Hello! You guys are very informative, very very helpful! I have heard of the Jimbaran for seafood, I will be gong there the following month, wondering what are the villas you guys would recommend? I have six pax travelling

On my second day in Bali, currently staying in Ubud and will transfer to Kuta tomorrow.

First day wasn't anything special. Touchdown and left the airport at 4.00pm. Went to Malioboro to bite something, quite good but not cheap ya. 1/2 ayam telur asin = 70k, tahu telur = 34k, juice (freaking good) = 28k/29k.... + 10% tax + 5% service charge. Reached Ubud at around 6pm and went to Ubud town at 7pm for Bebek Bengil (Dirty Duck) - 1/2 duck = 92k but we didn't order it. We opted for Nasi Campur Bebek (74k) + Nasi Goreng Special (46k) instead.

Today (second day), day trip to Kintamani (Sari Restaurant buffet 100k per person) + Coffee Farm (Luwak coffee = 50k), Tampaksiring Temple, Tengalalang Paddy Rice Field, Dinner@Nuri's Warung (Pork Ribs = 90k - highly recommended! + Satay Babi = 40k). What I feel bad about today's trip are those "entrance fees": Kintamani 10k per car and Tegallalang 5k per person. Our driver said those are a must but we do not feel good about this. Any comments?

Yes their version of toll

hi all...seeking some advice, i will go to Bali on january next year..i will travel solo and this is actually my 2nd time in Bali...Any recommendation for 3d2n backpacking style activity?i'm not going for water activity or hiking, just sight seeing and capture beautiful scenery photos around Bali beach ...thx in advance ..

Hi,
I've finally done my first Bali trip with my galfren.
Spend 1 Nite in Fave Hotel Seminyak and another 4 nites at Legian 101 Kuta.

We rented a manual transmission Avanza for 6 days for RM50/Day.
Since it's manual I let my galfren drive We drove without an international driving license and never get caught.

The traffic is horrible. A 25km journey may take 2.5hrs and there are a lot of motorcycles that just ride in the middle of the road while some trucks just hoard the fast lane. And the latest Open Source Map I downloaded is crap. It leads me to a few wrong places, eg. Naughty Nuri on both locations are totally wrong. I wasted some time and 60km travelling distance. Parking is almost impossible at Seminyak and Kuta, but I have no problem looking for a spot while visiting the temples. Parking rates ranges from 2000 IDR to 5000 IDR. Toll to some places is about 3000 IDR, but to the airport is 10000IDR


Eat,
Starbucks - They are everywhere. We did 6 Starbucks in 6 days due to the Hot weather. It's like a weather shelter for us. The one at Ngurah Rai airport is located at the Domestic terminal and have to walk some distance from International terminal. Don't forget to get a local Starbucks card, we get buy-1-free-1 for every Frappuccino. Reload value is 100000IDR each time. Starbucks Ubud has one that is facing a lake. It located near Oka Babi Guling. Beautiful. Prices range about 57000IDR

Coke Cola- Ranges from 4200IDR at Bintang Supermarket in Kuta, 10000IDR at convenience stall, 25000 at restaurant.

Bintang Beer - Their local beer, 20000IDR at Bintang and 25000IDR elsewhere. Taste very light but good to chill you down on a hot afternoon

Made's Warung Seminyak- I went to this warung twice after reading trip advisor. Ayam Totoo seems to be their signature dish. Good but not great. The Seminyak branch have better ambiance and more relaxing compared to the one is Kuta. Go to the Seminyak branch.

Naughty Nuri's Ubud - Pork ribs. We got lost after following Open Source Map. It leads to 2 branches, Kuta and Ubud. Both shops are non-existence at the location and we wasted many hours driving. We have to ask around to get to the correct shop at Ubud. It is near the Bridges restaurant. The ribs are super good. We did this shop twice. The second time we drove 2.5 hours from our hotel in Kuta and return trip 2 hrs back to hotel. It's worth it.

Poppies Restaurant Kuta - We walked into Poppies cottages and it was a beautiful chalet. Walk further down the alley to their restaurant. 'Rice Platter' is a must try. I love it. Cost 220000 IDR plus plus for 2 person. It's sort of like a Balinese food sampling platter and satay ALL-IN-ONE. It has very relaxing setup and quite romantic.

Bebek Dengil Ubud- Was told that this is the best Dirty duck restaurant where bookings need to make 1 day in advance. We drove into this place to make a reservation after getting lost looking for Naughty Nuri's. We parked at the convenience stall next to it, only to be told by the security "Mintak duit rokok" if we park there. We left and leave our car to the Bebek Dengkil jockey service. We got a nice cabaña for 2 person with the back facing a paddy field. Beautiful and romantic setup, but food was so-so. Go for the ambiance.

Ibu Oka Babi Guling, Ubud - We did the one in the mansion called Branch 3. The setup is very spacious. We ordered their special not realizing that the babi guling already finished. As we eat, a kind Chinese Indonesian couple customer sitting next table asked the staffs why there wasn't any babi guling skin. They were told that it was already sold out but there were a few pieces left. The couple asked for it and pass us some to try.

Lia's Café, Jimbaran - Candle light dinner by the beach. Good seafood at an affordable price. We took set 3 with lobsters, prawns, clam, crab, vegetable, rice, and 2 Bintang. If you go early, do get a table closest to the beach. If you go at 8pm and later, it is advisable to get at least 3 tables back. The reason is, while we are there eating, the tide rose and the first table customers were splashed. Not a fun thing when you have to move after half way into the meal.

Stay,
Fave Hotel Semiyak - Clean, and comfortable. Friendly staff but hardly speak English. Breakfast variety were limited. We got a pool facing room and it was okay. Small rooms but enough. 5mins walking distance to Seminyak main road where all the stoppings are located, and 700meters to the beach.

The Legian 101, Legian - Love this hotel. It's right in Kuta town main street. Walk 1km to the beach and Beach Walk mall, short distance to the Bali memorial and pubs. Breakfast varieties are very much more. Staffs can speak very good English, Starbucks and ATM are just right below the hotel. The pool party are fun with loud music, but turned down after 10pm. ATMA spa is excellent, 3hrs for RM120. High security hotel with bomb check on cars droved in, and bag check before allowing to enter hotel.

Visit,
Beach Walk, Kuta - New malls with cinema at Kuta beach. Lot's of Asian eateries on the top floor including Char Kwe Teow.

Uluwatu - Temple next to a cliff. We watched Kecak dance here right before sunset. Watch the dance for the experience.

Bedugul/Bratan - Drove uphill to visit this temple by the lake. Calm lake with nice scenery photos.

Pura Ayun - A simple temple with pagodas in various height. Can skip if you are tired of visiting temples

Tirta Empul - Temple where people baths in holy water. It's nice to take a dip on a hot day

Tanah Lot - Bali signature photo location. We took lots of photos here. We were told to make a donation, and clean with holy water before allowed to walk up the rock. When we walked up, we were told that the temple is not for visitors. It is advisable to walk to another side of the temple to the right where there's a hole under the bridge leading to a smaller temple. Sunset photos are much nicer here

Pasar Seni Sukawati - An art market. We over paid RM60 for a small piece of wall hanging art.

This post has been edited by stinky: Oct 11 2013, 09:40 AM

I ROFL reading the bold part. Just like me, if manual my gf gonna drive, because i have not driven a manual car 13 years ago

So RM50 per day for car rental, how much u paid for your petrol?

I paid rm75 full tank on PERTAMINA Premium. Lasted me 6 days covering most of the temples. Each temple is less than 34km from Kuta. Its the traffic that sucks the petrol.

Yea. But its not really that bad traffic compared to KL where can go stand-still for 10mins without moving.

Oh ya, coz u didnt travel out of KUTA and Ubud. If u were to visit kintamani or bedugul, i think need more petrol budget.

Erm, while going to Ubud, we encountered 30mins stand still. Not moving at all. But it is due to a large truck from opposite direction jammed up the road. So it took me 2.5 hrs to do Naughty Nuri and 2 hours back. And we actually drove quite daring and cutting slow vehicles and trucks

I covered Uluwatu, Bedugul/Bratan, Pura Ayun, Tirta Empul, Tanah Lot, and Pasar Seni Sukawati by driving.
I didn't cover Bekasih after reading about the extortion for money by the temple people.

Stinky, thanks for your detailed post above. Your personal insights into your Bali trip made it very informative and I laughed at the GF driving the manual too .

I didnt encounter stand still. Just stop move most of the time. Even in kuta town. But really going for holiday but got caught in jam ....

Hi, will be going to Bali on the 9/11-12/11(4D3N), 2 persons, staying at Royal Bali Beach Club at Jimbaran Bay. Just have a question, roughly how much money should I prepare for transportation,food,spa,souvenir,entrance fee and some miscellaneous?
I have read most of the post shared but still have no idea (as some of the post was posted 2-3 years ago)
Thank you peeps! Appreciate your reply! =)

Hello..sinve there a lot of nice place in bali, can you all suggest the best place for honeymoon?..i'm sure there a lot but which one you think is the best( for those who has an experince)..

Can someone share A good driver in Bali? I'm heading there today. Planning to ask him if he's available for booking. 6d 5n trip with my lovely wife for honeymoon. Thanks in advance

usually the driver will take package tour.
350k /day min of 2 days.

Uluwatu temple
Tanah Lot
Both during sunset.

if u can ride a bike.
rent a bike. start planning your route.

im going there in december.
ill be renting a bike and get lost there
got my route set up to uluwatu and tanah lot (thats a must for me to go everytime)
might as well catch barong dance too. (again and again)

haha

No more 350k Lo. After petrol hike recently. I heard the hotel driver that sent us to the hotel said the petrol hike in September was 120% this time. I already booked Arief's friend for a day trip. I'll update again after the trip with him.

I got my driver with 350k per day and free airport transfer to Kuta.

Quality-wise, it's so so but it's among the cheapest I could find.

If you guys going to stay in Ubud then try to get a room at Tegal Sari, it's good and it's facing paddy field too! I stayed there during my recent visit to Bali last month.



Super Deluxe Room (600,000 Rupiah + 10% tax)



Super Deluxe Wooden Room (600,000 Rupiah + 10% tax)

Verdict: Tegal Sari is a lovely place to stay in Bali; great location, impeccable service, spacious and clean rooms, friendly staffs! Do make your reservation in advance (at least 6 months in advance) as their rooms run out pretty fast.

P.s: Here’s the good news for Tegal Sari’s repeated guests: during our stay at Tegal Sari, new villas and rooms are under construction which I believe are going to be ready soon, so do keep an eye on it!

You can read more and check out more photo at my blog here : http://bit.ly/tegal-sari

This post has been edited by saimatkong: Oct 18 2013, 08:40 AM

My previous visit in May 2013, i stayed the same room as yours hahaha..
No regrets, if i were to go Bali again definitely gonna stay in Tegal Sari unless i choose not to visit Ubud.

Also they provide free shuttle service from hotel to any place right up to the bridge after Ubud palace. So if you wanna go anywhere just ask they to drop you