Brief JBR
July 7th - 23rd.
Mother & daughter (16)
ARRIVAL
Flight to Bali on Air Paradise. Left on time & was full. Large family groups with mainly teens.
VOA arrival painless & quick process. Handed over US dollars at the first counter, proceeded to guy seated directly behind at second counter & then through to pick up bags. No problem with porters as per usual.
Taxi from the airport to Camplung Mas $25000rp.
WEATHER:
Generally fine & sunny with a cooling breeze.
Cooler at nights. Rained once or twice at night.
Rained one day.
EXCHANGE RATE:
Around 6300-6400 AUS $
ROADWORKS:
Legian St ok with a few places with gaping holes.
Melasti St the same.
Pantai Kuta still having some work done as is lower part of Tuban area.
Traffic jams often in Jln Kartika Plaza....sometimes along Pantai Kuta.
Overall seemed to be more traffic than last time.
Melasti St often hard to cross (like it used to be.)
HOTELS
Stayed at:
Camplung Mas again in Kuta.
Much the same as before with staff friendly (bar one).
Hotel full and therefore a shortage of towels for the rooms. Towels not replaced until later in the afternoon after the laundry arrived (if they remembered).
Cleaning done by school students (bussed in each day) & trainees mostly.
Generally 3 per room with one doing basic cleaning, one changing linen & one watching TV while laying on the bed
Bath generally not cleaned.
In our room plumbing ok but not fantastic. Shower & sink slow to drain, sink leaking like a sieve, shower pressure & hot water good.
Indonesian breakfast portions reduced in size from last time.
New cocktail bar being built in the lobby area as you enter.
Jubawa Homestay in Pemuteran.
Fairly new clean bungalows with friendly service & excellent food.
About the only cheaper option in accommodation in this area with choice of dlx or std room.
Not on the beachside and no pool.
Internet service.
Other hotels I looked at:
Sri Ratu, Lumbung Sari (Legian), 3 Brothers, Puri Tanah Lot, Baleka, Mabisa
Pondok Sari & Taman Sari Bali in Pemuteran.
Photos & full comments to follow later.
New hotel in Jln Sahadewa (formerly Ketty Club) still under construction with cement trucks causing traffic jams at times in this street.
Intan Legian due to close and run down (as it was in January).
New hotel behind Intan in the lane off Melasti St confirmed as a Fourteen Roses Hotel & possibly open by December.
Casa Padma Suites still under construction though one section of rooms looking close to completion.
SHOPPING
Shopped at
Millenia (ok but designs a bit daggy)
Ramayana (good as usual but queueing to pay this time took nearly an hour)
Tragia (shoes)
New Kuta Galleria just outside central Kuta near the bridge (surf shop & funky gear in boutiques)
Market stalls, 'boutiques' in Legian St, Surfer Girl.
Surf Factory Outlet & Surfers Paradise (both on the By Pass Rd).
Surf Factory Outlet has gear much cheaper but stock limited, dirty or of poor quality & not as fashionable as the main surf shops.
Did pick up some items at a good price.
Surfer's Paradise has a large range (particularly Billabong)at the usual prices.
Matahari in Kuta Square (Revlon, shoes,clothes etc)
DVD's--- Ordered from Helgie beforehand & delivered to hotel & also purchased from Padma Disc.
DINING
Not into dining out much so can't comment on too many restaurants.
Ate mainly at Tekor Bali Qui, visited the Pantai again (not been for some time), Dolphin, Pacung Indah & hotel room service.
Best food at a village in Pemuteran and at the homestay in Pemuteran
PLACES VISITED:
Dreamland, Balangan, Geger Beach, Bali Zoo Park, Sukawati Waterfall, Village in Sumberkima, Pemuteran, Git Git Waterfall, Pasar Satria market in Denpasar (birds, monkeys, fish etc to sell & a section inside for sale of gemstones/making rings )
Photos to be added to my site later.
Drove through Bedugal,Singaraja & Lovina on the way to Pemuteran
NIGHTLIFE:
Bali Rock still busy some nights & not others.
Bounty generally packed ---drag shows, foam party, usual meat market action.
Highlight of the trip --- Trip to friend's village in Sumberkima, swimming & out on the fishing boat, Balangan & waterfalls
Downside---1.Having the car blow up on the way to Pemuteran & having to wait 2 hours get replacement .
Was interesting though getting towed to the local garage by a public bemo, watching the mechanics pull apart the engine and then load most of the bits into the front seat because ' no can fix '.
Any questions or elaboration needed ..please just ask