danielJBMY: March 2012

Day 1 Flight VF241 Changi to Denpasar departure on time.

With very cheap S$89 return airfare, what do you expect? First class seat? LOL

At least they gave 'prisoners food'

After two and half hour flight, this is the view of The Island of Gods.

Arrived at Denpasar on time. Walked through immigration, custom & baggage area(without hassle with porter) to the drivers waiting area roughly took 20 minutes. Saw the sign of 'ananta' by one of them and confirmed they're waiting for me. Another 5 minutes walked to parking bay due to some construction works in progress.

Complimentary airport pickup from Ananta Legian hotel. Soft opening for this month with 50% discount, deluxe pool terrace room. Refer to my detail review: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g608487-d2411013-Reviews-Ananta_Legian_Hotel-Legian_Bali.html

10 minutes walking distance to Legian Beach

From Jln Werkudara, turn left, walked roughly 25 meters on left side before the beach, at one of small convenience shop, bought the new SIM pack at the price of Rp25,000 preloaded with Rp5,000 of airtime. Very friendly staffs helped setup the phone.

Day 2 Complimentary buffet breakfast at Ananta

Goodbye Ananta, hopefully to see you again next time.

2 hours drive to Bedugul market. Visited this place last year. Bought some souveniers at one of the stalls there. As usual, lot of time wasted to bargain the prices. But, this is business, willing buyer willing seller. Pay if you think it’s fair price. Bought some local fruits too.

A short drive from this place, just before the lake, we stopped for lunch at ‘Rumah Makan Bedugul Lake View’ . Local Indonesian foods such as ayam bakar taliwang, gerome bakar and sop bontot. For 3 persons, based to the taste and services rendered, it’s worth to pay Rp167,000 included drinks. We will definitely visit this restaurant again on our next trip. Refer to my detail review at:

After lunch, we passed by Strawberry Stop restaurant and Ulun Danu Beratan lake temple those we visited last year. 20 minutes drive, at the road side, we stopped at Danau Tamblingan for photo shooting. Very nice view with cool weather. If you brave enough, we came across a place that you can pay to be photograph with some reptile. Honestly to admit, we’re coward to do that.

A short drive from this place, we stopped for coffee break at Ngiring Ngewedang restaurant. A plus point for this place, the scenic view from top of the hill and the cool weather. A fried banana to eat with really sweet sauces together with black coffee. For 3 persons, the bill came for roughly Rp100,000 included tax. To those visiting this place, don’t forget to write something in their guest book. Refer to my detail review at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g608490-d1863448-Reviews-Ngiring_Ngewedang-Munduk_Bali.html

Less than 10 minutes drive away, we visited the waterfall. From main road, roughly took 15 minutes walked to reach the waterfall. Be careful of bikes that sharing the path way. Due to heavy downpour earlier, the place is off course flooded and definitely it’s right to call it ‘waterfall’. That is the joke by Dean. Spent half an hour there for photo shooting.

An hour drive to reached Villa Agung Lovina but sadly too late for sunset view. Dean drove home to Ubud. After settled in, we ordered some foods for our dinner. A fair taste and friendly staffs to fulfill our request for special type of foods ingredients. A staff there recommended us to join the dolphin view for tomorrow early morning at the price of Rp70,000 each. Not to our liking, but since that we’re in Lovina, just give it a try.

Fried rice & noddle seafood for dinner

Day 3 Woke up at 5.30am by one of the staff. Walked to nearby chalet to board the boat. As expected, it’s crowded with 30 boats chasing the dolphins. No more repeat trip for all this I swear. 2 hours trip gone for all this.

A simple breakfast but delicious

Goodbye Villa Agung. Refer to my detail review at:http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1599559-d573451-Reviews-Villa_Agung_Beach_Inn-Lovina_Beach_Bali.html

Dean came all the way from Ubud late due to tire punctured. Left Villa Agung around 11am. Half an hour drive away, we visited Beji Temple. One thing we like about this place, they don’t charge admission fee but guests can donate some money into the box if they wished to and write it in the guest book.

15 minutes drive, stopped at a small warung beside the beach at Bungkulan for our lunch. A simple dish of fresh fried fish or chicken, a piece of temper and some vegetables with spicy sambal cost Rp15,000 each. Delicious and worth to give it a second try next time.

Continued our journey and came across a stall selling durian at roadside. Rp25,000 each with nice taste and smell.

At Tulumben beach, stopped for sightseeing and photo shooting.

Another half an hour drive, finally we reached Amed. It remind me of Phuket.

Visited Sails Restaurant for coffee and fried banana with ice cream. Too sweet even you can take it without the sauces. 2 pieces of banana with ice cream cost Rp40,000. Slightly high price but this is tourist place. A plus point of this place is the location. A very perfect view to the lagoon and clean place. Refer to my detail review at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g608478-d1498390-Reviews-Sails_Restaurant-Amed_Bali.html

Left Amed around 5pm continued our journey through villages of Bunutan – Kresek – Tegalalas – Batukesni – Tanah Barak – Kantongan – Seraya – Selalang and finally Ujung in the district of Amlapura, Karangasem. The journey took almost an hour.

Viewed the Water Palace from the roadside at 6pm, too late for sightseeing inside there. From nearby padi field, you can view the Gunung Agung.

Passing by Candidasa around 7pm, and after that Sanur, too late for sightseeing. A very good reason to plan for third trip soon? LOL. Dinner at Pawon Pasundan, the Sunda Indonesian foods. Tasted the sop bontot, flying fish, fried fish, ayam serundeng, vegetables and white rice. For 3 persons, the bill came Rp218,000 with drink and service charge included. Those who like local foods, this place worth to give it a try. Refer to my detail review at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g562690-d1487030-Reviews-Pawan_Pasundan-Tuban_Bali.html

Finally, home sweet home, The Vira Bali, second stay after exactly a year. Thank you Ms Resty for allowing my last minutes reservation. Deluxe pool access room.

Day 4 breakfast at hotel

As usual, they don't forget. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

After breakfast at hotel, 10 minutes walked through Jln Kartika Plasa to Discovery Mall and another 5 minutes to Kuta Art Centre market.

Fish fillet lunch set with French fries, soft drink and chocolate ice cream cost Rp38.800 at McDonald.

Went to Matahari looking for souvenirs but the price too expensive.

Walked to the crowded as usual, Kuta beach and back to the market again for some shopping. It’s really tired to bargain the prices from the traders and time wasted too much before we can bought some T shirt at the price of Rp15,000 to Rp25,000 from the quoted price of Rp200,000.

My favourite keychain stall that you can emboss any writing on it. Rp10,000 each. Bought 20 pieces with free 2 pieces.

On the way back to hotel, stopped at B Couple Bar N’ Grill for early dinner. Seafood curry noodles, sweet & sour fish with white rice and drinks cost Rp220,220. Really not worth it for the taste and price. Refer to my detail review at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297697-d3171669-Reviews-B_Couple_Bar_N_Grill-Kuta_Bali.html

Sun Island, is this new hotel?

Day 5 breakfast at hotel

After breakfast at hotel, Dean brought us to Krishna for souvenirs shopping after we told him, we’re tired to bargain the prices from the market traders. At first, we thought we won’t spend more than half an hour at Krishna due to the pricing that we saw yesterday at Matahari and ground floor shop inside Discovery Mall. And the result, we end up spent 4 and half hour in there with 3 full baskets of goods with total purchase Rp1,284,000 and when we showed Dean the one and half feet long receipt, he laughed like mad man. Even though we’re happy with the pricing and the convenience of one stop centre for shopping at Krishna, in long term we believe the outside market traders will suffer and end up close shops.

Tired haggle with those market traders? This is the right place if you're looking for souveniers. A very fair price and in long term, this type of shop will make outside market traders close shop.

A short distance from Krishna, we stopped for lunch at Warung Soto Ayam Malang. Nice and tasteful of local Indonesian foods.

After lunch, it’s already 3pm and our itinerary to visit few temples became haywire due to longer time at Krishna. We decided to repeat visit to Tanah Lot temple. Journey took an hour and we reached there around 4pm. Not too crowded and as usual, sightseeing. We left early to avoid the mad traffic jam.

After an hour drive, reached Tuban and packed local food Martabak for late dinner at hotel. Cost at Rp31,000 a piece and it’s very delicious.

Day 6 breakfast before check out. Thank you Vira Bali, keep up the good work and wish we can meet again soon. Refer to my detail review at:http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g562690-d505558-Reviews-The_Vira_Bali_Hotel-Tuban_Bali.html