Dakota85

Hi Everyone,

Myself and my Fiance are still trying to decide on our honeymoon. We have decided that Bali for 11/12 nights and then Hong Kong for 3/4 nights would suit us best in September, as we have been told the weather will be good then.

Could some one please help us with deciding on hotels etc and what would be good to see and do while we are there???

At the minute we have been thinking of spending 8 nights at a beachy area (we were looking at the Conrad Bali Hotel in Tanjung Benoa as a possible choice of hotel)

We were thinking then maybe 3-4 nights inland possibly at the Alila Ubud and then on the way back home we were thinking of staying in Hong Kong for 3-4 nights but we do not know what hotels in hong kong as we do not know which area would be best to stay either...is 3 nights enough for the last two parts or would we be better with 4??

.... any better suggestions please advise?

Thanks in advance for any responses!!

marmot

It's difficult to recommend the "best" beach in Bali because they all have pluses and minuses. Tanjung Benoa is an extension of Nusa Dua, which was established as a resort enclave. Nusa Dua has pretty sandy beaches, good for swimming but at times quite shallow. There really isn't anything else there.

The Conrad is a relatively new resort with beautiful grounds, swimming lagoons and several restaurants. However, the beach is NOT GOOD. I'd keep this as an option but continue to explore other areas.

If you want a self-contained resort -- the kind you never have to leave -- I'd recommend the Four Seasons or the Ayana in Jimbaran. They are both on the cliffside and have terrific views. The beaches are just okay and there's some, but not a lot of diversion, in Jimbaran.

My favorite beach area in Bali is Seminyak, which is a long sandy BIG wave beach with beautiful sunsets. Here you'll be within walking distance or a short taxi ride from Bali's best restaurants, shops, spas, clubs. It's a lively and sophisticated area.

Resorts that I like in Seminyak are the Legian and the Semaya. Either of these would be ideal for a honeymoon. They have spacious grounds so you can have both serenity and activity.

You could consider renting a villa for part of your stay. It won't be right on the beach, but would be nearby. Villas offer privacy and deluxe service and most come with a complete staff. Look at the Laksmana complex to start.

In Ubud you also have a lot of choices. I like the Alila, especially the "suites" which are really big rooms with wrap around terraces and spectacular views. The regular rooms are smallish but well designed. The grounds, pool and restaurant are beautiful.

Other options are villa-type resorts like the Semaya and Kayu Manis.

You might also divide your stay into three places in which case I'd add a remote beach resort like the Amankila. Amankila, Ubud, Seminyak would be for me the perfect combination.

I like Hong Kong a lot, but you may want to save it for another trip when you can spend more time. Singapore is a good urban destination to combine with Bali.

rhkkmk

the conrad is a beautiful hotel... the beach itself is not fab but is good as far as bali beaches go... the location is also good...

you might like to hire putu to take you around some while in bali.... for about 400,000-500,000 he will driver and guide you through the beautiful island of bali for a really full day.. its a bargain and he is young and personable...
[email protected]

i really like the alam shanti for stays in ubud... the gangga and yamma (sp) rooms are fantastic and come with a huge private pool... just outside the town... breakfast only--but a fantastic one served on your patio overlooking a working rice field... very affordable too...

Kathie

I agree with Marmot, I'd combine Singapore with Bali rather than Hong Kong.

Dakota85

Thanks for the replies everyone. I really appreciate it.

With regards to going to Hong Kong, the only reason we were planning on staying there for a few nights is because that is where the flights go through on our way to and from Bali. We just decided we might aswel stay there for a few nights on the way home as an extended bit to our holiday. Plus it is unlikely we will go back again as it is a very long way for us to travel to.

For the first part of our trip in Bali we were looking at some other hotels as you recommended in Seminyak. What are the Seiryu Boutique Villa or the Kunja Villa Hotel like? We are not looking for a hotel that you dont have to leave. We would rather stay somewhere that is located beside good restaurants / bars / shops etc, so perhaps the Conrad Bali hotel would not be great for us if there is not much around it.

marmot

I've never been to either villa you mention so I can't comment personally. I like the Petitengit area (where Kunja is located) but it appears to be a bit too far from the beach for a comfortable walk.

There are hundreds of villas in Seminyak so you have to read the reviews carefully and ask a lot of questions about transportation and meals. The quality and cost of services vary widely.

If your budget permits look at the Legian Club and Samaya Villas. These are very well located and because they're part of a hotel you get full service.

Alternately I think a Studio Suite at the Legian is a terrific value. Not a villa, but right on the beach with a big balcony overlooking the sea.

These websites are good for villa "shopping."
http://www.seminyakvillas.net/
http://www.allseminyakvillas.com/petitenget-3/


There are hundreds of villas in Seminyak so you have to read the reviews carefully and ask a lot of questions about transportation and meals. The quality and cost of services vary widely.

If your budget permits look at the Legian Club and Samaya Villas. These are very well located and because they're part of a hotel you get full service.

Also this website is good for villa "shopping."
http://www.seminyakvillas.net/
I've never been to either villa you mention so I can't comment personally. I like the Petitengit area (where Kunja is located) but it appears to be a bit too far from the beach for a comfortable walk.

There are hundreds of villas in Seminyak so you have to read the reviews carefully and ask a lot of questions about transportation and meals. The quality and cost of services vary widely.

If your budget permits look at the Legian Club and Samaya Villas. These are very well located and because they're part of a hotel you get full service.

Also this website is good for villa "shopping."
http://www.seminyakvillas.net/

marmot

Sorry for the duplicated text. I never did learn how to revise on this site!

kuluk

Seminyak is a good area for what you are looking for...beach combined with sophisticated shopping and nightlife. It's not very "cultural" though so I do hope you decide to go ahead with several days in Ubud.

About the Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa area..it is on the "other side" of everything else in Bali so right now is not a good time to stay there. Not only is it very sterile but there is a large construction project just now underway at the airport intersection because of severe traffic jams.

And yes, September is a great time to come to Bali. It's cooler and drier.

StanKase

I would go to Hong Komg over Singap;ore. Though I went to Singapore 8-9 times for business years ago it was fly in fly out but 2 years ago on the way to Indonesia we spent 2 full days in Singapore and ran out of things to do. I musy admit HK is not much better but if you could cut HK down to 2 days and Bali can easily be reduced to 8 nights you might want to add an extra very different cultural experience and fly to Central Java. It is a 75 minute flight and cost between $130-$150 RT. With a guide in 2 full days you can have a very interfesting exc p;erience of Java. I always recommend our guide in Yogja because he really is terric. For $80/day he gives you in 2 days a great touring of 8th and 10th Century amazing temples and sights out at Diemg Plateau that are as awesome as any in Bali but different. We stayed at the Hyattt Regency and he gets special rates of about $160/night on the Club Floor with American breakfast.
As for Bali Putu is a very good guide but quite unless you ask him questions. He is a fountain of information. But =make sure he does not assign his cousin to you for he knows little and his van is not in good shape. His rate in Sept. was 550.000Rp. for a 10 hour day.. If you could get a reservation for 3 nights at the Chedi Club you will think you "ied and went to heaven". I would try the hotel website directly. It cost us $301 including tac. The Four Seasons-Jimbaran Bay for 3 nights is at the beach but is $500/day with tax and is more lively. But with the Chedxi you are in Ubud and the FS you are in the social scene. That program would allow you to fit in Java.
I am not a travel agent but a traveler who has visited Indonesia 4 times in the past 11 years.

Cicerone

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. Here are my thoughts and suggestions for your honeymoon:

1. 11 days in Bali is a nice chunk of time, so I agree with your plan to split your time between the beach and inland areas. This will give you a chance to see both parts f the island and also because IMO, the beach does not represent Bali at its best. The beach does not play a large part in Balinese culture and to be quite honest, there are many other places with far more beautiful beaches. (If you want really stunning beaches, go to the Maldives.) The beaches are pretty, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think they justify flying 12,000 miles to see them. The inland rice paddy areas and villages, however, are a different story. So I agree on splitting time. I probably would say to spend less time in the beach areas and more in the inland areas. (A plunge pool can take the place of a beach quite easily). You can bike, hike, walk, white water raft and just explore the inland areas. Seminyak, while perfectly nice, is quite developed and touristy and feels much more to me like a low-rise Miami Beach than it does like Bali. (Especially since the W hotel opened.) Inland areas like Ubud of course have their touristy bits, but IMO it is much easier to get quite quickly away from the tourist areas and into the countryside.

2. Java mentioned above is an interesting thought for an add-on, but would take away from time on Bali. But look at flight times and see how things work out.

3. For Hong Kong, the weather in September is generally good if you like hot and quite humid. There will be a bit of rain, and we can have the odd typhoon (our version of a hurricane), but that is just a mater of luck. The air pollution levels tend to be quite low in the summer months so visibility is usually quite good. As long as heat and humidity are OK with you, it’s a good month to travel here (and it’s hot in Bali too). 3 or 4 nights is good for Hong Kong, look at flight times and see what works best for you.

4. Hong Kong is relatively small and public transport is excellent and not expensive so it does not matter a whole lot where you stay. That being said, my general recommendation is that you stay on Hong Kong Island itself and avoid the Kowloon side <i>unless</i> you want to pay for a room with a harbour view (which I would recommend, as the view is spectacular and it is your honeymoon). If that is the case, then consider, in somewhat descending price order the following: the Ritz-Carlton, the Peninsula, the Intercontinental, the Kowloon Shangri-La (a bit of a secondary location), the Sheraton Golden Mile, the Hyatt, the Intercontinental Grand Stanford (secondary location), the Harbour Grand (quite out of the way location), the Marco Polo (not all rooms have full harbour views and cruise ships can block some views), the Panorama Hotel (rooms can be small) , the Royal Pacific, and the ever-popular Salisbury YMCA. Views from the W are oblique views of the east and west harbour and I would not recommend that hotel. If you don’t want to pay for a harbour view, then give me an idea of your budget, and I can make some recommendations for hotels on the Hong Kong Island side.

5. I don’t know when in September your trip will be, but if it is toward the end of September, there is a major holiday on October 1 in Hong Kong (National Day) when there will be fireworks in the harbour, which are quite a sight to see. This year that holiday coincides with the Chinese lantern festival holiday (the mid-autumn festival) which is a lovely time to be here as well.

Dakota85

Thanks for your replies everyone..... it is very much appreciated. It is all so confusing what to decide on and i think we have alot more research to do. we will definitely look into all the reccommendations... Lucky we still have plenty of time before booking.