This may be to long for some I'm sorry
Arrived the 2 hours before flight to discover people behind us checking in on flight leaving 1 hour before so they hadn't bothered with the 2 hr. Found same thing returning from Bali. Cursed myself for forgetting to pre book seating but didn't matter in end as both front and back doors on plane open. You walk out onto tarmac( a real blast of heat hits you) and onto waiting buses. we were through customs and outside in less than half an hour which was really quick as we have had to wait up to 3 hours. It all depends on what other planes have arrived. Please have the $US25 ready for visa. They do take other money but it is such a pain for the people behind you as they have to convert it.
I had some extra bottles of wine in bag but no white cross.( thats how they mark your bag if it is going to be checked.....it can be wiped off!!) I did not need a porter so politely said no but if you do they expect a tip 10,000 per bag or more. I turned right out of airport building and walked to taxi stand. It is a set price for the Airport Taxis which you pay upfront. 20,000 to Tuban.( Thats $3 for the taxi so don't pay for transfers)
We were staying at Ramada Bintang which is just the best. i enjoy staying somewhere different each time and only once have we actually had to change hotels. However we always change rooms, and this time was no exception. Eventually we got the room that we were happy with and took time to check out the hotel. I had bought tonic and gin with me from Oz so had a G&T on balcony. We were in heaven were we stayed for the next 11 days.
We did three trips with a driver, ate at a different restaurant each night, shopped, did a cooking course, drank capprioskas at lots of differnt places, had lots of massages, hair treatments manicures ect and sat at pool or beach every day for at least an hour if not longer on many of the days.
It was Paradise which we didn't want to end and to our surprise when we were at the airport ready to board the plane it was suddenly cancelled and we got to stay an extra night. Unfortunately we got put up in about a zero star place but we did get an extra night in Bali.I didn't hear any of the passengers complain as we were bused to the hotels (without luggage)
Things to take: bathers and sarong,book, good walking shoes
mixer drinks and nibbles for first couple of days,Rid,Credit card and ATM card.Australian cash, imodium.
Money: I tend to use the hotel as for every $100 it may cost $4 but that means no hassels. ATM use costs about $5 for every $100. I have noticed on my credit card i have got a very good exchange rate. The tailors love their money in Australian dollars. Always have lots of 10,000 and 20,000rp for the taxi drivers as they never have change I tended round each trip off to the nearest 10,000.
Driver:
We used Golden Bird at hotel and were able to put it onto hotel bill. i tipped the driver well after each drive. The van's have aircon good insurance and the drivers speak good english. It costs 50,000 for an hour or 400,000 for 12 hours. We requested the same driver each time. His van could have taken 7. I know you can get cheaper as I've been to Bali many times but honestly I get fed up with having to barter for every little thing. The average price for a driver off the street for 1/2 day is 100,000-150,000 and for a full day is 300,000 but it depends where you are going and the type of van supplied!!.
Tailors:
Anika Tailor 754580 will pick you up from the hotel they are expensive compared to smaller ones but very, very good. Leather Jacket $130.
Toke in Poppies 2, Dolphin and French Leather both in Sahadewa St, and any of the other hundreds of tailors will do leather jackets for about $95, make shoes for $20, jackets for $40 You need to bargin hard and have them make up one item first to see the quality.
Massages:
massages around the pool was 100,000rp
on the beach it is between 20,000 -50,000rh but not as long.
Sunsets Spa at Ramada is the best. It is right on a white sandy beach and the massage starts at 80,000.
Chi very modern in Seminyak
Green Garden Spa in Tuban will pick up and drop back to hotel about $40 for a half day "works"
Body Works 2 (733317) ( 1 is closed)the Exfoliation massage ( Mandi Lulur) is a MUST 2 hours for 219,000
Prana Spa is worth a look only .....very expensive.
Zen and Verona in Ubud fabulous.
DVD's
They are sold everywhere and are all from the same supplier. Customs at this stage don't seem to worry how many you bring back.Most work but you have the option of checking them in shop or at hotel if you rent or borrow a DVD player. They will tell you which are the better copies. The cheapest is 10,000 but a lot of the bigger shops are charging 15000. If you are getting lots they will give you some free. Get them delivered if buying lots. Remember
100 DVD's will weigh about 9kg. You can email Helgie's before you leave and they will deliver them to hotel (mcshop@hotmail.com) Star Disc and Sakura are both bigger shops X box games are 25000-30000 and Cd's are 10,000. You need a mod chip in th xbox to play Bali games.
Mobile phones.
International roaming is the easiest and cheap if you SMS. $7 a minute for the calls. Otherwise purchase a sim card from Circle K shops or shop outside Matahari Supermarket. It will cost you abot $8 which includes $6 worth of credit. You will need more credit if you ring home.
Restaurants
lots of cheap ones in all the main streets but you should try to get a couple of these.Some are open It does pay to book even if it is as you leave your hotel.Most are open for breakfast , lunch and dinner.
Living Room 735735 Romantic in Seminyak
La Lucciola 730838 Seminyak on the beach breakfast, lunch dinner.
Poppies 751059 Poppies lane 1
Ma Joly 753708 Next to Ramada on the water
Sharkeys 709094 Jimbaran bay will pick up and drop off.
Indus Ubud
Casa Luna Ubud
Ku De ta 731074 Seminyak Expensive but very hip
Papa 755055 kuta Beach Rd. (Alum Kul Kul)
Maccaroni 754662 Jalan legian for coffee
Hu'u Bar 736443 Seminyak Very in
Zanibar 733527 on beach at Legian
Ryoshi 731152 Japanese in legian and Seminyak
Mades Warung 732130 Seminyak
poco loco 756079 mexican legian
Kepupat 754209 authentic Indo in Jalan Legian
Kori's 758605 Poppies lane 2
Day Trips
All the normal trips offered by tour companies are worth doing... once. Just getting a driver to take you to the big hotels of jimbarian or Nusa Dua is eye opening. A great trip that not many do is to Blue Point have lunch at hotel and watch the surfers. The Cultural Centre at Jimbarian which includes seeing one of the largest statues in the world been constructed
Shopping
Everwhere!!
worth doing a trip to Denpasar, Public market and Ramayana Department store.
Matahari in Kuta Galleria, Kuta Square, Macro,
the best way to bargin is to know what price you want to pay start well below that and bargin up to it, if they let you walk away you know your price was to low but they always call you back.
Charity in Bali
can be as simple as tipping your driver, taxi driver or ladies on beach. the ladies on the beach love T Shirts,bra's and nail polish, thongs from hotel rooms. Balinese are beautiful people and lead a very simple life. It costs 50,000 for 1 months education.
Drop off clothes to Gloria's Crisis Care at Legian garden Restaurant
08123774649 0362 42286
Contact Noel Allen WA Rotary at Noel@Lonarch.com.au re sponsorship and visit to school
Helen Flavel Foundation sponors old and young www.helenflavelfoundation.org
Read this then go up and discover your Bali it is such a wonderful and differnt experience for everyone every time you go there.. next time I go I am going to stay at a villa. I had friends up there when we were there who were doing the Waka Experience and it sounded amazing.
I haven't talked about kids in Bali but we have taken our 3 kids many times and it was the best family holiday. You just adapt to the circumstances. Waterbom, rafting, early nights and eating mainly in the hotel.