In Reply to: Puri Dajuma posted by JenPen on Friday, 5. May 2006 at 14:55 Bali Time:
Would you believe I just replied to your post and closed the window before sending. I had been typing for ages too.....B U G G E R ! ! ! ! I'll try again!
PURI DAJUMA is a small boutique hotel located about 75kms from Kuta at Medewi. The rooms are very nice, very clean, and have terrific views over the point and ocean. All rooms have a private outdoor shower area as well as an indoor shower and bathroom. Beds are nice and comfortable, with a full mozzie net...not that we saw any mozzies. [in fact we didn't see any mozzies anywhere]. The grounds are filled with hibiscus and other shrubbery and of course the mandatory coconut trees. The hotel is located right on the point between two crescent beaches, so you are surrounded by ocean on two sides and greenery on the other! The pool is a few paces from the beach and is nice and deep and suitably cool, a intercom lets you order drinkies if that is your thing. Staff are very friendly and happy to sit and chat. For the kids, they have a movie/tv room, the pool, and exploring the beach and rocks around the point. Our son was 11 the first time we took him and we hardly ever saw him, he made friends with some local kids and slept at their houses most nights. They have remained friends and always ask 'where's shane' even after 5 years. [He now goes by himself or with mates and always pops in to Medewi to see the'boys' [now men]. Bigger kids [like me] can rent a pushbike lol:), head the short distance to Medewi Point for some laid back surf, or just lie around in the sun and do absolutely nothing.
This is a VERY untouristy area, so there are no 'plat your hair', 'do your nails', 'tttrrraaannnssspppoorrtt' or 'massage?' ladies. No shops to buy watches etc, Just local shops that sell everything from Mandi's to susu. You wont believe how cheap drinks and snacks really are! Restaurants are limited: the hotel has very good food...the chefs are very good!; Mai Malus at Medewi beach turn off serves excellent surfie food as well as indo and western meals [Swiss Chicken!!!] at very cheap prices; Medwi Beach Hotel also serves reasonable food, but can be a little more expensive; other than that there are local warung and kaki lima [food carts]
From Medewi you can make day trips to various places that are well worth the extra effort. The hotel does do trips, but we always drive ourselves. Away from the main Gillimanuk road the traffic is not bad at all!
Side trip 1: Go to Negara and explore the Pasar [market]. Stuff here is so cheap; such as Ceremonial Umbrellas, Fruit and Veg, all kinds of smelly stuff as well as toys and clothes and cooking utensils...in fact...just about everything [avoid the meat area!] Very few tourist venture in here so you will be a novelty, but it is fun to interact with the stall holders!
Side Trip 2: If you do not do anything else you must go to Menjangan Island for the amazing snorkelling. It really is like swimming in an aquarium! Boats take you from the mainland in the Taman national park for a day you will long remember...Go early for the best conditions.
Side Trip 3: Take the road over the mountains to the North Coast area and turn right at the coast road to head towards Lovina. On the way over the mountains you will see amazing rice terraces, jungle, monkeys at the side of the road, hot springs, the road passes right through the middle of a large banyan tree, clove trees line the roads at lower altitudes and you will see the picked cloves drying in the sun on plastic sheets [often stretched across the road!!!] and orchards of all descriptions.
Side Trip 4: try and find a Jegog performance..ask at the hotel and they will tell you where...they may even take you! Jegog Orchestras comprise of huge gamelans where the musician sits on top of his instrument and hits the bamboo resonators with hammers. In the performance, usually two orchestra face each other and try anbd out do each other. It is a lively and fun performance and the sound is really amazing. highly recommended.
We always spend some time out west, and have friends that we call in and see in their homes. They really appreciate the little gifts we bring and are very welcoming. Life here is much more laid back than the hustle and bustle of kuta.