Bali Travelogue - Part Deux

It's now our 6^th and final full day in Bali. I've been waking up at 6-ish in the morning without fail even though our second hotel room has curtains that block out the sun. Even on the long car rides, I don't feel tired enough to nap. This is good in a way that it allows me to soak in the sights and sounds of Bali. Blame it on my inability to let go of my duties as "tour leader" and relax.

Having said that I'm so glad that we tailor-made our own travels instead of going with an agency despite tours being so affordable. On this trip I've been to several places that I hadn't during my last 2 visits to Bali and more importantly, these were less touristy places which I felt were not to be missed. We spent as much or as little time as we wanted at each location, ate anywhere we liked and being some of the few tourists around, enjoyed better bargaining power. The only downside was not having a guide explaining stuff to us along the way but that suited us just fine as we had Nat to entertain us and enjoyed each others' company.

Early December is usually the start of the high peak season before Christmas. But everywhere we went, Asian tourists abound with just a sprinkling of Caucasians. While Kuta was lightly abuzz with activity, Ubud was very very quiet. The Westerners were probably heeding their government warnings which came prior to the execution of the Bali bombers. Also I'm sure the unrest in Bangkok and the terrorist attacks in Mumbai did little to help the situation.

Weather-wise, it was hot, hot, hot! The days leading to our arrival had been rainy but during our trip, it drizzled only slightly on our 4^th and 5^th day. Otherwise, the sun was blazing in the blue, cloudless sky. Lovely for photos but the heat did get a little stifling at times. I'm tanner than ever but not complaining as I'd rather the sun than thunderstorms when traveling. We were lucky indeed!

In all earnestness, the getaway was really quite enjoyable. Our families are quite "cincai" so Khim and I had no in-law stress to worry about. :) Nat, as usual, was the seasoned traveller and she seemed happiest of all. Sleeping on the car rides and waking up when we arrived at our destination, running around and making us run after her, eating whatever was fed to her, announcing loudly "Belak, belak" after she had done a poo in her diapers, treating strangers with diplomatic aplomb (she was even invited by other tourists to join in their family shot as she stood watching them pose) and simply managing her way in the spotlight.

And the award for best photo goes to Su who captured this candid moment

Here are a list of places worth a mention:-

Uluwatu and go at sunset (5.30pm) to watch the amazing Kecak dance (see previous post). Costs 50k Rp per person but well worth it.

Bali Bird Park, Singapadu. At USD17 per person, it's pricey but the place is well-designed and maintained. One Singaporean said that it was better than Jurong Bird Park despite being much smaller in size. You get free entrance to the Bali Reptile Park as well. We decided not to venture in there as we had spent almost 3 hours at the bird park. The Birds of Prey show was interesting and held amidst a backdrop of paddy fields. If hungry, don't hesitate to dine at the cafe. Reasonably-priced and delicious. Approx 60,000 per pax for a full meal.

Gunung Kawi and Sebatu Temple (Pura Sebatu Gunung Kawi). Same name, different places. The former is an 11th Century temple complex consisting of shrines carved into the hillside south of Tampaksiring. You walk 315 steps down a winding and narrow path but the pretty paddy terraces along the way and the truly magnificent site that greets you at the end makes the trek worthwhile. The feeling I got when I passed through the gateway was one of being transported back in time. On the way up, shop at the many souvenir and handicraft stalls along the way. Business was quite bad (we came across less than 10 other tourists while we were there) and most of them had not made a single sale even though it was already 3pm so got some great bargains. The latter is a bathing place in Sebatu village.

Gunung Kawi and holy springs

Sukawati market – supposedly good for cheap art but we only spent 30 mins there before rushing off for lunch at Ibu Oka before they ran out of babi guling so didn't get to buy any art.

Tegenungan waterfalls. Nothing great but drop by if it's en-route. The viewing area is only a few steps away from the parking lot. It's a 10-minute walk down to the river which was surprisingly dirty and rubbish-strewn. We found out from the young girl traders (who spoke good English) that it used to be a bungee jumping site until the operators went bust.

Jatiluwih rice terraces.This would also be an en-route to some other place of interest.

Candi Kuning fruit market. Reminded me of the markets in Cameron Highlands although they sold much more than fruit and veggies. Also found some good bargains here.

Outside Labhagga Pacung Cafe, Bedugul

Pura Danau Ulun, Lake Bratan. The weather was extremely cool when we were there as it had been raining earlier. A bit too misty for nice photos but a very serene place to just sit and contemplate. It made for a nice change from the scorching heat the rest of our time there.

It was so misty we couldn't even see the horizon on the lake

Kerta Gosa & Taman Gili - the former Royal Courts of Justice in the village of Klungkung. Also known as Bali's Sistine Chapel, it was built in 1710 and houses 2 outdoor pavilions with ornately decorated ceilings, one depicting rituals unique to the Siva-Buddha (integration of Hinduism and Buddhism) customs of Bali while the other, the punishments meted out for different wrongdoings and crimes. We solicited the services of this guy Putu who agreed to give us a guided tour of the pavilions for 20k Rp. He turned out to be very detailed and animated and so paid him 25k instead. Back in the 17^th Century, it was immoral for someone to break wind in the presence of others. The punishment in hell? Demons will pull out the rectums of public farters! Although entrance was only 5k Rp per person, I wish the museum was better maintained.

The rectum-pulling devils. Not an enviable job.

Goa Lawah (bat cave) – plan to spend not more than 15 minutes here. But it was interesting to see so many of these nocturnal creatures sitting right up to the mouth of the cave in broad daylight. Not that they had a choice as there are already millions residing inside and there's not so much as a square-inch of space left. Visitors don't get to go in though. Of all the places, the caretakers here were most commercially-driven and openly asked for tips.

Yes, those are bats

Opposite Goa Lawah is Kusamba, the fishing and salt-making village. The ocean there was of the deepest blue I'd ever seen and the sand was black, volcanic ash.

Tirta Gangga Water Palace – Tirta Gangga translates to "blessed water from the Ganges". The palace grounds consists of several pools, all filled with water from natural springs regarded as holy by the locals. Some of the pools were for swimming but most were for aesthetic purposes. It was a very long drive there and we almost turned back but FIL decided we should go anyway. I'm glad we did.

Pura Taman Ayun, palace of Mengwi. Not a must-see but nice for some photos. Visitors are not allowed inside but only around the grounds which are surrounded by a low wall. It was also rather unkempt.

Neka Art Museum - Founded by Suteja Neka, a former school teacher. Check it out if you're keen on art. Entrance fee 40,000Rp.

Would have loved to have gone Dolphin-watching at Lovina Beach. However, you'll need to stay overnight in Lovina as the boat leaves at 5.30am. As I had already booked our rooms in Ubud and Kuta, we are leaving it to our next trip, if that happens.

Spas

Checked around Ubud and prices were very reasonable averaging around 60,000Rp for 1 hour Balinese massage. However, we chanced upon the newly opened Kalangan Spa (Jl. Raya Sanggingan – Tjampuhan, Ubud. +62-361-978718) which offered a 50% discount. The ambience was so welcoming that we decided we deserved a nice pampering. Paid USD25 each for a 2-hour boreh/lulur session. We negotiated for them not to charge us the 15% tax and service charge and they agreed. Most of us opted for the Boreh but mum and MIL had allergic reactions to the scrub, which we found out later. The owner himself I Wayan Darsa took us back in his car and he told us he also owned a guesthouse behind the spa and a gallery.

Hotels

Saren Indah

Very basic. Set amidst paddy fields of the Nyuh Kuning district in Ubud so it's about 15 mins away from Ubud town. Not convenient unless you have a driver but they do provide a free shuttle to and from town every hour from 8am to 10pm.

The place is 10 years old so rather tired looking though I did notice that they were refurbishing bit by bit. There couldn't have been more than 12 rooms in the establishment. No kettle but they do give you a flask of hot water outside your room to make your coffee and tea. No shower curtain so you inevitably wet the whole bathroom floor. Double bed was only queen-sized.

What I liked about it was that it was very clean. However, this was negated by the strong sewage smell that we got in the bathrooms of 2 out of 3 of our rooms. I complained to them 4 times and each time, they said something would be done about it. However, the smell would return soon after. When I checked out, I expressed my disappointment and insisted that they not charge me for my extra bed (the rest of the bill had already been charged to my credit card upon booking) and after checking with the manager, they obliged. Breakfast was simple but adequate. After 3 mornings though, we yearned for something different.

Bali Rani

We were very fortunate as they were fully booked and so had us upgraded to deluxe rooms facing the swimming pool. Don't understand why hotels in Kuta always have such dirty floors. While the room floor at our hotel in Ubud was immaculate, the Bali Rani's floors were sticky and dusty. Thankfully they provide the guests with room slippers. As we were on the ground floor, the mozzies tend to come in and they kept me up on the first night. Although we complained about this twice, nothing was done about it. Old hotel over 20 years but nicely refurbished. Has all the creature comforts and even a business centre open up to midnight. Enjoyed the pool in the evening as the water was warm. Wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

Food

Most places serve fresh juices at reasonable prices so take advantage of this while in Bali.

Ibu Oka (Jl. Tegal Sari No. 2, Ubud) – tender but skin not crispy. Price 40k per pax . Belinjo crackers are nice. Do not eat the mangosteens! 5K per piece.

Murni's Warung – lovely ambience. Go all the way to the bottom level for a riverside dining experience. There were 4 levels in the place but we hardly saw any other diners. The Bebek Betutu was good but don't order the Pork Vindaloo. Approx 80k per pax.

Nasi Padang Putri Minang in Ubud. Excellent pork leg curry. Locals dine here but lots of flies.

Labhagga Pacung Cafe (Jl. Raya Baturiti, Tabanan) in the highlands of Bedugul. Buffet-style. Food so-so but the view from there was breathtaking. They wanted to charge 65k per head but negotiated it down to 60k since there were 8 of us. If you don't ask, you'll never know.

Bali Colada in Discovery Mall. Not authentically Balinese but good food at great prices (by KL standards). Local food, pastas. The Jumbo Ocean King was only 79,000Rp with 4 big prawns and a big portion of risotto. Ikan Woku was also good. Approx 75k per pax.

Ayam Tulang Lunak Malioboro. An expensive fast food chain. But unique as the chicken and duck were pressure-cooked before being fried so even the bones could be eaten. Came away feeling a bit squeamish though because everything was fried in so much oil. 75K per pax and we didn't even have one order each.

Baruna Sunset on Sunset Road, Kuta - Grilled seafood. Locals dine here. The fish was very fresh. Total bill came to 330,000Rp for 4 fish, 2 fish head, gado-gado, 30 sticks of sate lilit, prawn and squid. Again, also swarming with flies.

Shopping

Our hotel in Kuta was almost directly opposite the Discovery Mall so mum, uncle, Nat and I practically spent a whole day there on our last day as it was too hot to venture elsewhere. There's a huge souvenir shop called Tandamata right at the top and the things there are actually quite reasonably priced and of good quality. Cheaper than the other souvenir shops in the mall. Besides also got a pair of Crocs for myself at 30% less (we never see Crocs on sale back home). Breadtalk is just as famous and there was a long queue at any time.

Outside Discovery Mall

Meanwhile, hubby and family decided to book a car to go furniture and art shopping and they came across quite a few bargains as well. We might consider coming again next year when our new place is ready to source for furniture provided tickets are cheap.

Driver

Whilst Tut Nick is a good and somewhat reliable driver, he's just a driver and will not initiate anything. At 27 years of age and unmarried, we found his attitude indifferent and apathetic. Our driver in Phuket would never hesitate to come down and open the door for us upon reaching our destination and even help us out of the van. He made us feel nice without feeling guilty kind of thing. Nick on the other hand would just stay put and wait for us to get down before driving off to park. He also only spoke when spoken to.

After the Jimbaran Bay episode, we were hesitant to try anything that Nick recommended. It is so important to have a good driver who enjoys his work and doesn't mind going the extra mile for his guests, in the case of Nick at least an extra inch or two. On the good side he did not stinge on leaving the car air conditioning on as and when we wanted it on. I have to at least give him that much credit.

Nick charged 700,000Rp for a full day's use. On our free and easy day, we found a driver who quoted only 600,000Rp. I wouldn't have minded paying the extra 100,000Rp if Nick was more accommodating and proactive. I guess I'm partly to blame as I didn't try to ask him for a cheaper day rate when I communicated with him online. I know now I should have bargained as we ended up using his services for 5 full days.

Talk about finishing any opportunity of giving him another gig was the fact that we he stiffed us on the last day. That is a five-minute ride to the airport for 350k that should have only cost 100k (as quoted by the drivers hanging around the hotel). Its not about paying more but about being taken as a fool for trusting someone ..... BETRAYAL ...... and having to pay for it! Beh syiok-lah. To sum it up he was an OK guy with a 'cool' attitude in the sense of being 'cool' with enthusiasm who decided to make a killing of us on the last day. Bye Nick. Until we never meet again. Keep the change. (Last paragraph courtesy of Hubby who wanted to put in his two cents)

Blog entry written on 6th December but only edited & posted on 2 Jan 2009