Beautiful Bali

5 Reviews

Excellent

60%

Good

20%

Average

20%

Rather Poor

0%

Bad

0%

• MS

  Margaret
  Written on April 25, 2017

  3.0 - Average

  This trip was slower paced and more local/rural than I had expected. There were some excellent moments but the way the tour was run didn't impress me.

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• K

  Kim
  Written on April 22, 2017

  4.0 - Good

  Our guide, Asep, was knowledgable, easy-going, with a sense of humour. It was a well-planned trip that covered many different areas in Bali. All of the accommodations were as indicated in the Trip Notes – basic but comfortable – but the lush, quiet, jungle-like settings with beautiful flowers and trees, are truly wonderful and more than make up for the modesty of the accommodations. We are used to travelling quite a bit “higher end” but we thoroughly enjoyed this trip. Most places had a pool and some had spa services. Balinese massages are very reasonable (about $14 CAD/hour) and seem to fall closer in intensity to a Thai massage than a relaxation massage, but various options are available. Towels provided at the various lodgings are minimal (most had just two bath towels and that’s it) but you can request more. No wash cloths were provided at any of the places we stayed, so a travel sized nylon bath pouf came in very handy and was quick drying. Hair conditioner was generally not provided but shampoo and body wash were. The outdoor (but very private) bathroom in Sideman was a surprise but was kind of fun. Laundry service by the kilogram was readily available in Lovena, about half-way through the trip; there were 2 or 3 places with next day service within very easy walking distance of the accommodations and prices were very reasonable. The 3:00am hike up Mt. Batu was a highlight of the trip, but was a bit more challenging than many reviews indicated, with a more of an incline than anticipated, and having to climb over large lava rocks at times. Nevertheless, it was thoroughly enjoyable. A headlamp is much better than a handheld flashlight (torch) so that both hands are free to help with the climb. Sunrise was partially obstructed by a higher hill and therefore anticlimactic, but the hike itself was still a highlight. Very glad we had actual hiking shoes; they were light trail ones but had good support and good treads for the terrain. The descent was on a different trail, without the large rocks, and was much easier. Be aware of the food-snatching monkeys at the top. Basic snacks and beverages were sold by roving vendors at the top, but best to take adequate snacks and water with you. The bike ride through villages was another highlight, as was the home cooked meal, seeing the decorations and preparations for the festival called Galungan (early April), the walk through the rice fields and village with a local guide, and meeting people of various ages and backgrounds in our tour group, while enjoying and learning about local Balinese customs. The visit to a family home near Ubud was interesting, but the artist was a bit high pressure in wanting to sell his artwork. Snorkelling was another big highlight for us after the waves had subsided and the garbage in the water had floated away. The Trip Notes said that after heavy rains there can be garbage in the ocean and this was certainly the case, and the amount of garbage was truly disturbing, but once it cleared, the underwater view, over a colourful coral reef, was truly spectacular. The boat used for the outing was of rather dubious seaworthiness with water continually seeping in and the guide frequently pumping it out. Thankfully, decent life jackets are supplied. The breakfasts provided at the accommodations ranged from adequate to very good. We never left breakfast feeling hungry. The coffee, on the other hand, took some getting used to. Typical Balinese coffee is ground to a flour-like consistency then mixed into hot water (as if making instant coffee), so there was generally sediment around the rim and plenty of it on the bottom of the cup. But that’s part of experiencing another culture. Suggestions: A small backpack with things such as plenty of tissues as there are many bathrooms that don’t have toilet paper; hand sanitizer; small travel umbrella; a folding fan for the hot humid SE Asia weather (can buy at many markets for a couple of dollars); a few Bandaids; face sunscreen (to reapply after the morning application melts off); a coloured photocopy of passport; a cryptic list of your partner’s credit card numbers and the world wide phone number to call for each (not the 1-800 toll free number which doesn’t work in SE Asia) in case of loss or theft; camera and spare SD cards. A sarong is suggested in the itinerary; this is just a very large rectangular scarf that can be worn as a skirt that covers the knees when visiting the temple near Bedugali. They are readily available at any market and ours cost ~$7.50 CAD each. If you arrive in Ubud prior to the trip, a visit to the Monkey Forest Sanctuary is worth a visit, and if you’re a foodie, the five or seven course dinner (3 to 3.5 hours), with optional beverage pairings, at Locavore Restaurant is worth looking into; reservations are recommended and can be made online with a credit card deposit to ensure you show up. It was pricey but was a wonderful experience. On the budget side, there are many places to get a massage for a reasonable price. The entire area near Artinini 2 Cottages was safe, even at night for lone women. It is within walking distance of many markets, temples, restaurants, etc. We were surprised at how difficult it was to find a SIM card on the main street in such a touristy destination. Apparently one street to the east is where a number of electronic shops are located and SIM cards are readily available there. Our guide picked one up for me for day 2 and it was $8.00 CAD for 4GB of data which was plenty for the trip. Wifi is available in all of the accommodations although at a couple of places it was very slow. We highly recommend Intrepid’s “Beautiful Bali” trip if you want to get closer to everyday life in Bali instead of spending time on the beach at a resort. It was nice mix of fun activities, cultural learning and free time, and we feel was good value for the money we spent.

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• AS

  Amy
  Written on April 22, 2016

  4.5 - Excellent

  Great tour, got to see a lot of Bali I never would have had opportunity to see. Our guide was friendly and very helpful.

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• 

  Claudia
  Written on October 8, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

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• 

  Matt
  Written on February 27, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  A fantastic trip brought together buy a great Trip Leader. The fellow group members were great and everyone had loads of fun! Experienced so much and thoroughly recommend the trip! Can't wait to get back to Bali!

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