Bali is very hot and humid at this time of year so loose fitting clothing is best. If you think you can get cool by dipping into a pool or the ocean water, forget it. Temperature is the same as a warm bath. The first thing you notice in Bali is all there statues and tropical plants.
We stayed our two nights a the Mirage in Benoa, located on our left of the Mirage is the Club Mirage and on our right was the Aston.
Club Mirage has a wonderful SPA but if you go out onto the street you can get a full reflexology leg massage for about $7US. It was wonderful especially after our long plane ride. The Mirage has nightly entertainment. The beach when the tide is out is coral reef so you may want to bring water shoes. An the tide goes a way out.
We left on our third day and travel inland to Ubud and the interior where we saw the rice fields and visit the scenic volcanoe in Kintamani. We stayed the night a Kamadula Resort. I would highly recommend this resort for anyone wanted that unique honeymoon vacation. We had a villa style room with a open air washroom and shower. The food was fabulous here and I would of like to stayed longer. We visited two other resorts here as well.
We decided as one of our tour options, to do some white water rafting on the Ayung River. We arrived early in the morning which was great as we where the first to arrive so we got to go over to where the elephants where getting ready for safari, which was the other option. I highly recommend the white water rafting at this time of year it was only a grade 2 because the water level is low. After climbing 200 stairs down to the water we had a great time, we met people from all over the world and along the bank of the river the Indonesians where etching a story that stretch for miles along the river. The are trying to get it into the guiness book of records. It is very detail and a extrodinary piece of art work.
After the rafting trip we headed back to Kamadula to go into Ubud to another hotel. This hotel is right on the edge of the Monkey Forest Santuary, which means there is monkey everywhere you look. Beware monkeys can be nasty if the want to be and they can be theifs as well. They love glasses, hair clips, dangling earings, so if you are around them be aware.
Next we headed to our next hotel Benoa Beach Hotel where they where holding the first Asian games. This hotel was very Indonesian, there where offerings to the gods everywhere on the walkway so you had to make sure you didn't step on them.
Tonight we where treated to dinner at the Balienese ballet, then afterwards decided to entertain ourselves and others by getting everyone up and dancing.
Today we are going shopping in Kuta where you will find your upscale stores, starbucks, restaurants and banks. This is where the young people like to hang out as there is plenty of entertainment and shopping around. Meals are inexpensive. If you like scrubs and essential oils then by it in Bali. Pricing starts at about $2US.
We did a tour to Tanah lot sea temple. Here we able to see some locals with their Boa snakes, structures being built with bamboo and walk out to the temple.
Tanah Lot has a great marketplace with goods for barter. So if you are looking to take home souveniers, this is the place to buy.
Now back to our hotel as we are going to see the sunset at the monkey temple. Temple rules you need to where shorts that cover your knees(men and women) as well as tops must cover the tops of your arms. They offered sarongs at some of the temples for you to where. Watch the monkeys here they will steal anything they can. Back to our hotel
Onto a new hotel the Melia Benoa for the remainder of our stay
Now off to lunch at Dreams hotel. They offer villas with private walled accomodations and your own pool. They have a shuttle to their own beach, the golf course and town. This is popular with honeymooners. Very upscale. They have a wonderful SPA at this hotel and you do not have to stay here to use it. Full body massage is about $80US. We where treated to one by the hotel it was wonderful.
The Melia Benoa is a family resort, it is in a great location, their is a little market next door as well as you can get to the Galleria from here. The Galleria has all types of shops and a public beach to use. Taxi prices you need to bargan for before you get in the cab.
You can get money from ATM machines that are found in various places where their are hotels. We where advised to use the blue ones and to remember to wait for your card.
Well we visited many different hotels and can give anyone advise on them. I liked the Westin, Intercontinental, Tropical and Novatel hotels. Westin had the best kids club and an excellent beach, Tropical offered gardens and the authentic feel of Bali, Intercontental gave you a walking beach with lots of restaurants on the beach. We dined on the beach and it was great.
Monkey Temple at Sunset
For Flight or Tours email:cheryl@oceanbreezeholiday.com
