Hello everyone. My husband and I had planned to visit Vietnam this summer but have had to change our plans. We are now going to Bali (Sanur) at the end of July for 2 weeks. We have hired a driver/guide for 3 days, and would love to hear suggestions of places not to be missed.

We love lazing about on beautiful beaches and are thinking about visiting the Gili islands for a few days. Does anybody know if you can get a boat directly there, or do you have to go to Lombok first. We would love to hear any suggestions of places to stay on the gili Islands. We'd love to hear from anybody who has been to Sanur before.

Hope to hear from someone. Deb.

Can anybody help with Bali suggestions?

I've been to Bali several times and always stay at Sanur. It's a nice little town, and convenient for day trips.

There is so much to see and do in Bali, that it's hard to make recommendations to you not knowing your specific interests. Crafts shopping? There are many crafts villages that each have different crafts they specialize in, stone carving, wood caarving, silver work, painting, etc. Traditional dance? There are many venues in which you can see traditional Balinese dance. Temples? again, there are many Scenery? you can drive through verdant rice fields, or up the slopes of a volcano. Get yourself a good guidebook and peruse the many options.

As far as beaches go, I feel compelled to tell you that Bali beaches are ok, but it's not the reason to go to Bali. Lombok has nicer beaches (but not the same cultural experiences). The only way I know of to get to the Gilis is via Lombok.

Bounty used to run a big yellow catamaran to the Gilis but there is no reference to it now on their website so I don't think it can be running anymore. However, they do run day cruises to Nusa Lembongan as do sail sensations:

http://www.balibountycruises.com/default.htm

http://www.sailsensations.com/

When we went to Gili, we came back on the Bounty cat but flew out to Lombok from Bali on a little plane and then got a taxi to nr the pier to get to the Gilis, then a horse and cart to the water's edge and then I got carried to the boat by a load of teenagers! So it is a pity if the cat isn't running anymore because that was much easier

We stayed on Gili Trawangan at Vila Ombok. This was back in 2001 but at that time this was really the only more upmarket place on Trawangan which otherwise had lots of backpacker places to stay. Vila Ombok also had one of the only pools on the island (if not the only) but of course it may all have changed now! We stayed in a Lumbung Hut room and it was very romantic, with an outside bathroom.

http://www.hotelombak.com/english/

Also you could consider a stay at Nusa Lembongan (where you can go for a day trip). We were going to do this but couldn't fit it in, but the beach there looked gorgeous. (the bounty cat stopped off at Lembongan on the way back from Gili to Bali and we did have a bit of a pang because we weren't getting off the boat!).

http://www.nusa-lembongan.com/the-resort.html

During our stay we also stayed at Poppies in Kuta (so John could go surfing for a few days but I didn't really like Kuta much although poppies had great food), then up in Amed at the Santai, which is a lovely little boutique resort. In Amed we went diving - volcanic sand, v different snorkelling and diving experience compared to white sand, v cool. We also stayed at Honeymoon Guesthouse in Ubud which was a lovely little B & B type place in the centre of Ubud and also at Maya Ubud which was out in the rice paddies in a gorge. All were lovely:

http://www.santaibali.com/

http://www.mayaubud.com/

http://www.casalunabali.com/guesthouse.html

Ubud is a great place to be located for a few days. From here you can soak up the culture (fantastic place to be if there is any type of festival on), visit the crafts villages. We also went on a mountain bike tour when we were there and that was fantastic - hard work and hot - but fantastic as we went through little villages that we would otherwise not have come across.

Hope this helps
BB

Also - especially as Sanur is not on the 'sunset' side of the island - head over to Uluwatu one evening for sunset. You will probably be there with quite a few others but it is really stunning.

Thank you so much for all your help. Can't wait - only 10 weeks to go!