Posted by AMY DEAN on Thursday, 18. February 1999 at 12:06 Bali Time:
We returned about a week ago and would have to say we're both glad to be back home. Bali is a good place to go if you want to shop everyday because there really isn't that much to do other than shop. We hired a driver with 2 other people and went out the volcano and the monkey forest, it cost about 200,000 rp, which is pretty standard. DON'T eat at the restaraunt with the buffet at the volcano, it's too expensive and the food was cold.
We didn't buy anything on the first day so we could work out what prices would be like. We found in the end that it was cheaper to buy at the Matahari in Kuta square as well as on Legian road. By the time you haggled with the shop owners you paid the same price or cheaper at the department stores. We went when they were having their new years sales so most things like "Polo" were 50% off. The Galleria in Nusa Dua was fantastic, there weren't any hawkers except for braiding hair and tattoos and stuff but other than that it is very quiet. The Galleria is like an arcade but there is a huge department store in the middle. The sign says something like Balinese craft wares or something but if you go in and walk to the back there is all the designer wear like Guess and Elle. They have fantastic shoes and handbags, CD's and CD roms, playstation games, make-up and perfumes. It was fantastic. Up stairs in the department store is a cafe which was pretty cheap and it's all air conditioned.
We went to Denpasar for the day. Catch a blue taxi it only cost about 15,000 to 20,000 rp there are 3 department stores there but we only went to 2, The Bali Mall "Ramayana" which was pretty good, they have a restaraunt up stairs with all you can eat for 18,000 rp, the food was the best i have had so far. The only thing about these department stores is that they have asian toilets with no toilet paper and it's absolutely disgusting especially if you are suffering from a bit of Bali belly. So hold on or go before you leave, you never know what you'd catch. The other department store was the Matahari in Denpasar, it was cheaper than Kuta square and nicer clothes. They have fantastic underwear, they have a bra with silicone in it already so it's like a push-up bra, it think it's about $20, or something like that, not very expensive.
Don't go to the Museum in denpasar it's not a propper museum and very boring you learn more about bali on the street than in the museum.
The first night we arrived we went to Cafe Intan at Jimbaran Bay, it was recommended on the forum and is a definite must for anyone who likes seafood. For 2 of us we had 2 x 1.5 kg red snapper, plus vegetables, potatoes, salad, rice, fruit platter and 3 large beers each was $23 dollars for the two of us, it was a bargain and the food was spectacular. You sit on the beach at plastic tables and chairs with a little band that will play all your favourite songs and candles all the way along the beach. The cafe will pick you up from your hotel and drop you back as part of their service.
TIPS
* Always say you've been to Bali before so you don'y get ripped off
* Always take a calculator to know how much things are and to count your money
* Take a portable CD player with you to listen to your CDs
* Always take a Taxi late at night if your in a small group or with only girls because you get hassled pretty bad and the streets aren't well lit.
* Don't take any dressy clothes because you'll be too dressed up for dinner, just wear short and T-shirt or a summer dress
* Don't use a porter at the airport, they carry your bags for you but there are trolleys so they don't need to, also they expect to be tipped and if you don't have any rp, then they will get a very large tip.
* Don't change money at the airport before you leave, you don't need it and the rate is better once in bali. Also don't change it at denpasar airport, the rate is lower.
* Don't change your money where it is way way in the back of a shop or where there are 2 dealers for they try to distract you and you'll get ripped off.
* When clearing customs at the airport, put all the wood things or things to declare in the one bag so you only have to open the one bag. Also take off all the tags on the clothes you have bought so it looks like you've taken them over there, because everything you buy and bring back adds on to the $400 limit you have so you may have to pay duty.
* You have to pay for the toilets at the temples, it's about 500 rp, so don't pay anymore or you'll get ripped off
* ALWAYS be polite to the balinese, they are extremely nice people except for a few hawkers but they're just trying to make a living.
HOTEL
We stayed at the hotel Istana Rama on kuta beach, it's pretty nice, pretty busy with a mixture of young and old. Needs a few coats of paint, but friendly staff and a nice pool. Will stay again if i go back. It's close to everything and quiet at night.
FOOD
Bali Aussi on Melasti street is the best for breakfast, continental with toast, tea bacon, eggs you name it all for about 3-4 dollars.
I got some jewellry made out of 1 and 2 dollar coins, ask for "LEE", she does all the transactions. I got a ring with my name on it for 15,000 rp, which was about $3, and it was made out of 1 gold australian coin. You can get bracelets made out of 2 australian coins for 20,000 rp or $4. They look fantastic and are great gifts.
I wasn't fussed on the food, i really miss australian beef but i survived pretty well, there are no shortages of restarants so just go to the one with a lot of people in it and you know it must be pretty good.
WATER SPORTS
Best place to go is NUSA DUA, clean beaches, (no waves)and plenty of things to choose from such as jet skiing, parasailing e.t.c
The organised tours you can do such as rafting are very expensive and apparently not very good.
Also don't do a tour to see the monkey forest or volcano, hire a driver, its a hell of a lot cheaper.
Well i hope i have answered any questions you wanted to ask, Bali is a good place to go but even though i'm a girl, there is only so much shopping a girl can do in 10 days.
see ya