+ 1 for lunch at kintamani, rip-off

Thanks guys Getting Arief for the trip.

How will you arrange the trip on Jan 11? Considering i have two young kid travelling together? I'm having concern that we won't be having lunch time at 12 or 1pm. Did google the travelling time and it seems everywhere destination in the list is 1-2 hours apart

Pick up at 9am
Kintamani
lunch @ Bebek Tepi Sawah 
Tegalala rice terrace
Tirta Empul temple
Lake Bratan + Ulu Danu Temple
Dinner around Ubud (Naughty Nuri)
Sukawati/ubud market (optional)

Also, any other suggestion for food around Kuta/Seminyak, so far it seems all my lunch and dinner is with naughty nuri or chef bagus

Read so much and getting worried with restaurant around Jimbaran too.. it is like hit or miss kind of scenario

It seems i might be able to slot in my Bhava spa on Jan 11
Do you think it is reasonable for me to ask supir to send some to Bhava and other back to seminyak and come collect everyone again for dinner ?

your itinerary is not "smooth"
you don't need whole morning at Kintamani, nothing much to see there actually
mostly it's just a photo stop
you can go to Ubud area in the morning first, and kintamani, bratan in the afternoon
anyway, if you gotten Arief for your trip already, he'll help you to arrange your itinerary, just tell him where you wanna go, and he'll arrange
Makan in Ubud, try the famous Ibu Oka Babi Guling in Ubud, it's our must eat beside Naughty Nuri

I thought lunch at Kintamani was decent if you arrive early and get this spot:

View of Kintamani by zstan, on Flickr

https://zhishantan.blogspot.com/2015/01/bal...-goa-gajah.html

view yes but food was meh to me that time (buffet style)

why would you expect food to be great at these kind of tourist places anyway ? the highlight is the view

if the highlight is the view, why bother having a crappy & expensive lunch there

there are much better lunch option elsewhere

it tasted ok to me. maybe my taste buds not as demanding as yours RM30-40 for a buffet with a view is a fair deal for me.

el merkat food is good.. as owner is from Spain and the staff seem to be professional chef.. try the carbonara with egg york and addition cheese..

if you kutip 400++ usd item.. it almost can cover your whole trip expenses..

Celebrated Xmas in Bali. Engaged Galung for driver service from 24th to 26th Dec.
24th Dec only half a day but full day for 25th and 26th.

Knowing Bali, 26th is their big celebration. I've got a different driver on 24th. 25th and 26th supposed to be same driver but the driver decided to quit on me on the 25th at around 10pm by just sending me a message saying he is not coming the next day.

Informed Galung and although he didn't managed to source another driver, he himself came to be my driver on 26th in his full Public Holiday attire.

I think his services are excellent, kept to his promise and is cheap. Highly recommend him.

350,000 rupiah for one day
225,000 rupiah for half day

Even knowing that I am engaging him through the holiday season, the price is the same. Both the earlier drivers were shocked at this price because they informed me, it can be easily double the price due to the holiday season. The first driver told me he had a job on second day for 600,000 rupiah just doing one trip.

This post has been edited by twotwopig: Jan 8 2019, 10:52 AM

His service is the cheapest, but I won't recommend him
there's a very good reason why he's the cheapest, it's by exploiting his fleet of drivers
read here
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?act=ST&f...post&p=89299178

Not defending him, but to be honest, I don't care how he runs his business.

As a consumer, I am impressed with his commitment in delivering the service and ensuring that I (his customer) did not get railroaded at the last minute and I am only sharing as such.

Note: how much he paid his driver, does not matter to me because that is his business. The drivers can walk away if the salary paid is low, they are not forced to work for him.
Note: Having different drivers for different days does not matter to me because even if I take taxi, I can't always get the same driver I like.
Note: The brake safety issue is a concern but for the 3 cars I have sat in, it all seems in normal working condition with no out-of-place sounds.

Anyway, each to their own and I am only sharing my experiences. Not everything is perfect for everyone and everyone has different expectations on what they think is a reasonable service level.

This post has been edited by twotwopig: Jan 9 2019, 05:43 AM

Well said!!! For me, I just care how good Galung's price and service. Another concern is..how true the story from Galung's co-driver? Only two of them know the fact.

Used his co-driver service before. Can't complain with the price though. If i wanna go again, i won't mind paying more for better driver

If convert the daily rate back in myr, i think the driver really earn very little. That's why on last day, i gave extra tips.

Hi All,

Sharing my experience from my trip to Bali - not the itinerary - as there is more attractive itinerary listed

We're travelling with 4 adults and 2 children and engaging services from Arief and his Avanza for our need. He charges MYR150 per day (12 hours - anything over 6hours is consider a day). His driving skill is good and it feel comfortable inside the car during the trip. On the last day, we have a difference driver as he will be on a flight to collect his new car. While this is not advise in advance, it is still acceptable as he do arrived in the morning and advise us on the changes instead of just sending the replacement. He only collected the fare at the end of our trip. He have no issue for us to change our itinerary and very flexible as many have said

Driving in Bali itself is kind of difference you will constantly sound the car horn to notify your present. Also noted two road block during my trip where motorcycle is being stop and check for appropriate license. Local will be stop in front of the roadblock itself while foreigner will be redirected to an alley hidden from the main road

I personally think the fare is cheap - considering the private taxi (10 seaters) in KL charges between MYR100 and MYR150 for Airport transfer alone

During our trip, we're blessed with good weather and the traffic is clear most of the time. According to Arief, it is low season and normally it rain daily.

Agung Oleh Oleh
Similiar to Krisna Oleh Oleh, the souvenir shop selling fixed price item but not everyone within the store is sharing the same idea We purchased some painting and two staff working in the area approached us offering option to purchase with condition we do not notify anyone including the driver. In short, they claimed to assist the artist to get more profit.

For instant, i was offer a price of 800k for a painting listed at 1M. I will need to handover 600k to the staff and another 200k to the counter as official payment. The staff will accompany you throughout the process. When i raise my concern of being caught etc, they even offer to bring the painting to my villa when I'm ready. Honestly, the amount of saving is not worth the risk for myself but hey, it might work for other.

The environment in Agung Oleh Oleh is more comfortable to shop comparing with Krisna (too warm inside)

Sukawati art market - Such a small market. The stall inside the building is so compact and i doubt it can fit more than 1 people on the footpath. We didnt wen in any of the stall inside the building but for sure you can test your bargaining skill here and people are less aggressive even if you not buying

Lia Cafe Jimbaran
The view and food at Lia Cafe Jimbaran is good. The sunset for that moment is unbelievable

Naughty Nuri - Seminyak
Honestly, nothing to shout about. In fact i have taste better

Babi Guling - A must try Arief bring us over to some shop around Nusa Dua area. Food is good. Environment not so but still acceptable. He claimed other mentioned the taste is better and cheaper compare to Ibu Oka. Since we never try Ibu Oka, we cant compare and he himself is a muslim. But the food is indeed to our liking but the price is not cheap - likely we got slaughter by the shopkeeper they charge us 40k per plate when we checkout (considering Ibu Oka only charging 45k and the food look more presentable and larger establishment). Perhaps we should asked before ordering.

Bebek Tepi Sawah - food is good must try.

Kintamani - Perhaps it is the cloudy weather and all renovation around it. I cant consider that as part of attraction or PoI at all.

Tirta Impul Temple - worth going but please remember to bring extra clothing and towel - we forget to pack them .. also i think it worth getting the guide along as he do know where is the best spot for photo and worth paying the services or tips

Ulawatu and Tanah Lot - Both place have it own beauty but our trip to Tanah lot is less enjoyable as lot of believers praying during our visit (apparently it is a major festival or new year 2 days ago and believer is still heading over for prayer)

Lake Bratan and Ulu Danu Temple - We're told by Arief that the location is not on the way from the Ubud/Kintamani. We ended visiting the place on a difference day. Quite nice and chilling and most visitor are local. Don't forget to bring along a 50k note with the temple on it for picture taking

Personally, i consider most of the PoI is only worth visiting once.
At the moment, i'm considering my second trip to Bali in the next 12 to 24 months time and so far Jimbaran, Agung Oleh Oleh is the only place in my list









is

Hi, all im travelling to Bali next month and arriving at 10pm plus minus. May I know what is the best way to travel from the airport to Seminyak at that hours? Not planning to hire supir for now as planning to just chill around town.

Thanks in advance

1) Activate your data roaming.. (If you didnt activate you might have difficulties to access internet to order go-jek, and you might need to purchase local sim card which cost RM 70++ at airport but you can purchase the same data at local store for RM 10-20.)
2) download go-jek (grab) - should cost around RM 10-15. (If you get a cab at airport it will cut your neck around RM 50++

local informed there also a bus(kura-kura) which it very cheap as per locals comment.. unsure the drop location, you can ask around once at seminyak..

If you have malaysia drivign license for bike.. then you can rent a bike and go around.. (make sure you download the ACT in hardcopy incase the police want to minum kopi.. they will ask for IDR 500-1mil but you can pay off for IDR 50,000.. best not to keep all money in your wallet..

Should go to jemaluk beach, nusa penida, nusa lembongan and lovina beach for next trip.

Can you share total how much you spent (for how many dishes) at Lia Cafe at Jimbaran?

We opt for package but still can tell the seafood is fresh
4adults 2 children - we opt for package lia (900k) and package A (350k). We also add few
Extra drink but the package already come with some.
All price will need to add 10% tax

I think the volume is sufficient for us as the kids doesn’t eat much1

For reference (there should be menu on TripAdvisor- but the price listed below are capture in jan - just in case the menu have been updated)
Package A - 350k
Package B - 400k
Package c- 650k
Package lia - 900k

For individual item seafood -
red snapper 150k/kg
Other fish 120k/kg
Squid - 150k (grilled) 160k (crispy)

Lobster - live 900k/kg - fresh 500k
Prawn - 220-280k per kg
Crab - 250k per kg

soft drink - 10k
Juice - 30k
Coconut- 25k

Hope that help