Background
Three ladies (7th trip, 4th trip and 1st trip after 23 years) on a girls holiday. If you have five star tastes you may not agree with our recommendations.
Flight
We flew Air Asia on the evening flight from Perth. Interesting boarding procedure. ON arrival at the departure lounge, we were sent straight on the plane and not in seat order. Food and drinks (non alcoholic) could be bought for a small price on the plane (cheaper if prebooked and served first). Could pay in dollars or rupiah and change given. Limited change carried so you may end up paying a bit more. No entertainment could be hired. Seats narrow but comfortable.
Verdict - Would definitely fly again and save money for other things. Landed 20 minutes early in Bali and early in Perth. For those who cannot possible go without alcohol for 3 ½ hours, then this is not the airline for you. They do check you are not drinking your duty free. Recommend booking seats near the front as three planes landed in 10 minutes and we were at the front of the VOA queue.
Febris Hotel - clean three star accommodation with nice pool and pool lounges that were not prebooked the night before. Buffet breakfast included and was fine. We like this location.
Verdict - Would stay again. Avoid booking holidays for end of Ramadan as streets were busy were jammed and long delays.
Food
Ate at the Febris, Kin THao, Pantai restaurant and Daddy's Café. Could eat at all of these cheaply (dishes starting at 30 000). All of these are in the Jalan Kartika Plaza area. Also ate the Teppanyaki at Carrefour (25000 and highly recommended)
Verdict - Would eat at all of these again. Save Febris for when too tired to go out, go to Kin Thao for yummy Thai and to check out the toilets, Daddy's Café for its mix of pasta, burgers, kebabs and Balinese food and to Pantai for the beachfront views at cheap prices. Pantai would be good at sunset but is very popular now so don't go for a quick meal.
Pandora Beads
Many shops in Jalan Sahadewa (Garlic Lane) sell them. Silver Instinct sold the most variety on this street. Jewellery shop at Bali Rani Hotel had better quality beads. An Australian lady brings some over and copies them.
Verdict - Take your empty Pandora bracelet and try each bead on to see if it screws on. Sort through the beads as some are better than others. Would buy from Silver Instinct again and look at Bali Rani (don't get good vibes about her sales technique). Would try Perlu on Jalan Laksmana and bring old gold to have a few made at the jeweller recommended in Denpasar.
Tupperware
Jalan Teuku Umar No. 65A Denpasar Closes Sunday and at 5pm other days. Bought 6 items at less than half of the price in Australia.
Verdict - International brand and good quality. Would buy a few pieces next trip. Awkward to pack but light. Fill with clothing and bits and pieces. Combine with a trip to Ramayana and catalogue is on line.
Rudy Art and Biarritz
Jalan Sunset Road11 Seminyak, Rudy Art is a stone centre. Lower floor has water features and bigger items. Second floor has small items such as bathroom accessories, dishes, and incense holders. Heavy for their size but tiny prices.
Biarritz is next door and belongs to the Geneva group. Fixed price items at very low prices. Range of goods too numerous to list. Both stores are high on the shopping list.
Other Shopping
Shopped at Carrefour, Makro, Centro, Matahari, Ramayana and various well known fixed price market stalls.
Verdict - Would not shop at Makro again as range has changed and Carrefour suits our needs better. Have a look at Centro, more western tastes but expensive. Matahari and Ramayana are better priced. Will always start some shopping at Tootsies, Jennies, Dianne's fixed price stalls and then use these as a price guide to spread my money around other stalls.
Treatments
Febris Day Spa (reasonably priced for the great surroundings), little salon on Jalan Padma Utara and Johnny Andrean Salon at Centro.
Verdict - nice to have a treat in plush surroundings at a reasonable price (Febris), also good to have an unplanned stop when the feet are tired and pick the closest local salon and would also visit Johnny Andrean Salon ( but is a franchise so profits are not local http://www.johnnyandrean.com/servicesalon.html ). Would return to Chill Reflexology from a previous visit.