Hi guys im back and depressed im here in stead of sitting on my sunbed at the beach getting a massage or drinking my yummy arak attacks!!!
Me and my family stayed at the Paradise Plaza HOTEL in Sanur for 11 days
HOTEL - Absolutely lovely beyond words. The rooms were lovely with cold aircon, beds comfy and room maintained daily. The hotel grounds was huge, tropical and tidy. The pool was so lovely which is long and in the middle of the hotel grounds.
The daily free buffet breakfast was also amazing. Im going to miss it. They had a great variety of hot food, cereals, balinese favorite, Pastries, fruits, juices and even soup!!!
Cant faullt the food one bit. ALTHOUGH i wouldnt touch the so called bacon. Smelt smoked and didnt even look like bacon.
It was great for the kids. Went by transfer to the SUITES one day which was lovely at the kids camp splash area with the slide. That was a fun day but i prefered the hotel and maybe the suites pool area but the pool at the hotel was just as lovely
Sunbeds by the pool, kamodo cafe attendants on standby for another arak attack or cocktails. Free towels daily too so you dont need to take towels to this hotel. Save the room for shopping
The food and drinks prices wasnt bad but i was paying $10 aud for my araks and cocktails so it wasnt cheaper at the hotel for alcohol but food is still cheap enough.
CAFES IN SANUR - Cafes and resteraunts across the road from hotel, and a KFC so we ventured out most of the times for food. Its a 5 minute walk to the beach where there are more resteraunts on the beach which was the altermate. The cocktails out of the hotel were like 40 000 on average which is $5.30 based on $7500 rph per $1.00 aud. So much cheaper.
you can get a filling meal that comes with rice and a runny chocolate dessert thing for about $2.50 aud. Spun out when i learnt that KFC and McDonalds deliver in Bali!!!
DRIVERS AND TAXIS - We used a taxi once with the metre running and the rest was drivers. Taxis were more expensive. As you step out the front of the hotel you have drivers waiting and you just barter a good price to your destination. From Sanur to Kuta we paid 70 000 ($9 aud). Paid 170000 rph for driver to safari park and that was there and back - $22 aud. So cheap.
The taxi seemed to be a bit more than drivers. All drivers we used had aircon which was lovely. Just be stern and name your price within reason.
Felt bad. worked out that my driver who waited 6 hours for us at safari park earnt $22 that day just drioving us and waiting all that time out the front. Also learnt that builders in Bali earn $50 000 rph a day which works out to be $33.00 australian dollars aweek.
So still be nice when you are being driven as they earn so little and are such lovely people. You would think drivers would be the ones making most of the money in Bali though
SAFARI PARK - Was the best. Held a baby orangutang for 3 minutes and took our own photos. They take photos and then charge you if you choose to buy their picture. Good for people who forget their camera.
You definately see the animals in their own natural habitat. went on a safari bus that drove through water with hippos in the water, it was just amazing.
We had a camel ride which are actually from Western Australia!!! for $30 000 ea. Was a different experience anyway.
They also have a fantastic pool and kids pool area which is a mini waterbom park for kids in my eyes. Was lovely and refreshing as it is warm in bali. Then went on rides which are included in entry. The only one we had to pay for was the roller coaster. was $13 for 4 people which is great and worth it.
Definately worth going there for the day. We were there for 6 hours so bring bathers and towel. Dont reccommend a big pram as you cant take on safari bus. Take a stroller as they can fold up small.
WATERBOM PARK _ KUTA - This was excellent. The slides were so much fun with the tubes. It can be a relaxing day , adrenaline day or fun day with the kids. Has a great kids pool area and kiddy slides which are all safe. The tall and steep slide - I avoided. Looked dangerous to me.
You have to pay to use their lovely looking huts with shade but we just used lockers and found a shady spot which looked safe.The sunbeds appeared taken as people would leave their stuff on them and walk of and go on slides etc. I found this annoying. I ended up waiting 30 minutes and ended up taking a ladys towel of a sunbed and put it on the bed next to me and using the sunbed. She came back 2 hours later and i told here where her towel was. She didnt seem happy but walked off but im my eyes, We all payed to go there, its extra to have a reserved area and the sunbeds were for everyone. You can not reserve them. And i did wait patiently enough.
TIMESHARE SCAMS - Please do not be upset by me putting scam for all of you that own timeshare but listen to my experience
We were shopping and before we walked in to Madahari in Kuta we were given a bit of paper to scratch. It then said we have won a choice of 3 things which included $500 cash, 7 nights free accomodation in bali at their hotel or a camcorder. We were told that we could choose our prize. Anyway they arranged free pickup and drop off so we thought, yeah why not. seemed to good to be true though. We got there and were told about a new hotel in bali and had to sit for 1 hour to listen to them about timeshare all over the world and would it be worth it for us if we travel reguarly. They wont tell you the price until afterward and only if you say yes will they tell you the price. And guess what, we didnt get to choose our prize, we had to get a star scratched at the end of it all. As expected we won the free accomodation. All in all even though we now have 7 night free accomodation for next time, there is a fee we have to pay in US dollars first for administration costs. Works ot to be $300 or something
It was a waste of time. Not reccomended for occasional travellers. Great if you have thousands of dollars in your bank and travel every year but wasnt for me.
SHOPPING - Had a ball doing this. Took $2000 spending for 11 days and ran out. Had to borrow of dad and put in my account. My partner somehow lost $300 on the first day and he didnt go with much. So i had to support him too with the kids and shop so made it hard. he went to relax, i went to shop. But he ended up shopping too. We dont live together and really took a toll on things over there
Poppies lane in Kuta was great. The exchange rate was $7500 on average. Even when i was using the atm and it was giving me rupiah notes, i worked out the exchange rate was $7480 so i was impressed.
Just remember that if you dont get it for the price you are willing to pay, there is many shops next to it that will.
Madahari in kuta was great. Got revlon foundation for $13 roughly. Got a few and stocked up. They have heaps of stuff
DVD PLAYERS - I reccommend anyone with kids to buy a cheap DVD player in bali as our hotel wanted $100 000 a day for hire which worked out to $53.00 for 4 day hire. I brought one in Denpesar for $35 aud. Once you get your cheap dvds over in bali, the kids can be happy watching dvds or adults for that matter would benifit for it for night times.
All in all to end this long story, Im going back in november with my sister to venture out some more. There is so much to see and do and I cant wait
Thankyou for reading my long post and I hope it helps others in someway. If you want to know more or have questions then dont hesitae to email me . Kelly p.s please ignore spelling mistakes!!!