Hi...we were just at the FS Sayan...almost stayed at the Maya Ubud but at the last minute settled on the FS. It was beyond amazing. We could have stayed there the whole time, there is something about that place... if possible to get a river villa with pool overlooking the rice fields and river, it is worth it! Some don't like the architecture which I can understand...it is dramatic. But there is a feel to the place that is hard to describe. A villa is the way to go if you can.
We went to the RC in Jimbaran afterward and we were so disappointed. A beautiful giant resort, but just that....a beautiful giant resort. We were not nuts about the beach areas, although I know others loved them. In the future we would definitely do either East Bali (Amankila or Alila Manggis) or also like the idea of Amanjiwo in Java. We were with kids so we made different choices. Enjoy the FS Sayan, again, it was amazing!!

scott_bev,
The beach is always a difficult choice as each area has its strengths and weaknesses. There just isn't any quiet, pristine, sparkling white beach with limpid water in Bali. For the serene and mystical side of Bali, you need to go inland. The beaches are more lively and diverse (although the Balinese are just as serene and mystical on the beach as everywhere else!) It really depends on what you want to do on the beach. The Seminyak area is great for walking, sunsets, staring out to sea, but the surf is a bit aggressive for swimming.

As I've said, I've stayed at the Legian probably 20 times over the years and I keep going back.

If you decide to go with the Kayumanis or Jamahal, please let me know how you like it. Villas and spas have popped up like mushrooms all over Bali. For sure there will be a wide range of quality, but I don't know how to judge without actually experiencing the property firsthand. There's been so much development lately that although the individual group of villas may be lovely, it's difficult to control what's nextdoor.

It's relatively cheap and easy to construct a "Balinese" style villa and put together a beautiful brochure or website, but VERY difficult to manage a resort in Indonesia to international standards. Balinese charm goes a long way, but inefficiency can be really exasperating. I've lived here for a long time and am very patient and tolerant, but on holiday I expect service and cleanliness and that's why I'm very choosy about where I stay.

Everyone loves the FS Sayan. I'm sure it will be great. You might also think about making your dive trip a day trip from Ubud. It's a long day, but doable. The Ubud area is just so much more special than North Bali and the diving although good is not the best. (For that you'll have to go to Northern Sulawesi, but that's another trip!)

Wow, its great to read all of the info on Bali, thanks everyone. I am planning a honeymoon for next August and have become quite intrigued about Bali. It sounds like the consensus is that its not the place to go for nice beaches though? How accurate/judgemental is this statement. I assume what people are saying is that the beaches are nice, just not the best in the world? We are looking for a two week relaxing beach holiday, with a lodging budget of about $250 a night. Do you think Bali is the right location for us? Do you have any reccomendations of where to stay? The Legian looks wonderful, but its a tad out of our price range. Again, we are looking for relaxing more than nightlife, I think kuta, is probably a bit too bustling for this trip...

Tyler - I wouldn't go all the way to Bali just to spend two weeks on the beach. Travelers go to Bali to experience its unique culture which, for the most part, is found on the interior of the island away from the beaches.

i think you hit the nail on its head...the beaches are ok but nothing special...for your price range you could do well in bali....very well...

how about staying around in 2 or 3 places to experience the differences and allow easy access to different areas...stay in the south at the conrad...stay in ubud at the four seasons, stay in the north for a few days...have a driver like putu for a few days to experience the ritual life of bali...

thailand and malaysia also offer great places: koh samui, phuket, krabi....langkawi (the datai), east coast malaysia....west coast malaysia...

I'll be the dissenter on the Bali beach topic. I think the beaches in Bali are great. Sure they're not sparkling white with calm, clear turquoise water, but they are big, sunny, fun, lively and a great place to vacation. Think Australia, Santa Monica, Florida. If you want the desert isle kind of getaway, go to Thailand. If you want sophisticated resorts with great ocean views, sunset, good restaurants, and an astonishing culture, give Bali a try.

Now having said that I will offer two qualifiers. First, there is quite a range of beaches. The honky-tonk area of Kuta is only a small percentage of what Bali offers. For my money Jimbaran (the Four Seasons) and Benoa (Conrad) are sorry excuses for beach resorts (meaning great resorts with rotten beaches) and I don't particularly like the black sand of northern Bali. I'd also strongly suggest that anyone planning two weeks in Bali, devote some of that time inland in the Ubud area soaking up Balinese culture.

We'll be in Bali the first week of Feb 2005. We'll stay either at Puri Ganesha in the north or... Villa Uluwatu III any comments ? The north is 3+ hours drive, but I'm concerned about the level of "touristy-ness" for Villa Uluwatu. Help ?

Hi scott_bev,
In Dec./04, we spent 5 nights at a resort called Agung Bali Nirwana in northeastern Bali (www.agung-bali-nirwana.com) This fantastic place is one of the few actual waterfront properties in Bali. It consists of 3 large and luxurious villas each having 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen and livingroom and 2 enormous bathrooms with the best shower heads ever! The villas are furnished with marble floors, beautiful hand made teak furniture, canopied beds and unique Balinese artwork. They have fabulous air conditioning which was not blasting out at us all the time as in some places we stayed. Fans are also available if that is your preference. There is excellent snorkelling right off the beach in front of the villas (bring beach shoes!), a state of the art swimming pool which uses a British designed UV system to kill bacteria (no chlorine) a small, waterfront restaurant which serves delicious, reasonably priced meals - or you can have these served to you on your own personal bale - and a private, open-aired spa located on the upper floor of the reading room which has lovely views of the water and the fishermen going by. The prices at the spa are very reasonable compared to what we would pay in North America.

The staff at Agung Bali Nirwana is really what puts this place "over the top". They are all local people and have been well trained to provide you with every need and yet remain unobtrusive in doing so. Although the villas are lovely and luxurious, they are not too opulent and we felt very comfortable and welcome here. Every day we saw dolphins swimming by the resort, our daughters were thrilled with the resident ducks and the gold fish in the ponds that surround each of the 3 villas. There isn't much in the way of shopping close by but the staff is happy to drive you to Singaraja (or anywhere else) for this. We took a tour to see a couple of different temples in the area and we also were taken to 2 local schools as I felt that this would be a good learning experience for our daughters. There are NO hawkers on the beach in this part of Bali, the quiet and solitude provided the most relaxing atmosphere for us to get caught up on much needed rest after our long flight to Bali from Canada. There is a good selection of books and movies which can be taken back and enjoyed in the villas when you need a change of pace. Our family got the Experience Bali package ($120.00 US per night plus $15.00 extra for the 2 girls). The rates included a wonderful breakfast served each day to us on our bale. These rates are very reasonable for accommodation and service of this type. We were away for over a month in Bali and Thailand on this trip and our daughters gave Agung Bali Nirwana the #1 rating for places that we stayed at (and we stayed in many other very nice places as well.) The staff will be happy to provide transportation to/from the villas from the south coast or you could hire your own driver. We used Wayan Sueta for our trip to Sambirenteng and for 4 days in the Ubud area. His website is www.hiddenbali.com. and I would highly recommend him as well. Wayan is totally honest and reliable and a virtual treasure trove on Balinese history and culture. We drove through the Sideman area on our way to Agung Bali Nirwana and came back through the Kintamani area, both very scenic routes. Agung Bali Nirwana is very popular with people who have been lucky enough to visit there and many of their visitors now are returnees. Their website listed above is very detailed with even their menu prices so it should answer any additional questions that you might have. I would be happy to give you any more information as well.

I haven't had the chance to go, but some friends of mine, who taught at the expatriate school my kids went to in Bogor, Jawa Barat, have a place on Bali. http://www.alamsari.com/ I've always thought it looked lovely, my friends are Kiwis, and wonderful people, but don't live there as they still teach in Jakarta, or did the last I heard.

rapunzil...your friends are in Jakarta teaching still and still have Alam Sari. I met them briefly over the winter holidays this year during our lovely stay at Alam Sari. They are lovely and Alam Sari was lovely. :)

It's great to read everyone's comments. I think those of us who go to Bali often will agree that each time is a different experience, that's part of the draw-card. It's generally the interaction with the Balinese which has left me with beautiful and amazing memories forever. That's why I keep returning.
There are hidden treasures everywhere.
Same goes for accommodation. I've loved reading about everyone's choices and wanted to share ours with you.
We found VILLA POPPY in Seminyak last year and I've been telling everyone about it! We loved our stay there - friendly staff, totally private (but within a few steps of the main street) and really close to all those yummy upmarket restaurants everyone goes to - La Lucciola, Cafe Warna, Ku de ta, etc. etc. It had the alang alang roof and the open plan - very traditional but with all the mod-cons. The pool and gardens were beautiful, and we found ourselves relaxing in the traditional Bale, under the shade of the mango tree, more often than not. The website has some great photos if you're interested - www.villapoppybali.com.

Thanks Kim! I really need to get in touch with them, it's been far too long!

I can't seem to find any details on the private villa's at the Conrad. I found the Conrad website, but only info and prices on rooms/suites. Any links?

i did not see any seperate villas at the conrad....some of the rooms that have stairs that lead out directly to the laggoons are called villa rooms....maybe that is the confusion??

they are very nice...

Qunci in Lombok
Or rent a villa in Bali from Elite Havens (see their site)

Forgot to confirm that Puri Ganesha is just the best. The owners are pure genius. One of the most extraordinary places in the world, and certainly on the island. Unforgettable.