I love JBR's and there isn't enough these days, so here goes.
4th Bali trip and a quick last minute planned trip for a week, cheap fares, $439 direct from Melb with Jetstar (can't fault them to be honest). Very unlike me who is usually planning a year in advance, and first time to Bali without kids and NOT in school holidays! 2 weeks prior to leaving received the email did we want to upgrade for $200 each to bus class on trip over. Hell yes, could be a once in a lifetime chance!
Priority check-in and boarding the first highlights. Sat down to hear the pop of champers, this is getting better by the minute. Oh but our screen doesn't work. Hostess says ‘oh didn't they tell you at checkin'. WELL NO, they didn't and I am not happy Jan. So another hostess comes along and much more helpful, tries to reset it but it still won't work so then offers us the 2 seats behind in row 3, which worked perfectly cos those in Row 1 had already put their seats right back. Loved the flight, loved picking what to eat/drink/watch. Would do it again in a heartbeat. And the freebies on offer!
So landed 10pm in Bali...then endured an hour in line at passport control with 3 planes landing at once, horrendous. Seriously considered leaving the line to pay the $25US to skip the queue, especially as we didn't have luggage to collect. Next time will check the arrivals first. Met by Gede from Pondok Ayu who had waited 1.5hrs.
Pondok Ayu Sanur is a delightful boutique hotel, a reason why it is No 1 on trip advisor. We were given the suite room as our deluxe room had a broken air con, it was amazing. We were moved the next day but it was no biggie. Deluxe room more than sufficient for a couple & great value at $80/night with wifi/transfers/breakie. We had ground floor as requested, clean, neat and more than comfortable. The pool here is fantastic. Breakfast is in an open air communal dining room, all rooms booked out by other Australian couples, nice to have a chat at breakie. Turned out they were all returning to Pondok for the umpteenth time. They will supply driver to take you anywhere in Sanur, we only used this once during the day (only a 10min walk) but got them to drop us in to restaurants each night, $2 taxi back.
Day 2- we got dropped off at Little Bird Warung and met friends for coffee (who couldn't get into Pondok so staying elsewhere). Wander along beach, stopped at tour stall and booked return trips to Nusa Lembongan for next day at 350,000 each, pick us up at 9am. Long stroll then long leisurely lunch on beach up past Hyatt - not sure of name, lovely afternoon. Followed by trip to Hardy's for supplies, stinking hot by this stage so back to hotel for swim and had booked inhouse massage and pedicure, they were probably worst of our whole holiday. Tea that night at Three Monkeys, lovely setting, delicious food, was about $80 though for 3 courses and a few drinks each (and I had wine) so good by Aust standards. Early night as stuffed!
Day 3 - to Nusa Lembongan, up early for 8am breakie, they cook what you want from a menu. Boat trip to island was fine, there in 30mins, apart from the bogan Aussies loudmouthing on board...we skipped the rush of guys ‘come with me' once out of boat and started walking, ran into a nice older guy who had a truck with canopy, negotiated 100,000 each for the whole day to take us wherever we wanted to go, I know probably too much but we were happy. Said we want to snorkel, no worries, his neighbour can take us for another 100,000 each LOL. He drove us to the mangrove area, worst roads ever, and there waiting in under a shed is his neighbour. We walk thru the mangroves to his boat on the river so got a ride thru there too! Good snorkels/flippers, he dropped us out in ocean & said just go with the current and he will be waiting/watching. It was very good snorkelling, nearly as good as Fiji and certainly better than Great Barrier Reef. After about 30-40 mins we had had enough but he kept moving away! Had to signal to stop LOL. Back to the ‘shed' and back in truck and he took us to Mushroom Bay to a restaurant overlooking beach (another neighbour's I think). It was fine, mie goreng and bintangs did the trick. Driver not coming back until 2.30, we spot a gazebo on the edge of cliff up other end of beach, part of Sadeg Hotel, we wander over and there are 4 massage tables, a quick phone call and 10min wait and we are all enjoying best massages of our holidays overlooking the ocean, it was divine, bit pricier but we didn't mind. Had a look around resort and next time will try to stay there, awesome pool at top too. Back to meet driver and he takes us to Dream Beach, which was lovely too and nice looking resort but very remote, as was most accomm we saw, you really can't walk anywhere much and taxis are non existent.
Back to Sanur on 4pm boat and swim/change/relax before meeting at Wicked Parrot for drinks, great band playing, very funny, we had 2 drinks and moved onto Little Bird for cheap cheap dinner, had to wait 15mins for a table, this place is all happening. After dinner to Casablanca, another great band playing but doing karaoke too and too many bad singers getting the microphone! We stayed until nearly midnight though before retiring for the night - tomorrow moving to Seminyak!