just got back from a fabulous couple of weeks in mostly Flores but in and out of Bali. So just wanted to mention a couple of things...
Taxi fares from the airport have been increased to way too much. Rp45000 to basic Kuta when on the meter its about Rp15000 is extreme I think.
Stayed first two nights, just long enough to get the rest of the travel sorted, at the Green garden in Tuban. I hadnt stayed there before but, as we were getting in very late at night and I wanted to be able to sort my business out as easily as possible, location was good and price was better! Wasnt expecting much but I cant talk this place up enough. For price, position, cleanliness, fantastic staff, cute pool and more TV channels than most fives stars I think the GG cant be beaten.
Were accidently in Bali for Nyepi and though I had been before at this time but, like having a baby, I mustve forgotten how much it really hurt to have gone and done it again. So boring! And, judging by the numbers of tourists wandering aimlessly the day after, peering moronically into closed shop windows, its not just me that thinks so.
To dull the sting of Nyepi we spent our last three nights at the Mandira in a deluxe cottage with lounge club benefits and once again I cant praise this hotel enough. It is a little bit of luxury (not too much)without losing its Baliness with great staff, a beautiful location, wonderful breakfast and a very spectacular high level second pool. Our room was a bit small but the huge indoor/outdoor bathroom made up for that! We booked over the internet for a reasonably cheap price and being able to use the Lounge made a big difference on Nyepi.
The last thing I want to mention is how many people in Bali seem to have convinced themselves that Australians arent travelling to Bali because of the Papuans who have asked for asylum in Australia. Its not about bombs or security or reduced flights anymore its all because of the Papuans. I tried to talk with many people, particularly taxi drivers, about it and tried to explain that most Australians are fairly uninterested and not well informed in overseas politics (I wasnt game to mention East Timor as a glaring example) but they wouldnt have it. So it would appear that the Javanese have been let off the hook and the latest scapegoats are the Papuans.
Numbers of tourists are not as light as I expected though it is a bit quieter at night but I didnt notice much of a difference from before the latest bombings though the nationalities have changed Germans reputably being the No 1 tourist now. And we did meet a lot of German people so maybe this is correct. Oh, and the exchange rate is a lot lower than before Xmas. Down to the low 6000s when it was up to the high 7000s in November.