Bali vs Maldives
 

Hi
My Husband and i want to do a 10 day holiday in the last week of may...we were thinking of either maldives or bali.We are based in hong kong and in our early 30's.
We want a chill out ,beachy relaxing holiday with a little bit of sightseeing thrown in.Want some good value since we've worked long and hard to finally deserve this holiday..Our budget is not over the top but moderate!! Will Ubud be a good base in bali?...Any suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks

generally maldives is one of the most expensive places in the world to stay or certainly in that market....does that answer that question....there may be some deals now however after the december destruction???

ubud is central....some like the northern coast for the beach area and relaxation....doesn't matter where you stay as the island is small and you can get around easily with a driver....,many of us have used putu and were pleased with his driving and knowledge...i was there at exactly that time last year and it was perfect...the beginning of their busy season....

Something else to consider....

Bali will be more about lush vegitation and culture. You will have many activity options.

Maldives will be more about beautiful beaches, water and snorkeling/diving. Most everything is on isolated islands so non-water activities are not as readily available.

Which do you prefer?

No brainer- Bali

There is little or no sightseeing in the Maldives. It is all about beaches and deserted islands. The islands are gorgeous and there is great snorkelling and diving, but if you are looking for temples, ruins, music/art, shopping, night life and any kind of town or city nightlife, then the Maldives is not for you. Ten days might be a long time if you will not be happy just beachcombing, boating and diving/snorkelling. There are white powdery sand beaches and azure waters.

Bali is enormously culturally-interesting in terms of art, religion, music and customs. The rice paddy terraces and mountainous interior are breath-taking, the beaches are nice but nothing as spectacular as compared to the Maldives. The Ubud area is an excellent base, but if you want beach time you could split your time between the two. Bali has excellent shopping and the Kuta/Denpassar area has a vibrant nightlife, kind of a downscale Lan Kwai Fong with more drunk Australians (in place of the drunk Brits). The Ubud area has a bit of nightlife.

It really depends on what you want in a vacation.

I disagree that the Maldives is necessarily expensive. There are budget accommodations, and even the 4 -5 stars may be offering deals because of the Tsunami.

Thanks for all the suggestions.I think we've narrowed it down to Bali..any hotel reccomendations for Bali?I think a package is the way to go.
Hotels that i have narrowed down are
The Legion(based on fodorites opinion)
Grand Hyatt
Four seasons
Hotel Tugu(based on fodorites)
Hotel Bale seems too modern for our tastes...would prefer something more balinese and traditional in terms of a hotel choice.
Trying to get the best rates for all these thru various agents and also chking on sia /cathay for pacakages.
Would appreciate any inputs...

if its bali....i think a package would be a mistake unless it is just air and hotel....touring there is very individual orientated....a driver/guide is the best option...many of us have used putu with great success...his max. cost per day is $40 for 10-12 hours...

the bali hyatt is anything but bali esque....its modern usa....imo...its also huge....

we liked the bali hyatt in sanur which has the benefit of being in a lovely town....legian gets great marks here on fodors and it looks very nice indeed....

I would highly recommend that you not stay in Nusa Dua - it's really not Bali. The Grand Hyatt is enormous and won't give you a sense of Bali. Like Bob, I recommend the Bali Hyatt at Sanur if you want a Hyatt. It's in an award -winning garden setting on the beach. With 10 days, consider some time at a beach location and some time in the Ubud area. I agree that there is no reason to do a package. I've always found I can do better on my own.

Shabnam, since you have 10 days, you might consider some at the beach, some inland. From what you've said I think you'd like the Legian. It's right on the beach with easy access to restaurants, shops and spas. Two of Bali's best restaurants, KuDeTa and La Lucciola are within walking distance. The Legian has two parts -- the villas which they call the Club and the regular resort. The regular resort is right on the beach, the villas are across the road. I always stay in the regular resort because I love the balconies overlooking the sea. The service is excellent, the food is very good, the ambience and aesthetic refined and serene. If you want activity there is the beach and all of Seminyak. If you want peace and isolation there is the garden, pool and your wonderful balcony.

I wrote about the comparison between the Legian and the Bale and between Seminyak and Nusa Dua on the thread "Honey Moon in Bali" so I won't repeat, except to say the choice between an individual villa and a full service resort is a personal one.

For me, the Legian is just the right size.

A word about the beaches in Bali. There are several developed beach areas. Nusa Dua and Sanur both have nice sandy beaches with gentle surf. Nusa Dua is quite shallow at low tide. Jimbaran is good for swimming but somewhat rocky and restrictive for walking. Seminyak is a continuation of Kuta. It's GREAT for walking and people watching and for staring out to sea, but the surf is quite aggressive. You can swim there, but be prepared for some heavy wave action.

For traditional Bali, you need to head to the Ubud area. I'd recommend the Alila or the Kayumanis, though many Fodorites love the Four Seasons. Again, I expounded on this in the Bali Honeymoon thread so I won't bore everyone with my usual rant, but for sure, a few nights on the Ayung Rive is a magical mystery experience.

Haven't been to the Maldives, but have been to Bali. I'd do Bali...stay some time in Ubud. Happy Travels!

Hi

My wife and I went Sun Island in the Maldives last April and it was an amazing beach destination. The beaches were white and the ocean so blue. I haven't been to Bali so I can't really compare it but if you are looking for peace and quiet I think it is hard to beat a Maldivian beach :-) I have posted a trip report with some pictures on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com. Check it out and be tempted :-)

Regards
Gard

Thanks for all the invaluable advice.
Btw,Has anybody tried the Ritz Carlton at Jimbran ..The ocean suites seem really nice.

Have been to both and agree that they offer quite different experience.

I think that Maldives offer a unique holiday experience which costs a lot but worth it. The flight from HK is not cheap (I'm from HK as well), so for this at-least-once-in-a-lifetime experience, you may well spend some money to get the most out of it. I stayed in Soneva Gili Resort at that time but believe that they are still under renovation after the tsunami.

For me, Bali is not enjoyable for a short visit, but I prefer Thailand far more. A trip to Bali is not cheap either, like all other countries which mark prices in USD. I stayed in the Panseas Puri in Jumbaran and considered it of good value at a more reasonable price. Of course the Legion looks great but it costs a fortune. With that sum, I could easily live like a royal for a much longer period in Thailand.

We visited the Ritz Carlton. It wouldn't be my first choice. It's really luxurious and the grounds are beautiful BUT 1. It's on a really steep site so you may have about 200 or more steps from your room down to the beach. Better for very fit mountain goats! 2. The beach is tiny!!! 3. It's isolated.. you can't walk out and EXPERIENCE Bali the way you can at Seminyak (The Legian) or Jimbaran Bay (The Intercontinental- my favourite with kids)4. With water slides into the pool it's FULL of kids- not your romantic getaway!
... so as lovely as it is there are just so many better options in Bali. Just remember to lock your suitcases- you might want to google Schappelle Corby- her story has made quite a few Australians nervous about travelling to Bali right now!!

I think Ubud is a better place to be based. The Chedi hotel is really nice there. I think they have the Aman group of hotels there too. We stayed 4 days in Ubud and 4 days in Jimbaran Bay and got really bored at Jimbran Bay. The beaches in Bali aren't that great. Ubud has great restaurants and so much to offer. We also took a side trip to Borabodur - the Amanjeevo hotel there is quite spectacular.