Flag of Indonesia from Wikipedia. Photo author AWG97.
Advice regarding Bali:
Are you thinking of a holiday or honeymoon in Bali?
What is so wonderful about Bali?
Aromas
Nearby:
The aroma of the tuberoses in the lobbies of the larger hotels and buildings.
The rose petals on the steps leading to temples and shops.
Distant Views
Admire views of stepped rice terraces. High Hindu temples.
What is so wonderful about Bali?
Aromas
Nearby:
The aroma of the tuberoses in the lobbies of the larger hotels and buildings.
The rose petals on the steps leading to temples and shops.
Distant Views
Admire views of stepped rice terraces. High Hindu temples.
Music And Dancing
Now, what of the people. The plaintive and exotic gamelan music comes from musicians sitting on the floor.
Dancing
Girls and couples in gorgeous costumes perform dances. The woman have high head-dresses and spread their fingers.
Shadow Puppets
I like action. Read up the stories in advance.
Music concerts
Great for a short while. My musical family can sit for three house listening to a concert of gamelan music. To me it is a great atmospheric background music to a meal, but three hours sitting on a low seat listening to all the same music, no tune to sing to, is a waste of time - I would rather talk to my companions.
The buildings with open sides and open roofs so the vegetation and sounds of the birds are all around you. Magic. The architecture imitates the traditional temple style.
Where should you go and when?
Let's take a quick look at the map. The airport, Denpasar, is in the South, south of Kuta.
Denpasar
The capital is not a top tourist attraction. However, the museum for the arts festival is on the East side, and an upmarket tourist area on the East coast convenient for the festival is Sanur.
Kuta
West of the capital, Denpasar, is Kuta, a beach area, a good place to stay. On a somber note, see the monument to the Bali bombing.
Nusa Dua
The popular and busy beach area is near to Denpasar, Nusa Dua, but more remote, in the south. Nusa means island. Dua means two.
Language
Now you know two easy Indonesian words, dua, for two, like dual carriageway in English, or a duo, or a duet for two singers. T and D are similar sounds. Two and Du. Nusa Dua, which rhymes, means two islands. Nusa contains the letters n and s and so does the word island. If that memory aid is not enough, you might also think of a circular island, shaped like a noose, with a bridge linking it to the mainland.
Sports
The island is volcanic and the black sand beaches are in the north. Climbing groups climb the two volcanoes in the north: Choose from either: Agung in the West with three little lakes and a temple or two or more; Batur, the big lake on the East.
Water sports include scuba diving.
Ubud
The expensive hotels are in mountaintop Ubud in the middle, hotels on clifftops with infinity pools where you seem to be swimming to the edge and looking over the cliffs to the valley and other cliffs opposite. Similarly, restaurants have spectacular views.
Homestays
Indonesia also has small homestay places where you get to stay in somebody's house with breakfast on a tray at bargain prices. Fresh fruit. Lovely.
Cheap Restaurants
Little restaurants give home cooked food. Watch out for crumbs or you will soon have lines of ants.
Temple - Tanah Lot
On major tours, Tanah Lot, a temple on a rocky outcrop, (which was crumbling and at vast expense has been restored with a clever imitation of the real rocks). The name is in the local Balinese language, but most Balinese are bilingual and speak Indonesian. The entry price of Rupian 60,000 (about 5 US dollars) is usually not included in tour prices. The entry price for children and locals (who earn less) is lower.
From a distance it looks romantic and remote. In late evening you might get a silhouette pictures. However, by day it can get crowded and you might also be surprised that the walkway to the temple is lined with souvenir stalls. If you are with a group, this photo stop will take longer than you thought.
Advice On Locations
Let's take a quick look at the map. The airport, Denpasar, is in the South, south of Kuta.
Denpasar
The capital is not a top tourist attraction. However, the museum for the arts festival is on the East side, and an upmarket tourist area on the East coast convenient for the festival is Sanur.
Kuta
West of the capital, Denpasar, is Kuta, a beach area, a good place to stay. On a somber note, see the monument to the Bali bombing.
Nusa Dua
The popular and busy beach area is near to Denpasar, Nusa Dua, but more remote, in the south. Nusa means island. Dua means two.
Language
Now you know two easy Indonesian words, dua, for two, like dual carriageway in English, or a duo, or a duet for two singers. T and D are similar sounds. Two and Du. Nusa Dua, which rhymes, means two islands. Nusa contains the letters n and s and so does the word island. If that memory aid is not enough, you might also think of a circular island, shaped like a noose, with a bridge linking it to the mainland.
Sports
The island is volcanic and the black sand beaches are in the north. Climbing groups climb the two volcanoes in the north: Choose from either: Agung in the West with three little lakes and a temple or two or more; Batur, the big lake on the East.
Water sports include scuba diving.
Ubud
The expensive hotels are in mountaintop Ubud in the middle, hotels on clifftops with infinity pools where you seem to be swimming to the edge and looking over the cliffs to the valley and other cliffs opposite. Similarly, restaurants have spectacular views.
Homestays
Indonesia also has small homestay places where you get to stay in somebody's house with breakfast on a tray at bargain prices. Fresh fruit. Lovely.
Cheap Restaurants
Little restaurants give home cooked food. Watch out for crumbs or you will soon have lines of ants.
Temple - Tanah Lot
On major tours, Tanah Lot, a temple on a rocky outcrop, (which was crumbling and at vast expense has been restored with a clever imitation of the real rocks). The name is in the local Balinese language, but most Balinese are bilingual and speak Indonesian. The entry price of Rupian 60,000 (about 5 US dollars) is usually not included in tour prices. The entry price for children and locals (who earn less) is lower.
From a distance it looks romantic and remote. In late evening you might get a silhouette pictures. However, by day it can get crowded and you might also be surprised that the walkway to the temple is lined with souvenir stalls. If you are with a group, this photo stop will take longer than you thought.
Advice On Locations
One frequent visitor says:
"Don’t stay at Nusa Dua, the resort strip on the east coast of the Bukit (that’s the southernmost blob on the map of Bali). Reason is that although it’s very nice it isn’t near anywhere else i.e. airport, Kuta, Denpasar, Ubud and the north, some or all of which you should try to visit. It may not look far, but traffic in Bali is quite slow (which is part of the charm)."
Trip Timing & Festivals
Your timing is good if you can be there during the annual Bali Arts Festival runs 16th June to 14th July this year (2019). The main events take place at the arts centre in Denpasar, the capital.https://www.hellotravel.com/
Music And Dance
You should go one afternoon/evening and catch both a dance/drama and a gamelan concert. You will be excused for then thinking that once is enough, but none is not enough.
Sun Protection And Mosquitos
What about being on the beach? Is it dangerous?
Take sun cream and mosquito repellent. If you cannot take it in hand luggage, then double wrap it in a spill-proof container in your main luggage, or budget to buy it on arrival.
Australian sun is more dangerous than the tropics, because of the hole in the ozone layer caused by the ingredient (later replaced) once used in refrigerators. However, posters in hospitals in Singapore show the effects of skin cancer, so take it seriously.
You can buy clothes designed to keep out the sun's rays and insects, as well as hats which have both brims at the front and neck cover at the back.
Bedrooms in hotels often have mosquito netting around a four poster bed which looks romantic but is there for a practical purpose. Keep the bedroom door shut and close or overlap the curtains around the bed.
After showering or swimming, re-apply your anti-insect creams.
Health And Water
Take out health and travel insurance.
Pack some over the counter medicines including sticking plasters.
Drink bottled water from bottles with sealed caps, or boil water.
Clean teeth with bottled water.
Wash and cut up your own fruit and vegetables. Avoid plates which have just been washed with visible tap water.
Wash your hands regularly.
Carry hand sanitiser or make your own using bottled water.
Planning, Packing and Clothes
What is the dress code? For Hindu temples you need button up shirts for men; covered shoulders and upper arms for ladies, full length trousers, not Bermuda shorts or shorts.
Even if you were not planning a temple visit, your guide or tour might change the itinerary or include a stop at a temple. If you are on a tour, you are likely to stop at a temple. A lightweight cover up would be handy. Also consider trousers which zip off to convert to shorts.
Sarongs to cover up are handy in many situations. These range from temples to restaurants with air conditioning. Indoors and outdoors, in some places you want protection from insects and mosquitos and too much sun.
Carry clips or brooches with a fastener to keep scarves and sarongs securely in place. Or sew on ribbons to tie your sarongs in place. Practise the ways to tie a sarong.
Some temples worldwide require a top with sleeves and ban strapless tops with just scarves because the scarves keep slipping off and are a distraction.
You may also have to remove shoes when entering temples. So quick-release shoes are handy. I take a spare pair of slippers and a bag for shoes which are wet or dirty or sandy from a beach or puddles.
Getting Around
If you hire a scooter, make sure you have helmets for driver and passenger.
If you hire a driver guide, the person taking your booking probably speaks good English. Make sure that you are passed over to a driver whose English accent you can understand.
Travel
The national airline is called Garuda. A garuda is a mythical winged creature.
An old-timer recalls: "At one time I think Garuda was banned from Britain because they had some accidents. But that has changed now. You have lots of choice of carriers."
The national airline is called Garuda. A garuda is a mythical winged creature.
An old-timer recalls: "At one time I think Garuda was banned from Britain because they had some accidents. But that has changed now. You have lots of choice of carriers."
I am a frequent flyer on the award winning Singapore Airlines so I always like them and hold them as my standard.
Happy Holidays.
Accommodation
Airbnb
Just b and b, no distractions nor temptations.
Booking.com
By using booking.com which also offers hotels; you can see how much money you are saving comparing to hotels; and hotels if no b and b in that area.
Health
https://www.covermore.com.au/blog/travel-tips/bali-belly
Travel, Airlines & Events
Garuda Indonesia
https://www.covermore.com.au/blog/travel-tips/bali-belly
Travel, Airlines & Events
Garuda Indonesia
Low cost carriers
Air Asia
https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-best-low-cost-airlines-2018/
Flight Comparisons
skyscanner.net
traveloka.com
singaporeair.com
visitsingapore.com
indonesiatourismboard.com
https://www.hellotravel.com/
Useful, detailed advice on centres and safety.
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bali
Flight Comparisons
skyscanner.net
traveloka.com
singaporeair.com
visitsingapore.com
indonesiatourismboard.com
https://www.hellotravel.com/
Useful, detailed advice on centres and safety.
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bali
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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