Hi,
I%26#39;ve booked to stay at the Aneka Kuta Hotel. I%26#39;ve stayed in Bali plenty of times but never seen this hotel before. I chose it for location. Anyone heard anything about this hotel. The reviews are quite old. Any comments would be great.
Does anyone know if you can buy PLAIN crisps and Rice milk or soy milk in BALI supermarkets?
cheers Tanoz
I didn%26#39;t see Plain crisps in Carrefour, but wasn%26#39;t looking for them either. They did have a wide variety of them though, so they could have been there.
As for the milk, there is an entire aisle that is almost completely milk and milk products and I am certain I saw Soy milk amongst the items there. Again wasn%26#39;t looking for that particular item, but my memory is telling me that I saw it.
many thanks
there is a selection of food you would be able to buy particularly at the larger supermarkets. i have allergy problems with one of my children and i always take a heap of food in our suitcase. that way we have what she likes. you have no problem getting food into bali.
We%26#39;ll be traveling to Bandung (just 2 of us), what is the recommendation if we want to visit Tangkuban Perahu and Kawah Putih?
Is it safe to hire a taxi? It will be costly to hire a taxi. Or we should follow local tour? Please recommend.
Thanks in advance.
to visit both places will take the whole day or a little less. I suggest u hire a car n driver, if u need a taxi it will cost u 40-50k/hr depend on how u nego with the driver. Still if u need a taxi i suggest u go with Bluebird taxi co.
How much will it cost to hire a car n driver? Is it safe, because it is just 2 of us.
And local tour to the place is not command?
Just back from bandung on last 11th march. I chose kawah Putih instead of tangkuban Perahu. The journey took about 2 1/2 hours.
I suggest u hire a driver coz apart from kawah putih, u can ask him to bring u to danau cinta, strawberry picking %26amp; tea plantation.
I%26#39;ve paid rp570,000 to the driver which i think it%26#39;s expensive. u may ask other driver for cheaper price.
u can have a look kawah putih %26amp; danau cinta pictures in my blog http://mfzahra.blogspot.com
How far is Tangkuban Perahu? What%26#39;s the different between Tangkuban Perahu %26amp; Kawah Putih? I heard Tangkuban Perahu is nice.
How to get a cheaper driver?
hi
since you are not a local people , I suggest you to hire a car with driver,better a hotel%26#39;s car or branded rental car.
I think for hire car the price is about similiar..between range 500- 600 K per 12 hours (all in) the most important is the safety and you feel comfort.
old car, unbranded car (borrowed car :P) maybe less..but if cheaper maybe no more than 100,000 rupiah per car.than branded car or hotel%26#39;s car
cause to kawah putih if it%26#39;s a long weekend will take you more than 4 hours drive.. (bad traffic)
for car rental cost breakdown :
new brand apv 250 K or 300 K
gasoline and parking rp 100 - 150 K
driver Rp 100 K
kawah putih is consume more gasoline than to tangkuban perahu and take more time.
usually they charge by 12 hours
if it%26#39;s cheaper , you should think twice.
cause if they quote under cost .U should suspicious.
some unbranded /private rental car quote cheaper price cause maybe no cost for the car (borrowed car/own car) so they charge you only the gasoline and their meal/ cigaretes? but you will worry with your belonging if put in the car? cause you don%26#39;t know who to sue or looking for if something happened, ( the name card only name and handphone or email address) no proper address or maybe they expect the tips , or commision from your shopping.and they prefer to take you for shopping than see the tourism places..:P
so it could be more expensive if you buy a lot cause your discount go to the driver :p
can be cheaper if you share with other friends/ hotels guest not only 2 of you.
cause the capacity is 6 - 7 pax
let say Rp 100,000 per pax (only 31 RM ) for whole day transportation .I think its cheap lah..
Do you have any recommended driver contact? I prefer to visit Tangkuban Perahu.
Hi,
I remember reading that there is a Body Shop in one of the Kuta shopping malls but I%26#39;m damned if I can remember which one! Can anyone point me in the right direction? Only have 1 day to chill out by the pool %26amp; to ';shop till I drop'; so don%26#39;t want to waste time. Then I%26#39;ll be off to Amed for Christmas....WAHAAAAY!
So here%26#39;s wishing you all a very Merry Christmas %26amp; a Happy New year...HO HO HO!!!
Ursie
Hi Ursie,
I think there are 2 malls in Bali that you can find Body Shop. One is Matahari Galeria (near the DFS, Kuta) and the other one is in Centro Dept.Store in Discovery Mall Kuta.
Correct. Matahari at Kuta Square also has a body shop.
Cheaper than home. I love the blueberry body butter. They don%26#39;t have it in Australia.
Hi Ursie
What are you wanting to buy from the Body Shop?
Princi62
Thanx Natnaw %26amp; Catalyst.
Princi wanted to buy body butter, shower gel %26amp; maybe some makeup as presents for balinese friends.
Ursie.. Lucky you! Wish I was spending Xmas in Amed!
Dont forget to try the ';calming back treatment'; at
A Spa. It has to be one of the cutest spas in the world.
Maybe you could invent some Arak Body Butter, although it might sting a bit. It%26#39;d taste great though.
Kabirgirl yes I%26#39;m so lucky!!! Really can%26#39;t believe that I%26#39;ll actually be in Amed for Christmas. Have been so busy this week that I%26#39;m in dire need of a calming back treatment so will be wending my way down to ';The Spa'; pronto.
Noodles now Arak Body Butter sounds amazing, just the ticket in fact. Maybe I could add it to the shelves at the Body Shop...ha ha! Might even bring you some back Noodles.
Cheers
Ursie
can anyone give me an indication of how much cheaper the body shop is in bali compared to australia? do they have the same ranges?
Hi,
I shopped at the Body Shop at Centro, Kuta. The prices were quite expensive for Bali. The department was only small so didn%26#39;t offer a wide range of products. I%26#39;m not at home at the moment, but will have a look at my receipt %26amp; get back to you with the cost of: a packaged set including soap, shower gel, body butter etc; a tub of lip gloss %26amp; a bottle of shower gel for myself.
Thanks that would be great :)
I am heading for Bali in a week, I would greatly appreciate if someone who have been to Viceroy or Hanging Garden could provide some information about either of the two hotels. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks!
My husband and I are considering this hotel for a one week stay. Can anyone tell me if there is a convenience store handy as I buy about 10 litres of water every second day and don%26#39;t want to carry it too far? Also are there many money changers around the resort. We usually stay at the Discovery Kartika Plaza but wanted to spend this holiday at this end.
Hi I stayed there last year there are two stores near by when your walk out of the resort turn right and within about 100 metres (maybe not even that far)there are two, on each side of the legian street. Money chaners there are also a few just double, triple count your money a few dodgy ones around there. Have fun!
Thanks for the info on the stores. We are always very careful changing money since we were ripped off on our first trip. We usually use the one in the Discovery Shopping Plaza and the lady in there is very nice and we have never had a problem with her. Now I know I don%26#39;t have to carry water for miles I think I will be definitely staying at the Kuta Lagoon Resort. Now just have to work out which type of room. I am thinking maybe a pool access room.
Hi eliza191, we have booked to stay here in June and have elected to go for a pool access room. I like the idea of being able to swim from my balcony. We usually stay at the Santika so expect this to be a step down but it is much better priced.
Hi If staying there you must have a pool access room they are the best, so good just to get straight in and out also you can sit on your stairs so your feet are in the water and have a relaxing drink! Also all the staff there are so helpful!
walk out of the resort turn left then 1st right and down about 20m and u have the amenerican express office you can change as much as u want there with no trouble. there is also great restrants around eg across the road owned by an aussie lady and get the pool acc rooms they are great
Hi guys,
I have 2 nights in Nusa dua and 3 in Seminyak. Any restaurants to recommend in those areas?
Would prefer local indo food or seafood but open to other suggestions too :)
Read bout some great restaurant in Sanur restaurant post! which place is nearer to Sanur? Nusa Dua or Seminyak?
Lastly, what time do the restaurants close?
THanks!
I have been looking at staying at Sanur Beach Villas in mid April. I am looking there for the following reasons:
Nice and cheap around 300,000IDR a night (About $40au)
Looks nice
Not having to pay in $US
Has anyone stayed here? I have looked for reviews but can%26#39;t find any.
I would love to hear from anyone that has or anyone else that knows somewhere nice
Thanks
sanur beach villas is owned by an aussie expat called Ron who is a good host. this hotel is located at the southern end of sanur. i tried to get in here for a few nights on my last trip but ron was booked out. i have communicated with him on numerous occasions and will try and stay there during future trips.
here is a link to a map showing where the villas are located and it also shows Ron the owner
www.mybaliguide.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi鈥?/a>
here is links to a reviews
www.sanurbeachvillas.com/Mambo/index.php鈥?/a>
www.travbuddy.com/Sanur-Beach-Villas-v267380
other places you may like in this / similar price range are
pondok ayu
stana puri gopa
tamukami
paying in rupiah is a good idea.
Thanks mate
Friends of mine have recently returned from a trip to Bali and most of their trip was spent at the Sanur Beach Villas, as a result of my recommendation to them. They had a wonderful time and Ron was a very gracious host. They highly recommend this place and would have no hesitation in staying there again.
We stayed in the 2 bedroom villa at Sanur Beach villa%26#39;s in January and can definately recommend the place.
Hi I was just wondering is Lombok to far away to see in a day trip from Kuta. I am staying in Kuta and was thinking of going to Lombok for a day is it too far?
Thanks
It is possible to do as a day trip but not really a good idea. You will come back without any idea of the beauty of Lombok.
Try at least one or two nights there.
In much the same manner I have been sitting in a restaurant in Sanur and have seen people get driven down to the beach. They have walked to the restaurant that I was sitting in.
Once there they had a beer, a feed and a chat with me. After this they returned to the vehicle and drove back to Kuta.
To them they has seen Sanur.
too far and too much time travelling for a one day tour.
Thanks I will look into it, might have to save a Lombok visit for next year when I can hopefully stay longer.
Hi - we are a couple travelling hopefully late September with our 8 year old and would love your recommendations for 4 nights accommodation in Ubud - 3 star budget. We are trying to find a hotel in good location - close to main Ubud. Hoping you can help us!
The Ubud Village Hotel is excellent. Great location in the heart of shops, restaurants etc, big rooms, tv with cable for the 8 year old, walking distance to Monkey Forest, museums, markets.
Highly recommend.
Adi cottages is also cheap and central.
I think you can%26#39;t go wrong with Ubud Village Hotel. We visited with our small kids and they were great except for the service staff at breakfast need a little hospitality training. I think the price was around $70. For a lower budget also check out Ubud Inn, which should be around $50 or so. Both have great locations in the midst of Monkey Forest Road.
Thank you for your suggestions!!!
Hello everyone,
Can anyone tell me what a taxi fare from the airport to Mangsit beach (Senggigi) is likely to cost?
Many thanks,
Sharon
last april 08 were picked up from a van from sengiggi to kuta,lombok. the pick up was free from the airport so to be picked up from sengiggi was an additional 80 000 rups. so using these figues i%26#39;d say 100 000 as a start. probably the fares are set at the airport like bali. it would be worthwhile to internet the airport site for transfers or contact your hotel. good luck RT
About last June or so the cost of the airport taxi to central Senggigi was 50,000IDR so I would expect Mangsit was around 75,000 and with the increases probably now closer to 100,000IDR. When you collect your luggage and walk through the taxi booking desk is on the right still inside the building. They have a list of prices to various places. Bluebird taxis aren%26#39;t supposed to pickup arrivals, similar to Bali.
Thanks guys, that%26#39;s really helpful. Just can%26#39;t wait to get there now!
Many thanks,
Sharon
I have a flight to Surabaya arriving on Nov 4th at 9:20 am...I am trying to find the best and quickest way to get to Pangkalan Bun....does anyone know if there are flights from Surabaya to Pangkalan Bun or do I need to get to Banjarmasin first? If so, how often do flights go from Banjarmasin to Pangkalan Bun???? Please help!!!!!
Lori
www.visitorangutan.com/orangutan-outbound.htm
so far i know there is no flight direct from surabaya to pangkalan bun..maybe you can flight from banjarmasin to pangkalan bun..for the airlines so far i know Dirgantara Air Services (DAS) and Trigana Airlines (if still flight to pangkalan bun). and about ticket at least 50 USD. Maye you must arrange your flight from surabaya to banjarmasin cause flight to pangkalan bun in afternoon.
maybe thats a little bit info for you..if there is i can help you more contact me at mr_ikhsan78@yahoo.com..
have a nice trip ya..
Thank you for your reply...I changed my flight to arrive in Jakarta now instead of Surabaya..thought it may be easier to get a flight to Pangkalan Bun from there.....do you know if they fly from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun? If I do have to go to Banjarmasin first are there daily flights to Pangkalan Bun from there????? Thank you for your help!
Hi Lori,
I have plan to travel to Banjarmasin.
What do you see in Pangkalan Bun?
Hope somebody can tell me what to see around Banjarmasin
thanks
putera tidar
Hi,
There is a fair bit to see in Banjarmasin.
The floating markets are on everyday though you need to get up early for this. You need to get there for about 6.30am.
A canal tour through Banajarmasin will show you the average life of the locals as their houses back onto the canals. You see them use the river for everything, washing, doing the dishes, bathing.
A day trip can be done from Banjarmasin to see diamond cutting and polishing.
The Grand Mosque is the largest in Kalimantan and there is also some good Chinese temples.
I%26#39;ve posted up some pics of most of this from when I was there in December 2008.
www.walkaboutindonesia.com/banjarmasin.htm
Hi, guys I have attained valuable info abt Bandung from you, thanks a lot. Based on your recommendations I have decided on the following for my 5 day trip with my family members(6 adults and 2 kids)
Our trip is 80% shopping and 20% sight seeing
Accommodation: Grand Serela
Shopping at : Jalan Cihampelas ,·Glamour, Jl. Dago.
Blossom, Jl. Dago. Uptown, Jl. Dago. ( any suggestions)
Transpotation : Pls advise
Eating Out : PLs advise
Thank you in advance .........
restaurant: Sajian Sambara, Nyonya Rumah at Trunojoyo, out of town try Kg Daon, Sapu Lidi, The Valley
Don%26#39;t forget to shop at Rumah Mode. Suggest you check that out first. Definitely a cut above the rest. You%26#39;ll find it at Setiabudhi. Ther%26#39;s also a new FO called The Secret. Its on the road that your Hotel is on. If you are looking for teenage street fashion, the Distro is excellent with young local designers selling hip Harajuku style stuff. Its also on Jln Riau.
Most shopping places are around your neighbourhood. Otherwise, taxis are plentiful and cheap.
Along your street there%26#39;s the Cellar, passable food but cool live jazz. For Sundanese, the Ma%26#39;Uneh in Setiabudhi is popular. D%26#39;Palm is very close to you. Very chic and stylish with excellent Pedak( salted fish). Close to you is also the Kampung Melayu.No prizes for guessing what they serve!!!
If you are hungry for supper, there%26#39;s a popular place called Cemar that is popular with students and night owls. you will find it around the corner at the South End of Jln Baga.
Otherwise, cab it to Savoy Homann Hotel and look across the road from the front entrance of the Hotel. After midnight, you will find cheap and superb Bubur Ayam, Bandrek, and Bihun Goreng.You can%26#39;t miss it. Look for the fleet of parked cars and throngs of diners.
Hai , Thanks for the detailed info , much appreciate it ....
hai mat , how are you, i will go to bandung this december with a friends. can you advise me the hotel good to stay (cheap price, clean,good service n easy access FO, Pasar Baru, Cibaduyut, Tangkuban Perahu,eating n etc)
I hope you can help me.
Sya26, you can try Progo Hotel which is very near (about 5 minutes walk) to the Factory Outlets along Jalan Riau - Heritage, Summit, Cascade etc). Clean, reasonable rate and quite spacious - 3 can fit it nicely into a standard room. If there is no change from last year - daily room rate with breakfast (twin bed) is Rph220,000 (weekday); Rph290,000 (weekend).
As for eating places - I can recommended Atmosphere, Pak Chi Met, The Valley, Kampung Daun %26amp; Dapur Sangkuriang. Stop by at Kampung Daun on the way back from Tangkuban Parahu. Go to The Valley for dinner, cold place on top of the hill with view of Bandung to appreciate. But I have heard that The Stone Cafe (near to The Valley) and D%26#39;Cost Seafood is also a good place to go. Wait for my next review as I intend to eat at these places during my next trip in May.
Cibaduyut is quite far from Bandung city. The last time I went there, it took us almost 2 hours to get there due to bad jam along the way. Products sold there are mostly handmade shoes and bags but we don%26#39;t like the quality. It is something similar to Chow Kit Road. Factory Outlets and Pasar Baru are more towards my liking.
As for transportation, if you want an easy movement you may arrange for a MPV + driver (can fit in max 7 persons). Otherwise, the public transport within the city is reliable(from what I heard from others). However, if you intend to shop and shop, the first option is definitely a better choice. The driver will take you everywhere you want to be, shop and drop all your shopping stuff into the MPV. That%26#39;s what we did for all our previous trips.
Hi Sya26,
No single hotel can meet your demand, the places u wanna go is all over town and some outside the city..Cibaduyut deep south, Pasar Baru in The middle, T Prahu up north out of town...Maybe you should stay near major FO area, Ms SueHamid suggestion are good, I would add Grand Serela (if u hv the budget) or Gandasari for Riau area,... H Sawunggaling,Karmila and Utari if u want to reach out to both Dago and Riau area.. the hotels are close to many distros in Trunojoyo/S Agung area,... for Dago upper side if u hv the budget try Guelis, cheaper option is Patra Jasa, Rumah Ebo, Royal Dago.. maybe can add Rumah Tubagus too... for hotel close to Rumah Mode u can try Retanata, Sany Rossa, and Grand Seriti (cheap to expensive in that order)
Food.. just walk into the restaurant... no worries :) but i recommend Warung Ampera (its all over town for cheaper fast food type).. Saung Kabayan, Sajian Sambara and Bumbu Desa for restaurant type..price is higher of course.. beware of the sambal if your stomach is not tough :)
Hi Sya26,
No single hotel can meet your demand, the places u wanna go is all over town and some outside the city..Cibaduyut deep south, Pasar Baru in The middle, T Prahu up north out of town...Maybe you should stay near major FO area, Ms SueHamid suggestion are good, I would add Grand Serela (if u hv the budget) or Gandasari for Riau area,... H Sawunggaling,Karmila and Utari if u want to reach out to both Dago and Riau area.. the hotels are close to many distros in Trunojoyo/S Agung area,... for Dago upper side if u hv the budget try Guelis, cheaper option is Patra Jasa, Rumah Ebo, Royal Dago.. maybe can add Rumah Tubagus too... for hotel close to Rumah Mode u can try Retanata, Sany Rossa, and Grand Seriti (cheap to expensive in that order)
Food.. just walk into the restaurant... no worries :) but i recommend Warung Ampera (its all over town for cheaper fast food type).. Saung Kabayan, Sajian Sambara and Bumbu Desa for restaurant type..price is higher of course.. beware of the sambal if your stomach is not tough :)
Hi mat_asri,
Do you have any information on Progo Hotel and Karmila Hotel? Any website, email or any information?
May I know how do you book/reserve the hotel?
I%26#39;m on a budget and going to visit Bandung in 2 weeks time.
Thanks in advance :)
Hi Insane708, you can call Hotel Progo directly to make the booking. Their no. is +62 22 420 6249. If not mistaken, the rate is Rph250k (weekday) and Rph315,000 (weekend) inclusive breakfast for 2 per room.
Hotel Karmila, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 32
Bandung - 40135
phone/faxcimile : +62 22 4206778
maybe u can check out this hotel too, right next door to DSE FO: Hotel Utari. Jl. Ir. H. Juanda 50 Bandung 40115. Ph/fax: +62-22-4206810
Both hotels have no website but u can call direct to book, I dun think they need any deposit as long as u can arrive there by 2pm, if not they will give away the room to walk in customers.
will close 2.00pm Wednesday and re-open Friday midday,so they told me when I was in there yesterday
We were think of staying at the Ari Putri Hotel and was I wondering if anyone has stayed here and can they tell me what its like? Can any one also let me know if there is any surf near or at Sanur?
i have not stayed there so cannot comment on that. the hotel is located at the southern end of sanur. as for the beach, sanur has a calm protected beach. no surfing waves breaking on the shore. surfers go out to the reef. the locals will take you out there by boat to surf. the beach itself is best for swimming at high tide. at low tide use the hotel pools. another property in the same area to give you a comparison is sanur beach villas. very good accommodation owned by Ron an aussie expat.
Heh for anybody that is booked to stay at this hotel think again. I know the wholesalers are telling everybody that it will open in July 2009, but there is no possible way. We have just come back and is at least 9mths away or more from completion. We asked the Security at the front of this complex and they told us not open until December 2009.
Thanks for the information.
hello folks heres my take on this....
hotel opening sept 09. sure it looks far from complete but im sure as a luxury hotel under the accor chain, i can safely say they have good grounds to say hotel%26#39;s opening sept, and they have started taking in reservations through the hotel%26#39;s website too. this on it%26#39;s on is good enough a guarantee as it%26#39;s not something as easy and lightweight as flipping on a lightswitch.
im sure the security guard dont attend owner/mngmt/contractor meetings. hey, the security guard prolly doent even get cc-ed in on emails.
so yeap. this is my take.
Do you get invited to owner/mngmt/contractor meetings???
This place is not progressing and I very much doubt it willl be fully operational by October.
It matters not that it%26#39;s part of the Accor chain, there are problems and the dates are constantly being put back because of this.
Be optimistic by all means but many of us have watched the progress or lack of over the past few years.
Something ain%26#39;t right in the town of Nirwana :) :) :)
thats sad... i wonder what happens to those who made reservations for dates which are not yet open.
should be interesting..
Can anyone who has flown Virigin Pacific Blue out of Perth Airport put my mind at rest about buying duty free alcohol?
We plan on buying it at Perth Airport and taking it on as carry-on luggage, as we have done in the past when flying Garuda.
If this could be a problem we will buy beforehand and put it in our luggage.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Robyn
Wouldn%26#39;t you just buy it at the airport like you usually do and pick it up after going through customs? Why would it be different with Virgin?
Curious as we are travelling with them in August.
Andrea
There is no difference between airlines...just buy it duty free in the departure lounge....i took wine and put it in my suitcase, but I have noticed that the range of wine duty free is much better now, although prices are more expensive than in bottle shops.
Well I would think it would be just the same whichever airline, but just wanting to dot all the i%26#39;s and cross the t%26#39;s. I thought I read somewhere that some airlines don%26#39;t let you carry it on if it%26#39;s over the security limit of 100mls, but I may not have read that correctly.
The Virgin Pacific Blue website is pretty vague about this; it does mention the 100ml per item liquid/gel limit but nothing about duty free. I%26#39;d say it%26#39;s a pretty fair assumption that you can buy your duty free in Perth, and they%26#39;ll seal it in a clear bag with the receipt showing.
For once I agree with you Noodles (hehehe), they don%26#39;t really make it very clear. That%26#39;s why I was hoping somebody could verify it for me. I just don%26#39;t want to get caught short as it were:)
Robyn
We are flying with Pacific Blue next week, was hoping to do the same buy at airport carry on, would be interested to hear from anyone also.
When are you flying Robyn I may be able to let you know how we get on.
Jan
We flew with Virgin in February..
We purchased online through f1rstduty.com.au and we collected it in the deaprture lounge at the f1rst duty shop there.You can buy it there as well,whatever is easier for you.
We were a bit concerned about having it in our suitcases as i have seen how some of the luggage is thrown lol.
Hi,
We flew Virgin Blue ex Bris in late Jan 2009 and purchased duty free after passing through Immigration/Customs.
No problems on the flight just made sure we brought the allowed 1lt each not the 1250ml bottles generall available duty free on arrival in OZ.
Have a good trip.
We flew Pacific Blue out of Perth about three weeks ago.
Unfortunately we didn%26#39;t buy any duty free so I can%26#39;t comment on that.
I can say that the process was basically fine. The Foxtel service cut out about 2/3 of the way into the flight but I think they did warn this would happen.
The plane boarded a bit late and as a result we watched the bags get unloaded and loaded at Perth Airport. I agree with an earlier poster - they aren%26#39;t exactly gentle with the bags (we actually saw one tossed onto the trailer then roll off onto the ground...). Of course, safer if you carry it on.
My only real gripe about PB is that they didn%26#39;t hand out immigration arrival cards for Indonesia onboard to fill in. We had to get them on arrival then fill them in on the floor of the airport.
Thanks for your comments guys, and sorry I%26#39;ve been off the radar for a couple of weeks. It%26#39;s very helpful to know that we can definitely carry on duty free.
Jan, we are travelling on Wednesday 15th April and returning Sunday 26th April.
My only gripe with Virgin Pacific Blue so far is that they have moved our departure time from Perth forward an hour, making the late arrival even later (for someone who is often in their PJs at 9.30pm LOL) so we will arrive at 11.15pm.
But not so bad when I read another poster saying their departure from Bali had been changed from something like3pm to 1am!
If they are going to be mucking people around like that they will lose business quickly, especially when there are 4 airlines to choose from in Perth.
Cheers
Robyn
We are staying at Puri Santrian in August and were wondering what the best beaches in this area are? We have seen lots of photos where the beach looks like it has lots of debris on it? Are you able to wander along the beach path and use any of the beaches infront of any hotel?
Thanks
Kevin and Amanda
the stretch of beach in front of the tourist hotels is much the same except for the fact that the individual hotels maintain the area directly in front of their hotel. there for it will be kept raked, free of debris (as much as possible). each hotel places sun loungers on the sand for use by paying guests. if you want to use the beach facilities at another hotel then you need to ask and there is usually a charge to do so. there are also some stretches of beach frontage where there is no hotel and hence it looks to be un kept and has some rubbish, seaweed etc washed up on shore. the amount of debris varies. some days extremely clear and clean other days more. it depends on the winds and tide. the puri santrian occupies a large beach frontage and is well maintained. there are some very nice inexpensive restaurants close to here on the beach front. they often hire out sun loungers for the hour / day and will serve you drinks and food at prices much lower than the hotel prices.
yes you can wander along the paved walkway on the beach through the grounds of the hotels. it is a pleasant walk but can get a bit hot during the day. the good thing is you can stop for drinks and snacks along the way.
sanur is a lovely place to holiday.
Thanks Snooky, what would be your top 3 tips for a geat honeymoon in Sanur?!!
Also, where is dreamland beach? It looks lovely.
Our family of 8 adults will be visiting Bandung in May. Do you think it is advisable to have a driver arranged to take us shopping or tour if we stay at Sheraton? Is it just as easy to catch a cab so that we can have more freedom with how we would like to spend the day? Thank you
on weekdays its quite easy to get a cab to ferry you around but during weekends it would be advicaable to get a car n driver as it wold be a long wait to get a taxi. Plus you can ask your driver to hold your shopping bags for you, no need to go to and fro the hotel to send your shopping bags etc....
is not easy to get a taxi in bandung street in the weekend but if you order the taxi from the hotel is possible but you have to wait for a long time also.
if you like to rent a car and a driver for one day is better for you to have a freedom in time like you want to.and you can ask also to driver where is the best place to go or visit.
you can arrange or rent a driver and a car at bandung train station information tourist center and the price for one day its around IDR.600k - IDR.750k/day. and that is already inclued the petrol.
It is advisable for you to rent a car to take you around Bandung bcoz the shopping places and tourist attractions are scattered everywhere. If you want, I can provide you with the contact details of a reliable driver in Bandung.
since 8 of you.. better or cheaper to hire a car
pregio or travello .
cab is more expensive.. at least you need two cabs.
unless you only go in one place / dago area.. and spend whole day in that place..for shopping..
mostly all the fo have a locker ..
regards
great morning...i went to bandung recently...nice and surprising enjoyable trip...
what u can do is get the guy at the airport arranging the taxi and enquire from him about van rental. we did rent from him kia pregio for 600k a day. His name is pak jenas...i 4gotten his phone number..
Appreciate all your helpful suggestions. Will work something out soon. Thank you all again.
Chiewy
can check out this site for car rental rental.total.or.id/bandung_car_rental.php
but look also the small print
for example
Driver
- Driver daily fee: Rp. 75.000.-
- Driver working hours: 06:00 - 21:00
Fuel/petrol
- These tariffs exclude Fuel/petrol.
Hello everyone !! My fiance and I are traveling to Bali close to the end of May and our first stop is Pemuteran. We are staying three nights there and would love to get as much information as possible as to the best activities and places to see. Our main goal is of course to be in the water a bit to do some snorkeling, so the more detailed information/connections you could give us, we would appreciate it greatly. We know of the Turtle Hatchery and Menjagan Island, but any specific information related to the two or to other attractions/activities would be awesome.
Please let us know all you know -- we are relying a lot on trip advisor and you guys so the more info we get the better.
Thank you so much................
Have a look at these tips of mine on Virtual Tourist:
- members.virtualtourist.com/m/c8969/66f/6/
( Have your vehicle blessed, Hiring a local boat )
- members.virtualtourist.com/m/c8969/66f/3/ ( Menjangan Resort )
Cheers,
Theo
We stayed at Puri Ganesha in Pemuteran a year or so ago. It was lovely. Ahhh... to be there now. We dream about as we still are getting snow up here in WI! The snorkeling is good both off the shore and if you take a boat out to the island there is an amazing wall where you can spend a few hours and see amazing sea life. Make sure to keep your backside well lotioned. My suit rode up and I had a very, very painful massage by a local healer the next day! They brought me a slice of Aloe like I%26#39;ve never seen! I was grateful nonetheless!
If you have not been to the north side of Bali before, know it is very very different. I love the contrast and the quiet, but it is a complete contrast to the south and to Ubud.
Take your time driving up... some of the most spectacular scenery you will see in your life driving through the mountains and the rice fields. Although my daughter who 9 when we were there, still talks about it being a bit scary with a crazy driver.
Other things to do... drive through the national park, see the pearl factory nearby and go and check out a very cool environmental project where they have tested using low-voltage electricity to restore the reef. You can see it and snorkel in the project right off the beach. Fox News did a story on it a while back. Here%26#39;s the link. www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315272,00.html
Aside from snorkeling at Menjangan island, I recommend doing as little as possible.
I spent 3 perfect days (4 nights) at Adi Assri in January. My days were spent: swimming, reading, napping, drinking cocktails, and occasionally taking a walk for dinner (Taman Selini has excellent food).
It%26#39;s a long drive to get there (a solid 4 hours, more over the mountains through Munduk), so don%26#39;t be silly and overbook your time. Watching it rain, hanging out and talking to the other guests and staff. It was paradise.
Just east of Adi Assri is a local owned crafts shop on the beach. Teenagers man the counter. I greatly regret I didn%26#39;t fill my suitcase. The bangles (5000 rupiah?) and necklaces and belts (15,000) I got there were extremely popular.
i%26#39;m curious about why you have asked your question again as you asked the same question in december and january. when are you going to pemuteran?
Rockterrigal -- I%26#39;m asking again just to get a fresh batch of comments and suggestions. Not everyone goes back through all the archived posts, so I prefer to post similar questions every month or so just to see if any new experts/travelers have new ideas. Just want to make sure I cover all the bases.
Sooooo, with that said, I appreciate everyone%26#39;s responses and PLEASE keep em coming. We like going in to these trips with a wide array of ideas and things to do. That way we can kind of suit or vacation around what we think we would enjoy the best. We don%26#39;t want to miss a thing............
thanks jkohlbecker11.
We%26#39;re trying to decide whether to spend more time in Pemuteran or spend a couple days along the east coast Ahmed and below before going to the Gili%26#39;s. Any thoughts?
we are an active couple in our late 60s. we were recommended by this forum to the beautiful, small resort of chawan at au nang in krabi. this had only a dozen large, well equipped rooms and wonderful service. we loved our stay there earlier this year. we are now looking for a weeks holiday on bali. this would be our first visit to bali.
we are seeking a resort on sanur which offers quiet, good service with well equipped accommodation at a reasonable price although we are not looking for something cheap.
what price do you want to pay per night? sanur is a great place to stay you should enjoy your holiday there. most hotels are either beach front or within a very short walk of the beach. some of the best beach front hotels are bali hyatt, mercure, hotel sanur beach, griya santrian, puri santrian, and for less cost besakih. for more budget places close to the beach there is sanur beach villas, stana puri gopa,pondok ayu, tamukami, palm garden hotel, villa puri ayu (just to name a few). there is so much to see and do in bali once you are there you will wish you had longer than one week.
Just to clarify a couple of things if I may - what is your maximum budget per night for the room? Would you like beachfront or doesn%26#39;t this bother you? Are you looking for a little boutique resort or something a little bigger?
thanks for response. our budget is to keep below 拢100 per night. we want to be close to the beach but not necessarily on it. we enjoy getting up early, say 0630, and walking on the beach in the cool for an hour or so before breakfast.
on size of hotel we are not specifically looking for a very small resort but certainly want to avoid the very large ones especially those that cater primarily to families with small children.
Well, you could look at a duplex suite in La Taverna - nice little beachfront hotel, great location, lovely Balinese feel to it. The basic rooms are very basic, but the more expensive rooms and suites always look nice.
If you%26#39;re willing to stretch your budget a tad, you could probably afford the Tandjung Sari, not on it%26#39;s own site, but there are some reasonable deals to be had if you look at Asiarooms, or even contact the hotel directly and ask for their best price. Again, beachfront, lovely Balinese feel, good location.
Both of the above are reasonably small hotels, but if you%26#39;re wanting something a little bigger with a bit more life, then the Griya Santrian is a nice option, again beachfront in a good location.
Since your budget is on the generous side for Bali, I would also consider looking at villas. Maybe something like Bali Zen Villas.
the bali hyatt is one of the best in sanur, spread out and very relaxing. beautiful gardens and not overrun with children. a lot of couples enjoying a relaxing holidays. this is beach front and worth considering.
I like the look of the Griya Santrian but there seems to be tremendous variations in price between different agents on the web. is this normal? I am seeing a difference of over US$50 per night for the same room.
I have not yet looked at the hyatt but thanks for tip.
Yes, usually the prices on the hotel%26#39;s own site is significantly more than on other booking sites. It%26#39;s quite a good idea to contact the hotel direct, and ask them for their best price. If they reply with their high price, I%26#39;d then respond that you can get the room for $X on another site and ask if they can match it. They can only say no.
also check this site for prices. some hotels are very good value
www.balidreamtours.com/product.php鈥?/a>
wow. good prices. thanks.
We are travelling to Hyatt in May and got a great deal through Gold Medal based in Preston. www.goldmedal.co.uk
Hi,
I%26#39;m planning my first trip to Indonesia this June, and want to visit Camp Leakey to see the orangutans. I%26#39;m be landing in Java, either Jakarta or Yogyakarta, and am trying to find a schedule for the Pelni ships that sail to Kumai in Borneo. I found the Pelni website, but they only have routes not schedules.
Is this something I can book ahead or do I have to wait till I get there?
I want to take a ship because 1) I think it would be fun and 2) I%26#39;m a little worried about flying because it would have to be on an Indonesian airline, and as I understand it they don%26#39;t meet international safety regulations. Or am I wrong and some of them are okay?
Any advice from anyone who%26#39;s been to Camp Leakey with details of how you got there would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Leslie
I am flying from Singapore to Bali soon for a weekend, to attend a wedding at Khayangan Estate. How far is Khayangan Estate from the airport, can I get a taxi there, and if so how mujch wouuld that cost ballpark?
Also, I want to stay at a resort (max S$250 a night) which isn%26#39;t too far from either Khayangan Estate or the airport. Any suggestions? Thanks
Its south of Uluwatu, so you should be able to get a nice villa in the area or stay at one of the hotels in Jimbaran
khayanganestate.com/Bali-private-villas-buki鈥?/a>
Can anyone tell me if the Puri has a new room category? We have booked a Club room? Is the santrian suite at griya or both?
Could anyone also tell me if the club rooms have a sea view?
Many Thanks
Hi fellow travellers,
I will be travelling to Indonesia in May - it will be my 5th visit - I am torn between going to Flores/Rinca/Komodo or Sumatra - I have not been to either - I will be there for 10 days this visit but I want to spend a few days in Jakarta (truly love the city) and then would fly internally to the other destination. I was wondering whether Medan to Bandah Aceh travelling overland and visiting Danau Toba and Samosir would be possible in say 5n/6d (I know Pamela has posted quite a bit about this thank you very much) %26amp; is not going to be too far distance wise or alternatively going to Flores and organising a tour from there to Komodo/Rinca again 5n/6days ? Any recommendations would be much appreciated.
I also have a small question regarding Jakarta - when I was there last I wanted to go and see what Mangga Dua was all about - the taxi driver misunderstood me and took me to a suburban area called Mangdu?? - it looked nice and upscale - can anybody tell whether it even exists or if this was a scam by the taxi driver to get a lot of money out of me?
Thank you for all your help
Regards
Tanya
There are quite a few similar sounding places in Jakarta. It happened to me once. I wanted to go to Senayan and the driver said ';o, yaa!'; and took me to a place called Senen, instead!
There are a few rogue taxi companies in Jakarta and sometimes, drivers pretend to have misunderstood and take the passengers for a long ride. If you use taxi in Jakarta, it is always advisable to use a reputed taxi such as - Bluebird group, Gamya, Express Taxi. Never travel by Kosti Jaya taxis, they have a notorious reputation of demanding extra fare and cheating passengers.
Hi Tanya,
I would do Sumatra either
North Sumatra - Bukit Lawang,Tangkahan 7 Lake Toba OR
West Sumatra- Padang, Bukittinggi,Lake Maninjau and Harau Canyon.
OR
If the flights have resumed (they resumed about May 9th last year when new contract was signed)you could fly down to Kutacane, head up to Ketambe- 1 hr away, do a one day trek in the jungle with Pak Mus or whoever, head back to Kutacane and fly to Banda Aceh and spend a day or two on Pulau Weh.
Here is the Ketambe website
www.ketambe.com/ketambe_how-to-reach.html
The bus trip from Medan to Banda Aceh is not that exciting from what I have heard.
I say Sumatra/Aceh because the time frame may be difficlut for Flores- with flights etc.
If you wish to do the boat trip from Lombok you will have to fly to Lombok and then get the harbour in the east to get the boat to Flores which I believe takes about 3 days, then another boat to see Rinca and then you need to get somewhere else to fly back.
I know a little about this because I am trying to help another couple with information about Flores- great for me to do this because I will be going there next year.
Suggest you have a look at these blogs on Flores- they give you some perspective timewise.
travelblog.org/Asia/…blogs-page-1.html
I photocopied a map of Flores today for these other travellers and if you would like a copy email me at pamela_fuge@yahoo.com.au
Hope I have been able to help you just a little.
Pamela
Hi Pamela,
Thank you so much for the excellent information - I think I will move the Flores visit to a later date. I see the flight to Kutacane was scrapped from the 19th Jan 09 - so might make the journey overland.
Regards
Tanya
Hi Tanya,
Just to correct you the Flights to Kutacane HAVE NOT been scrapped.
The contract signed by the airlines has finished and a new one with the same airline or a different one should be signed in May this year.
I am not sure why the contracts are so short, maybe something to do with the weather at that time of the year.
The airlines use small planes so during heavy monsoonal weather it might not be safe to fly.
Pamela
hi me again, have read that its better sometimes to book direct with hotel been looking at sari beach hotel in legian but dont know their email address when google it just get agents coming up.
http://saribeachinn.com/
help! i%26#39;m so overwhelmed with the legian/seminyak area hotels. i%26#39;m looking for something on the beach directly, or very close--within 1-2 blocks? (i have a handicap that slows me down so proximity is necessary).
it needs AC, would be nice if it was traditional balinese structure but not necessary. charm and beauty are good too. and of course i%26#39;m watching my budget so 50.00 per day or therebouts would be great.
any ideas?
Sari Beach Inn. :)
http://saribeachinn.com/ It is on the beach, also on the boardwalk so easier mobilty.
You can get a ground floor bungalow and the pool is easy to get in an out of.
The grounds and the hotel are small and pretty.
Hi all,
I%26#39;ve browse through the forum about B %26amp; B but there%26#39;s none. Me and my friend (ladies) are planning a 9-days visit to jakarta this coming may for a leisure trip (sightseeing, shopping, spa/massage, making new friends ect).
since we%26#39;re on a budget constraint, we%26#39;re thinking to book a real cheap hotel or any B %26amp; B (our main criteria is clean) that is %26lt; USD50. I%26#39;ve come across Bangka B %26amp; B. And they have a promotion of 1 week stay of usd150. Appreciate any comments/suggestions on this matter.
Thanx guys.
Hi,
I presume you mean %26lt; US$50 per night. There are a few decent hotels in Jakarta under this mark. Check out Sanno Hotel www.sanno-hotel.com or Hotel Formule 1 www.accorhotels.com
There is a list of hotels in Jakarta, with 5 listed under US$50 per night here:
http://www.walkaboutindonesia.com/jakarta.htm
Your budget is below USD50 per night?
If yes, then we%26#39;ve discussed a lot about it (and I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s really on budget because you still can splurge on 3 star hotels).
You can sleep well in a 2/3 star hotel such as:
1. Formule 1 Menteng www.accorhotels.com around Rp300,000 per night. Easy to get everywhere, located at city center
2. Ibis Tamarin or Ibis Arcadia. www.accorhotels.com The best-located 3 star hotels. Around Rp450,000 per night.
3. Hotel Paragon Gallery http://www.paragon.co.id Room rates from USD45 per night. Location further down the road from Ibis.
4. Luxe Hotel jakarta www.luxehoteljakarta.com Room rate also around USD38-45. Located next to Ibis.
Besides the 4 hotels above, there are cheaper option for accommodations such as inns, motels, and guest house-type like in Jalan Changkat Bukit Bintang and surroundings. These type of accommodations, surely can give you quotation for around USD20 per night (or moreover the same as you get from Bangka B%26amp;B). But they have no website and I%26#39;m not able to recommend any of them to you since the above choices are safer (especially for ladies). But again, if you%26#39;re a backpacker type of traveller who would not mind to share rooms (rent a bed in dorm rooms or such), then you can always check the one that seems clean and descent by the time you arrive. Most of the time, you can just walk in and make inquiry. Alternatively, you can check out this post: tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294229-i9444-k262鈥?/a>
It listed some budget hotels as well as some info on guest houses along Jalan Jaksa (where most backpackers hostels are located, just off Ibis Hotels).
Some thoughts on Bangka B%26amp;B: this property is located beneath residential area of Kemang. It%26#39;s quite a lively area with mix of residential and some commercial such as cafes, pubs, bars, supermarkets, clothing, and accessories stores in the neighbourhood. However, getting to other places (such as Tanah Abang or Mangga Dua) is a bit far. It%26#39;s like you choose to stay somewhere in Bangsar, which is a good neighbourhood to be around the cafes, bars, but getting to other more touristy places such as KLCC is a bit far. For first timers to the city, staying somewhere central is more recommended (such in the area I mentioned the hotels above).
Hi again,
Thanx a bunch scott %26amp; cirque for sharing~!
We%26#39;ve revised our budget to around USD30 per room/per night. Since we%26#39;re staying more than a week, we%26#39;re thinking of optimizing our money by spending less for accomm. and more on shopping..(^_^)
So, we%26#39;ll take your advice by looking into the hotels that u%26#39;ve suggested like the f1 hotel menteng %26amp; sanno hotel etc.
Thanx again guys..appreciate it..
We have been to Bali numerous times and visited MBR,Febri and Prana Spa. Is there any other spa for couple? Appreciate any recommendation. Will be staying at Dynasty in Jun 09.
There are quite a lot of spas for couples - depending on your price.
If you have been to Prana Spa, well, the spa at Villa De Daun is also nice and has won awards and they have couple rooms.I mention these 2 because I don%26#39;t find them cheap.
You might also want to take a look at this list:
tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294226-c2603/Bali:In鈥?/a>
Good Luck.
try the bali spa guide
http://www.balispaguide.com/
On our last visit we noticed local photographer operating from the Jayakarta doing portrait shots for families. Does anyone have any experience of this, how was the experience, did you like the photos and what was the price.
Thanks for your help
ddoodz
I am holding a multiple entry business visa for Indonesia sponsored by my company based in Jakarta.
1. I am planning to travel to Sumatra for holiday. As per Indonesian immigration rules, do they allow the use of business visa to travel for holiday?
2. Is there any requirement that if the sponsor of my business visa is from Jakarta, I must enter/exit Indonesia only at Jakarta?
I am a bit worried because Indonesian immigration rules appear a bit complicated.
if you are holding multiple entry visa, they won%26#39;t ask you the purpose of your visit. Of course if for some reason the officer asks you, you can always tell him that you come to visit yr biz counterpart.
No requirement as #2 as well. Will you be arriving in JKT airport or Medan in Sumatra. Smaller airport like Medan sometimes have their own way of local law interpretation so if you want to be safe, better to arrive in JKT
You can enter Indonesia from any port. No need to worry, especially for ASEAN countries citizen (You are Singaporean, aren%26#39;t you?) ASEAN citizen are entitled for up to 30 days visit to Indonesia without any visa, so if your vacation is less than 30 days, then you%26#39;re good to enter from any port in Sumatra (Padang, Medan, Palembang, Pekanbaru, Batam).
We%26#39;re looking for a great Honeymoon Villa (%26amp; at a great price) .
Has anyone stayed at Villa Kubu?
Honeymooning in July. Any info would be appriciated
hi aussie
i have just booked the chezbali villas in kerobokan , just above seminyak . we booked the lumbung suite . i emailed them directly , told them i wanted something special but couldnt afford much , they gave it to me for 1/2 price .
i havent stayed there yet but the reviews seemed ok .
it looks very private with the pool coming up under the roof !
there price includes airport transfers and breakfast .
chezbalivilla.com/two_bedroom_villas.php
cheers
batt
Hi!
I have stayed at Villa Kubu. It%26#39;s my husband%26#39;s favourite villa! The staff are LURVELY.
The place is very nice. Their private pools are a decent size, and I think Villa 10 and 11 have got jacuzzis in their bathroom as well.
I have seen almost all their villas and I like all of them. For the one bedroom ones, I like Villa 9, 10 and I think I also saw 11 and they were building some more last year, so it should be finished by now.
What is nice about this place is that they retain a lot of the Balinese style (but not too heavy and ornate so that it becomes overpowering), and that is basically what you go to Bali for. Their outdoor baths are lovely and they also have nice gardens. Even the older one bedroom (I think it%26#39;s 6A or 6B) is also nice.
We stayed in 6A or 6B (the 2 bedroom) and it was also a gift for my in-laws who had never been to Bali before, and they LOVED it and still talk about it till today.
http://www.sanityinbali.synthasite.com/ its 150 you add the rest to make it a honeymoon like massage ex
Hi there
Would anyone recommend this guy?
any opinion highly appreciated
Thanks
Hi There
The most popular driver on This forum are
1) Dean
Mobile: +6281 8344 807
2) I Nyoman Rusma of Meta Sari Transport
Tel: + 6281 2361 0391
Fax 62-361-975073
Very gentle man, careful driver. Very nice.
3) Putu Nastra:
Tel: +62 81 641 08497.
Former tour guide, speaks Spanish, knows his stuff.
Detail for for The drivers check the inside page
Here%26#39;s a useful link:
tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294226-c8993/Bali:In鈥?/a>
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294226-i7220-k425鈥?/a>
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294226-i7220-k649鈥?/a>
Happy travel
Cheers
Hello
I have used Dewa six times in Bali and find his services to be excellent. He enjoys what he does, has extensive knowledge of the entire island; and, well versed in English. Always a smile and always excellent.
Enjoy!
Just getting in my recommendation for Eddy Kus findkus_usa@yahoo www.myspace.com/BaliExplore. My friends and I have used many times Eddy over the last few years and are always happy. These are two recommendations from other users recently posted (sorry, I don%26#39;t know how to make it a link, but if you copy and past into the address box, it should go there):
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294226-i7220-k109鈥?/a>
I haven%26#39;t come across anything about Dewa Marco, I%26#39;m sorry, but if you search this forum and others, you may,
hi, i just returned from bali and we used dewa marco for our one day tour around bali. he%26#39;s extremely punctual, friendly, and has an extensive knowledge of the place. you can rely on marco for good recommendations and advice! check out his blog at http://www.dewamarco-tour.blogspot.com/
I used Dewa Marco when I was in Bali just last week! Email: dewamarco@hotmail.com
mobile: +62 8123918718
http://www.dewamarco-tour.blogspot.com/
He is a great, patient and entertaining driver. I remembered hearing other tourist commenting about their guide who lack of information and guidance when they heard Dewa Marco guided us with the history and background of the places we visited.
Will definitely engaged him again when we are in Bali again! Rick and Amy Toi (Singapore)
this post is almost 2 years old. it is really far too late to answer a question this old. the person asking has obviously had their holiday.
hmm...thanks for the comment..Will surely check the dates before posting any comments..feel rather silly!
Hi guys,
I am after villa recommendations for a friend. He is travelling with his wife and is after a 1 bedroom villa in Legian or Seminyak with a pool for under $150 per night. I know he cant be too fussy at this price but as close to the beach and restaurants as possible.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Kate
Just an update to that he has said that they do not need a private pool just as long as the villa complex has a pool will be fine, just looking for something nice for about AUS $150 per night.
cheers,
Kate
We stayed at Villa Helaconia last year and I think we paid $140. It%26#39;s in a great spot, easy walking access to everything, and you even get your own pool. It was ideal and we had no problems at all.
Yeah - just want to reiterate that Villa Heliconia is in a good location and probably within your budget for Seminyak.
Hi guys,
thanks for the replies but I am confused as the internet price for Villa Heliconia is $251, where did you get the cheap rate from?
Kate
Hi Kate,
On their website, the internet rate is US175 BUT you can still try to bargain.
When I was there and looked around, they offered me something like USD115/120 in low season.
I think it also depends on which time of the year!!!
However, if they have decided on Heliconia, then ask them to check various websites for prices of Heliconia Villa and then they can make comparisons.
Let us know how it goes!
There is also another villa, which is called Villa Poppy, which is in Legian, but it%26#39;s a 3 bedroom villa at USD200. You can try to bargain to use just one room and see if they are willing to reduce the price. I think the owners are Australians.
http://www.sanityinbali.synthasite.com/ 150 a night Seminyk
As the others mention it will depend a lot on the time of year.. if it is before mid July I would suggest Uma Sapna as another option - they have a good promo going at the moment and it could well be negotiable also..
http://www.coconuthomes.com/
Hi Kate
We check out the websites and wotif for a price guide then contact the Hotel/Villa direct. Friends of ours have booked Villa Jerami and got it for US$125.00 per night. It%26#39;s not right on the beach but the Villas do have their own pools and we have had great reports. Also try Cicada which is great but price depends on availability and season. We tried Heliconia but we couldn%26#39;t get the rate down. Good luck
150 is in Oz dollars... http://www.sanityinbali.synthasite.com/ just incase you thought it was in US we are staying here and it cost us 2100 Au for 14 nights the cleaner is a qualified masseuse and cook and includes transfers
thank you all so much for the replies, I have passed the information on and hopefully it will give him a few places to start looking at.
cheers,
Kate
We are going to do a day trip to the Bali Safari %26amp; Marine Park.
We are just wondering if anyone recommends staying overnight at the Mara River Safari Lodge?
Hi Markelzac
Don%26#39;t know whether you are aware of the prices but these are from Aug 2008.
Tembo family room (three bed room bungalow)6persons US$280.00
Kifaru family room (two bed room bungalow) 4persons
$US225.00
Twiga Suites (upper town house) Sgl/Dbl $US$180.00
Tandala Suites (tree house) Sgl/Dbl $US180.00
Swala deluxe (ground floor town house)$US 135.00
extra bed $US25
Surcharge
High season 1July-31Aug $US 20.00
Peak sesson 23Dec- 3Jan 2009 $US 30.00
Breakfast $US 20.00
All above rates are subject to 21%service and Govt. tax
We had a look at a Twiga Suite and were impressed how it was furnished.
Guess it would be an experience!
Cheers
Burns
Those prices are cheap compared to doing the same thing at Disney%26#39;s Animal Kingdom in Orlando. Would have loved to have done it there but couldn%26#39;t justify the 2nd mortgage on the house.
The Santika are charging US$110 a night so US$135 doesn%26#39;t seem too bad considering it sounds like an amazing experience. Thanks again to everyone for their advice.
We (a family of two adults and one child (then aged 12) stayed in the Kifaru bungalows in April last year. We loved it that much that we are going back for one night in April this year. We were very fortunate to get last years prices - still a bit expensive - but going back to Bali this year the family have requested that we stay there for one night again.
All in all we loved the place
i will go to jakarta by thisweek(alone and a lady)
my budget is only 2M Rupiah for 3 days spend.
I am interested stay in JuniorExpat Hostel Jakarta
So can u describe this place?
Is it safe?
This is my first time visit.
Wit the very tight budget..
or can u suggest any cheap hostel/guesthouse
Let me clarify with you. Rp 2M for your budget is for accommodation only or for all things during your stay (accommodation, transport, meal, shopping, etc)?
The hostel you mentioned is more like a guest house and looking from the location, it%26#39;s not that strategic, especially if your plan including visits to touristy places and shopping.
I suggest to look at the accommodation somewhere in Central Jakarta (Mampang is in South Jakarta). Formule 1 hotel Menteng (2 star) is quite good for comfortable budget stay (Around Rp350,000 per night).
Alternatively, you can check out many motels/inns/guesthouse at Jalan Jaksa, it%26#39;s like backpackers lane in Jakarta.
Check out these posts for more info on budget accommodation:
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294229-i9444-k264…
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294229-i9444-k262…
Two points are unclear
- budget for stay/ all expances?????????
- this weekend?? having in mind that today is Sunday
YES..
2M is for EVERYTHING.
As i just prepared only 2M for eats,souvenier,accomodations,transportation,else.
So is it possible??
And of coz I DONT have card credits...
Yes, it%26#39;s possible only a bit tight. Some important thing %26amp; tips to set aside is:
1. Jakarta airport tax Rp150,000 per person is required for everyone depart from Jakarta airport. This is payable at airline check-in counter in Jakarta.
2. You can opt for using bus instead of taxi between airport and the city. Taxi will costs around Rp100,000 one way while bus is less than Rp20,000.
3. If you spend on the nicer 2 star hotel, probably you will be left with less than Rp1k to spend on meals, attractions, shopping and transport. A value meal at McDonald%26#39;s or other fast food will costs around Rp25,000. So, figure out yourself on your financial breakdown.
4. Since you don%26#39;t bring any credit card, I suggest you bring some spare money, just in case you need it to pay excess baggage or other emergency matters.
wat the value at the money changer in indonesia
last month i changed 1M = RM 328.
So how much if just change the money in Indonesia??
The currency is called Rupiah.
In Indonesia, currently RM1=Rp3200 or Rp1million=RM312
Has anyone used Tunas to book their accommodation in Bali? The rates they give are so much cheaper than you can get through Australian travel agents or directly with the hotel. They seem really professional but I%26#39;m just a bit worried about depositing money into their account....
Never heard of them, but when I looked at their website, I noticed they displayed that they were members of IATA, PATA and ASITA. Did a quick search of these websites and can%26#39;t find Tunas Tours or Bali Tunas Tours as a member.
Tunas is beginning to look a bit fishy if you ask me.
i have not heard of them before either.
i looked at some of their rates for 09/10 and they did not appear any cheaper than what i had seen elsewhere with other online booking agents or by dealing direct with the hotels. also the costs of day tours were not cheap. i don%26#39;t usually book my hotels with aussie travel agents for bali any more as i can always get cheaper booking direct. the main exception is IF you get a good package deal OR there is those %26#39;one off%26#39; super specials. as far as tunas goes %26#39;if in doubt leave it out%26#39;.
Sometimes it%26#39;s just not so wise to go for everything that is THE CHEAPEST.
Use well established, known sites like Asia Rooms,
Bali Discovery or the hotel direct even if you feel you are paying a few dollars more.
If you are worried, there is likely a reason to be.
hi there, i will be in yogya soon ... and actually i am trying to find information about coach tours in/around this city, but without success. i am travelling alone and an individual tour is quite expensive. therefore i am looking for coach tours which i can join ... does anybody have information about it?
Hi, I have just came back from Yogyakarta last week. There were only 8 persons in the groups and we decided to hire a personal trour guide. He can arrange your transportation and your customised itenary. The one that I found is quite helpful and service is not too bad too. You may want to contact him, if you are interested. Let me know if you are keen and I will provide you his email address who you can write to him personally
Hi,
I think my first message had the wrong subject heading, so am trying again...
I%26#39;m planning my first trip to Indonesia this June, and want to visit Camp Leakey in Tanjung Puting Natl Park to see the orangutans. I%26#39;ll be arriving in Java and am trying to find a schedule for the Pelni ships that sail to Kumai in Borneo from Jakarta or Semerang. I found the Pelni website, but they only have routes not schedules.
Is this something I can book ahead or do I have to wait till I get there?
I want to take a ship because 1) I think it would be fun and 2) I%26#39;m a little worried about flying because it would have to be on an Indonesian airline, and as I understand it they don%26#39;t meet international safety regulations. Or am I wrong and some of them are okay?
Any advice from anyone who%26#39;s been to Camp Leakey with details of how you got there would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Leslie
Reply to this post
Hello,
We are trying to organise a group dinner for abour 45 people in Seminuyak in August.
Does anyone have an email address for La Luciola or can anyone suggest a nice restaurant in Seminyak/Kerobokan area? (Kudeta is too expensive)
I know of but havent eaten at Living Room? Breeze? Hu%26#39;u Bar? or any other ideas...
Thank you.
Hi,
I%26#39;ve eaten at Hu%26#39;u and Living Room but that was quite some time back and if I remember correctly, their prices weren%26#39;t too far from from KuDeTa%26#39;s. Mind you, the last 2 times I went to KuDeTa was for breakfast and tea though, not the meals. I have been there for dinner and lunch and found that they are overpriced and overrated, though the ambience is VERY nice.
What%26#39;s your budget per person?
I have seen groups at Lola, Gado Gado and Kafe Warisan (not that cheap either though).
What about Ketupat? Indon food. Quite nice.
Go to the Inside Pages of Inside Seminyak: Dining Options.
catalyst, another Bali Expert has compiled dining options for the various areas.
I can%26#39;t find the email for La Lucciola, but the fax number and tel no are on this site:
www.balieats.com/sort.cfm?id=193%26cid=MED
Hope this helps.
Breeze would be pretty impressive for 45.....you could probably have the place to yourselves....and great ocean views. fFod is dramatically better then Hu%26#39;u. Wine list is only fair.
Gado gado definitely worth considering. Nothing particularly Balinese in their dishes, but new chef team there is very good.
cheers.
Look also at the review of Blossom at Sentosa in www.balieats.com
cheers.
Hi there,
My club held a function for 20 last month at breeze (for lunch) and it was very good,
We had dinner at Gado - gado a few weeks ago and it was absolutely beyond terrible!
Dinner in the garden at Hu would be very pleasant... La Luciola has a private dining room but I have a feeling 45 might be a squeeze... worth checking though ...August is high season so you might encounter some difficulty booking this.. especially if you are planning on having it on a weekend as it will tie up the kitchen..
Can%26#39;t comment on Living Room - some people love it - I went there once a long time ago and it really wasn%26#39;t my thing.... Warisan is nice but there isn%26#39;t much of a rice paddy view anymore - personally I think Hu has more ambience.... there are some great catering companies around now including Warisan, why not ask about possible options they offer - maybe it could be held in your own private outdoor setting?
BTW Lola has sadly closed down.... the head chef is now in Candi dasa!
Lola has closed! :-(
Has the chef gone to a restaurant/hotel in Candidasa?
I would love to be able to live in Bali for a bit, BridgidE! :-)
that makes 2 of us jade ! lol
Hi
Try this Link
http://balieats.com/
Cheers
It took a lot of planning to get here! but yes, we love living here for the most part!
Apparently the Chef from Lola has gone to a hotel in the outskirts Candidasa - I saw a lot of advertising (big banners) for a new French restaurant in one of the hotels when we were there about month ago but didn%26#39;t know then the chef was ex Lola as I would have given it a try for sure! I can%26#39;t remember the name of it off hand but I will dig it out as I am sure I have a card... it is near Alila
We go to Candidasa every month or so with a bunch of expat friends as the snorkeling is good and there are lots of places to stay - alot of expats take short holidays there!
Hi BrigidE,
What a shame your commenst on Gado Gado. I ate there a few times in january, and was more than pleasantly surprised. I am in Bali again next month so I will visit again to confirm.
My current ';hate%26#39; restaurant is Loloan - unbelievable mixture of incompatible tastes and textures.
Did you try Blossom?
cheers
No haven%26#39;t tried Blossom...or heard of it actually! where is it?
We have had lunches on numerous occasions and a couple of dinners at Gado Gado which have been fine, it is often a place we take house guests who have just arrived on a midday flight - as sitting on the deck there overlooking the beach is rather pleasant for a casual lunch - However our last dinner experience there was beyond bad... %26#39;raw%26#39; rissotto, greasy fried prawns etc nobody at our table had a satisfactory meal! considering the price range for dinner is not budget - I can think of many other places I would rather eat!
Loloan - well! we tried to eat there once when it first opened - got shown a table and no one came to us for over 20 minutes so we walked out and went to La Luciola - better view and the menu at Loloan didn%26#39;t really entice me to give it a second chance!
Hi All, we are in Bali from Friday and my lovely wife doesn%26#39;t think you can buy good quality womens%26#39; clothing size 10-12. Is she right or wrong?
You can find good quality women%26#39;s clothing, you just have to know where to look. The department stores have some but the sizes are aimed at the Asian market so they are smaller. At size 10-12 she may be lucky though.
Otherwise go to the Things to Do tab on the left side of this screen and you will find a newly updated list of clothing outlets (some of them are plus-size) but places like Animale would be perfect for your wife.
The clothes are not going to be the quality of good designer stores in Australia. Some of the boutiques in Seminyak have some interesting designs but I have to agree the quality and cut of many is not 100%.
She can get some nice off the rack stuff in Discovery centre but it is no different to the clothes she will see in Sportsgirl, Myer etc.and no cheaper.
Thanks to both of you. I will pass on...funny about the quality though...I have found good quality mens clothing...but it seems with womens clothing its different. Thanks again
You can buy good quality clothing in Sanur, plenty of nice dress shops there near Hardy%26#39;s supermarket. Also there is a shop called Ibisa across the road from Griya Santrian selling beautiful linen clothes, leather shoes and handbags, which is reflected in the price.
You can get some fantastic clothes in the Jl Seminyak/ Jl Laksama area... (but will depend on your taste of course... here are a few names of some boutiques..
Magali Pascal, Lulu, The Corner Store, Uma %26amp; Leopold Kerry Grima
Thanks to all.
Dazza
Hello triplovers,
I%26#39;m going to be in Bali for 7 nights in September. Obviously there are many interesting areas. Which places should I visit, I want to get a feel of Bali, the culture, the cuisine, the heritage. Any suggestions, please?
I would like to stay in small places, budget with local charm. Your suggestions are very appreciated. Thx all.
New rainbow
It sounds like you would enjoy Ubud. It is the art and culture centre of Bali, with balinese dance performances, art centres, villages specialising in arts and crafts surrounding the township, markets, palaces and temples. You can easily do day trips from here to other places further afield.
Adi Cottages in Ubud is very popular with alot of TA members.
You could then spend a few days at one of the beach areas further south for something a bit different. Sanur, Legian or Seminyak would be good options.
My suggestion for Sanur would be Sanur Beach Villas. Just google the name.
We are travelling with children and it has been suggested they should have the vacination, really not sure what to do for the best?
The Australian Travel Health Authorities have recently released a statement that it not considered neccessary for anyone to have the rabies shots prior to travelling to Bali. In their opinion, the shots that you can get AFTER (or if) you get bitten have proved to have very close to the same success rates as the preventative shots.
And really are your children going to be handling strange animals when you are not present?
Just 19 more sleeps then 17 days in Bali. How cool is that?
Lucky lucky you! 19 sleeps for you %26amp; 19 WEEKS to go for me. Can you fit me in your suitcase...I won%26#39;t take up much room honest!!
10 more sleeps for me then only 10 days in Bali.
I%26#39;m arriving on the 11.4, that must be about 19 days as well....
As I%26#39;ve just got back, the guys at work wrote this in my whiteboard ';395 days to Bali';. How cruel! :)
15 days :)
Hi,
Need some opinions here.
We will be going to Bali in May and there will be 8 of us.
Currently we have shortlisted these 2 hotels in Ubud.
Tegal Sari n Greenfield. Both also have great reviews from all..
Which one is better? If there are anyone of you who stayed at both of the hotels before, maybe can share your experiences here.
Thanks :)
I doubt you will get vacancy at Tegal Sari during May. I booked there for April, 4 months back and they have to move me 3 times during my stay. Before shortlisting to 1 Id suggest you email them to see if you can get a room.
They are both really lovely and you will be happy with either. Same views, great rooms, nice staff.
Hi princessturbo,
i hv checked with both hotels. they have rooms available.
that%26#39;s the reason why i am asking for opinions before i proceed with the booking :)
Hear price of beer at the resorts are expensive. Was thinking of bringing a couple of 6 packs over. Do customs check going in?
I think if you buy over is not a problem but bring back should have a problem.
Your duty free limit is 1 litre of alcohol which is 3 cans/bottles of beer, 1 bottle of wine or 1 litre of spirits. They xray all baggage, not sure if they check alochol but a pretty strict.
Hi there,
We are going to Bali in May with our 1 year old. I%26#39;ve been to Bali 4 times in the 90s but havent been in the past decade.
We want to stay in a villa as this seems to be the easiest option with a baby as it%26#39;s very self contained (we want a kitchen).
Initially I looked at Alu Bali as this is reasonably priced for a villa and it comes recommended however there are no recent forums about it apart from mention of a nightclub next door. I really want to know if this is operating as it would be very noisy for a sleeping baby.
I also wanted to stay at Villa Bali Asri but is booked out.
I%26#39;ve looked at:
Le Jardin (but its looks more like a hotel - am i right? they dont have kitchens)
Kembali
Villa Kipas
Samaya
Any tips particularly from people who have stayed at Alu Bali recently.
Thanks
