Just got back from 10 days in Ubud, Bali. It is pretty deserted; everyone asking when the visitors wll return.
Last time i was there, about two years ago, i went to watch the dancing one evening and there was standing room only with an audience of about 200; this time there were 6 people watching the 70 or so dancers. Pretty sad.
Were they slashing prices on the upmarket accommodation?
It seems to me that now is an ideal time for a visit to the island. It must be one of the the safest places in S.E. Asia for the time being – you can bet the Balinese are keeping a sharp lookout for suspicious people or behaviour, making it one of the hardest places in the world for terrorists to launch bomb attacks.
Which airline did you fly with, Mark, and how much was the return fare?
Hi Omni, accommodation is very cheap at the mo’ at all levels. Here’s a good site for chercking out the latest offers; travelforum.org/bali/main.html
There are a few good prices for packages if you’re willing to do the tour group thing. Otherwise the flight prices are still outrageous. I flew with EVA and it was NT$18,000+ for a return ticket.
I wasn’t best pleased with the service i got from EVA; my original flight on Wed. 19th was cancelled (due to too few sales) after my ticket was issued and my flight was moved to Sat. 23rd. I called up EVA to ask if this was a normal thing to do and was told no it’s not normal but these are not normal times. I asked if EVA were willing to compensate me for the inconvenience, hoping for an upgrade at least, and was told that they weren’t going to charge me the extra fee for flying on a Saturday! Thanks a lot!!
Thanks for the info, Mark.
Bad marks to EVA for that! Certainly an upgrade was the least you should have expected in such circumstances – especially given that the fare was so high in the first place.
That’s extremely poor service from EVA and a piss poor excuse. “Not normal times” - so what changed from the 19th to the 23rd to make it all normal again ? So the moral of the story is this - your confirmed ticket on EVA means nothing. Typical Taiwanese “customer service”.
I am going to Bali on the 9th of December pending a seat is available. That sounds weird, but I am told that there is a waiting list…
EVA and CAL have specials now until about the 21st – 14 day return ticket with 2 nights at a five-star hotel (four choices for each airlines) for NT$12,000 to NT$15,000. Looks like you went a tad too early Mark.
Any recommendations on cool places to stay? How is the hawker situation? Any “wink, nod” action about?
If you want a very cool place to stay in Ubud i would recommend the Ubud Sari Health Resort. The title makes it sound a bit much but it’s a really cool place to stay, with 3 cottages (US$25-35) in lush surroundings and the best massage in Bali.
The hawker situation is very low key at the mo’, i found that with the lack of visitors everyone was very careful to make sure that the visitors there were treated very well.
By the way, the best thing i brought back was spices. At the end of Monkey Forest Rd in Ubud is the daily market and many of the stalls have bags of different spices for sale. I got bags of saffron, cinnamon, vanilla, cardemon, cloves, pepper, star anise, etc for a song.
I just returned from Bali too (I was probably one of the 6 people at the barong dance!!) It is dead, but cheap too. You can find a room in Kuta for about $7 US a night in a some smaller *but a decent place. I stayed at the Grand Bali Beach in Sanur. It’s 5 star and really nice. It was $12000 for 3 days and an extra $500 for each night. It also includes a huge buffet dinner. But, it was pretty empty. Get a cheap tour guy to take you around. For 2 of us, it cost $22 US for the day. It was great. You can also really bargain with prices. We paid about $10,000RP ($1.10 US for a sarong!) If you want to go white water rafting, don’t pay more than $40US. Ubud is pretty dirty right now because they can’t afford to clean it up. It’s also not as central.
[quote]Alien posted a week or two ago with a link to http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,663391,00.html
A story about colonic irrigation and because of this link i’m off to Bali on Saturday for a week of it. So i won’t be able to moderate…whatever that means.[/quote]
Mark, what of that other than buying spices, erh, end?
I think a jolly good posting is in order, perhaps on an altogether new thread as previously suggested.
Hats off to Alien for the original link - a classic.
HG
Please let us know how things ‘pass’.
I had emailed one of the spas in Ubud (Dr. Jim) and got a reply saying they’re closed.
Would much appreciate any information regarding other
tube-up-the-arse spas that will be open during Lunar New Year.
Otherwise, anyone know of some lovely and reasonable villas to rent with private pools, etc?
Can’t get colonics for three weeks solid…or liquid, as it were.
Alien, this one is still open and very good. I was very impressed by their facilities and back-up (no pun intended!) support.
Tubes up the arse? Why didn’t anyone say so? Buy us enough whisky and me and my friends’ll do it for free. We’ll even supply a digicam copy of the hole event, absolutely free, and at least a week before it gets posted on the Internet.
Its a deal I’m sure you’ll find hard to refuse.
Dear oh dear oh dear. Expats gone soft. How are you going to tell the boys you went to school with that you now prefer spending two weeks getting your bum flushed out with yoghurt to going around biting the necks of beer bottles, putting the knee in the groin, and ravishing fair maidens ?! It’s a bit of a come down ! Next thing you know you’ll be buying cars because it’s “too wet” on a motorbike. Aw no, I’ve just seen Sandman’s post…
Bali Update – December 2002
Here are a few first hand observations you might find useful:
Preparations:
Money: Cash gets a slightly better exchange rate than travelers’ checks (about Rps. 100 per US dollar). Rates are also slightly less for US$50 bills and smaller.
WARNING! Do not bring US$100 notes that were printed in 1996. They are nearly impossible to change. Apparently, a while back a number of counterfeits were circulated bearing the year 1996 and no one will accept them.
December 2002 average rate (in Bali): US$1 to Rps. 8,875-8700 (Cash)
EVA Air reconfirmation number in Bali: (0361) 759-773 or (0361) 768-405
Ask if you need the prefix, depending where you are.
Binoculars: If you have a small pair, you should consider bringing them. Much of the beach action involves surfing and if you want to get a good view, binoculars are the way to go.
Lock: Some bungalows and safe boxes in resorts use padlocks. Using your own ensures safety.
Gifts: You will meet some nice people and might want to leave them with a gift. A deck of playing cards is a useful and inexpensive gift – but buy them in Indonesia as they are only about Rps. 10,000.
SANUR
China Airlines and EVA Air are running specials to Bali which include a 14-day ticket and two nights’ accommodation in a nice hotel. Most choose the Grand Bali Beach Resort from the list of three or four offered hotels. Retail price is US$200/night.
A familiar site in Bali is empty restaurants and facilities. The Grand Bali Beach is slightly busier than surrounding resorts, which are mostly deserted, but have beautifully landscaped grounds.
The beach here is not too bad, but the water is far from the walkway running along the beach at the property lines of the resorts. The water is nearly waveless and actually the “scene” is uninteresting.
Just about 100 meters north of the Grand Bali Beach is the place to get a boat to the nearby and much smaller island of Lembongan. The boats leave at 7:30am and 8:30am. The later one costs Rps. 43,000. The earlier one is, I believe, slightly cheaper. There is no pier – you have to wade out to the boat. The trip to the island takes about an hour.
Remember, if you miss the boat (so to speak) there is always someone with another boat willing to fleece you for a chartered voyage. Expect to be asked substantially more than the ferry fare. How much you pay is up to your negotiation skills.
LEMBONGAN
The ferry will stop in front of Mandara Beach Bungalows, which is where you will buy your return ticket on the day you choose to leave. Return tickets cost Rps. 50,000 for the 8:30am boat and Rps. 35,000 for the 7:30am one.
Facing the shore and turning left (north) are a number of bungalows. Some are simple but nice, while others are simple but a bit on the primitive side (no-flush toilets and “shower” that consists of a bent pipe). Keep walking along the beach until you see the following places (don’t mind the guy that follows you; he seems to be the greeting committee of one and is harmless):
PLACES TO STAY
Main ski
This is where the surfers like to stay, particularly the Japanese. Not a bad place if you like surfers and loud music from time to time. They have the only Internet facilities on the island.
Agung
Not a bad place but Spartan. Asking price is Rps. 50,000/night.
Ketut’s Warung
This was closed but should reopen after the Australian owner returns.
Tarci Bungalow
This place is pretty basic (Rps. 50,000) but it has by far the best people. All the other places are run by folks who seem very detached from their work, but the Tarci people are very engaging and helpful. Good place to hang out in the beachfront restaurant.
Linda Bungalow
Very nice indeed (Rps. 70,000) and offers a second floor balcony.
Recommendation:
Stay in Linda or Agung and hang out at Tarci. Get relief from the heat in the second floor restaurant of Agung.
THINGS
Flies: If you like flies, this is going to be like heaven to you. “It’s mango season,” you are told, but the fact that the entire island is almost entirely devoted to the cultivation of seaweed, which must be dried behind the bungalows, surely contributes to the invasion.
Roosters: If you like roosters, this is going to be like heaven to you. “There must be hundreds of roosters on this island,” says I. “Thousands,” is the reply. “Eggs must be cheap here,” I say with a smile. “No,” comes the answer. “We get our eggs from Bali – and they aren’t cheap; they’re Rps. 600 each!”
Why all the birds, you ask? Cockfights. If you are lucky, you may be on the island when one of the contests takes place.
Heat: It could get hotter, but then you’d have to be on the surface of the sun. Remember, the best thing to replace lost fluids is beer – lots of it.
Snorkeling: Some of the brightest and most varied coral you are likely to see is near the island. A boat can be hired to take you to two or three spots for several hours, which includes mask, snorkel and fins. A single person can go for Rps. 80,000 (after bargaining) and more people can, of course, go cheaper. Expect to pay Rps. 40,000 each in a group of three or more.
Scuba diving: There are several places here but none seems to be operated by other than locals. This in and of itself may not be bad, but by the looks of some of the equipment at one shop, be prepared to inspect the gear to your satisfaction first. Prices are negotiable. The cheapest I heard of was US$35 for two dives, down from a starting price of about US$50.
Mangrove swamp: The opposite side of the island and to the north is bordered by mangrove swamps. A boat will take you through the labyrinth for about Rps. 50,000 more or less. Go at high tide.
Push bike and motorcycle: You can rent a push bike for Rps. 30,000/day, but there is a saddle to the southwest of the island that requires you push the bike up the hill (unless you are some sort of athlete). The bikes are good mountain bikes and have lots of gears that seem to all work. Frankly, however, there is not much to see.
Motorcycles usually rent for Rps. 70,000/hour (ouch!). One fellow at Agung was renting his for Rps. 35,000/2 hours or Rps. 50,000/3 hours. Here again, there is not much to see around the island.
Surfing: Lembongan is famous for its waves. Surfers come all the way from Japan just for them. One area, “Lacerations,” is known for excellent tube rides. The waves break about 200 meters from shore – the space from the waves to the beach is old reef now used to grow plots of seaweed.
Victuals: Food at the bungalows is not that interesting, but I am told that the soups are good, particularly at Tarci. There is one restaurant, however, and it has the best food on the island. Walk directly back away from the beach next to the dive shop next to Tarci. About 100 meters you will hit an asphalt track. Directly in front of you is the restaurant. They will also let you play their DVDs there. Be aware, however, that in all restaurants in Bali the food portions are nothing like you are used to – they are small. But then, they’re cheap.
Wildlife: Be on the lookout for the biggest lizard you have ever seen in your life. Not exactly a Komodo dragon, but twice as big as a cat…
And keep your ears open for the big geckos…they call out their name – cool!
PADANGBAI
Back on Bali, Padangbai lies on the east coast. It is a pretty beach/bay that is peaceful except for the nighttime blasts from the car and passenger ferry to Lombok and the occasional barking dogs.
PLACES TO STAY
Some people stay in accommodations off the beach, but I can’t figure why. If you are here it is because of the beach and to get to the best places, walk past the second pier – the loading pier (the first is the large, main one for ferries to Lombok). Here you will find bungalows along the beach.
Most of these here are very similar. Bargain hard and you may get a deal.
Kerti Beach Inn and Cafe
There are two front rooms facing the beach and on the main “road” – a small asphalt track – for Rps. 25, 000/night including breakfast. The cool thing about these places is the attached shower and toilet area. The area is open to the sky – showering and shaving in daylight, what a concept.
Puri Rai
These are the best in the area (which is not large) and rooms go for Rps. 150,000/night with fan and Rps. 250,000/night with air-con. If you want to live in relative comfort to which you are accustomed at home, this might be the place for you.
Recommendation:
Puri Rai for the best comfort (at the highest price) or browse and check out the other, cheaper places.
THINGS
Food: The restaurants facing the water have nearly identical fare. Nothing too outstanding, but fair nonetheless.
The second-floor restaurant at Kerti is very nice. Fish is the meal of choice here in Padangbai and there is usually a good selection – tuna, marlin, red snapper, barracuda and mackerel. If you order fish and chips and are expecting something like you’d get in London, think again. A good feed will set you back about Rps. 20,000 to Rps. 25,000 (including a drink).
The best place to eat, however, is the Puri Rai. Try the barracuda or marlin – wow!
Snorkeling: Walking to the end of the beach road about 50 meters from the bungalows the road forks – right goes to the two temples and left to an overlook restaurant and the “Blue Lagoon” beach. Best advice is to have breakfast and then walk over to the Blue Lagoon. It is really like something out of a dream. Snorkeling gear can be rented at the only restaurant which is usually deserted for about Rps. 15,000. This is near the area where scuba diving is done and has a nice little variety of small ocean things to see. Go up to the restaurant to get a bit of a breeze and a cold one (or five).
There is another beach clear across the bay on the opposite side – beyond the Lombok ferry pier. I never went there because it was 4,000 degrees in the shade and the walk seemed too far (a kilometer?), but eyewitness reports say that there are several food joints and foreign women sunbathing with their TOPS OFF!
Scuba diving: There are a number of places here and several sites, including a wreck. To get an idea of the details and pricing, check out the outfit run by a German couple at divinggroove.com/
Sunset watching (aka another excuse to drink lots of beer):
The only show in town at this time is at the place on the way to Blue Lagoon. You can’t miss it – there is nothing else there. Go upstairs and sit on cushions on a straw mat around a low, Japanese-style table. The far side of the place (upstairs forms a “U” shape) gives the best view.
KUTA
PLACES TO STAY
There are scores of accommodations in Kuta and point north and south. I might recommend staying on Poppies I road for a couple of reasons. It is fairly well located for all the things that a person might need (both naughty and nice) and has a range of places from US$60/night to Rps. 30,000/night.
I stayed in a place called Kedin’s on the “intersection” with the path that goes to Mimpi’s – a place that was full.
Kedin’s is nice and reminds you of a Florida apartment complex. Mimpi’s has a pool (swimming pools at the beach – what a concept…) and apparently is nice.
Nothing in the range of normal vacationing humans that I know is available on the beachfront. In fact, the road/path (Poppies I) runs back about half a kilometer to the main road from the beach. It’s a bit of a walk and if you plan on making trips to and from your guest house and the beach, the closer to the surf the better (unless you have one of those pools, I guess.).
The intersection of Legian (the main road running parallel to the beach and Poppies I (which runs to the beach) is almost invisible. At that point you can touch both walls on either side with outstretched arms. Hint: look for the sign that says, “Mexican restaurant.” That’s the mouth of the intersection.
There is not much to tell about Kuta – whatever you want is all there to see. The beach is good for surfing or learning to surf (swimmers note: pay attention to the flags that designate your areas, otherwise you will be A) yelled at by surf punks and B) probably run over with a surfboard in your forehead by surf punks.
The beach is huge and nice for sunset watching (and they are pretty good there). The sand is wide and at low tide (sunsets) you can rent a bike and ride along the surf on the hard, wet sand.
Food: One reason for staying on Poppies I is the Circle-K at the end of the road by the beach. They have a mini “Subway”-style deli there and the sandwiches are better than that other place and cost about Rps. 14,000. Yum!
Girls: For those gentlemen who long for the ladies, I heard tell that the bar next to (and part of?) Mini Restaurant on Legian Road just north of the Poppies I intersection has a dozen or so such ladies. My inside sources tell me that an hour will run about Rps. 250,000 (up or down…) and may include a massage, if you have time left over after discussing politics. There is no bar fine and if a girl goes back to your bungalow (not the big, expensive ones – they won’t allow riff-raff in), she will leave her “massage girl” ID card with the desk so that you will know who she is should anything untoward happen (unlikely).
A little bird told me, however, that Sanur is where all the really super babes hang out…
Taxi to the airport: You will be offered “transportation” very often, but remember that the taxis use meters and they are very reasonable. From Legian Road expect to pay about Rps. 15,000 by the meter. There is no other charge.
English, what a concept! (a few examples seen)
– From the newspaper “Koran Bali”: an ad for McDonald’s “Grimace Show”
– Sign on a wall: “I love gases”
– Lots of signs indicating: “Cat oven”
– Sign in handicraft shop window: “Close – Please come at”
– Small billboard: “Permanent or real tattoos”
– On a box of Homa Brand toothpicks: “Super Sterilized”
(A few thoughts on the Kuta bombings)
It was big. They are rebuilding (razed shops are bad for business), but the area of destruction is pretty awesome.
The idea that that would be a “good” target is a bit unsettling. It is such an unlikely spot. You may be thinking of Kuta the next time you are in Phuket or Manila and in a bar, restaurant or club.
Now’s a great time to go to Bali. It’s still very slow since the bomb, but it’s also low season. Hardly any tourists outside the Kuta area and even there it’s at about 10% occupancy.
That means the prices of EVERYTHING are way, way down.
Car rental: Jeep Jimney–70k IDR per day. That’s about US $8 or less.
Hotel in Legian: Sinar Bali–US $15 day, or IDR 150,000. With AC/hot shower/pool/fridge, etc.
Bungalows in Padang bai: 30k IDR
Bungalows/losmen in Lovina: 50k IDR
Bungalows in Amed: 100k IDR
The people are a bit desperate for our money now, so be prepared to be harrassed everywhere you go to buy sarongs, etc.
The beaches aren’t too amazingly clean at the moment due to rainy season and rubbish washing down the mtns into the sea. Many folks there, especially Europeans with dive businesses, are trying to do something about this. If you go, don’t consume packaged items and take your rubbish back to Taiwan with you. The Balinese don’t know how to dispose of it properly and don’t have facilities. It is mainly tourists who cause the problem.
Food: Simply fantastic! The seafood is the best I’ve ever eaten and even in the Kuta area you can get a fine dinner of Swordfish, Tuna, Marlin, Baracuda, etc, for under US $5. Much less in the Padang Bai/Candidasa area.
Diving: Try Bali Moon Divers in Padang bai. It’s locally owned and I prefer to help out the Balinese instead of the Europeans who own dive shops. The Dive Master is Maui, and he’s adorable and has excellent English. Try also, Maui’s “Kinky Reggae Bar” down the beach near Blue Lagoon.
Boys (wolf started this one): Lots of them. Cute as hell. I mean, gorgeous. Very dark skin with tattoos, long hair, and long sexy strides. They love western women, and if you “play with them” you’ll get the same looks from western men that you give them when they’re with Taiwanese girls. Only difference is, it’s much cheaper to buy Bali boys dinner and drinks, so you save a fortune by comparison.
My girlfriend and I are going to Bali this weekend. We’re just going for 4 days and just want to relax. Any suggestions for nice places to stay/go that aren’t too expensive and are nice and relaxing?
Get a taxi straight from airport to Padang Bai. Cheap, relaxing, great food, good diving, snorkling, lovely.
Taxi to Padang Bai about $200,000 rupiah, so don’t get stiffed.
If you go there, accomodation and food will be much cheaper than Kuta/Legian where you’ll be paying a pretty penny for hotels.
Bungalows in Padang Bai are $30,000/night.
It’s a two hour trip, so you’ll get to see some of beautiful Bali.
There is an expat area with excellent restaurants. It is Oberoi Rd. Go to a restaurant lounge called HU U which is right next door to the Living Room. EXCELLENT Food at both places!!!
Also try two other places on the same road. La Lucciola and Ku De Ta! You might want to look somewhat presentable at these places, they are some of the nicest restaurants in Bali. They are cheaper than Taipei however, the food and drinks and desserts are much better in terms of western food.
Also going to Bali at the end of the month.
saw a deal about NT 11,000 for 2 nights stay at Grand Bali Beach…that’s pretty much the best deal I can get right? Any other cheap deals you’ve heard or any other suggestions for accomodations? Like I heard it’s a good deal to stay in villas as opposed to getting those flight+hotel packages.
Also, I read on the net that no visa is required for EU and also Taiwan nationals…true? Says you need to show proof of a minimum of 2000 USD, are they stict about that?
No need for visa for Bali for Taiwanese. No need to show US$2000. Europeans I don’t know about.
I can recommend two cheap but 4 or 5 star places. One is the Santika Beach hotel nearby Kuta. Nice grounds, great rooms and excellent breakfast. The place is right on the beach too. China Airlines had special package deals with them. At least they use to. I think it was a package deal and if yopu wanted to stay an extra night you added somewhere between US$65 and US$75.
Another one is Le Meridian Resort and Golf and Spa resort. The best and biggest comglomeration of interconnected massive pools I have ever seen. Right on the coast, but no beach there and with a view of Tanah Lot temple on the cliff nearby. It is a little out of the way, but a great place to stay for a coule fo days. The food is good too. They had a special package deal from Asia travel I think it was. Just stayed there recently. Little more pricey but a huge resort. Never stayed down in Nusa Dua however. If you have never been to Bali before, maybe you want to be in another location though.
I tried a cheapish bunglow place once. That was so so. Interesting, but kind of like roughing it. Maybe I need to find a better one.
I saw the Grand Bali Beach is in Sanur. That is an interesting area. Not a bad beach either.
Anyway before you leave on yoru trip, I am sure you will get loads of information from this thread.
Good luck in your planning.