Just returned yesterday after 8 days in Bali. Had a great time, nice weather (not too hot, breezy most days) with a little bit of rain.
We were me, hubby and 2 x boys 3 & 5yrs. Also went over with us (but not with us!) hubby's grandmother and friend. Although they were there same time as us they were going to do their own thing but maybe catch up occasionally (they are 60 & 70yrs).
FLIGHTS: Flew with Air Asia and they were great! These were the start-up special $87 return flights and we had no complaints whatsoever. Flew out from Perth at 4.50am - on time. Booked Row 4 and was lucky to get Row 5 as well as no-one in it so we could spread out.
Immigration cards all handed out in-flight for us to fill in before landing. I took cereal for the kids as they didn't list anything like this on their website but they did have it on board to purchase so next time wouldn't bother taking. Menu prices very reasonable. Pay in rp or aus. I didn't think the seating was that cramped as previously stated. Have flown most of the budget airlines from Perth and this was by no means the worst.
On arrival in Bali we got off at an ?airbridge straight into terminal but on way out we were bussed out to plane.
Despite inconvenience of getting up at 1am this was a great time to get to Bali. We were thru VOA within 5mins! Of course our luggage was some of the last to come off the plane (I think we were among the first to check-in). Paid in US$. Guests who arrived at our hotel in pm said they'd been in airport for 2 1/2hrs so I'd much rather leave home earlier and avoid that unpleasantness with the kids!
HOTEL: Stayed at Febri's in a family room and hotel was great. Rooms are huge and clean. First 5n we were on 2nd floor. Not too much of a hassle with the steps but you wouldn't want to have any difficulty climbing stairs etc.. Large empty fridge to put your stuff in. Shower over bath. About 30 TV channels including 3 kids channels. Didn't need to hire a DVD player as there was always something for them to watch.
Food at hotel was a bit average but passable. B/F was buffet and perfectly adequate with egg station.
Staff all lovely and nice guests. They allowed us to store our luggage in luggage room o/night whilst we went to Safari Pk which was great.
NB. originally booked at Bakungs Beach Cottages but upgraded to Febri's about 3wks before we went for the family room. Nan stayed at BBC as booked. We went and had a look. Obviously budget but looked ok. You get what you pay for. Their B/F was only 1 egg, pce toast and slice bacon. No kettle in room. Only Balinese TV channels. Basic, but for $38 p/rm a night ok. We would have struggled to get the 2 kids in the room though so glad we decided to move.
Stayed at Safari Park for 1n in Kifaru 2brm room. Really beautiful place to stay and lovely room overlooking the pool. Dinner at Lion Restaurant a bit average but B/F was a buffet and very nice. Well worth the money to stay there.
Back to Febri for 1n. First room offered was 3rd floor which I asked to be changed. Then gave me a room on the ground floor which was great. New plasma tv on wall, corner bath - looked like spa but wasn't. As our flight wasn't till midnight asked for late checkout. 1/2 day till 6pm was US45. After that you pay for whole night US90 which we did. Would have been too hard hanging around with the kids with nothing to do. They gave us free transfer to airport on way out.
RESTAURANTS:
MINI - Always have seafood here and VERY NICE as always. Don't seem to get away cheap here, usually ~500-600K I think but always nice. Have meals for kids here too and staff are lovely.
YUTZ'S - Had lunch here. It was really good. One of our best meals. Had dinner here previously & wasn't overly impressed but lunch was BEAUTIFUL. I had a salad. Steaks were very nice. Frozen margaritas great!
SA CAFE - Food was very cheap here and all tasted very nice. I had satay and whilst it was very tasty I'm afraid to say I had trouble enjoying it after unfortunately seeing a small rat run into kitchen (and not back out again!). Whilst I'm sure this happens alot over there I just couldn't enjoy it after seeing that before the food came out, my satay certainly tasted fresh! A shame as the meals all looked & tasted good and was VERY cheap.
BUBBA GUMPS - Very nice meal, good kids meals and the kids liked the atmosphere there.
TEPPANYAKI - Hadn't heard of this before but went on recommendation from BTF. BEAUTIFUL food cooked in front of you. Could have eaten here every day quite happily. 100k for 4 of us incl. drinks. It is on 2nd floor at Carrefour down the end and also one at Matahari in Denpasar apparently. Highly recommended!
TJ'S - Have been meaning to go here for Mexican last few trips but just haven't made it. What a mistake! Really nice food and great margarita's. Lovely setting. Went twice and will go again for sure.
DEWI SRI - decided to try for a change instead of Mini. Only thing going for it really was the chilli mud crab. Wouldn't go back for anything else. Squid was like rubber and no kids selections other than fries. We will stick to MINI in future.
BIKU for High Tea - What can I say other than BEAUTIFUL!!! Delightful high tea served on 'Old Country Roses' dinnerware. Was really lovely. They also do a kids high tea. Next time I will go without the kids so I can really enjoy it (little boys and delicate china don't mix - I couldn't relax for a second but I was determined to enjoy it). It is up towards Seminyak, same area as Kudeta. They have a website: bikubali.com with all their menus etc.. Very reasonably priced.
SHOPPING:
Matahari's - got some good clothes for the kids here.
Tuppaware shop - Got a few things here, about 1/2 the price of home. Alot not the same as ours - same same but different!
Big Boys Toys - bought a remote control helicopter for our son. ~200AU which I'm told is about 1/2 the price as home. As stated here, they don't have alot of stock but worth a look if you're interested in that sort of thing. Located in Poppies II, just next to Barong hotel driveway at the back behind money changer. BTW - changed 2 lots of $200AU there and no trouble.
Garlic Lane - I don't think I've discovered this before. Hubby says I have been down there but I don't remember. We usually stay in Tuban end so it would have been a while ago. HEAPS of the metal animal wall hangings all the way along here. Got a large gecko for 75K - that was his 1st offer and very reasonable so didn't try to get him down. Heaps of different choices the whole way down tho so worth doing a walk first as their were lots of different choices. I was going to go to Sita Fashions but didn't bother after this.
Johnny Andrean- Got my hair done here at Discovery Mall. Cut, colour, wash and blow-dry for ~$40AU - 340K I think it was. Alot of colours out of stock but happy with end result. Took about 1 1/2 hrs. Febri's salon wanted 600K just to colour so very reasonably priced.
Laundry - Got this done at Ricky's next door to Green Garden. I always write down what I've put in and this turned out to be a good thing as 5 items were missing (I won't tell you what other than to say normally I wash these things myself!). I also had a couple of someone else's items. I didn't check washing till after 9.30pm and then realised, I reckon I would have forgotten without my list. Hubby went back as they were closing. They couldn't do anything then but told him to come back at 10am next day. Turned out fine and they were able to track down the items so I was relieved.
SAFARI PARK - Stayed 1n booked thru Agoda. Included park entry, safari tram, B/F & 15min foot massage. Have been to park for day trip twice before but was well worth the money for a night. By the time you pay the entry fee (35US now) you may as well stay. Had a great time. Some confusion and alot of emails re: transfer. Said we couldn't catch free shuttle bus and had to pay US10 for car t/fer. Of course, that's not too bad a price in the end but turns out they never charged for it (and I didn't ask about it). Arranged cake for dinner for my son's b'day and this was 50K for small cake which was very reasonable. Checked in about 12.30pm. Wandered into park mid-pm, you are free to come and go into park as you like. Was great to do the tram tour around 3.30pm as all the animals in the safari were very active at that time. Previously been in am and they were all sleeping. Highly recommend the night safari/zebra feeding tour. 10US each and didn't charge for 3yr old. They take you out for 1/2 hr in the jeep and you feed carrots to the zebra's thru the window. Great experience and the kids loved it. The animal they brought to lobby at dinner was a big elephant you could go out and pat and have photo with. This was around 7.15pm. Pity it wasn't the baby but I think he's a bit hard to control - like a naughty little toddler! Still preferred elephant to iguana or snake that others have mentioned.
B/F was great. Opens at 8am and try and be here by then as that's when they released the lions out - not 8.30 like they said. We just caught them at 8.05am. I think 1n was enough for us. Was great to go into the park before anyone arrived and feed baby elephant for quite a while and watch the keeper playing with him and first to see baby lion when he came out.
TURTLE ISLAND - This was a great excursion and many thanks to jerryatric for their help and advice with this. We went from Tanjong Benoa - leaving about 9am across to island. Fed fish on the way and then arrived with many, many throngs of Japanese. You have to walk thru shallow water to beach. The guys were great carrying/helping our two boys. You are allocated a guide whilst there and this was really great as he guided us through all the throng to see everything. Lots of turtles obviously and many other lizards, birds and a snake that can be held. Kids really enjoyed the whole experience, especially the boat trip.
DEPARTURE: Left on 12.30am flight. Highly advise getting there 2 1/2 hrs early. Extra security checks or just more people flying means there are lines everywhere. FYI - Air Asia check-in was at Counters 1 - 3 (it wasn't up on the board), we had to wander around looking for it. After x-ray machines go around to your left. Virgin check-in is around to the right side down the end.
Very quick and efficient check-in. Had booked Row 17 for way home. Seating is 3 x 3 and I'd booked A,B,C & D. Once on plane discovered spare seats next to us in E & F which as brilliant as kids could spread out. We were very lucky as there was infants in arms in rows ahead of us and they weren't allocated a spare seat for them. Lots of people spread out up back tho. Plane appeared to be maybe 3/4 full. All flights on time and friendly staff. They do keep the lights on the whole way so I recommend eye shades if you want to sleep!
Used Dewa lounge before flight. 100k each and kids free. Usually use Prada but had a look and it was pretty full. Dewa wasn't too crowded at all. Hubby thought food was better at Prada but I thought they were about the same.
Long queue to get thru last security check but they called our flight forward to go through so listen up! Wasn't very loud and they didn't hang around. We got on 2nd bus and it went pretty quick so don't dawdle-I don't think they'll wait (maybe that was why there were spare seats on the plane!)
Good flight home although 3yr old woke up a bit testy towards the end. I was last off plane with him, last thru immigration (after picking up our new friend 'Jose' in duty free) and collected our lonely bags on the carousel. Much better taking our time as we avoided the whole luggage scramble/line-up for customs downstairs.
Quick check of our bags by quarantine (they were their usual less than friendly selves, always a pleasant welcome home!) Showed him the small amount of wood/food I had. Asked if we had any photo albums etc etc.. no, so they let us through with no xray of luggage or further checks. Out within 40mins of landing which is alot better than the last time.
Home to drizzle and cooler temperatures! Bought Jose a couple of friends so we can try and replicate our new found friends at home!!
Counting down to our next trip - a real short one to Sanur in November. Haven't stayed or been there before so looking forward to seeing the difference.
Thanks for reading! : )