Just came back from my 5D/4N Bali trip.
Can agree it's a blood sucking trip. 50% of people met are going to take advantage of you. When purchasing souvenirs, the price offered are sky price and some shows you sour face/ bad mouth you in their language if you low ball or refused to buy due to suspecting it's priced unreasonably. I don't particularly feel this bad attitude when visiting Phuket 2 years back.

In total, I used 4 times of taxi with only 2 uses meter. The other 2 refuse meter. I found that whatever price they offer you, it's going to cost 50% less if they are using meter. You can try to ask your hotel's front desk to call you a taxi. My case, I request my hotel front desk to call me a taxi and it was a metered taxi. Those waived down by the road were likely refuse to use meter.

Driver wise, used 2 days of driver service by 2 different drivers. My first driver is actually a taxi driver (metered taxi) which I used. He is doing part time driver. Second driver ffk me and din't turn up and not able to contact. Luckily, I still have my first driver contact and he recommended me his uncle (Pak Madir in his fifties which is a very honest and good guy)

First day is arrival to airport while second day is Kuta area shopping. Went Bamboo corner for lunch and dinner. Very cheaply priced!

Third day plan was to visit Sukawati (din't manage to go) --> Batuan Temple --> Kopi Luwak --> Mount Batur --> Tegalalang Rice Terrace -->  Jimbaran (din't manage to go)
The problem I faced was that my first driver even though he shows me kindness and friendliness when I used his taxi service on day one, he is a guy with motive. He will only bring you to places he can earn commission and refusing to bring me to Sukawati saying it's dirty, bad place etc. End up he insisted of going to those high end outlets in Celuk. First stop was a gold/silver outlet. There, they were selling silver at the price of platinum (gauge this from the platinum necklace I bought for my gf) and gold by price/piece instead of price/gram. What a ripoff! Later, there were painting, wood outlets. Bought some souvenirs there and bargained. Got at 50% of the offered price but still found it can cost cheaper in Sukawati later. (quality wise, those outlets are better but price wise, there are very much different too)
Jimbaran was canceled too as it was raining and my driver again refuse to bring me to Made Bagus Cafe at Jimbaran Bay. Instead, he wanted me to go to a place he recommended which we think we will get slaughtered. He told me lobster itself cost IDR700K and that is cheap to him!

Fourth Day is Sukawati --> Eat Babi Guling --> Uluwatu --> Jimbaran
Driver is Pak Madir (+62 0821-4634-9550) which is a honest guy. Agreed fee was IDR300K but I end up paying him extra IDR100K tips with a babi guling lunch and a treat of sweet corn while he was waiting for me at Jimbaran. I was very pleased with his attitude. Throughout the journey, I overheard my first driver call him to ask him to not bring us to Made Bagus Cafe in Jimbaran. Pak Madir ultimately brought us there even though he was lost.  At IDR300K, we got king prawn, lobster 500gm, fish, vege and 2 bintang beers

Another driver Isa Bali Tour (facebook https://www.facebook.com/ahmad.isaansori) is highly not recommended. Fly aeroplane and turn off his phone. Almost spoiled my fourth day. Luckily Pak Madir was there. However, we had to start our journey 2 hours late due to him.

I'm planning to go Bali Ubud Town.  Any nice accomodation to recommend?  Any nice rice field trekking trip?

Usually spa cost how much and duration how long?

I have no problem with my driver. First driver wayan kaden, he super friendly but he's not the touristy guide kinda of driver, he just bring u to the place and only if u request him to follow along then he will guide. But normally I will just let him rest coz he drive for long hours.
He even help me to round jimbaran until get to find lia cafe. Didnt force us to go celup place, or go to any other place out of my schedule.

2nd driver is Nyoman. Not so talkative but he drove 8 hours non stop to bring us from kintamani, tegalalang, Luwak farm, ubud then bedugul and tanah lot then back to ubud for 450k only.

I am Lucky. I know my driver with good service with reasonable price.one day Normal daytrip only 350k per car per day. He has some promo set dinner on jimbaran beach too. We eat one couple 350k which around rm110. Other driver who has no such deal definitely will cost u around rm200 per couple.

Along the trip,He chat n talk Funny with us.He also became our camera man.along the trip.

His Name kadek adipa. Email is kadekadipa@yahoo.com

Thk!  I read that Tegalalang got very nice field terrace.  Possible to go trekking at the rice terrace field there?

U be lucky if u can get a got spot for picture  ..damn to those sellers/peddlers 

Thk!  I read that Tegalalang got very nice field terrace.  Possible to go trekking at the rice terrace field there?

I had mine same as yours for 350k for two. Same portion without having the need for the deal. Just head over to lia cafe but honestly the taste wise, it's just normal.

It's about the view and environment. Even paid 10k for a song lol.

By far my driver is not the best la. But atleast I am grateful that he didnt put his own opinion into my travel. He just follow without question about jam or feasible or not.

Haven't had time to upload pictures. But Tegal sari in ubud is a good place to stay. In ubud do head to laughing Buddha bar for live band. It's good consider shops in ubud closes around 8pm. Practically nth to do there.

I had mine same as yours for 350k for two. Same portion without having the need for the deal. Just head over to lia cafe but honestly the taste wise, it's just normal.

It's about the view and environment. Even paid 10k for a song lol.

By far my driver is not the best la. But atleast I am grateful that he didnt put his own opinion into my travel. He just follow without question about jam or feasible or not.

Haven't had time to upload pictures. But Tegal sari in ubud is a good place to stay. In ubud do head to laughing Buddha bar for live band. It's good consider shops in ubud closes around 8pm. Practically nth to do there.

Tegal sari is best but too famous hard book.I been booking it wooden room for advanced one year.the wooden room 450k only two unit only!

I stayed one night in wooden and one night in super deluxe. I prefer super deluxe. Nice verandah and more clean and lit up. Wooden is abit dark and due to design, it's easily accessible for mosquito into ur room.

Overall still nice. Peaceful and hotel staff is super accommodating. They even provide free shuttle from hotel up towards the bridge pass ubud palace.

Just for those who dunno, there are no metered taxi in ubud. Only those private driver therefore they can charge expensive even it's just travel within ubud.

hi guys, im going to bali on next sep and thinking to take mr bagus tour from victorytours...anyone used his service before? We're 11 people here so he quoted 600k rupiah for toyota van for 12 seater
Im still looking thru the thread and im going to book accomodation....is it recomended to go to stay around in kuta->ubud->lovina? going for 6days 5 nights...doable? 2 nights in ubud, 2 night kuta and 1 night lovina?

Yes. Of course. Actually you can even consider stay in ubud lovina kuta coz airport nearby to kuta can prevent long hours seating in the van coming back from lovina back to airport.

However depends on ur schedule.

Yeah I'm thinking ubud lovina kuta I guess...is the driver willing to fetch us to lovina from ubud? Btw how did u guys contact the driver whenever u wan him to fetch u?