Hi all, Im new to this and would love any help from you experienced travellers out there.
My partner and I are going to Bali in 3 weeks time and will be staying for 11 nights / 12 days and we were not sure how to plan our itinerary to get the most out of our visit.
We are a young couple who dont mind a bit of adventure but we really want to see the heart of Bali, the real culture rather than the resort culture. If anyone can suggest an itinerary or places which you recomend visiting / staying we would be very greatfull.

The cultural heart of Bali is Ubud so you probably want to spend most of your time there. What are you interested in and what is your budget for hotels? We could help more if you give some information as to what you want out of this trip.

we have a budget of up to $60per night for hotels. We just want to experience as much of bali as posable.

I would try www.baliforum.com - it is full of Bali tragics I found them very helpful with organising trips to Bali.
I've been to Bali several times and as much as I liked Ubud I wdn't spend most of my time there. What I love about Bali is the real culture is everywhere except maybe Kuta. Every corner you turn has somthing new and often it is spiritual.
I used San Michel Travel in Sydney http://www.asiatravel.com.au/info_site/balibus.asp (the owners have changed so I can't vouch for them now) but they were very good in organising itineraries that matched your aims and budgets. They had the Bali Bus which provided free transport aound the island between resorts and towns. Lovina on the West Coastis supposed to be worthwhile visiting. I used them for Bali,Vietnam and a train journey froom Singapore to Chang Mai.
Last time we went we rented a villa for a few days inland from Seminyak in the middle of the rice paddies - it would be outside your budget but I'm sure you could get accommodation in the villages etc.
Remember it is incredibly humid and hot - a few days relaxing by the beach is essential.

Thank you Sarvowinner,
I will give those resources a try.

If you are interested in the culture of Bali, you will probably enjoy Ubud and the surrounding villages. In addition to the galleries and art museums, you can see performances at the Palace and elsewhere, including Barong, kecak, and joged dances. You can watch master craftsmen at work with woodcarving, batik, weaving, etc., and you can even arrange to design and help make a wooden mask (with a lot of help!) or other creative activity. Some people enjoy a day of cooking school. You can visit a balian (local healer/spiritual consultant), and if you are fortunate enough to be there during a full moon, visit a temple ceremony at night, which will include a lot of dance and gamelan music. Balinese massage is not to be missed. For a day trip from Ubud, you should visit Besakih, the "mother temple" believed by the Balinese to be the center of the universe. You can check local sources to see if a cremation is scheduled while you are in Bali(very different from what you might expect, not at all morbid, and everyone welcome to come). Not so many tourists venture up to the north shore, but Menjangan Island National Park has excellent snorkeling and diving. To understand more about the culture and world view of the Balinese, I would recommend a pair of books by Fred Eismann (from memory--not 100% certain of the spelling of the surname), called "Bali: Sekala and Niskala", which offer a wealth of information about their customs and beliefs. (Sekala=the tangible, everyday world; Niskala=the unseen spiritual world that is just as real to the Balinese).

The advice here about Ubud is spot on. One activity I love doing when I stay in Ubud (aside from browsing galleries) is white-water rafting. Ubud is the best place to do this from, since the best stretch of white water is only about 15 minutes from town. The operators (try to go with Sobek) are very professional and make sure everyone is safe while having a good time.

I just got back from Bali yesterday (I 'have' to go there on business) and this trip I finally got to Basikih temple, as well as the seaside 'bat' temple. The weather was perfect and it was a full moon eve (try to visit temples on the full moon or new moon days, that's when all the Balinese are there).

Thank you all, this has been very helpfull.
Has anyone been to Lovina? is it worth staying there for a night or 2?
Thanks again
Mark

we found a driver to be a big help...we used putu who is often suggested on this forum

With 11 nights, I'd stay in 2, maybe 3 places. Ubud and surrounding areas are lovely. We stayed at Alam Sari http://www.alamsari.com last year and we're going back this year. If you do a search here on for it you'll find my in depth descriptions. Short version...it's not just a place to stay. It's also right within your budget, and I'd rate it tops in that price range.

Lovina...been there once 10 years ago, once last year. With your relatively short stay, I might say give it a miss. The beach up there isn't special. We did have a lovely stay at Rambutan Cottages, but that was more because of the owner and his family than because of the location. We didn't do much up there than eat, drink and relax on either trip. Met some nice people.

Maybe look at a few nights in the Amed area or in the southwest? In the Amed area, Blue Lagoon Villas, Bayu Cottages, Wawa Wewe I and II, and Hotel Uyah seem to be in your budget and also seem nice. No first hand experience there yet, though we're planning a week in East Bali for our upcoming trip.

You don't need to pre-book a driver. Every hotel either has its own drivers, or has a list of them on call or waiting outside. You'll end up meeting one you like for sure. Best to meet them and see the vehicle first, before negotiating price. You will have absolutely no trouble at all finding someone you like to drive you anywhere you like, no matter where you stay.

In Ubud, be sure to check out Threads of Life...lovely stuff there. And skip the Casa Luna cooking school. In our experience, and as well as all other recent reports I've read, the number of students in the class is 15 or more, and it's a cooking demonstration rather than hands on. While we enjoyed the food there, it was a very long morning of standing around watching staff cook, with one person in the class occasionally getting to stir or chop. If cooking class is something you want to do, inquire at your hotel about other options...there is Bumbu, which has mixed reviews as well. Next time, we'll do a "village" cooking class in someone's home, arranged through a friend we met through Alam Sari.

Thanks Kim, great advice

AT, I think you've received some good advice so I'll just expand on a few things.

1. I'd suggest that you spend a few days on the beach and the rest in the Ubud area. Bali is an island with miles of coastline, so it's not exactly accurate to say that the real Balinese culture is only found inland. Surfers and holiday-makers have been going to Bali's beaches for some 50+ years and that aspect of beach/resort culture has now ingrained itself on the Balinese psyche as much as the inland mysticism has. For places to stay at the beach I'd suggest the Sofitel or Bali Padma. Both are on nice beaches with lots of nearby activity -- shops, restaurants, spas.

2. For Ubud, maybe you could choose a couple of places. In the town of Ubud itself, Ketut's is a friendly family owned place that is very inexpensive. (This would average out the Sofitel, for example.) Once you get there you will find lots to do, both in Ubud ( within walking distance) and within short drives of town. Transport is plentiful and cheap.

3. Alam Sari is really a nice place. It's quite isolated so you wouldn't want to use it as a central spot, but as an experience in itself, you couldn't do better. The Waka resorts are also inexpensive and lovely.

4. I don't think I'd bother with the journey to North Bali or East Bali this trip. You will easily fill up your time in the Ubud area, especially if you take day trips to the surrounding areas.

5. The best way to see the cultural side of Bali is to hook up with a Balinese guide. Many people on this board have liked using an enterprising young man named Putu. There are many others like him. A good guide/driver will take you to local festivals, maybe a cremation, his village complex, see that you're outfitted properly with a sarung etc. If Putu's not available or in your price range, then your hotel will help you find someone, but it's really helpful to have a local "introduction."

6. Another completely different idea would be to add a few days in Yogyakarta, Java to your trip. That way you could experience Islamic culture, see Borobudur monuments and all the cultural trappings of central Java as well.

Good advice all round. A well travelled friend who has been to Bali innumerable times just came back after 2 weeks and told me that there are all sorts of cheap deals especially in Sanur on the beach . US 15 - 25 a night .Whilst it is not in the middle of everything it is not too far to drive , is quiet and was the original place to rest.It also has a safe white sand beach because of an outer reef .Last year I stayed at the Kumala Pantai Hotel in Legian . A suite was US$ 78 and the standard room was $40 .Very comfortable , well positioned on the beach , nice pool etc .The decor was typically indonesian with carvings etc but all fine with nice staff .Check out www.balidiscovery.com and balieats.com .Both useful .I used the former to book accomodation and had no problems . The restaurant reviews on the other are good .

Thanks guys, your insight has been fantastic. I have printed all your posts to take with me and am now just counting down the days till takeoff.
Thanks again
Mark

Enjoy - We really enjoyed the seafood BBQ at Jimbaren Bay.

I agree with the recommendation for seafood at Jimbaran! All along the beach there are tables right out on the sand, and it is a wonderful place to watch the sunset and enjoy the small musical group that makes its way along the beach playing for tips. You will see many more local people than tourists.
Here is a picture of a fisherman at sunset on Jimbaran Bay. My reflexes weren't quite fast enough to catch him throwing his net in the water:
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/View...amp;p=62086539

Have a look at www.balitravelforum.com You'll get "real time" answers from lots of people "on the ground" and Just back. That's where most Aussies post. You'll have a ball.

Not sure I'd agree with the Jimbaren Bay seafood recs, though. Lots of probs with overcooked/underweight fish. Used to be wonderful but I think it's a bit too commercial these days.
Lovina is great. About 3 hrs from Kuta.

Hi I'm visiting Bali in October. I would like to get in touch with the driver that everyone seems to recommend - Putu. Can someone give me his contact details? Thanks!

New Kid, the driver is Putu Arnawa. His e-mail is [email protected].

Hey Craig, appreciate it, thanks!