First time trip to Bali

amerste

Hoping for some travel tips. Four adults wanting to visit Bali 2011, wanting to stop over 1/2 nights on outward and inbound journey any ideas of best/cheapest places, what's the best time of year to visit and which part of the island is the best. We normaly stop A/I on the first visit to anywhere new, do we need to?:question:

Bob_the_Saver

amerste wrote: »

Hoping for some travel tips. Four adults wanting to visit Bali 2011, wanting to stop over 1/2 nights on outward and inbound journey any ideas of best/cheapest places, what's the best time of year to visit and which part of the island is the best. We normaly stop A/I on the first visit to anywhere new, do we need to?:question:

LOOK AT THE VISA FEE's! $25 even for 1 night (From a few months ago)

https://www.tunehotels.com (2 on Bali)

My advice, don't bother with Bali. The main beach areas are a MacDonalds and the Hard Rock cafe by the sea NOT swaying palms and golden sand,
much of the sand is black when you get away from this area and it's nothing special there.

Incapuppy

I can't help but wonder if Bob the Saver has visited the same Bali as I did?

Bali is stunning. I spent two weeks there at this time last year, some general info here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/34966507#Comment_34966507

I would personally not bother with AI, some guides to general costs (as at 09/09) here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2236545

The easiest plans for stopovers would be to initially use the hub for the outwards flight - Kuala Lumpur (and onwards) with Malaysia Airlines, Singapore with Singapore Airlines etc but Bali can also be twinned with the likes of Bangkok and Hong Kong using the likes of Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, or for budget options check out Air Asia from Stansted to KL and onward connections from there.

Check out Trip Advisor info and Bali forums for masses of useful info.

Pollycat

Incapuppy wrote: »

I can't help but wonder if Bob the Saver has visited the same Bali as I did?

Bob the Saver certainly hasn't visited the same part of Bali as I have, Incapuppy - unless it's changed drastically since Sept 2007.

We've been 4 times since 1995 and always stayed in Sanur.
Which resort has the MCD's & HRC, Bob the Saver?

Although the beaches aren't pure white talcum-fine sand, they ARE mostly golden - with the exception of Lovina area in the North which is volcanic and of course is black sand.

I'm not sure if it's me but the link provided by BTS doesn't give any information on Bali. It just takes you to the Tune Hotel home page.
If you search for Bali, it brings up 1 hotel in Kuta (which is the Aussie equivalent to Benidorm for us) and 1 in Legian.
Although we usually visit Kuta, we wouldn't choose to be based there.

amerste
Incapuppy has given you lots of suggestions re a stopover.
I think BTS has maybe misunderstood and thinks you want to stop in Bali for only 1 or 2 nights, whereas I read your post as you want a stopover EN-ROUTE to Bali.

The last couple of times we've been to Bali, we flew Malaysian so stopped on-route in KL.
We just had a couple of hours wait before the onward flight to Bali.
But, we have visited quite a few of the Far East cities (KL, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok) so we didn't want a stopover.

I'd also second the non-All-Inclusive option.
In Sanur there's lots of places to eat all sorts of different cuisine and it's pretty cheap.

Tripadvisor is a good place to gather good information.

Moonchild

Well to be fair, there is a Hard Rock and Maccy D's in Kuta. But Kuta is to Aussies what Ibiza is to us. Avoid with a passion.

I love Seminyak & Jimbaran and not so keen on Sanur myself.

And I don't get why people get so upset over black sand beaches (racist sand? ) - there are some lovely beaches on the north coast which as mentioned are volcanic in nature.

But you're only doing 1/2 nights, why bother? The Visa Fee is a rip-off. You won't get to see outside the main areas, you'll miss all the fabtastic places away from the South.

But if you do go, don't go all inclusive. It'll be dire, reheated Europeanised / homeogeonised rubbish. And you're depriving local restaurants and bars and people. And it's dirt cheap to eat wonderful food out.

Bob_the_Saver

"Which resort has the MCD's & HRC, Bob the Saver?"

Kuta - Right by the beach, for a 1/2 day stop-over probably many peoples destination unless they 'know'

Pollycat

Pollycat wrote: »

amerste
Incapuppy has given you lots of suggestions re a stopover.
I think BTS has maybe misunderstood and thinks you want to stop in Bali for only 1 or 2 nights, whereas I read your post as you want a stopover EN-ROUTE to Bali.

Moonchild wrote: »

But you're only doing 1/2 nights, why bother? The Visa Fee is a rip-off. You won't get to see outside the main areas, you'll miss all the fabtastic places away from the South.

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

"Which resort has the MCD's & HRC, Bob the Saver?"

Kuta - Right by the beach, for a 1/2 day stop-over probably many peoples destination unless they 'know'

OK. it would be good if the OP can confirm whether he/she intends to visit Bali for a length of time in excess of 1-2 days and the reference to 1-2 refers to a stopover EN-ROUTE to Bali OR if the stay in Bali is going to be 1-2 days.

Bob the Saver
The OP asked which part of the island is best, therefore they are doing research and would eventually find out that Kuta is very popular with the Aussies and has a MCD & HRC by the sea.

Imho, for you to just say:

The main beach areas are a MacDonalds and the Hard Rock cafe by the sea

is misleading as there are many other beach areas that DON'T have a MCD and HRC by the sea.
Furthermore, imho, the island of Bali has much more to offer a visitor than beaches - be they golden or black.

olias

Hate to say it, but I agree with Bob.

I visited Bali for two weeks and travelled all over the Island and thought it was a dump. Kuta was awful, but great for cheap, but well made stuff (carvings, clothing etc). Other 'none touristy' towns and villages were filthy shanty towns. Food was awful, rice terraces were tatty and neglected (not the pristine beautiful things you see in the brochures), as appeared most of the countryside. The transport was poorly maintained and a deathtrap. Toilets were vile.

I also found the locals annoying. Yes, they were friendly, but pushy is not the word! you were accosted outside every stall, shop or eating place. They would block your path and not let you leave, constantly harrassing you. I for one would not go back.

I am sure that if you stayed in an expensive contained resort hotel, with manicured gardens and a private beach, then it would be fine, but then you may as well be anywhere.

Olias

amerste

Sorry if my post was confusing, We aim to have a stopover of 1/2 nights for the outward and inbound journey to Bali as stated, but stopping in Bali for between 12 and 14 nights. Just thought it was obvious that noone would travel to Bali for one night. Thanks for all the reply's, good or bad will take on board for consideration.

Pollycat

amerste wrote: »

Sorry if my post was confusing, We aim to have a stopover of 1/2 nights for the outward and inbound journey to Bali as stated, but stopping in Bali for between 12 and 14 nights. Just thought it was obvious that noone would travel to Bali for one night. Thanks for all the reply's, good or bad will take on board for consideration.

Me & Incapuppy too. Although I guess some people may have thought you were doing a stopover in Bali en-route to Australia.

You've had 2 diametrically opposite views about Bali (me & Incapuppy and Bob the Saver & olias).

I'd check out the Tripadvisor and Holidaytruths websites for more views.

Re the stopover, my favourite city was Hong Kong but that was 15 years ago and before it was ceded back to China.

svjenni

i went to jimberan for my honeymoon and it was lovely.

By a visa before you go OH and i were stood in a queue for 3 hrs to get in the country, not fun, and no explanation as to why it took so long.

It was a lovely place but i don't think we'll go back, but then i'm not the type to go to the same place twice anyway