Travel Guide To Bali

Travel Guide To Bali

This BALI GUIDE is maintained and updated regularly by foreign residents living in Bali, usually once a week – sometimes more often. You're invited to visit frequently and to bookmark this page.

You'll find on this site current information on the island of Bali in Indonesia and down-to-earth advice, sometimes biased by personal experiences but never influenced by commercial considerations. (The server space is provided by Balivillas.com/Bali.com Ltd as a free service to all visitors to Bali.)

BALI — THE "ULTIMATE ISLAND"

In spite of many changes caused by the rapid development of Bali's economy, local and international tourism, and communications (television, fax, pagers, GSM hand phones, Internet), the influx of people from other Indonesian islands, and the strong influence of the government and "big business" in Jakarta, the island of Bali in Indonesia is year after year voted by the readers of all major travel magazines the most enchanting travel and holiday destination in the whole world.

Bali's wide variety of attractions, the physical beauty of the island, and the year-round pleasant climate make Bali a place regarded by many visitors as the "Ultimate Island".

The friendly people and the absence of any serious criminal activities guarantee visitors a totally relaxing stay – which is a very pleasant surprise for guests who repeatedly felt threatened in Barbados, Jamaica, and other "dream islands" in the Caribbean. To read comments of recent visitors to Bali, please visit the BALItravelFORUM.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ISLAND OF BALI

• Detailed Bali Map (39k).
  Probably the most up-to-date and detailed map of the island of Bali on the Web. "Stolen" by many other web sites, but we'll keep it up-to-date for you.
• Geography, Climate, Population, Economy, and What Makes Bali so Special.
  General information, facts you might find useful, and some personal impressions.
• Kuta Sweats Sex.
  Report by Denise Dowling (Urban Desires, September 1996).
• Ubud, the Heart of Bali.
  Report by Jamie James (The Atlantic Monthly, August 1999).
• The Paradise Paradox.
  Report by Keith Loveord (Asiaweek, October 1997).
• Real-time Bali & Indonesia News
  Read the latest news about Bali and Indonesia, pulled in real-time from hundreds of reputable international news sources and information services.

PLANNING YOUR BALI HOLIDAY

• How to Select the Right Company to Book Over the Internet.
  A step-by-step guide on what to look for before you make any commitment over the Internet. This applies to Internet bookings wherever you go, not only to Bali.
• New Visa Regulations Introduced since February 2004.
  Which nationalities qualify under the new regulation for a "visa free" stay, and which nationals can take advantage of the VISA on ARRIVAL (VoA) facility.
• How to Fly to Bali. Links and Books to Buy.
  Contains links to most airlines, private aircraft charter companies, and to some air ticket consolidators who offer discounted air fares to Bali.
• Where to Stay in Bali.
  Brief guide to the main hotel and resort areas in Bali.
• Getting Married in Bali.
  Formalities and Legal Procedures required to get married in Bali.
• Bali for Families - the Kids (and Parents) Love It.
  Excerpts from the International Herald Tribune.
• Cruising the Spice Islands from Bali.
  Cruises and private charters from Bali to visit fierce dragons who have survived from the Jurassic age on Komodo, and to experience ancient tribes and cultures in the Lesser Sunda Islands.
• The Cost of Your Stay in Bali.
  Costs to expect for accommodation, daily food & drinks, transportation, etc. You'll be VERY surprised when you compare these prices with other destinations around the world.
• Potential Hazards for Visitors to Bali.
  Daily updated information on the social situation in Bali as well as maps, charts and satellite images of the region showing the areas affected by any smoke or haze, the cloud situation, and the winds affecting Bali.
• The "BALI travel FORUM"
  News & Views from the "Ultimate Island". Benefit from experiences of residents and recent visitors. Don't hesitate to ask questions. This is one of the busiest "Forums" on the Internet!
• Worldwide Embassy & Consulate Directory
  Just in case you have some questions regarding an entry visa or a permit for an extended stay in Bali - or any other country.

CHOOSING YOUR BALI HOTEL, VILLA, OR RESORT ACCOMMODATION

• Bali Hotel & Resort Bargain Finder
  Find the GUARANTEED lowest rates at famous boutique hotels, luxury resorts and budget hotels in all parts of Bali. Reserve on-line to save 70% and more. Now with Extra-Special Offers valid for limited periods only.
• Your Best Choice: Private Vacation Villas in Bali
  Choose from the most beautiful villas in Bali with two to seven bedrooms, a tropical garden with your own swimming pool, trained house staff including a cook and maids, an air-conditioned car with driver, etc. to take care of you around the clock. Check here for Last Minute availabilities and special offers. This "luxury" will be much less expensive than you think.

BALI INSIDER'S GUIDE (continually updated)

• Bali Weather Report & 5-Day Forecast.
  This report is for the whole island of Bali: this means even if you see rain showers announced these might only be in Ubud and in the mountains while the coastal areas are sunny.
• Currency Exchange Rates.
  Local exchange rates quoted daily by BII - Bank Indonesia Internasional.
• VISA ATM Locator.
  Listing of all VISA ATM machines worldwide – including Indonesia and Bali.
• Internet Access from Bali.
  How and where temporary visitors can access the Internet during their stay in Bali.
• What You can See and Do in Bali.
  The most important tours and excursions; Balinese dance performances; Wayang Kulit & traditional drama; museums & exhibitions; sports & many other leisure activities, and shopping.
• Food & Restaurants to Enjoy in Bali.
  Prices & opening hours; "Chaîne des Rôtisseurs" events; International cuisines; Indonesian cooking, Padang food & Balinese delicacies; beer, wine & local alcoholic beverages. Restaurant suggestions: where to eat in Sanur; restaurants in the Kuta area; seafood in Jimbaran; eating out in Nusa Dua; Ubud & surroundings.
• The Food of Bali – Recipes and Instructions.
  Lavishly illustrated recipes for 75 Balinese delicacies and detailed instructions how to prepare them. Compiled by Bali's food guru Heinz von Holzen.
• Bali after Dark.
  The most popular pubs, bars and discos for tourists and residents in the Kuta area, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Ubud. Updated frequently!
• Drugs: Don't even think about it!
  The use (or just ownership) of narcotic drugs is illegal in Indonesia and punishable by death. Drugs offered on the street are of questionable content, and often mixed with toxic substances. Many street vendors cooperate also with the police. If you buy you will be arrested soon afterwards, and you will be released only after paying US$60,000 or more – if at all!

Bali area reference:

• South Bali: Nusadua, Jimbaran, Tuban, Kuta, Seminyak, Kerobokan, Canggu, Sanur
• Central Bali: Ubud, Bedugul, Kintamani, Tabanan
• North Bali: Singaraja, Lovina, Pemuteran
• East Bali: Candi Dasa, Karangasem
• West Bali: Menjangan

This page is intended for the minimalist among you. It lists the places of interest with a one line executive summary of what it has to offer.
Print this page, take it with you, and once you are there, glance it quickly to determine where you should go next. Let us know if this is useful.

• Batubulan: Daily barong dance performance, fine stone
carvings, furniture, terracotta pots.
• Mount Batukau: off the beaten path, virgin rainforests,
mossy shade of Pura Luhur temple, serenity.
• Bedugul: highland retreat by the lake, crater,
watersports, quality fruits and vegetables.
• Besakih Temple: Mother Temple on Mount Agung, huge
complex of shrines, majestic.
• Candi Dasa: quiet newest resort area, snorkeling, diving,
beach.
• Celuk: silver and gold jewelry.
• Denpasar: rebuilt ancient city, art center, museum,
government offices.
• Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave): 8th century archaelogical
mystery, Buddhist inscriptions and carvings, elephant head
at entrance.
• Goa Lawah (Bat Cave): One-thousand year old Shiva
temple, millions of fruit bats cover the ceiling.
• Jimbaran: Southwest Bali, fisherman village, beach,
sunset,offshore reefs.
• Kintamani: Mountainous, spectacular view by Lake Batur,
sunrise at peak of Mount Batur.
• Klungkung: Old Palaces, Kertha Gosa Hall of Justice
(painted ceiling a la Sistine Chapel).
• Kuta: surfing, beaches, sunsets, night life, shops of
Legian.
• Lovina: North near Singaraja, still waters, dolphin watch.
• Negara: West Bali, water buffalo races (Jul - Oct).
• Nusa Dua : luxurious resorts, diving and surfing, beaches,
golf course, shops
• Nusa Lembongan: Bali's sister island, coral and sand
beaches, crystal clear water, surfing.
• Sangeh: Monkey Forest, tall nutmeg trees, aggressive
monkeys.
• Sanur: First resort of Bali, beaches, black and white
magic.
• Singaraja: North Bali, main port during colonial time,
quiet, culturally distinctive.
• Tabanan: mountains, rice field terraces, black sand
beaches, rain forests.
• Tampaksiring: wood carving, Tirta Empul temple and
sacred spring water, Sukarno's Palace.
• Tanah Lot: Dramatic ocean front temple,
spectacular sunset, snake filled cave.
• Tenganan: East Bali, village of Bali Aga, wonderful fabrics
(Gringsing double-ikat).
• Tirta Gangga: East Bali, water palace bathing place.
• Trunyan: Lake Batur village, accessible only by boat,
Bali Aga, the dead by a sacred tree.
• Ubud: Haven for the arts, paintings, lush rice fields,
museums, galleries, dances.
• Uluwatu: Spectacular temple on a cliff, real challenging
surf below.

Thank you for visiting our Bali Guide pages, Bali's most up-to-date source for everything to do with the "Ultimate Island" — resorts, boutique hotels, luxury villas, holidays, travel, tours, cruises, exchange rates, weather and more. Make sure you return again soon for the latest information on the island of Bali in Indonesia.