HWZ Forums

sijiesg · 22-11-2009, 02:09 PM

Hi,

I am going to Bali in December for the first time. (mountain Tortoise here)

I have some queries. Hope some Bali experts can help.

1) I read somewhere about the taxi at the airport but it wasn't very clear. Can someone enlighten me? What is the safest and wun kena carrot head method to take taxi from airport? How much would it cost to take from airport to the Legian area?

2) The main shopping belt at Kuta. How big is it exactly? Orchard road size? What is there to buy and do there? Is there anything apart from wooden handicrafts and cultural things to buy?

3) Anyone has stayed in The island Hotel or The Grand Akhyati? Any reviews and comments?

4) What are the must see and must do things in Bali apart from the beach?

5) Any makan recommendations? Seafood? I heard the Jim----- (dunno how to spell) is like boat quay. Chop Tourists place. Any other places to recommend?

Will really appreciate some help.

Taengoo · 22-11-2009, 06:58 PM

i read from other post that taxi shld be... walk out the terminal.. turn right or what. flag those bluebird company taxi, they normally dress in blue, run by meter liddat. to kuta shld be less than $10 SGD

wwwsquallcom · 22-11-2009, 08:52 PM

sijiesg wrote:

Hi,

I am going to Bali in December for the first time. (mountain Tortoise here)

I have some queries. Hope some Bali experts can help.

1) I read somewhere about the taxi at the airport but it wasn't very clear. Can someone enlighten me? What is the safest and wun kena carrot head method to take taxi from airport? How much would it cost to take from airport to the Legian area?

2) The main shopping belt at Kuta. How big is it exactly? Orchard road size? What is there to buy and do there? Is there anything apart from wooden handicrafts and cultural things to buy?

3) Anyone has stayed in The island Hotel or The Grand Akhyati? Any reviews and comments?

4) What are the must see and must do things in Bali apart from the beach?

5) Any makan recommendations? Seafood? I heard the Jim----- (dunno how to spell) is like boat quay. Chop Tourists place. Any other places to recommend?

Will really appreciate some help.

1)Ya as what Taengoo said, turn right and take the blue taxi, the price are fixed, so don't worry about it.

For more tips, do look into tripadvisor website

2) Kuta is big but it is not as big as Orchard. Anyway if you are interested in Woodcraft, go to Ubud or the wholesale centre (Forget what they call it) at Denpasar, it's alot more cheaper in the centre. To me Kuta market is just like Phaattya or Phuket, after walking a row of shops, you basically see all the artcraft as the variety is pretty similar unlike in Ubud.

3) Can't comment, do look at the traveller review and picture to choose your resort.

4) Beside beach, do visit places like Tanah Lot, the terraced rice paddies, volcano Gunung Batur and Ulun Danu temple...not forgetting the spa

5) You must be referring to Sunset seafood dinner at Jimbaran, I don't think it is a good time to go in dec. 1st it's rainy season, the cloud may cover the sunset even if it's doesn't rain. If you can't enjoy the sunset while having your seafood, the food is too pricey.

Motormouth · 23-11-2009, 08:31 AM

at Denpasar, the market is called Pasar Badung, if I'm not mistaken. Denpasar is a bustling city, the traffic is horrendous at times.

We did not watch the sunset at Jimbaran Beach, but opted to go for dinner, after watching the sunset at Uluwatu. Lia Cafe's the reasonable choice, for a platter of lobster, crabs, clams, and prawns came to about SGD20 per person. The set comes with rice, vegetables etc.

JDelphiNet · 23-11-2009, 08:59 AM

Try not to miss the usual suspects:

- Tanah Lot
- Uluwatu
- Lake Bratan
- Ubud market. Arrange your lunch to be at Lotus Cafe which is near the market. Nice food, wonderful view.

If you wanna try a bit of adventure, try White Water Rafting at the Telaga Waja River. I booked ours through a company named Bali International Rafting.

You may want to consider renting a vehicle with driver. I got mine at 450k IDR for 12 hours. More info here.

:Later,

wwwsquallcom · 24-11-2009, 12:04 AM

I forget 1 more resturant at Ubud....Dirty Duck

ceecookie · 24-11-2009, 09:44 AM

Recommend this 2 restaurants - we went to Bali in 2005 and enjoyed the food & sights

http://www.thelivingroom-bali.com/
http://www.maccaroniclub.com/home.php

Westside89 · 25-11-2009, 11:35 PM

Cheap Eats (Rp 15,000 – 30,000 each)

Nasi Ayam Kedewatan @ Jalan Kayujati, No. 12, Seminyak

This place has Balinese-style Chicken Rice that can be spicier if you ask them to ring up the chili ratings. A portion of rice comes with condiments of roasted peanuts, marinated chicken and fried sayur buah nangka (jackfruit vegetables) with spices.

Warung Batavia @ Jl. Kunti, Br Bagtag, Seminyak

Goodies here include their wide variety of Nasi Campur dishes to compliment your white rice. They also serve yummy Nasi Goreng, Gado-gado and other Indonesian specialties. We especially like this branch in Jl. Kunti.

Warung Kolega @ Jl. Petitenget, No. 98A, Kerobokan

The cuisine here leans more towards East Javanese style. The spice here is more pronounced and different to the usual Indonesian fare. The Daging Redang has a different twist to it. Look out for their daily specials too which were Soto Ayam and Sup Rowan Sapi when we were there that day. Also order their cold, refreshing Es Campur to go with your tasty warm meal. This seemed to be M’s favourite warung.

Warung Ocha @ Jl. Raya Seminyak, 52, Seminyak

Look out of the red Illy sign to spot this café situated at the corner of Jl. Seminyak & Jl. Dyana Pura. Another Nasi Campur joint but also serves a variety of Western breakfast as well. A little more pricier than your average warung-prices but the quality made up for it. Lots of locals and expats come here. Great vegetarian choices too.

Warung Gossip @ Pengubengan Kauh, Kerobokan (where Paul Ropp Outlet is, towards the jail)

We finally get to try this place in our last visit, opened by French proprietors - it’s situated in a nice courtyard/garden with lovely and easy Indonesian fare to match. Organic nasi campur-style food – about Rp 50K per person including complimentary fruit dessert. 3 types of rice offered – white, yellow and brown. Also specialize in French gallette/ crepes – open for lunch & dinner.

Warung Bapu Dapa @ Jl. Dyana Pura, Seminyak

Apparently this place has the best Sup Buntot (Oxtail Soup) and we’ve not found another one that can rival this claim. Also the wok-fried kangkung, Gado-gado and other local fare are just as good.

Warung Sulawesi, 200Y Petitenget Tel 0361 7950063 (look out for blue mural wall, restaurant is at the end of the lane)

Saw lots of locals and expats walking into the lane and decided we should try and what a hidden gem! Garden setting, nasi-campur style Sulawesi delicacies. Fresh juices available, child friendly setting (has boundaries and lots of trees to keep the place cool). Rice with 3-4 side dishes ranges from Rp15K onwards, drinks Rp5K onwards. Try their local desserts – ondeh-ondeh, banana pancakes in coconut syrup and stew bananas in gula melaka (palm sugar).

Warung Italia @ Jl. Kunti, Seminyak

Italian food at warung style and warung prices. Unbelievable but true! Choose from a variety of Italian delights from Roast chicken to Lasagne, Eggplant Parmigiana, Pizza and Pastas. You’ll be spoilt for choices. It also has the cheapest wine by glass in Bali and they do delivery!

mark park · 10-12-2009, 07:10 PM

Just came back from Bali yesterday. Some info:

1. There is airport taxi service after you come out of airport main door. On the right. A kind of small shop. Does not look official, but I guess it is. It has got a list of destinations with standard price. Like to Kuta area= R50.000. To Nusa Dua=$105,000. You can walk a bit out of the airport and get your taxi on the road. Anyway, from Kuta hotel, near Matahari, I paid R21,000 back to the airport. That includes some kind of R3,000 airport fee the driver asked for. Anyway, 21K compared to 50K, really cheap. If you really want to save money, can take Bemo. But that requires a lot of Bali Smarts!

2. If you want to have nicer star at hotel in Bali, better learn how to tip the workers. I noticed some white people doing this, and the hotel staff definitely treat them better. So I guess a few dollars can go a long way to make your holiday happier.

3. Bali can be a touristy place. A bit too much for me. Some sales staff etc, only seem interested to get as much money from tourists as they can. I must go try other more isolated parts of
Bali the next time. I am sure they exist.

purplewave · 11-12-2009, 09:33 AM

have a gd trip

idiort · 11-12-2009, 12:38 PM

have a nice trip...

went once when i was young... would love to go again...

heuthye · 14-12-2009, 11:49 AM

Hi guys,

I got some qns,
Is bali as convenient as cities like BKK,KL,taipei all these? Where taxi is readily available so i can travel around during my stay?

Can I book hotels online for those u guys recommend?

sijiesg · 16-12-2009, 12:27 AM

Hey Guys, Thanks SO SO much for all the details.

As of now i am more or less set for the trip.

1 issue still lingering is... Anyone has contacts for drivers? The ones I had all seemed too ex or MIA liao..

Pls help....

sky140885 · 17-12-2009, 01:03 AM

you can try this: http://www.jmbali.com/index.php
heard a few good reviews on this agent.

Shadus · 18-12-2009, 11:20 AM

the agent mentioned is good, but price is on the steep side.

22-11-2009, 02:09 PM	#1
sijiesg Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 45	BALI Questions Hi, I am going to Bali in December for the first time. (mountain Tortoise here) I have some queries. Hope some Bali experts can help. 1) I read somewhere about the taxi at the airport but it wasn't very clear. Can someone enlighten me? What is the safest and wun kena carrot head method to take taxi from airport? How much would it cost to take from airport to the Legian area? 2) The main shopping belt at Kuta. How big is it exactly? Orchard road size? What is there to buy and do there? Is there anything apart from wooden handicrafts and cultural things to buy? 3) Anyone has stayed in The island Hotel or The Grand Akhyati? Any reviews and comments? 4) What are the must see and must do things in Bali apart from the beach? 5) Any makan recommendations? Seafood? I heard the Jim----- (dunno how to spell) is like boat quay. Chop Tourists place. Any other places to recommend? Will really appreciate some help.

22-11-2009, 08:52 PM	#3
wwwsquallcom Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 102	sijiesg wrote: Hi, I am going to Bali in December for the first time. (mountain Tortoise here) I have some queries. Hope some Bali experts can help. 1) I read somewhere about the taxi at the airport but it wasn't very clear. Can someone enlighten me? What is the safest and wun kena carrot head method to take taxi from airport? How much would it cost to take from airport to the Legian area? 2) The main shopping belt at Kuta. How big is it exactly? Orchard road size? What is there to buy and do there? Is there anything apart from wooden handicrafts and cultural things to buy? 3) Anyone has stayed in The island Hotel or The Grand Akhyati? Any reviews and comments? 4) What are the must see and must do things in Bali apart from the beach? 5) Any makan recommendations? Seafood? I heard the Jim----- (dunno how to spell) is like boat quay. Chop Tourists place. Any other places to recommend? Will really appreciate some help. 1)Ya as what Taengoo said, turn right and take the blue taxi, the price are fixed, so don't worry about it. For more tips, do look into tripadvisor website 2) Kuta is big but it is not as big as Orchard. Anyway if you are interested in Woodcraft, go to Ubud or the wholesale centre (Forget what they call it) at Denpasar, it's alot more cheaper in the centre. To me Kuta market is just like Phaattya or Phuket, after walking a row of shops, you basically see all the artcraft as the variety is pretty similar unlike in Ubud. 3) Can't comment, do look at the traveller review and picture to choose your resort. 4) Beside beach, do visit places like Tanah Lot, the terraced rice paddies, volcano Gunung Batur and Ulun Danu temple...not forgetting the spa 5) You must be referring to Sunset seafood dinner at Jimbaran, I don't think it is a good time to go in dec. 1st it's rainy season, the cloud may cover the sunset even if it's doesn't rain. If you can't enjoy the sunset while having your seafood, the food is too pricey.

23-11-2009, 08:59 AM	#5
JDelphiNet Supremacy Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 10,688	Try not to miss the usual suspects: - Tanah Lot - Uluwatu - Lake Bratan - Ubud market. Arrange your lunch to be at Lotus Cafe which is near the market. Nice food, wonderful view. If you wanna try a bit of adventure, try White Water Rafting at the Telaga Waja River. I booked ours through a company named Bali International Rafting. You may want to consider renting a vehicle with driver. I got mine at 450k IDR for 12 hours. More info here. :Later, __________________ HWZ List of Bad Buyers/Sellers/Dealers @ tinyurl.com/2ghdk7 Cheaters: evo_5555 etc

24-11-2009, 09:44 AM	#7
ceecookie Arch-Supremacy Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 9,434	Recommend this 2 restaurants - we went to Bali in 2005 and enjoyed the food & sights http://www.thelivingroom-bali.com/ http://www.maccaroniclub.com/home.php __________________ Mammon slept. And the beast reborn spread over the earth and its numbers grew legion. And they proclaimed the times and sacrificed crops unto the fire, with the cunning of foxes. And they built a new world in their own image as promised by the sacred words, and spoke of the beast with their children. Mammon awoke, and lo! it was naught but a follower. from The Book of Mozilla, 11:9 (10th Edition) Imitation is a form of flattery, thank you

10-12-2009, 07:10 PM	#9
mark park Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5	Bali Taxi & tips Just came back from Bali yesterday. Some info: 1. There is airport taxi service after you come out of airport main door. On the right. A kind of small shop. Does not look official, but I guess it is. It has got a list of destinations with standard price. Like to Kuta area= R50.000. To Nusa Dua=$105,000. You can walk a bit out of the airport and get your taxi on the road. Anyway, from Kuta hotel, near Matahari, I paid R21,000 back to the airport. That includes some kind of R3,000 airport fee the driver asked for. Anyway, 21K compared to 50K, really cheap. If you really want to save money, can take Bemo. But that requires a lot of Bali Smarts! 2. If you want to have nicer star at hotel in Bali, better learn how to tip the workers. I noticed some white people doing this, and the hotel staff definitely treat them better. So I guess a few dollars can go a long way to make your holiday happier. 3. Bali can be a touristy place. A bit too much for me. Some sales staff etc, only seem interested to get as much money from tourists as they can. I must go try other more isolated parts of Bali the next time. I am sure they exist.

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22-11-2009, 06:58 PM	#2
Taengoo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,633	i read from other post that taxi shld be... walk out the terminal.. turn right or what. flag those bluebird company taxi, they normally dress in blue, run by meter liddat. to kuta shld be less than $10 SGD

23-11-2009, 08:31 AM	#4
Motormouth Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10	at Denpasar, the market is called Pasar Badung, if I'm not mistaken. Denpasar is a bustling city, the traffic is horrendous at times. We did not watch the sunset at Jimbaran Beach, but opted to go for dinner, after watching the sunset at Uluwatu. Lia Cafe's the reasonable choice, for a platter of lobster, crabs, clams, and prawns came to about SGD20 per person. The set comes with rice, vegetables etc.

24-11-2009, 12:04 AM	#6
wwwsquallcom Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 102	I forget 1 more resturant at Ubud....Dirty Duck

25-11-2009, 11:35 PM	#8
Westside89 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 800	Cheap Eats (Rp 15,000 – 30,000 each) Nasi Ayam Kedewatan @ Jalan Kayujati, No. 12, Seminyak This place has Balinese-style Chicken Rice that can be spicier if you ask them to ring up the chili ratings. A portion of rice comes with condiments of roasted peanuts, marinated chicken and fried sayur buah nangka (jackfruit vegetables) with spices. Warung Batavia @ Jl. Kunti, Br Bagtag, Seminyak Goodies here include their wide variety of Nasi Campur dishes to compliment your white rice. They also serve yummy Nasi Goreng, Gado-gado and other Indonesian specialties. We especially like this branch in Jl. Kunti. Warung Kolega @ Jl. Petitenget, No. 98A, Kerobokan The cuisine here leans more towards East Javanese style. The spice here is more pronounced and different to the usual Indonesian fare. The Daging Redang has a different twist to it. Look out for their daily specials too which were Soto Ayam and Sup Rowan Sapi when we were there that day. Also order their cold, refreshing Es Campur to go with your tasty warm meal. This seemed to be M’s favourite warung. Warung Ocha @ Jl. Raya Seminyak, 52, Seminyak Look out of the red Illy sign to spot this café situated at the corner of Jl. Seminyak & Jl. Dyana Pura. Another Nasi Campur joint but also serves a variety of Western breakfast as well. A little more pricier than your average warung-prices but the quality made up for it. Lots of locals and expats come here. Great vegetarian choices too. Warung Gossip @ Pengubengan Kauh, Kerobokan (where Paul Ropp Outlet is, towards the jail) We finally get to try this place in our last visit, opened by French proprietors - it’s situated in a nice courtyard/garden with lovely and easy Indonesian fare to match. Organic nasi campur-style food – about Rp 50K per person including complimentary fruit dessert. 3 types of rice offered – white, yellow and brown. Also specialize in French gallette/ crepes – open for lunch & dinner. Warung Bapu Dapa @ Jl. Dyana Pura, Seminyak Apparently this place has the best Sup Buntot (Oxtail Soup) and we’ve not found another one that can rival this claim. Also the wok-fried kangkung, Gado-gado and other local fare are just as good. Warung Sulawesi, 200Y Petitenget Tel 0361 7950063 (look out for blue mural wall, restaurant is at the end of the lane) Saw lots of locals and expats walking into the lane and decided we should try and what a hidden gem! Garden setting, nasi-campur style Sulawesi delicacies. Fresh juices available, child friendly setting (has boundaries and lots of trees to keep the place cool). Rice with 3-4 side dishes ranges from Rp15K onwards, drinks Rp5K onwards. Try their local desserts – ondeh-ondeh, banana pancakes in coconut syrup and stew bananas in gula melaka (palm sugar). Warung Italia @ Jl. Kunti, Seminyak Italian food at warung style and warung prices. Unbelievable but true! Choose from a variety of Italian delights from Roast chicken to Lasagne, Eggplant Parmigiana, Pizza and Pastas. You’ll be spoilt for choices. It also has the cheapest wine by glass in Bali and they do delivery!

11-12-2009, 09:33 AM	#10
purplewave Supremacy Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 45,549	have a gd trip __________________ ****************************** "Vivere senza rimpianti"

11-12-2009, 12:38 PM	#11
idiort High Supremacy Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 75,809	have a nice trip... went once when i was young... would love to go again...

14-12-2009, 11:49 AM	#12
heuthye Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 21	Hi guys, I got some qns, Is bali as convenient as cities like BKK,KL,taipei all these? Where taxi is readily available so i can travel around during my stay? Can I book hotels online for those u guys recommend?

16-12-2009, 12:27 AM	#13
sijiesg Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 45	Hey Guys, Thanks SO SO much for all the details. As of now i am more or less set for the trip. 1 issue still lingering is... Anyone has contacts for drivers? The ones I had all seemed too ex or MIA liao.. Pls help....

17-12-2009, 01:03 AM	#14
sky140885 Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 259	you can try this: http://www.jmbali.com/index.php heard a few good reviews on this agent.

18-12-2009, 11:20 AM	#15
Shadus Master Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 3,708	the agent mentioned is good, but price is on the steep side.