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 Indonesia travel tales
Our customers share their travelling experiences in Indonesia.
Read about first hand stories on travel tips and guides, events, entertainment,shopping, food, business and transportation.
Also, you might want to read our
Bali city guide,
and Lombok city guide.
Pages (9 of 56):
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| M Racines |
08 August 2004 |
Stayed at Le Meridien Jakarta - Jakarta, Indonesia.
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For shopaholic, try checking out the Mega Pasaraya for their regular sale on RTWs. The local crafts, however, are quite expensive. If you want some cheap souvenirs (Jakarta standard), try Sarina Department Store.
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| P Greenlaw |
06 August 2004 |
Stayed at Balisani Padma Hotel - Bali, Indonesia.
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Having been to Bali about 40 times now I can recommend a few quick essentials for first timers: Bargaining is a way of life there. Dont get angry: relax, smile and treat it as a game (they do). Starting price also depends on your nationality: if you’re Japanese unfortunately you get to start at a price almost double the starting price offered to an Australian tourist – sorry about that but better you know. Wherever you’re from, start off at 20% of the price offered and work your way up (as they work their way down) to a maximum of about 50% of the starting price. Don’t be afraid to walk slowly away or call their bluff. As a guide, you should pay about RP20,000 for a simple sarong or RP 25,000 for a copy (not good quality) T-shirt. If you buy more than one whatever, that's always another good reason to offer them less.
Any freshly cooked food is fine even at smaller restaurants. Be careful of soup (which may not have been boiled). Peeled fruit is great. Salads are usually washed in the local water - dont go there. Don’t be afraid to try the local dishes if they are FRESHLY cooked and haven't been standing in some bowl for half a day. The local food is often better as it has a higher turnover rate and they know how to prepare and store the ingredients. (unlike Western food)
If you change money at the airport you will end up with a rate about 200-400 RP less than what you can get at the money changers near the hotels (hotel rate is a rip off), but you won’t get ripped off. If you change at the money changers the ones who count out 50,000RP notes and are in dedicated buildings are usually ok. It's the ones with just a small wooden table or offer fantastic rates that you have to watch out for. Common tricks are: leaving one bill missing, the total not equaling what's on the calculator, counting out so many small notes (often repeatedly) you get totally confused or after watching them carefully and they cant find any other way of ripping you off, they tell you the exchange rate has just changed and guess what?: it's much less. You can actually get the correct money even out of the rip off ones but you really have to watch them closely - again treat it like a game.
“Transport” Yes, you’ll hear that a lot. Taxis with a meter are probably going to be cheaper for short trips. For a driver for a day, about 150,000RP FOR THE WHOLE VAN is a reasonable price. For 5 or 6 hrs about 100,000RP is a good price. Be careful whatever price is quoted to you is TOTAL and not per-person. Taxis fares to anywhere from the airport are a set price at the taxi counter outside arrivals. You can bargain with the touts but you'll probably end up only a few dollars cheaper if you're good.
It is normally better for your own piece of mind to have an international driving/motorbike licence if you intend to hire your own transport. The police aren't paid much so stop a tourist instead and "fine" them for not having one. The minimum "fine" which goes directly to their pocket is for a local 10,000RP and for a tourist about 50,000RP. You can always just pay the fines as you go and you may be lucky and not even see any police. When getting petrol, make sure the attendant ZEROS the meter on the bouser before filling up your tank. Remember you’re on holidays: enjoy, relax and don’t stress about all this.
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| J Galbraith |
30 July 2004 |
Stayed at Alila Manggis - Bali, Indonesia.
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As the restaurant at The Alila is so bad, it is definitely worth eating out. Luckily there are quite a few good restaurants in Candi Dasa. This time we ate at the Watergarden Kafe (formerly TJ's) which was good, and the Puri Bagus Candi Dasa where we had an excellent meal in very pleasant surroundings. Of course everyone must eat at the Amankila- it has to be the most beautifully situated hotel in Bali and the quality of food and ambience is extraordinary, not to mention the service. If only I could afford to stay at the Aman hotels!!
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| T Derville |
29 July 2004 |
Stayed at Waka di Ume - Bali, Indonesia.
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Highly recommend Ayung river rafting, good fun for all ages! Art galleries a must and high end ones are Agung Rai Gallery, Tate Gallery on Monkey Forest Road, and Neka Gallery.
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| J Galbraith |
27 July 2004 |
Stayed at Komaneka Resort - Bali, Indonesia.
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The location of the Komaneka in Monkey Forest Road is great and it is close to lots of good restaurants and bars. Some of the favourites are Lamak (excellent!), The Three Monkeys, and Tutmak. We also had Sunday brunch at Biji at Begawan Giri estate and it was wonderful - definitely worth it - the quality of the food and the setting are amazing!
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| J Cutler |
26 July 2004 |
Stayed at Poppies Bali - Kuta, Indonesia.
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If you do not want to be hassled by hundreds of Sarong sellers and taxi drivers do not stay in Kuta for long. Best to stay for a day or two then head off to somewhere quieter on the island.
Good bars are mainly in Semanak, i.e. Ku De Tah and Hu'u for laid back sundowners. Kuta is only if you want to sing in the street and pick up drunk backpackers.
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| J Galbraith |
23 July 2004 |
Stayed at Novotel Coralia Benoa Bali - Bali, Indonesia.
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I would still recommend Bumbu Bali which is just down the road from the Novotel for good Balinese food. Also everyone staying in the area should go and have a meal at the Amanusa and the Four Seasons (PJ's on the Beach). Had a wonderful breakfast at the new Conrad Hotel just down the road from the Novotel in Tanjong Benoa- it was superb!
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| A Valiani |
15 July 2004 |
Stayed at Qunci Villas - Lombok, Indonesia.
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We would recommend Lombok over Bali as it is quieter and somewhat untouched. We travelled around in a rented 4X4 and motorbike; remember your helmet! The Sengiggi strip restaurants are very basic and it seems the fine dining is in the hotels.
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| J Browne |
12 July 2004 |
Stayed at Melasti Beach Resort - Bali, Indonesia.
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Spent most of trip in Ubud. Found the most excellent restaurant "Batuan Waru" on the small road between Jalan Hanoman and Monkey Forest. The food is not cheap, but everything on the menu is to die for. We ordered the special everyday and was never dissappointed. Our final meal there was the suckling pig "Babi Guling" it just melted in your mouth. This special is for two people at Rp 150,000 (US$16.50). An average entry is about Rp35,000 (US$4.00) and worth every cent.
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| K Elsby |
27 June 2004 |
Stayed at Alila Ubud - Bali, Indonesia.
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I took the hotel's complimentary rice terrace/banana plantation walk in the hills of Ubud, followed by a gourmet picnic in the fields - this was my personal highlight and I would highly recommend the experience.
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