Need Info: Bali, Indonesia

[Pinoy]

I've been blown away with the colours and festival of Bali through the eyes of a local.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32911376@N07/

Wonderful images! Can't wait to have my turn! Not expecting much though :bsmilie: coz our trip is primarily for R&R. Would love to go back to Bali though, with photography as the main purpose. :lovegrin: Anybody wants to organize one? :bsmilie:

:Later,

 

[Pinoy]

I have gone river rafting in Bali 3 times already. Here's my input:

I checked with a Bali based travel agency and was quoted US$35 for white water rafting. This is through Sobek and the rafting will be in the Ayung River.

I've actually done quite a fair bit of reading -- and youtube watching -- on rafting and I'm pretty excited (with my companions a bit scared :bsmilie. One thing I noticed is that it seems some prefer Telaga Waja river over Ayung... so we're looking at the former instead.

Lastly, I managed to secure a waterproof digital cam... will bring that onboard to take some snaps during the rafting trip...

:Later,

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I hope your trip went/is going well!

I have secured my accomodation for the first couple of nights, as well as rental car with driver.
Read all the scary stories of getting into minor accidents with the locals, who then demand $$ as compensation.... hmmm, scary.
So I think I got an ok deal. Toyota Avanza w driver for 330,000 IDR per day, 10 hrs use each day. Gives me the flexibility to go here and there without following some tour group's itinerary. My trip will be mainly relax, eat, photograph.
At first wanted to go to the Lake Batur area, but it seems the accomodation there is rather pathetic? hahahah maybe I'm too spoilt.
Decided on going to the Lake Bratan area instead.
If anyone has any place to recommend, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[RichardSeah]

I have secured my accomodation for the first couple of nights, as well as rental car with driver. If anyone has any place to recommend, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

If you have a car, does not really matter where you stay, can move around quite easily.

My high recommendations:

1. Kecak dance performance - if only one dance, this is the one to see.

2. Get a copy of Lonely Planet Guide and look up this guy called Ketut (4th child) who serves traditional Balinese meal at his home in Ubud about twice a week. I think it's called Ketut's place. Amazing, multi-multi course meal, for not much money. I have not been for many years but I believe he still around.

3. Basically, explore and go round the corner / off the beaten track. Bali, on the surface, is like any other boring small town / village. But when you explore further, you will discover paradise. Eg if you walk along the street in Ubud, it's ok but nothing much. When you enter some of the hotels / restaurants / coffee shops there and view from the back, you will see breath-taking scenery !

 

[foxwagon]

Lakes, can try Lake Tamblingan, I saw it on the way to Puri Jati. Beautiful.
Ubud, can try Ibu Oka babi guling (very crowded) or Dirty Duck.
One can do a day trip to Kintamani, on the way lots of paddy fields, to Ubud, monkey forests, then back to hotel. Roughly IDR300K to 400K incl driver, car, petrol, but excludes entrance fees to places of interests.
Along the way to Klung Klung/Candidasa/PadangBai, lots of temples, caves, nice seaviews too.

 

[RichardSeah]

Ubud, can try Ibu Oka babi guling (very crowded) or Dirty Duck.

Dirty Duck is still there? Excellent food and ambience. Eat amidst paddy fields. At (a bit beyond) the end of Monkey Forest Road. Ummmm... makes me want to go back!

 

[Pinoy]

So I think I got an ok deal. Toyota Avanza w driver for 330,000 IDR per day, 10 hrs use each day.

That's a good deal. The quote I have is 450,000 IDR per day (12 hours). With driver.

Mind giving me the contact number just in case mine doesn't show up?

:Later,

 

[Tumbleweed]

Hi Pinoy.

Wish you a pleasant trip to Bali. I think people like Telaga Waja river because it may be more exciting (it might have been the river I took during my second trip, can't remember). But if you are with you wife and young children, maybe Ayung might be good for a beginner.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

That's a good deal. The quote I have is 450,000 IDR per day (12 hours). With driver.

Mind giving me the contact number just in case mine doesn't show up?

:Later,

The car rental was from this website:

http://www.balicarrent.com/

They replied very promptly to my emails. Said that 330,000 IDR per day (10 hours usage, not 12 as you were quoted for yours) is inclusive of all surcharges and insurance, but excluding petrol. So I estimate that for 3 day rental, it should be 990,000 IDR + about 250,000 IDR for petrol, provided there are no other 'hidden' charges.
~fingers crossed~

 

[Pinoy]

Hi Pinoy.

Wish you a pleasant trip to Bali. I think people like Telaga Waja river because it may be more exciting (it might have been the river I took during my second trip, can't remember). But if you are with you wife and young children, maybe Ayung might be good for a beginner.

Thanks. The Telaga Waja rafting was simply greeaatt! Probably the highlight of our Bali visit.

There are several rafting companies serving the Telaga Waja river. After doing a fair bit of reading, we settled with Bali International Rafting or BIR for short. I believe they have the least number of steps -- and thus easier to navigate -- leading to the river (< 10 IIRC). Off river and onto your waiting return vehicle was manageable too. Not really difficult but for an unhealthy buff like me, enough to leave me panting a bit. :sweat:

The location of the stop over -- for a drink or some rest -- was wonderful too. It's got this pretty & huge waterfall you can have some snaps and shower in. I'm emphasizing huge coz I've seen one stopover where it was just like a waterfall. :sweatsm:

Cost? IDR 250,000 per head. Includes hotel transfer, welcome drink (coffee / tea and bottled water) and buffet lunch.

:Later,

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Am back from my 72 hour brief overview of Bali!
It was certainly an enjoyable trip!
Weather wasn't on my side though, hence I missed out on nice sunset at Pura Tanah Lot, as well as nice sunset at Jimbaran beach over dinner.
I really liked the temple at Lake Bratan (Pura Ulun Danu Bratan), and the padi fields along the way.
Will try to post some photos if I can edit them to acceptable standard

 

[Pinoy]

That indeed was very brief! Like Lake Bratan too... for me, it is one of the many "not-to-be-missed" places in Bali.

Anyway, I have posted some pictures from our Bali trip in this thread. Hope that by doing so you guys can have an idea of some of the places mentioned here.

:Later,

 

[boroangel]

Jus back got from Bali myself 2 days ago...

awesome place it is...lots of activities to do yet it was relaxed and pretty laidback, without having to rush from point A to point B. I think that fact that a lot of their tourist spots are really that big helped...had a great driver who charged us a really decent price too! Lower than what I have seen mentioned on here.

Uluwatu, Tanah Lot was nice....but cycling around Ubud and the villages....waking up at 3 am to climb Batur....these were the highlights man. Will be posting my pics up soon, hopefully.

 

[chanxj]

Did the driver drive u to places to eat? Common tricks is that they drive u to overrpiced place(abt X4 more expensive) and they get a huge commission.

But yeah, bali is a very relax and laidback place.