Hi
After many happy trips to Thailand / Malaysia. We are considering a trip to Bali next year. I would appreciate a recommendation of a resort. We want somewhere with a reasonable selection of bars / restaurants / shops but not too busy (ie. not as busy as Patong in Phuket!)
We are thinking of Christmas / New Year so any information on weather would also be appreciated!
Thanks
Cathy

The Legion - Seminyak area just north of Kuta in Southern Bali might fit the bill for you - restaurants, shops and bars but low-key. What are you looking for in a resort and how much do you want to spend? Also, how long will you be on Bali - you may want to split your time between two places.

The Four seasons-Sayan is fabulous. The are of Ubad is a bit quiet but has several good places to eat if you want to miss the great food at the FS. It also is an art and craft community. If you want more action but less natural beaty Kuta is a good lead that Craig gave you.

the small town, really a medium sized town, of sanur is quite nice...there are many hotels and restaurants there...it is middle of the road as far as busy-ness...lots of shopping and bars...nothing ruff...
the bali hyatt is there and is quite nice...its a mature resort...

the new conrad hotel north of nusa dua is fabulous but more expensive than the hyatt...

we found hiring a driver/guide for some days allowed us to tour most of the main parts of the island from there...

we stayed at the bali hyatt for 5 days (there is the grand hyatt in nusa dua, so don't confuse the two)...

rates are very reasonable for a bit of lux...

many suggest ubud, but we found it too big and spread out for what we wanted..

December is high season in Bali so rates will be somewhat inflated. It's also a lively, high energy time and lots of fun. You'll most likely get some rain, but not a major deterent.

There are several resort areas in Southern Bali; each has plenty of restaurants, shops and accomodations.

I go to Bali several times each year and at the beach I always stay at the Legian. The Seminyak area has some of the best shops and restaurants within a reasonably walkable radius. (Indonesia hasn't yet invented the tourist friendly sidewalk. Walking anywhere is hot and hazardous.)

The Legian has two parts -- luxury villas and the regular hotel. I prefer the hotel part which is right on the beach. It's a beautifully designed property, well run with good food and excellent service.

A lot has been written about the beach in Bali. I happen to really like Seminyak beach, which is a continuation of Kuta. It's wide, sandy, great for walking and observing. The surf can be a little rough, however.

The Ubud area also boasts a lot of fine options. I like to stay at the Alila which is a bit out of town as are many of the inland resorts, but transport is readily available. Ubud really is the "heart of Bali". I'd recommend staying there for a few nights and experiencing the arts and culture.

I would suggest a combination of beach and Ubud. Bali is a small island and the transfer time between the 2 is just about an hour. Beaches in Bali are not great compared to white sand beaches you may have experienced elsewhere but the island is charming - people are friendly, distances are short, chilled out atmosphere...we loved it and sure you will too. On the beach please post your preferred budget as Bali has acco to suit every pocket - starting as low as $50 and going up to $500 a night.

The Four Seasons Sayan is simply the best, and Ubud is a great town. There are several good restaurants in the town and the shopping is great. We also got a driver from our hotel to take us around to the neighboring villages were each village produces a different craft - woodworking, stone carving, batik, jewelry, painting etc - it was wonderful. It is much less commerical and crowded than Kuta - meaning there were no Burger Kings - it was much more Bali. That was lovely.