Just back today from 11 great days in Bali. Was our first time and wife and myself travelled with our 3 grown up children (20, 19 and 16 yrs). Had good flight from Melbourne with Garuda, plane fully booked. Was nervous re tampered luggage so had luggage wrapped in Melbourne.
Beautiful weather on arrival and was picked up and given great welcome from the driver from Hotel Padma Bali. Loved the Padma, beautiful big rooms, great pool, amazing breakfasts and great friendly staff. Could not fault it in any way. also great location.
At the start we all found the desperation of local hawkers and sho keepers hard to take. After a few days were able to relax more and get to know them and enjoy it. Met some really good people.
Had great meals at Rumours in Seminyak, also Koris, Wayan and Friends, The Flying Piano, Living Room and La Lucciola. Rumours and Flying Piano were particularly great value, great band at Flying Piano and even got to hear Pedro play the Grand Piano. It is such a shame that most of these restaurants are nearly empty.
We all enjoyed Waterbom Park and a trip to Tannah Lot. Another great day was the bike trip with Wayan Sujana from Bike Baik. I can really recommend this trip as a great day out seeing the real Bali. Travelled thru amazingly beautiful countyside, rice fields and villages. Wayan is a great guide and the ride finished off with a wonderful Balinese meal cooked by his wife at his family compound.
Another highlight was white water rafting on the Ayung River ??? Again amazing senery and a really fun and enjoyable day travelling down the rapids for 9 kilometers. We went with a locally owned company and again can highly recommend it.
After 7 nights at Padma Bali we moved to Tangung Benoa and stayed for 4 days at the Aston Bali. What a great hotel and a great location. Big rooms, great pool and located on a lovely beach,Again could not fault the Aston or the area. Some great restaurants, Bambu Bali, Kecak Bali and La Scala were all great. The area still has shops but is no where near as hectic as Legian. The locals are great and want to talk and do not hassel you at all. I loved the area. Also is a greatt place for water sports.. Would have been very happy to have stayed longer here.
We used Wayan Merta as our driver. What a lovely fellow, really knowlegable, friendly and just good company. He has a new vehicle and was very reasonably priced.
I suppose the highlight of the trip is the wonderful Balinese people. They are amazing and we felt sad leaving them. They are doing it hard with lack of tourists but always appear funny, happy , proud of their strong living culture and just such amazing people. The only down side of the trip for us and our teenage children was that they were continually offered extecy and dope and were hassled when they went on the beach at Legian, it got to the point that they didn't want to go on the beach anymore.Very sad, but just goes to show the desperation that some people feel. We just hope that Australians will return aagain to Bali, as the Balinese said to us on many occassions " the Australians and Balinese are family"