Hello from us. August accommodation.

SteveandCarolin

SteveandCarolin

Member
Hi Everyone. My wife and I have been enjoying reading many Balipod posts for a while now, both new and old. Thanks to all the active members for your helpful, interesting and honest posts.

We are trying to fit a short one month into our too busy life later this year for some relaxing and exploring of Bali. Our aim is to also form more of a picture of whether Bali will be part of our retirement/living plans in the coming years.
My rose coloured glasses have become very scratched and faded because of the forum at times :icon_eek: :icon_smile:. Having that broader perception of reality in Bali will hopefully build a richer enthusiasm for Bali in us.

We're finalising plans for an August stay, aiming to base ourselves in the Canggu/Kerobokan area on this occasion, and to venture out for day trips and 2 or 3 stays of a couple of days or more elsewhere on the island - eg Bedugul, Lovina, still thinking on others. I know, peak season, but we are having to fit in with all other commitments, and we'll just have to do our best.

We are currently viewing a couple of 2 bedroom villas at around AUD $1k and $2k for the month, but would consider other options if they arise in the next little while. My wife wants a pool and accommodation "not too rustic". Some security would be nice as I'm still a little unsettled by Pollyanna's horrible experience last December. If anyone has any specific accommodation options available they are willing to pass on, they would be appreciated.

Because we're doing August, I feel we need to book at least our base accommodation now. Also, ideally through a relatively trusted source to perhaps reduce the risk of encountering a rental incident such as documented recently in the forum. Do you agree that both these things are advisable?

Thanks for listening. I hope we might meet at least a couple of you in August if you're available.

Kind Regards dan terimakasih, Steve
 
Hi Steve...
welcome to the forum (missed your other post), but better late then never right ;)
Have you considered staying in hotels instead of renting a villa?
if you have budget of lets say 1500..that means 50 per day for accomodation..
now if you rent a villa, you would have to cook yourself breakfast/lunch/dinner, or eat out ofcourse.
if you stay in hotels, 9 out of 10 offer incl.breakfast.
maybe the villa comes without a maid, meaning cleaning, making the beds etcetc.. or hiring a maid.

you could do like a circle around Bali, couple of days here couple of days there..instead of the 'up and down' to places you want to see. travelling the same road multiple times, (that's what I mean with up and down.)
 
Thanks Gilbert, I know you can always be relied on to provide good advice, including comments on miniskirt policies :).
Yes, the hotel approach you describe definitely sounds the way to do it. I was considering it, but got hesitant when our schedule meant we needed to do August, and I then worried I'd struggle to easily find accommodation as we tripped around in that peak period.
 
hahaha...miniskirt-fan ;)
thanks, I just try to keep it real...miniskirts and other threads :)

If I were you and decided on the 'going around'..
I don't know how adventurous you are, but I would book a hotel for the first couple of days, and then take care of transportation (car with driver)..
finding a hotel in that period might be alot harder in let's say Kuta, then it is in Penarukan..
but there are so many hotels and everything is driveable within a couple of hours tops.
 
Thanks. My wife does not want to be that adventurous, and we do also want to try "living in Bali' (with reasonable quality) for a fair bit of the month. We'll think it through some more and probably compromise a little ;-)
Do you think having a driver is important when we're 'going around', or perhaps a GPS and Google Maps are sufficient?
 
I've been advised we should fit in 4 days on Gili Nemo. I can't find much about the island - Plenty on Gili T of course, some diving sites on Gili Air and Gili Meno (is that the same place?)
Opinions/suggestions appreciated.
 
Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air are 3 small island off Lomboks northwestern coast. Gili T is the largest with most restaurants and accomodation to choose from. I have a house on Gili T and know that island the best. I can recommend some nice places for you if you tell me your budget/night and what you prefer, like fan or AC or anything else you might like . Also possible ro rent villas for a short stay. Just let me know. As August is in peakseason the prices for accomodation is much higher than out of season. It's a must to book in advance, this goes for all 3 islands.
I have been many times to Gili Meno but don't like to spend the night there. There's a sweetwater lake on the island and it's a breedingplace for mosquitos. Not nice at all. Great to go there on a daytrip.
Gili Air has the largest local community of the 3 Gilis. Many new bungalows and restaurants has been built over the last couple of yrs. Can recommend "Lucy's Garden", owned and run by a friend of mine, opend 2011.
All 3 islands are free from motorized vehicles, the way of transportation is by cidomo (small horsedrawn cart) and bicykles (can be rented at many places).Lovely to walk around the islands close to sunset.
 
Thanks very much Rambutmerah. The more I read, it sounds like Gili T will be the island of choice for us on this trip.
For accommodation, 3 or 4 star is probably what we feel best about (5 star nice sometimes of course), aircon, breakfast and not too many mozzies ideally.
Probably a couple of nights, up to around $100AUD/night would be preferred, but I don't know how realistic that is on Gili T.
I'd rather not lock in dates and keep us on a tight schedule, but I understand we'll have to at some of the popular spots on Bali and Gilis.
 
Gps?

The Bali atlas by Periplus is sufficient to find your way.Every small road on the island is on it.That is,if you can read a map.It will be much more rewarding to just go ahead and discover places that are NOT the obvious touristic haunts,there are plenty.And get lost and meet some real balinese.
 
hermit said:
The Bali atlas by Periplus is sufficient to find your way.Every small road on the island is on it.That is,if you can read a map.It will be much more rewarding to just go ahead and discover places that are NOT the obvious touristic haunts,there are plenty.And get lost and meet some real balinese.
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Ah, Hermit, I can’t even get to your house without my trusty GPS or talking Wayan into taking me. The advantage of the GPS is that I just punch in the destination and don’t worry any further. I just go where Maggie tells me to go. Stress free. I’m impressed at how well so many people can navigate this island. Not me. A couple of years ago I got lost in Ubud only three minutes from home. GPS. Don’t leave home without it.
 
My favorite place on Trawangan is "Dream Village", 50 m from the best swimming/snorkeling beach. Welcome to the DREAM VILLAGE.
Luce d'Alma is located in the coconutgrove , extremely nice and quiet location. A few hundred meters from the beach. Bikes available for the guests, they have sunlounges down by the beach, free use for the guests. lucedalmaresort.com - The Hotel
Balikana Resort on the northern tip also almost on the beach. BALIKANA BOUTIQUE BEACH RESORT
Trawangan Resort on the southern tip, not far from the nightlife, still nice and quiet location. The Trawangan - THe Trawangan Resort Gili Trawangan Lombok Indonesia
Villa Almarik by the best svimming and snorkeling beach, next to a small supermarket. Gili Trawangan Lombok - Villa Almarik, a paradise for divers and non-divers

There are so many other places I could recommend. If the above isn't to your liking let me know and I'll come up with more suggestions.
 
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Thanks Rambutmerah, Dream Village looks good - I've asked for their rates. The Trawangan room rate is ok. Villa Almarik too expensive. I'm happy we'll be able to choose from the places you've suggested, thankyou.
 
SteveandCarolin said:
I've been advised we should fit in 4 days on Gili Nemo. I can't find much about the island - Plenty on Gili T of course, some diving sites on Gili Air and Gili Meno (is that the same place?)
Opinions/suggestions appreciated.
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I thought Id but it in here from a younger perspective (I am 40 odd years away from retirement.. pretty depressing) I did the 3 gilis, I stayed in "cheap accomodation" and loved the accomodation (100,000 a night for a bungalow) but HATED Gili.. I love scuba diving, push bike riding, snorkelling etc and partying but god.. I just couldnt stand the place and Im not sure why but I found it incredibly boring and it goes back to Bali a while back with western girls and local boys.. still amazed to still a western in a bar/club and couldnt keep their hands to themselves.. But everyone else seems to love Gili T more than Meno & Air.

Backstreets accomodate for most of your driving (motorbike) in Bali and I think adding a GPS to it is just going to add to confusion, look for landmarks and restauraunts as key points to navigate around with. Also just to add another part, when I was in Malang not 1 store sold them so i think they may be hard to find?

And just as a final thing, try to dive into the "Real Bali" and please dont anticipate retiring there will be the same as living there.. Id been travelling there for 20 years and thought Id be sweet! I knew bali! but staying long term/living is so so different to the nice holiday you may have.

Good luck! Anahiem Villas in Bedugul is lovely!
 
Thanks soontobeexpat, good thoughts. The GPS and Periplus Atlas will come with us from Aus, as options for any exploring we do in a car. Fyi, we are not looking to retire in Bali, but considering spending some months there each year a bit down the track. Don't worry, I've had the rose coloured glasses mostly removed by the "realities of Bali" discussed on the forum :concern::icon_eek: - to be honest, I'm trying hard to maintain enthusiasm from a distance, but I'm sure that will build again once we're there in August.
 
With all due respect - maybe it's time to stop all this researching, and to wait until you get here, and make your own impressions of Bali, rather than rely on other people's.
Yes, of course a bit of research is great, but I think you can do too much and end up tying yourself into knots.
 
soontobeexpat said:
(I am 40 odd years away from retirement.. pretty depressing)
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It's more depressing to be only a couple of years away from retirement, I can tell you! Don't wish your life away.
 
SteveandCarolin said:
Thanks soontobeexpat, good thoughts. The GPS and Periplus Atlas will come with us from Aus, as options for any exploring we do in a car. Fyi, we are not looking to retire in Bali, but considering spending some months there each year a bit down the track. Don't worry, I've had the rose coloured glasses mostly removed by the "realities of Bali" discussed on the forum :concern::icon_eek: - to be honest, I'm trying hard to maintain enthusiasm from a distance, but I'm sure that will build again once we're there in August.
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Just remember its the down times that make the up times so special!!!

And dont be fooled... Bali is an island.. with a city.. and people.. and religion.. and criminals.. Not that much different to Melbourne except the weather is better.
 
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