Travel & Holidays Bali hacks

Is Soul in a Bowl still there?

 

No idea...its been 2 long years since I've been. Used to eat at Batujimbar most nights.

 

I'm in Bali right now... 5 days Ayana and now into Day 4 Grand Hyatt.

 

Can you prove it by posting a photo of you in the pool holding a cocktail and giving the peace sign wearing a Bintang singlet

 

I dont wear Bintang. when in Bali .. I consume it

 

Then show us your Bintang belly then?

 

Bagus and enak!!!

Still no Bintang bellies.

 

Friends of ours are going to Bali in July and said price of hotels were at least 20-30% higher. Some even more.

Looking at them on Expedia etc, I tend to agree. Not sure what the hell's going on - I thought the bulk of tourists were still MIA.

 

Majority of demand has been domestic for the past year, at least February, when Aussies and Kiwi's could start heading there again - but it was still a pain. Very limited flights coupled with long quarantines made it a waste of time for the most part.
In March flight capacity increased but you still needed to do PCR testing before hand and again on arrival....
Now there is additional flight capacity and they have just dropped all the PCR requirements
And of course- July and August is Northern Hemisphere vacation time so Nusa Dua and Canguu and Seminyak will now have loads of Eastern Europeans returning. Australians wont be the only tourists beyond this month .... and Kuta womt be the only place thats buzzing again. Plus - it's HIGH season 3rd week of January - right after Chinese New Year is always the best deals.

 

Yeah despite the fact its approaching the traditional peak season, I expected overall tourists numbers to be down, say half or less what they've traditionally been....guess not.

 

Do not ask for any recommendations from a taxi driver ..they will take you to tourist traps .. no matter how nice taxi drivers may come across!!

Do not do any water sports in the ocean .. decent ones are way too expensive and others are all borderline scams or really really poor quality. Read Google reviews for everything you do.

- Get local taxi/delivery app (Grab) and use it extensively to book/order stuff
- Find tours from Airbnb (much higher quality local tours and experiences though a bit expensive)
- Order massages at your villa (can be done through Grab app) for almost same price as outside massage places
- Find people to come and cook for you at your villa instead of eating out (again ask around and it’s very cheap like $20 per meal including ingredients)
- Get all your vaccines/shots done before you go
- Take plenty of mosquito repellents, coils from Australia

 

Which is why I find high hotel prices confounding. Maybe there are many conferences in Bali at that time...who knows?

Still though if its quiet, best time to go I reckon. I haven't seen Bali the way it ought to be since the 90s.

 

I think the numbers are definitely still down, but I also think they expect the Northern Hemisphere summer season to be big and want to get back to seasonal pricing .

Rent a car. It's dirt cheap. It's easy to get around. The traffic may look initimidating but it's not. We always rent a car and move to and from our hotel base daily. It's far and away the best way to do things

if you are intent on being that frugal, you may as well drop some sand in your Sydney backyard and stay home. Why not just enjoy your holiday?

 

Lol. May as well just stay at home.

 

Hi, I’m looking for some guidance on our first trip to Bali.

We’ll be going with our friends, we’re late 30s with kids 3-5 year olds. We’re thinking June or Sept 2024.

What would be a suitable area and time of year to go?

Thanks!

 

Best time to go is May-Sep. Best area- well that depends on what you want to do there? There’s a lot of adventure activities in Bali, like trekking, diving, rafting.. or do just want to go there and relax by the pool? There’s also things like cycling in the country side, coffee plantations, yoga retreats. I personally like to split my time between Legian/Seminyak and Ubud. Ubud is a great base to do all the adventure stuff, plus it’s close to the rice paddies and coffee plantations, and a great place to relax and meditate. The city is on the slower side.
Legian/ Kuta/Seminyak is great for shopping, bars/clubs, eating out.. it’s fast paced.
Check out the trip advisor forums- they have good suggestions on possible itineraries, where to stay, tours etc.

 

Nusa Dua or Sanur are probably the best choice with younger families as the resorts offer smaller crowds, far less pollution etc... Nusa Dua is the most private. Sanur offers a good amount of privacy mixed with local villagers . BUT, neither offer the Bali sunsets as they face East. If you want sunsets , either jump in a car around 4 and head over to places like W Bar @ Seminyak or Rock Bar @ Ayana or Jimbaran beach for seafood , or just stay in Jimbaran or Uluwatu. They face west , but arent anywhere near as bogan or crowded as Kuta, Seminyak and Canguu , which you may find far too busy/loud/crowded with 3-5 year olds. Any time of year is good. Truly. It's 30-32 all year round, but NOV- JAN can get rainy afternoons with wet season. Budget wise, huuuuuge range . backpachers to Bvulgari/Mulia/St Regis/Karma Kandara/ Anantara

Some places to consider if budget permits ....

El Kabron Bali

https://finnsbeachclub.com/

https://seminyak.potatohead.co/

Sundays Beach Club - Uluwatu Bali Beach Club Bar & Restaurant

https://www.fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay/dining/restaurants/sundara/

Savaya Bali - Home - www.savaya.com

Your Last Day in Bali with AYANA | AYANA Hotels, BALI

everyone should visit here at least once in their life - The Cafe - International Buffet Restaurant | Mulia Bali Nusa Dua

Shotgun Social | Sanur’s First Beer Garden | 16 Draft Beer Options

Koral Restaurant | The Apurva Kempinski Bali

Canna Bali - Wondrous Hidden Gem in Nusa Dua Bali

OMMA Day Club

https://www.thecavebali.com/

Worth visiting if only for the Gelato - https://massimobali.com/

https://www.bali-zoo.com/