Bali (Indonesia) - destination for everyone...
The most convenient way to get to Bali from South Africa will be with Cathay Pacific Airlines, via Hong Kong, or with Singapore Airline, via Singapore. My family and I travelled with Singapore Airlines – it was a great experience - brilliant service and comfortable seats. If you can, plan a stopover in Singapore for couple of days it is really worth it. We only had 2 hours in transit, but had a chance to browse through the Singapore Airport. Beautiful. Kids corners with various entertainment, mini gardens, coffee shops and very comfortable rest spots.
When travelling to Bali, you can either take some US Dollars, or you can take your credit/cheque card with, or withdraw Indonesian Rupees once you get to Bali. Their money nominations start with 1000 Rupees, which is equal about R1. So, congratulations, you will be a millionaire :-). To make it easier to convert to Rands, take the last three zeros away, and you will get an approximate Rand amount. Keep in mind, when you draw the money at the ATM, there might be a limit of no more than 2,500,000 or some of the ATMs might give you up to 3,000,000 at once. You will pay about R80 bank charges per withdrawal.
Bali International Airport is about 30 minutes away from Kuta area. The furthest beach town is Nusa Dua, which is about 60 minutes away from the airport. The traffic is crazy in Bali. There is only one rule - make your own. Despite this, you will not hear any swearing, impatient gestures, or unnecessary hooting. People in Bali are extremely polite and friendly. They manage to manoeuvre through the constant traffic-jam with a smile on their faces. If you are brave enough, you can rent a bike for a few hundred Rand a day, and take your chance in the sea of traffic.
There are several lovely beach town areas (Sanur, Seminyak, Legian, Kuta, Benoa and Nusa Dua), where one can enjoy the beach, shopping, entertainment and sightseeing without travelling for miles.
You need to be careful when swimming in the sea, as the waves break at the beach and the currents can be rather strong. But if you are a surfer, it is your paradise – hire a surf board in one of the many surfing shops and enjoy the ride.
To satisfy your taste buds, Bali offers a huge variety restaurants and coffee shops. You can even indulge yourself at the Jamie Oliver Italian Restaurant. Local food is cheap, but if you decide to go for any of the popular food chains then you can expect to pay 20 - 30% more. Whatever you choose, is really delicious. A tip to remember - if you feel like having a lobster, choose the restaurant which has a set price on a lobster, and not the ones that charge per 100 gr, as priced per weight will cost you a fortune. The local beers are rather good, and cost about R20 per bottle, where as any other alcohol will cost you a small fortune (a bottle of cheap wine is about R200).
You will not get bored in Bali. From Waterparks to Monkey Forests - they have it all. Bali boosts the number 1 Waterpark in Asia and the number 2 in the world! It is an amazing place. The entrance fee is about R500 per adult per day, and is worth it! Both kids and adults will have a blast.
Take a Chocolate Factory Tour, where you will see how chocolate is made. Or visit a Coffee plantation, where you will be able to taste various coffees and teas, and also see how the Luwak coffee is made. Next stop at the silver factory and witness how the amazing creations are coming out of a plain brick of silver. Then take a trip to the nearby island and enjoy snorkelling or scuba.
They have a saying in Bali - if you've seen one temple, you've seen them all. Thana Lot is a temple to see, as it is located on a cliff, and offers amazing views.
About 80% of Bali’s population is Hindu. They are religious and have strong beliefs that if you do something wrong that it comes back to you double fold. Because of this there is little/no crime and is a very safe day and night. Local people are very respectful towards their religion and follow all their religious ceremonies and traditions – it is an interesting experience.
Take a day trip to Ubud. It is known as a centre for traditional crafts and dance. The surrounding Ubud District’s rainforest and terraced rice paddies are dotted with Hindu temples and shrines, and are amongst Bali’s most famous landscapes. Ancient holy sites include the intricately carved Goa Gajah (“Elephant Cave”) and Gunung Kawi, with its rock-cut shrines. There are loads of other sites to see where you can visit a monkey Forest, ride an elephant, do some shopping, and you can have a real Balinese experience.
Bali has a tropical climate with year round temperatures of about 30 degrees plus and it has a very high humidity. There are 2 seasons - Wet (October to April) and Dry (May to September). During the rainy season, you might experience a hard rainfall for a few minutes during the day and some rain during night-time.
Feel free to contact me if you wish to make Bali your next holiday destination.