We (my son Jack 14 and myself) had not planned on travelling to Bali as we normally only travel once a year in April/May however issues confronting my own life together with the knowledge that the Balinese needed tourists to return to Bali... well we decided to hang the expense and go. Left home (Bowral) at 4.30am on the 8th December to beat the Sydney peak hour traffic and arrived at Sydney International at 6.30am. Our flight was due to depart at 10am however it was delayed a number of times and unfortunately Garuda staff were not the best at keeping us informed.
As we had arrived so early, we were first in the que and so requested specific seats and we were advised that we had been allocated these seats. On boarding the aircraft, we found out that we had not been allocated the seats and so the day got off to a poor start. Service on board was excellent; food was average and the flight uneventful for the most part. We flew via Melbourne where there was an incident involving a male passenger (who just happened to be on the same flight home), he was somewhat aggressive and security had to be called. I really do think Garuda needs to update some of their aircraft as some of the screens do not work as well as they should and also I noticed when we hit turbulence ‘things' were dropping out of the roof overhead (somewhat disconcerting)..
Finally, some 2 hours late ... we arrived. Not the busy airport we had remembered from our previous visits, no lines to contend with and it was approximately 5 minutes from the aircraft to baggage counter. Then those familiar sounds and smells and that heat!!! The emptiness of the airport was the beginning of our confrontation with the reality of what is now facing the people of Bali. Our driver Ketut was there as always to collect us with his happy smile and welcoming hug. As we drove through the streets on route to Sanur, the realisation of just how the second bomb and subsequent warnings had affected the island became apparent. The streets were empty and foreigners were hard to find.
Finally, we arrived at our accommodation, Bumi Ayu Bungalows Sanur. This was our first time at Bumi Ayu and we were happy with the accommodation. My sister had decided to join us in Bali for 5 days from Perth, as she is getting married in Bali in May and wanted to finalise some arrangements. Bumi Ayu is situated up a lane way off the main road in Sanur and within walking distance of a number of restaurants and the beach. If you are looking for a quiet laid back holiday away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta/Legian then this is the place for you. Bumi Ayu is of a moderate standard with gorgeous gardens and a large clean well maintained swimming pool. There is a restaurant for all meals and afternoon tea is served each afternoon (free). There is an outdoor lounge area with a selection of books and a bar near the pool.
Good Points
· Gardens and Pool
· Peaceful surroundings
· Plenty of lounges
· Pool Bar Access
· Air-conditioning worked well
· Large Bathroom
· Large Room
· DVD's can be played through reception
· Nice private large verandas
· Lovely staff
· Plenty of hanging and shelf space in the room
Points to Consider
· Older style rooms
· No tea or coffee making facilities
· Sanur can be boring if travelling with children
· Rooms are a little on the dark side
· Hard to find staff during the day at times for drinks/food
· Pillows were very small and did not have pillow protectors on them so they were filthy.
Restaurants we ate at in Sanur included:
JJ's Pub and Restaurant which is at the end of Bumi Ayu laneway and on the corner of the main road (Jl Dunau Tamblingan) and the lane - 0361 289333. Good friendly service, reasonable prices (Nasi Goreng around 27,000, Pizza 32,000). Breakfast 20,000 for American Breakfast - nice pancakes.
Benno's - on the beachfront. Had breakfast there a few times - 22,000, near the front of the Gazebo.
Puri Santrian - Sanur
Gorgeous setting - had cocktails there in the pool bar - 40,000.
Café Zoo (used to be Laser) - Our Pick
Air-conditioned, has broadband internet access available in the restaurant which was very handy. Meals were excellent and so was the service and the breakfast was the best I have ever had in Bali.
Satay Entrée - 20,000
Fish n Chips - 27,000
Full Breakfast - 23,000
We also had dinner and breakfast at Tamukami, gorgeous place to stay, on the main road in Sanur not far from Bumi Ayu. Good service and great food, breakfast was lovely. More expensive than the other places we ate at but well worth it.
We did our shopping at Hardy's in Sanur where you can get most things including fresh bread. Sanur was extremely quiet and I don't think I would take my son there again and I certainly would not stay there for 5 nights. It may be better if travelling with children to stay in one of the larger hotels on the beach and I am sure Jack would have enjoyed it better if we had done this, however Bumi Ayu is the ideal retreat for those seeking peace and quiet.
More to come....