*Old Post from The World According To Angelicbug - Things to do in Bali (February 18, 2010)

If anyone tells me they get bored while in Bali, I’d slap them silly.

To really enjoy all the tourist attraction, one must know where they want to go and what they want to do. TIME MANAGEMENT is the key and sadly we wasted half our morning sleeping, getting ready and accommodation hunting.

You would also need a guide to bring you around. There are plenty of tour operators and even the independent one waiting for guests at Legian Street. However, you may need to find a good guide so the trip would be more fun and worthwhile. But how you know kan? Well, there were signs actually.

The first guide we hired was an old man who doesn’t say much. We needed to go to Ubud area and Uluwatu for Kecak Dance performance so he took us to those places and suggested the Ubud market, Batik factory and the Silver factory. He charged us IDR400,000 (RM152.00) in his old van with no aircond.

He brought us to the Batik factory which I think was okay but unnecessary. We learned Batik in high school what. But since we were already there we decided to look around. Their batik creations included cartoon characters like Doreamon. 

You could also buy anything batik at the souvenir shop but it is very expensive compared to the ones sold at the market. So if you’re not a fan of batik, you may want to give this a miss.

We also skipped the Silver factories for the obvious reason.

Our next destination was Ubud market where they sell handicrafts among many other things. Every stalls sell almost similar stuff, so you may want to really search for something special. Plus this is the time where you put your bargaining skills to good use which I suck triumphantly.

The long drive to Uluwatu was too long, I stuck my head out of the window to enjoy the Bali breeze only to realize it was a crazy thing to do with the number of motorist passing by.

Despite the crazy driving, we arrived just in time for Kecak Dance performance. By the time Kecak was over, it was too dark to see anything else.

The second guide we hire, D Ray only charged us IDR300,000 (RM108.00) in his Avanza. Maybe because he was much closer to our age (definitely younger), he was chatty and we, well at least I felt more comfortable to ask lots of questions and he brought us to many interesting places.

Our first stop was Nusa Dua, the venue for water sports aficionados where you can choose parasailing, jetski, flying fish, doughnut, glass bottom boat, fishing, banana boat, turtle island trip and diving. Unfortunately, this wasn’t in our to-do list.

Seminyak is the land of paddy and corns. Among the greens stood beautiful villas for rent which are popular for the long-staying foreigners. I wish I could stay there.

Our first stop was Krisna, Ole-ole Khas Bali. It’s more like a hypermarket of souvenirs and the price is reasonably cheap. The only problem was, it was so stuffy, I could hardly breathe.

We then stop by at Seminyak Beach, well Double 6 to be exact for Eskay to fulfil her bungee-jumping dream. I took one look and I know I may have to wait for few more years to gather my courage to jump from the very tall platform. If I ever have the nerve to do it larr.

Eskay did very well by not chicken-ing out. *cheers loudly*

The waves at Seminyak were rough and scary if you ask me and I was quite surprised to find no surfers there. Maybe I didn’t look hard enough.

We then continued our journey to Tanah Lot. The traffic was bad so our guide took us through the smaller and narrower road but it was scenic with the beautiful view of the paddy fields. I wanted to roll the windows down so I could get a clearer photo but I didn’t think the guide would appreciate me wetting the seats.

At Tanah Lot, there were plenty of stalls selling souvenirs and stuffs. However I was too busy looking for the famous Tanah Lot temple and the rain did not ruin that picturesque view of the sea and the temple itself. We must have been real good that day because it stopped raining and the sun did show herself for 5 minutes or so.

The temple is like one giant stone and there is an opening at the bottom where the spring water flows from the temple. First, you need to clean yourself with the water. The “priest” says to wash your face and drink the water but the guy who cuts the queue, practically took a bath. Then the “priest” will bless you by placing what look like rice on your forehead and a white Cempaka behind your left ear.

There is also a Holy snake across the temple that says to bring good fortune. You can’t really see the snake because it is kept in like a miniature cave. All I saw was the tail and the belly and it was alive alright coz it slithers when I rub the belly. I had goose bumps because I do not like snakes and the belly felt so geli. *shudders*

Kuta Beach. Come and feast your eyes with the yummylicious (well, not everything is beautiful)creatures from all over the world. *grins* I don’t have to tell you what to do in the beach larr kan? Me, I had a pedicure and with my favourite songs blasting from the earphones, I just lepak at the beach enjoying the view. All of it.

I could just sit and do nothing the whole day but the only problem is I get sunburn easily. I am so lazy to apply sun block every few minutes and even with a hat, I still get a tan. Now I have different shades of tan and it is not pretty!

Bali also offers PLENTY of spa services. The trick is to find a really good one. We went to Galuh Bali Spa and took a package that includes body scrub, massage and soaking in the air bunga which was okay. Honestly, I had better massages but again, one would never know the excellence of the place until you tried it. Or maybe the masseuse assigned to me wasn’t the best they had.

Bali is a shopping haven. Along Legian Street, you could find shops after shops selling t-shirts, sundresses, shorts, sunglasses, fake goods and everything you could thing off. Again, bargaining skills are important and patience does come in handy. 

Bali is a place for everyone. I just wish I had more time and money to explore the place. Hopefully I get to visit this lovely island again. Soon.

*Old Post from The World According to Angelicbug - Food Haven of Bali (August 8, 2009)

One will never go hungry in Bali. There’s so many food outlet available, serving local and international cuisine and the price varies too. Unfortunately, this is very hard to tell and chances of walking to an average looking eatery that may cost you a bit for just so-so food is pretty high.

what's the biggest star in Bali? Bintang Beer!

On the first night, we didn’t know where to go. So we walked around looking for some local waroeng instead of those fast-food stalls available along Legian Street.

We found Waroeng Jawa Timur Pak Halil at Legian open-air car park and after making sure everyone does not have a weak stomach, we ordered Soto Ayam for IDR10,000 (RM3.60) per bowl. I love it! In Malaysia, Soto Ayam means noodle soup but in Bali they serve it with rice. The soup was tasty and the ingredients blends so well it was just superb.

Kicap bali

Eskay read a good review on Ketupat restaurant so we decided to check the place out. There’s a swimming pool outside the building with huts for private dining and tables for the romantic dinner. Unfortunately all the huts were taken so we had to dine indoor. Bummer.

The restaurant is behind a shop, so look out for this signboard or you'll miss the place

The interior decor is very homey. It's like having dinner in a friend's place

Maybe they didn’t want us to feel so sad considering... *Hee*

Ketupat serves authentic Indonesian cuisine and the prices were reasonable I suppose for the romantic environment. I chose the Nasi Padang Campur at IDR60,000 (RM21.60). The food presentation was nice but it wasn’t the best Nasi Padang I ever had.

Of course, when it comes to food it IS a matter of taste.

When in Bali, if you’re allowed to of course, you should not miss the Guling Pork, Bali’s famous cuisine. Our guide took us to Rumah Makan Guling Pork Rebo Kedonganan on the way to Seminyak. For IDR50,000, (RM18.00) you get to enjoy a very sumptuous meal. My favourite part was the fried *ahem* fat and the satay which tasted like sweet meat. *drools*

Waroeng Pak Tan is located in some alley and we would never knew its existence if it weren’t for our guide. The food is cheap and yummy too. There are plenty of options and that sometime is not a good thing. I ended up ordering Seafood Fried Rice for IDR15,000 (RM5.40) but it was good.

The second time we went there I ordered the Grilled Chicken Plecing, served with Balinese sauce and steamed rice for IDR18,000 (RM6.48). I have no idea what Balinese sauce is but since I’m in Bali I just give it a try. It was a little spicy but still very delicious.

I love the concept of Waroeng Pak Tan, a waroeng under the mango tree. Its garden concept with lanterns hanging above the diners gave it a very romantic and relaxing ambience. The staffs are friendly though a little blur but the service was still at acceptable pace.

When you're full, you can shop at the Funny T-Shop

This is where I fell in love with Flavoured Bottle Tea.

Along Kuta Beach, well across the street you could find many restaurants selling all sorts of food. We chose to go to Waroeng Beach Club simply because it was on level one and we thought we could get a better view of the beach. Which we somewhat did.

The view from the restaurant

We ordered the Seafood Pizza for IDR40,000 (RM14.40) and it was big enough for two people to share. The thin crusted pizza had more onions than seafood but it does taste better than some pizza I have tried before. One thing I didn’t like about the place was the very slow service. It took 20 minutes for our drinks to arrive and another 10 for a glass of ice to be delivered to our table.

The staffs are friendly though.

Hopefully the next time I go to Bali I could explore more restaurants. That means going with people who really enjoy their food! Hee.

No offense women, this is the first trip I go where I lost weight instead of gaining. It is a good thing though.

Nothing like Ice Lime Tea on a hot hot day. I find the taste is somewhat weird but refreshing

*Old Post from The World According to Angelicbug - Accommodations at Bali (July 30, 2009)

There’s plenty of accommodation in Bali. For budget visitors like us, we chose Bed & Breakfast because of its cheaper rates and location. It makes sense since we won’t be spending a lot of time in the room. Or so we think.

I did months of online research and honestly it wasn’t that much of help. The reviews conflicted, the rates are not updated and the very limited photos are taken ages ago. AND not all places have direct internet booking. You’d have to go through some online agents who took days to revert back, and some did not even bother to reply.

I was quite sceptical if not baffled with the room arrangement and ended up making room arrangement for our first night in Bali only. Well, I did queried about 20 other B&Bs but like I said, full or no response.

Once in Bali, we were happy to see the many B&Bs available and many were not listed in the internet. The only problem was, mostly were fully booked and if you do not venture into the smaller lanes at Legian, you will miss the many great B&Bs. We almost did.

BAMBOO LEGIAN
This was our first choice after going through the many online websites. We booked the Triple Bed with Ensuite Bathroom for IDR440,000 (RM158.40) a night. The room does look like the picture in their website BUT they failed to inform us that they are in the midst of upgrading work on the restaurant and some of the rooms.

The room were small but cosy and most importantly clean! Even the bathroom was super clean. However, the only amenities they provided was soap, shampoo and toilet papers. *hee. So bring your own towel people!

Bamboo Legian is very quiet as it is about 7 minutes walk from the clubbing area except for the occasional motorcycle passing through the lane next to the building. The staffs are very friendly and helpful too.

Since it is under upgrading, breakfast came in a box! There was no coffee (to the horror of Eskay and my sister) but the pastries were yummy!

LEGIAN EXPRESS
We did enquire about the B&B online but we were informed they were fully booked. Surprisingly, when we walked in to try our luck, there were still rooms available.

The Standard Room was bigger than Bamboo Legian but the whole place was a little run down and cleanliness wasn’t their biggest strength. *makes sick face* The electrical socket looked scary too but we had no choice but to use it as all our cameras and HPs were running low on battery. True enough, I electrocuted myself a bit. It was crazy.

There are plus points about the place though. There’s a pool which no one seems to use and the décor of the place was very Balinese and for a while you’ll forget you’re actually in the middle of a very busy street! The extra bed was so comfortable I slept like a baby after weeks of restless nights!

They serve breakfast too but we were 15 minutes too late.

During checkout, I overheard two guests complaining at the Front Office. The first guest complained that water drips from the ceiling into her ears while she was sleeping and the other complained about the cleanliness of the place. He claims that no one cleans the room throughout their stay. No I didn’t ask how they stayed.

For IDR430,000 (RM154.80), it wasn’t the best place ever. The staffs were okay-larr but they're expressionless makes them annoying.

MANGGALIMA INN
We found this place through the recommendation of our guide. It is located at one of the smaller lanes and definitely not visible from the main road. Heck, they don’t even have a signage or a website. We took the Junior Room with extra bed for IDR440,000 (RM158.40) per night. We decided to stay for the last two nights because we were already tired of B&B hunting.

The room is definitely bigger with a dining table and a fridge which other B&B do not provide. Most importantly, it was super clean and super comfortable.

They also served simple breakfast but it was delicious especially the keropok. Sadly, that's the only thing they serve despite a full menu provided in the rooms and the so-called restaurant. It wasn't a big deal really as the staffs were really friendly and helpful.

OTHER HOTEL The guide also recommended few other places but it was fully booked. From what I see, his recommendation does match our requirements, so in case any of you are planning to go to Bali, this may come in handy.

Simpang Inn
Restu Bali Hotel