Okay, so here's my lengthy JBR, from a first-timer...
HIGHLIGHTS:
Tegal Sari hotel in Ubud - I cannot rave highly enough about this place
Nusa Lembongan
Mozaic
LOWLIGHTS:
Jimbaran Bay
Villa Seri (only due to location, for us)
ITINERARY:
I felt as though our itinerary was fantastic. In brief, we had five nights in Seminyak, four nights in Ubud, two nights on Nusa Lembongan and three nights in Seminyak. The only thing I wish I had added to our intinerary on this trip, given it was our first one and we didn't want to do too much, was to use one of our days in Ubud to drive around the east coast of Bali. We saw some stunning very hilly coastline while on the boat to Lembongan and I wish we'd explored it.
In detail, we did the following:
Days 1-5 - Bali Mystique hotel, Seminyak (exploring Kuta, Legian and Seminyak)
Days 6-9 - Tegal Sari hotel, Ubud (exploring Ubud and Celuk)
Days 10-12 - Ketut Losmen, Nusa Lembongan (exploring the island and snorkeling)
Day 13 - Villa Seri, Seminyak (hired a driver, went for a drive up north, around Bedugul)
Days 14-15 - Bali Mystique hotel, Seminyak (Dreamland Beach, Jimbaran Bay, last minute shopping in Legian, Seminyak)
SUMMARY:
We had a wonderful trip. Bali ... hrm ... how to describe it? At times it was incredibly touristy and tacky, and at times it was just heavenly - bliss. There were some things about Bali that I loved, but in other ways, I found it similar to the Thailand I've seen - a place so heavily built on tourism, with resulting ‘subservient' locals, that it was often hard to scratch the surface and feel as though I had ‘experienced' Bali rather than ‘visited and enjoyed it'. I'm a traveler who's keen on experiencing, and when in Rome doing as the Romans do, etc. And this trip didn't satisfy that for me but I'm well aware that there may be many others who did manage to do so, particularly in other areas of Bali that I didn't visit. But this trip did satisfy my objectives at the time - somewhere cheap, somewhere hot with beaches, somewhere nice, and some place I could get to on frequent flyer points, to meet up with my partner who was flying in from Sweden. I think my expectations were pretty good and realistic prior to going, although I have to say that they did increase after reading about the numerous people who keep returning time after time to Bali. I wondered whether I would feel the same, for a moment - the truth? I'd love to go back to pick up all the beautiful bags that I STUPIDLY didn't buy for fear of luggage overload and to buy wonderful things to fill my apartment with and to see some more of the place, but I doubt I will. I am a big traveler and I would feel a certain strange guilt returning rather than trying somewhere new, and somewhere slightly less touristy at that. Still, we really enjoyed it, and it is an amazing place, with amazing people. And the weather was amazing considering it was the rainy season. Perhaps three days with rain, but for no more than two hours? Incredible. But bloody hot.
DETAILS:
Prior to going I did a lot of research on this forum, thank you so much to everyone who helped me out or shared tips. Before setting off I decided that we would start and finish the trip in Seminyak and have some nights in Ubud and then a few nights to decide what to do with whilst over there. I ended up booking our first five nights at the Bali Mystique in Seminyak (it's actually in Kerokoban, the next suburb on, but it's almost Seminyak) through Mida at Wahyu Mandiri Wisata travel agency (recommended on forum) at US$34 a night including breakfast and an airport pick up. I had enquired about rates with other hotels through her for the rest of my trip but found I could beat the rates on websites or she perhaps didn't deal with the hotels I enquired about, so just did the Mystique through her but I would highly recommend her. Might be good to find the cheapest rate you can on the internet and then quote that to her and see what she can do. I also booked four nights at the Tegal Sari in Ubud after hearing a rave on the forum about the Wooden Room at the hotel and looking it up on the internet. Rate was 300,000 Indonesian Rupiahs per night including breakfast. This place was SENSATIONAL. More later. And then I also booked our last night in Bali at Villa Seri in Kerokoban for US$53 per night including breakfast and transfer to airport. I didn't get any vaccinations after speaking to a lot of people who go there regularly and don't either. I panicked about mosquito bites while there as I still got bitten despite the nets provided around the beds (I bought my own camping one for places that didn't provide them but only one didn't) but they say malaria is restricted to Lombok. And I took lots and lots of printouts of tips of places, shops and restaurants that I'd read about on the forum. I also purchased packets of Travelan (I could only get them from friends in Melbourne, they weren't in Sydney yet, but coming soon, from chemists) which are tablets you take before each meal to avoid bali belly. We had a few days where we were a bit ‘sensitive' but definitely weren't incapacitated ever so maybe it works!
I flew with Australian Airlines from Sydney via Melbourne and it was one of the best flights I have ever been on. Flew on the 15th of January and the flight was only one third full. They played two movies which made the time fly and the service was fantastic. I asked for a seat up the front of the plane so I could rush off and avoid the visa queue, which worked perfectly - US$25 and through to luggage. Don't forget to keep 100,000 IR for departure tax when leaving. I was met at the airport by Mida who was INCREDIBLE. So warm and friendly. The first thing that struck me was the sweet pungent smell in the air - I loved it! Mida and her driver took me to the Bali Mystique and kindly pointed out things along the way - they made me feel safe and welcome. My partner was to arrive the following day but ended up having visa issues and sadly didn't arrive until four days later, for one night there before we headed off to Ubud. The Bali Mystique is in a fantastic location, out in Seminyak away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta and Legian but still very cheap to get to and from from the shopping mecca and also right next to the best restaurants and bars in Bali. The cabs are so ridiculously cheap, like no more than A$2-5 to get anywhere in that area. The blue ones are best. The hotel is also right across the road from the Living Room restaurant which looks gorgeous, and it took me three minutes to walk to Bodyworks (the one that is still open) and four to walk to Ku De Ta, etc. Two minutes to the beach. Great location. I really really liked the Mystique. The little cottages you stay in are gorgeous and have everything you need. The owner is an Aussie guy called Norm who's happy to give advice and look after you or just let you be. The rest of the staff were fantastic, SO friendly. I stayed in room (cottage) 115 which was perfect, far enough away from the pool and restaurant to be quiet. The pool was nice too although they are doing a bit of construction in finishing up the apartments in the complex which is near the pool. If you were looking for a honeymoon place to lie by the pool all day I'd wait until construction is finished but for what I was doing (wanting a nice place, but off wandering during the day, with the odd dip in the pool when I got home) it was fine. The hotel also has really cheap and fast internet access and a trustworthy money change service. I'd definitely go back there.
With my partner delayed I had far too much time on my hands to wander about and explore the touristy Kuta and Legian, and shop, although I ended up not getting nearly as much as I wish I had. For those who haven't been there, this main part of Bali is laid out in a line along the beach, starting with the airport, and then Kuta, very touristy, lots of bars, shopping, then Legian, lots of shopping, then Seminyak, better quality shops, bit more peaceful, and then Kerokoban, remote suburb. There is one main road that goes from Kuta to Seminyak and starts out being called Jl. (street) Legian, and then turns into Jl. Seminyak. The numbers start again so make sure you are in the right suburb if you're looking for a street number. So I spent my first few days wandering the streets of Kuta and Legian and Seminyak, looking for shops I'd read about and checking out others, getting the girly stuff out of the way before my partner arrived. In the end I didn't buy much until the last day so I didn't have to lug things I bought to Ubud etc so he had to traipse around with me. And I found that a few of the things I really really really wanted *sob* and left to the last day to pick up weren't there so I missed out on a few gorgeous things *sob*. Don't make the same mistake!
I really found Kuta to be too touristy for me but it was good to see the memorial and I definitely found it to be the best place to buy DVDs. I got about 60 of them and didn't have my bag searched on the way home so have them all. So far they all work although three have had moments that seem like it's scratched but then it goes back to normal quite quickly. I was going to buy them from Helgie but didn't get my list to him in time so I had to do it myself and am kind of glad I did as great as Helgie is supposed to be, because seeing all of the DVDs prompted me to remember a few others that would be great. I used three shops in Poppies II (Poppies I and Poppies II are two small streets that come off the main street I referred to above, and Poppies II is near the memorial site). As you go down Poppies II the first two DVD shops you come to on your right were where I got most of mine and they were really helpful - one is called softcomp I think, you won't miss them. You just buy a large DVD folder from them (50,000 IR) and then pick your DVDs and then ask for them in plastic slips, that you can then fit in your folder. The other shop I went to was a tiny bit further down the road on the other side of the road with HMV in its name. Incidentally, another 50 metres down the road on the right hand side is the best (not brilliant) internet café I found in that part of Bali.
I found the best quality stuff to definitely be towards Seminyak. Along the main drag as you head out of Kuta you eventually get to a huge supermarket called Bintang supermarket (which also has a good money changer in it - but I normally just used the ones in the Kodak Express shops) where I bought food and drinks for my hotel room, and books when I finished mine while waiting for my partner. Just before that supermarket were good bag and clothes shops. I was also pleasantly surprised when I finally turned off the main drag and explored the streets that lead from it to the beach, ie. near Jayakarta. More details about where I bought things below.
The area along the beach near the Jayakarta was actually quite nice, tree lined and with character, but to be honest I really wasn't that impressed with the beach in Kuta or Legian. Nowhere near as nice as Bondi for example, although it definitely looked good for surfing lessons. Because the beach isn't that great, some of those huge resorts with pools and cabanas that just aren't my cup of tea might actually be quite nice and there were some huge places that looked quite nice from outside like Bali Niksoma or Jayakarta but not sure what they're like in the rooms etc. When I first checked out the beach in Seminyak, expecting it to be glorious, I walked to it from Bali Mystique and found a lot of rubbish and plastic on the beach and thought it was really horrible, but I stupidly didn't walk further (back towards Kuta, even just 20 metres) and see how lovely it was in front of places like Ku De Ta. I'm really kicking myself for not realizing that it was nice in places and for also not visiting places like Ku De Ta until the last day, because I was bored waiting for my partner for four days and would have really enjoyed just lazing there reading. Instead, I walked the streets in the heat and sat in cafes reading books. Silly me. Uncle Norms was a common place of relief for me though - their chicken satays are fabulous and even better they give you a cold facecloth when you arrive to wipe the sweat away. Heaven. It's on Jl Yudistira I think, the street after Jl Melasti as you drive away from Kuta. Also to while the time away I had a facial and pedicure at Bodyworks in Seminyak (there are two and one of them has closed, the one that's open is just near Mystique). 105,000 IR for the facial and 69,000 IR for the pedicure - well worth the money. I also had a full body massage at Callego, a little place on the beach just next to Mystique along a gravel road that heads off next door to Hu'u's restaurant (ph: 0361 730370). It was on the ocean and you got massaged in open air rooms. Incredible massage although I wasn't too fond of the finger cracking and weird thing they did at the end pulling on my head, but that happened at all places I got a massage at. I had to undress down to my g-string which felt funky in an open place with a young guy massaging me but he was discreet. Later in the trip I had a massage at the Tegal Sari and a woman fully massaged my breasts which was quite funny - I was fine with it but in case others aren't I thought I should mention it.
My partner finally arrived and I met him at the airport. The next morning we spoke to Norm about getting to Ubud and he ordered a cab and we bartered him down to 110,000 IR I think it was. Easy drive, although a little scary at times with no seatbelts in the back of most cars. Arrived at the Tegal Sari and I have to say this was the best hotel experience I have ever had. We had the Wooden Room and I think that was part of the beauty, I'm not sure if other rooms had the same beauty or location as ours even if they were more expensive. It was just incredible. Upstairs, huge four poster wooden bed, large balcony with day bed looking over rice paddies and sunsets, next to pool that was heavenly. And the service, just INCREDIBLE. And because this hotel is not in the main drag of Ubud (thankfully, you get hounded up there by taxi drivers, far more than in Kuta bizarrely) they will drive you anywhere and pick you up when really it's pretty easy to walk, but after a day of walking a pick up from dinner was most welcome!! Nothing was too hard, it was just amazing. Definitely the highlight of the whole trip. In Ubud we checked out the Money Forest (nice as long as they stayed away from me, don't take food), the lovely side streets with crazy footpaths, and a local dance while eating dinner at Lotus Café (nice café but couldn't really see much of the dance or understand the story behind it). The paintings here were great but I didn't get any. Cute clothes too. We had a few drinks in Café Indus which has an incredible view and beautifully refreshing drinks and snacks for when you're sick of walking, well worth checking out (just near Mozaic, see address below www.casalunabali.com). We had a drink in a bar called Lavien Rose just up from Mozaic which was odd but nice. And then we had dinner in Mozaic and it was absolutely beautiful - according to some it would have two stars if it was in Paris, not sure, but it was senstational. Definitely the best meal of the trip, although back in Seminyak we only went to Hu'us and not Living Room, Lucciola or Ku De Ta for a meal sadly. Mozaic, the service and setting and food were sensational. And pretty bloody affordable for Australian prices. (Jl Raya Sanggingan Ubud Ph: 0361975768) One day we also got a driver to take us to the bird park just out of Ubud which was okay, and then we caught local buses (crazy things) on to Celuk and Batubalan because I had read about Putra Silver in Batubulan being really cheap on the forum. Turns out that place is great but is also pretty well almost in Celuk so just go to Celuk and start walking down the main road to Batubulan and you will come across it on your left. As per the other person's recommendations it seemed closed so I just walked up the stairs and knocked on the door and they let us in. I really wish I'd bought a LOT more than I did *sigh*. And it looks like on the receipt they actually have a shop in Ubud on Ubud Street which I wish I'd known about.
We then decided to go to Nusa Lembongan and asked the hotel staff how to go about that. As it turns out, the office for the bus that takes you to Sanur and then onto the ferry to Lembongan was just across the road from the hotel - all too easy, hence my happiness with our itinerary as well. I can't remember how much it cost, perhaps 60,000 IR to get to Lembongan. Easy bus ride and then a small wait for the ferry and then across to the island at 10/10.30am. A few people pounce when you arrive, suggesting accommodation, be strong and just look at places or head straight for Ketuts as we did because it is great. I had planned on us maybe staying at Putu's recommended by balisunshine but they said it was closed I think so we headed up to Ketut Losmen which we were very happy with. We bartered it down to 175,000 IR a night for an air conditioned room but I think we could have pushed lower. A girl we met stayed at the place next door and paid 60,000 and it looked fine! Very quiet place, just what we wanted. I think we would have been bored after three days though. We had two nights there which meant one and a half days and then the ferry back at 8.30am the next morning. On our full day there we hired a boat (lots of people will approach you and they all seem great, can't go wrong there ... 250,000 for the day I think it was and then we paid and extra 50,000 because we wanted to be dropped of at Mushroom Beach (where the Hai Tide huts are, nice spot) afterwards and then picked up at 5pm to go back to the main beach). It was a tour around the island and some snorkeling, including a few spots on Pendida, the bigger island, which was truly beautiful! This was sensational, the snorkeling was incredible, so many fish. But we got very burnt on our backs. Sunsets on Lembongan were just stunning - I really recommend a short trip here.
Our ferry back to Sanur included a bus trip to Kuta and from there we headed up to Villa Seri who I had booked our last night with, and then rang and asked if we could have two additional nights there as well as we still had three nights to go. On the internet it looked a little more luxurious than Mystique and I thought it would make a nice romantic ending to our trip and we'd base ourselves there and do dreamland beach and jimbaran bay and last minute shopping in Legian. We got to the hotel and whilst it was nice and some people may love it (I don't want them to lose business) the location really was not good. It was secluded yes, but it was just too far away from Seminyak and not near anything you would want to explore on foot that we could see. The rooms were luscious although the TV was out by the day bed so you couldn't lie in bed and watch movies, which is only really a pain when you consider the mosquitoes outside at night. It just didn't FEEL right and it wasn't the note I wanted our trip to end on, so we rang the Mystique and they said we could stay there for our last two nights (after one night at Villa Seri) at the previous rate, in the same cottage, which was great. I felt bad leaving them as they were empty and I'm sure some people wanting to get away from it might like it but it wasn't for me. And it wasn't how it looked on the website. The taxi driver who took us there offered to be our driver the next day and seemed like a lovely guy and so for 300,000 picked us up the next morning in air conditioned comfort and drove us up to the botanical gardens in Bedugul (lovely!) and around the rice paddies and to a few temples (a few too many, we had to put a stop to that) and to Tabanan. He was gorgeous, so interesting and so sweet. Suggested a few places and eventually we stopped accepting and he didn't mind, we just wanted to look at the scenery from the car as he drove around. He happily chatted about religion and life in Bali. You can call him on 081 338 4911 65. His name is Wayan and he really was fantastic. Such a gentleman. And he dropped us off at Mystique at the end of the day.
The next day we got a cab down to Dreamland beach which was a dream, despite the bizarre entry drive to the beach. A guy will try to nicely show you the way and then you discover that he just wants you to lie on his beds, don't worry about it. We did however find that it was a hard place to get out of and if you don't have a driver waiting you are trapped into the prices of the local apparently organized company. Still we bartered a bit and got a relatively expensive trip to Jimbaran bay for dinner after a day of reading in the sun. Jimbaran Bay ... well ... I had high expectations about this place but really the beach was just revolting. Plastic and rubbish all over the place. Truly horrible. But sure, once it got dark, you couldn't see it that much, but knowing that it was an ugly spot kind of killed it for me. Maybe it was just when we went there, who knows. I had read about Sharkeys and Lagoon Bali Café (close to each other, at the airport end) and checked them both out and Lagoon was much cheaper so we ate there and it was lovely food. They put a sauce all over the squid without us asking so next time I'd ask for it plain with lime and garlic perhaps but other than that it was great. It was just a bad location. I certainly wouldn't return. You can get nice seafood anywhere.
Then our last night at Seminyak we ate at Hu'us (I think I may spell that incorrectly?) and it was lovely. Small servings are my only complaint but the food was great. The next day we wandered around doing last minute shopping (and missing out on some great things because they'd sold out). In the afternoon we finally checked out Ku De Ta for a farewell cocktail and a plate of hummous which was heavenly, well worth it. And then it was off to the airport with a transfer from Mystique (which I had to push for but did and got considering I had stayed there for seven nights!). Duty free at that airport is RIDICULOUSLY cheap, like for moisturizers etc. I wish I'd bought some stuff now, too late. And then it was an overnight flight home which considering the time differences etc meant very little sleep and much exhaustion for a few days. I'd look into doing a different flight time next time if it existed, perhaps not.
PHOTOS:
http://anguswhines.com/imagebank/bali/2imagesbali
First couple of building photos are the Bali Mystique and then one of the Living Room restaurant with all of its candles, then when the four poster bed appears to the sunset photo they are all photos from the Tegal Sari from our room etc. Then it goes Nusa Lembongan, day driving around National Parks up north (and our driver), dreamland beach, Ku De Ta and then a few photos of dolphins/beaches back in Sydney.
ACCOMMODATION DETAILS:
Mida at her travel agency Wahyu Mandiri Wisata
Ph: 62 361 744 2956
Email: wahyutur@indosat.net.id
Bali Mystique
Jl. Petitenget 2000 XX
Kerokoban Bali
Ph: 62 361 730465
www.balimystique.com
Tegal Sari
Hanoman Street, Padang Tegal
Ubud 80571 Bali
Ph: 62 361 973318
www.tegalsari-ubud.com
Ketut Losmen
Nusa Lemongan
(to the left when you get off the boat, just ask people)
Ph: 0361 7489703
Villa Seri
Br. Umulas Kauh
Jl. I # 42
Kerokoban Bali
Ph: 62 361 730262
www.villaseri.com
SHOPPING:
Fake Label Bags - The best ones I saw were at Top Ten and Malibu, owned by the same people, on the same street on JL Melasti.
Balinese Bags - These were just beautiful and I STUPIDLY only bought one! The nicest ones I saw were in R. Diya Collection which is on JL Legian - business card says 469 but it was actually across the road from 469 bizarrely.
Mosquito Nets for Beds - I bartered to get one of these down to A$30 and thought that was worth it in case I ever get to put one over my bed. I got it from a great guy at a place called Jaya Pillow on JL Padma Utara ... such a nice guy! He also got cushions and quilts made up for people with lovely materials. It's the small street in between Melasti and Yudistira I think.
Betty Bu - I'd heard a lot about this place and checked it out but it did nothing for me. But of interest perhaps is that they have another shop on Kuta St rather than tracking it down in Legian if you're not staying in that area.
Fairy Costumes - I bought one from my niece in a shop that's just two doors down from the R2U shoe shop, up the road from the Melasti Beach Resort, near Poco Loco, which I didn't find to be that good after hunting it down (the shoe shop that is)
Other - the homewares and crafts for the house were just to die for. I loved the silver buddhas and furniture and general homewards - could have bought a whole houseful but was on a budget so didn't get any. All I did get were three window blinds from a shop on the main road from Kuta (at the very end of Seminyak it veers left and it's just there before it veers right again heading out to Canggu). I also checked out Geneva but wasn't that impressed.
Hope this helps and thanks to all those who helped me!