We have been back for 3 weeks and I am still missing Bali. Hard to get used to being home but we still carry that unique special glow you get from Bali. We first were there in 1987 for 3 weeks and spent a lot of time in Candidasa and Ubud area. Bali 18 years later has definitely changed to say the least...there were no TV's or Videos then, the green countryside near Ubud between villages were few and far between ...the homestay in Camphuan we stayed in then looked out over rice paddies and now looks out over 50 buildings! Yet the people are still so sweet and honest and Bali still holds the magic for me. I am already planning the next trip. Thanks to this forum I got lots of good information before we left.
My husband is from Holland and I am from Vancouver Canada and we live in Seattle. So being Dutch he needed to buy the Visa ahead of time. It was a breeze for me with the VOA. I went through this short line up and bought the VOA and was directed to my luggage. My husband had to stand in a long line even though he had his visa - by the time he was through I had gotten the luggage and used the ATM which is right to the left of the baggage area.
We flew on Singapore Airlines which was awesome. With the ticket we got 5 free nights at a 5 star hotel...our choice of Nusa Dua Beach Hotel or Le Meridien at Tanah Lot. We chose Nusa Dua and our friends stayed at Tanah Lot for their free 5 nights.
Another great thing was that we had a 9 hour layover in Singapore at midnight and we stayed in their transit hotel for 40US$. They rent rooms with bathroom and wake up call for 6 hours and you can buy up by the hour. This was really worth it for us as it was clean and right in the airport.
‘Ambassador Transit Hotel' www.airport-hotel.com.sg
or direct email rsvn@airport-hotel.com.sg
It is worth it to book ahead as a lot of people just showed up and the rooms were full. They don't ask for a deposit either but do hold your room for 45 minutes after flight arrival. They keep track if flight is late.
Landing in Bali my first thoughts were...'I forgot how beautiful Bali is!' The smells, the sights..sigh..delightful.
Nusa Dua Beach Hotel was awesome. Just gorgeous, huge rooms, nice people, great buffet breakfasts...it is somewhere we never would have chosen to stay (Nusa Dua) but this experience was great for the beginning of a trip and it was all free! The beach unfortunately although beautiful was not for swimming as the water was too shallow. I did hear the best swimming was near the Club Med area but we didn't go there.
We on 2 occasions went to Geger Beach - (5 minutes by taxi from hotel), tell taxi ‘Pantai Geger'. This is one of the best swimming beaches in the area...water is relatively calm with a few small waves, small beach area with some shade and one little restaurant, nice massage ladies who also sell sarongs...very sweet quiet place...I would even go back when in Kuta area as it is one of the few places I saw in the south you could swim at...I heard about it on this forum. The Geger Temple is visible from the beach. I am not sure how to walk there but taxi's know where it is, It is near the Bali Golf and Country Club and Nikko hotel.
If you stay in Nusa Dua a great place to have lunch or dinner is just outside the gate on Jalan Pantai Mengiat. This is a small area with ATM, great restaurants who will provide free transport to and from your hotel...great prices and good food. We ate at Nelayan Restaurant (773534)
and Ulam (771590) - all food was prepared with purified water..both were good and there were more on the street that also looked good.
We heard about this before we went and happened upon it one day coming back from the beach as the driver drove through the area...
Jimbaran Bay
We have friends who have live in Bali and they took us one night to seafood dinner on the beach to Menaga. It is near the Four Seasons end of the beach. They said they have tried most of the restaurants and find this one the cleanest and best prices and food. The only time on the trip I had Bali Belly was that night so I had some fish and they made me boiled potatoes which helped.
Tanah Lot
Two friends were there the same time as us and stayed for free 5 nights at Le Meridien at Tanah Lot. (same Singapore Airlines deal). We spent a day with them out there and it is beautiful. Very elegant hotel right near Tanah Lot temple. The hotel is on a cliff so you can't swim in it but it is very beautiful with the waves crashing. We saw sunset there and that was spectacular. Although it is far from anything, you do drive through beautiful countryside. It is about 30 minutes from Semniyak.
I will write more later on the rest of the journey to Candidasa, Amed, Sideman, Ubud, Pemuteran, Serritit and Semniyak.
Thanks to everyone who gave me advice on this forum. I still come every few days to touch base with my addiction to Bali and this forum. You guys who live in Australia are soooo lucky that you are so close and such a short plane ride.
Bye for now