Above Photo: Tanah Lot at dusk
Reached Kuta airport at 2pm. My advice to you all at Ngurah Rai airport (especially for lone traveler) is beware some jerks when you are picking up your luggage. What they do is grab your luggage before you do and they will run out from the airport and later ask you for tips for carrying the bag for you. This is no different with robber... I was a victim, but I never bother to give him any tips once I get back my bag and I walked away.
Took cab to hotel Hotel Sayang Mertha. The cab cost rp50000 (RM19). Walk is even faster than u drive at Kuta area. There was a disappointment upon my arrival. The hotel supposedly providing free air transfer, but I waited almost half an hour, but I couldn’t see my name. But when I reached the hotel, the hotelier said the guy waited for me there. Anyway, I shouldn’t allow this disappointment to influence my traveling mood.
The night is so "happening". There are Sogo, Giordano, Prada, Quiksilver, Billabong, D&G, Adidas, Nike & many many more branded products. At night, the pubs are noticeable & great to see the security is strengthened to avoid any bombing (more bombing story on the final day).
I like Kuta but not this hotel I stayed. I only rate 2 out of 5 & it’s definitely not worth the money I spent USD18 (RM63). Even air-conditioned, but still have mosquitoes flying around.
Day 2 - 24th June 2007
Went to Batubulan for barong show. It’s a "Cerita Dongeng" (Fiction) which is very popular in Indonesia. It is similar to our Chinese version of "Journey to the west"... It costs rp50000 (RM19) for the 1 hour show. It might be a bit boring, but it’s quite worthy for the very 1st time. Previously, the show is shown once a week, but now they have it almost everyday to spread the Bali’s spirit to all tourists.
After the show, you may have the option 2 go Celuk & Mas. I would advise to skip it coz they will bring you to shops selling silver accessories & carvings... I bet KL has better shops than them & better price.
Kintamani - Center of Bali
A must go destination. The place is cooling & the view is outstanding. You may see Gunung Batur. Moreover, having lunch in front of this Batur Sari restaurant. Hard to say it in words. Anyway, let the photo below explains. That is my lunch meal plus the view. No Photoshop ya!!! It’s a buffet meal at rp60000 (RM23) but it worth the price.
Besakih - Center East of Bali
This is the mother of all temples. I was a bit unlucky coz raining. So rent an umbrella at rp3000 (RM1.20). The view is not clear. Warning: please bring a piece of your own batik sarong if you want to go Besakih temple. I was conned with rp170000 (RM65) for a piece of sarong + hat + belt. But no choice... everything about money here. Entrance fee rp10000 (RM3.80) and you need to hire a tour guide rp50000 (RM19) plus tips rp30000 (RM12).
Tenggalang - Center of Bali
The next stop - Tenggalang. It is famous with terraces of padi field. Nothing special though.
From the above photo, I was full of laughter... It was because this photo was shot automatically with my camera & a tripod (without any assistance from anyone). But it was so funny when a young local girl (5 years old) came and asked me what am I doing without anyone holding the camera. She asked me whether I need any help. I was not laughing at her familiarity about camera, but it was funny cause I never have imagined a young girl would offer her assistance to me.
Ubud - Center of Bali
So, the nearest town for a night would be Ubud. Ubud is a quiet & soothing town. Unlike Kuta, the night here is spent in dreams (I mean "bed") rather than pubs. Accommodation also quite cheap. I stayed at Sagitarius Inn at rp110000 (RM42) plus breakfast.
Private room with queen sized bed & breakfast. But no air cond (don’t worry, you still need the blanket although it is only fan. Ubud is more freezing than Kuta). And there is no door knob, but "back to the past"...
Moreover, the food here is quite reasonable. It costs rp35000 (RM13.30) for a local meal (rice plus 5 side dishes) & a beer.
Day 3 - 25th June 2007
On the way to Bedegul, probably can stop at Pancaru for great padi field view. As we moved on, we stopped for refreshment and enjoyed the soothing air.
There was also a bat hanging out taking some cool air.
Bedegul - Center of Bali
Went to Bedegul, a beautiful lake view with temples. It’s very nice. They have Buddhist avatar and also a Balinese-Hindu temple called Ulun Danu temple. The view is so great with a huge lake. Here, you can enjoy various sports activities. The entrance fee is rp10000 (RM3.80).
Singaraja and Banjar - North of Bali
Went to Singaraja (the Lion King city – direct translation). It is a big city in the north. It might not be an attraction to tourists. Went to Brahma Vihara Arama at Banjar and it is the only Buddhist temple in Bali. I was very lucky because I had a chance to meet up with one of the master (monk) from Malaysia. He was in Bali for 1 month meditation. Anyway, I had seen him before in Malaysia. I would say this is really fate.
After that, we went to Hot Spring nearby. The Hot Spring is good for skin (claimed by local). Entrance fee is rp3000 (RM1.20).
Lovina - North of Bali
Went further to west - Lovina. There are many hotels & restaurants. The targeted tourists are tourists who are looking for relaxation. Anyway, there are still pubs around this area.
Btw, why is it called Lovina? It's a combination of the word "LOVe" and "INdonesiA". In long sentence, it means LOVE INDONESIA. This place is good for couples. So I don’t know how the hell I could end up in the LOV-ina place, ALONE. Envy!!!
Day 4 - 26th June 2007
Lovina
The hotel I stayed at Lovina is quite reasonable and not pricey. It's called Hotel Pulestis. It's located nearby nice restaurants and pubs, but still quiet surrounding. Rooms without air cond but with breakfast only cost rp100000 (RM42).
Later I followed my tour guide back to his hometown at Singaraja. I met up with his parents and his brother (as per photo below). It was in conjunction with their "new year" for Balinese-Hindu. This day was New Year eve. So, I had this opportunity to taste real Balinese local home-cooked food. 
The taste is really a bit odd for me. The food will test all your taste senses (sweet, sour, bitter, spicy). They have tapir for dessert. They also prepared many offerings (food) for God.
They are living in poor, but they still survive. From there, I have learned that there are many types of people in this world - rich & poor. But most importantly is how you live on & work on to live. E.g. if you are rich, but everyday you are living in sadness and jealousy, it's pointless. Adaptation is the best method to accept fate that has been arranged by God!
Git Git Waterfall - North of Bali
While on the way coming back from Singaraja, we passed by Git Git waterfall. But couldn’t make it to the waterfall because it was raining. So, next time!
Mengwi - Center of Bali
After that, went back down to south to Tanah Lot. But before that, we stopped at Mengwi. There is this Pura Taman Ayun temple where it is surrounded by river. It is something like Angkor Wat's concept. Finally I had a chance to shoot photo with a barong (an ancient beast which has good characteristic). Entrance fee is rp3000 (RM1.20).
Tanah Lot - South West of Bali
Next is Tanah Lot. This place is gorgeous because of Mother Nature. But this place has not attracted my attention greatly because of commercialisation of this area. This place is like a sacred & holy place, but people turn it to a market. Even if you need holy water from the temple, you must donate some money. Why they need so much money when they already received the entrance fee... anyway, it still have great view especially during sunset. But this place was so crowded. The entrance fee is rp7500 (RM3).
After that, went back to Legian for my final night for this whole trip. Therefore, I would pay a bit more for a better night. Managed to get a superior room (air-conditioned). The hotel is Hotel Suriwathi at Legian. It costs rp210000 (80). It includes breakfast and very clean. But I still prefer Ubud though because the hotels at Ubud are greener.
Day 5 - 27th June 2007
Legian - North of Kuta
I woke up at 10am because I was so tired. After my breakfast, walked around Legian. Legian is quieter than Kuta. Anyway, discovered that Legian has more Asian tourists (such as Japanese), but Kuta has more Western and Australian tourists.
Bali’s most historical place at Kuta – the Bombing on 12 October 2002
This place is a place where it took almost 170 lives due to a mass bombing. This place is very strategic & located at the heart of Kuta. But this event has left tears to many people all around the world, until today. Majority of the deaths are from Australia. Anyway, the land has been left undeveloped after the bombing.
Nusa Dua - South of Bali
Nusa Dua is located at the south-east of Bali. It is well-known with high-end hotels for honeymooners and couples. From here, many tourists also will travel to Pulau Penyu to see turtles and have water sports activities.
GWK (Garuda Wisnu Kencana) Cultural Park - South of Bali
This place is still under construction. This place soon will have the tallest statue in the world (claimed by local people), but I doubt it can be completed soon because now only 15% completed. It’s still a nice place to visit. The buildings are stony and quite similar to Greek-buildings. From here, I also managed to view on whole Kuta & Legian. The entrance fee is rp15000 (RM6).
Uluwatu - South of Bali
Next stop – Uluwatu temple. This is the most attractive places for me in Bali. I really like it so much. This temple is not huge & that flamboyant, but the location of the temple. It is built at the top edge of a cliff. This temple might not be the mother of all temples in Bali, but it is an important temple in Bali because it is the temple at the feet of Bali. In other words, if you have geographical senses, it is located at south of Bali & acts as the base that hold Bali. The view is gorgeous. Although I am afraid of height, but I still climbed to edges to take my best view of this greatest gift by Mother Nature. Entrance fee rp3000 (RM1.20).
This place also left an unforgettable memory to me because I was attacked by a monkey. I was shooting photo at a group of monkeys and suddenly this monkey attacked me from the back. This monkey tried to grab my bag (which carries my passport) from behind. Luckily I managed to hold tight on the bag and the monkey only managed to pull my key chain. After few minutes, another victim’s glasses were being stolen by another monkey. No wonder, the worker warned us to beware of our glasses before we enter. So, always beware with your belongings and always grab a stick with you to safeguard yourself.
There is daily Kecak dance at 6pm. Anyway, I couldn’t make it because I need to be at the airport by 6pm. Kecak is one of the local dance and must see.
Uluwatu beaches - South of Bali
After that, we went to beaches around Uluwatu area. The beaches are unlike Kuta. The beaches are hidden & you need to climb down from high cliff to reach these beaches. You can hardly see sand, but huge stones and seashell. It’s more suitable for expert surfers (not for beginners because the huge stones might be a bit dangerous for surfers).
Jimbaran - South of Bali
Jimbaran is a fishing village and it’s well-known with seafood. The seafood is nice, but a bit pricey. We can get better deal in Malaysia.
I would say this trip is full of number “1” to me. This is my “1”st time to Bali, with only “1” person and I am still back to Malaysia with “1” person… hehe. Also, it was my “1”st time to encounter Air Asia flight delay...
Anyway, to maximise your desire in Bali, you must ask yourself what is your expectation about your trip. Why? Because once you’ve set your expectation, then only you could look for where you should go in Bali. For instance, if you are looking for romantic moment, go Nusa Dua or Ubud; if you are looking for surf spots, go Kuta or beaches around Uluwatu; if you are looking for water sports activities, go Turtle Island or Bedugul Lake; if you are looking for temple for praying, go Besakih temple (Hindu) or Brahma Vihara Arama (Buddhism); if you are looking for local girls, go North… hehe.
For me, I still have many expectations from Bali. It means “I will be back…”
Anyway, if you may need any assistance or anything to share from Bali, please do let me know. Terima Kasi. See ya & hope to share more upcoming trips with you all. Ja!!!
Above is the photo of myself and my tour guide En Putu at Lovina, chasing dolphins
Wait!!! There is still one thing to share with you guys, during my flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bali, I witnessed “volcano eruption” from far… although I am not so sure whether that is really a “volcano eruption” or whatever. Below are 2 photos which I took within a minute. Would you see the big difference? This was spotted when we about to land at Bali’s airport…
Tips at Bali
- Never pay tips because it’s already included in the bill. Unless the service is superb and outstanding.
- When someone pledge you to buy anything from him/her, just say “No Thank You” or “Terima Kasi” if you do not need it. This is the polite way to decline rather than ignoring them.
- Always compare price between few sellers for better bargain. Unless you need it urgently.
- Do not rent car or motor if you do not have international license. There are times where they will have road blocks.
- It’s good to know someone (friend) in Bali (such as a tour guide) because you may get better bargain when getting hotels. NoRMally, you will get better rate than published rate.
- Get Hong Leong Bank ATM card whereby you may withdraw money at selected ATMs in Bali. It is for emergency. It is cheaper than you cash advance using your credit card.
- Try not to use Credit Cards because most of the outlets charge extra 3% service charge which is not worth it. Unless you really have no cash.
- Beware of some sellers when they invite you further into their shops for more choices of product. When you are in, there will be few guys staring at you. You will be afraid if you are not buying anything.
- Some foreigners (western) are well-verse in Bahasa Indonesia. So, do not talk bad behind them. Some are married to locals and have been peRManent residents.
- Bring a 2-pin adapter along. They don’t support 3-pin adapter. If not, you will find it difficult to charge your handphone and camera. Anyway, if you are going, please borrow from me.
- Always carry small notes (rp1000 – RM.40) because most of the toilets around Bali charge rp1000 per entrance. Expensive than KL.
- If possible, bring along a calculator. This is handy when you need to use it to calculate the exchange rate. It happens when you are out of Rupiah and the sellers try to confuse your calculation with your currency. I experienced it at Besakih when I need to pay rp50000 (RM20). Then I only have RM50 with me. Then they ask me to pay RM50 to them and they pay me back rp25000 (RM10). They said their money is half of our money in thousands. Although I look like dumber, but I am not stupid. In the end, I borrowed rp50000 from my driver.
- If you are communicating in Bahasa with the locals, please emphasise on the usage of "Bahasa Baku" (Standard Language). And make sure it's in multi-tones.
- Heng Jee 2007 -
