In Reply to: Good budget accommodation? posted by Mykbear on Friday, 24. October 2008 at 21:01 Bali Time:
Nick's Pension in Ubud is within your budget and I strongly recommend it. Was just there a few weeks ago. It's quiet, it's safe, it's amazingly well located in beautiful lush surroundings, has a child-friendly pool, and friendly staff.
Just arriving I stayed at Puri Bambu in Jimbaran, it's quiet, safe and comfy but a bit more expensive and isolated from nice areas. Alternatives in Kuta look horrible to my taste, noisy busy and unfriendly. My departing last night stayed in Sanur, I'd say a cross between Jimbaran and Kuta, also a bit more expensive, not noisy, near the beach but really not too attractive. Little Balinese culture or spirit.
I would stay in the Ubud area, see Kecak and Legong dances, good restaurants, museums, wonderful day-walks, then take day-trips to the beach, monkey forest(s) (Ubud, Sangeh...). Maybe stay 2 nights in Candidasa go to the Water Palace at Amlampura, maybe 1 or 2 nights in Amed (snorkel) see many wonderful rice terrace areas on the way. Bali is beautiful, but mostly outside of the Kuta/Denpasar area. Charter a guide/car for about $35 per day, you can see a lot of interesting territory in a short time that way. You can do everything from Ubud including bookings, changing money, renting vehicles etc.
If you have any questions you can email me.