Hi guys,
I'm new to this forum but have been in love with Bali since my first trip back in 1991. I went 10 times from 1991 - 1997 and have just come back from 12 nights, my first time back in 6 years.
We stayed at Dewi Sri Cottages which is at the end of the lane opposite the Sari Club site. This hotel is part of the Bounty chain and I would recommend this hotel for budget concious people or those of us who like to maximise their spending on other stuff.
We paid about $AU26 per night twin share, the rooms were quite simple but nice and clean with a decent bathroom, split system aircon, satelite tv, fridge, phone, mini bar etc. The rooms are cleaned and linen changed daily but the towels were grey looking. The gardens are beautiful and their is a pool. We booked quite a while ago though and I have heard there are great deals available at better places.
The biggest change I noticed was the amount of huge aircon shops along JL Legian and all the way up to Seminyak! A lot of the surf shops aren't much cheaper than home. The quality and range of designer fake gear has vastly improved.
We paid 20000rps for tsirts, 30000 for ladies watches, 40000 for mens watches, 20000 for DVDs, 9000 for burnt cds. I was told after I bought burnt CDS that half of them don't work, but only 1 out of 10 of mine is blank. It's worth the risk at that price anyway.
My favorite experience was going white water rafting with Bali Rafting co. on the Telaga Waja river through the stunning scenary of Kerangesam. We booked in Kuta the day before we went and paid 230000rps, which was 60% off the price printed in the brocure. I had previously been rafting on the Ayung river with Sobek but found this river to be more fun as it is basically all rapids, so you don't have to do too much paddling.
I also went to sunset at Uluwatu, sunset at Tanah Lot, sunset at Jimbaran, Sunset at Kuta, up to Git Git, Bedugal, Kintamani and half day at Ubud. All still as beautiful as before.
The only thing I did not get to do was to go to Besakih, the mother temple on Gunung Agung. They were having a big ceremony over a number of days and everyone we asked said it would be too busy, we would have to park about 4 km away and that other tourists were being ripped off by the local guides. Oh well, a reason to go back again!
Staying so close to the bomb site, we were moved by the number of floral tributes and prayers posted on the fences around the sites. Every time we passed there were always people there paying their respects. Paddy's has a sign up saying they are relocating. It will be a while before the banana trees planted on the sites fruit (and the site will be therefore cleansed) so who knows what will happen there?
Our hotel had about 40% occupancy but many were at 20% or below. Walking down JL Legian many restaurants and bars were completely empty. I feel so sorry for the Balinese people whose livelihoods have been affected. Many staff have been put off and some are getting wages reduced from 1500000rp per month to 600000rp. We can only hope that the outlook will soon improve.
We ate at Warung Made which was still packed everynight, and restaurants along Poppies 1 and Poppies 2. We went to places that always looked busy so the food would be fresh. My favourite dinner was at Sharkies on Jimbaran. You can't beat having a seafood feast on the beach at sunset. You can get discounts at other places along the beach if you act indifferent.
Can't think of much else except I'm thinking of when I can go back again...If only I could win lotto!!!