In Reply to: agree posted by sueand kids on Tuesday, 7. February 2006 at 21:40 Bali Time:
I lived in Indonesia as a teenager(many years ago), but never went to Bali(although I had been to Bangkok several times, which I loved). Returned to Indonesia two years ago to visit Bali and Phuket for the first time. I stayed mostly in Candi Dasa and went to many places(including Amed)in the eastern part of Bali, and thought it was incredibly beautiful.As I had a onward ticket to Phuket after my three weeks in Bali, I hated leaving, fully expecting to hate Phuket. But I got lucky and met some people in Phuket (I stayed in Kata and Patong with trips to Phi Phi and other deserted isles), and was taken around the island, and ended up liking it. I still favor Bali because of the visual; people dressed in traditional dress going to ceremonies, the bamboo "flags" along the roads, the roadside furniture, stone sculpture, geegaw shops, plus all the temples everywhere and I really liked hiring outrigger canoes and finding secluded nice beaches near Candi Dasa...Phuket seems more modern and developed, and I agree the beaches are great, but for me Bali has the edge for feeling like one is in a very exotic place.