1st time Bali with family

Old Apr 29th, 2013, 12:53 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
1st time Bali with family

Looking at visiting Bali in September 2013 with wife and teenage daughters (14 & 18). This will be our first time to Bali (Have been to Thailand before) and we are looking for suggestions / ideas for the trip.
- looking at staying for 9n/10d
- may split the trip between locations (seaside/country side)
- like the idea of the villa's or beach side resorts (although have seen a lot of reports saying the beaches are dirty etc?)
- budget around $300 per night
- not really into night clubs
- into shopping & learning and appreciating the local culture & relaxing around the pool with a cool drink or two.
Any assistance/comments appreciated.
runningrugby is offline  
Old Apr 29th, 2013, 01:25 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My favourite destination in Bali is Ubud. Love the town, the many boutique hotels or villas and the culture of the area. Lots to do from visiting temples, a drive to the volcano crater, rafting, shopping(arts and crafts) and some pretty good restaurant.
Hanuman is offline  
Old Apr 30th, 2013, 03:12 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,790
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'd suggest that you split your time between the Ubud area and one of the Southern beach areas.

There are quite a few different beaches each with different characteristics. Bali beaches are lively and well used. I wouldn't call them "dirty" except for certain times during the rainy season in December/January when a lot of debris washes up on shore. September should be okay.

They can get quite crowded on weekends, though, especially at sunset. The resorts keep their beach fronts tidy, but the public access areas can be overwhelmed.

I personally like Petitenget beach which is at the north end of Seminyak. It's a wide, big wave, sunset beach with lots of resorts, villas, shops and restaurants nearby.

You may not be able to get a place right on the beach within your budget (if you mean two rooms for $300 in total) but there are many many choices nearby. I'd suggest that you do some research on the different beaches, pick one and then zero in on places to stay.

I especially like the Colony in Seminyak, but I think they have a 16 year age limit. They may be flexible on that though.

This is a good site for villas:
http://www.seminyakvillas.net/

Same is true of Ubud. There are plenty of choices. First, you should decide if you want to stay within the town of Ubud itself or in the surrounding countryside. I'd opt for outside of town, but both have their attractions. I'd recommend the Alam Sari.
marmot is offline  
Old Apr 30th, 2013, 10:01 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You may want to try and see if the Bali Hyatt is open during September, as they were planning to close for renovations. One of the BEST values in Bali...and right on the relatively quiet beach at Sanur. Also at Sanur are the Puri Santrian and Griya Santrian hotels. All of the above should be well within your budget of USD 300 for 2 rooms.
Shop for batik at Bali Popiler-2, a VAST emporium with one-of-a-kind fabrics and also pret-a-porter. Wood carvings at Mas, on the way to Ubud.
If you want to appreciate the local culture, Balinese dance-drama is a MUST. Best experienced at the Ubud Palace; and in the open-air amphitheatre on the edge of a cliff, on the grounds of Uluwatu Temple. Unforgettable!!
bombayteddy is offline  
Old May 1st, 2013, 01:53 AM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you all for taking the time to provide ideas, much appreciated.
runningrugby is offline  
Old May 4th, 2013, 02:12 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree with what the others have mentioned though I favor Sanur mare than south Bali for the beach scene. If you want a lively night life, then sure, south Bali may be the place for you. Nusa Dua also has some very nice hotels. I don't stay there so not sure about the price, but I'd think $300 a night is more than enough to cover a really nice hotel in most places on the island.

Ubud is the place for shopping. Also, be sure to explore the culture. There are temples everywhere and rituals you can attend. You can also connect with a Balian for your own private healing ceremony. lots to do.

Keep researching like you're doing and you'll be fine.
MasBro is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
alison
Asia
4
Nov 4th, 2013 09:09 PM
Ann7544
Asia
7
Sep 26th, 2011 07:59 PM
steveo
Asia
4
Sep 22nd, 2011 07:21 PM
welly
Asia
6
Aug 30th, 2011 05:53 AM
bethyb52
Asia
13
Aug 30th, 2009 12:52 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -