Bali Honeymoon tips.tricks

[zideman]

Hey guys, I have an exciting trip for two weeks in Bali. We went through a travel agent and have a lot of stuff planned pretty full itinerary. Surfing, hiking, temple visits, beach days. Staying in Monkey Forest in Ubud for the majority and the second half will be in Jimbaran Bay. I was looking for any tips/tricks or anything else that you wouldn't have known without actually going and experiencing it and maybe you had wished someone had told you? I've familiarized myself pretty good with customs in Bali. Maybe pointers for shopping, getting around, good restaurants or weird foods I should try. I love experimenting and getting fully into a culture and its food and drink. Thanks!

[BonitaApplebum]

Was in Bali in March. I was really impressed with how great and affordable the food was. The best restaurants, comparable to most any fine dining you'll find at home, would run the two of us $50-$70 US. This is delicious, full three course meals.

My favorite restaurants were Sarong in Kerobokan and Chez Gado Gado in Seminyak. You'll want to make reservations as soon as you arrive. Sarong especially was booked solid every night, for good reason.

The Living Room in Seminyak is probably the nicest restaurant setting you could hope to find. Food was quite good, but on the more expensive side. The whole place is lit so beautifully though, it was a nice experience.

Have a great time!

[BonitaApplebum]

Also, I don't know if you've considered it but I highly recommend hiring a private driver/vehicle while you're there. It wasn't too expensive and the convenience of having someone who knew the island intimately and worked completely around your schedule is fantastic. Our driver knew where the tourist traps were and also which money changers were honest. He took us to where the locals shopped so we could get our souvenirs dirt cheap.

It was also really nice to not worry about finding a ride home after dinner when it was late and dark and we weren't entirely sure where we were. Same with visiting some of the temples for sunset.

If you're interested, let me know and I'll send you the contact info of our guide. He was fantastic.

[zideman]

hiring a private driver/vehicle while you're there. It wasn't too expensive and the convenience of having someone who knew the island intimately and worked completely around your schedule is fantastic. Our driver knew where the tourist traps were and also which money changers were honest. He took us to where the locals shopped so we could get our souvenirs dirt cheap.

^^This is helpful, we got in touch with our travel agent and we have one scheduled for most of the trip. Thanks for pointing that out. Hopefully ours will be as helpful with avoiding traps and finding trusting places.

Aslo, thanks for the restaurant tips.

[summer69]

i have a good bali driver and tour guide, his name is KRISHNA

he is a humble and patience driver tour guide , he is very helpful he help me before and during the trip , he has a good driving skill, and good knowledge in tourism because he learned a tourism hospitality management before ...and a friendliest guy tat i ever met , i can guarantee in 5 minutes he can be your best friend

his price is very cheap than others only 35 USD for the whole day trip

his site : http://balitourdrivers.webs.com
email : krishna.bali.driver@gmail.com

he took us go to see the real bali's life and their uniqueness cultural ...and amazingly white water rafting in the wild river , yummy local food ...we re so happy with his service

[mauslick]

been to bali many many times over the last 22 yrs.

kuta beach is the epitome of tourist surf ghetto (it didn't used to be like that years ago)
be prepared for traffic in the southern peninsula area.
be respectful when out in the water you're not going to be surfing alone
keep any reef/coral cuts very clean dont' use tap water to rinse off use the bottled water, keep clean amd covered with antiseptic cream. the dirt there has lots of knarly stuff in it
sunscreen lots of it and high spf
drink tons of water, it's deceiving there, humid hot sticky, but you de hyrdrate rapidly especially if you are drinking alchohol speaking of which be very careful drinking the local arak (arak attack) seems to bring out the crazy in people
don't touch people on top of the head (local culture)
you can eat very inexpensively, any sit down restaruant with foreigners is over priced
taxis are cheap but it's hard to get anywhere with the traffic
at the monkey forest, hold on to everything they are sneakly little bastards
now days most people you run into are from other islands, a lot are javanese
if their names are wayan, ketut, gede, made (there is one other) they are balinese
karma is a belief of the hindu people, I ve seen lots of karma paid back to disrespectful foreigners in the wierdest ways and not neccesarily human paypack, just wierd things happening to people
be prepared to bargain/haggle over everything (aside from restaurants) avoid buying at a place that has 'fixed prices', it's part of the culture but make if fun and they will love it. "my boss won't let me sell at that price" you " my boss won't let me buy at that price" point to your wife/husband...........
on the good side the balinese culture and the people in general are very kind and friendly and for the most part a joy to be around...........it's sort of sad to see what's happened to the island over the last 20 yrs..........but the ants find the honey and swarm it...........
have fun

[eddiefury]

i'm leaving for Bali in a few days..super excited! my first trip out if the country in a looong time!
OP.. how was your trip?? any must do's?

we're staying in Seminyak, Ubud and Nusa Dua.

Also laying over in Singapore for a night..anyone been and have a recommendation to do/eat, etc..?

[RacingManiac]

I went to Bali and stayed in Nusa Dua area as a kid when I was still living in Taiwan. That beach back then was mostly Private and occupied by the big international hotel chains. Kuta on the otherside of the Pennisula was the popular public beach with most of the backpacker, surfer, tourist. I also recommend the hiring of private driver(not just for Bali, but elsewhere in Indonedia as well), not expensive and they usually know where to take you. It also helps tremendously since my dad speaks the language. They do like to barter a lot and never pay the asking price if you are buying local gifts(silverware is popular)...Also one thing I learn as a kid, when you are in those kind of shop, don't point, as soon as you do you are swarmed by shop workers trying to sell it to you...

I love the local fruit selection in Indonesia in general, even something as simple as Mango has like a million different kinds and they all taste different...

We also took a daytrip one time to Lombok island next to Bali, back then(this was probably in 93-94) it was relatively undeveloped compare to Bali with I think 1 big western hotel chain opening a location there. Be warned though eventhough the ferry was a fast ferry(30knots) and relatively big(4-500 people) the sea was pretty rough and I got pretty sick...

Enjoy Bali, I really want to go there again as an adult...

[canucker]

i was just in Bali a few weeks ago. we only spent 4 days there as we had a concert in KL to attend. i absolutly love Bali. we stayed in kuta at the Bakung Sari hotel for about $30 US a night. kuta was great i love there "Bingtang circles" which is just a whole bunch of locals with coolers and fridges selling Bingtang beer and water and pop. if you go to Kuta look for Jimmeys Bar right infront of the turtle conservation office. it gets a good crowd in the afternoon and if your lucky they will do a baby turtle race. this is where about 100+ people get a baby turtle and they have a race to see whos gets into the water first.

im going back in a bit just in the Philippines now

[rockhog]

kuta is the biggest ****hole in that region
the further you stay away the better time you'll have