Bali/Phuket

[Booney]

November booked :

Seminyak for 4 days, Lembongan for 3 days, Lombok for 3 days, Kuta for 2 days and home.

Not bad for a bloke who once said he would never go to Bali!

Now I'm going back!

[Jim05]

November booked :

Seminyak for 4 days, Lembongan for 3 days, Lombok for 3 days, Kuta for 2 days and home.

Not bad for a bloke who once said he would never go to Bali!

Now I'm going back!

Enjoy
Lombok feels a million miles away from Bali but is slowly catching up tourism wise.

[Booney]

7 weeks to Seminyak, Lembongan and Lombok.

Come at me.

[Jim05]

7 weeks to Seminyak, Lembongan and Lombok.

Come at me.

Rent a car or get a good driver for Lombok. Easy to drive around and will be able to see a lot more of the island

[LaughingKookaburra]

Off to Bali Sunday and can’t wait. 4th time there but first time in around 5 years. Trying 3 nights in Seminyak and 4 in Sanur this time with private pool villas. Mrs wants to do Mt Batur Volcano trek - Dunno about getting up at 1am but anyone done it before?

[Jim05]

Off to Bali Sunday and can’t wait. 4th time there but first time in around 5 years. Trying 3 nights in Seminyak and 4 in Sanur this time with private pool villas. Mrs wants to do Mt Batur Volcano trek - Dunno about getting up at 1am but anyone done it before?

Do it.
The views are worth the hard work work and early start. I’m overweight and unfit so it was quite hard and it’s hard to keep your footing on the loose rocks. Took a bit over 2 hours to reach the top and about an hour to come down. First part of the walk is quite gentle but it does get harder.
There was also an option to ride a motorcycle up most of the way and then walk just the final 20-30 minutes, I’d do that next time lol

[LaughingKookaburra]

Thanks Jim, my wife and I did it in the end and the end result was enjoyable. Towards the top it’s a tough terrain to cover but other than that for a lot of the way its pretty easy to cover (even though I was pretty crook from a cold that I must had picked up prior to leaving Adelaide). I had not been over for 4 years and the development that has happened in that time is noticeable. Food options have improved out of sight and so has the use of technology. Also the banning of plastic bags has cleaned up the place a lot, even though they still have a long way to go. We are due to go back in 15 months for a family members Birthday, I think we’ll sprawl out to the other Islands on that trip. I did enjoy it, however 1 week is enough..

[Booney]

Lembongan is a top spot to just stop and unwind. No cars, mostly golf carts and scooters, can go from end to end and side to side in 30 minutes by cart.

Not much to do at night, other than dining, very little shopping.

Just left there, in Senggigi on Lombok the next 4 nights then back to Seminyak for 2 before home.

Reviews to follow.

[Booney]

Lombok - two thumbs up from this punter.

Use Bali as a stepping stone to get to Lombok is my advice.

[Jim05]

Lombok - two thumbs up from this punter.

Use Bali as a stepping stone to get to Lombok is my advice.

Have to agree. The last 4 trips there we have spent just a couple of days in Bali to catch up with friends and then headed over to Lombok. Completely different feel to the place although we have even noticed that Mataram and the East Coast in particular have really exploded in the last few years

[Dutchy]

Lombok - two thumbs up from this punter.

Use Bali as a stepping stone to get to Lombok is my advice.

How far/long to get there is it?

[Jim05]

Lombok - two thumbs up from this punter.

Use Bali as a stepping stone to get to Lombok is my advice.

How far/long to get there is it?

25-45 minutes by plane depending on weather, aircraft traffic etc. Fares can be as low as $20 at times with Air Asia. We always go with Garuda and it’s $45-60 one way as a rule.
Rent a car or a driver and you can see so much more of the island. Absolutely amazing place

[Booney]

We started in Seminyak, Bali, four nights. Must go is Mr Bob Beach front ( it's not ) bar and grill Batu Belig, awesome ribs, the best I had and I had plenty. Mozarella Petitenget, proper restaurant, not just a Bali eatery.

30 minute fast boat to tiny little Nusa Lembongan, we went around the whole island in 2 hours on a golf cart. I wouldn't go there again, whilst it was a great spot it really is just sit and watch the day go by, not really much to do so far as shopping or night life. Basically snorkel off Ceningan during the day ( the island next door ) and eat out at night.

2 hour fast boat from there to Lombok for 5 nights. Flight from Lombok back to Bali was 30 minutes, on a proper 737-800, no turbo prop death trap thingy.

It's either 2.5 hours by fast boat or 30 minutes by air. I suggest staying in Senggigi, mainly resorts, no hustle and bustle like Bali. Nothing like it at all.

[Booney]

Lombok - two thumbs up from this punter.

Use Bali as a stepping stone to get to Lombok is my advice.

How far/long to get there is it?

25-45 minutes by plane depending on weather, aircraft traffic etc. Fares can be as low as $20 at times with Air Asia. We always go with Garuda and it’s $45-60 one way as a rule.
Rent a car or a driver and you can see so much more of the island. Absolutely amazing place

Flew back with Garuda, 28 minutes from up to down, $44, proper 737-800.

[Jim05]

Lombok - two thumbs up from this punter.

Use Bali as a stepping stone to get to Lombok is my advice.

How far/long to get there is it?

25-45 minutes by plane depending on weather, aircraft traffic etc. Fares can be as low as $20 at times with Air Asia. We always go with Garuda and it’s $45-60 one way as a rule.
Rent a car or a driver and you can see so much more of the island. Absolutely amazing place

Flew back with Garuda, 28 minutes from up to down, $44, proper 737-800.

Yep, last trip we took off and barely had time to have a small snack and OJ and we were landing. The return trip took nearly double the time due to air traffic around Denpasar and we did throttled right off in a holding pattern.
If you return again try the Southern part of the island around Kuta (nothing like its Bali namesake) Some stunning secluded beaches and very peaceful little villages. Did you hop over to the Gili’s?
Very beautiful but can get crowded with tourists at times

[Booney]

Did you hop over to the Gili’s?

No, we stopped there first on the boat and it looked far too crowded for the small islands they are.

We grabbed a scooter and just went from one secluded beach to another swimming and chilling. So much less stressful than Bali, nowhere near as chaotic, people less pushy on the street, much nicer place IMO.

It was interesting that one ex-pat Aussie was as open as he was with his full name, he heard our accents and came straight up to introduce himself, he owns a bar and hotel complex, sat on his stool like the king on the castle, but, given this....

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... 8491a7b8f7

[whufc]

Never thought i would say this but the family (2 adults, 3 kids) are thinking of doing a Bali holiday.

Any advice.....any best websites for deals, packages etc.

What would we need for spending money $100 per person a day.... ($500 a day for the fam)

[Booney]

I'll post more later but $100 a day per person is excessive.

With the right deal you'll get full breakfast at the hotel, lunch you'll spend $12 max per person, dinner it'll be similar, probably $12-15 per meal. ( No drinks )

[Blacky]

Make sure you get a driver they will take you anywhere for about $50to$75 a day good value
If you need one let me know

[Blacky]

Make sure you get a driver they will take you anywhere for about $50to$75 a day good value
If you need one let me know