Advice for 1st timer to Bali

Hi everyone, I will be going to Bali from 26-30 June (5D/4N) with my husband. Really don%26#39;t know if we should stay in Seminyak or Ubud. We plan to do some sightseeing, especially to Tanah Lot and the temple at Uluwatu. But most of all, we just want to relax, stroll around a small town, have cheap food and cheap massages. Could I have your advice on whether Seminyak or Ubud would be more suitable? Thanks in advance, and much appreciation to all!

Advice for 1st timer to Bali

I%26#39;d personally say Ubud; although you don%26#39;t get the beach, if you find a nice hotel with a nice pool, you can relax there for a while, go shopping, have a spa, relax some more, eat in one of the many excellent restaurants in Ubud, see a dance show. It%26#39;s a good base for exploring Bali, there are plenty of tour offices that can arrange tours or transport to Tanah Lot and Uluwatu.

Purely personal preference though if I had to choose between the two.

Advice for 1st timer to Bali

Thanks for your advice! Could I ask, why do you prefer Ubud to Seminyak? As in, what is it that you like about Ubud?

Nothing wrong with Seminyak, and if you had longer I%26#39;d suggest you split your time between the two. Seminyak has some excellent restaurants if you%26#39;re a foodie.

I personally like the charm and character that Ubud has. I love the natural beauty around the area, the paddy fields and the rice terraces. I love the location as a base for touring, it%26#39;s very easy to explore most of the island as it%26#39;s fairly central. I never get tired of exploring the many and varied restaurants. There are some excellent and cheap little massage shops there which make a welcome relief after the shopping along Monkey Forest Road or in the Ubud Market. I like seeing the dance and music shows on an evening. And of course, the icing on the cake are the toilets in Cafe Wayan.

Hi,

If you can be bothered, you can spend 2 nights in Seminyak and 2 nights in Ubud.

Ubud satisfies your sighseeing, small town, cheap food and massages criteria though!

Seminyak is busier. It%26#39;s a great time to go to Bali then - weather then is nicer than Singapore - drier and it can be ';cool'; in Ubud. ';Cool'; is relative, but it%26#39;s a lot cooler in Ubud then in Singapore - think of it like December last year in Singapore.

Sorry, I meant that it%26#39;s a lot cooler then in Ubud than in Singapore from 26 - 30 June. ;-P

Okay I think I%26#39;m sold on Ubud! Thanks a lot for the advice... Really appreciate it. Could I just bother you all further and ask this: with whom should I book the day tours to the various sites? With the hotel? Or with tour agencies in Ubud town itself?

Every hotel I%26#39;ve stayed in there has had a selection of tour itineraries in the room or in reception. I%26#39;d look at these then compare the price in the tour offices. Usually the tour offices are cheaper, especially as some hotels offer the tours in their own vehicles, and provide a one-on-one tour rather than a small group tour.

I%26#39;ve booked in the tour offices in Ubud and haven%26#39;t had a problem.

What would you say are your must-sees in and around Ubud? Being a first-timer to Bali, I would definitely want to go to Tanah Lot and Uluwatu. But anything else? I%26#39;ve seen mixed reviews on Monkey Forest... Would you recommend Mount Agung?

You might be interested in the ';Things to do'; list:

tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g294226-i7220-k2鈥?/a>

Great, thanks lots for your advice!