Went as far as Candi Dasa for day trip with the family. We stopped at Bloo Lagoon (Blue), its where you can snorkel straight off the beach. Alot of people go to Sandy Bay (the bay or 2 before) and catch a boat to snorkel at Blue Lagoon. But if your driver knows where he is at Padang Bai, he will bring you straight there. If you have your own snorkel gear take them. If not you can hire them there.
There is a lady that will try and hire them to you at the bottom of the stairs (which is where we hired ours from), but when we had lunch at the second restaurant not the first that you pass, they have better looking snorkel gear. Not sure how much from there. We ate at Shanti Warung (where snorkel gear is) food and drink was fine. We hired a couple of sunbeds. I snorkelled for a couple of hours. Husband joined me a couple of times in the water, big kids preferred playing around in the water - rather than snorkel. Lucky I only hired 2 snorkelling pieces only.
Lots of colourful fish, slightly overcast but very hot. Coral not very bright compared to snorkelling at Nusa Lembongen- mangroves - which we preferred and loved last year. But I still enjoyed it.
The trip to Candi Dasa was beautiful. We will stay next time overnight so we can then stay in Ahmed and also visit water garden and Almapura.......next time (already excited for a next time!) Rice paddies on the ocean front and mountains meet the sea - beautiful!
Had sunset drinks on the beach - decided not to do Legian bars on beach but instead turned right at Double 6, past the bungy and went to one of the 1st warung just past crystal palace, that we were almost tempted to go to their roof top, as they had great music, but promised son we would go to Champlung with the pizza oven. Sat on the bean bags, under the colourful small bright bali umbrellas, started with drinks and ended up having dinner. Great food. Very comfortable, worth going to. So many of them right along to Dhyana Pura street.
Went to Made's Warung the other evening - great food. Also ate at Panterei - greek on JL Seminyak - it was good and we wanted something closer to accomodation that we could walk to and not taxi to Mykonos.
Went to Echo Beach, and friends we were with decided they wanted to go to Sol for lunch and not Beach House, so we didn't argue, and decided that would be fine. It was a sorry move. Drinks fine but unfortunately food was very dissappointing. Whole fish served raw on our seafood platter and same with chicken on one of the kids burgers.
View however spectacular, but Beach House food always good, so would recommend that restaurant any day over Sol.
Have done a little shopping but not as much any more like first few trips. A lot of sales in shops around JL Seminyak, JL Legian and Double 6. Summer chicks has 50% of swimmers at the moment making bikinis, full pieces or tankinis about $15 - 16AUD. Better variety in bikinis.
Kumala update - only 2 nights out of 9 so far workers have worked till about 12.30am. Otherwise all work finished by 9-9.30pm latest. Amazing how quick it is going up next door. No idea the name of hotel.
The sandwich shop next door to Grand Kumala is wonderful. Very busy and fresh juices are great. It is another option to Tommy's. It was so busy however yesterday, so we had to get take away and ate it at hotel.
Walked through the new W hotel next to Potato Head when we were back up there with a large group of friends at potato head for sunset. The W hotel ultra modern.
Enough for now. Moving to Sanur in a few days. 1st stay there. Looking forward to it.