Hello,
been back a week and thought i would post the best and worst parts of my trip. I'm 26, female and went with 2 friends.
THE BEST
Flew with garuda. Cant complain as usual, plane food delicious, choice of movies/games/tv shows. Left 20min late but no issue. Flight home was on time.
Baik Bali Tour...
Taken through balinese country side by bike, approx 26km although its mostly down hill so you dont technically have to pedal for long except to get up 3 hills. Breakfast, authentic lunch at the Wayan's home complex, informative visit to rice paddies, villages, past orphanages & schools absolutely heartwarming.
Best tour i have done on my numerous trips to bali. Came away with so many learnings on the balinese way of life, culture and religion.
bikebaik@yahoo.com also have website with same details
cost us 400 000 from kuta
Safari Park...
Great place to visit especially if you've never been to bali and would like to get up close and personal with some animals. Safari tour was just like jurassic park, minus the dinosaurs of course.
Shopping etc...
Janoko Fashion & Tailor, Poppies lane 2. (0361)753230
Had suit jackets, skirts and pants custom made. Over the moon with the results. 4 piece suit cost me 490 000
Micall's Tailor, Poppies lane 2. (0361) 753405
Janoko didnt have time to copy my dresses in 6 days so sent me here. Copied a number of our dresses perfectly, had heaps of other designs and fabrics to choose from too. From memory each dress cost about $30au including the lined ones.
Tupperware Warehouse
Jl Teuku Umar No65, A Denpasar Bali. (0361) 8422161
Prices about half of what they are in here. I took the australian catalogue over and managed to buy everything i was after.
Yanthi Clothing
Sahadewa St. No.I A (0361) 759964
Shopped here fixed price 2 years ago, suprised to find that most of the prices were about the same. Wayan has a bigger range now though. Great way to get an indication of what you should be paying for items if your new to bali.
Softcomp DVDs
Poppies lane 2.
From memory dvds were 10000 each, buy a certain number get some free. I bought 40 got 14 free. You receive a print out of what ones you purchased and if you find some dont work they are happy to replace it
Mr Dolphin Tattoo
Dewi Sartika St, Kuta Square.
Clean and helpful, show you the sterilisation details if you ask. Reasonably priced. Seem to have won numerous awards. First tattoo so it was an experience
Sarumaru Massage
Poppies lane 2
Best massage of my life there. Really is the luck of the draw which lady you get. Sorry cant remember the ladies name but she was amazing. Manicure with massage 25000, pedicure with massage 25000, full body massage 1hr 55000, foot scrub 15000, 10000 for flowers on nails. This was the only massage place that didnt have the ladies sitting out the front trying to make you come in. Was clean and had some great laughs with the staff about my holiday adventures
Food...
Ate at the usuals ive been to - TJs mexican, Poppies, Uns, Bubba Gumps, Bamboo in poppies 1, Indo National, Mades Warung, Rainbow Cafe, Warung 96, Kopi Pot was rather disappointing staff were unfriendly and was very slow but food was great once it came out.
Prices on the street.
I'm very much of the opinion that as long as you are happy to pay the final price you never get 'ripped off' on the street. No point in bartering over 50cents when they really need it more then me.
Singlets (bintang etc) 25000
Singlets other mens 30000
sun dresses 40000
sunnies 20000 - 30000
thongs good quality 40000
earrings/bracelets 5000 to 15000
tops 40000
boardies 40000
shorts dressy mens 70000
joke lighters, pens etc 20000
socks 12 pairs nike 100000
large mosaic ordaments 100000
THE WORST
They Bounty Hotel. Have stayed here twice before with no issues. Will not be returning. Tried to put us in a double room rather than triple share as specifially booked. Although when we asked for discount for sharing beds they promptly 'found a triple room'.
included breakfast was very average. Went over to rainbow cafe for breakfast most mornings instead.
I'm covered in a blistery rash (still 4 days later) from what i can only deduce is from the chemicals in the pool. Main pool was murky, seemed to have a film on top and there was always rubbish floating in it. Would probably be better if the drunks at the pool bar actually got out of the pool to use the toilet at some stage during their drinking session. Friday night party there just fuels their disgraceful behaviour, its not the traditional balinese show that they used to put on a few years back. I'd have to ask how many of them would strip naked on stage for skulling competitions at home or if they just do it on holiday.
Bounty Day Cruise
Built into the price of our package, $95us
Compared to the bali hai day cruise i have been on twice it was like chalk and cheese. Dirty toilets and changerooms, all japanese tourists, about 8 sunbeds and no other space to lie down and relax. Rusty and old looking although they are renovating at the moment. Really tailored more to their nighttime party cruises than a day time cruise they tried to pull it off as. The buffet lunch was delicious though and snorkelling off the pontoon was beautiful as usual.
The best definatly made up for the worst, booked to go back in march, staying at the ramayana hotel this time as most of the ones on my list to check out while i was away are already booked out
cheers