1. Restaurants
After Kori and Warung Made, Kuta (and other restaurants), I decided not to go to the recommended restaurants. I ate where it was convienient and when food looked ok.
I ate at least 5 times at Mr. Sinar Minang - Padang food. The shop was very close to Sami's massage place - the one recommended by the forum. I liked the deep fried fish.
orange color curry/sauce, and green leaves. No MSG. 2 iced teas and two meals costed RP16-17000. If you had two fish, she charged you Rp 21,000 for 2 with iced teas. 2 iced teas were Rp3000.( a lot of ice).
I don't tolerate MSG very well. I get very drowsy within 30 minutes after meals. I did not get such reaction after eating here. The food was very tasty. The sauce was a bit hot.
You could get tofu, different types of fish egg, and other things.
This eating place was not a restaurant. But food was nice. It was where the shop keepers had their lunch or dinner. I would not seek out the place for a night out but if you are near the massage place or Poppies 2, you could have lunch.
The shop is on Benesari St.
Another recommendation is Hotel Santika Beach's restaurant called Kunyit Bali restaurant.
I had breakfast once. It was very good - much better than Casa padma or bakungs's beach for an obvious reason- more pricey and this was really a restaurant. Their coffee was one of the best in Bali, Coffee had caramel flavour, not too strong, very nice. They said it was Coffee Bali. It was not the Bali Coffee i knew.
I also have their set menu dinner (Rp110,000 for 2 ++) for dinner. Even though some of flavours were a bit strong for me, I knew I got the real deal. It was very good. I had a chance to taste many dishes including deserts. I liked their deserts.
2. Coffee
best iced coffee- Iced Capuccino at Excelso, Denpasar - approx Rp40,000 for 2 including taxes.
It was the best iced coffee I've ever had. Airconditioned shop. no ice cream or cream on the top. They have a shop at Galleria Bali.
3. Spa- facial
My best ever facial was at Miracle, Kuta Galleria -Rp90,000. I had two facials.
I have quite a lot of blackheads. They did a very very good job. good facial massage, I will miss it. It is very difficult to find a good beautician in Sydney, the one who would spend time on your face with their hands. I usually get steaming machine and facial masks.
I had a spa at Miracle. liked it but I won't miss it.
4. Massage
We like massage a lot. The first thing we did when we arrived in Bali was getting to Sami's.
Ladies, do not go to men for massage. Even though they are discreet, they are not professionals. We should get paid by them.
I found that the massage industry in Bali was evolved to get money from tourists. I initially thought, they had some training. None of them had any training. We got bruises on our legs and arms getting massage from Sami's massage place. - Reflexology & Spiritual Healing, Benesari St. We get massage in Sydney. We have never had such a problem with anyone we used- good or bad.
Balinese men and women have good hand strength and they use on you. Sam's massage place was discreet. Can you imagine what it would have been like if they were not discreet?
By the way, my masseur in Sydney is a male who does not like to see my flesh any more than he has to. He does not want me to move without his instructions- no getting up without him covering me first. He has not seen my boobs yet after 2 years. I get extremely good massage from him. I am fine for about a month after a massage.
I would only get massage at the beauty salon or spa place, if I had to.
For guys having a spa treatment, do you take your pants off when you have spa treatment? don't want to know.
I would never seek out a reflexology place in Bali again. An Australian guy was talking to a Balinese shop keeper while massaging the shopkeeper's shoulders and said " something is wrong with massage here, it does not work" He was right on. I agree with him 100%. I did not feel better. I had 5 massages in total , 4 reflexology and 1 spa. It did not do anything for mid back pain. It costed more than in Sydney.
5. Denparsar - gold street and fabric street
We went to Denpasar 4 times.
Gold price was Rp105,000 to Rp 135,000 per g( 18ct).
I bought two necklaces Rp115,000per gram and 1 bangle for bit less than Rp 100,000 per gram
Some shops had more rings than others. Their stocks are similar but not the same. Go down the strret and visit every shop.
Fabrics
silk for blouse ( off white, black) - Rp50,000 per metre. The silk was very thin, not Thai silk. make sure you check the fabrics for any irregularities, marks, spots. We think it would be about $15 p/m in Australia
We bought our fabrics on our second trip to Denpasar. On our first trip to Denpasar, initially, we were quoted Rp 250,000 for silk ( 115 cm wide). We laughed at her and said it costed a lot less in Australia. Then she said Rp150,000. We laughed again and said " see you later". It was a lady who sat at front of the shops. She followed us and asked us what
what we wanted. As soon as we said "silk" she gave us the usual" you won't find it in this shop, I will take you to the shop where they have a lot of silk" . There was some truth in her statement. We did not find much colored silk, only off white, black or some colors we did not like- Too Indian or Indonesian at the other shops. She took us to a shop in the fabric street but the silk was stored upstairs.A man who seemed to be an owner of the shop came up. She started negotiating. Even we did not make any offer, she almost refused to let us go. She was intimidating. She kept asking us " how much". I said " I don't want to buy it" . She started at Rp 250,000 and she said Rp150,000 was a good price. We thought it should cost a lot less but did not feel like saying it to her. We left the premises as fast as you could.
Cotton (printed) for rp25,000per metre. - would have costed close to $10 p/m at retail.
6. Alta Moda, at Bali Galleria
The shop was a real rip-off. Their fabrics costed as much as in Australia or more. Considering the costs of living in Bali, I would consider this as a real rip-off. They claimed that their silk was from Italy. it was not. The color of their silk was not of European. European silk has different hue or tone to the ones made in Asia.
I saw their silk and wool at Denpasar. The price from fabric shops in Denpasar was already tourist's price. I did not buy anything from the shop.
Their English wool fabric for suits was of quite good qualifty but I still question whether it was really from England and if it were it should be dearer than in Australia.
7. Komangs
I went to Komangs Tailors which was located opposite to Casa Padma two doors up.
He price was bit off. For women's suits we were quoted Rp 1,450,000 (the most expensive fabric they have-wool), Rp 1,150,000( wool blend). Their fabrics was no diffierent to anyone else's.
But if I bring the fabrics (only fabrics, their lining etc), the costs would be Rp 400,000.
All these prices were the first price before negotiation. I found it a bit odd that she asked me to go to Alta Moda for fabrics. She knew the price of fabrics at Alta Moda, She priced her suits "at the just right level'. very good business practice. Pity, did not work with me very well. I did not like her much. She did not look like a tailor, may be a dressmaker for women. Not that it mattered to me.
8. Taxi fares
Tuban to Matahari department,Kuta, Rp 10,000( never less than)
Matahari to Tuban Rp 12-13,000( had to go around)
If take a taxi from Katika Plaza St (opposite to the Melasti Bungalows hotel or Kuta Paradisco) then it would only cost Rp 5,000.
Legian( Padma St) to Kuta Galleria- Rp 6-7000
Kuta Galleria to cnr of Poppies 2 and Legian St - Rp 8,000
Kuta Galleria to Poppies 2- Rp 12,000
Bali Galleria to cnr of Poppies 2 & Legian St ( opposite to former Sari club) Rp 18,000- I am sure something was wrong with the taxi meter. It was a blue bird taxi. I think it was Rp 12,000 previously.
From Bali Galleria, you do not have to wait long for Blue Bird or Komotra taxi. White taxis wanted rp 30,000 to Poppies 2. Even after I said I knew how much it costed, they still asked for rp 20,000. My price- Rp 10,000. Meter taxis take longer to get to destinations. ???. Sometimes, they use different routes to white taxis. It was especially true for the trips to Denpasar. I paid Rp 50,000 from Denpasar to Tuban due to the cooperation between a security guard at Ramayana Department store's supermaket and a white taxi driver. The white taxi driver was not happy at all. Anyone who does extra for you is likely to rip you off.
Tuban to Denpasar ( Ramayana department store) - Rp 25-26000.
Legian to Denpasar ( Matahari Department store)- Rp 22,000. It would not matter whether it was Matahari or Ramayana)
It would cost the same the other way around as well.
Tuban to Jimbaran Bay( Bali Cliff resort)- Rp 40,000
Bali cliff Resort to Tuban - Rp 33,000 - the driver was a real taxi driver- honest one. He did not drive his car slowly.
Bali Cliff Resort was at a quite isolated location so to get seafood restaurants at Jimbaran Bay should not cost more.
Ask the reception at Bali Cliff Resort to call a blue bird taxi and their hotel taxi costs Rp 75,000.
In front of Matahari or Ramayana, there were many many white taxis. negotiate the fare as you know now how much it would cost. Rp 20,000-30,000 is a lot money for them so even if they were not able to rip you off ( charging 4 times more), they would consider it.
If fails, then just wait for a blue bird or Komotra taxi ( red taxi in Denpasar). You do not have to wait for long or call taxi companies.
Blue bird 701 1111- light blue ( baby blue)
Komotra 499 449 - blue- green taxi
Taxi drivers were really into tips. They did not want to give me a change. If the taxi fare was rp12,000, I gave them Rp 20,000. They got disappointed when I asked for a change.
If I gave them a bigger bill, Rp 50,000, their face changed when I asked for a change.
If the taxi fare were Rp 8,200 they would only give me Rp 11,000. The rule of you lose some, I lose some did not work here. We lose every time. Many taxi drivers did not have enough change. - No Rp 1000 notes.
9. taxi company - komotra- I got an apoliogy letter from the company
On our 6th day, we went to Bali Cliff Resort to use their swimming pool. I gave the driver rp 400,000 instead of rp 40,000.- 8 of Rp 50,000 note. After the taxi driver got the money, he was suddenly very caring and said he would come back to pick us up because there would be no taxi in the area. I said ok. As soon as he left, I realised what I did. We did not get the number plate. We knew it was Komotra- we took blue -green color taxis many times. We told our story to the pool attendants at the Bali Cliff Resort, They told us to forget it. Apparently, a taxi driver's daily taking or income would be about Rp 100-150,000. I gave him 4 times more. We decided to forget it and have a good time. The pool at Bali cliff Resort was incredible. You should see it to believe it. After the incident, we started to look at taxis differently. I felt really bad and stupid (I was studpid. I am usually very good with money). My sister remembered a number from the taxi which we did not know what it was. A driver from Komotra told us that it was a taxi number. 2 days later, with advice from an Indonesian girl at a Internet cafe the indonesian girl called Komotra on our behalf and reported the incident. No response for a day. I called again and gave them a deadline " by 8pm tonight". A rep from the company and the taxi driver came to our hotel. He was not our driver. I apologized sincerely to the driver. I felt vey bad for him. He did not take it hard." just mistake" . The rep said their drivers were not like that and we were welcomed to check their drivers photo books in their office, We checked the books and found the driver. My sister had a very good look at the registration card while she was in the car. The person on the registration did not look like our driver so we asked our driver whether the photo was his. told the one on the photo was his brother ( actually his boss). In Bali everyone was related , brother or friend. usally means they get commissions.
We identified the driver and after a lot of things were said, I told them if they did not bring the money by 9:20am next morning, I would go to police.
I did not like the tactics one of the rep used. conversations went like this:
The rep-" the driver may have to sell his house. It has been long time. he would have spent money on his children, clothes. food etc"
Me-" Yes, sell his house, bring the children's clothes, any indigested food etc, A father should not have done it."
Me - If you do not bring money by 9;20am I will go to the police.
Rep- the police does not care, it was too late to report to the police, it has been more than 24 hours. the police would want bribe from you.
Me- it does not matter, I would still report it. I will give the police the bribe if necessary.
Rep- the taxi company gives the police bribes as well.
Me - very good, so,the police will get two bribes, one from me and one from your company. I still want it to be investigated".
He made me very angry. He was really saying " so Rp 400,000 means nothing to you people, so forget it". This was a typical attitude of Balineses who have any kind of business dealings with tourists. - " You, tourists' money is like water, who cares if we or you pour it into the drain, but our money of Rp 1,000 is real money which is very valuable". They did not treate me like a human being, just walking & talking money. I have feelings
We stayed in their office for over a hour. My sister was not comfortable surrounded by Balinese men. I was. We came from our hotel with the rep in their car ( I paid for the fare).
So anything happened to us, they would be the first suspect.
We came back to our hotel. The driver ( it was the right one) came to our hotel at 9:20 am ( right on the dot) with a rep from the commpany with money. They asked me to sign a letter which translated as an apology. The hotel personnel translated the letter for me.
The morale of the story is that 1. count your money well. 2. write down your taxi number which is a three digit number either on the dashboard or on the side window. it is a very visual number.
After the incident, I still used Komotra taxi a lot. They were not any worse than blue bird taxis. But after the incident, I told taxi drivers off if they drove slowly when there was no car or motorbike in front of them. I questioned taxi meters if taxi fares were a lot higher than the usual.
10. Matahari , kuta
I found their practice of not giving small change disgusting. Matahari, Kuta is a department store for tourists. In real term, their practice targets tourists. Instead of giving lollies, how about rounding it off?
Today I bought plum at a local fruit shop in Sydney. It was $1.96. I gave them $2.00 and they gave me 5 cents.
Matahari is a big business. The government should stop such practice. I did not get any lollies at Matahari, Denpasar.
11. doctors and hosital
My sister got sick on the way to Denpasar. We went to a hospital. It looked quite big. Her symptoms were vomiting and a little headache. We thought it was from too much airconditioning and car sick. We were not eating much for 4-5 days.
The doctor wanted us to have a blood test. I asked him whether he was suspecting something serious. He said no but he would do the blood test to find the cause of vomiting - it was not severe vomiting. She was well the night before.
I told him that we would not take the blood test. She needed an injection for nausea- just to make her comfortable. I told the doctor that we would go home to Sydney if he suspected a serious illness. He said no.
The doctor gave us 5 different types of tablets and 1 liquid medicine. The hospital charged us Rp 660,000 ( the half of it was the cost of medicine). We had an insurance, so the money was not the issue.
But when you are in a foreigh country, you get sick and a doctor wants to do a blood test, you get worried. It was clearly over- treatment. " blood test" should not be used to earn more money. It was a hospital. Causes of vomiting are several, countless actually. They should really do a CT scan as well. Causes of coughing are also countless. They knew we were tourists and gave us a certificate without asking. My sister was fine after 3 hours and did not take any of the medicine.
Conclusion:
will I go back? Maybe just for facial, tailors and leather jackets. "furniture" It would be only for 5 days.
What will I do next time in Bali?
1. get a better hotel, Hotel Padma and Niksoma look good.
2. 1st day- go to Jenoko and Rizky to order goodies
3. 2nd day - have a facial, go furniture shopping - I don't know where to
4. 3rd day- more furniture shopping and in the afternoon go to Bali Cliff Resort
5. 4th day - get your your goodies, stay in the pool
6. 5th day - stay in the pool
7. 6th day - pack and go home.
I still don't know which restaurants I should go to ? Eating was a big problem- " no sugar in the juice, please".