It always amazes me how quickly some of the reports are put onto the forum - informative and entertaining without missing a beat.
My teenage daughter and I had first visit to Bali July 2009. I was so full of it on my return that I had great plans to write a report - but just didn't get around to it. So I took my Bali virgin hubby last month and here goes first report!
We live across the ditch and its no mean feat for us to get to Bali - Aussies are sooh lucky with your quick jaunts and special airfares, esp Perth people. It makes me sob.
We live in kiwi land boondocks so it's a 3.5hr car ride to airport or a $400+ return trip from our provincial airport. Either way we have to stay overnight (like airport hotel) to shuttle over to airport at 0420 for 0700 flight with Pacific Blue. If you arrive 20 min later the queue stretches out into the public walkway.
The money exchange lady grudgingly gave me some $NZ100 notes after asserting that Bali will not change them to Rupiah and wished me luck! She was cheeky & wrong!
We booked an 8 day package with local TA in January - mainly because I wanted a guarantee of a decent room having checked out umpteen hotels the year before. So off we went with 26kgs of luggage between us. Flight with Pacific Blue to Brisbane went well, used Aussie $'s & credit card on the flight. Then a decent 2 hour stopover in Brisbane - went through in-transit check and had the wand over me, pat down body search and another thing that searched for explosive residues - good to know that we're being looked after if you know what I mean. Anyway, hightailed it up to Duty Free, to stock up on our 1L of alcohol per person. Can't bring any alcohol from NZ if you go through Brisbane - its confiscated if its in your hand luggage.
Virgin flight from Brisbane to Bali went good (credit cards only and you can take snacks that you buy in the airport). On arrival in Bali (3pm, 22 July) 12 hours after departing Auckland, there were 12 queues, 1000+ people (we counted), 30 degrees and an inadequate number of passport control officers. Anyone arriving with all the other afternoon carriers should bring a little camp stool and a good novel, because we were in there for 3 hours!!!!! Naturally we chose the slowest line. The VIP service seemed to be in full swing but we toughed it out. Finally, after our sweaty welcome I showed hubby how to swoop down on our bags and sweep ourselves out to the taxi service as we took our first big breaths of Bali. The airline fuel, taxi & scooter exhaust fumes mixed with the humidity didn't quite cut it so we saved our next big breath for Legian.
Just a tip for the kiwis that get hit with transfer fees (my TA got $120 out of me last year for this) - it is so easy to use the airport taxi set prices. Buy small amount Rupiah at airport before you leave NZ. Return taxi cost us less than NZ$20 all up.
Taxi to our hotel in Legian from airport was Rp60,000.
Arrived Baleka Beach Resort. (NZ$67 per night for Superior room) This Hotel is a block away from the beach. There is a dodgy narrow alley access down by the Niksoma Hotel to get to the beach or you can just walk along Jl Padma Utara & try your luck through the beachfront hotels. We stayed in new rooms upstairs - quiet, nice big bathroom - no bath tho' but had a courageous drain that always worked hard to prevent the usual floor overflow - short showers did the trick. Clean towels and crisp clean white sheets everyday. Older Superior rooms on ground floor have day rooms with day bed, 2 TV's and a bath. Very nice. Brand new Deluxe rooms on ground floor same as superior but have a kitchen and day bed area. Room prices vary depending on the usual myriad of things but for us kiwis the deal will be in a package trip.
Building works temporarily block the rear Baleka access to Jl Padma Utara but the new dining area & pool bar look pretty spiffy with white leather seating. The reception area off Jl Werkudara (prev Jl Bagus Taruna & well known as Rum Jungle Road) has the Courtyard Hotel on one side and the Baleka Boomerang Bar on the other.
We hung out with our NZ friends in the Legian area with couple of excursions down to Discovery and Poppies 2 and a tour into the mountains (Kintamani Volcano) with a driver via Batik Center, Celuk Village (silver crafts), wood craft villages & Ubud. Tour highly recommended.
MEALS:
Mama's German Restaurant: Jl Legian - soup nothing special, slow service. If Germany win semi final and final (soccer) patrons get to share cask (30L) beer on the house.
Flying Piano: Jl Werdukara - join the singing trio. Great fish meal and Arak Madu's.
Yutz's: just along from Flying Piano: Stick to reg food - steaks and fish.
Blue Ocean Bali: On beachfront. Great seafood, cooked breakfast, love the art, good Arak Madu's, Free WiFi.
Lanai: By the Blue Ocean Bali. Go upstairs ,top views & breeze. Great burgers and fries.
Tommy's: Jl Werdukara (Rum Jungle Road) good cooked breakfasts, rolls & juices.
A little local restaurant next to the Padma Medical Clinic (start of little lane that goes down toward Niksoma Resort) off Jl Padma Utara, the best pizzas, meat a little tough in the curry tho'.
Ku De Ta - beachfront Seminyak, all the taxi drivers know it. The best venue for lolling around in on those huge day beds - had cups of tea and berroccas!! Even went into ocean!
BinTang Supermarket: Jl Legian, Seminyak: always good for snacks and fruit, crackers & cheese. Two nice cafes and a bread place in same square.
Mr Honeyman has stall round here too if you're after prescription glasses - make appt and he comes to your hotel.
Mug Shots café: Jl Padma Utara, just a couple of shops before the Circle K minimarket, great oz run café (coffees & cakes) with free wifi and two apple computers upstairs to use.
SPA PLACE:
Not one for spa's etc BUT did the 1 hour foot reflexology & leg massage at Carla Spa (opposite Mug Shots Café) in Jl Padma Utara for Rp45,000. Fantastic value in air conditioned comfort. Thanks Lynne for intro to this - our NZ Bali Veteran friend. There is the fish tank front of spa for giggling gerties to have their feet nibbled.
SHOPPING:
Usual Places mentioned on forum:
JANOKO Tailor - Poppies 2: 3 tops, 2 skirts, 2 shirts, 1 long pants total cost Rp725,000.
Abit pricey for me & I supplied half the fabric. Only the shirts were well made the rest were shapeless and baggy & pants too tight to wear. Disappointed.
Got last 2 dresses made by suit tailor in Jl Werdukara (Jl Padma Utara end) - did awesome job and hubby well pleased with his white suit Rp700,000.
KETUTS - Jl Sahadewa (aka Garlic Lane) usual frenzied buy up of shorts, t-shirts for the boys and material shoulder bags, and a dress. Love the set prices, same as last year. I found another shop selling similar and more variety clothing esp for the more mature lady. Its called:
OKA shop & tailor - Jl Werdukara (prev JL Bagus Taruna) about 50m from Baleka Resort entrance heading towards Jl Legian. Owner called Ketut. She's happy to sell at Ketut's prices too.
There is a bank just before OKA that had the best exchange rates open till 9pm weekdays.
The rate varied 6100 to 6375 when Aussie got their new female PM.
Us poor kiwis have to work hard when negotiating with our $ as worth less than Oz $.
SHOES YANTO - Just before bank & OKA, #22 Jl Werdukara. Stumbled on this place to find it is super popular for latest trends in leather boots & shoes for males & females.
FRENCH LEATHER COLLECTION - Garlic Lane, fantastic label grey soft leather bag made for daughter from magazine picture Rp430,000. Really well made, very happy.
MIRA SHOP - Jl Padma Utara, opp the coffee shop and tattoo place - made 2 pairs of fantastic leather boots for teenage daughter from internet pictures. Rp550,000 each. Well pleased with the result. Would use again. Very busy little shop.
Have change at the ready when haggling for sun glasses Rp25 - 35,000 and watches Rp35 - 45,000 and be prepared to walk away. This year street vendors seemed more aggressive and more than once got hemmed in by 3 or 4 other vendors laughing at my feeble attempts to stick to what I thought fair - why buy when you can pay less at home..
Sort out DVD prices before you touch them - I got stung & verbally abused by the guy when I said his price higher than set prices elsewhere, he screamed after me down the street when I didn't buy them. I only shopped with my friends or husband after that upsetting episode.
DENTIST -
NZ friend arranged to see the dentist for 4 implants to replace their dental plate:
Dr Indra Guizot in Denpasar. They went in on Friday for initial treatment and back on Tuesday to finish the job. No pain, no hassle, looked natural against other teeth. Well pleased. $NZ1350 each.
Enjoyed Baleka Hotel, staff very helpful & pleasant, rain twice at night, overcast & humid but blue sky last 3 days. TA successfully prepaid prearranged late checkout 6pm, bags stored while we went out for dinner then bluebird to airport super early 8pm! At check in the computer said we had been booked to fly out the night before, no worries, if we wanted they could squash us onto Sydney flight leaving in an hour with 2 hour stopover instead of the Brisbane flight leaving at 0020hrs with a 12hour stopover! (the price of cheap flights and early bookings). With no hesitation, we hopped on Sydney flight and arrived Auckland 4pm NZ time, cancelled hotel and drove straight home in time for corrie st. Awesome. Planning for villa next year and bring two newbies with us.
Yikes, excuse long report but hopefully helpful hints for the kiwis amongst us & thanks to forum comments that helped us plan our holiday. Priceless.