In Reply to: White Water Rafting- questions. posted by mrsxtro on Wednesday, 4. March 2009 at 12:02 Bali Time:
and with my job, i have looked at a number of different rafting companies in Bali.
ultimately, you are gonna get what you pay for. if you pay a super cheap rate, then you have to question just why is it so cheap?
have they compromised on equipment?
some companies use inferior locally made rafts. they rip on the rocks, and the handles tear off.
have they compromised on guides?
some guides are not fully qualified to run rafting trips. you are entitled to have the use of guides who know the river. ask the company if they actually do an initial trip in the morning to check if the river is clear (i know of only one who does)
do they provide an excellent lunch, or just a basic one?
some companies give only basic nasi goreng or mie goreng. after all that work, you will be hungry, so you will want a great lunch.
do they provide return transfers?
you dont want to have to provide your own way there and back (but i think all companies DO provide this).
do they REALLY have international insurance, or it is just local, and not worth the paper it is written on? beware, ALL of these companies in Bali MUST be insured. if you are injured on ANY activity in Bali, you should be able to use their insurance, NOT your own travel insurance.
some companies i have looked at, and some of them are mentioned on this thread, are downright dangerous, and i would not put my family on their trips.
in my opinion, the only two companies i would even consider for WWR is Bali Adventures (the original WWR company) and Sobek (i think they started second).
these two companies are passionate, and know the river that they are working on. they take care of their guests, and they know their stuff.
cost wise, they may be a little more than some of the others, but when doing an adventure sport, i think that safety is the number one issue here, and for the sake of an extra few bucks, i would rather have everyone coming home safe after a wonderful day.