We had a good experience with Garuda on the way there. We arrived early at Perth Airport to check in for the 8pm flight only to find that there was a 7pm flight leaving that was practically empty. They were happy to transfer our tickets and we got to Bali an hour earlier than expected! Bonus!! We even left early!!! The airport at the other end was just as empty and we were the only ones at our VOA counter so there was no such thing as a queue. Straight through (no crosses on the bags although I had wipes at the ready. We did the 2L cask thing). No problems and straight through to a taxi and off on the road to Sanur in the sunshine. I love that point in the holiday when you have negotiated the boring bits and are headed off to your hotel!
We stayed at the Sativa in south Sanur. Its entrance is off the road in the strip between the Hyatt and the Puri Santrian. It is a lovely hotel and I would thoroughly recommend it. It is small with 10 2 story traditional 'huts' around a lovely free form pool with palm tree islands in the middle, swim up bar etc. Our upstairs room's balcony looked through frangipanis and palms down to the pool and open restaurant and over to the upstairs reception... very relaxing. (frangis are pretty bare this time of year though). The people were very friendly, buffet breakfast was included (yum) and it was very cruisy. The other guests were mostly Europeans from Denmark and Sweden. The room was great - comfy bed, big airy and spacious, no funny smell. The fridge was cold and the shower was strong and hot. Linen was clean and crisp etc . Can't fault it really. Would certainly go back.
It's the first time we have been in Bali in July and it's a really good time to go. You don't get the oppressive heat of later in the year and there is a lovely sea breeze.
The Sativa is not on the beach but if you go down the driveway and turn right and then right again you are there. My husband and I stayed at the Besakih in Sanur 20 years ago and haven't been back until this holiday. We stayed in Tuban 4 years ago. Boy! We were surprised at the change! The path along the beach is wonderful!! We walked from the Sativa right up to the Bali Beach nearly every day and really enjoyed it. Beautiful brick paving all the way with interesting restaurants and shops. The beach blew us away. The last time you would NEVER swim in the sea. The beach was dirty and the sea was in no way inviting. This time it was all beautiful. What a massive project it has been. Actually, we were astounded at how much Bali has been cleaned up. Even the motor bikes that they ride are brand spanking new and very posh. It all seemed quite affluent ...... I know, I know, I know. Just an impression!
My biggest disappointment was food. Just as the whole place seems to have been sanitised, the food has been Westernised. I was so looking forward to some nice spicy Indonesian food but anything I ordered came very bland. Chilli was conspicuous by its absence and I had to ask for Sambal Oelek and Ketcap manis all the time. I got the idea that they used convenience foods all the time. I bet the stay sauce came out of a bottle for instance. The worst was a Rijstafel we had at the restaurant beside the Cat and The Fiddle. The soup (soto ayam?) was a chicken cube dissolved in hot water with a handful of cubed frozen vegetables thrown in .... Not a spice to be seen!! Blah BLAH! The meal improved somewhat after that but we didn't go back.
We ate in the hotel the first night (bland) and were looking forward to Gateway of India the next. I posted about this last week .... very disappointing. I know my curries and this was poor by any standard. Oh well. There is, however, a great little place near the Mezzanine (Puri) called Qui Qui. The food was quite good and they had a great band that we really enjoyed – good fun! We went there twice. We ate at the Bonsai but again, the satay wasn't the satay we remembered ... no smoky taste or chunks of peanut in the sauce.
The last night we went to an Indonesian restaurant opposite Qui Qui, can't remember the name, but it wasn't anything to recommend anyway. I would have gone further afield but hubby didn't want to go too far from the hotel in the evenings. Food was more expensive than I expected too. We found that it was fairly standard to pay around 100 000 for a couple of Bintangs and one dish each. The tax added at the end always makes it go up that bit extra of course. Rijstafels were around Rp90 000 for 2 and were value I suppose if you can find a good one. Needless to say, the first thing I did when I came home was make a decent curry!
Enough griping. I went into Denpasar for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. It cost Rp26 000 by metered taxi and I was dropped off at Ramayana Dep't Store. Wow! The shoe department there has to be seen to be believed. Allow for mega time to browse. Fabulous styles too and really cheap!! (I reckon the best bargains in Bali are shoes, stationery, Revlon and toothbrushes .... And bras, but only if you are really small!!) Take minimum shoes to Bali and make it a definite stop!! Believe me!
Next stop, the Revlon counter. Revlon is ¼ the price of Perth prices. Age defying Foundation 65 000 ($10), nail polishes $4, lipsticks $4, paint on eye liner $8 etc I bought a nice collection .. BUT Tip: do your colour research before you go and specify the colours or numbers you want. The light in the stores in not good and it's hard to choose. I was also disappointed that they didn't have the Honey Beige I like in the compact foundation. It wasn't even in their range as they like to look paler. They did have it in the liquid though so that was OK. They like to wear browns and reds of course so the colour ranges are different in some cases. Take your own make up with you to match. I plan to buy more next time and go prepared. Be prepared to pass over the cash too! 65 000 sounds like a lot but keep telling yourself it's only $10! And look at the saving you're making!
I love looking around Dep't stores in other countries. It gives an interesting insight into their modern culture.... especially the kitchen sections. I bought a pandan cake tin for $3! From Ramayana I walked around to Robinson's (cute T shirts and tops) and then over to Matahari. I was shopping for our 2 daughters left behind with Grandma, happy with the promise of presents. They are the perfect size for Bali clothes. I am a size 12 and felt like a giant. I didn't buy anything for myself but they got lots. Most of the clothes all seemed to be one size – Small.
Back to Sanur in a taxi looking forward to a long duty free rum and Coke on the balcony. Husband with sheepish look ........ slight accident with the duty free. He did clean it up though. And it didn't even fall very far to the floor! At least it wasn't the cognac!!!
I found the sellers in Sanur to be very nice. They weren't aggressive at all and came to know that I was really really just walking (jalan jalan). I know a smattering of Indonesian and found it really useful. I think it made a difference to how I was viewed. I really suggest that you learn a little before you go if you don't know. They like it that you are showing an interest too.
I went to Tootsie's of course and bought some nice silver earrings with stones (35 000) and T'shirts for the girls (20 000). I would have bought the fake Reeboks (45 000) but they didn't have my size. Actually, I saw some real Reeboks in Ramayana on sale for $45 and dithered around like a fool, not buying them. I went back to the store the day before I left determined to buy them for myself, bit the bullet, strode over and asked for them in a 39 ..... none left! Aaargh! The other styles were too expensive and I left empty handed. Poo!
A must in Sanur is an early visit to Hardy's Grosir, the supermarket. We bought Bintang and Cokes and biscuits and cheese for our room. Cheese is expensive, I would take some with me next time. I bought mangosteens – delish! Buy toothbrushes – lots of them. They are 30c each and really good. We get so ripped off in Aust! Stationery is a good buy too. I bought my class little sets of propelling pencils with a rubber and extra leads for Rp800 each (12c!). So cute. My daughter got fabulous stuff – all the things that kids love. SO cute! But then I have always had a weakness for new stationery – maybe that's why I became a teacher! Upstairs is a whole floor of Balinese handicrafts at very reasonable prices and then up again is a floor of Balinesey clothes . Good if you can't be bothered haggling. Eg nice sarongs for 35 000.
Regret No.2 – my mum has a fabulous Lombok Pottery big casserole dish that is wonderful wonderful . I have always coveted it. I saw 2 in this shop and they were under $20 each. I wanted them. I wanted them bad. And I was prepared to pay for them. Tip: always go shopping without husband. He was no doubt right. They were too big for my cabin bag, they probably would have broken, they were heavy, I would have been uncomfortable with them on my lap all the way home, I just may find them for sale in Perth (except I have tried – boy, how I have tried and no one sells the big Lombok lidded casserole dishes .... Do they? Huh? Huh?) ...................................sigh.....I wanted them bad.
One of our missions was to get a list of PC CDs for my step dad.and PC games Harry Potter etc for the kids. He does web pages etc and wanted various software. No probs we thought. It's everywhere we thought .... Wrong. The only place we could find them was in that place on the steps of Matahari in Kuta. Sanur didn't have them anywhere that we could find and nobody seemed to know. Places in Denpasar didn't have them either. We bought them in Kuta and then found that there is a place in town called Remo, around from Ramayana, that has them on the third floor. 20 000 each. The ones we bought only worked after a lot of fiddling around – crack files etc
We didn't go anywhere on excursions, much to the transport boys' disbelief. We have been to Bali before and our goal this time was total relaxation after an insanely busy term. We started off shopping and swimming and walking and sitting and reading. As each day passed we seemed to drop one of these off the list until we reached the stage where we were just sitting .... and every so often we would just smile at each other. Mission accomplished!!
Things to remember for next time
Only take new Aust. Notes. If they are the slightest bit torn or 'lumpy' they are hard to change as the banks don't accept them apparently.
Don't take any denim – even shorts. You won't wear it
Plan to buy shoes
The hotels all seem to have plenty of English books to swap so don't fill up your suitcase with library books
Take your own cheese
If you avoid buying wood you get into the express line at Aust customs on the way back
It works well leaving your car at the airport in Perth – cheaper than taxis
Take light cargoes with pockets and you won't have to carry a bag everywhere.
One set of bathers is enough
It IS extremely hard to find clothes if you are over size 10
Lots of lovely shell/silver jewellery at the moment.
DO the day spa. I planned to and budgeted to but didn't
DO the cooking class (see above)
Take a brimmed hat unless you want to buy caps there but the sun is fierce. Wear suncream.
There is a bank at the Bali Beach Hotel that will safely give you cash advance on your credit card if you need it.
Our trip back was difficult beacause it was a full plane and we were the bozos who scored Row 9 in front of the emergency exit which doesn't recline. The row in front does though and we were really squished. I felt like I was blowing in the ear of the man in front every time I breathed. Anyway home again, the car was still in the car park where we left it and there had been no dramas at home. What a brilliant holiday! Let me know if you have any questions (or a big Lombok Pottery casserole dish to sell!)