My wife and I are just back from our first .
First of all, I'd like to thank a lot to the people who posted honest trip reports to this forum, which make our first trip a smooth one.
and specialy many thank for Made Candra our driver in bali, I highly recomend him for any one need a driver in bali ' BEST BALI DRIVER'
In return, I'd like to contribute what I have experienced and wish it can help you, especially the first timers. To save time, I'd focus more on the practical parts of the trip, as this is the most stressful part for traveling to a country of very different culture.
I am becoming nervous. Many bad things that I read from the forum starts coming up: long lines at the custom, crowded airport, rude porters, etc. We have been in flight for almost 24 hours. Although upgrading to Business Class helps a lot, I am not at ease.
Arrived at the airport:
We arrived at about 4:30pm. We are the only flight so we pass through custom in a zip. Our bags come out fast and we load the bags by ourselves to the cart. The first thing is to exchange money in one of the 5 or 6 money changers. They all have different rates, and the one with the longest line has the best rate. We decide to use the ones with no lines and exchange only US$20 to make it to the hotel. The rate turns out to be Rp.9200 while the best one is Rp.9250 We avoid a long line by wasting Rp.1000, a good bargain.
Driver Made Candra Pick up at airport
Thanks to the forum, we got the contact driver Made Candra madecedil@yahoo.com(that may or may not attract tourists to him as a driver and guide, depending on your literary tastes), comprehends and uses English so well that he understands jokes (now if you think about it that's a real test of language and a real plus when you're with someone perhaps 10 hours a day) and his charges are the same no matter where you are staying or where he is. Unlike a lot of local drivers he'll take you where you want to go, not where he gets most commission. The rate of Made from Airport to Puri Asri Villa Ubud is Rp.180.000. Made use new car 2008
Arrived at Puri Asri Villa Ubud :
We arrive with a very warm welcome, fresh flowers around the neck and a personal concierge guide you through the entire check-in process. We stay in the Suite room with cost only USD$38/night with a drink in our hands and nices garden view and very quiaet.
Puri Asri Villa & Spa :
a beautiful budget villas based in Ubud, though not very big. but the service is the best we have experienced. Every staff you meet greets you with a smile regardless whatever they are doing. for more information you can visit (puriasrivillaandspa.com )
Guests in PuriAsri
We expected to see a lot of Franch here, but that's not the case. More than half of the guests staying here are Australian , followed by Americans and Europeans. A later conversation with some staff front desk that alot of guest come from travel agent " Baliauthentique" specialy franch market.
Weather:
Now we have to face the biggest challenge in Bali, the hot and humid weather.
There are about 2 hours of rain every day during our stay.
If you think that rain cools you down, you are only right when there is wind.
Most of the time when it rains, there is no wind, the temperature does not drop, and we feel like staying in a steam room and drench in sweat in a few minutes. We must have been spoiled by the nice and dry weather of California, we cannot adjust to the weather during our entire stay.
Spa:
This seems to be a booming industry here in Bali as it's a fad for many Asian countries. We did not do our home work well in this category so we just blindly go to several places including the Puri Asri Villa The Puri charge IDR 55.000 for a 60 min .
Language Barriers:
According to our experience, the people in Bali who speak good English are either tour guides or hotel staff. To understand how they live, what they think, they are the only source. The staff in Puri Asri Villa are very friendly and they will tell you almost every things that you need to know about Bali and sometimes even their personal feeling of their lives. I'd encourage you to talk to them as much as possible. Read articles or materials of Bali beforehand so you can concentrate on the things that interest you most.
Shopping and Bargaining:
We only shop for small man made items such as carvings, masks, and crafts from the off-the-closed Puri Asri. The ones in the tourists place are just too expensive. However, you are expected to pay a price for the so called 'bargains'. Almost all the crafts in the shops have certain degrees of defects, so the price really means how much you can tolerate the defects and how much you are willing to pay. To say that you paid only Rp.20.000 for a mask is meaningless because the condition of the item is not described. So lesson number one, examine the goods carefully. Second, you are not there to do a marketing survey, so only ask for a price if you want to buy it, as they will think of this as a signal and try all the ways to make you pay for it. I don't mind paying extra for a thing that I like, but buying things that end up in the trash can is just plain stupid. Finally, ignore those hawkers trying to sell you a $1 carvings. There is no free lunch in the world.
Yes, as long as Bali does not lose its attraction as it modernizes like the rest of the Asian countries. Bali is a very unique place in the world and there are definitely some pros and cons of Bali. I would not rank it as the most exotic place on earth but it certainly has its own charm, especially the people. One last advice, because of the massive numbers of tourists and very different profiles of groups, you can end up with a 'wrong' vacation if not choosing carefully. For the people who live in USA, you need good planning and some courage as it's a very long way from home. Once again, we'd like to thank the advices from the forum for our unforgettable vacation.
Thanks for Made Candra and Puri Asri Staff
Fillo's