Hi all, I have planning for a honeymoon trip to Bali and there is a travel agency have a package promotion with B villa so I am here to seek for help to check if anyone ever been there? How is the experience over there?
Thank you
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Global financial crisis airlines reducing fleets..........
An interesting article in the West Australian newspaper today reported several international airlines reducing their flying stock due to the economic downturn. Hundreds of aircraft are being taken out of service and left in an aircraft graveyard in the Nevada desert USA.
Although not named as one of those companies, Asia Air has reported excess of U$1.8 million loss last year. Makes you wonder if that is why so many of their flights are cancelled, most recently from the Gold Coast in Queensland and Perth. Asia Air are currently advertising flights from Perth to Jakarta Au$90. How sustainable are these cheap flights? A bargain is great but not at the risk of spoiling your holiday when the flight is cancelled.
Buyer beware.
Deb
Global financial crisis airlines reducing fleets..........
Its seems that capacity is being reduced but...
Straits Times (Singapore) reported Tuesday that AirAsia (Indonesia) is starting new SIN-DPS, SIN-CGK, SIN-Yogya, SIN-Bandung service this month and Tiger is starting SIN-CGK service too. Unbelievably, the article stated AirAsia%26#39;s goal is to increase SIN-DPS frequency to 5 flights/day.
Over the past year, SIN-DPS capacity has greatly expanded, with more flights from SQ, Garuda, Lion, and now AirAsia. Sorry JetStarAsia, your discount monopoly has ended.
straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/S鈥?/a>
Global financial crisis airlines reducing fleets..........
Virgin%26#39;s loss for the year was a great deal bigger than Asia Airs. I guess we just have take the risk in times like these.
Hi
Good and bad
Cheaper travel ahead,more rock bottom deal to come.
Look at the bright side,air travel will be cheaper due to intense competition
Bali Hideaway Ubud
Has anyone stayed at Bali Hideaway Ubud. It%26#39;s a private home found on website with great comments. I have booked to stay there in June and would like to hear any other comments other than what is on the official website
Honeymoon in Bali?
We%26#39;ve never been to Bali before, but are considering going for our Honeymoon in end of August/early September. Is this a good place for honeymooners? At this point, we%26#39;re looking into the Club Med resort.
Honeymoon in Bali?Bali is a fantastic place for a honeymoon! Wish I had had mine there. It%26#39;s a beautiful island, with beautiful people, great food, an amazing culture, so much to see and do or you can just relax and do nothing! The shopping%26#39;s great too. There are some absolutely beautiful resorts, hotels and villas which would be ideal for a honeymoon. I have not stayed at Club Med, so can%26#39;t comment, but you could also try a private villa at Seminyak and then a resort hotel like the Four Seasons at Sayang, just out of Ubud (depending on your budget). Dividing your time between the coast and the country gives you the best of both worlds and let%26#39;s you see all of Bali, not just the touristy areas of the coast.
Honeymoon in Bali?I%26#39;d agree with Elizabeth - Nusa Dua is a big purpose built resort with (in my opinion) little Balinese charm. It does have its fans, it%26#39;s where you find all the 5-star hotels, so if that%26#39;s what you%26#39;re looking for you might enjoy it. For the same cost or less, you should easily be able to rent a very nice villa with pool in Seminyak.
Bali is an excellent place for a honeymoon, it can be especially romantic on a night time if you find a little restaurant on the beach, all candle-lit as you watch the sun set. Or the sun set as Tanah Lot temple is particularly memorable, if a little touristy.
distance fr ibis kemayoran to tanah abg
hi..i%26#39;m coming to jkarta tis feb 6. wl b styin at ibis kemayoran. just to know the distance %26amp; taxi fare fr the hotel to tanah abg/ambassador.. tq2
distance fr ibis kemayoran to tanah abg
From Ibis Kemayoran to Tanah Abang and Ambassador will take approx 1 hour journey depending on traffic condition, therefore taxi fare might range from Rp30,000 to Rp50,000 (all taxi using meter and everytime it stuck in traffic jam, the waiting charge will automatically imposed).
If you%26#39;re staying at Kemayoran, Mangga Dua area is nearer than both places.
distance fr ibis kemayoran to tanah abg
maybe you should change to Ibis Arcadia or Ibis Tamarin if you want to be closer to T Abg
hai , im will coming to jakarta on this November, my flight directly go to bandung ,n i will stay in bandung a few days, i slot my activities in one day go to Jakarta from bandung through train . Can you suggestion how i can go tanah abg , mangga dua, hard rock cafe n other place i can go jalan -jalan i n jakarta ?
One day to visit Tanah Abang, Mangga Dua, and Hard Rock Cafe? Are you sure?
It%26#39;s possible but the schedule will be very tight.
Tanah Abang and Mangga Dua are wholesale centers that open from morning and close just late afternoon (petang), so you need to choose one in order to enjoy it more. Tanah Abang is close to Gambir Train Station (where your Bandung train ends), you can take taxi or bajaj.
Hard Rock Cafe is located at eX mall, adjacent to Plaza Indonesia, approx 500meters from Tanah Abang, you can catch taxi or bajaj as well.
cirque,
any suggestion if i come from bandung by train how much the taxi service go to tanah abg n magga dua? i hear in jakarta have a big shopping complex like KLCC in Malaysia. Which one is like KLCC in Malaysia. can i walk along a road from Tanah abg to magga dua ?
kalau dari Tanah Abg 500mtr go to hard Rock cafe ,that how many hours will be taken to arriving that place. your opinion ,which the best place tanah abg or magga dua ?
The possible scenario is to visit ONLY:
1. Tanah Abang and Hard Rock Cafe
2. Mangga Dua only
Option 1.
From Gambir, take taxi to Tanah Abang, it%26#39;ll cost around Rp20,000. You can shop until the complex close around 4pm. From Tanah Abang, take taxi or bajaj (taxi will costs around Rp15,000), if want to take bajaj, you need to haggle first, Rp10,000 is OK. Tell the driver to go to Plaza Indonesia.
The shopping complex similar to Suria will be that Plaza Indonesia and also Grand Indonesia opposite it. You can explore both malls. Grand Indonesia has 2 department stores, designer boutiques, clothing stores, souvenir store, electronic store, etc... Children play area is located at 4th floor.
Plaza Indonesia mostly contains designer boutiques and the adjacent eX (entertainment center) is dedicated to young persons is the place where all the trendy cafes, bars, Hard Rock Cafe, cinema, and specialty shops located.
Option 2.
From Gambir, take taxi to Mangga Dua wholesale center. Approx cost Rp40,000. If you want to shop for clothing, alight at ITC Mangga Dua or Pasar Pagi Mangga Dua. If you want to buy electronic stuff, alight at Harco Mangga Dua or Mall Mangga Dua.
All four places are located side by side and opposite of each other. All are linked by pedestrian bridges.
Which place to go:
Depending on what is your main interest:
in Tanah Abang you%26#39;ll find mostly: Muslim clothing and accessories, local made clothing (for women, men, and children), shoes, bags, bedding items, and textiles. most shops require you to buy in bulk (especially clothing), but there%26#39;s some other who sell retail.
in Mangga Dua, you%26#39;ll find mostly: imported (China or Korea-made) clothing, some local clothing, fake branded leather goods, pirated DVDs, electronic stuff, computer stuff.
I recommend you not to walk between these places. There are plenty of transportation option available. Taking taxi is very easy and all are using meter (not like in KL!)
Even from Tanah Abang to Plaza Indonesia, don%26#39;t walk! The traffic is quite hectic.
Approx travel time (subject to traffic condition):
Gambir station to Tanah Abang: 10-15mins
Tanah Abang to Plaza Indonesia: 10mins
Gambir station to Mangga Dua: 30-50mins
From all these places back to airport: 1 hour
orait cirque, ..thank you your opinion. that one more thing i have a problem about the schedule train from bandung to jakarta. how do i know what time the train go to jakarta n the last train go back to bandung.
do you have friend to do transportation in bandung . i have a problem about the price transportation i bandung, last year i goes there , the price i not to much , but now when i survey is totally rare that now since the petrol price increase .
trip report feb 09
Flight:
Took Lion Air to Bali, return flight was cancelled! So we had to wait till next day.
Arrival and departure timing was good though, arrived early at 8am and departs late at midnight.
Accommodation:
Stayed at Oasis Kuta for 3 nights and loved the place to bits! It鈥檚 a 3 star hotel which has a 4 star feel! Highly recommended!
Do try the Balinese massage there! It鈥檚 so good and relieves all the knots in my back! Rp 70,000
Feb 20:
Walked around in Kuta town area. Did a pedicure with nail art for Rp 55,000.
Went to kuta beach in the evening, lovely sunset.
Feb 21:
Visited the monkey forest/conservation area. Very cooling with the shade of the trees and monkeys are all around you! Interesting experience.
We went to Tanah Lot after that 鈥?go for the sunset! Very beautiful!
The sight of a temple in the middle of the sea 鈥?amazing!
Feb 22:
Did white water rafting and went to an elephant safari.
I can鈥檛 swim and was highly scared when I had to do the water rafting, so would like to assure you all that it was safe! It鈥檚 really very fun and highly recommended!
Had seafood at Jimbaran Bay for dinner! Fantastic views, coupled with fantastic seafood, highly recommended!
Feb 23:
Went to Kintamani Volcano, had lunch at a restaurant which gave fantastic views of the volcano, Mt Batur %26amp; Lake Batur.
cheers, hamster03
trip report feb 09
Thank you for your report hamster, really pleased you had a good time in Bali. Glad you enjoyed the seafood at Jimbaran as there have been some bad comments on it lately.
Will you be going back to Bali any time, do you think?
trip report feb 09
Can%26#39;t agree more about Tanah Lot, once you look past the extreme tourism there it%26#39;s a magical place. The monkeys are interesting, especially as they scamper up your back and sit on your shoulder.
Thanks for taking the time to write this.
sounds like you had a fun and busy holiday. I love the view at tanah lot. such a pretty and significant place. thanks for taking the time to write.
Many thanks for your trip report. Would you please tell us the name of the restaurant you went to at Jimbaran Bay? It might help the rest of us if and when we decide to go there. Sounds like you did quite a lot in a very short trip.
Thanks again.
Ubud Budget
Any reommendations for $30 in Ubud, besides Adi Cottages?
Feb 25 for 3 nights
Thanks
Dennis
Ubud Budget
hi,
try tegal sari or artini cottage for $30.
is it $USD or $AUD or $HKD???
Bali Gen
Ubud Budget
walk around on Monkey Forest Road...there are a lot of places which charge around USD30 a night. Think upmarket backpackers - you get your own room, shower, breakfast, but that%26#39;s about it. Ibunda Inn is one of them. I think we paid USD25, but that was a few years ago. Prices may have gone up.
You can check to www.hostelbookers.com I have find accommodation to stay through this site.
Good luck
';Madgiral Guesthouse (google VRBO Bali/Ubud).
It will come up !
Sorry.....';Mad...ri...gal'; Guesthouse, ment to be very good !
Ketut%26#39;s Place www.ketutsplace.com
Artini 2 Cottages
Assuming US$, Green Fields. They do have rooms for 150,000 rp, but the nice ones are 250,000 and up.
Puri Asri Villa %26amp; Spa USD$30/night stay more tree night get 2pax traditional massage check out puriasrivillaandspa.com
Thank
Jhon
LOL, just wrote this post and then looked at your dates again... Never mind, this may help other budget conscious travellers.
I recommend Green Fields too, they have a huge range of rooms from RP150,000 and breakfast is included. We stayed there for 8 days last year and were not disappointed. We%26#39;re going back in June for another 8 days! Tegal Sari is fantastic, but it books up very quickly.
You could try a website like hostelbookers or hostelworld, but my advice would be to book directly with the hotel to avoid paying 10% extra. (You prepay a deposit to the site, but then have to pay the full amount at the hotel).
Too late for denfor6 but for others...Nick%26#39;s Hidden Cottages. $30US per night. Good rooms, breakfast included, great pool, easy walk to fantastic restaurants and monkkey forrest, lovely staff and good value
Ubud accommodation
Planning a stay of up to 4 weeks in Ubud in June/July and would prefer a small house for rent. Can anyone recommend somewhere?
If we can%26#39;t find the right place we are thinking of one of these: Gusty%26#39;s Bungalows on Jl Kajeng; Sayong House just off Jl Dewi Sita; or Jati Bungalows on Jl Hanamon would anyone like to share their views on these or other homestays. Your advice would be appreciated.
Ubud accommodation
the first two you have written down are hotels rather than a small house.
but i would recommend staying at one of them till you found the house that you liked.
Ubud accommodation
Thanks for your reply. Sorry my o.p. wasn%26#39;t clear. If we can%26#39;t find a good value small house then we will use a homestay, such as those I enquired about. Although we lived in Ubud for a year and know many homestays we do not know Gusty%26#39;s and Jati and we were hoping for some inside information (or warnings!)
hi popnorm
i%26#39;ll be ther in april and back about mid may. send a message and i%26#39;ll let you know about gusti%26#39;s. RT
Jati%26#39;s is okay, quiet as it is not directly on Hanoman.
Bali Putra has bungalows to rent by the month or longer. It is down by the ';S'; curves on Hanoman, near Pizza Bagus. Two-story bungalows have kitchen, (Indo) tv, 2 bdrms, tiny garden, balcony etc. It is a short walk in the paddies (or what%26#39;s left of them!) to the road and several restaurants and a convenience store nearby. They quoted me 4.5 duta inc tax a year ago. It%26#39;s a pretty good deal and place is v popular and fills up fast. I was looking to rent for this year.
Phone: 62-361-973-349. (Technically it%26#39;s on Jl Raya Pengosekan)
There are a lot more villas to rent in Campuan but that is farther out and you need transport to go anywhere. And as you know, any guesthouse/homestay will quote you a cheaper monthly rate.
Thanks Tebesaya for the tip. Will look it up. It sounds like Bali Putra is behind the ARMA museum, which is a pretty good area.
BTW do you have a connection to the Tebesaya banjar?
We are four ladies travelling together and have booked Bali Hideaway in ubud. A private house with staff included. Google that name and you will get their website. Costing us $1000AUS for 4 nights so maybe a little expensive. Ok for us as we are splitting it 4 ways
bali hai resort tuban
can anybody plase tell me if the bali hai has reopened yet. it has been closed for 18month and was to open up in feb 09 cant find anything out about it. don%26#39;t know if it%26#39;s changes it%26#39;s name it right down the end of kuta beach going towards to airport. have had many wonderful times there and i was just wondering
cheers
sharon
bali hai resort tubanHi Sharon,
The old Bali Hai is now the new Holiday Inn Baruna. It was to open on the 1st of March, not sure if it did though, when I was there a couple of weeks ago I thought they would be pushing to get it finished by then. All looked really lovely though. Maybe just have a look on the Holiday Inn website.
Cheer Chez000
bali hai resort tubanNot open yet, maybe April.Will check it out, when i get time! Ha! Ha!
Cheers
Burns
We too have enjoyed many wonderful sunsets there. We%26#39;ve booked for June this year. They%26#39;re currently advertising a soft opening in mid March. Its a lot more expensive than it used to be, but then all good hotels in Bali have gone up significantly. They%26#39;re currently running opening specials on their web site
www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/dpsbh
Another hotel you may enjoy is the Harris Resort in Kuta. A lot of their staff transferred there when the BaliHai closed as they are managed by the same company, Tauzia.
Nusa Dua costs
Hi all
Planning a honeymoon in Oct and considered staying in Nusa Dua this time instead of Kuta / Legian.
I generally dont eat in the hotel as normally it is a rip off so prefer to get out on the streets where i can eat in restaurants and drink in bars for alot less than the hotel. However, I am having some concerns about Nusa Dua as other comments on these forums suggest that there are limited places to eat / drink and the prices are quite high (western prices).
Can anyone give any guidance please? Is it really just like being in Aust for prices?
Also, what are the distances like between the hotels and the restaurants or is everything still fairly close.
Thanks
McCrawsh
Nusa Dua costs
I think hotel dining is always more expensive than outside, and they hit you with the 21% surcharge.
There are a few restaurants around, but not the variet of venues like the city areas.
One thing I would suggest would be to consider an all inclusive resort. The Club Med has one of the nicest beaches of all the hotels in Nusa Dua wide open and expansive - blows away the narrow, crowded beaches at the Laguna/Westin/Nusa Dua Resort hotel strip.
Nusa Dua costs
i have stayed at nusa dua several times BUT it is not my favourite place to stay. If you want to be able to walk to nice budget restaurants and wander along the beach and have some good shops as well and a lovely place to relax then choose sanur over nusa dua. nusa dua hotels are very good but the area is typically a purpose built tourist enclave. the exchange rate is lower, the prices of shopping and food is higher. mainly australian prices at the majority of larger hotels. there is a few choices in nusa dua which are cheaper. such as the bali collection ( a group of shops and restaurants) this is situated within walking distance of the grand hyatt and they have a shuttle bus to pick up from the hotels. NOTE bali collection restaurants are cheaper than hotel restaurants but the shops are a higher price than the rest of bali and for souveners etc the prices are ridiculously high. there is a small supermarket here once again cheaper than australian prices but higher than other areas in bali. imported foods are very expensive. there is also restaurants in tanjung benoa and some local %26#39;cheaper%26#39; restaurants in two places at the local village. first is at the main gate where you enter the hotel security area and the second is the south gate at Jl.Pantai Mengiat. the restaurants often offer free transport otherwise you need a taxi.
here is a link to a map showing the areas i mention so you can get an idea where things are.
tropicalbalirestaurant.com/location_map.asp
the all inclusive hotels are only good value IF you want to stay there and eat all meals etc. not good value if you want to be out and about and trying the great restaurants on offer and doing day trips as you end up wasting your money on food and drinks you don%26#39;t get to take advantage of the deal.
Because Nusa Dua is a purpose built resort, it has overall better security and less aggressive vendors in the beach areas. Lately, the vendors north of the Hyatt at Sanur have gotten a little out of hand, and local banjar should put a stop to that. Its a pain.
The beach at Nusa Dua is generally nicer than Sanur - particularly the southern part of Nusa Dua from the Grand Hyatt to the St Regis. Sanur is experiencing beach erosion, and have had to build break waters to preserve the beach sand - only partially successful. There is also some beach erosion at Nusa Dua in the middle north part around the Melia Bali and Westin.
Both areas have completed long brick walkways along the beach, so its good for jogging or walking. There are more bicycles at Sanur - I never see any at Nusa Dua.
Shopping really is about the same for basics. Nusa Dua has a Hardy%26#39;s superstore close by, which is good for cheap drinks and eats. Its the same chain as at Sanur.
I think visitors can have a great experience at any of the resort areas in Bali. It really depends on personal preference and quality of the accommodation.
Golf in Jakarta
I am going to Jakarta for three weeks and would like to have a couple of games of golf during that time. I am going to stay in Ritz Carlton. Any recommendations? Thank you.
Golf in Jakarta
There%26#39;s a couple of golf courses inside the city. Nearby the hotel there%26#39;s Senayan Golf Course and Pondok Indah Golf. Other is Pantai Indah Kapuk Golf (Damai Indah Golf) on the north Jakarta.
Outside the city, you can go to Bogor city. My recommendation is Rancamaya Golf Estate www.rancamayaestate.com
The concierge at Ritz Carlton will be happy to assist you in arranging for golf trip.
Golf Club contact:
Pondok Indah Golf http://www.golfpondokindah.com/
Senayan Golf Club phone 62-21-573-1695
Damai Indah Golf, Pantai Indah Kapuk www.damaiindahgolf.com
Golf in Jakarta
P.S. There are 2 Damai Indah Golf Courses; one in Pantai Indah Kapuk (north Jakarta, with view of Jakarta Bay, but the area is considerably very hot and humid).
The other one is in BSD city, a satellite city 1 hour drive from the hotel. Location-wise, the latter is nearer to the hotel and the traffic between the hotel and golf course is less hectic.
Thanks a lot for the information.
1 day in Tanah Abang
Hi all!
I%26#39;m new to the forum. Need valuable feedback from members.
I%26#39;ll be in Jakarta on May 26, 2009 arriving at 9:00AM.
My intention is to shop @ Tanah Abang and nearby area. Hv not decided to stay for a nite or depart to Bandung in the evening.
1. Is there any flight from Jakarta to Bandung? The schedule if any wld be good. I might be taking the last flight on May 26 or the 1st flight available on May 27.
2. How%26#39;s the traffic like from Tanah Abang to air port? How long does it take to reach the airport on late evening or early morning?
3. Silver Bird Taxi .. can we prebook the cab, is it 24hrs service?
That all for now.
1 day in Tanah Abang
1. Jakarta to Bandung is best travelled by car. It is abt 3 hrs by car. You can rent a car or use shuttle service from various drop off/pick up points. How long do u plan to stay in BDG? Leaving on 27 morning will be more beneficial than 26 night
2. Tn Abang to airport is about 1 hr traffic in good hour and can be 1.5 hrs in peak hours
3. No need to pre book. You can get silver bird in airport counter and most of the 5 star hotels in jakarta. Actually you can always use Blue Bird as well (budget taxi belong to same group as Silver Bird), and you can hail one in the street at anytime.
1 day in Tanah Abang
Some info:
1. All taxi in Jakarta run by meter. All operate 24 hours. So no need to worry not to get a cab!
To get Blue Bird Group taxis (including Silver Bird) you can call 021-79171234 (Jakarta). They have branch in Bandung as well.
2. No flight serving this route as road travel is taking short time. Other transportation option is to take train. Train info: www.infoka.kereta-api.com/cari/…
Mind you: Executive class cabin onboard the train has better services than business class.
You can also opt for scheduled shuttle service between Jakarta and Bandung; Cipaganti www.cipaganti.co.id or Xtrans www.xtrans.co.id
Dear Cirque,
Thanks so much for yr reply. Should I plan to stay for the nite in JKT where is the best yet affordable hotel to stay.... perhaps the one nearest to Gambir Station.
1. What time does the Mangga 2 arcade close?
2. I might be taking the first train to BDG around 6AM arriving in BDG at 9AM. (Can we buy the ticket the day before?
3. Do you know any place offer good textile such as chiffon in JKT?
4. Any must try food in JKT? a Halal one pls, good restaurant you would like to recommend?
5. Tit bits outlets selling ';tempe';
Hi inayrah,
Let me answer your question first:
1. Mangga dua arcade close around 4-5pm. (same like Tanah Abang). Please read the other post as I answered more topics like this in other post.
2. Train ticket can be bought on the day you want to go. Don%26#39;t worry and please make sure you only buy from the train counter (there are plenty of touts around the station).
3. Tanah Abang is the place to go. You can find almost any kind of fabric; silk, chiffon, lace, cotton, you name it! Textile can be found at basement 2 level.
4. You can try various Indonesian food at Tanah Abang food court on 8th floor. It has variety of food from all over Indonesia. Don%26#39;t worry; I guess Indonesia is stricter than Malaysia when it comes to food. All food served in food courts and most restaurants are halal (there%26#39;s no such place like kopitiam here, only in suburb area). Non-halal place will put some %26#39;sign%26#39; in their menu or entrance (even there%26#39;s only few Chinese restaurants that served pork here).
5. Cooked one or raw one? Various food made of tempe can be found at food court selling Indonesian food. There%26#39;s so many creation of tempe you can sample. Plus, you can also find fried-sliced-tempe from food stall by the street selling fried food (gorengan seller).
Raw tempe can be found easily at any supermarket.
Now about the hotel stuff; it really depends on your planning. If you intend to stay; I suggest to find hotels around city center. There are plenty of choice. Ibis Tamarin, Ibis Arcadia (3 star) or Hotel Sofyan Betawi (2 star) are all within short distance to both Gambir and Tanah Abang (you can take taxi or bajaj).
If u stay in Ibis Tamarin or Arcadia, you ll find food literally at the hotel door step. Nasi Padang Garuda is around the corner, In front of that is a satay place, there is iga bakar and sup iga (iga is tulang rusuk) in front of the Bersih Sihat outlet, at jalan jaksa there is kopi tiam Malaysian style with roti canai summore :)
Taman Burung Villa Lovina
Hello
Has anybody stayed at the Taman Burung Villa in Lovina Bali ?
Taman Burung Villa Lovina
I%26#39;m going there in April 2009 with my family so I%26#39;ll report back, but I%26#39;d love to hear about the place too if anyone else has been there.
I%26#39;d also be interested whether there are any other recommendations of other places to visit in the area.
Taman Burung Villa Lovina
Many Thanks.
We head there in July 2009.
It all looks very good , but your feedback would be great.
Cheers.
4 hands and 1 heart massage
Can anyone tell me where can we find the four hands and one heart massage in Ubud? I heard that is a great massage and I just wonder where do they have it in Ubud. Thank you.
Hotel recommendations... Which would you pick out of these?
and why?
Raja Gardens
Kumala Pantai
Kumala Hotel
Kuta Puri Bungalows
Hotel Palm Garden
Uns Hotel
Want good value for the money, doesn%26#39;t have to be next to the beach, should have some nightlife close by, but not be too loud. Thanks!
Hotel recommendations... Which would you pick out of these?
hi just returned to day try kuta town hoses you wont be disapointed verey clean well run by a aussie guy rooms are so big with big fridges some have cooking faciliates. the hotell is located off poppeys lane one fantastic resturants at your door .look it up on the internet cant say enough about the hotll and ther is no tax on the meals or drinks at the hotel we will stay ther again later in the year kobrob
Hotel recommendations... Which would you pick out of these?
Kumala Pantai, love it there. Have been 4 times to this hotel but unable to get in for our next holiday in July. 2 large pools, right on the beach. Lovely staff close to shopping and nightlife.
Loved it!!
Kumala Pantai.. beautiful gardens, pools, greta new rooms.
Kumala Hotel not that nice
Raja Gardens very basic, can do better
Uns Hotel basic, but has some charm
I haven%26#39;t been to the others except for Kuta Townhouses which the op mentioned, but to me they are big modern motel units, not like Bali at all :%26gt;(
My pick would be Kumala Pantai or if you want to be nearer Kuta central have a look at Satriya Cottages.
i like kumala pantai out of your choices for the kuta / legian area. beautiful gardens, close to the beach and good food at the restaurant and also close walking distance to shops and other restaurants. being just out of kuta it is a little better position.
palm garden hotel is in sanur (unless there is another one you are referring to). sanur is completely different to legian / kuta. palm garden hotel is a very neat / clean hotel a 1 minute walk to the beach and close to restaurants and shops. i have been in the 2 bedroom ambassador suite which was good value for the price. not a lot of night life in sanur but some bars and restaurants with some music. sanur is a great place to relax. about a 20 + minute drive to kuta and surrounds.
Thanks for the great tips. Kumala Pantai seems to be universally loved, and even though it is higher priced than the rest, it seems that in this case, you get what you pay for... I guess rates just went up for the year, but it is probably still worth the extra money overall. I have 6 nights in Bali, so maybe I%26#39;ll split them up between 2 places in 2 different locations.
Ho far of a walk is Kumala Pantai from the center of Kuta?
I%26#39;d say it%26#39;s more of a short taxi drive from the Kumala to the centre of Kuta, especially in the heat and humidity. Taxis are cheap and plentiful, just make sure you get the Bluebird cabs which are metered.
Hi boddicker52
Allow yourself at least 30mins, we take the back lanes to Poppies 2, and don%26#39;t really walk that slow, so its probably quicker than heading down the beach path from Kumala Pantai,then the beach rd to Hard Rock Corner, or you can go Legian Street, but that always seems to take forever,esepcially if you stop and start looking at shops.(on a bike we estimate that it could be about 2kms from Kuta Square to Kumala Pantai, i%26#39;m with friends who take us back from Tuban to K/P)
Cheers
Burns
Kumala Pantai wins hands down for me.Great location, beachside, within walking distance of restaurants %26amp; shops, lovely pools, friendly staff, lovely shower in the rooms.Blocks with pool views are Y, A, S %26amp; SG.
It%26#39;s easy to get a taxi, just ask reception to call one for you or walk along one of the streets outside the hotel %26amp; one will soon come along. Blubird are best but I%26#39;ve used others without mishap just ensure you ask for the approx cost before you set off %26amp; ask them to turn the meter on
Thanks for all of the great advice. Email has been sent to Kumala Pantai, and hopefully they have room for me.
Legian Hotel, New Rama or Rada???
Hey guys,
we are travelling to bali in may for 14 nights, we are thinking of spending 7 nights in kuta and 7 nights in legian
i have just been told there is a new hotel in Legian called the Rama or Rada, and are offering great deals to get people to stay there.
anyone know the exact name of the hotel, or a website or email?
Thanks
autumn
Good Restaurants in Ubud
We are going to Ubud in late October after we read so much about Mosaic Restaurant, we would like to try that out. We sent email for reservation and Mosaic asked for all credit card information and they will charge us in advance to hold our reservation. We didn%26#39;t make our reservation because we are not comfortable to give out our credit card information. What do you think we can try our luck when we get to Bali?
Good Restaurants in Ubud
Mosaic always asks for written confirmation, I don%26#39;t remember specifically what they ask for but I do remember it is rather detailed. Just ask the hotel where you are staying to book it for you when you get there - they will still have to fax some kind of reservation paper to the hotel and then confirm it the day before but I am pretty sure you will still get in if you book a few days in advance. They have the same problem as many hotels and villas have - people book and then don%26#39;t turn up and they simply can%26#39;t afford no-shows. It is not a large restaurant so this is understandable.
Good Restaurants in Ubud
Thank you. We will try our luck when we get there. We just don%26#39;t feel comfortable for Mozaic charged us more than US$150 in advnace.
we went to Mosaic last year, they needed our credit card details to secure the booking, as they get a lot of no shows.
if you cancel up to 4pm on the day of the booking they wont use your credit card.
they will use it if you book and just dont show up.
I was in Ubud last year and I am a big fan of good rstaurants. I must say that I ended up giving Mosaic a miss coz it was very pricey and the truth is that Ubud has lots of other great restaurants.
My fave is the Dirty Duck, call ahead and ask for a table with a day bed overlooking the rice paddies. Food was pretty good and ambience was simply lovely.
Another great food place was the Komaneka Resort on Monkey Forest Rd. The snapper (and just about every other dish) was amazing!
Have fun if u do go to Mosaic, there has been good reviews. Either way you%26#39;ll enjoy your time in Ubud. Its a beautiful part of Bali.
Hey Pkwong,
We are just back from Bali and have been staying around 7 days in Ubud.
Here are the restaurants we tried :
- Café des Artistes : my absolute favorite ! Quite cheap, very nice atmosphere and great food ! Try the steaks %26gt; they are superb ! We went twice since it is so good... Menu is fairly traditional with a selection of European (Belgian / French), Indonesian and Thai food. Quality is excellent !
- Terrazzo : food is more refined here, nice atmosphere but we were only guest. Expected it to be more trendy... besides some jazzy pictures, this was a rather traditional interiot.
- Murni%26#39;s Warung : no surprises on the menu (usual Indonesian / Asian and some international dishes) but quality was good. Ask for a table at the lowest level, which is down in the valley and closest to the river. Service was a bit less (reservation we made before arrival was completely ignored and free transport was terrible with only one car available and no organisation)
- Tropical Balé : this was our most positive surprise. Food is refined with lots of combinations on your plate, so you%26#39;ll be able to have a great tasting dinner for around 20 USD per person (starter + main). Setting is also great : overlooking rice field and very open.
- Café Lotus : great place surrounded with lotus ponds and view towards temple. Food = traditional but good quality. Try to get a table in the Balés.
We had a reservation for Mozaic for last evening, but cancelled : a tasting menu costed in 2006 around 35 USD per person (excluding drinks) and price has risen to 55 USD... We booked Tropical Balé instead after discovering it by accident a few days before. I am surprised by the way that they intend to charge your CC upon reservation %26gt; this was not the case until recently (a month ago?). Perhaps reason is that many tourists discover during their stay in Ubud that there are so many good restaurants there at a fraction of the price... Having said that, food is still the best at Mozaic, but you will need to pay for it ! Service and charm is not more exceptional then other restaurants, so I would only recommend for the truly adventurous food lovers who don%26#39;t mind paying around 70 to 80 USD per person all in.
Regards,
Bart
Thank you for all the information and I am looking forward for this trip.
There are plenty of nice restaurants with great food in Ubud. One of my favorites is Batan Waru in Dewi Sita Street.
Mainly Indonesian food, but they also serves European dishes. For me, this place is cozy, both in the morning and in the evening. I like to have my early dinner (at 6pm) there, ordering food like Chicken Sate and once, even Oxtail Soup! I know I was a bit adventurous that day.
I went to Mosaic in 2006 and it was fantastic, the atmosphere is wonderful - very romantic! It is pricey but worth it! Enjoy!
I must say I agree with Safari Bart and the recommendations....also Dirty Duck, all of those restaurants are great. I went to Mosaic, food was ok , but it was stuffy in terms of atmosphere and I am convinced that it gave me bali belly, although cannot be certain!
anyway, if you need to go, please go, but I think you will enjoy the other restaurants the reviewers have mentioned here too and they will give you more of an Ubud experience
We just returned from Bali. We had good meals at both Terazo an Indus in Bali.
The gazpacho, summer rolls and Indonesian red chicken with red rice at Terazo were excellent. The lamb curry not nearly as good. At Indus, for lunch, the samosas and sates were very good. Also they had an excellent Thai-style coconut chicken soup. Good selection of teas and such too. Have fun.
Kinda JBR...very loooong.
Well. Where do I start and how do I keep this short enough so as not to bore you all to death but make it long enough to explain the wonderful Bali thru the eyes of this Bali virgin.
I’ll try to keep to the point how’s that….not promising anything tho :o)
Well, we drove North to Port Hedland and flew on a Sunday to Bali. We stayed at the Port Hedland Caravan Park in a sardine can of a room…OMG what an experience. The ONLY saving grace was that it was close to the airport and we could trundle our cases across the highway. Review coming.
So we awoke early and got the heck outta there, we planned to just walk across the highway and about 500 metres or so to the terminal So hubby took off with our 7 yo and told me to meet him at the airport gate while me and our 5 yo returned the key to the room from hell. Having staggered across the road in the steamy Port Hedland heat wheeling a case full of clothes to donate to Rotary (very heavy) , we arrived at the gate only to discover that the rest of the family had snagged themselves a lift from a security officer and had driven in air-conditioned luxury to the departure gate. So we finally arrive at the terminal, very sweaty and in not such a jolly mood. He thought it was a great laugh that no body seemed to bother to pick me and his youngest child up off the side of the road to bestow on us an air-conditioned lift. Too bad for him I didn’t quite catch the joke that he seemed to have shared with all and sundry at the departure gate.
Anyhoo, we got our Skywest Fokker 100 (no I’m not being rude, that’s what they are called) and enjoyed our quickest flight to anywhere out side of Oz, just a 2 hour flight, by the time they had cleared away the breakfast mess we were approaching Denpasar.
I rushed the family straight towards the VOA counter with our US$100 waving in my hot little hand, I believe we may have set the record for fastest entry into Bali as we were lined up for our bags within about 5 minutes.
Of course with hubby having arrived at the airport WAY earlier than expected we were nearly the first to check in luggage, this is what I blamed for our longish wait for our bags at the other end, ie (put on plane first, taken off plane last). But we had a very helpful Porter looking out for our two cases with a trolley waiting to load them onto, not really necessary as the walk from the trolley pick up to the taxi is quite short…but he seemed to be a helpful fellow and directed us to the nearest money changer, then asked for a tip...Hmmmmm,having just changed money of course our smallest note was 50,000...”Oh that will be fine“, he says.
BEWARE - THE HELPFUL PORTER.
Then, straight to the pre paid taxi counter…hubby very impressed that I knew to “turn right” once we got out of the airport….pity nobody warned me about the porters?????
Got our taxi to Sanur and checked into the Bumi Ayu Bungalows (see Review for more info.)
Sanur was WONDERFUL, so quiet and easy to get around. A few of our favourite Sanur things were..
* Bonsai Café, sat and had our first Bali lunch there, the Bonsai plants are gorgeous, so much detail and work there. The food was great, service wonderful.
* Hardy’s, one of our first stops to pick up supplies, Bintang, Heineken, Yakult, Water and snacks
* Panache Hair and Body Works, great Hair Cream Bath, Pedicure and Manicure all for AUS$20.
* Mango Café, both on the beach and the street…Oh food to die for and wonderful generous serves.
*Bennos, very handy to the markets and great food, service and toilets.
*Cat and Fiddle Pub - Excellent Guinness Pie and Entertainment, close to The Pro Shop in JL Cemara, a Kite Surf shop that had some really great surf gear all at fixed price, good quality and different from everything else I had seen. Also close by was Lumut, which was a wonderful little shop and café full of knick knacks all at fixed price and very reasonable. We ordered dinner then I went for a shopping spree in both these places.
*Irma, who came to the Bumi Ayu to do the massage, 60,000 for an hour.
*Tootsies in Sindhu Markets, lovely shop with A/C and the owner is more than happy to let you browse in comfort. This shop has a bit of everything, bags, shoes, clothes etc
We did the Safari and Marine park from Sanur, catching the free shuttle from the Inna Grand. The kids adored the animals, although it kind of distressed me to see them so dopey, (the animals not the kids.....then again????) While the boys were having a photo with the baby tiger, the tiger actually yawned. My hubby got THE best picture of the boys sitting with the tiger at that very moment; it looks like the tiger is roaring rather than yawning. We just paid the entrance fee than an extra 100,000rp for the boys to ride an elephant, they loved this. When we got to take photos the handlers were more than happy to let us snap away.
Waterbom was great, we used a voucher from the Kuta Book, that gave us a free lunch. We all had a ball here and I think putting money onto the wrist band is a great idea, no worrying about money or wallets etc. we were going to purchase a second day, but I’m glad we didn’t as I think 1 day was enough for us.
After a week at the Bumi Ayu in Sanur we then moved to Seminyak to the newly refurbished and re-named Breezes Resort and Spa ex Contiki. See Review.
Bit of trouble checking in…but they soon had it sorted and we were deposited in our very spacious family room. The staff here are lovely, very efficient and gracious.
We fell in love with Ayu and the rest of the staff at the activities desk.
Favourite Seminyak things…
* The shopping in boutiques and small market stalls, too many to name.
* Bestest Café…YUM, we ate there frequently as it was close to The Breezes and it was raining a lot.
* Proximity to Kuta, we hopped the shuttle bus to Jl Melasti a couple of times and ventured down Garlic Lane for some bargain hunting.
* Cin Cin restaurant, great internet service and pool tables and really good cocktails.
* Not getting hassled by too many street vendors
* Choice of shopping was fantastic; boutiques to sidewalk markets all wonderful.
*
Unfortunately due to our youngest being ill and not wanting to move more than 100 metres from out Hotel (it was all too much), we didn’t get to try the wonderful restaurants in Eat Street, but hope to do that another time…maybe minus the children.
My first impressions of Bali were that everyone wanted “something”. I didn’t really relax until we hit Seminyak, this is when I discovered the Beautiful side of Bali and the beautiful people you are always hearing about on this forum. It was nice to chat and socialize with people who didn’t want to sell you something or take you for a ride.
I thank all on this forum for their wise words and help.
TMT
Kinda JBR...very loooong.
Hi TMT,
Thanks for the great JBR. We, too, are Bali virgins so I appreciated your views.
We head over next week and reading your report made me very excited.
We are staying in Legian and then Seminyak so am looking forward to the Seminyak bit after reading your review.
Glad you enjoyed your holiday.
Cheers,
NJay
Kinda JBR...very loooong.
thank you for writing about your bali adventure. sounds like you had a great holiday. what a shame your youngest child was unwell. glad to hear you are planning to return (maybe minus children). the safari and marine park is a great place. we really enjoyed the elephant ride. waterbom is a great day out also. the wristband is a good idea. we stayed there until closing.
Thank you for your great JBR TMT, I really enjoyed reading it.
There have been some posts warning of the porters in the past, sorry you got caught. Just a tip for next time.....ask the money changer to give you some (not many, but some) small notes. The money changers at the Airport are honest so you won%26#39;t be scammed there, so a few smaller notes is safe. Or if you don%26#39;t want a porter, just politely say no thank you.
Hopefully, when you return to Bali you will be able to get past the ';wanting something'; of the locals. I can remember feeling the same way on our first trip, but now it%26#39;s just them trying to make a living in a very competative market. Usually though, once they know that you don%26#39;t want to hire them or buy from them, they relax a bit too, and are open to conversation and jokes. I also think that the locals can usually tell just by looking at people if they are Bali virgins, so they are hoping for an easy target. When you return you will probably be more confident and the locals can tell. Just my theory.
TMT! long time no see!
I enjoyed your TR, I hope your youngest is O.K now.
That%26#39;s an interesting theory Whinnie, if only we had some way of testing it.
Excellent JBR, and close to my heart as when I first visited Sanur I had similar experiences, but this time with a porter at the taxi counter who didn%26#39;t actually tell me he was a porter (and I had read about them on TA in the baggage hall). Bonsai was also my very first restaurant in Bali, arriving after a long flight, sat there with some sate on it%26#39;s little charcoal burner and a huge bottle of ice cold Bintang in a bamboo cooler.
Thanks for evoking such fond memories.
Hi TMT,
I really enjoyed reading your JBR %26amp; also your sense of humour!
Thanks for the tips re: shopping %26amp; restaurants, it%26#39;s always good to visit new places, so I%26#39;ve added some to my little Bali Bible which I%26#39;m never without when I visit.
I had a great day out at the Safari %26amp; Marine park last August, one of the highlights of my holiday.
It can be intimidating to be harrassed by sellers but usually a smile %26amp; a joke helps. Good to hear that you finally discovered the beautiful Bali in Seminyak. It is the wonderful balinese people themselves who make Bali so special.
Cheers
Ursie
Thanks TMT for your great JBR - it is always lovely to hear about Bali virgins%26#39; first experiences of Bali. I would have been absolutely furious if my husband had left me at Port Headland airport too - not a good start to a wonderful holiday.
It is also wonderful to hear someone write praises of Seminyak which is absolutely my favourite haunt in the south of Bali. I have stayed at Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Ubud and Amed but just feel at home in Seminyak and around that area - fabulous shopping and fantastic restaurants.
Many thanks once again for taking the time to write.
Comment from Whinnie
';I also think that the locals can usually tell just by looking at people if they are Bali virgins.';
This made me laugh Whinnie...my boys always put their foot in it. If anyone approached us on the street or a taxi driver asked ,';how long you been here';, I usually told a little white lie and said ';a week, and we go home tomorrow';, just so I wouldn%26#39;t get hassled. I could usually get away with this as I have quite a tanned complexion from living in the North West, so they assumed I had been in Bali a while. The first time I tried this though, my youngest pipes up and says, ';But Mum, we only arrived yesterday';. Kids, gotta love %26#39;em.
Thanks all for your kind comments, the youngest is well, funny all I was worried about was Bali Belly so we took all the precautions; red cordial, yakult and diligent hand cleansing. Believe it or not I was the only one to get Bali Belly..Grrrr, not so bad that it stopped my doing anything though. I put this down to the fact that I ate alot of Vegie dishes, I think I lived on Gado Gado for the first few days...this could have been my undoing. Someone told me once that the spinach and some other vegies are grown in really awful swampy areas and the leaves take up this awful water and it makes you sick...could be??
My youngest got an awful body aching flu, the Doc we called out actually thought it may have been dengue fever, thank goodness it wasn%26#39;t. It took him a couple of days to get over it.
Cheers
TMT we took our kids to Disneyland about 12 years ago and the buffet breakfast was calculated for kids by $1 for every year of their age. Well, hubby the tight ar$e that he is, told the guy at the counter that all 3 of our kids were a year younger than they were.
Have you ever tried to put your hands over 3 kids mouths all at the same time? He could have warned me so I could warn them.
When I got the kids oustside our middle son who was 9 at the time (and we had told them all about the fact that we would loose a day when we flew to the USA so they understood that) asked with really wide eyes.....Dad, when we flew from Australia to America did I lose a whole year AND a whole day?
All the adults were laughing to hard to answer him, poor kid.
Great JBR TMT! So glad you enjoyed Bali. Sorry to hear you and your little one got sick while there. I find I always get a bit of a funny tummy but I think its just the more spicy foods and perhaps a little too much alcohol!
My 7 year old had some terrible rash with achy joints last year. Poor thing was bed ridden for about 4 days. It was our first trip to the Bali Hospital BIMC and I have to say I was very impressed. Nice to know its there if there is an emergency!
I%26#39;m sure you will be booking your next holiday soon!!
airport pickup
hi our family of 6 is travelling to bali in april can someone tell me would it be better to have a driver pick us up rather than us trying to get a driver at the airport.we are staying in kuta can someone please tell me how much i should pay.thanks
airport pickupIf your hotel doesn%26#39;t do transfers it is probably better to just get 2 taxis to Kuta. It is set price from the taxi stand to your right as you leave the building.
airport pickupI would use a driver with a car large enough for 6 plus luggage, it should be cheaper than 2 taxis and also means you are not split up
I would have your driver pick you up. I would pay 50-65000rp for a van depending on whether you are central Kuta or Legian.
A taxi from the airport will be 50.000rp so if you can get a driver for under 100.000 with a van go for it.
Otherwise the taxis are easy. Walk out, go to the counter on he right as you exit, get a voucher, driver will take you to the car.
Does anyone know how much is the airport taxi fare to tanjung benoa? Thanks!
95 000 to 105 000 rupiah depending on which end of it you are staying at.
This list is fairly accurate
Denpasar Ngurah Rai International Airport Taxi Fares (as per January 25th, 2009):
Tanjung Benoa: Rp.95,000.- up to Rp.105,000.-
Nusa Dua Rp.95,000.- up to Rp.110,000.-
Jimbaran Rp.60,000.- up to Rp.135,000.-
Tuban Rp.35,000.-
Kuta Rp.45,000.- up to Rp.50,000.-
Legian Rp.55,000.-
Seminyak Rp.60,000.- up to Rp.70,000.-
Kerobokan Rp.70,000.- up to Rp.85,000.-
Canggu Rp.135,000.- up to Rp.195,000.-
Denpasar Rp.70,000.- up to Rp.100,000,-
Ubud Rp.105,000.- up to Rp.195,000.-
Padang Bai Rp.365,000.-
Thanks for the information guys
Thanks! :)
Sanur Beachfront Budget Accommodations
Hi there, I was planning to stay in Sanur this April.
I%26#39;m searching for budget accomodations at the beach front or near to the beach, preferably around 500m (5 minutes walk).
My budget is around $20 - $40 per night. Any recommendations?
I%26#39;ve been thinking about Puri Sindhu Mertha Suites. Does anybody know how close it is to the beach?
Thanks.
Vivienne
Sanur Beachfront Budget Accommodations
Made%26#39;s Pub on Jl. Tamblingan is just what you want. Cheap, very clean, only 18 rooms, lovely garden and pool, restaurant and bar at the front. More like a home than a homestay. Staff are excellent and the beer is COLD.
Sanur Beachfront Budget Accommodations
Hi,
You could take a look at Palm Gardens, a couple of mins walk to beach. Haven%26#39;t stayed there yet but Snooky has had a look around the property %26amp; gave it the thumbs up for good, clean budget accomodation.
www.palmgarden-bali.com
354,000 a night in high season for twin/double room, probably less in April
It%26#39;s in south Sanur not very far from the Hyatt.
Ursie
yes palm garden is a good budget choice to consider. it is a 1 minute walk to the beach. in the same street ( JL kesuma sari) is stana puri gopa. this is a lovely family owned hotel. well kept gardens, nice pool decent breakfast, friendly staff. have stayed in a deluxe room facing the pool. some standard rooms are upstairs and have an ocean view.
sanur beach villas is further south and good. check their web site.
you could also e mail villa puri ayu, their rates are cheaper than those listed on their web site.
pondok ayu may fit your price range (not sure of new prices) this gets great reviews but it is a little further from the beach. still worth considering.
swastika bungalows is also in your price range. had a look here but have never stayed.
there is a cheap homestay which may be suit as well.
Little pond homestay
http://www.ellorabali.com/
flashbacks also has a couple of rooms in your price range. i can%26#39;t remember which room number i checked out but it was clean and adequate.
I would definitely mention the Puri Gopa http://www.stanapurigopahotel-sanur.com/ppc/ We stayed there in December and was just what we wanted to experience the Balinese hospitality. The beach is just a minute away and some great restaurants close by and also an ATM just across the road. Staff very helpful. I wrote a report here on Tripadvisor - have a look at it.
Thanks so much for the recommendations! :)
Bali/Lombok with very young children and maybe two teens.
Hoping for some advice for my first holiday in a very long time.
We will be taking our 6month old, 2 and 4 year old children, and maybe our 2 teenagers, depending on their study commitments. They will fit in with what ever we do.
We like the look of the hotel Novotel Lombok in the south of LOMBOK(!!). We like the traditional style of it, the lagoon, but worry about the remoteness, and if our 2 and 4 years old would have children to meet. My husband likes the look of Sanur in the brochures...
With 3 very small children, it won%26#39;t be a proper holiday for me without some help! We would want a nanny for part of everyday and some evenings to help watch the children with us or to babysit while we have dinner, or explore by ourselves (a little only). We need interconnecting rooms, or a 2 brm villa. NOT a family room.
We don%26#39;t want to shop, unless it%26#39;s wandering around a local market, or party; just play in and around the pool and beach, snorkel, eat well, drink tropical things, sleep when the kids do and explore the local community and some sights...
Hoping for some sound advice
Thanks
Bali/Lombok with very young children and maybe two teens.
the novotel lombok is great. you may not know, but lombok requires malaria tablets so you may want to consult your doctor before you plan any further for lombok considering the age of your children. you will need to consider getting there as well. even though it is excellent, i would recommend staying in bali considering your number and age of children.
a lot of large hotels have child minding services. i%26#39;ve never used them but some posts have commented negatively on them. even though the balinese are great with kids i still wouldn%26#39;t have wanted mind out of sight when they were younger. sanur is quieter than the rest of the south so it may suit your needs
you can get family rooms which will accomodate for four/five or two interconnecting rooms but they will be pretty tight for seven. so a villa may be a good option.
Bali/Lombok with very young children and maybe two teens.
You may find the Novatel to be remote and an idea would be to consider spending part of your stay in Lombok at Sengiggi.
Thanks for your info Rockterrigal. I%26#39;ll still be feeding the littlest, so dealing with Malaria is probably more than we need this time.
I%26#39;ll research Sanur some more, but would appreciate recommendations on lovely, not too small or too quiet, places to stay. We are a happy family hoping for a friendly place the kids can meet some playmates, and spend loads of time around a great pool and beach. Some of our time will be split while one of us is in the room/villa with a napping child, so the more there is to do on site or immediately around, the better.
Our budget is a flexible $200 per night, not including a room for the teens. I%26#39;ll pay more for the right place. We need 2 generous interconnecting rooms or a villa. NOT A FAMILY ROOM. My teens (18 %26amp; 16 yo boys), will stay in their own room - probably away from us - if they come too, so I really only need to work out the best place for us and the young ones at this stage.
Recommendations for a lovely, trustworthy babysitter for the whole two weeks would be appreciated too. She will help supervise during the day, with us there too.
Thanks again
Not too small or not too quiet in Sanur - either the Griya Santrian or the Hyatt if you can find a good deal.
Can%26#39;t help with the babysitter sorry, I usually occupy myself with a colouring book and some crayons.
my knowledge on sanur is limited but snookytravellerstips knows heaps on sanur. if she doesn%26#39;t reply to this post send her a private message.
to do this look for her name on a previous post and click the name. then click %26#39;send a message%26#39;.
no problems with interconnecting with five. i use to stay at the jayakarta in legian with our two kids in an interconnecting room near gardens. that was okay. heaps of people around from all over the world depending on time of travel. eg oz school holidays u will meet more aussies. though there isn%26#39;t snorkelling there.
to get into the local community and snorkel you need to be on the east coast. padangbai and candidasa (towns on east coast) are quieter but have both of these points as well as good food and hotels. but staying in sanur you can do day trips further up the coast to these places.
Lombok so far from everything
Too many private villas to chose..pls help
Hi
i have seen soooooo many 1 bedroom private villas on the net. I did not know which to chose from but have selected a few to narrow down my selections. by the way is it better to stay in Seminyak or Sanur? I plan to enjoy sometime in my villa pool with my wife sun tanning/readind books, visit place of interests and also play the jet ski (which beach can i play?).
Below are some Villas i have short-listed. I personally prefer Villa Bali Asri.
1) Villa Bali Asri
2) Aston Legend
3) Aston Bhavana
4) Heliconia Villa
5) Villa Jerami
6) The Ulin Villa
Also they did mention that breakfast is provided, does tat mean the cook will prepare the breakfast in ur villa or prepare in their kitchen? If they do prepare in our villa, do we need to open the door for them in the morning? as u know its quite tiring waking up so early.
Also if i wan to rnt a scooter and explore the island, is it advisable?
Too many private villas to chose..pls help
Sorry, can%26#39;t help with any villa recommendations, hopefully someone else can.
There are many pitfalls for the unwary in hiring a scooter - make sure you are well aquainted with the legal requirements if you do choose to do this.
Drivers are very cheap in Bali and I would much prefer to let someone else have the worry of driving and just relax and enjoy the sights.
Robyn
Too many private villas to chose..pls help
A TA member stayed at the Asron Legend Villas last month so if you do a search of the forum it should come up.
I don%26#39;t know about all of the villas on your list but I know that Aston Villas is a series of villas on the same property. I would assume if they are 1 bedroom villas that they will all be this arrangement.
We stay in a villa of this sort when we go and breakfast is served in the common restaurant over a period of hours, so you go to breakfast it doesn%26#39;t come to you. There are some that serve breakfast in your villa but you will probably find that it is cooked in their main kitchen and then delivered to you at a time specified by you.
My personal pick would be Sanur as we love the village feel of the area. But if I had to have a 2nd pick it would be seminyak. Sanur is probably a little more central to exploring places like Ubud etc as it is closer to there so you aren%26#39;t travelling as much.
All the villas I have stayed in have served breakfast in the privacy of your own villa and the staff come into the villa and cook it for you - the way to go! I have never locked the door to a villa overnight as it enables security to come once or twice during the night to check that everything is all right - you can always lock the door to your bedroom and don%26#39;t leave any valuable out in the lounge room etc at night. That way the staff can come into your villa discreetly and prepare your breakfast. You can tell them the night before at what time you would like your breakfast prepared!
Hi
We have just returned from staying in a one bedroom villa at the Aston Bhavana Villas in Seminyak, breakfast was served between 7 and 9 each morning, you nominated the time and it was cooked in our Villa each morning they carried all the necessary fresh ingredients each morning to our Villa as yes you do have to get either out of bed or the pool to let them in.
Personally I would not rent a scooter catching a taxi is by far an easier option and is not very expensive.
fransan41
Hi all
Thanks alot for ur valuable inputs.
I shall drop the idea of renting a scooter as mentioned of some legal matters and drivers are cheap.
As for the villas, i shall continue to read TA for their feedback. But any good and affordable 1 bedroom villa with pool to recommend in Seminyak area?
thanks
The one affordable villa in Seminyak that we have stayed in is the Uma Sapna. Heliconia may be another affordable one but we have not stayed in that one.
There are many other nice villas in the area but not so affordable to me, infact very out of reach in the high season.
Villas in Ubud area could be more affordable, but it takes longer to travel to/from airport.
Like one of earlier poster said, you tell the villa people what time you want your breakfast served and they will come over to your unit at that time to prepare the food.
I think you should lock the entry door of your villa unit. If you have locked the door the kitchen people will knock or press bell. If you are already up and expecting them, then leave the door open.
hi ctmew
thank you for ur recommendation.
I personally feel 1 bedroom villa prices are quite high from my point. but the difference in paying so much more is u get ur own privacy. so u mentioned u stayed in Uma sepada, did the helper also cook breakfast in ur villa? i am still open to other choice like staying in a resort hotel too as those prices are more affordable.
hi all
So if resort hotel, which do u guys recommend in Seminyak? i personally quite like Hyatt Bali in Sanur.
I think the breakfast was cooked in their main kitchen before they brought it over to our villa unit at the time we specified. They used the kitchen which is outside the bed and living room, meaning they didn%26#39;t need to come inside. They used the little kitchen to organise the drinks, fruits etc. I didn%26#39;t think they actually cooked in our kitchen.
Hi ctmew
which villa did u stay last time? and how was it?
thank u
Definitely Uma Sapna. Stayed there last Nov. Paid only USD 120. Smaller than the other places but still had our own pool and was walking distance to the Beach, Restaurants, and the nightlife. But still quiet, it%26#39;s on a residential street. Booked it through www.itravelindonesia.com .
Best resturant with view over river & valley?
Anyone with a recomendation, on best place to have lunch (special occasion) with magic views over river %26amp; valley?
Best resturant with view over river %26amp; valley?
hi i don%26#39;t know if you would consider this restaurant the ';best'; views etc but it is certainly up their with the best.
it is kampung cafe
http://kampungcafetari.com/location.html
the view is beautiful and the food very good. reasonable prices as well
Best resturant with view over river %26amp; valley?
Try Murni%26#39;s Warung, it%26#39;s gorgeous, you can google their web site. Four levels down the valley. You can even ask for candlelight dinners. check out my photo%26#39;s, the view was from the warung. Not a lot of water cause it was late August. But still nice.
Far and away the best restaurant with astonishing views over the Petanu river gorge is CasCades Restaurant at the Viceroy Bali Hotel. Its just 7 mins from downtown Ubud and has what they call ‘contemporary French fine dining’. They also offer a ‘day’ menu which is much cheaper. Ask for what they laughingly refer to as the bunker. Its a covered outside table right on the edge of the terrace. Fantastic
Thanx for those suggestions......NOW !!!!!....to decide...its for my 50th....want it to be special/memorable.
There certainly seems to be a ';buzz'; on the forums about Kampung Cafe in Tegalalang near Ubud. From what I know of the locale and from all the recommendations, and knowing what else is about such as Indus, Tropicale Bale, Cahaya Dewata (arguably best view in Bali but maybe the most average food), Murni Warung (even though I spend a huge amount of time there when in Bali) I would suggest it would be worth a go. I will be trying it in last week of March so I can give you a critique if that is in time for your visit.
Cheers,
David
David ask to see the villas if they are vacant while you are at kampung Cafe. I do know that they are soon to start construction of a plunge pool for the villas, as well.
Oh and try a Lychee Pizz.....it%26#39;s a lychee cocktail. Yum.
Snooky, I am going to try Kampung Cafe for lunch or dinner later this month. Do you know if they have transport back to Ubud?
Cheers,
David
Giving out credit card details
We are in the process of booking villa in Bali. We are being asked for credit card number (of course) but also a copy (both sides) of credit card as well as a copy of passport. Reading the forum it seems to be common but we are reluctant for someone to have all our details for 10 odd months. Can anyone give us any feedback? The villa is Plawa Asri and there is no forum info about them either.
Thanks in anticipation
Spud64
Giving out credit card detailsI would feel uncomfortable about the card details as well, so far I have been lucky and only once had to give my credit details, but even then it was just the number and with hotels that had very good reputations so I felt OK about it, but I know my mum has a special credit card with a very low amount on it for this reason.
If you have to do it and feel worried talk to your bank maybe they can keep an eye on it and make sure nothing strange goes on?
I can understand the need to secure a booking with a credit card but have always thought it odd to send a photocopy of your passport, I haven%26#39;t yet been ask to but if I was I would tell the hotel that I didn%26#39;t want to do it and that I will show them my pass port when I get there, not sure what they would say?
Good luck, I haven%26#39;t ever heard of anyone having any trouble from giving their details to a hotel.
Giving out credit card detailsi have given my credit card number numerous times BUT i send the number in different e mails ie first 3 numbers 1st e mail etc. i would not supply the security number on the back or send my passport details now. (10 months in advance). e mail them back and suggest what you are willing to provide at this stage. the front numbers on your card should be sufficient to secure the booking. otherwise you can always do a bank transfer to secure the booking however the fees are usually around the $30 - $40 to do this.
Hi Spud,
I have also been asked to provide my credit card details, passport and letter of authorisation with withdraw on the card.
I have provided my c/c details but won%26#39;t be handing over my passport.
Cheers
Deb
HI SPUD
See if u can pay using Paypal thats how I paid my Bali Hotels no probs
I have given out my credit card and passport details via encrypted email without any problem, but I can understand your wariness. You could contact the hotel and see if there%26#39;s an alternative method of payment they%26#39;ll accept, or see if they%26#39;re registered with a hotel booking website where you can actually pay by credit card.
Hi Spud,
I worked as a Travel agent for many years %26amp; this is common practice for hotels.
Hotels normally do this instead of taking a deposit %26amp; then payment is made directly upon check in (either cash or cc)
Hotels take the credit card as a guarantee that you will arrive as arranged for you. The card will only be charged if you do not arrive as arranged
You will need to check with the hotel about their individual cancellation policy, normally you are required to advise at least 48 hours prior to check in to avoid a fee being charged to the credit card
Electrical plug used in batam
Hi
I%26#39;m travelling to batam tmr so would like to find out the type of plug the place is using typical pacific palace hotel as i%26#39;ll be staying there, anyone please do advise me on this issue...
Thanks
distance from beaches to ubud
how far is the amankilla from ubud? also how far is the 4 seasons from ubud? any idea which has the better beach? we dont want to spend hours in the car going while we are there many thanks
distance from beaches to ubud
The Amankilla is located at Mangiss, just outside Candi Dasa on the north-east coast. It has it%26#39;s own private beach. There is also a beach at Candi Dasa. It%26#39;s probably about an hour and a half drive from Ubud. Four Seasons at Ubud is about a five to seven minute drive from Ubud, but is not on the beach. Ubud is in the country, about an hour%26#39;s drive from the coast at Legian and Seminyak.
distance from beaches to ubud
There is a Four Seasons in Jimbaran...Jimbaran to Ubud is 1.5-2 hrs - depending on traffic
wedding Banquet
Any suggestion for a wedding banquet in Bali for 30-50 people. Indonesian or western cusine, nice %26amp; romantic place, moderate price....Thanks!
wedding Banquet
bump
Tailors do yo bargain
Im Heading over to bali in 20 days hoping to get some suits made i do have some names of tailors from this site but was wondering if they are set price or do you bargain and if so how far down from the first price should i go?
Thanks Jan
Tailors do yo bargainat some places you will need to bargain. i use janoko in poppies lane (JL Legian end) and the price they quote is their bottom line and it is not at all expensive. very reasonable and good quality fabric and workmanship. to be honest i would not feel %26#39;right%26#39; to bargain on a price like $20 AUD for a pair of tailored made trousers. (price includes fabric, sewing and fitting). we had numerous items made and every price they quoted was lower than expected. the items we had made all wash well and there have been no problems with anything. my nephew had a beautiful suit made for a fraction of the cost of one here in oz. cheaper than hiring.
Tailors do yo bargainI just got back yesterday.
I got two suits and three shirts made.
Yes, you do haggle. Be sure that you get them to write down the details on your order form (I thought we had agreed they were to be two pants suits - didn%26#39;t get it onto the form so got just single trousers).
I ended up getting them all for around AU$300 (just over I think). Did I feel bad that I worked them down from about AU$400 - not a bit!
First of all in Indonesia there is nothing you don%26#39;t bargain for!! But out of respect and politeness if you see the price to be ridiculously cheap I would respect that price.
janokos is not into bargaining the prices offered are the lowest they will go regardless of quantity etc. you would be hard pressed to find prices this low at any tailor in bali. i shop for both business and pleasure in bali and bargaining is generally the go almost everywhere you go (including some tailors) but not here. they know a lot of their customers go there on recommendation and they keep excellent set prices. you could try bargaining on their prices but you will find they are giving you a good price from the start. this makes shopping there a good choice. get what you want without wasting time and effort like you do else where.
We were stationed in the PI in the seventies. Off base you bargained for everything.
We went into Manila to get some paintings for our house. We strategized when we saw a painting we really liked. We thought they would ask 100 pesos for the painting we liked, we would counter with 30 pesos and would end up at about 50 pesos.
When we asked the price the man said 25 peso. We responded, ';We%26#39;ll take it.';
The best laid plans....
As with all things, if you%26#39;re happy to pay the price, pay it. If you don%26#39;t want to pay the price, try to bargain. If you can%26#39;t agree on a price, walk away.
I%26#39;d tend to agree with Snooky, if a tailor is offering a ridiculously low price which you%26#39;re happy to pay, and can afford to do so, then why not? Sometimes after haggling it%26#39;s really embarrassing if you stand there and think you%26#39;ve just wasted 10 mins of your life arguing over a matter of pennies.
Thank you I think $20 for a pair of pants is a very good price. How long will it take we are there for 1 week. I do agree if your happy to pay a price then dont haggle. My husband had 3 shirts made in Phuket cost $100 they were a terrible make didnt fit or hang properly as i do a bit of sewing i could see they weren%26#39;t cut correctly, we took them back to have altered but they made them worse in the end we walked away, could not be bothered argueing with them.
Hopefully will have better luck in Bali
Jan
Jan as to how long it will take to get your items made can vary. depending on how busy they are and how many things you order. usually 3 - 4 days. but best to go on your first or second day and when they ask %26#39;when do you leave?%26#39; always say a day or two before you really do leave so you have a chance to have anything rectified if necessary. you will go for a fitting and then when the items are complete they will re check the fit. good luck!
Hello!
Thank you all for already many tips as I actually had the same question as Jan.
But probably someone knows if it is possible to make a dress (a simple one) urgently, like in a day or two?
I planned to be wearing the item ( it%26#39;s kinda beachwear) but failed to find any tailoring cheaper than 100USD here at home (Moscow).
thanks in advance if you have some experience to share!
Lissa
Hi,
Went to Jonokos in Jl Poppies 2 in late Jan 2009 took a pair of Fletcher Jones tailored work trousers and ordered three pairs at rph300,000 when asked for best price for three pairs it was the same price. At the time is was approx rph7000 to $AUD1 so at that rate it was only $AUD42 for three pairs when one in Oz is $AUD70+ on special.
To me it was good value for well made trousers that you cannot pick from the originals.
I lived in Malaysia for a number of years and we had the saying if you wanted a $5 shirt someone would sell you one and you only got $5 wear out of it.
Good luck with your tailoring I would recommend Jonokos
buffet breakfast
Has anyone had the buffet breakfast at the mercure if so what did you think and how much was it?Or can anyone reccommend somewhere in kuta for a not to expensive buffet brekkie place?Also we would like to know of any resturants in Kuta\ legian that have music we are taking 4 teenage daughters.we do not want to do the club scene but maybe somewhere with a band or show.thanks
buffet breakfast
Don%26#39;t pay for buffet breakfasts at hotels, they are usually very expensive. Most hotels have breakfast included though.
Take your girls to Bali Rock or Legends in Legian and JP%26#39;s Warung is a good restaurant in Seminyak that has music.
Many large hotels have a Balinese dancing/buffet night which could give the girls a taste of Balinese arts.
buffet breakfast
Totally agree about the resort buffets. Much more variety and fun to explore the other options even if not buffet. You will pay less and find some real gems just by going for a walk every morning.
thanks guys
melasti resort spa prices
does anyone know if melasti resort have there spa treatments and prices on there website.cant get on there web site. hoping to treat myself for my birthday when were over there. would like to know what sort they have
Singapore Airlines
Flying Heathrow - Singapore - Bali.
Does anyone know what bottles of duty free are sold, and roughly how much?
Will I be able to buy them on the flight into Singapore, or will they be taken off me at Singapore airport when we reboard? Should I wait until the Singapore to Bali leg to buy items?
Any other hints / tips regarding the flight? We are on the A380 for the long leg.
Singapore Airlines
There is another series of posts on the carry on booze issue just today.
Singapore Airlines
Hi Mobor One
I am unable to help you coming from the UK-Singapore-
Bali but we have flown Singapore Airlines from Adelaide (Oz) to Bali and have never had our duty free alcohol taken from us.(we had a 1 1/2hour wait in Changi before re boarding to Bali)We were concerned in 2007 when the new liquid laws came into effect,and hubby has just informed me we bought our Duty Free Alcohol at the Duty Free store once we had cleared screening and customs and were in the departure waiting area.(We have another Duty Free store in this area)
I%26#39;d contact your Duty Free outlet at Heathrow, they should be aware of the rules, or Customs and even Singapore Airlines, just to be sure. Flight staff have always been great on Singapore flights from Adelaide and return.
We prefer the last seats(if you are a couple)(two seats on their own)then you don%26#39;t have any one else to climb over.
Cheers
Burns
The reply I got from Singapore Airways was:
Kindly note that if you purchase any alcohol or tobacco from the duty-free shops at London Heathrow Airport, the items will be confiscated at Singapore, during the security checks.
If you stay within the terminal, you won%26#39;t have to go through any security checks and your duty free won%26#39;t be confiscated. If you go outside the terminal, you need to pack the alcohol in your checked luggage.
When you are coming from another airport out of the country you have to pass through another check control and they will confiscated all your alcohol. It is the same in Bangkok coming from LHR or in Singapur. Just buy all your alcohol in Singapur after passing your security check point.
At Singapore we need to get from one terminal to another, and as both flights are with the same airline, we won%26#39;t see our baggage between Heathrow and Bali.
Hi,
Noodles is away on holiday at the moment but he often flies from UK with SIA to Bali so will be able to answer any questions you have. Maybe if you PM him at the end of Feb, he is a big SIA fan!... Happynoodleboy
I haven%26#39;t flown with SIA but i would imagine if you buy your duty free at Singapore before you board the plane to Bali you%26#39;ll be ok. I have done this in Dubai with Emirates %26amp; in Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific.
Ursie
The security checks they are talking about happen at the boarding gate with Singapore Airlines. We carried duty free bought in Brisbane to Changi then went onto Bali, with the duty free still in our carry on.
Thanks Ursie57. Have sent noodles a message. Thought I%26#39;d better do it now, otherwise I won%26#39;t remember.
Hi Mobor One
We have just returned from Bali via Singapore with SIA to London on the A380, our outbound leg we bought a litre each of spirits at LHR, the sales
person on the till bagged our dutyfree in a security
sealed bag to enable us passage thru the security at the gate in singapore, if the seal was broken on the bag they would confiscate it, dependant on lay over time i would recomend waiting until you arrive at singapore, more choice, nicer people, and cheaper.
Again if you have time use the transit hotel facility in terminal 1, the swimming pool is great, and if you smoke, you can at the bar next to the pool whilst enjoying a cold beer.
Any further info feel free to PM me
Graham B
Melasti Resort and Spa with infant
Hi i am staying at the Melasti Resort and Spa in Legian, i will have a 5 month old infant, can anyway tell me what it is like to stay there with an infant.
Has anyone taken an infant that age to Bali if so how did they go with everything and the heat????
Melasti Resort and Spa with infant
Hi
Travelling anywhere with a 5 month old, is not ever the easiest, but it is no more difficult in Bali. The balinese love children and you will get lots of attention. I suggest you take a small battery operated fan with you and also cool clothes but also lots of sun screen. Make sure that you only use bottled water, for both you and baby. Sure you will have a wonderful time. We are due to go back to Melasti in April and can%26#39;t wait.
Melasti Resort and Spa with infant
hi,roll on april.we are at melasti in april too.jenny
Thanks for replying. Can you let me know how you go at the hotel? as we have never stayed at that hotel before.
Have a nice time.
xx
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