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*30/11/2006 - 05/12/2006, 6D5N Trip to
1) Airline Taken - SQ
Price: $706 = $353/person including taxes.
2) Hotel that we stayed in - Melia Bali (****), Room 2227
Price: $765 for total of 6 Nights. = $382.50/person.
Took a taxi from the airport (IDR 85000). Nice room we got on the second level. Close to the reception area & breakfast area though a little far from the beach area. Nice natural surroundings, perfect for that relaxing holiday. Breakfast (buffet style) could do more improvement by changing the menu with different ingredients, not just cooking them in a different way.
3) Most Trusted Money Changer with best exchange rate (Kuta)
PT. Central Kuta -
Kuta-Bali Ph:103611762996
Did my research online, read that the most trusted money changer that don't charge any commission are those inside Kodak shops. We went to exchange our cash at the main branch above at Kuta, need to search around as it's behind the main street of Kuta. Went around comparing the exchange rates of the other money changers and only this one gives us the best rates.
**Exchange rate as on 30/11/2006 - IDR 5.875
Amount exchanged is SGD $500 = IDR 2937500.00
4) Driver of this Trip – Dewa Marco, @IDR 350,000 per day.
email:dewamarco@hotmail.com
mobile: +628123918718
Dewa is more of a driver than a tour guide. If you need a tour guide to walk with you around the place and guide you, then best is to get a licensed tour guide. His rate is quite reasonable too as compared to the other driver/guides I have emailed around. They all quote me about IDR 400,000/trip and above. And if you read my itineraries below, we start the day at 9am, and reach our hotel at 10pm plus near to 11pm. Still we weren’t charged extra for it. Even when we were having lunch or dinner, despites our repeated invitations to join us, he would just politely refuse. His English though not fluent, it’s good enough to hold conversations during our journey to the various places. It’s best to hire a driver to drive you around if u are visiting a lot of places on that day as cabs are expensive over there. Blue Bird cabs are known to be honest as they go by the meter. If I didn’t remember wrongly, a trip from Melia Bali to Kuta cost around IDR 85000. So best to hire a driver to drive u around.
5) 30 Nov 2006, Friday
Went to Kuta square around 4pm to exchange our cash. As it’s a holiday that day, not many shops were open. Did some grocery shopping at Matahari quare. Purchase grapefruits for IDR 42,367 & 2 packets of Anggur crimson seedless grapes @IDR 26,214. Had dinner at the A&W for IDR 59,200. Don’t really recommend eating there unless you are very hungry. Not as nice as
6) 01 Dec 2006, Saturday (My Birthday!!)
First time I spent my birthday in a foreign country. Felt something special when I woke up that morning. Well, that turns into dismay later on the afternoon when I realized that the camera’s battery went flat. Had to use my N91 to take the pictures around me that day. Can tell by the stares from the locals that they are wondering what the heck am I doing holding up my camera walking here and there. Even Dewa was giving me that amused and puzzled look on his face until I explained that our camera battery went flat hence had to use the camera in my phone. He even tried to offer me alkaline batteries for the digital camera.
Places visited:
- Taman Ayun Temple in Mengwi - Rp 3000/person
In my honest opinion, not really worth going unless there’s a festival or some religious ceremonies.
- Water temple Ulun Danu - Rp 10,000/person
Weather wasn’t very good when we went up the mountain. A bit cloudy if you see the pictures. And looks as if it’s going to rain too. Love the fresh air though. Feel that I could just sit there one whole day and enjoy the mountain breeze.
- Git Git, highest waterfall - Rp 3000/person
Along winding path to the 40m falls, you can see a lot of vendors selling their stuff. Thanks to Dewa’s advice, we didn’t say a word or look at the kids who came running up to us hawking their stuff to us. Though it may seems rude to us, Dewa said if we were to even say “no thanks” or smile at them, they will see it as we are willing to consider their offer to purchase their stuff. Do prepare to walk a long distance and climb up a couple flights of stairs.
- Sunset at
Lots of tourists and locals waiting to see the sunset when we arrived at 5plus. After the sunset, we went shopping for souvenirs for our family at the stalls that were set up along the road.
- Dinner at Made’s Warung @ Seminyak
Nice romantic ambience. Ordered their pork sate and nasi campur. Taste nice, though can’t really say it’s fantastic enough to make me want to go back again for more.
6) 02 Dec 2006, Sunday: Places visited: - View rice terraces at Ubud Tegallalang - Mas village for wood carvings Between the both of us, we purchased 6 wood cravings for total of IDR 1350,000 after much bargaining. I love the Balinese Musician made out of ebony wood the most. Got it at IDR 400,000. The workmanship is very good as compared to the others. Wanted to get the other craving of a Balinese woman with a basket on her head, but didn’t have enough cash on hand. *Sigh* Anyway, we were served by a nice bespectacled old man with white bread and crew cut hair. After our purchases, we both got a wooden box each as a free gift from him - Lunch @ Babi Guling Ibu The specialty of this warung (hawker stall) is the nasi babi guling (roast suckling pig).This dish is an all-in-one platter of rice with pork meat, fried pork skin, pig intestines, gizzet, and vegetables. Cost around Rp30000 or less. Just the thought of the roast pork with it’s crispy and spicy skin is enough to make me drool as I’m typing this. Dewa helped us ordered the food and I can't really remember how much we paid but roughly it's about SGD $4-5/person including drinks. - Goa Gajah, elephant cave temple at - Tirta Empul " - Holy monkey forest near Sangeh – Opening hours: 8am-6pm - Sunset at I can sit at the cliff for hours and not get bored. Love the view there. You got to walk some distance away from the temple and at a certain part of the track, there's no barrier at the side. If someone accidentally push u or u are not careful with - Dinner @ Ryoshi Restaurant Sashimi lovers, this is the best place to eat your heart out! Value for money authentic Japanese food. Find it better than Sakae Sushi in my opinion. Can't find the receipt for this though, so can't really list the price here. 7) 3rd Dec 2006 , Monday Went to the beach. Water's too shallow to swim, too many rocks poking your feet as you walk further into the sea. Decided to give up and just admire the clear water while sun tanning at the beach. However it got kinda frustrating to be at a beach resort and unable to swim in it's crystal clear waters. Went to the hotel’s swimming pool that’s just beside it instead. Lazed at the beach, slowly took our time as the past few days we woke up very early to tour around. Not really that relaxing for a beach holiday. - Dinner @ TJ's Forgot to bring camera out to take pics of the food. Luckily I got the receipt though can't really make out some of the writing on my receipt. Mexican food @ a great price with nice ambience! Don't try the desserts though... Table 12, total cost = IDR 307,000 1 Baileys Comet - 30,000 8) 4th Dec 2006 , Tuesday Places visited: - Mt Kintamani. - Lunch @Bebek Bengil "Dirty Duck Diner" Nice ambience, great food @ reasonable price. Can imagine if such a place were to exist in SG, would cost a lot more... From: 1310hrs - 1406hrs 1 Thuringer Bratwurst - 44,000 - Shopping @ Kuta. - Seafood & Sunset @ Table 22, total cost = IDR 469,000 1 Live Garaupa - 017 - 170,000 - 119,000
Karya Mas Gallery Tel: (0361)975284
Just in front of Ubud Tourist Information
Jl. Raya Seminyak,
Poppies
1 Cosmic Vodka - 30,000
1 Buffalo Wings - 25,000
1 Potato Skins - 20,000 (Highly recommended!!)
1 Quesadilla - 25,000 (Good!)
1 Chicken Fazillas? - 50,000 (a dish of meat on hot plate, comes with masa dough for u to wrap the meat)
1 Carne??? - 40,000 (Can't remember what this dish consist of...)
1 Banana Split - 23,000
1 Fudge Cake - 23,000
Taxes: 41,000
Lots of people hawking their stuff. Dewa mentioned to us that if we want, we can get someone to guide us in climbing the volcano. However, got to wake up as early as 4am. Think that will be on my list the next time I come back here...
Padang Tegal road, Ubud 80571, Gianyar,
Table 35, total cost = IDR 189,420
2 BB Fried Chicken - 94,000 @47,000 for 1 (Highly recommended!)
2 Hot Lemon Ginger Honey - 16,000 @8,000 for 1 (Love the taste of this drink!)
1 Diet Coke - 10,000
Taxes - 25,420
Did a lot of last min shopping. Bought a surfer girl tee @175,000. Did a lot of exploring too cos the first day when we were there, most of the shops were closed.
Jl. Pantai Kedonganan, Kuta -
Tel: 62361709094 / 62361709419
Went to Sharkeys Cafe. Seafood definitely much cheaper here than in Phuket. If you wish to have the best seats without your view being obstruct, best is to call for a reservation. Extremely romantic ambience as compared to East Coast / Fisherman village @ at good price. A nice way to end your last night before you fly back to SG the next day =) .As for the below, not quite sure of what does the quantity means on the receipt but I guess that's the weight of the food. (Qty - Unit - Price Total)
King Prawns - 015 - 160,000 - 80,000
Crab - 015 - 75,000 - 34,500
Squid - 016 - 75,000 - 45,000
King Prawns - 015 - 160,000 - 80,000
Crab - 015 - 75,000 - 34,500
2 Diet Coke - 9,000 -18,000
Mango Juice - 9,000 - 9,000
Taxes - 43,000
Labels: Bali