long
explanations and histories of places etc - we'd rather do our own research with
some tour guide books, the Lonely Planet (is our travel Bible) and a good-ish map
of the place.

So we arrived at Bali (following 4 hour flight from Bangkok) - paid our $25.00 visas - have the money ready – no cheques or credit cards etc - needs to be exact cash for a speedy entry...
sort of. Bali is IMO slower than the Caribbean in places. Get your mindset
into Bali time as soon as you are off the plane and you'll be fine - and be
prepared for an hour wait to have your passport stamped. 2 booths for the
only airport - and the air con is ineffective. Keep hold of your suitcases
when you get them - porters and taxis etc may try and "assist" for a small
tip. Say no thanks and wheel them to a waiting transfer bus (pre-arranged
before you arrive with tour firm, hotel, etc) ... or a Blue Taxi (Bali Blue
Taxis are the ones to trust - and ask for meter to be running as soon as you
get in. We had transfers pre-arranged with Tour East Indonesia. Might have
been cheaper with a normal taxi - but we like to start the trip without
aggro.

Bali is big enough to house so much diversity and activity and sights - but
small enough to drive around it in about 3-4 days. They drive on the same
side of the road to us too which helps.

We hired a scooter (£10 )for 24 hours complete with 2 helmets and a bit of
petrol. Now this is where Bali is fun. You think £10 is cheap - well according to
our bar men who we got to know well - we were robbed! You can get it for
about £5 if you shop around. Same as when we hired a car for 3 days - we
used the same firm for ease and laziness - and were charged £15 a day.
Petrol is brilliant - the gas stations out there - they are all serviced -
so you let some person fill your car for you and it's about 20-30p a litre.
When we had the scooter we needed fuel and couldn't see a petrol station -
and then we twigged what the little racks were at the side of the road or at
the side of stores were - petrol in spirit bottles. Again some locals
"ripped us off" with 30p a litre charges for 2 huge Absolute Vodka Bottles
full of petrol... but 30p is not a rip off for us - we know it and the
locals know it ... everyone is happy!

This leads me to hawkers / lookey lookey/ buy mine buy mine --- what ever
you wish to call them - they have a living to make and can be a pain.... but
In Bali - you say no- and they take no - they do haggling - but they don't
do confrontation, anger or being a burden. You say no and walk away and they
don't come running after you. Marvellous. It can get tiring saying No
Thank You alot though. And you will say it a lot. Bali's a tourist destination. There
are some crops - but we are the nations bread and butter - hence why every
sight - be it a temple, a lake, a mountain, a shrine, a waterfall or an
other - there is a small (or large ) enclave of souvenir stalls and hawkers.
We tipped heavily any lad that offered to look after the scooter and helmets
for us as we wondered around. The car parks are good too - about 12p to park
scooter or car - this is why Westerners cannot really gripe about the locals
wanting to make a fast rupiah out of us. You can't really complain about
anything in Bali.

My usual complaint anywhere hot is getting eaten alive... well saints
preserve us - not sure if it was my flavour that has gone sour, or the
hotels amazing bug control - but I only got bitten 3 times on the whole trip.
Once in Bangkok on the Khoa San Road- and the Bali Bites were outside the
hotel complex. Take plug-ins, sprays and sting zappers though - just to be
sure. Nothing worse than a bite ruining your trip. Jungle Formula was our brand of choice.

So.... what did we do and why??

Scooter Day - We drove around Nusa Dua and the Buckitt Peninsula (that blob
on the bottom of Bali) and saw Ulu Watu Temple
Why? Monkeys are there - lots of them - wild critters that are greedy - and
be warned can mug you! Wear appropriate shrine/temple clothing - always
carry a sarong (inc hubby) .Some temples/shrines are ok with long shorts , some like arms covered, some want sarongs and sashes (often provided - or can be bought from a souvenir shop / hawker).
After heeding the warnings we took off sunglasses, and put away anything the
monkeys can grab.... and there I was just sitting on a wall having a rest- when a monkey mugged me
of my earring. Just a solitaire stud earring that caught his eye. So
once whipped clean from my ear he ate it!!!! Luckily it was just a cheap
imitation pair I wear. There was no blood - and it was a good excuse to buy a new pair.

Jimbaran is fishing village and fab for Fresh Fish caught on the beach and
eaten at sunset. We drove through to get to main body of Bali and West of
the airport.

Kuta - is a dump - but a nice dump - full of backpackers, surfers (mainly
aussies) , cheap shops, clubs and bars --- this is the nightlife crappy bit.
The Magaluf of Bali so to speak. Lots of fun - but you probably don't want to stay
long. We wondered around the gangs (narrow streets) and saw the Memorial to
the Bali Bombings of 2002. The Sari Nightclub has never been rebuilt and the
locals do not want to build on the “cursed” land.

Legian is just north of Kuta and less like it’s noisy neighbour - a bit quieter. My
friend stayed here and loved it - she could walk to the clubs etc - and get
away form it all too. Much quieter beach at Legian too.

Seminyak - If I go back - this is the area I would stay in. Not so out of
the way as Sanur or Nusa Dua and more upmarket shops, hotels, etc - and a
better class of hawker. Great for Sunsets. We found this fab little shack/cafe on the beach, ordered
some Bintangs (the beer is good - and cheap - about a pound a bottle!) and
watched the sun meet the sea... amazing site and secluded. Batu Belig was the place just North of Seminyak – found totally by accident! Love those serendipitous moments!

Benoa - once back to Nusa Dua (amidst the hundreds of other scooter users
(the locals all have at least one scooter - some have whole families
squished on them ) we freshened up and went to the harbour area of Tanjung
Benoa. Found a great Sea Food Restaurant. Just up the road from La Scala
(upscale italian) check out Sea Queen Restaurant - fresh fish - so cheap
for the most amazing platters.

Car Days
Car Day 1 = Ubud. Cultural centre - and seems to be popular with
honeymooners too. It's ok if you like monkeys and craft shops and getting
into nature a bit. I personally couldn't have spent more than a day there.
The crafts are lovely and we bought some pieces - but two highlights for
us - more monkeys... yay! and these don't mug you at the Monkey Forest
Sanctuary! Could have watched them all day in their trees, playing mummy
and daddies (now that is funny watching a child watching them "at it" - and
their parents explaining what they are doing!!) .... and the babies are just
too cute - and handbag sized... I did try and take one home.... ha ha -
kidding!
The other highlight was a culinary one (Hint - Watch Rick Stein's Far East
Oddessy on BBC I-Player - or You Tube - the Bali episode on food is great!)
Babi Guling is suckling pig slow spit roasted and marinated in herbs and
garlic. Opposite the Royal Palace in Ubud is a local place to eat called
Warung Ibu Oka. Doesn't look much - but Babi Guling is their speciality -
and the locals use it = always a good sign. I don't eat pork normally but
this was delicious and melt in the mouth. We ate the traditional way - just
with our right hand, which the locals appreciated, and finger bowls
provided - licking fingers is not seen as polite.

Our journey to Ubud took us along the East Coast a bit - through Sanur -
sleepy beach resort - not much going on at all there - up into the
farmlands, through Gianyur and back down through Denpasar the capital. This
took a day 8am - 7pm as we did it ourselves, Bali is not known for it's
roadsigns (added to the adventure) so we did get a bit confused, and hit
rush hour Denpasar and we were under no tour guide restraints.

Car Day 2 - The Volcanoes, Temples and Lakes .
Up early as this was to be a whole day out and about again... but under our
own steam... Again we headed East Coast-wards and at Kusamba headed inland
to Semarapura (also known as Klungkung) and this is like the second largest
town/city in Bali. Bit more chilled than Denpasar. Stopped here for
Breakfast in some cafe on a back street - mei goreng - fried noodles. Sounds
odd for b'fast - but yummy and nutritious - and not the fried MSG caked
stuff we are used to here.

We then drove from Klungkung to Sideman (pronounced Sid-er-man) along the
Sideman Road.
Now this is rice country - and plenty of terraced fields full of workers and
crops... and a hundred shades of Green!
Stunning scenery as we climbed up to Gunung Agung - the main Volcano. 1000m
up the west side we reached Pura Besakih Temple -
the most Holy in Bali. Sarongs are a must here, and you need a local guide
to permit you into the grounds. We were lucky as we
found a young lad who was worldly wise and not too wordy with his
explanations. On a clear day you can see the coast -
but we enjoyed the mystical mist as it descended upon us.

After our quick lesson in Brahma, Vishnu and Chiva and all things Hindu we
got back in the car and headed North to Penelokan,
which means "place to look" - the views of the volacanos, lava field from
the 1967 blast and lake Danua Batur in the crater are breathtaking - but
don't stop here long as you'll
be mobbed by Hawkers. If on your own - or with a tour guide ask them to go
10 mins down the windy road to Kedisan - this is right on the lake.
Not much going on - but away from the coach loads of tourists. Opposite the
Ferry Terminal there is a small police station and a row of tin roofed
shacks. It is here we had fresh lake fish and a Bintang . Scrummy!

From here we drove back South through Bangli and hit the East Coast again,
following the main road back to Nusa Dua. This was another 11-12 hour day,
but we saw so much and with the freedom of being on our own could make our
own discoveries as well as seeing the sights.

Car Day 3 - West Coast, North Coast & back down the Centre of the Island.
With this being the last day with the car we knew we had to make the most of
the freedom of transport, so we set off early and drove up the west Coast to Tanah Lot Temple which is a temple built in the sea. Very impressive - cannot go in - but can walk
around it when tide is out. Tip - get there early to avoid crowds, hawkers
and see the temple at tide out. We were there about 9:30am.

We then drove about 2 hours on the West Coast road to Gilimanak. This was solely to
get to the most Westerly point and I love to put my feet in different stretches
of ocean - so I wanted to paddle in the Bali Strait between Bali and Java - and look
over to the Java Coastline. We stopped at the Ferry Terminal for a few minutes to do this before continuing throughthe Taman National Park to the more arid area of the North Coast. Sea on the
left, mountains on the right - we took the coast road to Lovinia - a mellow
beach resort town for a late lunch and watched the locals make fishing boats
and repair nets, etc. Very chilled place - often overlooked by tourists that
get stuck in the South / Ubud areas.

We decided the quickest and easiest way back to the South was from Singaraja
on the coast down through the mountains. En route - as sun was setting we
had a quick pitstop at Gitgit waterfall (great name!) , and as the night drew in and the
mists came down we passed Danau Buyan lake and Danau Bratan Lake. All
mystical in the mists. great stuff. We got to Denpasar about 7:30pm, and hit
plenty of traffic to keep us on our toes and finding ways out of the city
back to Nusa Dua. Another long but fun day out exploring and we can now say we
have seen (bar the bit of north east coastline) the whole of Bali now.

Evenings. We are a bit old for clubbing now in our early 30s- otherwise head
for Kuta - but we prefer good food and good beer/wine and ate out in Benoa
and Nusa Dua - either at our hotel, out in Nusa Dua region past the main
gates of the resort, where it was a bit cheaper than the resort, and some
nights in the Bali Collection area too - smack bang in the middle of the
resort - but a bit more expensive (but still reasonable in comparison to UK
prices) . We always ate local or Asian fusion, but plenty of Italian,
Mediterranean, etc if you fancy a change from noodles and rice dishes.

Once we gave back the car we still had 3 full days to fill - so we beached,
pooled and spa-ed at the hotel. Explored the resort, and beach and golf
club, and we even went horse riding on the beach at Sunset. Bali Island
Horse were the company we chose to go with. Based up near Pura Tanah Lot
temple area on the West Coast in Ye Ganga - but will collect you from your
hotel (result!!). 90 mins from Nusa Dua. We were picked up at 2:30pm, and
were on the horses and on the beach at 4ish. 2 hours of riding through the
surf, along the beach, to a cave full of sleeping bats - cute but smelly- up
into the village, across a river and back on the beach in time for the sun
to set - an amazing experience... and quite romantic too.

The stables at http://www.baliislandhorse.com/ are run by a lovely aussie
lady (name escapes me ) and free refreshment offered. the 2 hours ride cost
us about £33 each for 2 hours and with transport - that's cheap. We are
experienced riders - but it's great for beginners too - all horses are
well handled and suitable for all. Safety helmets provided.

Appreciate that driving around and spending days out and about is not for
most honeymooners who want to chill after the wedding - but this wasn't our
honeymoon so were happy to go all over with early morning starts.

Think that's covered all that we did and saw and sampled.

At the airport on the way out we had an hour to kill before boarding so used
the last of our Rupiah on neck and foot massages. Again - 200,000rph for
45mins relaxation = £12! Lottery win pending we are serious about
moving out here and living like kings!!

Just trying to think of anything else on the info front - it's about mid 30s
temp year round (slightly cooler in the mountains) - you are 8 degrees below
the equator = fast burn time. I am olive skinned and usually react well to
sun and heat so factor 15 ok for walking about in - but I factor 30-ed up
when laying in it - it's hot! First time since I was a child I peeled (and
am still peeling some weeks on) all over!! Just a warning as it is a strong
sun and the beach / ocean breezes can be deceptive in "cooling you". I made the
mistake of laying by the pool in the morning then having 4 hours of full
body treatments - including scrubs etc --- so was lovely and pink and very
shiny and polished one night! we did laugh - but aloe vera gel soon sorted
me out. Recommend Banana Boat after sun Gel - leave in the fridge - apply
and the green gel takes some of the burn and red look away.

Sorry to have bored you silly and well done if you have got this far!

If you do need any help / info / advice / tips feel free to email me.
Please BUY or BORROW the latest Lonely Planet "Bali & Lombok" - 12th ed
printed April 2009.
Best £14.99 you will spend!

Bali is a great choice of holiday location - and I'd be back in a heart
beat - and I've been to a lot of places and few make me feel like that...

Charleygirl xxx

PS. - Links to pics on my facebook available per email request.

[Modified by: charleygirl on 05 October 2009 18:01:54 ]

Bali – Bintang, Babi Guling & Beyond!

Firstly – before I start - warning - this is a bit long - and can I just mention the trip hubby and I took 4 weeks ago to Bali was not a honeymoon - but first anniversary celebration - so could afford to “slum it” a bit, and not go overboard on the 5star honeymoon-esque trappings like we did last year.

We stayed in Nusa Dua in the South for 8 nights which suited us as close to the airport -
and had a lovely beach and some posh hotels and a golf course to visit should
we want to "go posh". Having read on here some Bali info we knew we could venture to the Grand Hyatt next door to our hotel, but it was empty -although looked lovely and very upmarket - but crazy prices. Cocktails were about £8 each! London yes – Bali = big no no!

Because we went low rent at the Inna Putri we had stacks of cash to spend on
seeing and doing Bali - rather than stay on a beach / by a pool
worrying about budgets. Hubby and I are adventurous on our travels and are happy to DIY any tour or excursion. I hate being talked "at" for lengths of time - and he hates listening to overly long
explanations and histories of places etc - we'd rather do our own research with
some tour guide books, the Lonely Planet (is our travel Bible) and a good-ish map
of the place.

So we arrived at Bali (following 4 hour flight from Bangkok) - paid our $25.00 visas - have the money ready – no cheques or credit cards etc - needs to be exact cash for a speedy entry...
sort of. Bali is IMO slower than the Caribbean in places. Get your mindset
into Bali time as soon as you are off the plane and you'll be fine - and be
prepared for an hour wait to have your passport stamped. 2 booths for the
only airport - and the air con is ineffective. Keep hold of your suitcases
when you get them - porters and taxis etc may try and "assist" for a small
tip. Say no thanks and wheel them to a waiting transfer bus (pre-arranged
before you arrive with tour firm, hotel, etc) ... or a Blue Taxi (Bali Blue
Taxis are the ones to trust - and ask for meter to be running as soon as you
get in. We had transfers pre-arranged with Tour East Indonesia. Might have
been cheaper with a normal taxi - but we like to start the trip without
aggro.

Bali is big enough to house so much diversity and activity and sights - but
small enough to drive around it in about 3-4 days. They drive on the same
side of the road to us too which helps.

We hired a scooter (£10 )for 24 hours complete with 2 helmets and a bit of
petrol. Now this is where Bali is fun. You think £10 is cheap - well according to
our bar men who we got to know well - we were robbed! You can get it for
about £5 if you shop around. Same as when we hired a car for 3 days - we
used the same firm for ease and laziness - and were charged £15 a day.
Petrol is brilliant - the gas stations out there - they are all serviced -
so you let some person fill your car for you and it's about 20-30p a litre.
When we had the scooter we needed fuel and couldn't see a petrol station -
and then we twigged what the little racks were at the side of the road or at
the side of stores were - petrol in spirit bottles. Again some locals
"ripped us off" with 30p a litre charges for 2 huge Absolute Vodka Bottles
full of petrol... but 30p is not a rip off for us - we know it and the
locals know it ... everyone is happy!

This leads me to hawkers / lookey lookey/ buy mine buy mine --- what ever
you wish to call them - they have a living to make and can be a pain.... but
In Bali - you say no- and they take no - they do haggling - but they don't
do confrontation, anger or being a burden. You say no and walk away and they
don't come running after you. Marvellous. It can get tiring saying No
Thank You alot though. And you will say it a lot. Bali's a tourist destination. There
are some crops - but we are the nations bread and butter - hence why every
sight - be it a temple, a lake, a mountain, a shrine, a waterfall or an
other - there is a small (or large ) enclave of souvenir stalls and hawkers.
We tipped heavily any lad that offered to look after the scooter and helmets
for us as we wondered around. The car parks are good too - about 12p to park
scooter or car - this is why Westerners cannot really gripe about the locals
wanting to make a fast rupiah out of us. You can't really complain about
anything in Bali.

My usual complaint anywhere hot is getting eaten alive... well saints
preserve us - not sure if it was my flavour that has gone sour, or the
hotels amazing bug control - but I only got bitten 3 times on the whole trip.
Once in Bangkok on the Khoa San Road- and the Bali Bites were outside the
hotel complex. Take plug-ins, sprays and sting zappers though - just to be
sure. Nothing worse than a bite ruining your trip. Jungle Formula was our brand of choice.

So.... what did we do and why??

Scooter Day - We drove around Nusa Dua and the Buckitt Peninsula (that blob
on the bottom of Bali) and saw Ulu Watu Temple
Why? Monkeys are there - lots of them - wild critters that are greedy - and
be warned can mug you! Wear appropriate shrine/temple clothing - always
carry a sarong (inc hubby) .Some temples/shrines are ok with long shorts , some like arms covered, some want sarongs and sashes (often provided - or can be bought from a souvenir shop / hawker).
After heeding the warnings we took off sunglasses, and put away anything the
monkeys can grab.... and there I was just sitting on a wall having a rest- when a monkey mugged me
of my earring. Just a solitaire stud earring that caught his eye. So
once whipped clean from my ear he ate it!!!! Luckily it was just a cheap
imitation pair I wear. There was no blood - and it was a good excuse to buy a new pair.

Jimbaran is fishing village and fab for Fresh Fish caught on the beach and
eaten at sunset. We drove through to get to main body of Bali and West of
the airport.

Kuta - is a dump - but a nice dump - full of backpackers, surfers (mainly
aussies) , cheap shops, clubs and bars --- this is the nightlife crappy bit.
The Magaluf of Bali so to speak. Lots of fun - but you probably don't want to stay
long. We wondered around the gangs (narrow streets) and saw the Memorial to
the Bali Bombings of 2002. The Sari Nightclub has never been rebuilt and the
locals do not want to build on the “cursed” land.

Legian is just north of Kuta and less like it’s noisy neighbour - a bit quieter. My
friend stayed here and loved it - she could walk to the clubs etc - and get
away form it all too. Much quieter beach at Legian too.

Seminyak - If I go back - this is the area I would stay in. Not so out of
the way as Sanur or Nusa Dua and more upmarket shops, hotels, etc - and a
better class of hawker. Great for Sunsets. We found this fab little shack/cafe on the beach, ordered
some Bintangs (the beer is good - and cheap - about a pound a bottle!) and
watched the sun meet the sea... amazing site and secluded. Batu Belig was the place just North of Seminyak – found totally by accident! Love those serendipitous moments!

Benoa - once back to Nusa Dua (amidst the hundreds of other scooter users
(the locals all have at least one scooter - some have whole families
squished on them ) we freshened up and went to the harbour area of Tanjung
Benoa. Found a great Sea Food Restaurant. Just up the road from La Scala
(upscale italian) check out Sea Queen Restaurant - fresh fish - so cheap
for the most amazing platters.

Car Days
Car Day 1 = Ubud. Cultural centre - and seems to be popular with
honeymooners too. It's ok if you like monkeys and craft shops and getting
into nature a bit. I personally couldn't have spent more than a day there.
The crafts are lovely and we bought some pieces - but two highlights for
us - more monkeys... yay! and these don't mug you at the Monkey Forest
Sanctuary! Could have watched them all day in their trees, playing mummy
and daddies (now that is funny watching a child watching them "at it" - and
their parents explaining what they are doing!!) .... and the babies are just
too cute - and handbag sized... I did try and take one home.... ha ha -
kidding!
The other highlight was a culinary one (Hint - Watch Rick Stein's Far East
Oddessy on BBC I-Player - or You Tube - the Bali episode on food is great!)
Babi Guling is suckling pig slow spit roasted and marinated in herbs and
garlic. Opposite the Royal Palace in Ubud is a local place to eat called
Warung Ibu Oka. Doesn't look much - but Babi Guling is their speciality -
and the locals use it = always a good sign. I don't eat pork normally but
this was delicious and melt in the mouth. We ate the traditional way - just
with our right hand, which the locals appreciated, and finger bowls
provided - licking fingers is not seen as polite.

Our journey to Ubud took us along the East Coast a bit - through Sanur -
sleepy beach resort - not much going on at all there - up into the
farmlands, through Gianyur and back down through Denpasar the capital. This
took a day 8am - 7pm as we did it ourselves, Bali is not known for it's
roadsigns (added to the adventure) so we did get a bit confused, and hit
rush hour Denpasar and we were under no tour guide restraints.

Car Day 2 - The Volcanoes, Temples and Lakes .
Up early as this was to be a whole day out and about again... but under our
own steam... Again we headed East Coast-wards and at Kusamba headed inland
to Semarapura (also known as Klungkung) and this is like the second largest
town/city in Bali. Bit more chilled than Denpasar. Stopped here for
Breakfast in some cafe on a back street - mei goreng - fried noodles. Sounds
odd for b'fast - but yummy and nutritious - and not the fried MSG caked
stuff we are used to here.

We then drove from Klungkung to Sideman (pronounced Sid-er-man) along the
Sideman Road.
Now this is rice country - and plenty of terraced fields full of workers and
crops... and a hundred shades of Green!
Stunning scenery as we climbed up to Gunung Agung - the main Volcano. 1000m
up the west side we reached Pura Besakih Temple -
the most Holy in Bali. Sarongs are a must here, and you need a local guide
to permit you into the grounds. We were lucky as we
found a young lad who was worldly wise and not too wordy with his
explanations. On a clear day you can see the coast -
but we enjoyed the mystical mist as it descended upon us.

After our quick lesson in Brahma, Vishnu and Chiva and all things Hindu we
got back in the car and headed North to Penelokan,
which means "place to look" - the views of the volacanos, lava field from
the 1967 blast and lake Danua Batur in the crater are breathtaking - but
don't stop here long as you'll
be mobbed by Hawkers. If on your own - or with a tour guide ask them to go
10 mins down the windy road to Kedisan - this is right on the lake.
Not much going on - but away from the coach loads of tourists. Opposite the
Ferry Terminal there is a small police station and a row of tin roofed
shacks. It is here we had fresh lake fish and a Bintang . Scrummy!

From here we drove back South through Bangli and hit the East Coast again,
following the main road back to Nusa Dua. This was another 11-12 hour day,
but we saw so much and with the freedom of being on our own could make our
own discoveries as well as seeing the sights.

Car Day 3 - West Coast, North Coast & back down the Centre of the Island.
With this being the last day with the car we knew we had to make the most of
the freedom of transport, so we set off early and drove up the west Coast to Tanah Lot Temple which is a temple built in the sea. Very impressive - cannot go in - but can walk
around it when tide is out. Tip - get there early to avoid crowds, hawkers
and see the temple at tide out. We were there about 9:30am.

We then drove about 2 hours on the West Coast road to Gilimanak. This was solely to
get to the most Westerly point and I love to put my feet in different stretches
of ocean - so I wanted to paddle in the Bali Strait between Bali and Java - and look
over to the Java Coastline. We stopped at the Ferry Terminal for a few minutes to do this before continuing throughthe Taman National Park to the more arid area of the North Coast. Sea on the
left, mountains on the right - we took the coast road to Lovinia - a mellow
beach resort town for a late lunch and watched the locals make fishing boats
and repair nets, etc. Very chilled place - often overlooked by tourists that
get stuck in the South / Ubud areas.

We decided the quickest and easiest way back to the South was from Singaraja
on the coast down through the mountains. En route - as sun was setting we
had a quick pitstop at Gitgit waterfall (great name!) , and as the night drew in and the
mists came down we passed Danau Buyan lake and Danau Bratan Lake. All
mystical in the mists. great stuff. We got to Denpasar about 7:30pm, and hit
plenty of traffic to keep us on our toes and finding ways out of the city
back to Nusa Dua. Another long but fun day out exploring and we can now say we
have seen (bar the bit of north east coastline) the whole of Bali now.

Evenings. We are a bit old for clubbing now in our early 30s- otherwise head
for Kuta - but we prefer good food and good beer/wine and ate out in Benoa
and Nusa Dua - either at our hotel, out in Nusa Dua region past the main
gates of the resort, where it was a bit cheaper than the resort, and some
nights in the Bali Collection area too - smack bang in the middle of the
resort - but a bit more expensive (but still reasonable in comparison to UK
prices) . We always ate local or Asian fusion, but plenty of Italian,
Mediterranean, etc if you fancy a change from noodles and rice dishes.

Once we gave back the car we still had 3 full days to fill - so we beached,
pooled and spa-ed at the hotel. Explored the resort, and beach and golf
club, and we even went horse riding on the beach at Sunset. Bali Island
Horse were the company we chose to go with. Based up near Pura Tanah Lot
temple area on the West Coast in Ye Ganga - but will collect you from your
hotel (result!!). 90 mins from Nusa Dua. We were picked up at 2:30pm, and
were on the horses and on the beach at 4ish. 2 hours of riding through the
surf, along the beach, to a cave full of sleeping bats - cute but smelly- up
into the village, across a river and back on the beach in time for the sun
to set - an amazing experience... and quite romantic too.

The stables at http://www.baliislandhorse.com/ are run by a lovely aussie
lady (name escapes me ) and free refreshment offered. the 2 hours ride cost
us about £33 each for 2 hours and with transport - that's cheap. We are
experienced riders - but it's great for beginners too - all horses are
well handled and suitable for all. Safety helmets provided.

Appreciate that driving around and spending days out and about is not for
most honeymooners who want to chill after the wedding - but this wasn't our
honeymoon so were happy to go all over with early morning starts.

Think that's covered all that we did and saw and sampled.

At the airport on the way out we had an hour to kill before boarding so used
the last of our Rupiah on neck and foot massages. Again - 200,000rph for
45mins relaxation = £12! Lottery win pending we are serious about
moving out here and living like kings!!

Just trying to think of anything else on the info front - it's about mid 30s
temp year round (slightly cooler in the mountains) - you are 8 degrees below
the equator = fast burn time. I am olive skinned and usually react well to
sun and heat so factor 15 ok for walking about in - but I factor 30-ed up
when laying in it - it's hot! First time since I was a child I peeled (and
am still peeling some weeks on) all over!! Just a warning as it is a strong
sun and the beach / ocean breezes can be deceptive in "cooling you". I made the
mistake of laying by the pool in the morning then having 4 hours of full
body treatments - including scrubs etc --- so was lovely and pink and very
shiny and polished one night! we did laugh - but aloe vera gel soon sorted
me out. Recommend Banana Boat after sun Gel - leave in the fridge - apply
and the green gel takes some of the burn and red look away.

Sorry to have bored you silly and well done if you have got this far!

If you do need any help / info / advice / tips feel free to email me.
Please BUY or BORROW the latest Lonely Planet "Bali & Lombok" - 12th ed
printed April 2009.
Best £14.99 you will spend!

Bali is a great choice of holiday location - and I'd be back in a heart
beat - and I've been to a lot of places and few make me feel like that...

Charleygirl xxx

PS. - Links to pics on my facebook available per email request.

[Modified by: charleygirl on 05 October 2009 18:01:54 ]

Hi Charley, thanks for all that info! Sounds so much fun. With the horse riding we'd love to try it and have never done it before so can't be just galloping off. do they do lessons or anything??
Would love to do the scooter thing toobut worried about crashing etc, doh!
Def going to buy that book, sounds well needed!
I'd love to see the facebook pics please, so would h2b, just read this whole thread to him

awwww bless you Timone for reading this to your hubby 2 b ...

Horse riding lessons - check the site or email them to ask. Or call - 7 hours ahead - but perfect english - if the aussie lady doesn't answer. Natalie - that's her name! Just found her business card she gave me as said I would reccomend the stables to anyone going to Bali.

You will be surprised how easy it was for hubby to get about on the scooter - with me riding pillion..... the locals are friendly, and when they bip - it doesn't mean get the *%$! out of my way - it means - hello I am here.. just easing up next to you / behind you - just to warn you sort of thing.... very quaint. We did not see any crashes while there - despite the roads being full of these scooters. Like i said - no anger or confrontation in their society. One local - and myself - did chuckle together at this european (possibly german) couple having a spat in the upmarket shopping bit in Bali Collection. It was the middle of the day and temperatures were up - and she clearly wanted to shop and he clearly wanted to eat/sit down and have a beer! After some shouting she stormed off and he just stood there looking bemused with the rest of us.

Anyway - email me through this thread - email button activated and I'll sort those piccie links for you.

C x

Hi,

tahnk you for all the information - i ahve bookmarked it and going to show in to my H2B later!

Some great ideas, will def. be hiring a scooter and hiding and valuables from the monkeys (hehe)

Would love to see some pictures!

The travel agent has recommended Bali Hyatt for our beach part of wedding. What did you think of the place? was it really expensive for drinks etc?

We are also not beach bums on our hols, was Nasa Dua a good base for activities? as we were thinking of spending the majority of time (7 nights) in land in Ubud - what would be your advice?

Thanks again for the link to your report, it really has been very helpful

Emma xxx

Hi Emma - there are a few Hyatt's in Bali. [looks at the piccies she took to see which was next door to us..] It was the Grand Hyatt - Bali in Nusa Dua. Is this the one you mean?

It's definately a Honeymoon - splash out type of place. Similar to where we stayed in Hawaii... but it is expensive for food and drinks if you consider £8-9 to be expensive for cocktails, and in relation to Bali - it's high end - even on the tourist scale - but go elsewhere to eat /drink if you like.

We only went for one evenng - and it was a Sunday - and it was very quiet - not many guests about - but this could be either they have all gone out to other places to drink and dine, they are scattered about the hotel - as all hotels in Nusa Dua are relatively large places and the Hyatt is HUGE! ,or the hotel was not very full to begin with. Our hotel seemed quite busy in comparison, but it was cheaper, and cost us next to nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Anyway - back to the Hyatt - has posh shops in the grounds - Good chemist - but pricier than the supermarket we later discovered- allows selective arts and crafts traders to come in at night and lay stalls out in the grounds (we think this is for the really lazy people who cannot walk the 3-5 mins to the Bali Collection - shopping area provided for those even too lazy to leave Nusa Dua resorts area - ha ha ). Tiki torches at night - all very romantic. The beach there was relatively quiet - day and night too. The grounds of the hyatt seemed well kept but a bit clinical and "stepford" in their structures. lakes, ponds, herons, etc. But all lovely - but am sure none of it was either fully used or appreciated by it's guests?

Bali needs water so badly - and to see the lush lawns of these near empty 5star hotels with no one using / enjoying them was sadly ironic. Hyatt is not the only one guilty of this practice. The Golf Course nearby has created plenty of controversy on that score too!

Location - if you plan to get off the plane, want a taxi ride for less than 30 mins , and do bugger all and chill alot of the time then Nusa Dua is for you. We only stayed here as it was ridiculously cheap. I would tell you - but you wouldn't believe me. But knowing we would be hiring a vehicle of some description it was fine for us. For those wanting more "night action" then it's Kuta/Legian.
Sleepier and smaller than Nusa Dua = Sanur - but a bit "out the way"
For those who love nature, arts and crafts and a good base for seeing the lakes and mountains - Ubud,

and for those who want a happy medium and good base in a nice part of the Island - Seminyak.

If on my honeymoon I would stay in Seminyak area as close to the main roads - north of Denpasar so don't have to keep getting caught in the traffic like we did as we left / returned to Nusa Dua - but traffic there is a few mins getting past the airport sections, and getting to the main roads that bypass Denpasar. I'm not talking M25 gridlock or anything like that.

We liked Ubud - but I couldn't imagine staying more than 2-3 nights. Plenty of restaurants and bars, and shows at the palace, and as I say a good base for getting up in to the mountains and lakes areas. But you will regret not staying somewhere beachy too - after all Bali is an island sandwiched between the Bal Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Get a copy of the lonely Planet and some other guide books to help you make up your mind.

Hope I've been some help though.

C x


Forgot to say - email me thru this site and i'll send links to pics. x





[Modified by: charleygirl on October 06, 2009 02:14 PM]

Hi Charley, I think I did it!? xx

Timone - just emailed you links to pics ... hope they work from my FB account x

Great info - many thanks for that! Good tip about the sun being so strong too, normally I dont wear more than factor 15 or 20 as I'm pretty good in the sun and tan well (unlike H2B who normally on factor 30 permanently and then still burns) I think I might have to invest in something a bit higher for this one, dont want to end up burnt and crispy for the wedding there! That wouldnt be good for the pics, lol! We're going to be staying at Nusa Dua (Laguna Resort & Spa) in April - cant wait

Thanks for the ideas on what to do out there, I do like to sunbathe but there's no point going all that way and not exploring and seeing the sights!!

Heather

Hi, thanks for all the info! we are staying in Ubud for 3 nights and Sanur for 7. What did you think to Sanur, you have said above that there isnt much going on? x

Hi Jemmap.

Please be aware that Sanur was a quick excursion en-route nad it was about 9:30 in the morning when we got there - walked the beach and down the main "high street" of shops. Compared to Kuta it was more suburban, calm and slow...

But who knows what it's like when the locals gather - work, shop, eat etc amidst the tourists that go there.

I am sure you will find plenty to do and the locals we did meet were friendly enough - even those hawking on the beach massages, hair braiding etc.

For those chill out days it will be perfect - and you are only a short cab ride to Denpasar, and a good area to be to get to the Sideman area, mountains, volacoes and lakes too.

So Jealous of those reading this that have yet to experience the wonders of Bali.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me thru the site - an piccie links avalable on request.

Timone - did the links work for u?

C xx

just bumping up as Bali seems to be on the hot topics again in Honeymoon section....

x

HiCharleygirl, I'm also thinking of Bali possibly next Sept/Oct but not for our honeymoon as I've been married over 2 years (can't stop coming on here, i'm addicted!!!).

Hubby and I would also like to do our own thing and enjoy the independence of going it alone. Firstly, do you think that Sept/Oct would be a good time to visit. Where would you suggest that we stay? We're not into clubbing but enjoy lovely food, wine and lovely scenery. I'm thinking of the Puri Santrian which I think is in Sanur. Do you know of this hotel or have you got any recommendations.

We would like to venture into town/village in the evening so anything within walking distance would be ideal.

Sorry for all the questions.

Claire

Hi Claire.
Sept /Oct is a perfect time to visit. We were there Sept 7th onwards for 8 nights. On the cusp of the low season ... so warm, not as crowded and few / no kids as all at school.
We got an amazing deal by booking in early August.

If we could chose an area to stay in again - we'd choose Seminyak. North of Kuta (the clubby bit) but within easy distance from all the major sights and areas to explore. It's got great shopping and eating and is a lot calmer than Kuta or Legian, but a bit more bustle than Sanur.... and the sunsets are amazing too - as on the west coast of the island.

We enjoyed Nusa Dua where we stayed and it was part of our silly cheap package and even though it was a bit south... it served us very well.

I'm afraid I don't know of any hotels in Seminyak that I could recomend but we did go to a place just N of Seminyak called Batu Belig and there was a large hotel right on the beach.... [she scratches head to think of what to google... hang on.... ] here it is... i love google earth!

Grand Balisani Suites Hotel
Jl. Batubelig Beach, Seminyak-Petitenget, Bali, 80361, Indonesia

Now Sanur was a fleeting visit - and it's small and quiet compared to the other resort areas in Bali. Might be ideal if you don't want to venture far at night. Lovely beach and friendly locals. Easy to walk around. Sanur is a good base for seeing the rice, mountains and volcanoes - but then again - if you are going to go indie and diy ... then everywhere is a great base if I'm honest.

We walked around Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa at night and plenty of shops, restaurants etc to keep you entertained here.

Probably raised more questions in your head than answered ... ha ha ....

just email me if you want to see pics.

for lovely food, wine and lovely sceneryBali can't be beat.
Wine may be pricey ... but the Bingtang Beers are a pound... so can offset your bar bills.

Have fun planning and buy a lonely Planet guide
12th edition of Bali & Lombok was our bible for the trip and got us around with plenty of adventure on the way.

C x

Thanks for your advice, Charleygirl. I've sent you an e-mail so if you have any photos, hubby & I would love to see them.

One question, I promise, did you book your flights seperate and then book your accomodation through the internet?


Claire