Bali Travel Forum

Hey,

we're planning a trip to Bali in June. We have 14 days.

What we would like to do is arrive in Denpasar and immediately go to Sanur. We'd like to do the following itinerary (in this order):
- 3 nights Sanur
- 2 nights Pemuteran
- 2 nights Ubud
- 2 nights Amed
- 4 nights Gili Trawangan

Does this seem reasonable? Is it possible to do with public transportation? Or should we skip a stop? Please give us some advice!

Also, is it possible to just walk into a hotel and bargain a room, or should we book things in advance on the net?

Many thanks,
Timothy

Hi Timothy
I dont think that is unreasonable but it depends on what you want to do and see. I dont think I would use public transport. I have been to
Bali 8 times and I always use the same driver. We are going again at the end of July and he is taking us around the island. June July can be busy in Bali as it is the school holidays but you might still be able to walk in and book but I myself would do it before you leave. My drivers name is Jacob and his email is fastjacobs_tours@yahoo.com but you can contact him faster if you phone his mobile which is 08124640363 home 03617935189. Good luck and I hope you enjoy Bali as much as I do.
Veronica

Everyone has a different perspective. You will have to decide for yourself based on your style of travel and what you are looking for.

IMO, this is too many places with not enough time in each location. You'll be spending a lot time traveling and changing hotels. Bali is best taken at a slower pace and soaking it in rather than hopping from one place to the next. I would spend 3 to 4 nights (meaning 2 to 3 full days) in each place you stay.

Unless Permuteran is a must for you I'd cut it since it will take you a half day both to get there and back - so only one full day there or add a day. I would also choose between GT and Amed since there is beach and snorkeling both places. Amed for a quiet time --- GT for night life/party atmosphere.

Some enjoy the experience of public transportation but it does take much longer.

If you want flexibility, aren't particular about where you stay and don't mind the time it takes find suitable accommodation then take a chance on availability. At a minimum I'd suggest booking Sanur and Ubud in advance although my style is to book all hotels before going. Your choice.

Hello,
Definately book in advance, for all locations, as all locations you mention are popular, and it is high season, although with the economic climate as it is, it may be that there isn't going to be as many visitors this year, so you might get lucky and be able to walk in, but don't expect to get big discounts even if you negotiate direct, because inflation here in Indonesia is running very high and salaries are due to be increased soon, even though there might be less visitors and more availability, it is costing more and more each month to keep the places open.

If you definately must do all of the places you mention you should definately organise a car with driver,

Public transport to do your itinerary is almost impossible to do inside 1 day for each journey, Sanur to Pemuteran for example would mean going back to Denpasar, then to Ubud, then to Lovina then to Pemuteran minimun journey time 10 hours, or getting from Denpasar to Gillimanuk then back towards Pemuteran, there isn't a lot of public transport between Gillimamuk and Pemuteran so your timings would have to be organised very well. Getting from Pemuteran to Amed with public transport is even more difficult.

I agree with PL&L about more relaxing time here, I would suggest in this order

4 Nights Sanur (find and book in advance)
4 Nights Ubud (find and book in advance)
3 Nights Amed (or anywhere around there towards Padangbai) (take a chance!!! and walk in)
2 Nights Sanur or Kuta or Legian or Seminyak (find and book in Advance) that way you are closer to the airport for your departure, and can experience something different from the first part of your holiday, for the last 2 nights .

Hey,

tnx for the reply.

A few more questions. How does the car/driver thingie work? I mean does the driver come along for the entire trip? Isn't it possible to go to Sanur and find a car/driver there to take us to Ubud, then in Ubud find another to take us to Amed and so on? What would be a fair price to negotiate?

Also, how do we get from Denpasar to Sanur? Are there taxi's outside the airport? Or is there a better way of doing it?

We would realy love to end the trip on the Gili islands. Do you think the following schedule is possible?

Arrive in Denpasar
3 Nights Sanur
3 Nights Ubud
2 Nights Amed
Then go to Lombok (I have no idea how long this will take??).
Maybe stay one night in Lombok or, if possible, go immediately to Gili Trawangan
3/4 nights Gili
Return to Denpasar

That leaves one last question: how long does it take to go from Gili back to Denpasar for the return flight?

Tnx for the help!

Kind regards,
Timothy

Hello
Yes it is confusing sometimes isn't it, when people suggest one driver, especially when you are planning a trip to remote places, and only staying there for a short time. To answer your question it is up to you if you want the same driver to accompany you for all of your stays (except Gili)

If you want to do it that way I suggest that you try to find a driver who is based in UBUD AREA, that way he can calculate his prices and time better and it is more centrally located for him and for you, and it means you don't have to find accommodation for him (as you can imagine if you get a driver from Denpasar, to expect him to drive from Denpasar to Ubud/Amed for every day of your stay there would be both uneconomical for you and unfair on him) You could also book him to meet you at the airport and take you back there when and if you go to Lombok, and if you already have booked for him to accompany you during your stay the price would be included in his quote.

If you get a driver from the Denpasar area and you want to keep him for all of your stay, then you would have to find him accommodation for the parts of your stay that are too far for him to travel to and from every day..and that is going to make the price a lot higher (minimum 70,000rp or even more during high seasons extra every day for his accommodation and evening meal).

To answer your other questions,
To get to Sanur from the airport is either by Taxi or you can arrange for a driver with car to meet you (Taxi is the cheapest).

Only Airport taxi's can take you direct from the airport, the counter is on your left as you exit the arrivals/custom areas, there is some renovation work at the moment and maybe the counter will have moved by the time you get here, anyway you go to the counter and pay the fixed price for a taxi to take you to Sanur, at the moment that is going to be 95,00rp it is a fixed price no negotiating (and may be higher than that in June due to inflation)

Other taxis operate from just outside the airport gates, they are cheaper than the airport taxi's (about 71.000rp if using meter), but it means that you will have to drag your luggage a fair way to get outside. You will be approached by many people offering transport, they are probably airport taxi staff trying to get customers.

You can pre arrange a car with driver to take you, sometimes the hotels offer this service and sometimes it is free, you should check with your hotel in Sanur (providing you pre book it, which you should do as we have alreay mentioned)or you can arrange it privately the cost will be more expensive than by taxi, for airport pick up to Sanur a car with driver is going to be around 160,000rp

So in short for your answer to get to Sanur from the airport is by taxi or car with driver

Sanur to Ubud
Yes it is possible for you to arrange for a car with driver to take you to Ubud, or even a taxi, Taxi is going to be cheaper and you could negotiate a price before. It is no good giving you prices at this moment because it will probably change before June, but you should be thinking no more than 200,000rp for the taxi, and possibly no more than 300,000rp for the car with driver.

Ubud to Amed, is going to be car with driver around same price as from Sanur to Ubud.

Amed to Denpasar (if you decide to fly to Lombok then onto Gili)car with driver your only option really. Cost around 400,000rp.

Now it is time for you to tell us a little bit of what you wish to do.and your ideas for visiting these places

Are you wanting to go to Gili because you wish to go diving/snorkelling etc, if that is so then I would give Amed a miss, maybe consider staying around Padangbai for 1 or 2 nights, as it is easier to get to Gili from there, spend a couple of nights on Gili, move to Lombok for a night, then fly back to Denpasar (1/2 hour flight) because to get your timimgs right for connection to your flight if you try to do it from Gili is more difficult (boat,taxi,bus etc)than from Lombok.

Hey,

sorry for the late reply...

We've booked the trip as follows:
* 4 nights Sanur
* 2 nights Amed
* 2 nights Ubud
* 3 nights Gili Tr.
* 1 night Kuta

Regards and thanks for all the replies,
Timothy