This is my first one. So here goes. First of all thank you to everyone for your advice. It was invaluable.
Flights: Garuda from Perth. Good food, movies and service. No problems on arrival. Quickly through VOA and Customs. Paid in Rupiah.
Hotels: Bali Ayu in Seminyak. Good clean Hotel. Staff are great. Good pool. Excellent value for a budget hotel. Taxi fare to Matahari at Kuta Square Rp. 35,000.
Yulia Village Inn Ubud. Family run Hotel. 19 rooms. Rooms quite adequate, pool small but good. Excellent friendly staff and great service. Very reasonable room rates.
Located right in the middle of Monkey Forrest Road opposite the Bali Pesto restaurant.
Restaurants: Seminyak Bembek Bali is across the road from the Bali Ayu. Doesn't look that great from the road, but once you walk in it is simply stunning. Chicken Terriyaki Rp.29,000, Tom Yang Gong soup 17,500, Nacho's 23,500, Fish and Chips 32,500.
Brown Sugar in Seminyak...Green chicken Curry Rp. 22,500, Seafood basket 49,500, Mongolian beef 32,500. Beautiful open plan dining with cool breezes. Great service.
Bonita Warung Seminyak (near Brown Sugar) Shrimp Cocktail Rp. 21,000, Nasi Goreng 17,500, Soups 15,000, Calamari 20,000
Restaurants Ubud
The Ubud that's what it is called. Salads 16,000, Tandoori Chicken 26,000, Pepper Steak 40,000, Spiced char grill fish 27,000.
Pizza Bagus best pizas and only Rp. 56,000 for 2 large delivered to your door.
Pesto has 2 restaurants the old and the new. Bakmi goreng Rp.21,000, Fish grilled with spices 25,000, Pork spare ribs 27,000
Tours
We met some people from Perth last year. They have a tour service in Bali which is run from Perth with a booking office in Ubud www.travelaboutbali.com Part proceeds from the bookings go towards funding some school projects in East Bali including the construction of toilet and shower blocks. We did one tour with their partner Wayan Sueta which was so much fun that we promised to do more when we returned, he really takes you to some interesting places . We saw what rural and village life is like for the locals without any touristy embelishments.
Downhill cycling Rp. 330,000 per person including breakfast, lunch, transfers, brand new bikes and equipment. Started at the village of Mayung and did the quiet backroads with lots of stops to sit and rest in the rainforrest and rice paddies. This was so good and a great way to see the real Bali.
Fruits of Bali walk Rp. 350,000 per person. This tour took us to the rural area's of Taman and Gunung where we saw the plantations of Coconut, Mango, Jackfruit and Paw Paws. We saw the farmers harvesting the crops and we were able to buy some fruit direct from them. In the middle of the walk you are given a beautiful lunch and then we went to the village where Gusti lived and we met his family and had a quiet cold beer and fresh coconut milk.
Shopping
Revlon and Lancome from Matahari is still really well priced.
Beads from Bali Beads House in Jl. Raya Celuk in Gianyar.
Ramayana department store in Denpasar was geat for clothes and
t-shirts.
DVD's in Kuta near the art market. The usual price of Rp. 10,000 and the more you buy the cheaper they are (buy 30 and get 11 more for free)
Art market in Kuta roxy denim shorts for 80,000
River Valley in Ubud - brand new shop opposite Uluwata Lace in Monkey Forrest Road just down the lane way Beaded evening wrap Rp. 180,000. Ribbon t-shirt Rp. 105,000, beaded singlet in various colours Rp. 69,000, beaded sandals Rp. 69,000. The thing about this shop is that I never saw anything else similar, all the designs were unique and simply stunning. The other good thing is they cater for western sizes up to about a size 16 and shoes up to 43. Huge change room with a big mirror and a seat very friendly and non pushy staff was also a bonus.
Can't wait to get back to Bali again soon.