30.7.05

Info, please!

We'll be going to Bali for five days next week for the best friend's wedding. We're putting up at a hotel at Nusa Dua and, other than the wedding day itself, the rest of the time is ours.

This will be our first time in Bali. Even though I cringe at resorting to such a shamelessly lazy request for information, I plead for mercy on account of the fact that we really don't have the time this week to engage in our usually thorough pre-trip research at the Lonely Planet website and other online resources.

So I am shamelessly, lazily appealing for travel tips and suggestions, pretty pretty pretty please. We will probably spend a day or two soaking up the sun on the beach with nothing more intense than the latest Harry Potter novel for company. But other than that, what's fun to do? We don't dive, but we walk/hike/swim and the husband, if you didn't know already, is a photographer.

Ideas that have been tossed our way so far: dinner at Jimbaran, not the sunset dinner cruise, some local crafts village, $15 steaks at Hard Rock Cafe.

Oh, and how much cash should we bring? We're not really big spenders, although we'll probably indulge in a nice seafood dinner or two and perhaps the charm of the whole bargain shopping thing will finally appeal to me. I've been advised that we'll need 100,000 rupiah (S$16-17) for airport departure tax, but other than that, suggestions have ranged from $200 to $1000 per person (hotel is already paid for), and I confess I'm pretty lost.

All suggestions are welcome. Particularly good ideas will be rewarded with a Kuta trinket of your choice or a lovely photograph autographed by the husband.

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15 Comments:

At 7/30/2005 11:55 pm , Anonymous Anonymous said...

there's tons of ganja there...

 
At 7/31/2005 12:30 am , Blogger cour marly said...

There's also Tanah Lot, the famous temple on a rock perch by the sea. Go catch the sunset, it has very pretty views though quite a popular destination as well so you will have to put up with people in your pics. I can't remember how far it is from Nusa Dua, but it didn't cost that much on a taxi which took us there, waited for two hours, and took us back. But this was five years ago.

And if you're flying in to Denpasar in the day, get a window seat on the left side of the plane. I remember a stunning view of a crater lake with luscious blue water -- lovely.

 
At 7/31/2005 6:02 am , Anonymous Anonymous said...

you should go to one of the volcanos. just hire a car and drive up. its like twenty dollars a day for a car, then grab a map and ta-da! you can explore all the villages on the way as well. its really beautiful at the volcano. i dont remember what the one i went to was called, but it was next to the volcanic lake which was gorgeous too. enjoy yourself!

 
At 7/31/2005 7:58 am , Blogger tscd said...

There's Ulu Watu - the temple is very cool, perched on top of a cliff with amazing views. And the beach is a good walk, but the bay is totally enclosed, clean waters, and you can watch the surfers.

Best of all Ulu Watu beach is practically devoid of touts.

By the way, don't expect much with regards to the seafood. It's fresh but always overcooked.

 
At 7/31/2005 9:33 pm , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was just in Bali a few months back and if like me, you enjoy good food, a gorgeous bar/restaurant and excellent drinks, may I suggest the following.

http://www.huubali.com (owned by a Singaporean and you might remember Hu being at the SAM some years ago. It's absolutely gorgeous and the watermelon martinis are to die got)

http://www.kudeta.net/ (There are no words to describe the loveliness of this restaurant IMO. Definitely go at night and bag one of the supremely comfy seats at the edge of the sea)

Have fun. :)

Lin

 
At 7/31/2005 9:43 pm , Anonymous Anonymous said...

sorry. i meant, to die for :)

Lin

 
At 7/31/2005 10:28 pm , Blogger the commentator said...

Was in Bali just a few months back and stayed at Nusa Dua too. Lovely lovely area, IMO.

But because it's rather detached from the rest of the island, you'll probably end up taking cabs alot. Like I did.

It helps if you speak Malay - most cabdrivers aren't particularly well-versed in English.

What we ended up doing for the first few days was getting the hotel to call us a cab. Then we realised it costs quite abit more doing that.

After awhile, we decided to walk out from the hotel and flag one by ourselves. Mind you, most cabs are now metre-based so you don't have to worry. But after a night of merry-making at Hard Rock and the likes, you'll find loads of "taxis" waiting outside. Now these you'll have to bargain with.

One of our cabdrivers en route back to Nusa Dua proudly showed us the exact site where the bombings took place years back.

What a capper.

 
At 8/01/2005 3:43 am , Blogger bee said...

if you're adventurous, try having a dirt cheap massage on the beach for like $6-$10 sing dollars for bout half hour. but note: as a female, you'll have to fend off very persistent manicurists, hair braiders, temporary tattoo artists, accessory trinklets seller...all while you're trying to have your massage...definitely an experience for us (me and mak) haha :)

 
At 8/01/2005 9:56 am , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does "Terse" know how to ride a bike? Rent one and get lost. Bali is a good place for motorcycling. Feel the wind blow aginst your faces and feel young again. And of course bring along a camera. Duh! Balinese architecture, arts or people.

Last, visit the Bali Bombing Memorial at Kuta... ...

Some pictures

 
At 8/01/2005 10:49 pm , Blogger adinahaes said...

try the art galleries. Bali is the centre of Indonesian art and you'll find some very lovely oil paintings.

can't remember if they're actually cheap though, an oil painting by a well known artist might be more on the expensive side but you can find good ones by unknowns too.

The Nusa Dua beaches are ok, much more peaceful than the ones at Kuta which is a good thing.

 
At 8/03/2005 6:29 am , Blogger littlecartnoodles said...

Hello. Wow, it seems like the "in" thing to get married on Bali nowadays.

Taxis : The "Blue Bird" taxi-drivers are the most honest and will turn their meters on. Some others will act blur and will turn them on only when you ask them to. "Pak, meter boleh ?"

Besides Huu Bar and Ku De Ta that someone else has mentioned, other restaurants like Poppies and La Lucciola are also highly recommended.

Some helpful websites:
http://www.baliguide.com
http://www.balieats.com

My trip in May
http://littlecartnoodles.blogspot.com/2005/05/bali-good-holiday-pt-1.html
http://littlecartnoodles.blogspot.com/2005/05/bali-good-holiday-pt-2.html
http://littlecartnoodles.blogspot.com/2005/06/bali-good-holiday-last-pt.html

 
At 8/03/2005 11:07 am , Blogger Tym said...

Thanks for all the brilliant suggestions. We won't have time to do everything, but I know I'd definitely like to go back someday to see more.

cour marly --- So if we fly out of Denpasar in the day, we should aim for a seat on the right side of the plane?

Lin/littlecartnoodles --- How much would dinner and drinks at a place like Huu Bar or Ku De Ta cost? The pictures on the website make it look like must dress up a bit... And here I was planning to wear tanktops and beach shorts everywhere! (Except to the temples, of course.)

 
At 8/03/2005 11:13 am , Blogger wheyface said...

i was in bali two weeks ago and we stayed in ubud. i highly recommend going to the Neka Art Museum (nice grounds and the different galleries provide a quick intro to balinese architecture and the history of balinese painting). after that you should go to the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA). it's got even nicer grounds than the Neka, although the collection is smaller.
we also went white water rafting. you can see birds and snakes on the Ayung River - go with Sobek (that's the company recommended by the Lonely planet people).
we also did an early morning rice padi field walk. that was cool cos we walked through a village before that and then into the padi field. you could probably get your hotel to arrange this for you.

 
At 8/04/2005 2:29 am , Blogger Pencil said...

Hi,

Was in Bali late last year. Had joined a package tour since that time was the first trip and was quite suaku.

Contact this tour guide if you need him to arrange some resort, or some trip to some volcano, seaside, etc to spent sometime in.

He gave us his handphone. Indonesian number probably : 08164702218

Chinese guy in 30s. Quite good. Lead teams from Sgp, Msia, Jap, and even China officials groups etc. But also do for small groups or lone travellers.

Do called before you reach Bali, as sometimes he may be in jarkata.

 
At 8/04/2005 7:32 am , Blogger cour marly said...

Darn, reading all these comments about Bali is making me crave a holiday there myself!

Tym, I think that the flight path may be somewhat different on the way out of DPS, because I was on the right side of the plane but do not recall the same view. And you probably do not want to know why I can be so sure which side of the plane I was seated. :P

ps - you & terz have a great holiday!!

 

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