My first experiences in Bali were about 30 years ago, and I KNOW they'll never be repeatable. Those were the days when the only way to get from Kuta to Denpassar was by bimo, and mama wrote your name on the lobsters she brought in from market...and $3 a day was all you needed.
Now, finally, getting to go back for more than the really short times I've carved out before, and hoping folks with all the acccumulated experiences on this board can help!
What we'd like... something like 3-4 days in Ubud, same on one of the northern (Lovina or near) beaches, and same in the south...plus the pinisi sail to Lombok seemed interesting! We have a max of about 13 days.
What we'd love is some Balinese, REAL family feeling place. We can swing the super-luxe spots, but feel like those really are just like deluxe resorts anywhere, with, of course, the added charm, warmth and spirit of the Balinese! We'd like to AVERAGE no more than about $120-50 a night.... but think that maybe that's best spent with one big splurge and more modest places the rest of the time. We've got a strong preference for freestanding cottges/bungalows... but don't need the 650 count sheets, the foofy setups, etc. I know I'll never recapture the family feel of what I've had before, but truly don't want to spend our precious Bali days surrounded by folks I could talk to at home are!
ANY and all suggestions welcome...more than welcome.
Terimah kasi (saya tahu bihasa sedikit sedikit)
Steve