In Reply to: Wise to book driver ahead of time? posted by Sherry on Saturday, 23. April 2005 at 14:46 Bali Time:
The one thing that is a good idea is to make sure you have someone to meet you at the airport when you arrive. Some holiday packages have transfers included, yet you will find the cost is at least double what the actual cost is from the transport company in Bali (if you book direct), and there prices can be double again from what is available locally.
Having said that, please don't just focus on price. Our philosophy is "if you pay peanuts, all you get is monkeys". What you need to make sure of is VALUE FOR MONEY. The transfer from the airport to the hotel is just part of your internal travel, then there is touring if you want to do that. The thing here is to make sure you get a "registered tour guide" together with a driver and deal with a reputable company. Too may bad stories around.
Discussed this with someone recently before and during their time in Bali ... they got pushed into (by the driver picking them up from the airport) taking some tours while they were in Bali. They paid TOO much and then the guide fell asleep ! This is just unforgivable.
While it is always cheaper to get drivers off the street, it gets back to what you want out of your time. If you want to have someone that can really give you a cultural experience - someone that knows of the history and culture of Bali, then pay a bit extra, use a reputable tour company and make sure the guide is registered (therefore min standards set by the Bali Tourist Authority) and that there is a seperate driver, so the guide can concentrate on YOU - the customer, and not the road .... the driver can do that. Also make sure the car / van / bus is registered for tourist transport (look for the letter "S" at the end of the rego plate.
If you would like some further information about this, please don't hesitate to drop us an e-mail. Just remember the remove the _noSpam_ bit at the front.
Regards, Louise & Geoff