ellstah

I'm staying 3 days in Legian and 2 days in Ubud. I'm just now starting to look into all the activities and sights I want to see and I hadn't realized just how MUCH there is I'd ideally want to do in Bali! Now I'm a bit sad I only have 5 1/2 days (our flight departs at 8pm) there...

I've narrowed it down to some of the top things I want to see (below). We'll probably hire a driver for a few days, I think, since we don't want to rent a car. Can anyone suggest an itinerary of how we can manage this (or what we should cut out or add (any must-sees?), if anything)? I don't really know how far away everything is, I've just been able to manage that some of them are more in Central Bali vs. Southern Bali.

-Tanah Lot
-Ulu Watu
-Monkey Forest
-Gunung Batur (I want to hike to the top!)
-Lake Batur/ Pura Ulun Danu Batur temple
-Pura Ulun Danu Bratan
-Kintamani
-Goa Gajah
-Kecak Dance
-Mount Agung
-Taman Ayun Temple

StanKase

The monkey forest is a sorry site where hawkers are all around and monkeys are trained to try to pick your pockets though unsuccessfully. I found the experience unsettling at best a few years ago and recent visitors say it has gotten worse. They say it puts a bad mark on Bali. In 5+ days you can see 75% of Bali if you hire a driver/guide for about $75 a day but you have to search the forum for current good guides. Our guide moved to central java.

rhkkmk

contact putu a driver that many of us use....he is cheaper than quoted above and very good....maybe more like 450,000 rp... [email protected]

monkey forest is in ubud, so is some of the dancing.. tanan lot is north of seminyak, near to ubud... uluwatu is in the very south, not far from the airport

get yourself a decent guidebook....all these and many more things can be done in a few days..

rhkkmk

east bali is interesting to visit...

StanKase

I was quoting $75USD based upon paying $50 in 2006 for a licensed guide with fluent English and a separate fully insured and bonded driver so the guide could concentrate upon my wife and me. Our guide in Bali besides having frozen towels, bottled water and canned fruit juices had umbrellas just in case we could not take too much sun or it looked like it might rain while we were out of the mini-van.When I am spending thousands of dollars on a vacation I find saving $100-$120 over 4-5 days on a guide "penny wise and pound foolish". Obviously others can differ but on our recent 5 days in Central Java the guide made it one of our most memberable trips in our 40 years and we have visited various parts of Asia 5 times in about 12 years.Just another perspective.The only guide book I found relatively useless was Rouge's. I also was not impressed with Frommer's for that region either. Actually I ended up with Fodor's and Lonely Planet. I would just make sure you get a 2009 or 2010 edition if it is out yet. Obviously the history does not change but the information on hotels, B&B's, restaurants and the condition of temples. etc. is useful background but with all the research I do I always find out if I am fortunate enough to sirce a great guide I just have to tell them in advance our main intersts and our dislikes and they make a plan. For example I told our guide in Java we only want to visit the 2 most intersting museums with artifacts up to the 15 century and we did not find ourselves visiting the 12 possible museums listed under "major attractions"".

laartista

I did Tanah Lot & Uluwatu in the same day if I remeber correct. At Ulu Watu they have a great sunset kecak ( Fire Dance ) or you can catch one most nights of the week at different locations in Ubud.

You can do a sunrise hike to volcano at Batur leaves at 2:30 am and then brings you bake or you can stay and check out the lake.

Lake Bratan 7 Git Git Waterfalls I remember doing in one day together.

In Ubud I can recommend my driver, I can't say he'll charge you what he charges me as I use him for 4-6 week blocks ( 3rd time in 15 months) but he is definitely not over 450,000 for a full day.

His name is MADE email is [email protected]
tell him andrea gave you his info if you decide to get in touch w/ him. He is very sweet.

Gpanda

I completely agree with Stankase on the guide issue. A few extra dollars can provide a much richer and deeper experience. Putu, recommended by rhkKmk is one of the best guides I have ever had. I'm sure that the other recommendations are great as well. There's no bonus in self-guiding.

I ran through the Monkey Forest early in the morning and it was charming. When you're in Ubud, you might go for an eaely morning walk through the MF.

5 1/2 days will be wonderful. you can't do everything, but you will be able to relax and absorb the magic.

marmot

Be careful not to over schedule. With only 5 days you want to make sure you have time for the unexpected and for just wandering through the rice paddies and little villages, shopping and spa-ing. Also, just absorbing Bali. I think your whole list will entail too much car time. I'd pick a couple of temples. Climb Gunung Batur if you like. Maybe save some of the other sites for next time.

I'd suggest one day with a guide in the South and one day with a guide in the Ubud area. Work closely with the guides on setting your itineraries. You have to speak up.

I would add rafting on the Ayung River and also a nighttime dance performance. The Kecak in Jungjungan village is very good, but so are all many of the other dances. The resorts have schedules. Your guides will be able to tell you about special temple ceremonies in the area which often go on all night.

My advice: stay away from the monkeys. Bali is unfortunately experiencing a rabies epidemic which afflicts monkeys as well as dogs.

kmkrnn

Part of the charm of Bali is the"spirital" feeling you get from the country side and the people. Our first trip we only had 2 half days to our selves and I feel we missed this feeling. The second trip we were more laid back and leisurly in our pace. One of the best thing I did in bali last trip was to get up early and go for a walk (with a guide) thru the rice paddies. Even in the rain it was a fantastic expierence. Don't over schedule...save something for your return trip, and you will.

StanKase

If you use one of the recommended guides above or another if they are licensed they are not "commission guides". By that I mean they take you to stores for items you are interested in where they receive a commission sometimes 30% of your purpose price and you know who paid for that-you.

ellstah

I tried contacting Putu with the email address you provided but it bounced back for some reason...

Can anyone recommend a few good choices for guides?

michelleNYC

I just returned from Bali a couple of days ago and strongly recommend that you stay away from the "Monkey Forest". It was a negative experience for many reasons, not the least of which was the hard, literally grabbing and begging sell at the end by the "guide" that took us through. I would *never* return. Bali is certainly a mystical place with really lovely, warm people (for the most part). We stayed in a villa in Seminyak and had a driver for all of our 5 days there. Try to have relaxing time - you'll need it.

Orlando_Vic

ellstah,
We are going to be using Dewa Marco on May 1st. I found out about him on FlyerTalk. Take a look at this thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia/...dations-2.html beginning with post #20. Here is his web site: http://www.dewamarco-tour.blogspot.com/

Yesterday I e-mailed him about reserving May 1st for us and he got back with me right away.

_______________________________________________
Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

inspired_traveller

I did the monkey forest many many years ago and never returned back. It wasn't that interesting for me.
Tanah Lot and Uluwatu... you can visit them both at the same day by car (while you stay in Legian). But I like going to Tanah Lot for its beautiful sunset... and Uluwatu Temple also has a Kecak Dance performance around the same time (around 5-7 pm if I remember right). It was fascinating. On the way to Tanah Lot you can visit Taman Ayun.

Goa Gajah is not too far from Ubud, I visited it on my way to the village(I stayed in Sanur for a few days before staying in Ubud).

Kintamani, Mount and Lake Batur I did in a day trip, but I didn't do the hiking.

Mount Agung is the location of the most important Hindu Temple in Bali, Pura Besakih. I never climb here either.

Too bad I've never been to Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, so I can't give comment on that one.

ellstah

Andrea, thanks so much for recommending Made, he's an amazing driver and very nice. We hired him for a few days in Bali

tinydancer

Get a guide from your hotel. They are all equal, and probably cheaper than prices on this discussion board. My experience from many trips to Bali. But, the best way to see Bali is to rent a car and drive yourself, although not likely on your first trip. And a monkey attacked me a few years ago, so comments above are absolutely correct. In Ubud you can probably get a bicycle from your hotel and ride through the villages and rice paddies. Batur volcano is definitely awsome, but if you do any walking wear a helmet. It spits out rocks and it is not unusual for tourists to be killed. Still gorgeous, and there is a hotel above it to have a stop for coffee and see the view. It's worth the drive. http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/en/v...ia/bali/batur/

Also, Tirtenganga water palace is beautiful, and can be done on a day trip:
http://www.tirtagangga-villas.com/ there is a restaurant for lunch.

Lots of tauts in Bali, but just ignore them.

barefootbeach

If I were you, I'd spend two days in Legian and 3 days in Ubud....latter is much more charming and closer to a lot of the things that you want to do.