Bali

[chitown]

Give me a list of things I should do there on a 1 month long holiday in Bali.

Give me a suggestion of one or more 5 star hotels that won't disappoint.

Tell me the pros and cons of Bali.

Any members here living in Bali?

Thanks TD members!

[Dillinger]

Give me a list of things I should do there on a 1 month long holiday in Bali.

admire the end to end traffic(rent a scooter)
learn to surf
get drunk
wear a skirt around the temples
Find nice places to watch the sunset

TBH The best thing I liked there was the white water rafting

Give me a suggestion of one or more 5 star hotels that won't disappoint.

Look on Agoda, there's loads.
I rented a villa with pool for 7 of us. The best area to stay is probably Seminyak. You dont wanna be in Kuta If you're going for a Month, do half in Seminyak and the rest in Ubud which is up in the hills

Tell me the pros and cons of Bali.

Pros
Weather
Surf
Bintang
Hot spas
Sunsets



Cons
Traffic
Aussie Kahunas
The beaches aren't what they're cracked up to be,you can't swim in many and the sand is gritty.

[Dillinger]

Here's some places to see

Lake Batur


Natural Hot Spring ? Lake Batur Bali

Tampaksiring



Tegenungan Waterfall



Waterbom Waterpark



Ubud Market


Ubud Palace



White water rafting which is amazing there with beautiful scenery



I wanna go back now

[katie23]

Nusa Dua is where the high end resorts are, if you're cashed up. Seminyak is good too - has high end, mid-range & low-end places. It's also near Double Six beach, lots of bars & restos. I stayed in a low-end place, so can't recommend hi-so ones. I agree w/ Dill, don't stay in Kuta. Kuta beach was ugly & full of plastic rubbish when I visited during xmas holidays.

There are many places to go in Bali - temples, beaches, rafting, etc. Look up Bali in wikitravel - that's my go-to guide.

There are several pic threads abt Bali here - mine, Dill's, Terry's, Neo's, KW's, etc. If you're staying for a month, you can indeed explore Ubud, Tegalalang and the mountains.

Cheers & hope you post pics afterwards!

[chitown]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Cold Pizza]

It's good to see Chitown back here.

[Neverna]

I've stayed in the Bali Hilton, Nusa Dua. It was nice. I wasn't disappointed.

[justme2017]

I can recommend some pool villas unless you are looking more for a huge resort complex like the 4 seasons.

[justme2017]

I recommend going to one of the Gili islands of you have that long. They have some nice villas there. I stayed at the Pearl of Trawangan and it was decent. If you want the height of good service maybe not up to your standards. However for the price of around $300 a night they have nice private pool villas.

The restaurant near it I believe called Kokomo was quite good.

[justme2017]

The Slippery Stone is quite a nice restaurant and a bit different than anything I have seen in Asia. It's like a Greek palace inside. It is near Seminyak.

[bnice2me]

Here's some places to see

Good information..

There are several pic threads abt Bali here - mine, Dill's, Terry's, Neo's, KW's, etc. If you're staying for a month, you can indeed explore Ubud, Tegalalang and the mountains.

Cheers & hope you post pics afterwards!

Cool information.. I just booked a trip to Bali for Christmas! Super excited as I've been wanting to go for about three or more years now and haven't.
I'll be spending most of my time in Ubud!

Any other recommendations would be helpful Dillinger or Katie or whoever else. I'll check the other threads.

[Seekingasylum]

I have yet to go to Bali but I have been put off by some close friends who said the place is ghastly and totally overrun by vacuous young folk, dodgy Brits and hordes of lower end Ockers not entirely dissimilar to the British dross that pollutes the Mediterranean in such horrendous numbers. Given I can see these folk any day of the week here in LoS I don't see the point of travelling elsewhere if the experience is to be repeated.

Is it that bad?

[chassamui]

Not really. You have to expect a few Bogans. The place is only 2 hours from Darwin. The upside is that the tourism facilities are based on fairly stringent Aussie expectations. Decent food and service are therefore required everywhere and imported Aussie beef is good value wherever you go.
Kuta is like Blackpool and traffic chaotic, until you adjust your western mindset.Drive on the left, ash.

Ubud is OK but expensive for what it is. I agree with Katie. Nusa Dua is the best place for high end hotels and resorts. Im reliably informed the north coast is just as good, but never got that far.

Locals seem very genuine and friendly with mostly good English, certainly better than the Thais. Download the Grab Taxi app in English. It's the only way to travel around there. Quick and inexpensive service which the local taxis hate because it works so well. Don't even think of hiring a car on your first visit. Grab is cheaper and safer.

Try Semenyak for busy night life and food choices, or Sanur for a more laid back vibe with decent bars and restaurants.

[bnice2me]

^^Um, I think Bali has the shitty side as you mention, but moreso in places like Kuta beach. There are some really beautiful places in Bali. Don't judge it based on one or two places. I am going to Ubud to see the countryside, and the attractions. You can hike up a mountain as well, see some amazing architecture, and go to great spas.

My best friend had her honeymoon there and the pics are out of this world.
I'd do about a week at a beach.. but not Kuta beach.. I haven't decided which beach yet exactly. I have my eye on Sanur or Seminyak. Then I'll do lots of exploring and day trips from Ubud. I also plan on doing a lot of yoga!
If you listen to everyone and don't do your research, you could miss out on amazing things!

[bnice2me]

Locals seem very genuine and friendly with mostly good English, certainly better than the Thais. Download the Grab Taxi app in English. It's the only way to travel around there. Quick and inexpensive service which the local taxis hate because it works so well. Don't even think of hiring a car on your first visit. Grab is cheaper and safer.

I have heard this! What about hiring a scooter or bicycle? Where did you stay in Bali, as you said you were there for a month? Which place can you recommend, Chass?

[aging one]

You can hike up a mountain as well, see some amazing architecture, and go to great spas.

Huh, Ubud has hills, to go in the mountains you need to be up in Kintamani, around lake Batur. Ubud is but 600 meters high, the mountains start north of there.

A big tip, book the Tegal Sari in Ubud one of the best hotels you are going to find in all Asia. Well worth the few dollars more.

[bnice2me]

Good stuff ao, any other tips or recommendations appreciated. I'll post a pic thread when I get back.

[CaptainNemo]

I have yet to go to Bali but I have been put off by some close friends who said the place is ghastly and totally overrun by vacuous young folk, dodgy Brits and hordes of lower end Ockers not entirely dissimilar to the British dross that pollutes the Mediterranean in such horrendous numbers. Given I can see these folk any day of the week here in LoS I don't see the point of travelling elsewhere if the experience is to be repeated.

Is it that bad?

I imagine anywhere with other human beings is bad for you.

[chassamui]

I have heard this! What about hiring a scooter or bicycle? Where did you stay in Bali, as you said you were there for a month? Which place can you recommend, Chass?

I stayed in Sanur with friends. Recommended. Also spent time in Semenyak and Nusa Dur and Kuta.
I rented a motorbike but had a friend do the driving. Kuta is especially chaotic.
I also cycled to Sanur beach in the mornings with a Thai friend who lives there.
As AO said, get up into the mountains proper. Theres an extinct volcano where you can buy strawberries grown in the caldera.
I'm looking forward to South Sumatra too. Higher elevations, so a bit cooler, with mountain scenery, waterfalls and tea plantations. 'Guerrillas in the mist'

[katie23]

If a girl like me listened to grumpy old men like SA, then I wouldn't have travelled anywhere. Heh...

@BN - I visited Bali for 3 days only, so a very short visit. However, I got to see quite a few places, esp during my 2nd day. A pity that the pix in my Bali thread are gone, thnx toFotofu**et. My visit there was during xmas season, so same time as yours. There were lots of ppl on holiday, esp Aussies. Most temples and tourist places were jam-packed. If you have a week or so, I would recommend 2-3 days in Seminyak then the rest in Ubud or the mountains.

Seminyak has lots of low, mid or high-end places, depending on your budget. It's also near a beach, lots of stores, restos & bars, but not as loud or crowded as Kuta. A good place to be, if you want to be a lil "downtown". I didn't stay in Ubud but passed by its market. It had lots of handicrafts & the town was quieter, more laid back.

For my 2nd day there, my friend and I hired a taxi for the day (contract price) and we went to the tourist spots. There was no Grab or Uber yet then. Re: motorbikes or bike hire, I guess you could rent one, if you're brave. A Mexican girl at my hostel did that - rented a scooter with a friend of hers & they travelled to another part of the island (east or north coast).

[katie23]

I looked at my old pix and this was my IT for my visit. I'm posting in bits 'coz I'm on fone& it's harder to type.

Day 1: arrival, walk around, rest. Spa time at Bali Green Spa. I booked it online prior to my trip - would recommend it. They arrange pick-up & drop-off to hotel.

Day 2: hired taxi, went to: Pura Desa Batuan (pura = temple or wat), Monkey Forest, The Sukarno Center, Gunung Kawi (an ancient burial place situated near ricefields), Tirtha Empul (holy spring), Rice Terraces in Tegalalang. We could've passed by Goa Gajah (elephant cave) but lacked time. Dinner at Warung Murah in Seminyak - a famous cheap resto. It's been there for ages, accdg to Terry.

Day 3: walked to Kuta beach, passed by the Bali bomb memorial in Legian. Passed by some small Puras (temples) along the way. Had a look around rhe shops in Kuta, then spent the day lounging on the beach. As far as beaches go, it's one of my worst beach experiences. During that time, the tide brings in the plastic trash from the other island and dumps it on Kuta beach. Didn't swim much, just enjoyed the breeze and people-watched. Next day was the flight back.

Hope that helps. Cheers and enjoy your holiday in December! (Hmm... I need to make holiday plans...lol)

[chassamui]

I forgot to mention that Grab also has a motorcycle service. If you are traveling alone it's much cheaper especially for shorter journeys.
Knowing Katie she would probably 'contract' one by negotiation.

[katie23]

^yes I would. Did that in Puerto Galera - contracted a motorbike taxi guy to bring me to places. Left my name, fone number & driver's name & number with the resort staff, as a "just in case". Better safe than sorry. Fortunately, the driver was a good one & I would reco him to my friends, if ever.

In Bali, I was with a friend, so we hired/contracted a taxi to bring us around. If ever I go back to Phnom Penh, I'll hire one of those lady motorbike drivers that I've read about on here. I'd feel safer with a lady driver - no issues of sexual harassment. The dangers would just be the common dangers of the road.

[bnice2me]

I forgot to mention that Grab also has a motorcycle service. If you are traveling alone it's much cheaper especially for shorter journeys.
Knowing Katie she would probably 'contract' one by negotiation.

Thanks Chass! Let me know where you'll be at Christmas or before that and if I'm in your area we can meet。
Good info katie! Pass me the number if you can !

[bnice2me]

I looked at my old pix and this was my IT for my visit. I'm posting in bits 'coz I'm on fone& it's harder to type.

Day 1: arrival, walk around, rest. Spa time at Bali Green Spa. I booked it online prior to my trip - would recommend it. They arrange pick-up & drop-off to hotel.

Day 2: hired taxi, went to: Pura Desa Batuan (pura = temple or wat), Monkey Forest, The Sukarno Center, Gunung Kawi (an ancient burial place situated near ricefields), Tirtha Empul (holy spring), Rice Terraces in Tegalalang. We could've passed by Goa Gajah (elephant cave) but lacked time. Dinner at Warung Murah in Seminyak - a famous cheap resto. It's been there for ages, accdg to Terry.

Day 3: walked to Kuta beach, passed by the Bali bomb memorial in Legian. Passed by some small Puras (temples) along the way. Had a look around rhe shops in Kuta, then spent the day lounging on the beach. As far as beaches go, it's one of my worst beach experiences. During that time, the tide brings in the plastic trash from the other island and dumps it on Kuta beach. Didn't swim much, just enjoyed the breeze and people-watched. Next day was the flight back.

Hope that helps. Cheers and enjoy your holiday in December! (Hmm... I need to make holiday plans...lol)

Thanks! Hope you got pics which I realize you can't post. I'm on my phones too , it sounds like you did a lot in three days!! I've been researching this trip for at least two years lol! It is a bit more expensive to fly to Bali compared to Thailand but it's also a bit further. Isn't December rainy season .. I hope it doesn't rain too much! What month were u there? Thanks