Hi,
I'm just back from two weeks in Bali. Below is some random stuff in no particular order of interest (or not). This was a pretty lazy trip, in that Sidemen was the base, and outings were limited to day trips in a rental Karimun micro-van. Most of the time was spent in East Bali, though there was one night in Kuta on the way in, and two nights in Seminyak on the way out. So here goes:
WEATHER
A real mixed bag. Everything from sun, torrential rain, clouds, drizzle, hot, cool. But generally it seemed that mornings were hot and sunny, clouds rolled in around 3-4 pm, and if it rained, it came in heavy around 8-9 pm for an hour or so. But don't base any travel plans on this--Bali is characterized by micro-weather patterns. One evening, I drove from Klungkung to Sidemen, which is about 15 minutes, and I ran into a monsoon, followed by bone-dry roads, then some drizzle, all within minutes. In Kuta, there was no rain; in Seminyak, there were evening showers; in Sidemen, it was pleasantly cool with some evening rain.
ATM MACHINES
Are everywhere in the tourist areas. Bring more than one ATM card as there are different systems (Cirrus and Plus). Also, Bali machines use 4 digit PIN numbers. Where I live, ATM cards have computer chips and 6 digit PINs, and a 4 digit magnetic stripe PIN is optional. Because of this, one newer card I brought (with only a 6 digit PIN) didn't work. Luckily I had a back up card with me.
TRAFFIC
Was much busier than previous post-bombing trips. Many more trucks on the roads than before. I was often stuck behind one, or had one driving up my *$#@ wanting to pass. Do not expect any road courtesy. The rock-filled Hino crawling up the mountain with you behind it will NOT pull to the side to let you pass, ever. Patience--and a rental vehicle with some passing power (i.e., not a Suzuki Jimny) is a virtue these days!
KUTA
Was the busiest I've seen it since before the bombings. Shopkeepers told me it was worse in August and September--the first time in a long while that I've heard being busy described in negative terms by locals. The Asian Beach Games had just finished when I arrived, perhaps this was one reason for the number of people. But it was definitely budget and middle class travellers on Bali this time around. Oh, DVD lovers take note--avoid the "new releases" as these tend to be poor quality. Evergreen on Poppies 1 in Kuta had a great selection.
UBUD
On the other hand was very quiet--slower even than in Feb. 2008 when I was last there. Popular eateries like Casa Luna were maybe 30%--40% full. Putra Bar, a reggage/live music place that was an institution on Monkey Forest Road, was closed.
Bali Blogger Fatboyjim didn't show up for Mojito happy hour at Cinta (4--7 pm) but the drinks were still great, though the prices had gone up.
WHITE SAND BEACH
Was quiet--the waves were very high on one of the days there--strong swimmers only. On both visits there were maybe only a dozen tourists on the beach. A good warung to try is Kecacang. This place, and the others further away from the entrance to the beach, won't charge RP10,000 for a beach chair if you eat there. Hippiechick, sorry, I found no time for Candidasa.
TIRTA GANGA
Is one of my favourite places on Bali. An interesting way to get there from Sidemen is to drive to Selat, turn right, go downhill past Bebandem, then turn left near Desah Tengah. More interesting than the usual route through Amlapura, and less traffic. Repeat visitors will recall Tirta Ayu, the second floor restaurant inside the water palace grounds. Prepare yourselves for a big change--it's gone up-market, now being managed by the Brits who used to work at Watergarden in Candidasa. Pricey (lunch, RP220,000+ for two with beers) but good food, and worth it if you want to spend a few hours killing afternoon and watching the package turistos. One irritation is that the operators have continued their Watergarden practice of adding a 3% charge to the bill if you use a credit card. I find this really objectionable in a high-end place, which is what it now is (rooms are around RP1,000,000/night). I'm OK with this in low-end establishments, where the profit margins don't run over 100% and the prices are low. End of rant!
RAFTING
This visit I tried the Telegawaja River, as the start point was only about 15 minutes away from Sidemen--ditto for the end point, though it's a 2 hour ride. Unlike the Ayung River, closer to Ubud, the Telegawaja was shallower, narrower, and choppier--sort of like being in a Jeep with bad suspension. Perhaps this was because the rainy season had started later, but I found the Ayung, which is wider and deeper, to be a better ride. Also, some Ayung operators have an afternoon "no lunch" option, which is much cheaper--and the food on the "lunch options" isn't great unless you really really love lots of nasi goreng. But it was still a nice way to spend a late morning/early afternoon.
BUNGALOW BUILDING
Lastly, the word is that all tourist related construction in the Sidemen area will be halted as of Jan. 1, 2010. Pehaps as a result, lots of places are going up now. The rumour is that the next area for development is nearby Muncan, which has similar characteristics--rice fields, view of Gunung Agung, back-packer friendly accommodation.
Cheers!
