Hello all,

My boyfriend and I are planning a month long trip trip to Bali in mid February. It will be our first time visiting Indonesia.

Firstly, I wanted your opinions on the area in which we should stay.

Our interests include going to the beach, night life (dancing and drinks) and dining out. While we're there we would also like to do a lot of exploring and hiking.

Is there anywhere that is far enough away from the major cities to feel tranquil and calm, but close enough to go out for a bite to eat or go to a bar in the evening?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I'd suggest looking at Sanur and Seminyak. Places you definitely don't want to be are Nusa Dua and Kuta.

You have long enough in Bali to stay in two places. Consider some time inland near Ubud, the cultural center of Bali.

You also have enough time for a side trip to Java (Borobudur and Prambanam) or to Lombok if you just want quiet beach. Take a look at our photos of our trip to central and eastern Java last year at www.marlandc.com to see if it interests you.

There's an area just outside Ubud called Penestanan which is as you describe, tranquil with places to stay sprinkled in the rice paddies, far enough away but still close to town for the amenities you want. I've stayed there twice and loved it.

much of bali is quiet and quaint...

sanur, ubud, the north and the east all fit your requirements

There are no real "major cities" in Bali. The southern beach areas are fairly developed with resorts and hotels, but it's all lowrise (with one exception that can be ignored). Even the most tourist-y areas are full of temples, gardens, markets and villages.

You're not going to find one place where you can party at night and do nature related activities during the day -- unless you count the beach as nature (which I would). You can either split your time or plan on making day or night trips.

I like Seminyak beach both for the bigwave beach and the beach resort culture. There quite a few restaurants, bars, clubs. The late night scene is more sophisticated than Kuta but still lively, much more so than Nusa Dua or Sanur.

For hiking and adventure travel you'll want to head to Ubud or further north. Ubud has no shortage of restaurants and coffee/tea shops, but it closes down fairly early.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. At least it has given me a place to start. It seems like the most popular recommendation is Seminyak, which I've kept in mind as I look for a villa to stay.

We've also seen some good deals for Lovina, has anyone stayed there and would like to tell me a bit about their experience?