This is only my second just back report and i have been back for nearly a month, so apologise for the lateness. I wouldnt claim that I am an experienced Bali traveller but the wife and I have done 5 trips now. The last couple of trips we have been travelling with a few other couples, we always try and do something different everytime as you all know Bali can offer so much, it also helps the dynamics of the group, the boys can go to a sports bar for a beer and the girls can have a massage and cocktail, works well.
Last year we went to Lembongan for a couple of nights did some great snorkling out on the main beach in front of main ski, this is where we stayed as well. They have a brand new bar on the beach with a pool and we stayed quite cheaply for about 380 thousand rup a night. We also hired our mbikes from there as well. We then travelled diretly to Gili T and a few nights there at ombak, we stayed there for 90 aussie a night and we booked that through a website before flying to Bali. Our travel from Bali to Lembongan to Gilli T was with blue water express and cost about 100 aussie each return.
Anyway this trip we landed straight into Kuta (this is standard for us) and had a few nights drinking some Bintang. We then decided to head north to the little resort bay area called Pemuteran. We stayed at Tamin Sari in a villa, this was awesome!! Was really nice place and a beautiful area and stayed for about 350 US a night, a three bedroom villa. We then organised with a local shop to take the boys out to Island Menjangan for half a day of snorkling. This was very nice but I found the beach and water filled with rubbish bags etc. I think Lembongan snorkling was nicer, that will be probably argued. We then caught a Bemo to Lovina and stayed at Nirwana seaside for 250 thousand rup a night. This was a good location and they have built new rooms right at the back. We did the standard dolphin watching in the sunrise and had breakfast in the middle of the bay, this was spectacular and cost 65 thousand rup each. It appears that the boats just chase the dolphins as soon as they surface and scared them away until they resurface. Must be heaps of food for them to keep coming back. We also made a local friend named Eddie and had his hand in everything. He organised for a few of the boys to head with him to a local rooster fighting in the middle of woop woop. It was quite an experience and stuff you see in the movies. Any winnings you make you had to give 10 percent to the police to pay off and another 10 percent to the stadium owner. I know alot of peope will get upset that we went and how cruel it is and yes it is a little rough however it is there culture and we were lucky enough to experience it just I got to experience bull fighting in Spain. I can now say that I have seen and experience it and I probably wont do it again.
All in all it was another great adventure and will plan another one. I suppose it is easier enough now from Townsville where Strategic airlines fly directly for 5 hours and only $200 aussie each way.
Have fun Robbo