In Reply to: Might not be a taxi rank/site there but posted by gecko on Sunday, 16. August 2009 at 06:36 Bali Time:
As Whoopee & I discovered to our great surprise in June. We went by Bluebird to Echo Beach from our villa at Tamu Seseh, had a few drinks there & ended up eating at Sol next door, which was much quieter & more pleasant. Good food, too. When we wanted to leave we asked the staff to call a Bluebird. When the taxi arrived the drama started.
The driver mafia was out in force. Our poor small cabbie was surrounded by numerous large intimidating men telling him in no uncertain terms that taxis are NOT permitted to collect diners from that area - that they are the ONLY ones permitted to do so. No doubt because they charge much more than a Bluebird. Whoopee & I were most upset, our taxi driver was visibly shaking - obviously very frightened. Eventually, and it was at least 10 minutes later, he was allowed to take us home. He was one very upset young man, hadn't been driving for long. NOT a good end to an evening we had been looking forward to. Of course we tipped the taxi driver generously.
Also, there is a similar group of drivers outside La Lucciola where we went for our (quite disappointing) birthday dinner. But at least there you can walk for a small distance & pick up a taxi.