I'm going from 24th-27th this month on a DIY tour with my gf, will be staying at Harris Kuta. Hope everything works out well for us

Booked our driver after hearing good reviews and testimonials from here:
http://www.balisbestdriver.com/

Anyone heading to Bali at around this period too?

This post has been edited by Came|toe: Dec 8 2007, 12:42 AM

Juz came back from Bali yesterday.

Overall it was nice,the temples at Uluwatu was great and very nice scenery.But the last day we went to Lovina i think to see dolphins and i got sick coz the journey have to go through some mountains which make me got motion sickness.Now Im having fever..haha

And itz fun to bargain with the ppl there..haha..

Btw..The ice-cream at McD over there very affordable le..Around 1.7kRp for a normal ice-cream cone..

This post has been edited by Eisenmeteor: Dec 9 2007, 08:16 AM

what is cheap there? i heard the surfing stuff is cheap compare to msia? quiksilver? billabong? n such. cos im planning to go there on 29dec till 3rd jan. if its cheap, im gonna buy alot ahha

just got back from bali on 2 of december....well agree jhony wont be ur driver alwiz...i book him three day (1 half day , 2 full day) the 2 ful day he is the one driving me around....

not bad to be frank.....no dangerous or driving damn freaking fast....but he wont and seems duno much on history on bali culture or history too much....(he is local ppl at there)

whatever i ask him about the place i visiting...he owiz answer me "place where old king life"...swt....hahah overrall he is not bad driver...but hell no a good guide...haha...



This post has been edited by shadowofevil: Dec 9 2007, 08:36 PM

I din buy any Billabong stuff coz itz expensive..But I saw the factory outlet store..Maybe that place should be cheaper i guess..

hi again, any1 can share how much the rate for hiring a driver per day in bali?
we had 8 persons..so hiring a driver driving van??
not very sure wat wil be the best solution..plz advise.thanks

last time on june i guess its around Rp. 90k for 1 avanza/inova per day

sure or not Rp90K= ~RM34 only leh...Even I rented a susuki jeep oledi rp120K/day without driver!! At that rate u will be the most lucky ppl..Even a normal car wth driver avg ~Rp250k/day....my guess..Innova wth driver should be around RP400k/day

Day 1 (Ubud):
- Reach Ubud in afternoon
- Check in hotel
- Book all spa (3 places on 3 days)
- Go to Ubud city (with hotel shuttle)
a. Lunch at Warung Ibu Oka
b. Ubud tourist centre (mountain guide and dance information and tickets)
c. Go to Ubud Palace
d. Break at Monkey Float
e. Pasar Seni
f. Dinner at either Casa Luna or Zula or Wayan Cafe
g. Order smoke duck 1 day in advance at Bebek Bengil 2
h. If got time, go to dance show (check the timing and place)
- Go back to hotel and rest (check out the dance info and book mountain guide for Gunung Batur)

Day 2 (Ubud):
- Breakfast at hotel
- Go to Gunung Batur for sunrise (arrange for guide the night before)
- Go to Gunung Kawi and Pura Tirta Empul
- Lunch at ???
- Go to Neka Art Museum
- Back to Ubud and visit Pura Taman Saraswati
- Go to spa
- Dinner at Bebek Bengil 2
- Go for dance show
- Back to hotel

Day 3 (Ubud / Seminyak)
- Breakfast at hotel
- Go to Pura Ulun Danu Bratan (Bedugul temple)
- Lunch at Bedugul Kafe (barbequed fish)
- Go to Pura Kedarman if got time
- Check in hotel
- Break at Benny's Cafe
- Spa time
- Dinner at Ku De Ta
- Back to hotel

Day 4 (Seminyak)
- Breakfast at hotel
- Go to Pura Taman Ayun in the morning
- Go to Pura Tanah Lot
- Lunch at Kuta and walk around a while
- Go to Blue Point Villa (Glass church)
- Go to Uluwatu in the evening
- Dinner at Jimbaran
- Back to hotel

Day 5 (Seminyak)
- Breakfast at hotel
- Spa time if got time
- Go to airport

Is this itineary okie?
How abt the timing of all the trip? too pack? relax?
Is there any place not worth going listed above?
So I have to book driver for for full day Day 2-4? Can I take taxi on first day to Pura Tirta Empul and back?
Any other driver recommended beside that jhonny?
Anything else?

This post has been edited by clausman: Dec 13 2007, 04:59 PM

Just back from Bali late last night. The weather is superbly hot, especially in Kuta town. By the way, Clausman, the itenary looks ok but I hope you do know that the places you stated are remote area. Not much happening there except nice scenery.

Is his price fixed?
I tried some drivers and their price is RP 400k full day and RP 250k half day.
I going end of Dec07.

My recommendation to you is not to get the drivers now..Go there and there's lotsa of choices & cheaper one around Kuta/Seminyak....from the earlier posting, someone even managed to get as low as rp250K full day!..dun rush..It is easy to get drivers in Bali not like in Malaysia.

If u study the itinery & map b4 hand u can even do what I did. Rent a Suzuki jimmy & DIY urself for only rp120K/day! (That's also not the cheapest....heard the cheapest is about Rp90K/day!!


This post has been edited by stimix: Dec 18 2007, 05:06 PM

Hi stimix, have been reading this tread the whole day and sincerely thank you for your recommendation and advices!!

I will be going to Bali fr 7 Jan - 10 Jan 2008. Is anyone going there the same time as well? This is my first time going there..

I have not worked out the travel itenary yet, I will be staying at Masa Inn, just opposite Hard Rock Hotel.
Dear stimix, any advice? Or can you work out a brief itenary for me? As I'm not sure about the whole direction thingy. Thanks in advance..


Got a few questions:
- Has anyone tried the white water rafting there? Did not see any comment about it in this tread..
- For the "Bali Best Drive" http://www.balisbestdriver.com/ has anyone appointed him? Would like to find out more..

I hv never heard about Masa Inn. Actually opposite Hardrock is the Kuta Beach. probably u mean beside Hardrock?...And not far from Matahari shopping mall...very close to the 2nd bombing site.. (The bombed Raja restaurant has now changed name to "Dulang"

With such a short time, I suggest u forget the white rafting thingy and it is not cheap too..probably the one in Malaysia cheaper! Most of the activities are cater for Mat Salleh so do the pricing! inc those snorkelling & Island hoping.

A tips, just follow the itinery as suggested by any tour agencies...u can't be wrong....Anyway u can try this itinery:

1st day - Kuta & surrounding + looking for car rental
2nd day-Kintamani (Batur Volcano)> Tegalalang>Bedugul floating temple >Ubud> Tanah Lot (Very busy day)
3rd day- Uluwatu> Dreamland beach >Nusa Dua> Sukawati souvenir market>Goa lawah & etc

Hey stimix,

Thanks again for the reply. Masa Inn is budget hotel la, Rp250000 per nite for 3 persons including breakfast. www.masainn.com.

In this case I think I should follow ur advice, cuz I realize that Kintamani is more 'recommended' than the white water rafting.

BTW, where is GOA LAWAH located? What to see there ar??

Goa Lawah is just one of many temples in Bali..this one is just opposite the Black sand beach close to Amuk Bay & on the way to Padang Bai port (ferry to Lombok Island)...Abit far actually but interesting as u can see thousand of bats clinging on the wall of the temple while the upacara is ongoing...(But put this as low priority-lah) there are more better temple such as Goa Gajah near Ubud (Archeology site- The bathing place just found ~100yrs ago), Titak empuh & etc..u can do a research of those place of interests b4 going...The best still Kintamani, Uluwatu, Bedugul, Tanah Lot and if u hv moretime can goto the mother temple at Bersakith (foot of Mt Agung but beware of those tourist guide asking crazy entrance of >US$20/pax!!)

wowww... tooks me few days to read thru from page 1-33...

really thanks to stimix... alot info's from him...

booked ticket with AA on July '08... rm339 per pax....

will gather more information to work out a good and relaxing itinerary for myself...

keep this page up....

helo guys,
just wondering any nice and good hotel to recommend ard kuta area? my budget is abt rm250 per night.

tq and happy new year!

You can try www.asiarooms.com or www.agoda.com, lotsa choices from there..

i actually stay at massa inn during my visit to bali tis november...its not "beside" hardrock....but its actually located in poppies lane I...have to walk around 5min to reach the beach....its quite nice and clean inn i must say....just the breakfast...its quite "impossible" to fill up ur stomach......

but not to worry....mcD just near by...enjoy ur stay mate.

yeah....i think his price is fix mate....u can try to sms him as well......

This post has been edited by shadowofevil: Dec 31 2007, 03:43 PM