Jakarta to Bogor

Hi , like to check how long does it take to travel from Jakarta to Bogor in a private car?

Regards

Jakarta to Bogor

it is about 50 kms from east jakarta = abt 45-60 mins, depending on which part of Jakarta you are coming from

Sydney to Jakarta (overnight & change airline) to KL

If there is no onward connection available for the next leg of travel, and you have to overnight in Jakarta do you still have to pay the VOA? We are planning Qantas (FF points) to Jakarta and then Air Asia or Malaysian Airlines to KL.

Sydney to Jakarta (overnight %26amp; change airline) to KL

Yes. You need VOA to clear from immigration regardless of yr length of stay.

Sydney to Jakarta (overnight %26amp; change airline) to KL

Thanks, makes it an expensive way of going to Malaysia as the return trip would also require a valid VOA because we would have to collect baggage and re check in for the Qantas flight. Therefore would need VOA for 30 days - US25. Have to think about this one. May be go via Singapore!!

Tour to Komodo National Park

Hello, we will be in Bali December 2009. Can anyone recommend a good tour company to organize a two or three day tour from Bali to the park and back. Cheers

Tour to Komodo National Park

Yes I can help, try having a look at www.divekomodo.com or for more information and option www.westfloreskomodo.com

Depending on your preferences

Day 1.

A 3 day package Flights from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo leaving at 9am arriving at 10:30 am.

Day 2 CHarter a small local boat to Visit the Park to see the dragons on Rinca Island. And do some snorkeling on the way back.

If you dive you should allow an extra day or two!

Day 3 return to Denpassar.

Accomodation to suit your budget from $10 per night until $100 per night!

Best,

Greg.

Tour to Komodo National Park

I just returned from Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park (from and to Bali)

Its great!! I have a long JBR I will post in a day or so.

I can recommend Mr. Jeffry Buana, guide for Labuan Bajo, KNP, and West Flores.

Jeffry set us up for everything we needed for our visit. It was perfect. He can be contacted at +6281 2388 7732 and email jetour@putrikomodo.com.

BTW, the most authoritative and reliable web site on KNP and Labuan Bajo is

http://www.floreskomodo.com/

This is a web site originally sponsored by AusAid under the WiSATA (West Manggarai Swiss Australian Tourism Assistance) project and now run by the West Flores Website Association, a cooperative of tourist businesses in Labuan Bajo.

A great job was done my AusAid and Swissconnect to help develop a sustainable eco tourism industry for Komodo National Park. Great deal of thanks needs to go to them.

I used the site and materials prepared by WiSATA (maps) on a recent trip to KNP which was extremely helpful.

philosophy

Where is best Sanur or Seminyak?

Hi everyone, I am going to Bali for 7 night in May while I visit Singapore. I have spoken to a friend who went to Bali a while ago and se recommends Sanur. I would like to stay somewhere with a nice beach and a traditional Bali feel to it. I am worried that Seminyak is a bit close to Kuta and the more touristy areas. I want to stay in a nice traditionally decorated place as I am going with my Fiance and want it to be quite romantic. Haven%26#39;t seen him for 3 months and I%26#39;m organising the whole trip myself!! An advice from anyone would be VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!! Thanks :)

Where is best Sanur or Seminyak?

Sanur and Seminyak are similar in alot of respects and different in others.

Seminyak is the (for want of a better word) yuppy area with more glitzy boutiques and restaurants. It%26#39;s a great place to stay and it is far enough away from Kuta so that it is still quiet and relaxing.

Sanur has a more village, community feel to it. There are great restaurants, shopping and facilities here as well. Sanur is my personal favourite as I just like the general feel of the area.

You would be happy, I%26#39;m sure staying in either area.

Where is best Sanur or Seminyak?

sanur would probably suit you better. it is a traditional fishing village. there are small fishing boats on the shore and a lot of boutique balinese style hotels to suit. the beach here is more relaxed and has a calm water. seminyak has waves suitable for surfing. seminyak is closer to kuta yet it is away from the bustle. i still find it busier here compared to sanur. if you are still unsure you could always stay say 3 nights in seminyak and 4 in sanur. it only takes approx 30 minutes to get from one area to another.

I am a Seminyak fan myself- I just love it. It is not close to Kuta at all - a short drive and yet miles away, if you know what I mean. The restaurants are fantastic in Seminyak and the shopping is far better, in my opinion.

If you are young then Seminyak would probably be more your scene but having said that why not do as Snooky suggest and split your time between the two?

Both are nice, Sanur has perhaps more charm and character in my opinion, but in Seminyak if you wander down some of the little side streets you find some lovely little local temples and examples of Balinese architecture. Seminyak has it%26#39;s Eat Street with all the nice restaurants, Sanur has some nice beachfront dining. If you%26#39;re torn and have the time, then split your holiday to get the best of both worlds.

ilab - are you a yuppy then? :)

If you want a more traditional Bali feel and romance get right away from Kuta, Seminyak, Sanur and go to Amed.

You can stay in a beautiful hotel with stunning views and spend the time lazing, snorkelling and eating good fresh fish.

I%26#39;ve met Ilab and yes, Noodles, she is a very nice yuppy and I mean that with the deepest respect and most of the emphasis on the y for young.

Creep!;)

I like both places and it%26#39;s a good idea as people have said to spend time in both places if you can, a couple of things to bear in mind though is that it%26#39;s hard to swim in the sea in Seminyak as the waves are pretty big while the reef in Sanur keeps the water calm and if you want sunsets and walks on the beach then you need Seminyak as the sun in Sanur drops behind the palms from 4pm and there is very little sun on the beach by then. Sorry if this sounds obvious. Cheers

Thanks to everyone for their help here! I think that spending a little time in both places may be a good idea. I don%26#39;t want to feel like I have missed out on anything! All I have to do now is try and find somewhere to stay!

That%26#39;s the easy part - lol

Thanks Whinnie for the %26#39;y%26#39; for young! I wish!

Villa Coco - construction???

Hi I was wondering if anyone has stayed at villa coco recently, they have advised us there is construction going on around them. does anyone know how noisy it is? and what type of construction?

thank you

Playstation 3 games

Hi all, my son wants to buy PS3 games in Bali but wants to know the pros and cons. Will they work back here in OZ and are they good quality? will we have to %26#39;chip%26#39; the machine?

any thoughts appreciated...and apologies if this topic is covered elsewhere.

Dazza

Playstation 3 games

Hi Dazza,

Yep you can get and yep you need a chip I have bought plenty of games in Bali for all machines and I would say 90% are good. Just a few are bad reading or don%26#39;t work at all.

Cheers

Dwayne

Playstation 3 games

Thanks Dwayne...so just clarifying...is that PS3 games as well?

There are no mods available yet for PS3 to play backups.

You might be able to by original games but I didnt see anywhere.

Maybe at Denpasar airport but dont expect any huge savings.

Yeah sorry that was PS2 when are you going over???

Thanks All. Dwayne...we head over Thursday...can%26#39;t wait

Hi

My son always takes his PS2 with him. I would recommend you get your son to take his. That way he can check the games and get it chipped and make sure it works. The odd games that didnt work the shops gladly exchanged as long as you keep your receipts. It definately worth it. It bought me and my husband some free time too which was great.

Wendy

Hi

Sorry thought I%26#39;d add he takes it in his backpack in the hand luggage. Just to ensure it makes it safely.

Wendy

Thanks Wendy

Also, to add to Wendy%26#39;s post if you have your Playstation with you in Bali you can then watch any dvd movies you purchase on the console and be sure that they work. Some DVDs cut out half way through watching a movie.... which is very disappointing! Another DVD we purchased only showed the trailer.

Firedance

Are the firedances only in Uluwatu and only on sundays?

Firedance

The firedance is not only performed in Uluwatu. We have seen the fire dance a couple of times in Ubud at different locations, mid week. Loved watching it.

Trip Report 06/02/09 - 16/02/09

Hi All,

This was our first trip Bali my mum, sister (it was her 21st), my man and his mum. So we had all ages from 21 to 51.

Flight was with Virgin Adel direct to Bali - went very very quick ahead of time and it only took 4hrs and 40min!!

Accom - Kumala Pantai S Block 2nd floor. All the good things you read about this hotel on TA is true great location, gardens and the price on the rooms and f %26amp; b is pretty good too

Driver - We only used Dewa Suryawan from Bali Car Service his details are on the Drivers page. He was just lovely friendly, helpful and looked after us all so very well. He car is spotless and easily fitted the 5 of us in. We went to Bali safari and it started raining he came looking for us in the park with the his umbrellas so we didn鈥檛 get wet!! Would defiantly recommend him!!!!

Activates - Banyan Bike Ride (see sep review) was a great day slept very well that night !!

Ubud, Tanah Lot Sunset ( just lovely), Bali Safari (a great day out lots of animals fun for young and old) Turtle Island (great to hold sea turtles lovely creatures we caught a glass bottom boat from Nusa Dua)

Meals (my fav part of Bali!!)

Italian Rest at from of Kumala Pantai - Good (not fantastic) Italian food good prices tho

Flying Piano - 5 mins from hotel , ate there 3 times the guys who play in the band are soooo funnnnny are the food was yummo too

Ultimo - at Seminyak Italian Food very good a bit more up market better Italian food then most cafes in Adel!! Very quick service

La Lucciola - Valentines Day dinner - One of the BEST meals I have ever had (and we eat out alot)I had a lamb stew which sounds very basic but the meal was so so tender and the flavour was to die for. All of our meals didn鈥檛 come out together say there was a 3 min gap between the last two so they shouted us all desert which was also equally yummy!! Price was about the same as you would pay for a nice meal in Aus.

Zanzi Bar - Legian afternoon drinks and snacks - Good food and atmosphere would have like to have gone back for dinner.

Bali Beach Shack - Dined here twice once was for the Sunday Roast which was just like back home was a nice change. Also went back Thurs for the Drag Queens they where very talented ladies.

Bubba Gump - My BF loved the ribs we went back twice. Prices are the same as Aus

Mades Warung- yummy Bali Food very good prices

Indonational- A chap on the flight over suggested we head over here for a meal once again very enjoyable.

Spas - went to the Spa at the Kumala which was nice lacked atmosphere thought.

Went over to the Briella Spa across the road from hotel made many trips here the aroma bath at the end of one of my packages was lovely candles, flower petals, fresh juice and oreo cookies!!

Thats our trip in a nutshell - my mum and sis went off to the Butterfly Park which they said they really enjoyed .

Will def go back to Bali, big thanks to everyone on here for sharing all the experiences.

And also a big thank u to our Driver Dewa he made my mother in law, sister and mother comfortable on their first overseas trip so much so that they went off by themselves with him for a day.

Also if you are thinking about Bali please dont listen to people who havent been there before. I found that alot of people who hadn%26#39;t been where keen to offer up warnings before we went. All the people we spoke to that had been there had lovely things to say so only get it from the horses mouth.

Trip Report 06/02/09 - 16/02/09

Thankyou so much for your great JBR. It had some very useful info in it especially the restaurants.

Thrilled to hear that you will be returning and know exactly what you mean about people who haven%26#39;t been giving ';advice';. It%26#39;s one of my pet peeves.

Trip Report 06/02/09 - 16/02/09

Thanks for sharing your experience and I%26#39;m happy you enjoyed yourself. I particularly enjoyed reading your little restaurant reviews, always nice to have first-hand recommendations.

thanks for taking the time to tell us about your holiday. it%26#39;s always good to read up to date information. there are so many restaurants and unfortunately not enough time to try all you want.

A lovely report, thanks for sharing your trip with us and so glad you liked Bali, it certainly is a very special place. You%26#39;re right when you say that a lot of people who haven%26#39;t been to Bali tell you you shouldn%26#39;t be going. It annoys me too because they have no idea what they are talking about. Most people who go to Bali fall in love with the island and the people and can%26#39;t wait to go back. I have been travelling to the Island of the Gods since 1979 and am counting the months and days till October when I will be there again!!

First time Bali Trippers

Good day holiday trippers:

Me and my wife will be going to Bali this May, We will be staying in Novotel Benoa, as given to us as a gift from a friend. As this is quite the tip of the island. Could you kindly suggest any place for shopping. I know Bali is not really meant for shopping, but my wife%26#39;s thingy is just shopping. I hope the women on this forums could help me out. And how do we go about going to these shopping areas.

And lastly how late do these taxis travel at night and is it safe to travel even in the late hours back to Benoa?

Would appreciate your advise thanks.

Abet

First time Bali Trippers

';I know Bali is not really meant for shopping,';

Abetstone, your wife will be in heaven because Bali is a shopaholic%26#39;s paradise. Although coming from Manila, maybe not as much as for us from the Australia and the UK etc.

The place with probably the most variety in one area is Kuta. Just take a taxi from your hotel into Kuta. There you will find department stores (Matahari) and shopping centres (Discovery), countless shops and boutiques and the Kuta Markets.

Taxis run all night and you are perfectly safe travelling by taxi at any time of the day.

First time Bali Trippers

Thanks so much Whinnie for the info.

I%26#39;m sure my wife will enjoy it there since there are places to shop. Since we will be staying there for 5 days, where would you suggest we go for a day trip. My wife is not really into temples, but I%26#39;m quite sure there are some places worth seeing, would you suggest any that one has to go when you%26#39;re in Bali

thanks for your help!!

Abet

I would suggest Tanah Lot, it%26#39;s a temple with spectacular views, and it has shopping.

Also Ubud for art and culture, traditional dancing, beautiful views of rice terraces from great restaurants.

Another beautiful place to visit is Tirta Gangga, the royal water palace.

Lake Bratan and Kintamani Volcano as well.

These are just a few places. For more ideas go the the ';thnks to do'; tab on the left of the screen.

Thanks for the input. a lot of help...

Abet

philosophy

Peninsula Beach Resort room hints

We%26#39;ll be staying two weeks at the PBR and wonder which rooms are the best and in which buildings.

Peninsula Beach Resort room hints

We prefer the rooms in the block that start with 2, ie on the left side facing the beach from the foyer. We always stay in a 2 bedroom appt and like one with a long balcony. Ideally I prefer appt 241, it%26#39;s on the top floor. When are you going? We%26#39;ll be there in May.

Peninsula Beach Resort room hints

I stayed both times on the RHS facing the beach. The first time I was in a studio on the ground floor near the beach end. It was great as I could just walk in my door from the grassed area. Great for those laze around days. Sit on the verandah, swim, watch cable TV, get a snack. It%26#39;s all right there.

Being on the bottom floor with access from the grass without going up stairs was definitely a bonus.

I wouldn%26#39;t want to be on the ones right at the end though. Noisy from the pool and everyone looks in your windows.

last minute hotel-www.latestay.com

hi

Anyone have book thru this website?Some of the prices are really attractive.Wonder is it safe compared to the popular ones.

thank you

last minute hotel-www.latestay.com

Latestays is relatively popular on the Phuket forum, haven%26#39;t heard any bad reports about it. They do have some great deals on there. Sue

Bali Airport Lounges

Hi

This is my first time here, so be gentle :)

I have read some posts regards there being a number of airport lounges that one can access by paying at DPS.

Does anyone have any recommendations of one over another and what%26#39;s the best way to access them? i.e. pay in advance via a third party lounge access service or pay on the day?

I will be in a party of 3 adults and 2 kids (both 11) if that helps.

Thanks!

Peter

Bali Airport Lounges

I used the Prada Lounge last week and it was excellent. Its normally rp.150,000 but as they were out of some of the more popular spirits, eg. Johnie Walkers, the price was reduced to rp.100,000. You pay at reception when you get there.

For rp.100,000 I got free alcohol, hot and cold food, tea, coffee, newspapers, magazines, head neck and shoulders massage and reflexology and clean restrooms. Well worth the price.

Bali Airport Lounges

hi we used the garuda lounge cost is 100.000 rps well worth it you get free spirits wjne beer and food even plasma tv to watch in the comfort off the leather lounges great service and cheep price .some times the bloke on the front desk askes for more money as he pockets 50.000 tell him no the price is 100.00 rps or call for a supervisor and watch him back down real fast kobrob

They have started touting these rooms a bit more lately, so last time, we had all intentions of heading straight to the Garuda room but as we came through the immigration desk, we were met by a lady who escorted us there. If you aren%26#39;t lucky enough to be met and escorted you need to turn left after you pass through the immigration desks. You will pass the other as you head towards the Garuda Lounge so you can compare both.

Frangipani does the other lounge have complimentary massages? As in the Garuda lounge, you have to pay extra for them (but that is the only thing you have to pay extra for).

Hey guys thank you very much indeed for the info about the lounges.

It seems clear not to bother paying for them via a third party booking website and to just turn up and pay at the desk.

Damn, I wish I%26#39;d used TA a lot more before. Hey ho you live and learn.

Thanks again All!

Smithy

Can anyone access these lounges and how long can you use them for prior to your flight?

We are travelling with Virgin Blue in May and they sound wonderful.

Do you just turn up at the door and pay?

Thanks guys...

We had a flight delay coming home from Bali last year. A lady introduced herself to us and asked if we would like to use the Garuda lounge for 100,000rp. We jumped at the chance, waiting around is never fun with 2 young children! We all enjoyed the snacks and drinks, we sat on the couches and read and the girls played on the computers!! It made the time pass much more quickly.

We were flying with Garuda so I%26#39;m not sure what happens if you are flying with a different airline. I%26#39;m interested to know though coz we are flying virgin this year.

It doesn%26#39;t matter what airline you are flying with, you can still pay the fee and use the same facilities. It%26#39;s wonderfull. You show them your boarding pass and they will call you for your flight whichever airline you are on.

god this is wonderful news, in all the times I%26#39;ve been to Bali I never knew you could use the lounges, I thought you had to be flying first class or be a member or something. I will be taking advantage of this, flying in may also with Virgin(Pacific Blue).

hotel for family of four

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good hotel that caters for four.Either large room or a adjoining.Ithought id found a great spot with the Legian beach hotel but the reviews have put me of.My kids are 12 and 14. Thanks

hotel for family of four

can you provide some more details like your budget per night. do you want to be in a busy area or somewhere a bit quieter. how long are you staying perhaps you would like to divide your time between a couple of different areas??

to give you some idea of accommodation that is not expensive and MAY suit you here are a few good places just to give you an idea.

in legian the Kumala pantai

there are also some privately rented apartments at the jayakarta hotel (check puketoki website)

in tuban the febris hotel (e mail for price)

in sanur, the sanur beach villas, pondok ayu

there are heaps more places that have either 2 bedroom or large family room. also most hotels have adjoining rooms.

hotel for family of four

Thanks heaps for that ,we were looking at going in jan 2010 for 7/10 days,i just got of the phone from the travel agent and was quoted $10000 for a package deal at the padma.Iwas looking for something for a bit better value although i know jan is peak time.Ill defineatley look a those places you recomend.Thanks AGAIN

Hi Carilyn

I have two boys and we booked a family room at the Dewi Sri Hotel. We have also had two rooms next to each other. The family room was huge with two tv%26#39;s which was great for my boys who took there playstation. Its a budget hotel in Kuta. Its clean and we have been well looked after. Obviously the Padma is a 5 star hotel and you get what you pay for but we were quite happy at the Dewi Sri and I guess because its small it was really friendly. Another small hotel in Legian that has family rooms was the Rama Garden just down the road from the Padma so was in a good location. The rooms were clean and quite a biter nicer than the Dewi Sri. Hope that helps.

Wendy

Hi Carilyn,

I highly recommend an ambassador suite at kumala pantai. Its just up the beach from Padma and is more intimate and much better value. We are going in August and are paying 6 grand for 3 weeks in an ambassador suite including flignts for 4 from Perth. The Ambassador suite has 2 bedrooms and a living room. Perfect!

I%26#39;ve stayed at Legian Beach Hotel and Padma and both are lovely hotels, but to house a family of 4 it works out rediculously expensive.

If you decide to go for Kumala Pantai, book really soon because it books out quickly. I just tried to get a suite or deluxe room for August for my sister%26#39;s family and they are fully booked already!!

Good luck!

$10,000 is a lot to pay for 7 - 10 days. it is often much cheaper to book your own flights and hotels. booking direct with hotels or through online booking agents will save you a lot of money. there is also some good specials for flights just a matter of looking. for example air asia have cheap flights to KL from oz then they also fly to bali. the padma is an expensive hotel some of the places i mentioned are very cheap and well worth considering.

Hell ';downunder'; If you want to go to sanur, a quiet place, the hotel Mercure is recomendable. We have stayed there two times with our kids(11,14), in their family suites, seperate sleeping rooms, two bathrooms etc. etc. It is a very good hotel with exelent breakfast. I think the rate is about 140 usd. :-)

skydive in bali?

I am off to Bali on honeymoon in September. I want to do a surprise for my wife and she has spoken about doing a skydive in the UK before but i thought it would be great to do this in Bali. I have seen parasailing but i do not want that - i am after a tandem dive of 10000 feet. Any assistance appreciated.

Thanks

skydive in bali?

You could take a look at:

www.extremesportscafe.com

Good luck!

booking on line

hi has anyone booked with asiarooms.com, they seem to have better prices for what im looking for but first timer at this and dont want to make a mistake. regards Anita.

booking on line

I have used Asiarooms many many times and have always been highly satisfied.

Also take a look at Bali Discovery for Bali hotels.

booking on line

Go for it, they are safe. Go for instant confirmation rooms.

Yes, I use Asiarooms. Not had too many problems, sometimes you can%26#39;t get the rooms at the rate advertised, and they block your credit card for the amount for a couple of days until they write back to you to tell you whether the room is available or not. From reading previous topics about them, the main problem is getting refunds which can take some time.

philosophy

Ubud to the Gilis/Senggigi

Hi there,

I would like some info about travelling from Ubud straight to the Gilis/Senggigi in April.

My two friends are reluctant to take Indonesian planes, let alone the tiny Merpati ones, so it looks like we’ll be travelling by boat.

We arrive in Bali on Friday night, then were thinking of chilling in Ubud for the Saturday and Sunday before heading to Lombok on the Monday morning.

I’ve looked at the Perama website and it seems that the shuttle bus to PadangBai plus the boat to the Gilis is Rp350,000 per person, which seems quite expensive and I have heard can take around 12 hours.

Is there a cheaper/quicker way to do it? E.g.:

- Take a boat from Kuta/somewhere else?

- Take the Perama shuttle bus to PadangBai, and get a fast boat from there (without pre-booking).

- Charter a car to PadangBai, and get a fast boat from there (without pre-booking).

Also, my friend has a flight from Denpasar to Singapore at 1pm the next Friday. Is it possible to leave from Lombok on the Friday morning and get to Denpasar airport in time? Or is it better to leave the day before?

Any info would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Ubud to the Gilis/Senggigi

I%26#39;ve done the trip twice by sea, once was on Gilicat which was fast, but expensive like perama and a bit choppy. I did the public ferry which was fine but slow and I didn%26#39;t get to Mataram until 6pm so couldn%26#39;t get to the Gilis that day, but it was cheap and comfortable for sure. These days I just fly, it%26#39;s faster, the same price even with the transfer up the coast, it takes about the same time to get from Ubud to DPS as it does to get to PadangBai, although the journey from Ubud there is quite nice as long as the Perama bus isn%26#39;t packed to the gunnels. I%26#39;m not sure if Gilicat is still running though, I heard it was not running last year so I flew but it may have started again. If you are set against flying it%26#39;s probably worth checking that option. I%26#39;ve heard mixed things about the Perama boat, but I haven%26#39;t used it so can%26#39;t comment.

Getting back to DPS on the same day for a 1pm flight isn%26#39;t possible if you don%26#39;t fly, even then it%26#39;s tight IMHO

club bali mirage resort

hi ,

im travelling to bali with my daughter on the 24 may for 2 weeks ,

has anyone been to the club bali mirage resort,also has anyone flown out there with mercury direct from england, sue

Bali to Borobudur

I have been to Cambodia, China - Great wall, xian worriers, loved them all. While I was in Bali I learnt about Borobudur Temple, so I am going back to Bali and hoping over to Boroudur Temple to visit another wonder. Can any one help out with the following questions? (there will be my Husband and 2 children aged 17 %26amp; 15)

I am planning to go end of November? what is the weather like, is it over populated with tourist at this time?

Would it be best to stay close to Borobudur or stay in Jayakarta? I do not want to miss the sunrise - this trip is once in a lifetime dream I do not want to miss? and which hotel is best something clean - usually stay in 4 star but after staying in Bali there are nice 3 star places?

Which is the best tour group to go with and best price - I would like to go to Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple and Ratu Boko Temple - and price is it best to go through a travel service in Jayakarta or is it best to go through a Bali group?

What is the approx flight cost from Bali to Borobudar - which airport should I be going to? Do I need to pay tax%26#39;s, need extra photos etc

Please any suggestions would be so gratefull I have never joined a forum before, but as I am learning more about travelling I have realised how important it is to talk to other people - saves money and time and adds to a life of experiences.

Bali to Borobudur

(1) End of November is ok what regards crowdedness. No local or foreign holidays. It is rainy season, bit do not let that deter you. Mainly short showers and sun between them. But the weather you cannot predict more than a few days ahead.

(2) You write Jayakarta, but I suppose you mean Yogyakarta. For sunrise experience of Borobudur most visitors choose the Manohara Hotel, which is located in the Borobudur compound. Google to find their website.

(3) The best price for a tour you get when you book it once you are in Yogyakarta. There are several agents in the back-packer area, close to the railway station. They can arrange transport and hotel for all your destinations.

(4) There are three airlines serving Denpasar-Yogyakarta. Best check them all out:

Garuda: http://www.garuda-indonesia.com/index.php.

Mandala: http://www.mandalaair.com/.

Lion Air: http://www.lionair.co.id/main.asp.

As this is a domestic flight, no need for extra photo%26#39;s. Airport tax is Rp 30,000 at departure.

(I suppose you already know about Visa on Arrival?)

(5) I suggest you browse my tips (and those of others) at the Virtual Tourist website, especially on Prambanan: members.virtualtourist.com/m/c8969/12745d/

Bali to Borobudur

Hi 3rdstage,

At the Bali International airport just walk over to the domestic counter to pre booked your domestic flight at the numerous airlines counters.

Compare for best deal from Bali to Jogjakarta airport.( approx.90 minuted flight time)

If you wish to see sunrise and sunset at Borobudur,there is a hotel just next to this temple.

This hotel can be booked from Bali or at Jogjakarta airport itself.

They are plenty of 3* hotel available at jogjakarta.

You can book a vehicles to take you to Borobudur and Prambandan at this hotel,bargain for best price.

Jakarta and jogjakarta is very far apart( more than 1 hour flight time)

Your Bali visa is also good for Jogjakarta and all over Indonesia.

Domestic airport tax apply for every departures.

Cheers

Yes, Borobudur is amazing. Prambanan and Ratu Boko (located in one compound) are great. I also went to the erotic temples Cetho and Sukuh.

Domestic airport tax is 30,000 (less than USD 3.00). Entrance fee to Borobudur is USD 11.00 and so is Prambanan. If you could show your student%26#39;s card they will only charge you USD 6.00. Unlike Ankor Watt in Cambodia, Borobudur is not that large. with a good guide, 2 hours is enough to explore the the temple. The best time to see is early in the morning.

There are many places to stay that range from Euros 5.00. The best tour group ? Hard to say, ask this guy Paul Yogya at balijava@hotmail.com. He is the Java, Sulawesi, Bali, Borneo and Florest specialist!

He will take you to a special spot (outside the Borobudur) to get the best view of Borobudur sunrise.

hi all,

I am going to Indonesia in June this year. And I am flying from Jogyakarta to Denpasar. I am a budget traveler and am interested in booking from Mandala air. However, they do not accept Credit Card issued outside Indonesia. Anybody has any advise how to go about booking the ticket? Or any other cheap alternatives? Thanks alot!

spa/massage

Did anyone go for any spa treament or a massage?

know of a place where i can go and get a good massage?

spa/massage

Hi there,

Try Roger%26#39;s saloon and spa. It%26#39;s at Dago I think. In front of a Barolomeus (sp?) hospital. It%26#39;s quite nice. 1,5 hour massage is at Rp. 110,000 (plus tax). We had a massage there, took the VIP room (additional 25,000), both of us comes to about Rp. 300,000. It%26#39;s not fantastic but quite alright. We%26#39;re massage freak, mind you. Have one everywhere we go. To be honest, I don%26#39;t think Bandung is as famous for the spa as much as Bali. Again, it%26#39;s what I think. People might have different opinion. Don%26#39;t try massage at Malya though. One of our worse massage ever. No technique what so ever. Just lots and lots and lots of oil..!!

Anyway, hope this helps a bit. Enjoy!

Cheers,

DeZ

spa/massage

Spa / Massage can be found in all hair %26amp; beauty salon.

Hair %26amp; head massage = creambath.

Foot %26amp; backbone massage = reflexy.

Or, try to find a sign %26#39;PANTI PIJAT%26#39;.

Or, contact your hotel officer and ask them to get a lady massager in your room.

Hi There,

I%26#39;ll be going to Bandung end of this month (THis my first time in Bandung). Do you know what time does SPA close?

Regards,

Nobara01

Roger%26#39;s Spa opens 7am - 9pm, just returned 2 days ago. Its true that the massage/sauna/mask was not anything great, only the place is nice. It is cheap. You may prefer not to choose the rempah for the mask, the smell is oh so bad. I havent tried the other treatment like aromatherapy-massage or shiatsu. I only had the massage (they didnt specify what kind) it was no big deal at all.

So far massages in Bandung have been quite dissappointing comparing to Bali even Batam. But can%26#39;t say much cause most of my massages have been those hotel in house types. And be warned for guys you might get lacklustre massages cause all the masseuse are interested in is giving you those %26#39;special%26#39; massage. Tho would appreciate a good recommendation of an established massage centre in Bandung.Sorry for the thread hijack ....

roger salon and spa in jl. dago and swarga spa in jl sulanjana

Vintage Chic Spa

jalan raden patah 6, dago, bandung, indonesia

phone: +62 22 253 3609, +62 22 250 1353

can i have contact no. for rogers spa, bandung? tq..

Roger%26#39;s for the one at Dago...Jl Ir H Juanda 97.Phone : 022-2534287, 022-2502662

at Jln Pelajar Pejuang 45 No 76 south Bdg, Tel: 022-731 9154

thanks a lot for the roger%26#39;s spa contct no.

do anyone has the spa packages? tq.

Need help on Mt.Batur Sunrise Tour

Hi all,

I wanted to do the Mt.Batur Sunrise Tour in May. I am not sure whether it is better to book online or headed straight away to the travel agent or book from the hotel.

Anyone could please give me some suggestion?

Thanks so much.

Yours sincerely,

Totti

Need help on Mt.Batur Sunrise Tour

You will find that things like this are cheaper to organise while you are there. You will find tourist and booking desks all around who can organise this for you even on fairly short notice.

Need help on Mt.Batur Sunrise Tour

as per whinnie.

Visting Jakarta April 3-April 6: Hotels Near Best Nightlife

Hello All,

My friend and I will be visiting Jakarta from April 3 thru April 6 and wanted to know which hotels are in the best locations regarding night life?

I visited Jakarta last October and stayed near the Crowne Plaza and remember having to take a taxi to get to places such as Red Dawn, Shangri La and Block M. I prefer to be closer this time and not be so dependent on taxis if possible.

Any recommendations would be much appreciated. Oh yeah, and if we could keep it under $100 USD per night that would be ideal. Cheers!

Visting Jakarta April 3-April 6: Hotels Near Best Nightlife

Actually Crowne Plaza is pretty central for the price.

If you want something more central such as Grand Hyatt, Nikko. The price will go over $100. Sari Pacific can be an option but the hotel is quite old.

Which area you are planning to visit because the nightlife in jakarta is distributed to several districts.

Visting Jakarta April 3-April 6: Hotels Near Best Nightlife

Hey verdims,

thanks for the quick reply. we are not sure where exactly we want to stay. Just in a location that we can safely walk around and hit some clubs/bars that locals and/or expats go too.

We are open to taking the Blue Bird taxi cars around but we are also looking for convenience. What area is the Shangri La in and is there anything else nearby? We had fun the last time we were there.

Thanks again!

Shangri-La is in the city center, beneath the office towers. Some clubs are located in the office towers, but not so much and pretty much scattered, so taxi is still needed.

And speaking about your budget, Shang is absolutely off your budget (especially if you%26#39;re not Indonesian or hold Indonesian resident status).

Maybe now you can try with the expat area around Kemang, it%26#39;s not too far from Blok M, many cafes, pubs, and bars lining the street. Some hotels you can check out: Grand Kemang, Grand Flora, or Alila Icon (this one might be more than USD100). If you like Blok M area, you can consider also Amaris Hotel (2 star, basic amenities, but quite clean).

Shangri-La is not beneath, but in between office towers (pardon me for my error).

Currently the must-visit venue in Jakarta%26#39;s nightlife is X2 at Plaza Senayan. The walkable hotel is Atlet Century Hotel (but it%26#39;s not that good especially if you%26#39;re fussy as the hotel hasn%26#39;t been renovated for years). So as an alternative, Crowne Plaza or other hotel in South Jakarta is still pretty good.

philosophy

snorkelling near Kuta area

hi all, does anyone know where%26#39;s a gud place for snorkelling? somewhere which near to Kuta area as I%26#39;ll only be staying for 3D 2N. any info on the transportation and price will be great help.

thanks!

snorkelling near Kuta area

snorkelling on bukit and east coast of bali. west coast too murky.

snorkelling near Kuta area

Hi,

You may want to head to Nusa Lembongan but you need to take a boat ride from Benoa.

I personally found the west coast lovely! Very clear waters, but I went there in June - August - can%26#39;t remember when exactly but in ';summer';.

This link might also interest you:

tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g294226-c55509/Bali…

Gd Luck.

Bali accommodation - need advice

Hi there,

Has anyone stayed in Beji Ubud Resort before? I tried to check the tripadvisor reviews on this hotel but could not get any. I am planning a Company trip for a group of 15 (family with children) and cannot afford to make a mistake. So please let me know your views if you have stayed in this hotel before. The website rooms look great but I don%26#39;t want to be deceived. Also, not sure if location is convenient for us to move around.

Bali accommodation - need advice

hi there...i don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s good for you to move around expecially with that many peoples, u will need a small bus to move around. You can search other hotel in the center part of ubud which close to all place of interests, you can just walk with the group if you are in the center.

Villas at Tegal Sari - Info Please

Anyone have any comments about the villas at Tegal Sari - they don%26#39;t have them on their website so info is scarce. A couple traveler%26#39;s photos make them look new and kind of bare...not with the character of the older hotels in indonesian style.

Comments anyone?

Candidasa - how many days for diving + other activities

Hello,

We are thinking of spending 5 nights at Candidasa; my husband would be diving the 4 days we%26#39;d be there and I%26#39;d like to know whether we%26#39;d have enought time in the afternoons to see the points of interest in the area (assuming he%26#39;d be back from the diving trips in time for doing other activities) or whether we should add an extra night. We%26#39;d deduct that extra night from our stay at Ubud.

Thanks a lot.

Candidasa - how many days for diving + other activities

i assume he is diving in the morning so in the afternoon you can get to a number of different activities/sights in and around candidasa. it is easy to arrange transport for a 1/2 day to whereever you want to go.

some things/sights to do in candidasa area:

Pura gamang – great views and monkeys

Pura Candidasa

Snorkeling in and outside breakwall

Boat to offshore islands –snorkel or enjoy ride.

Pasir putih

Trekking

Nearby tirta gangga – rice fields, trek, water palace with pool to swim

Nearby tengagan – aga village

Amlapura markets – puri kanginan (royal palace)

across the bay there are things to do around padangbai, about 40 minute drive:

Beach front of bay – swimming, snorkel far reef

Blue lagoon - snorkeling – 10 minute walk north

Bias tugul – white sand beach – 20 minute walk south –swimming

Black sand beach – continue walking past bias tugul turnoff for ½ hour and arrive at village – stroll along beach, great views of nusa penida

Bicycle hire

Local Market

Pura silayukti - on north point – mossie repellent needed to walk to tip of point – walks to smaller shrines with views

Candidasa - how many days for diving + other activities

Wow, great! Thanks a lot!!!

Hi Terry67,

There are very few dive sights nearby that will allow your husband to dive and be back by noon. Blue Lagoon in Padang Bai and Tepekong are about the only spots. Has he been diving long?

He should definately dive the WWII wreck at Tulamben and hit the wall at Amed, but both of those dive trips will take whole days. A night dive on the wreck is very nice, too! There is quite good snorkelling at both sites. Has he arranged for a dive company? Balina Dive Center, near Candi Dasa has always done a very good job for us.

The Aussie did a GREAT job of identifying things to see and do nearby. Most everywhere will take 30 minutes to an hour to get to, but well worth the travel time.....

Where will you be staying during your visit to Candi Dasa and when will you be here? Please do let us know of any other questions, as we have lived in Candi Dasa for the past 8 months, since retirirng from work in America.

Aloha, Beach Bum Bill %26amp; Marcia

Thanks a lot Bill!

He is an advanced open water diver (PADI certified), I guess he would be doing those dives you mention, we read about the various dive sites, so I guess at least a couple of days would be full day dive trips...Maybe I%26#39;ll be able to go along as a snorkeler?

We are considering Alila Manggis, they ';work'; with Geko Dive. I quite like the look of the hotel and the area offers quite a few attractions, and although we thought of Candidasa for the diving really, I%26#39;d like to get some time to explore the area together.

Another option we%26#39;d considered as a nice area that could serve as ';dive base'; is Sanur but I guess it%26#39;s a longer drive from the main dive sites...

(Well I have to say that we have not quite made our minds finally but Candidasa is a good candidate for part of our Bali holiday).

Thank you again!

If you havn%26#39;t already booked your hotel, you might want to stay in Padangbai rather than Candidasa. There are loads of dive shops and its right by the beach .Padangbai is about 10 mins from Alila.

The Hotel Puri Rai is a lovely hotel and has just opened 2 lovely private bungalows for a fraction of the cost in Seminyak. There are also 3 swimming pools to keep you entertained while you pay your dues as a diving widow.Poor you. My wife will share your sentiments. There%26#39;s also a blind male masseuse at the hotel that will give you a good hard sports massage.

The Hotel website is at www.purirai.com .

You can get it at a discount at itravelindonesia.com/hotel/puri_rai_hotel.as…

I havn%26#39;t stayed at the villas but have used their AC rooms. defnitely value for money. There are about 6 dive shops in Padangbai.

Hi Terry-

Panag Bai could be a good %26#39;base camp%26#39; for sight seeing in this part of Bali. We have not been to the hotel mentioned above, but PB is a very nice area, with lots of hotels and dive shops. Gecko Dive is located there, right across the street from the beach. That area would be much better for the best dive sights in the East than Sanur or Seminiak, at least an hour closer.... Candi Dasa (CD) has a number of good places to stay as well; Aquaria, Fajar, Water Garden, Kubu Bali. Gecko will come and get your Husband, regardless of where you stay.

CD is much quieter than PB, so if you desire a little more %26#39;lively%26#39; evening, PB might better suit you.

Please let us know if we can do anything to help Ya%26#39; with lodging, diving, etc.

Aloha, Bill %26amp; Marcia

Hi Terry,

I have just returned from Bali. Part of holiday was 3 nights in Candidasa and I felt that it was very sad as there was no tourists around. We stayed at Fajar in the beach front villa, it was OK - cheap but getting a bit old. When we booked out there was no one else left at the hotel which was quite terrible. This then reflects on resturants , transport , shopping etc....

We did travel to the 3 Kings palaces and markets, villages etc. If your looking for very very very laid back then go but I feel 5 nights would be tooooooooooo long.

My choice is Lembogan island- fantastic - stayed in The Villas- Santi down - look it up on WOTIF.com

Have a great holiday

Thank you everyone for your contributions!

Thanks a lot Bill for your kind offer!

I think we still have to think a little bit about what we do and where we stay...

Howdy-

Take a look at Balimystique.com

We looked the other day and they seem to have everything that you would need for a great stay in the Candi Dasa area.

BB Bill

Kids safety

One last question, any tips about kids safety would be highly appreciated, we are going this April. Thanks :)

Kids safety

What ages are your kids. Mine are young adults and teenagers....but I would recommend regardless their ages the following....wear sunscreen during the day , and if swimming in the surf, watch the rips....they can be deadly, don%26#39;t drink the water, don%26#39;t even rinse your toothbrush under the tap and make sure you drink plenty of bottled water to keep hydrated. But like I said...depending on your kids ages, their would be other tips on safety appropriate for them. We%26#39;re also going in April, can%26#39;t come quick enough.

Kids safety

we travel with two kids. we take a medical kit. here is a link on what we take:

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294226-r198鈥?/a>

We always take our son (4 years old) and his friend (5 years old) and have had no problems. We stay in Kuta which many people will warn you off with kids this age. We have no problems but we are very careful. We actually piggy-back the kids most of the time and if they do walk - we always hold their hands tightly - the traffic (auto and foot) is just too unpredictable.

Make sure you take the kids to the travel doctor before you go as they will most likely need some form of vaccination - we always take prescription antibiotics for the kids from the travel doctor just in case. If the kids get sick (from anything that doesn%26#39;t require immediate medical attention), there is an apotech (chemist) on Poppies I that is awesome. The doctor in there is Balinese but is the best we%26#39;ve ever come across.

* Plenty of bottled water

* Basic First Aid Kit, don%26#39;t go overboard as you can get everything in Bali, at most likely half the price. We included, antiseptic, bandaids, panadol, eye drops, nasal spray and baby wipes.

* Make sure you hand wash before every meal and use anti-bacterial hand wash in between washes.

* Keep an eye on your kids on the street especially when you are getting the sellers walking around with flashing toys and lights. The kids love them and are easily distracted. If we were walking, my husband would lead with the kids following him in the middle and me brining up the rear.

* The kids nevr got Bali Belly, I think due to diligent hand washing and having Yalult every morning.

*Watch out for dogs, cats and monkeys they had a rabies scare recently.

I don%26#39;t think you need to be extra careful in Bali, except maybe with the hand washing and drinking tap water...I would do these things wherever we travelled and even at home.

Thank you all for your help :)

Birding in Papua Barat

The western half of the subcontinental island of New Guinea, variously known as Papua, West Papua (Papua Barat in Indonesian) or Irian Jaya, is a singularly unique tropical wilderness area and a birdwatcher%26#39;s paradise. In fact, the vast and lush frontier forests of Papua Barat are home to some of the most glorious birds on Earth. Anyone who watched the nearly mythical birds of paradise doing their intimate thing in the highly-acclaimed BBC nature documentary %26#39;Attenborough in Paradise%26#39; is destined to long ever beyond to see the real stuff. But Papua has so much more to offer than BOP%26#39;s alone. The cliché-ridden examples of spectacular avian diversity from many an ornithology textbook all occur here: from the man-heigh, flightless cassowaries and the fascinating megapodes or incubatorbirds, to the glorious crowned-pigeons and amazing bowerbirds. Just short of 680 bird species have now reliably been recorded from the territory, out of slightly more than 700 for the entire New Guinea faunal region. Knowledge of the birdlife of Papua Barat, however, is far less comprehensive than that for adjacent Papua New Guinea, and the intrepid and careful observer is bound to make significant observations just about anywhere.

It is the breeding land- and freshwater avifauna that adorns Papua Barat with a nearly mythical status, comprising over 550 species including 279 widespread regional New Guinea endemics and at least 42 currently recognized species who%26#39;s distribution is entirely confined to Papua Barat alone. Species richness is high, lowland forests typically sporting close to 200 different resident breeding birds. New Guinea forest bird communities differ markedly from elsewhere, however, in featuring an unusually high proportion of fruit- and nectar-eaters as well as ground-dwellers, but no wood-borers. Australo-Papuan passerines including fairywrens (Malurini), warblers (Pardalotidae}, robins (Eopsaltriidae), honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), and the diverse corvid assemblage radiated to fill all niches. Obviously, of prime interest, are the 29 birds of paradise (here including Melampitta but discounting Macgregoria) scattered across the territory. Among these, the Wilson%26#39;s Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus respublica) of Waigeo and Batanta in the fabled Raja Ampat archipelago, has widely been claimed by seasoned world birders to be one of the best-looking birds roaming the face of this planet! Finally, some 115 Palearctic and Australian migrants, including vagrants and seabirds, have also been recorded from Papua Barat, and its southeastern Trans-Fly zone, which includes the famed Wasur National Park, is a globally significant staging and wintering ground for waders and waterfowl.

philosophy

Asiarooms booking

I tried to book some rooms in Bali for the first time using asiarooms and it declined my perfectly good credit card and wanted me to sign up to ANZ ';Verified by Visa'; . Is this usual? It won%26#39;t process my payment unless I do this. Thanks to anyone who can help me.

Asiarooms booking

Yes, I get this not only from Asiarooms but other websites when purchasing things, although not for ANZ as I%26#39;m not using an ANZ card. It%26#39;s a simple password protected identity checking service for internet purchasing. If you%26#39;ve never signed up for it, you%26#39;ll be prompted for a password etc. If you have already signed up to it, you should just need to input your password.

Asiarooms booking

Thanks - I was worried it was a scam

Any one in Bali in May

Hi We will be in Bali staying at the Kumala Pantai in the first two weeks of May!!! Any other TA%26#39;s going to be in Bali around that time?

Any one in Bali in May

I%26#39;ll come ....if you shout ! ....LOL

cheers

cheeky batt

Any one in Bali in May

Oh Batt - for all the joy you give me - If i win Lotto this weekend I will absolutely shout you :-)

If i win lotto this weekend , i might just move to bali and you can come stay with me for free !

but if you win , i will accept ! hehehehehehehe

cheers

batt

Hi Redned ,

We will be in Bai in April -May .We are staying at the Kumala also .But are still finalising whether we may have a few nights at Sanur and out to Lembongan like we did last year as my husband had some relly great surfs out there.

Are there anymore people going in May ??? We should organise a get together at Billy%26#39;s or The Beach Shack .

Start adding your name to the list .

Cheers Sue %26amp; Mark

Sounds like a plan to me. We arrive on the 3rd (Midnight) and leave on the 15th.

Both places you suggested are new to me but i am up for anything.

anyone else there at the same time?

will be at KP 4/5 april. RT

RT you are a month out for me - although...no sorry the bank balance won;t stand it. LOL

Hi Redned

Have you started packing??

Cheers

Burns

Hi will be in Bali at Ramayana from the8th for 2weeks

Hi Burns

Whats to pack!!!! a toothbrush and bathers??? LOL

but there is only one topic of conversation. How bout you - when are you off.

JAPerth

Are you putting your name down for a nite out!!

Keep em coming - I like a party

Redned

Desamuda Village and Clio apartments

Has anyone been to either of these properties?

1. Desamuda Village

Where exactly is it? The address given is Jln Raya Basangkasa, but I can%26#39;t find that street on any map online. Could the street be known by another name?

2. Clio

cliobali.com/location-seminyak-apartment.html

We haven%26#39;t been able to find any reviews of this place. Any idea whether it%26#39;s legit/trustworthy? The pictures look excellent but we%26#39;re reluctant to put down a 50% deposit without some 3rd party opinions of the place.

Desamuda Village and Clio apartments

Clio Apartments is pretty cool, they spent some serious money...hard to get bookings, but last time I got the local price, which was 350k for a studio if I took 4 nights, wifi was good, really cool design, not much competes at the budget level, and the location is great..

contact this guy : marcus@cliobali.com he was the guy i dealt with

Desamuda Village and Clio apartments

Glad to see a post about clio. Was looking into clio for my trip in May. Do you have any pics you could share?

I went to clio for once.. Not bad, but their toilet is the

Very worst one. I%26#39;m staying in the studio room though.

The toilet bowl is just behind your bed. No door. And its beside the kitchen,

That ull be using it as a place where u need to brush ur teeth

imagine if you need to take your business behind there, and

U re not staying at that room alone. The messy smell will make everyone screaming

They also always playing with their booking, making it as if its a high demand and always fully book

But its not. this is the part I hate most.

though the location is good for a short walk. But if you plan to rent a bike or a car

Try this the studio. Its so much better than clio,and bigger.

Yes clio is trustworthy, but u also can tell them. U just pay them when you%26#39;re already there

The room is small yet cosy, but as a woman I hate the bathroom.

The breakfast is only fruit, in studio they give u bread and cornflakes and milk or coffee or tea.

Dear Bongkeh,

There are many reasons clio is more popular than the studio, but i do not wish to enter into this argument with venom,

The bathrooms at clio are seperated by sliding doors and the toilet is equipped with extraction fans directly behind ( very effective way of ventilating) I will post the layout diagram.

The toilet is seperated from the sink by the bathtub/ shower

The occupency is indeed high, hence the competition gets a little jealous.

Clio requires a deposit to confirm a booking like any other ';decent'; accomadation on the island.

The website www.cliobali.com has just been upgraded,

includes some good pictures of the studio%26#39;s

http://www.cliobali.com/standard-studio.htm

enjoy

advice needed - travel

Hey guys, we are traveling to Bali for our honeymoon and need a little advice.

We will be spending four nights in Ubud and the final two is Sanur but need help with what to do in between.

We had planned to travel straight from Bali to the Gilli but am worried that we will miss out on the joys of Lombok that way.

Can you guys give me some ideas of where to go in Lombok that would be as private and secluded as the Gillis or let me know whether you think we are doing the right thing heading there?

thanks, T xx

advice needed - travel

Tallulah, I don%26#39;t mean to sound rude, but you seem to be all over the place trying to plan this honeymoon. I really understand that this is a huge deal and you want it to be perfect and to be able to see and do as much as you can, but the fact is that you won%26#39;t be able to see and do it all. Alot of us on here are well into double figures (some even triple) with our trips to Bali and we still haven%26#39;t seen and done it all.

You need to decide what you want from this trip and plan from there. When I feel like you obviously do about a trip (overwhelmed with choice of the best way to spend our time), I stop, take a breath, and then always assume I will be back to that destination. If there is so much there that interests me, then I have to assume that I will be coming back at a later date. I would go mad otherwise. Believe me, you will not enjoy your trip if you try to cram to much in, I%26#39;ve been there, done that.

You and your partner need to sit down and make some hard decisions and accept the fact that you are not going to be able to do everything you want.

We are only too happy to give advice on what is available in each area, but we can%26#39;t make your decisions for you.

Both Lombok and the Gilis are great places that offer different options. The Gilis is really just relax on the beach and water activities. Great if that is all you want to do. Lombok is different again, village life and tourist amenities but a different race of people to the Balinese (more reserved) and not as hectic as southern Bali.

Sorry to sound so harsh, but you will drive yourself mad if you keep second guessing yourself all the time.

advice needed - travel

Tallulah I agree with Whinnie depending on how much time you have, but moving around all the time gets tedious and you waste so much time packing up and getting from here to there.

We went to Lombok years ago it was very quite and we didn%26#39;t find it very friendly.It may have changed by now. Ubud and Sanur sound good to me. We are going in August staying in Sanur and Legian 16 days.

Hope you have a lovely honeymoon.

Cheers harro

best hotel for 21 year olds

a group of us are traveling to bali for our sons 21st b/day.

us wrinklies are staying in sanur, but need to organise a hotel for the youngins in kuta!

bounty? troppo zone? any thoughts?

best hotel for 21 year olds

Just bumping this post so someone who knows Kuta can answer.

Just be aware that the Bounty Nightclub (not the hotel itself) has been having problems with alot of violence in recent months.

best hotel for 21 year olds

Bounty is a good choice for young travellers, although you can get over the 24-hour party scene by the fifth-seventh day depending on how long you stay there and how much you can put up with a non-stop drinking and loud music atmosphere.

If staying longer than a week (say 2 weeks) I would recommend staying at Bounty for 1 week to experience Kuta night life and beach, etc, than off to a much more relaxed place (such as Sanur or Legian) for a ';real'; holiday.

Also recommended to request a room as far away from the main pool as possible because at 3am in the morning the least thing you want to be listening to is R%26amp;B or Dance music.

I%26#39;d go Barong, it%26#39;s in the right area, good price and has a good atmosphere around the pool. At least here when you can sleep when you want.

My daughter and a large group of her mates (aged 18-19)stayed at the Bounty for 10 days recently.

Definitely not my cup of tea, but they partied hard and had a ball.

if they want to be a very short walk from poppies and the bounty but not stay there then the adi dharma hotel is an alternative. right in the middle of kuta it is just far enough away from all the action but easy access to all the night life, shops restaurants. the benefit is you have a hotel where you still get a decent sleep. there are still plenty of people to mix with and the pool has a swim up bar.

http://www.adidharmahotel.com/default.asp

Ubud Hotel Advice

I swear I should just stop looking because there are so many gorgeous options in Ubud that I just keep confusing myself! For those who have seen these properties or stayed there, which would you choose and why? Is there a preference of staying outside Ubud compared to being closer to the center?

Alam Shanti or Alam Jiwa

Tegal Sari

Honeymoon Guesthouse

Ubud Hotel Advice

I can only advice on Honeymoon Guesthouse. I always stay here and can thoroughly recommend it. It%26#39;s down a quiet lane Jalan Bisma, about a five minute walk from the main street. The guesthouse and its sister property Second Honeymoon are owned by an Aussie ex-pat Janet De Neefe and her Balinese husband Ketut who with their four children live on site. The guesthouses are set in the most magnificent tropical gardens, there are swimming pools, beautiful rooms with four-poster beds and marble bathrooms, a balcony, tea and coffee making facilities and the best food courtesy of Janet%26#39;s restaurant Casa Luna. Janet also owns another fabulous restaurant Indus, which is about a five minute drive out of Ubud and a must to visit! I believe that Alam Shanti and Tegal Sari are a bit out of Ubud, whereas from Honeymoon you can walk everywhere!

eye application

First Time in Jakarta? Where should i go n wht should i do?

Hi,

I%26#39;ll be coming with a friend to jakarta in july. for 5 days and 4 nights

As a first timer in jakarta, where should i go and what should i do?

In my trip, i%26#39;m expecting a trip to have a sightseeing in the city and maybe go for shopping.

P/s: we%26#39;re on a budget constraint, so if there%26#39;s cheap hotels and cheap activites we can do in jakarta, do let us know.

Thank you, hope u can respond.

First Time in Jakarta? Where should i go n wht should i do?

Hi aril,

i was read most of the thread in this forum and most of it will answer your questions.The DE%26#39;s expert has explained to the forumers very detailed and most questioned seems to be the same and had been asking for many times. I%26#39;m also new in this forum and also come to jakarta 4 next month. If you have time try to read all the Q%26amp;A especially Xyyz and bajuaku from malaysia with all DE. They have lots of q and they also post their experience in this forum. Lets have a check.I think it help u more.

Tq.. :)

First Time in Jakarta? Where should i go n wht should i do?

Hi arilr, before posting more question on what activity to do, why not spend some time to read the many articles we%26#39;ve written for you:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294229-s1/鈥?0Do

Suggestion from baby_alif is also pretty good!

hi

shopping in jakarta :

tanah abang, ITC mangga dua, Mangga dua square, block M, and Plaza Indonesia

but if you want shooping in FO you can come to bandung

Hey guys. Thanks for the information.

Will read all those threads first.If i have any questions,ill post it here

Thanks again

Gili's Beaches or Bali Beaches - Advice?

We%26#39;re planning 2 weeks in Bali, centered in Ubud, a little time in the mountains, perhaps some time in the north and east. We were thinking we%26#39;d end our trip with 3-4 days on the Gilis to take advantage of a totally laid back, beautiful beach to do a little swimming and snorkeling and just relaxing. We%26#39;ve heard that the beaches are better than on Bali proper and that the snorkeling is great. We%26#39;ve also heard they tend to cater to backpackers (not us) and that there is malaria...Can anyone weigh in on whether it is worth it (are the beaches really better) and if the malaria thing is a reality? Would you recommend this or just stay on Bali and find a spot to relax there?

Gili's Beaches or Bali Beaches - Advice?

the beaches at the gilis are great and clean with white sand. there is good snorkeling. food and accom is good (caters for a variety of people - we are a family group). there are three islands to choose from: gili trawangan is great but crowded to a degree and the other two are quiet.

we were recommended that there was no need for malaria tabs there and we have been about five times.

from ubud you can get a fast boat from padangbai to gili t. about 2 hours. leaves about 8am daily.

i prefer the beaches there compared to bali.

Gili's Beaches or Bali Beaches - Advice?

I also recommend the Gilis near Lombok. All have nice clean beaches and are small enough to easily find your patch. Trawangan is the busiest, followed by Air and then Meno but it is easy to move between the three for visiting. Take along some mosquito repellent (can also be useful for sand flys and other pests) though malaria would be unusual due to the islands%26#39; dryness and the little lake on Meno is too salty.

Thank you for the recommendation. Is there good beach snorkeling as opposed to off-shore reef requiring a boat.

the snorkeling is close to shore. don%26#39;t need boat except to get to other islands. a snorkel boat tour is good as it introduces you to the various snorkeling spots with someone watching. there are very strong currents on the gilis.

ARe the currents strong at the beach or off-shore?

If you have 3-4 days skip the Gilis and go to Komodo National Park at western Flores Island. IMHO, some of the world%26#39;s best snorkeling, beautiful deserted islands, manta rays, coral, perfect. For natural beauty it blows away Bali or the Gilis. And you can see the dragons.....

Diving is unbelievable and snorkeling is incredible as well.

The people there fiercely protect the environment and marine preserve, so the environment is pristine.

Its a 1.5 hour flight from DPS to Labuan Bajo. You get a private charter boat to any of the islands. The boat is very cheap.

I will post a JBR in the next day or two.

This site is a pretty good summary of the attractions

www.floreskomodo.com/index.php鈥?/a>

There only malaria risk free areas in Indonesia are Bali, and Java (except Menoreh Hills). Large cities are malaria free, but I think its best to take malaria tabs if going anywhere outside of Bali and Java. Unfortunately there is some malaria on Lombok. I take Larian (mefloquine) whenever traveling outside of Bali or Java. Using some common sense precautions malaria should not be a big worry.

close to shore the currents aren%26#39;t that strong. what i tend to do work out which way the current is flowing. figure out where i want to finish and then snorkel out so that the current carries you along to where you want to get out. easy to get in if you aim at 45 degrees to shoreline and flow with the curent to shore. then get out and walk back to the start. do a short snorkel to start off and expand as u get use to it.

the boats do the same. they put you in a certain point and you flow with the currents and the boat moves up to where you are to finish.

restaurants' free pickup

Hi,

I understand some restaurants offer free transport to and from your hotel. But how do we arrange for this? Do we call them or something?

restaurants' free pickup

yes, you just call them make a booking and they send a taxi, quite a lot only pay for you to get to the restaurant and not back from it so check when you call

restaurants' free pickup

where are you staying? if you are staying in nusa dua (where the restaurant pick up happens a lot) firstly get yourself a taxi to the local village where the restaurants are. walk along and get business cards of the places you would like to try. then you have the phone numbers of the restaurants. the local restaurants are not in walking distance of the main tourist hotels so they offer this service to get business. they pick up and drop off. many restaurants around bali do not offer free pick up but taxis are very cheap.

i%26#39;ll be in legian area and I%26#39;m thinking of making a trip to sanur.

Both of you ,thanks for the tips =)

there will be lots of restaurants in walking distance at legian otherwise a taxi is cheap. sanur is a great place and lots of restaurants. you will need a taxi or driver to get you there. restaurants will not go to legian from sanur to pick you up.

Golf course in Bandung?

I%26#39;ve planned to play at 2 different course. my first choice is giri garhana, 2nd choice im still choosing between mountain view and arcamanik. which of these 2 is better?

Golf course in Bandung?

mountain view is much better than arcamanik,

and more expensive..

regards

golf course in bandung:

giri gahana

sulaiman BIG (Bandung indah golf )jl kopo

Dago mountain view

Dago Endah

Poltak Lembang

Arcamanik

Golf course in Bandung?

thanx!

Dago mountain view is very nice. The Arcamanik is not in best condition. The mountain vistas are spectacular in the evening. Try to get a flight teeing off at about 2pm.

Even the Dago Endah is challenging enough. Old course, well mantained and cheap!!!

Orait, thanx for helping me narrow down my choice Nway, what is actually mountain vista?

Sory, i mean where%26#39;s actually Mountain vistas? never heard the name b4.

Sorry Aznin. Vistas means views. I meant to say that the views from the fairways are beautiful because of the ring of mountains that surrounds Bandung.

Orait. Thanx for d info. we teeing off at 12pm. Any idea how much the taxi fare from sukajadi to mountain view?

By metered taxi should be about Rp 40 000. Depending on traffic, its about 20 mins away.

Thanx for d info

Aznin

We will be going in mid april for golf as well. Do you mind posting your experience on your golf trip when you get back. Hope to get some advice from you on the golf there.

Thanks and hope you have an enjoyable trip with some par golf.

Recommended Guest House in Surabaya

I%26#39;m going to Surabaya in May and will stay for a night before heading to Cemara Lawang.I need information of affordable guest houses in Surabaya and my budget is Rp.50.000-Rp.150.000/night.

Sulaman and Keranchang

Hi Guys,

I am going to buy some mukena kebaya kurung abaya and tudung for hari raya. Could anyone suggest where to find most reasonable price with nice and good quality of sulaman and kerancang? May I know what are the benchmark price for those items.

I also like to taste local foods and fruits very much wherever I go for holiday. Anybody could suggest local that can assist me and my husband with a toodler and an infant for a day tour. It would be great if he/she also could assist me bargain for the clothes.

Thanks.

eye application

where is the best hotel with pool, badget and near to FO?

Hi all,

I%26#39;ll be going to bandung on june. So now%26#39;i%26#39;m doing all the surveying on the hotels with pool as my son%26#39;s love it, badget hotel, near to FO and also easy to get foods. I will bring my 2 kids...

Need your advise for those who has been experience visiting bandung..

Thanx ya!!

where is the best hotel with pool, badget and near to FO?

budget hotels dont normnally have pool, whats your budget? It would be easier to suggest according to your budget. For family type accomodation maybe u should check our Grand Setiabudi apartment.. but its not near to any FO, need to hv transport

where is the best hotel with pool, badget and near to FO?

I agree with Mat. No cheap hotel with pool. Grand Setiabudhi is on the high end, apartment type of accommodation. Nice place though but found the 3-rooms apartment a bit small.

You can check on Hotel Sukajadi if it suits your budget. The room is quite small but there is a pool available. A cosy place which is near to Paris Van Java.

Dear Sherry,

I just got back from Bandung after a 5 day-Jakarta/Bandung trip. I just can%26#39;t recommend any other hotels except Grand Serela which is located in Jalan Martadinata (aka Riau). Please book via www.kamar.com or travelindo.co.id which I did for a very steep discount compared to the Hotel%26#39;s own published rate. Too bad they don%26#39;t have swimming pool but you will be compensated by the proximity to FOs - I can immediately recall some 10-12 of them along the road (within 300m from the hotel); also proximity to KFC (good for your kids)-50m away, and the Rumoh Raja Melayu Restaurant. No other hotel can match this superb location!

I will write a rather lengthy report once I have recovered from my exhaustion.

Thanx Asri, i%26#39;m actually planning to departure at jakarta then only take any public transport and go to bandung, at least can save my budget for flight tickets...what do you think?? I might be will be staying 1 nite at jakarta then only the next day, i%26#39;ll be going to bandung..

Any convenient transport that you can suggest? Take note that i bring my 2 kids which is ';active';. So pls suggest the best transport for me.

For bandung, one of the travel agency suggest the horison dagopaker hotel or sukajadi..how is the hotel? is it near to FO, with pool and east to ';makan';??

Really appreciate your advise..

Thanx ya!!

deepend you have budget, chip hotel or expensive hotel

becouse many hotel with swimming pool near FO in bandung

Dear Sherry,

I wouldn%26#39;t worry so much on getting to Bandung from Jakarta. There are various shuttle vans plying the route. I took Cipaganti%26#39;s (the most established of the shuttle companies, again thanks to Cirque for his advice) shuttle service from Mangga Dua Square to Bandung. They use KIA Pregio with ten passenger seats. The ride will take 2hrs and 45 minutes with one stop and make sure you disembark opposite Bandung Trade Centre where there will be taxis waiting for you to bring you to your hotel. Cipaganti%26#39;s workshop and parking lot is located there. Each person%26#39;s fare is Rp70,000. Due to the travel duration get something to have the kids occupied-PSP games, Ipod etc. I suggest you stay for one night at Ibis Mangga Dua which is located right in front of the Mangga Dua Mall then take a taxi to Mangga Dua Square to board the Cipaganti shuttle van - it will take some 5 minutes and the Cipaganti booth is located on the first floor (pls ask the info counter, they will know).

I stayed at Novotel Mangga Dua but I reckon its not just much cheaper but more convenient to stay at Ibis. Novotel is some 15-20 minutes walk to ITC, M2 Mall -pls note the road is dusty, dirty and downright dangerous during normal weekday traffic

Sorry, forgot to reply your questions regarding hotels. Sukajadi is a low-rise hotel with swimming pool but nowhere near to any FOs. FOs are concentrated mainly in Jl Martadinata (Riau) and Jl Dago(more spread out here). But you could take a taxi or the ubiquitous Angkutan Kota -may not be suitable for your kids though! - to any FOs areas. You can book your room via www.wego.com; their best rate is something like RM127 only. Anggrek Hotel at Jl Riau is currently under renovation -it does not have any swimming pool but the location is good while its worth checking out Hotel Santika directly opposite it; this hotel may have a pool but the rates will be much higher. Proximity to shopping areas will save you the trouble of getting taxis especially kids will have their own agenda - afternoon nap, toilet calls etc. I suggest you search around using Google Map or WikiMap before you decide on any hotel.

Cheers

Road map

does anybody know how and where i can find a roadmap for Bali. (The more detailed the better)

Road map

Get the latest Periplus bali street map. You can buy it in Bali or online.

Road map

There is a pretty good road map published by Periplus, available at the Periplus book shops around Bali.

Most convenient shops are across from Bali Deli, in Disco Mall, Seminyak Square and Carrefour.

Get the bound book version, not the fold out map version.

This is a list of all the shop locations

http://www.periplus.co.id/store.php

it looks like the Periplus bali street map is out of print. i tried different on-line sites and they all claim that the book is out of print.

I would like to get it before I go to bali in july for planning reasons.

In any case thx.

It%26#39;s not out of print, the new edition is out in the shops in Bali , it is just hard to get online now.

Try here

www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=9780794604219

or ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/Periplus-Bali-Street-Atlas-(2008)_W0QQitemZ270358872507QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090316?IMSfp=TL090316139010r28334

An company named Bali Navigator have a very good GPS mapping system available.

www.balinavigator.com/

I believe that they have mapped 10,000 kilometres of road on Bali.

Help with Ubud Lodging

Going to Ubud for a week in late June with DW and DS. We%26#39;re planning to book a 2 room place and after a lot of searching I think I%26#39;ve narrowed it down to one of these:

Chedi Club

Kayumanis

Pita Maha

The Viceroy looks very tempting, but their prices are a little beyond what I%26#39;m willing to pay. But maybe in this economy they%26#39;ll negotiate?

Anyway, I%26#39;d appreciate input from people who%26#39;ve stayed at any of these properties, especially if you%26#39;ve been to more than one.

TIA

Kevy

First trip to jakarta on a budget constraint

Hi,

I%26#39;ll be travelling to jakarta on july with a friend. i%26#39;ll be staying there for 5 days and 4 nights. I want to find a budget hotel (Rp250,000 or less) which is convenient to go to famous places by walking distance,near to public transport, safe area and accessible to anywhere.

Do you have any suggestions in which area should i be staying? and can you suggest me good hotels with good price since im on a budget constraint

Thank you. Appreciate it if u cud reponse.

First trip to jakarta on a budget constraint

Less than 250,000 per night will put you in the hostel standard in Jalan Jaksa. Cheapest hotel such as Formule 1, cost 300,000+. Maybe you need to reconsider yr budget. There are some ';hotels'; in Tanah Abang area for %26lt; 250000 as well but not well recommended safety wise

First trip to jakarta on a budget constraint

to all budget traveller go to jalan jaksa.

in jalan jaksa you can find from the low until mid hotel and its near to find a public transport that can take you around jakarta.

jalan jaksa is in the central of jakarta so its very easy to go any where from this place

Thanks guys for ur respond.

Well, when i give it a thought, i think i should reconsider my budget on hotel. Well, if that%26#39;s the case, hotel%26#39;s price between Rp 250,00 - 350,000 would be reasonable for travelers with budget constraint im sure.

So let%26#39;s say my budget is around that price, where in jakarta is most convenient and value for money to stay? is there any specific hotel that you would like to suggest?

Jalan Jaksa is in my list. Thank you for the info. Ill look into it. Apart from that, is there anywhere else i should consider?

Thanks. Appreciate it.

Formule 1 Hotel Menteng is quite descent.

Good location, city center, just outside the hotel is some shops and eateries (especially the food stalls at night), proximity to Tanah Abang, Pasar Baru, and other city center shopping centers. double room around Rp300,000+ per night.

Thanx cirque. Appreciate that. I will look into it.

One question, have u ever heard of take%26#39;s mansion?

www.takesmansion.com

it%26#39;s pretty cheap for a place to stay rp200,000 for a studio type.

however, im not sure about the location. is it accessible to any places of interest?is there any public transport?

it%26#39;s stated there take%26#39;s mansion is situated at jalan kebon sirih 1

i found out that gambir railway station is nearby from the map in the website. im not familiar with the service, where can this train takes us to? is it similar like LRT or MRT?

Thank you

Jakarta%26#39;s mass transport for inner-city is limited only to taxi, public bus, busway, and other public vans (or angkutan kota).

Gambir train station is a big station that connects Jakarta to other cities in Java (you can go to Bandung, Semarang, Jogja, or even Surabaya from here) --%26gt; something like KTM antar bandar. There%26#39;s also other connection with other train station inside the city, but the train only run on certain timetable (not on every subsequent minutes).

Now about the hotel you mentioned. It%26#39;s actually a medium storey building converted into a guest house. The location is in between housing area, just next to Millennium Sirih Hotel. The amenities are pretty basic (but read the T%26amp;C, housekeeping available only once every 2 days). The location is quite central, short distance (1km) to Tanah Abang Market, National Monument, and other attractions. But again, since it%26#39;s a residential area, very rare eatery around/just outside the hotel. As for it being new, maybe you can try!

Hi again,

Firstly thanx for ur response. I must say the information you gave me is very useful. I%26#39;ll find more information on take%26#39;s mansion. If you have more comments or suggestions regarding take%26#39;s mansion, do let me know. Because the price is quite cheap compared to hotel, and yet it%26#39;s still somewhere near the city centre. I think it%26#39;s convenient. But what i%26#39;m not sure is the hospitality. But i%26#39;ll find out about it more.

Another question, if i%26#39;m staying in central jakarta, how much would it cost me to travel to north and south jakarta respectively (by taxi)?

I think i need more information on the public transport such as public bus or angkutan kota. Where can i can the information necessary? Such as the routes and the rates?

Thanks again.

To travel North and South Jakarta??? You have smth special in mind or this is just to spread the wing and see things? Because there is no exact info on city buses (no site or similar) or ankutan, this is pretty hazardous and unruly. The only thing that falls into description is Transjakarta, they have fixed stops, routes (corridors)and numbers.

Conclusion - take taxi!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way always have in mind that Jakarta is a HUGE city ( KL is a tiny pool in comparison), to get from center to the south sometimes takes hours.

Hi!

That%26#39;s something new. I%26#39;m really not familiar with Jakarta and its parts. Since u mention, now i know. I thought going from central to north maybe just takes at most 1 hour. If it%26#39;s more than that, then it%26#39;s okay. Just asking.

So, if i chose to stay at central jakarta, most probably i%26#39;ll be spending most of my time in central jakarta?

Have you been to KL? Well, since im not familiar with the Jakarta itself. Can you pretty please make a comparison between Jakarta and KL? So that i have a bigger picture of how it%26#39;s like. How big is central jakarta? Is it sufficient for me to take a tour around central jakarta for 5 days 4 nights trip?

Thanks.

Sorry, Jakarta and KL are pretty huge different.

KL is big if you consider from Ampang to Bangsar even bigger if you mentioned Shah Alam, D%26#39;sara, or PJ, same case as in Jakarta. It%26#39;s small if just consider touristy area (Bukit Bintang, KLCC, Chinatown).

SO what makes them different? Transport.

1. Maybe in KL you can travel easily by hopping on and off LRT, rapidKL bus, and monorel. In Jakarta: none as convenient as that exist! Busway is the one most similar, but the operational is considered bad (especially during busy hours).

2. Taxi in Jakarta is also different than KL. In KL (and other Malaysian cities, very rare you will see metered taxi. The meter is there, but most of the time the drivers refuse to use it). In Jakarta, all taxis are metered, operating 24 hours, and no %26#39;hidden%26#39; charges (3rd person charge, midnight, baggage charge, airport charge, etc). Taking taxi is quite easy and quite cheap as well. So, for first timers (especially if there are a party of you - 3 or 4 people), it will be cheaper to travel around by taxi.

As for approximate, taking taxi from city center area (around take%26#39;s mansion or Ibis Tamarin) to:

1. Mangga Dua wholesale center (North Jakarta): 1 hour (the area is busy and jammed in the morning and late afternoon).

2. Senayan (South Jakarta): 30mins (sometimes jammed during lunch hours, taking busway also convenient, no need to transfer/change route).

3. Blok M (further south from Senayan, south Jakarta): 40mins

4. Ancol recreation park (north Jakarta, further away from Mangga Dua): 1 hour+