A friend and I are going to Bali for 2 weeks in July. I generally try to fit in as much as possible while I'm on vacation, so I'm wondering we could fit in a side trip somewhere else for a couple days during that period. If so, where? Does anyone have any recommendations?

The island of Lombok is an option for a side trip but do make a point of exploring all of Bali if you have 2 weeks. Get yourselves a driver such as Putu, mentioned often on this forum (do a search) to take you around.

The two side trips that would make sense from Bali are Lombok, as Craig says, and Java. Lombok is much less visited than Bali. The culture is quite different and frankly, the beaches are better (and uncrowded). Central Java has Borobudor and Prambanam which are both worth seeing.

Thanks. I thought about Lombok, but I heard there is more of a malaria problem there, and I didn't want to bother with anti-malaria pills.

I was thinking more along the lines of a neighboring country. I'd love to go to Angkor Wat, but I don't know if that's at all practical.

We e-mailed Putu (based on fodorite recommendations, thanks), but we aren't sure how many days we'll need a driver. Any suggestions on that would be helpful as well.

As you see, we're really just starting our planning, so any input is appreciated.

we were in bali a couple of weeks ago and went to lombok for 4 days...it was fantastic...

the qunci villas is a very nice place to stay...

lombok is not a malaria area according to the CDC....we did not take our malerone until long after leaving there and going to another place in thailand which is more risky...

i would not give it a second thought...

there are two ways to get to lombok, fly from densepar or go by the very long boat ride (3-5 hours) from east bali...we flew in about 20 minutes....

we hired a driver for one day and he gave us a very good look around lombok...

i would highly suggest you engage putu, as suggested above for your time on bali....www.mybalifriend.net

Other than Australia, you're a couple of hours from another country in Bali. To get to Ankor, you'd have to fly through another city, such as Singapore, Bangkok or Saigon, so you would end up shooting a whole day just getting there (and back).

If contrast is what you're looking for, then you might consider Singapore, if you haven't been there. If ancient temples is what you really want, Java - specifically Yogya - will give you that, and more. Add Mt Bromo to that and you'll have a lot of memorable sights.

Getting to Angkor Wat from Bali would be a full day assuming connections could be worked out. You might be able to do it at the beginning or end of your trip, if your transiting through a city that has flights to Siem Reap. I would consider Lombok or perhaps North Bali as easier diversions.

Bob, perhaps there weren't outbreaks of malaria on Lombok when you were there, but it is typically considered to be a malarial risk area. There were outbreaks when we were on Lombok, and we took malarone.

Amicita, if you want to go to Angkor, it will take a full day of connection each way plus a minimum of three full days to see the major temples. It would be time (and money) consuming. Angkor is also a malarial risk area.

You could take a quick trip to central Java (entirely different culturally than Bali) and could see another wonder: Borobudor, the largest Buddhist monument in the world. Pick up a guidebook, or use Google and look for Borobudor and Prambanam. This will give you a hint of what delights await you in Java.

Once I got to Bali, I didn't want to leave!! Other then perhaps Lombok, if you only have 2 two weeks, I would stay there.