Hi all. Have read and used this forum a fair bit over the last few years. My partner and I went to Bali for the first time 3 years ago and have just returned from our 5th trip. This time we stayed for a glorious 14 days. Arrived at 8.30 am ( customs was a breeze - took all of 10 mins). The familiar smell and humidity smacked us as we walked put of the airport. We stayed the first nine nights at the kumala pantai in legion. For 650K per night a really good mid range hotel. Book directly with the hotel, as not many travel agents has this one listed. Getting to the hotel at 9am, we were lucky enough to check straight into our room. Dumped our bags and headed straight to the main pool ( this hotel has 2). The main pool is quite large and we never struggled to find a lounge chair. The poolside area has a good mix of full sun ( my partners olive skin loves it!) and shaded areas. So not too much to report for the first few days as we spent most of it by the pool, feasting on large amounts of bali's awesome freshly squeezed juices. Food at this hotel is a bit hit and miss, but generally quite good. Breakfast every morning in front of the beach shared with the squirrels in the trees above a nice way to start each day.
Our previous trips have generally been about shopping, massages, great food and relaxing by the pool ( followed by more shopping and massages). As we have, on previous trips, been to safari park, monkey forest , tanah lot, waterbom etc. -and have all been talked about many times already.
Shopping was a big part of our holiday, arriving with near empty
suitcases and leaving with 29 and 28 kilos. Lots of stall shopping ( jalan double six ) for dresses, shoes and some really
nice silver jewelery for my partner. I bought plenty of polo stuff ( a lot of hunting and
found the shop a few doors down from KFC at kuta square to be the cheapest.)
Day 5 and I headed down to play golf at New Kuta Golf in Ulluwatu (taxi 120K). Played with my partners cousin (steven) and two of his mates who just happened to be in bali at the same time. We played with a group of ex-pats known as the raffles golf club. They play at this course every Wednesday and Friday at 12 noon. They allow blow ins to play with them at a greatly reduced cost (600k), instead of the standard cost of USD 160. Well with it as this price includes cart & caddie. They will also lend you clubs for the day as well. Will continue rest of JBR later.