In Reply to: White Water Rafting posted by Richard Oettel on Friday, 2. April 1999 at 15:57 Bali Time:
We were in Bali this Feb and decided to go rafting with Sobek. The deal is very much the same as that of Bali Adventure Rafting. Shop around for the best price, as it is negociable. We settled on US$50 , and when we arrived at Sobek we were looking at other peoples receipts. Some had paid as much as US$70. Buffet lunch was supplied and our instructor was good. Be aware though, if you're after huge rapids, Bali is not the place. The white water is fun, but it is more of a relaxing trip than one of excitement.
If you want to take photo's bring along a disposable waterproof camera. We bought one duty free in Aus. for AU$15. At Sobek they were selling the exact same one for US$30. They also sell a video that they shoot along the way and photo's that they take. It is a very commercial business.
Finally, before we had chosen a company to raft with, all of the Balinese were recommending "Bali Spari". We worked this out to be Bali Safari, and they insisted the price was the best. We chose Sobek as they had been recommended in the Lonely Planet Guide to Bali. Our Sobek guide told us (we believe it-he already had our money) that about two years ago three tourists from Hong Kong died with Bali Safari. The river we went in (the same one used by Bali Adventure) is never more than waist high in the areas we rafted in. If you fall out of the raft, you can just stand up. Where Bali Safari is the river is apparently wider and deeper. Therefore if you get caught in a rip you can just float away. Good luck and happy rafting.