ACCOMMODATION:
Jayakarta, Legian.
I found this to be good value for money for a beach front resort. Our room in the 200s and in the group closest to the beach. Some nights quite noisy when the beach bar was busy and we could always hear the surf crashing on the beach. Breakfasts were typical buffet style and became boring after several days. Staff and service very good and quite helpful.
FLIGHT:
Flew Garuda and mostly typical flights, VOA took an entire hour waiting in line to clear customs, quite frustrating. A group in our queue bribed an attendant (50,000) while in the VOA queue and saved themselves the one hour wait. On leaving we checked in 14kg overweight and weren't charged excess.
RESTAURANTS:
Lanai - food and service very good and being beachfront, a lovely setting at sunset.
Waroeng Tropical - Manager Yogi Bear, a real character. Food and prices reasonable.
La Lucchiola - food and service excellent, a delightful location on the beach. Overpriced, especially for Bali, too formal for my liking.
Khaima - excellent.
Flying Piano - thoroughly enjoyed this place, had excellent steaks and loved the Sumatran trio playing.
GILI TRAWANGAN:
Transfer by Bluewater Safaris - a smooth two and a half hour ride from Benoa Harbour. I wouldn't like to do this if the waters were rough. Others who had flown over and returned on the boat preferred flying.
Accommodation at Manta Dive Bungalows, Gili Trawangan.
Our room was to the rear, pleasant and we loved the outdoor bathroom. Rooms closer to the beach may have been noisy when their generator was running. Location good being near the main strip of restaurants however next time I would stay in the Blue Bungalows beach area, preferably staying in a bungalow facing the beach.
We went snorkelling by boat in which they took us to three different areas around each of the Gili Islands, the following days we snorkelled off the beach and it was better than the sites they took us to.
SHOPPING:
Unagi: First time here and found it similar to Geneva, most of the items were in pigeon holes and we had to take many items out to actually see what they were.
PRICES:
Drivers: Paid between 300,000 and 450,000 for up to 9 hours.
Bicycle Hire: 15,000 for day.
CYCLING TOUR:
Bintang Bicycle Tour:
Paid 280,000.
This ride was enjoyable however failed in comparison to a similar ride I did two years ago with Baik Bike.
SAFARI PARK:
We hired a driver for 300,000 to take us rather than being restricted to the free shuttle timetable. We also found that by being there at opening time we managed to see a lot in the cooler time of day and allowed a lot of photography without the bigger crowd around.
We managed to have a very leisurely look around in three and a half hours without doing the elephant or camel rides or go to the water park.
TATTOOING:
Used Buddy Marley and again extremely satisfied.