Top Indonesia Hotels

Melia Hotel is situated in Nusa Dua. You can find restaurants and shops outside the complex of Nusa Dua but these are limited. To travel elsewhere means taking a taxi. We booked a car and guide (via the hotel - Bali Taksu) and visited the Volcano Batur as well as the Barong Dance, Celuk village , Batuan painters, and Sebatu rice terraces. The guide - Made - was really a great source of info but allowed us to do change the itinerary if we wanted. This is a great way to see Bali if you do not know where to go or what to see. It can be more expensive than hiring your own car but was good for us as we had not been to Bali before.

We strongly recommend Gado Gado restaurant on Seminyak beach. Wonderful food, very friendly and helpful staff and a dramatic view of high seas at night.

The hotel is near the National Museum which is very informative about the Indonesian history, also for shopping Plaza Indonesia is just 5 minutes away by car. But of course you need to be careful, not to forget to lock the car anywhere you go as crime rate is quite high in Jakarta.

For beautiful sunset, go to Tanah Lot, see the sunset from Le Meridien Nirwana lounge. For a nice restaurant of local food, you can go to Bumbu Bali in Benoa. To go around you can rent a car with a driver, it''s easier if you know which places to go although your driver can recommend you also. And don''t forget to take the Bali Hai dinner cruise, it''s unforgettable.

I would definitely advise you to eat at a Jazz restaurant across the road from the hotel. The food is absolutely fantastic, the drinks are great and they also have a band who come on at 10pm every night and they rock. We loved this place so much that we went back twice. The food and drink are excellent value. I would definitely recommend this place - quite the little gem that we stumbled across.

Don''t forget to have a look on the chinese district. Zoo is ok althought maintenance could be improved. Surabaya is not a touristic place as Yogyakarta or somme other places on Java.

The hotel location is strategic as there are many shops around the hotel. It is just few minutes walk to reach the shops and Legian Beach. There are many taxi just outside the hotel. You can easily get taxi to the place you like. At night, you can have dinner at Joni Restaurant, just 5 minutes walk from Balisani Padma Hotel. It is a pool side restaurant and they have a life band. Therefore, you are having dinner and enjoying the performance of life band at the same time. It is very nice!!!! Tanah Lot Temple and Uluwatu Temple are 2 temples must go to visit. Dreamland beach is nice for surfers. Kintamani Volcano scenery is really really GREAT! Do not forget to try Crispy Duck and Babi Guling (pork). For people who likes to shop, Denpasar and Ubud pasar are a must! Things there are really cheap (don''t forget to bargain)!!! The shops along the road on the way to Kintamani have lots of nice and cheap stuff.

Take the Full Day car rental (included driver) at the hotel. The driver is well trained and could take you from Borobudur to Prambanan to Traditional dances and shopping. For US$50 net it was well worth it. For a local tour near the hotel area, take the becak outside the hotel with the "Melia Purosani" painted on the side. Very friendly and helpful.

Would recommend Lana thai restaurant in CBD near Mandarin Oriential and Cafe Batavia on Kota, both good food and atmosphere.

Lombok looks like it has seen better days. Many buildings in the Senggigi area look vacant and are a bit run down and there seems to be a growing problem with the amount of trash scattered around. Having said that, Lombok is a big island and once you get away from the "touristy" areas, you will find beautiful beaches and lovely scenery. We stayed at a great little hotel, Qunci Villas. If you are looking for white sand and a beautiful beach, this is not the place for you as the beach is small in front of the hotel, has darker lava sand, and has been overtaken by some fairly aggressive beach hawkers. But if you enjoy sipping two-for-one priced happy hour drinks at the pool while watching the sun set behind Bali''s Mount Agung, you might want to reconsider! Good trade-off would be to stay there and then take some day trips to more secluded beaches and islands. A visit to snorkel around the Gilis is a must, and we heard from other travelers that mountain biking the island''s interior was a great experience.

Bali is a nice place for leisure. When we were in Bali we visited Turtle Island, went fishing at Tanjung Benoa Nusa Dua. We also visited Ubud, saw the Barongs one of the Balinese dances, to the Monkey Forest, go shopping. There are many restaurants around where we stayed and a newly shopping mall called Discovery Mall with lots of shops, play game for the children, and from there you can visit Celcius Cafe/Starbucks with its delicious coffee or go direct to Kuta beach, just at the back from Discovery Shopping Mall. You can also go surfing by the beach if you like surfing at Kuta Beach or Sanur Beach. Or just relax at Kuta Beach. Or take photos in front of the Monuments to commemorate the Bali bombings. Sometimes there are Balinese dancers standing in front of this Monument. Not far from Kartika Plaza street you can also visit Matahari Dept. Store, McDonalds, Hard Rock Cafe, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and lots of cafes, shops which surrounds the area. Along the Kartika Plaza street you can find Pizza Hut, the Sling shot for excitement, Jumping Play, Waterboom, Go Kart, Mexican Restaurant, 24 hours K Mart, small shops which sells CDs, DVDs, clothes, surfing boards, jeans, souvenirs or eating out at the well known Warung Made Restaurant, Kuta Chinese Restaurant, Wet Cafe, and many other cafes or restaurants. There are lots of tourists now coming from Australia as well as from other parts of the world. You can choose any tours you like including city tour or sailing which suits your budget and there are some that you can bargain too. But when you want a more quiet place you can also visit Lombok. Lombok is also a nice place to visit for your next trip to Indonesia besides Bali, Jakarta or any other places in Indonesia. In Lombok you can take a tour to 3 islends, Gili Island, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Or you can walk along the beach as there are small shops too or take a tour to visit the water fountain in Lombok.

The Hotel is very well centralized and within walking distance to the Sportsman''s Bar (Wester Pub and Restaurant) and many other places to eat and entertainments. The Pasaraya Mall is located accross the street for shopping, banking and eating facilities.

Must have a meal at either of the Made Warungs as well as Bambu Bali restaurant in Nusa Dua. Jimbaran is a must visit for atmosphere ambience and food - in that order.

Ibis Kemayoran is close to the central banking complex (Bank Indonesia) and a very short taxi ride to a reasonable shopping complex and food court. It is also close to one of the cities clothing and computer shopping areas (manga dua). A favourite trick by taxi drivers is to say the road ahead is traffic jam and then proceed to travel around which will take longer (and more costly) then the "normal" direct route.

The hotel has easy access to Borobudur, Prambanan, Mt. Merapi, etc.. On the other hand, people in this part of Java are very friendly and helpful. The scenary around Borobudur, Merapi is spectacular and stunning. Definetely, if you are thinking of visiting Indonesia, you should come to this area.

Bali is getting westernized little by little with all of the bad habits. Recommend that newbies only use Blue Bird cabs and learn the real price before negotiating with street cabs. Also go to Matahari or Hardy''s and check the max price for art goods then you are prepared for the markets like Sukawati.

The Hotel is across the street from the Pasaraya Shopping Mall where you can walk and buy anything and get any service desired. The Pub is also very good and offers western food if desired. The night club has a different band playing different types of music.

I would say that there''s nothing much to shop and walk around there. It''s pretty secluded from the rest. But it''s still a walking distance to a small town for the pasar malam tingy. Liked the bargaining process though when negotiating with them for the price. Kuta Square is a more crowded and popular shopping attraction if you want to go out. But the transport is quite steep for the journey.

Found the palace disappointing. Lots of batik, silver etc but should always try to bargain. The highlight was the temple at Borobudor -- we took the Sunrise tour the hotel offered....although it seems more expensive than what one would find outside, they provide torches so you can see clearly as you climb. Worth getting up early for ! Also do visit the nearby Amanjiro hotel, its unique !

Best restaurants - Made''s Warung (reasonably priced local food), Kafe Warisan (great but dearer French food) and goto KuDeTa for the sunsets and make reservations for dinner (very expensive). Bebek Bengil (The Dirty Duck) in Ubud would also be a great place for food.

Waterworld is just a few minutes drive by taxi. There''s also mangga dua mall next door for your electronics needs. Food court on 5th level. Minimart on 4th. Mangga dua SQUARE is just 5 mins by Bajai (scooter). Taxis will insist on min charge, or take the opp route to delay time. This has carrefour, shops (clothes,handbags), and food court with great ambience. The in place for this area.<br> <br> Bluebird cabs are generally reliable. The doors will lock as soon as you leave hotel compound. Don''t panic, This is for your own safety. Night street stalls sell cheap stuff outside main road. Just be wary of pickpockets. Not my scene. For good indonesian food, drop by Pondok Laguna (at lunch/dinner time only). It''s located on jalan batu ceper/ batu tulis. Ask taxis if they know where it is first, else just get the hell out. Once you get there, sample their in house specials. Gurame goreng, tahu sumbat, sayur asem, ayam bakar and list goes on. Great food! Make sure you find a bluebird cab to hitch a ride home. Head to Pasar Baru if you are into more shopping. You can find oil painting there too.

FJ Bistro & Restaurant in Kemang Timor for cool atmosphere, good food and amazing teas.

Surf the Oberoi break or Canggu in early am and late pm. Rent a car. Don''t ever talk to touts selling watches or belts,... belts on the beach? For that reason alone they should be shunned. If you''ve tried Malaysian food, Indo fare is rather poor. Best noodles in front of Hard Rock Hotel on the beach under the trees. Only 5000Rp and better than anything in a restaurant. Nasi Campur Special at Made''s Warung is great but any of the Nasi Gorengs is appalling. For Western; KuDeTa, Mykonos, Hard Rock, and many small warungs that will surprise you with a decent pizza. i thought the Living Room was overrated, but a nice setting. Mind the children when you drive!

Antiques both new and old can be found at Jalan Surabaya where keen haggling skills are needed to get a good price. Restaurants to try include Koi Gallery (wide variety), Hazaras (Indian), Porta Venizia (Italian), and Styx (beef). Navigating Jakarta is tricky and it helps a lot to know how to get there if it is anything other than a top hotel, mall, or restaurant. The Silver Bird taxis are knowledgeable, but never a sure thing. Don''t worry if the driver needs to ask for directions a few times.<br> <br> If you are new to Asia, try the Executive theaters at Plaza Indonesia for a luxury movie experience. Large number of excellent golf courses within 90 minutes of Jakarta. One of the nicest is Bogoria in Bogor. Jakarta is an exciting destination but it takes new visitors a while to get the rhythm of the place.

Seminyak is an up-market area with trendy designers, and high quality retailers for lighting and housewares. It also has some excellent restaurants dotted around with Ku De Ta an experience that no-one should miss. The food was excellent, but the key is the lounge chairs overlooking the water and night sky. Highly recommended for those happy to pay USD 25-30 per head.

Anyone going to Surabaya with some free time should check out the Muslim Quarter. It''s a great place to explore and while there are hawkers, they are much less aggressive than in Bali. We also enjoyed getting around by cyclo although you really have to bargain with them!

Beware of the beach vendors. They look for and target those who are on the beach for the first day. Before you buy anything on the beach check the prices on the main street. Took a snorkeling tour called Island Tours. It was a scam! There was nothing to see! Essentially we paid $55 USD per person for a boat ride and lunch! Was offered through the hotel. Next time I will look around more for a better tour.

Bali is a wonderful place. Its History, Culture and Religion are enchanting and the People infectiously warm. To do the island justice it needs at least a devoted 2 weeks of adventure. I would recommend basing any Vacation in Ubud. Although lacking the inevitable lure of a beach, Ubud is conveniently located in the centre of Bali and is therefore an excellent point from which to launch your adventures to every corner of the island.<br> <br> The People in Ubud are wonderful, the food and entertainment equally so. With prices here much cheaper than the coastal resorts. The restaurants are fantastic value, highlights being the terrific Casa Luna and Laka Lece. The music of the famed Ubud Jazz Cafe is also an evening not to be missed. Transport is in abundance, be assured you will not walk more than 15 metres without another local asking you if you need any, but they are not in any way harassing, merely looking to make an honest living. Organised tours, which will be private to you and your party, are available through many of the hotels. If you are willing to explore, and not be one of the passive masses, Bali is the perfect destination for any adventurous traveller. I can''t wait to go back.

Try scuba diving at the Gilli islands for another great experience - the people at Blue Marlin diving were really good.

A nice "Hard Rock cafe" type of a bistro called Bali Bistro serves great satay! The Nusa Dua complex makes you feel safe and secure.

Yogjarkata is a relative safe place to travel despite of the warnings issued by certain paranoid countries. Occasional annoyances such as usual touting at major tourist attractions and sales talk from strangers on the road. However, was never in danger at any time and we were traveling as a family with an infant. Places/Things not to miss: Ramayana Ballet at Purawisata, Becak ride around city, Imogiri, Yogjarkata Kraton, Evening stroll along Jalan Malioboro, Prambanan Temples, Borobodur, Candi Sukuh.

Gado Gado Restaurant is on the Legian Beach and food is delicious. Kori''s Restaurant was also excellent. We mostly walked or took taxis. Beach Markets have the best deals. Nusa Dua is quieter and prettier than Kuta/Legian/Seminyak. Less people and less hectic. Would stay in Nusa Dua and taxi back to Kuta area when need arises.

Didn''t think much of the city (apart from the friendly people), but really enjoyed Borobudur, Prambanan, etc. Kraton Ratu Boko (palace ruins just south of Prambanan) is well worth a visit. It''s quite a hike up some steep steps, but the views are magnificent. Taxis from the airport are fixed price (like Bali).

Visited Plaza Indonesia, Ancol Dreamland, ITC Mangga Dua and ITC Kuningan. Can get taxi very easily from the hotel but again the traffic is quite bad esp. during peak hours. Enjoy shopping at Kuningan, Mangga Dua and also Soga (Plaza Indonesia).

Ubud is a must see for Bali traveler''s, though at the end of your trip makes more sense as this is a great place to shop and you don''t want to burden yourself with stuff. Cafe Wayan was our favorite restaurant... sort of like following the white rabbit into the warren. Great food, sharp, attentive service. Friendly staff.

For shopping, I would recommend you to go to Tanabang, Mangga Dua, Pasar Senen, Pasar Baroe and Sarinah Store. The price is cheap and unbelievable. If you love history and heritage, don''t miss to visit Gaja Mada National Museum and Monas.

I was on a business trip, I rent a car and drive. It''s okay if you have the guts, but hey, I use to live there for 3 years, so I''m alright with Jakarta driving experience. If you want to go anywhere on Thamrin/sudirman stretch, I''d recommend the Buslane Bus... it''s by far the fastest way to reach anywhere from Mangga Besar to Blok m, and there''s a bus stop just in front of the hotel....

This was a business trip, so I cannot comment on tourist sites. As for transport, I would recommend to stick to taxis from the Bluebird Group, as they are still the most reliable and least hassle. For phone bookings, Putra Taxis, also clean and no hassle, are better, as the minimum payment is less than with Bluebird. The Transjakarta bus (Busway) is very good if one wants to travel between North and South Jakarta.

I liked Jogya, found the people friendly and helpful. I went to Burobadur and Prabaran temples, each a 4 hour expedition for 50$AU each, with my own driver and guide. The guide an elderly gentleman who speaks English, French and German plus many local languages. Silver smiths (not the one recommended by my guide!) and batik (Go to one that has prices marked) I found a batik seller who sat me down, gave me tea and demonstrated the whole art of making a batik picture. I bought a nice piece for 49$AU and was told by the opposition that the exhibition wasn''t really closing down next day and that I had been fleeced. But I still think I got my money''s worth! Riding in the becaks is terrifying as you are in front of the pedaller as he pushes through the traffic at an intersection and you think you are going to die. And everything is incredibly cheap.

There are some nice temples and places of interest not too far away, taxis are reasonable and the shopping is cheap. If you want to visit mount Bromo (active vulcano & sulphur lake) then be aware that it is 11 hours each way ergo an overnight stay, the nearest airport is still 5 hours away.

I visited Tanah Lot, Kintamani, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua. I liked the Tanah Lot most, it has excellent view of sunset the best I have ever seen. Trip to Kintamani was full day with many places to cover starting with Balinese dance, which I found not that good and waste of money...rest was ok as scenary was good. The best around Bali was sea and water sports the water is really clean and beaches are well maintained and it has nice waves.

I used Gray line for their tours...they were well informed and friendly. The hotel is very close to Gambir rail station...handy for day trips to Bandung.

Putri Bali is located in Nusa Dua. In my opinion this is a better spot than Kuta. It is a quieter area and it would be ideal for relaxation. We visited Denpasar, Kuta and Uluwatu for the sunset, the temple on the edge of the cliff and the kachak dance. Nusa Dua village is a nice place with many small shops that have local arts and crafts.

I can recommend the island land tour for an insight into Lombok and it''s culture. The Gilis islands and in particular Gili Nanggu are a tropical paradise.

Recommend getting the hotel to call for a metered taxi to avoid the hassle on the street but allow 5-10 minutes for them to arrive. Hotel was well placed to be able to walk to local restaurants and do souvenir shopping. Anita''s Warung on the beach just by the hotel serves good Indonesian food,satay and huge steaks of barracuda/tuna, all cooked there and then. Takes time but worth waiting for.

Restaurants recommended outside hotel: Taman - wonderful Indian food; Asmara - international standard cuisine. Taxis are cheap on Senggiggi so getting around is no problem.

We went diving and snorkeling with Dream Divers. Very enjoyable. Good restaurants include Cafe Alberto, Asmara, Taman and Tropicana.

A must for any traveller to Bali is the volcanos. They are really impressive. Also the temples are a brilliant place to go. It''s really interesting to see all the local people there making their offerings and they are more than happy to talk to you answer questions and let you take photo''s. The carvings on the temples are fantastic. In Kuta, its worth visiting the monument they have built for all the people who died in the Bali bombing in 2002. It''s very sad to see as so many people lost their lives and loved ones but it has been very tastefully done and worth a visit just to pay your respects to the people who did lose their lives there. If you want to take a day to relax I recommend a spa treatment at the Green Garden spa resort in Kuta (there are 2 green gardens, It''s the one opposite the beach!!) The full spa treatment is fantastic and lasts about 2 1/2hrs and you will not be disappointed.<br><br> In Sanur we found some great places to eat. The Cat and Fiddle is an Irish bar/restaurant and if you like a good old roast dinner or a good steak and ale pie you will love it here. The staff are fantastic and so friendly. Xmas dinner was superb. If you like Indian food there is a great place called Cafe Bombay Bali right near the beach in Sanur. Again the food was superb and the staff lovely. My favourite is the local food and there are far too many places to mention to get good local food so best to just pop into any that take your fancy. I think overall Sanur is a good place to stay. I would stay there again but probably choose a different hotel next time. Bali is a fantastic place with beautiful friendly people.

It is nice to take a taxi and driver and see around Bali as you wish. Nice restaurants: Terazo in Ubud, La Lucciola and KuDeTa in Seminyak-beach. We had great BBQ in our own villa Christmas-evening.

This hotel is located in Jakarta Utara, close to Ancol recreational park but a little bit far from block M area, where you can find many interesting Indonesian items. Mangga Dua is suitable for people looking for clothing, electronics but not recommended for tourist. Always insist for blue bird taxi, quite reliable and very friendly.

Nasi Padang Restaurant in NUSA DUA great for Muslim travellers. I ate till I drop! Tanah Lot & Uluwatu, great view. Precaution..Do not get cheated at Kintamani, whereby locals offer to bring you to this so-called sacred cemetery where they don''t bury the dead. Really misleading ..P/S:Name is Trunyan. It does exist, but not what you expected. BEWARE!

The Tanjung Benoa stretch is a good alternative to Nusa Dua''s resorts. Quiet and clean(tout-free) beaches that are appreciably relaxing than the Kuta stretch. Waters are clear. Good to rent vehicle- the small Suzuki jeep would be sufficient and- and use this as base. Or you could stay in Ubud too.

Get yourself a private car and driver. It is very cheap about GBP 15 for the day. Watch out for food that is not well prepared...Bali belly is a real thing, if it''s not good move on, its cheap enough to discard a meal and start again elsewhere.

In Ubud, don''t miss out on a great meal at the ''Bebek Bengil 1''-''Dirty Duck Diner'' at Padang Tegal. From the road entrance, it extends into tiny rice fields and diners can choose to sit at restaurant sections or in little raised huts. Even on a hot day, there was a cool breeze blowing through. The charming ambience coupled with great tasting crispy duck made for a truly enjoyable meal. Kudeta at Seminyak is a must visit for drinks in the evening. The candlelit bar has deck chairs for patrons to lay back & enjoy drinks to the music from 60s/70s and look out to crashing surf lit by beach lights-a truly romantic experience.

Never visit Jogya during December. It was pouring like cats and dogs. I was lucky during the second day, the weather was fine. I managed to visit Borobudur and Prambanan, Kote Gede (for silver items), and Kraton (for batik). Missed out on the Ramayana ballet performance apparently, they don''t show the performance in Dec due to raining seasons. Borobudur and Prambanan was truly magnificient. Borobudur has a Mt Kaliurang at the back drop. It was covered with clouds and totally breath taking. Another site worth mentioning, Mendut, which is on the way to the Borobudur. As i was told the originally the buddha statute was. Each year, they celebrated Wesak Day on the fourth month of the fifteen day where a celebration will take place where Buddhist devotees will walk to the Borobudur. Prambanan has its own charm and can''t seem to put into words. I think if you have the chance to watch the Ramayana ballet performance that could really transport you back to the era.<br> <br> Please be reminded in all the historical sites you visited, you are expected to pay US$5.00 and extra for a guide (optional) at about Rp40,000. A local will only pay Rp7,500. The only thing I dislike is that you are discriminated when it comes to paying. For instance, despite you have already paid for the entrance fees to the historical site, any extra in the site for instance viewing a museum, you need to pay extra again. I had a bowl of bakso (noodle soup) in front of one of the shop selling silver items. I paid Rp5,000 (not expensive though) however, when I asked the taxi man how much would he have to pay if he was eating? He said it will only cost him Rp3,000. Unless, you are travelling in twos or threes, it would be more economical to go with a travel group. I rented a taxi which cost about Rp300,000 minus the parking.

Central Java in general, full of interesting and historical places. During our staying in Jogya, we had pleasant opportonities to visit many interesting places such as Parangritis Beach, Borobodore Timple, Batic factory and Silver factory. We had a nice time during lunch in a beatiful restaurant with traditional dances performing. We are sure that there are more interesting places we haven''t visited yet because of short of time but hopefully we wish to visit central Java in the future with more excitement.

We took a long weekend in Bali, my husband and I and a friend. It was decided to spend 2 nights somewhere near Ubud and one night on a beach to get the contrast and in case the weather was bad in the mountains. It was a good decision. Being Monsoon time the weather closed in most afternoons in the the high country. We stayed at Tamen Babek Villas in Sayan about 10 minutes from Ubud. The view is better than the 4 Seasons, which is just along the road but below our villa. We were situated overlooking the Ayang River and across to rice terraces and palm clad hills...and in the distance Mount Batukaru. Very peaceful, and yet the jungle around us was teeming with it''s own life. The Tamen Babek villas are lovely old traditional houses with wide verandas and timber floors, very rustic, set in tropical grounds designed by the enigmatic Australian expat Michael White, or Made Widjaya as he is now called.<br> <br> We hired our own driver, rather than take a conventional tour, and went to Ubud. Spent the day window gazing and had dinner in a tiny little restaurant called Bumbu, where there were small pavilions dotted round a private garden with a lilly pond in the centre. There were proper tables as well but we preferred to sit on cushions in our own private pavilion. The food was good and more important the ambience was delightful. We also took in a Kechak fire and trance dance that evening, hawkers sell tickets all over Ubud and tell you where to go and what time etc. Totally rivetting and the dancing girls were very beautiful. We bought some paintings from a local artist in residence near our villas, of the Hindu God characters (Sita Rama and the Monkey King) in the Kechak dance as mementos. The next day we hired a driver to take us to Mount Batur ( the still active volcano). We ate at a restaurant which was built on a ridge opposite the volcano. <br> <br> On our way back our driver was very obliging and stopped whenever we asked, so that we could look at some of the wood carvings, stone carvings and basketware, that interested us. Tegallalang had some pretty good shops. Most private drivers charged around 30,000 to 45,000 Rupiahs for the round trip. We stayed one night at the Pansea Bali in Jimbaran Bay. A beautiful bay with lovely sand and swimming and great seafood restaurants dotted along the beach. This hotel is right on the beach so you can sit with your toes in the sand while you eat lunch or dinner by flaming torch. It is very unpretentious, unlike some of the 5 star hotels in the area. We walked up the beach a couple of hundred yards to one of the seafood restaurants called Denas... where we chose our own red snapper and prawns and told them how we wanted them cooked...just grilled with butter and garlic or with chili sauce. The hotel food was also very good and priced very competitively.<br> <br> As we only had one day and we wanted to see a temple, so we went to Uluwatu Temple. The Macacque monkeys who live there snatch your glasses and hats, all very entertaining and the sunset is divine. You can also sit happily with a cocktail at the hotel beach bar and watch the sunset too if you are so inclined. The Pansea Bali Hotel is only 15 minutes from the airport and yet it is on one of the most beautiful beaches in Bali. As it was the Monsoon season the weather was kind to us, and we got a tan...however the skies were turbulent and exciting as there was always thunder and lightening somewhere in the distance either over the mountains or out to sea. We would definitely go to the Pansea Bali Hotel again.

Cafe Batavia, Oasis and Hasara are awesome restaurants - both for food and for atmosphere.

Transportation accommodations are easily arranged through Melia Bali staff at a nominal expense. All the taxi drivers I encountered had excellent restaurant recommendation, try Cue De Ta and be sure to time the end of your meal at sunset so you can enjoy the extremely large and intimate chaise lounge along the beach while listing to Sinatra and Martin being broadcast throughout the restaurant. A truly romantic restaurant with exceptional food, service and atmosphere.

You can reach Yogyakarta from all major cities in Indonesia by plane or bus. I like to call Yogyakarta a heritage city. It has a lot of things that have been kept for hundred years, such as king palace, museum, candi, batik, wayang puppet, gudeg and etc. You could enjoy Gudeg (a traditional food) at Wijilan street near king palace. At night you could travel along Malioboro street just to spent your money to but crafts and gifts at this traditional hawker centre. Lesehan is a traditional way to eat gudeg at Malioboro street. Looking for more batik crafts? In the morning, Beringharjo market at Malioboro street is a great choice. Borobudur is one of the wonders of the world located 72 km north Yogyakarta. Prambanan is famous for its Ramayana dance and located near Yogyakarta. Bakpia pathuk are popular traditional cookies that you must try. So many things, so little time. That''s why I visit Yogyakarta every year and always find a new experience.

THE Alila Ubud was a nice place to stay in Ubud. The dances in Ubud are not to be missed. Ary''s warung an excellent restaruant. As with Ubud being the capital of art in Bali so it also seems to be the capital of good artistic food. HOWEVER, one day I went on a white water rafting trip, which was amazing, and at the end of it we were given a beatiful traditional Balinese lunch. We were offered some sauces labeled mild and spicy. Enjoying spicy food I asked the guide if ''spicy'' meant ''very spicy'' and she replied yes it is very spicy. Well being used to spicy food I slapped a bunch on and proceeded to eat it when I started choking as if my esophagus is going into spasms. I downed the beer , anything I could get my hands on , when finally I realised I was going to survive. The next morning I woke up with blisters all around the inside of my lips, and my lips were swollen. I spoke for the next week as if I had a peirced tounge, and I also found it very painful to eat. Later on during my trip I watched a program on Bali Vision on Balinese food. It mentioned Balinese chillies are the HOTTEST in the WORLD. I can attest to that!

Bambu (outside the hotel on the left hand side) is a really good option for seafood and it is a friendly place to eat. We could recommend this place.

If shopping is on your to-do list, Plaza Indonesia is a very pleasant place to visit. Not crowded with a great selection of stores. CGK is a good airport to travel from, but it helps to have lounge access when your flight is early in the morning. The Premier Lounge (available to eligible passengers of CX and SQ) was a good place to relax while waiting for my flight to board.

Ubud is my favorite place in Bali. It is very well located for trips all over the island. As far as restaurants are concerned we would recommend the following: Wayan''s Cafe for its nice garden & food, Tutmak for its excellent food, Bebek Bengil, and Mozaic which is an upmarket restaurant with very nice food prepared by a french-american chef. This restaurant is said to be the best in Bali, however we thought the food was too european.

This was the first time that I ventured outside of Kuta. We took a day trip into Denpasar to the Kumbi Sari market. It was huge, especially the craft market. The cost for a bemo (public bus) from Kuta was about 10,000 rupiah ($1). Apparently this is where many of the locals shop and business owners buy their goods to sell at the local markets. It is well worth a visit.

The Basilico restaurant is very nice with a great location on the beach. I spent 1 night on Gili Trawangen (island) and had a very nice relaxing time.

Shopping centres you should visit is Semanggil (Jl Sudirman), Plaza Indonesia (Hyatt Hotel) and Pasaraya Gran (Jl Kabayoran) where you can get most of what you''re looking for. Restaurants are average everywhere.

Some hints on using a taxi for travels around Bali. Look for newer taxi. Make sure taxi approaches with windows rolled up...this should indicate the AC works well. If you hire transport for long haul and there are several drivers and vehicles available, ask all of them to start their cars (usually 4x4/SUV types) and come back in 3-5 min to perform an AC check...you don''t want to be stuck all day in a car that doesn''t have cold air. If you get in a car and it''s not pumping ice cold AC after a very short distance and you want to change vehicles, it''s acceptable to have driver drop you off so you can flag down a new car...if you do this and did travel more than say, 1/2 mile, then you should pay 1st driver a small amount, maybe 5000 Rup (60cents US/ $1 SG) a short distance. For all day trips (8hr) with multiple stops, you shouldn''t need to spend more than 200,000 Rup ($22 US/ $37 SG). For 4-6hr trips with a few enroute stops, you cna pay 100-150,000 Rup. Once we had a group of 7 people and we paid 350,000 Rup for 24hrs...but if you do hire a transport for more than, say 6 or 8hrs, you should pay for your driver''s meals, drinks, etc...this is especially true for all day hires. BTW don''t let your driver sidetrack you into accepting offers to stop at various shops and attractions -- politely decline the offer unless of course you''re interested in them.

Recommended restaurants: The Living Room: amazing ambience, great garden setting. Ku De Ta: first class food, great location on the beachfront.

Bali is really great. I would recommend staying in the Nusa Dua area if you''re looking for a clean beach free of people trying to sell you massages, t-shirts, or drugs. Kuta is best for going out at night, resturants and shopping for trinkets, t-shirts, etc. When bargaining I got everything about 1/3 of what their starting price was. I would also recommend taking a tour through Ubud...there are also some lovely shops there.

Plenty to do in the surrounding areas- temples to visit, waterfalls, great snorkelling... there was a 6 hour snorkelling trip to an island in the Northwest of Bali that is supposed to be fantastic, but we were afraid of sunburn... for 20$ a fisherman took us off the coast of Lovina for two hours and although the coral reefs were not spectacular, the fish were amazing. We ate dinner at the restaurant each night since the food was so good. We hired a car from Denpasar and came up to Lovina via Ubud and Gunung Batur (40$ for driver and guide for whole day), and then returned home via the floating temple, visited Tanah Lot for sunset, took showers at the hotel at which we had stayed in Denpasar and then caught our 11 PM flight.

We arrived 2 days after the Jakarta bomb at the Australian Embassy, and local people seemed surprised that we (Australians) were still game to visit, and pleased that we were there. We got around by taxis which were quite cheap but on average they were reluctant to use their meters and we had to insist. No problem with Bluebird cabs, but imitators were abundant. We visited Ancol complex and walked around the beach. Good food and drink, not many tourists (indo or australian).<br> <br> Mangga Dua shopping mall was not far from the hotel, and well worth a visit - clean and bright and modern, with good prices on consumer goods, and there are lots of rumah makans and padang restaurants nearby which do a roaring trade. Also visited Pasar Raya shopping mall a little south of the city, better than Mangga Dua and a favourite of ours. Only about Rp 15,000 by taxi. The market around the mall was a hassle.<br> <br> Sunda Kelapa harbour was interesting, watched boats being laden with timber bound for Sumatra and outlying islands, but the bearers loading the timber only get paid Rp 25,000 per day, a pity. Went to Cafe Batavia on Fatahillah Square. Despite it being lunchtime on a Saturday, it was very quiet. Beautiful ambience, old colonial features, ceiling fans, dark wood, linen table cloths etc - very Raffles. Also very overpriced - we had a modest 2 course lunch which cost Rp 425,000 for 2 people including 2 beers - still stinging from that bill. Visited Istiqlal Mosque, the biggest in SE Asia, which was beautiful - 5 storeys high and very vast and cool inside. We were made very welcome and given a tour by the guide/guard who advised us that he "normally gets Rp 20,000 from each person" for the tour. We gave him only Rp 20,000 total and he seemed ok with that.<br> <br> Also visited the fleamarket on Jl Surabaya which was very interesting - well kept, neat, orderly, little tiny shops in a row filled with bric a brac, "antiques", bits of porcelain, coins, brassware, and assorted interesting bits and pieces - worth a visit. We did struggle to fill 3 days in Jakarta and were happy to be leaving at the end, and feel we won''t return unless it''s necessary to pass thru on the way to another destination. Having said that, we have visited in the past and stayed a beautiful villa in Pondok Indah with swimming pool and cook, and were chauffered around by drivers - if that had been the case again, I''m sure we would feel very differently than having to find our own way around in dodgy taxis in uncertain areas.

I didn''t take any tours cos I was there for business but Hardrocks good, not very far from the hotel. Laguna is a restaurant to go and if you''re travelling by cab make sure you take the BlueBird cabs, they go by the meter. If you choose not to travel at night, then the Hotel''s Tiga Puluh Bar will be the best place to relax and have some fun. As for shopping, Mangga Dua (2) should be the best place to shop.

Melasti Beach Resort is well located and you need to take care that you do not confuse it with Melasti Bungalows which is close to the Airport. Everything that Kuta/Legian offers is within easy walking distance, eg. market, diverse range of Restaurants & Bars and shopping. The beach is not so good and is suited to surfing more than swimming. If you walk around the streets near the hotel you need to be prepared for multiple Spruikers trying to sell Timeshare properties.

Kudeta - excellent for watching the sunset. Dreamland Beach - best beach we visited. The Living Room - romantic dinner setting. Trattoria - inexpensive, good Italian food. Taxi drivers - inexpensive, willing to wait while you shop, visit the beach, eat, etc. for about 20,000rph/hr. Seminyak - great for shops & restaurants.

Best and safest way to go around in Jakarta at the moment is by SILVER BIRD. Avoid traffic if you can. Stay inside shopping malls!!

Make sure you bring your international driving license, otherwise the contribution to the local law enforcement is about 3-4 times higher than Jakarta.

Try the restaurants near Blok M, this is not far from the hotel. Good Japanese, Korean and other food. Dine once at Koy, fusion cuisine by a Belgium chef. Also Park is under his management. Have a high tea and stay for a cocktail or even more at the Darmawangsa, an oasis in the urban jungle.

One of the places one must not miss is Kotamani in the north of Bali. We used the meter taxi to get around, alternatively you can also book for a taxi or private car for R300000 for one full day. They are everywhere, and chances are they will be insinuating for transports before you. Restaurant to visit in Ubud is Bebek Bengil, good food and good ambience.

Bali is a beautiful holiday spot. Recommend hiring a driver for the day and going to have lunch by the volcano, going to the monket forest and shopping for arts and crafts in Ubud. Go and party and Double Six located at Legian Beach.

For shopaholic, try checking out the Mega Pasaraya for their regular sale on RTWs. The local crafts, however, are quite expensive. If you want some cheap souvenirs (Jakarta standard), try Sarina Department Store.

Having been to Bali about 40 times now I can recommend a few quick essentials for first timers: Bargaining is a way of life there. Dont get angry: relax, smile and treat it as a game (they do). Starting price also depends on your nationality: if you’re Japanese unfortunately you get to start at a price almost double the starting price offered to an Australian tourist – sorry about that but better you know. Wherever you’re from, start off at 20% of the price offered and work your way up (as they work their way down) to a maximum of about 50% of the starting price. Don’t be afraid to walk slowly away or call their bluff. As a guide, you should pay about RP20,000 for a simple sarong or RP 25,000 for a copy (not good quality) T-shirt. If you buy more than one whatever, that''s always another good reason to offer them less. <br> <br> Any freshly cooked food is fine even at smaller restaurants. Be careful of soup (which may not have been boiled). Peeled fruit is great. Salads are usually washed in the local water - dont go there. Don’t be afraid to try the local dishes if they are FRESHLY cooked and haven''t been standing in some bowl for half a day. The local food is often better as it has a higher turnover rate and they know how to prepare and store the ingredients. (unlike Western food)<br> <br> If you change money at the airport you will end up with a rate about 200-400 RP less than what you can get at the money changers near the hotels (hotel rate is a rip off), but you won’t get ripped off. If you change at the money changers the ones who count out 50,000RP notes and are in dedicated buildings are usually ok. It''s the ones with just a small wooden table or offer fantastic rates that you have to watch out for. Common tricks are: leaving one bill missing, the total not equaling what''s on the calculator, counting out so many small notes (often repeatedly) you get totally confused or after watching them carefully and they cant find any other way of ripping you off, they tell you the exchange rate has just changed and guess what?: it''s much less. You can actually get the correct money even out of the rip off ones but you really have to watch them closely - again treat it like a game.<br> <br> “Transport” Yes, you’ll hear that a lot. Taxis with a meter are probably going to be cheaper for short trips. For a driver for a day, about 150,000RP FOR THE WHOLE VAN is a reasonable price. For 5 or 6 hrs about 100,000RP is a good price. Be careful whatever price is quoted to you is TOTAL and not per-person. Taxis fares to anywhere from the airport are a set price at the taxi counter outside arrivals. You can bargain with the touts but you''ll probably end up only a few dollars cheaper if you''re good.<br> <br> It is normally better for your own piece of mind to have an international driving/motorbike licence if you intend to hire your own transport. The police aren''t paid much so stop a tourist instead and "fine" them for not having one. The minimum "fine" which goes directly to their pocket is for a local 10,000RP and for a tourist about 50,000RP. You can always just pay the fines as you go and you may be lucky and not even see any police. When getting petrol, make sure the attendant ZEROS the meter on the bouser before filling up your tank. Remember you’re on holidays: enjoy, relax and don’t stress about all this.

As the restaurant at The Alila is so bad, it is definitely worth eating out. Luckily there are quite a few good restaurants in Candi Dasa. This time we ate at the Watergarden Kafe (formerly TJ''s) which was good, and the Puri Bagus Candi Dasa where we had an excellent meal in very pleasant surroundings. Of course everyone must eat at the Amankila- it has to be the most beautifully situated hotel in Bali and the quality of food and ambience is extraordinary, not to mention the service. If only I could afford to stay at the Aman hotels!!

Highly recommend Ayung river rafting, good fun for all ages! Art galleries a must and high end ones are Agung Rai Gallery, Tate Gallery on Monkey Forest Road, and Neka Gallery.

The location of the Komaneka in Monkey Forest Road is great and it is close to lots of good restaurants and bars. Some of the favourites are Lamak (excellent!), The Three Monkeys, and Tutmak. We also had Sunday brunch at Biji at Begawan Giri estate and it was wonderful - definitely worth it - the quality of the food and the setting are amazing!

If you do not want to be hassled by hundreds of Sarong sellers and taxi drivers do not stay in Kuta for long. Best to stay for a day or two then head off to somewhere quieter on the island. Good bars are mainly in Semanak, i.e. Ku De Tah and Hu''u for laid back sundowners. Kuta is only if you want to sing in the street and pick up drunk backpackers.

I would still recommend Bumbu Bali which is just down the road from the Novotel for good Balinese food. Also everyone staying in the area should go and have a meal at the Amanusa and the Four Seasons (PJ''s on the Beach). Had a wonderful breakfast at the new Conrad Hotel just down the road from the Novotel in Tanjong Benoa- it was superb!

We would recommend Lombok over Bali as it is quieter and somewhat untouched. We travelled around in a rented 4X4 and motorbike; remember your helmet! The Sengiggi strip restaurants are very basic and it seems the fine dining is in the hotels.

Spent most of trip in Ubud. Found the most excellent restaurant "Batuan Waru" on the small road between Jalan Hanoman and Monkey Forest. The food is not cheap, but everything on the menu is to die for. We ordered the special everyday and was never dissappointed. Our final meal there was the suckling pig "Babi Guling" it just melted in your mouth. This special is for two people at Rp 150,000 (US$16.50). An average entry is about Rp35,000 (US$4.00) and worth every cent.

I took the hotel''s complimentary rice terrace/banana plantation walk in the hills of Ubud, followed by a gourmet picnic in the fields - this was my personal highlight and I would highly recommend the experience.

We walked around Kuta town, did a lot of shopping for wood carvings, some sarongs, which were very cheap. Found a restaurant called Kunyit Bali, in front of Santika Beach Hotel in Kuta, which served delicious Balinese food. We also chartered a van to take us to Kintamani, Mt. Batur, Ubud, and along the way, lots of vendors selling wood carvings, handicrafts, which were very much cheaper compared to Kuta. As we are from Malaysia, the sun, sea and surf did not interest us much since we have plenty of that back home, but the shopping did!

Shopping centres nearby worth a visit are Plaza Indonesia and Plaza Senayan. Every Saturday night Metro TV (a local TV station) does a live show from a cafe at Plaza Indonesia and it is worth seeing...

Be sure to visit places like Taman Mini - great cultural revelation. Do also spend a full-day at Dunia Fantasi especially if you have kids. They''ll love it there. For the shopaholics, don''t leave Jakarta without stepping out to Mangga Dua Mall. It is great for the computer freaks as well. If you have the time, head on to Bogor and then up to Puncak. Don''t forget to visit the Taman Safari there. Great outdoors for the whole family.

Recommended restaurants are: Paprika - wine bar, Hazara''s - Indian, Stix - steaks, Porto Venezia - Italian, and Koi Gallery - Mixed. Best souvenir shopping at Pasaraya Grande. Most interesting shopping at Jalan Surabaya. Jakarta is an interesting city with lots of energy. It has lots to offer but often takes some looking to find.

Jogja was great. Don''t miss the Ramayana Ballet, quite spectacular. Prambanam and Borobodur temples were sensational. If you really like the time to look around these places rather than being rushed by a limited tour schedule, book a taxi for the day. Of course you''ll need to bargain, but we got a car and driver (albeit with almost no english) for 400,000 rupiah for the day (and no doubt you could get it cheaper too) and for this we toured to Borobodur for as long as we wanted, the village of Kaliurang for views of Mt Merapi (although it was raining the walk through the rainforest there was beautiful - so didn''t see the volcano) and Prambanam is also very beautiful and worth a good look. Also hire a guide at both temples - only 40,000 rupiah and worth the money - very informative.

Jakarta is a fascinating city but allow lots of time for car travel due to the bad congestion that applies pretty much all the working day plus Friday evenings. Take Blue Bird taxis as often as you can to avoid surprise rip-offs, junky cars and obnoxious drivers. Too many good restaurants to list.

No need to eat at the hotel restaurant, as there are a few nice restaurants near the hotel. The shops near the hotel tend to be cheaper than the ones near Kuta. When take a taxi in Bali, always use meter, and try to take blue (light and navy color) color taxi, Blue Bird is a good company. Japanese food is a good value in Bali, as they are cheaper than anywhere else. Of course, you should always try the chicken satay:) if you are taking a one day tour to nearby island, try to ask for the sailing boat. When shopping always bargain, they tend to ask one third of the price. You can find good silver jewelry, sarong, swim suit, housing ware and other good stuff.

We really enjoyed Ubud. Less people, great shopping, more relaxing and the accommodations seem much nicer and better priced. I highly recommend a place called Tegal Sari. If you like to surf and want a great resort, I recommend Uluwatu Resort. It was conveniently in walking distance to the surf site and the Surfing Village on your walk down is great.

Yokya is a very busy town with good Indonesian culture. The Borobudur should be visited early in the morning cause of the heat. Gadjah Wong is the very best restaurant in town. Take a cab and do go there.

We hired a car and driver for a day''s touring and travelled around East Bali, through the beautiful, lush paddy fields, stopping off at Tirthaganga Water Palace, up to the volcano and lake Kintamani and finishing for dinner and a performance of Balinese dancing in Ubud. Although this involves a fair amount of time in the car it is a good excursion for anyone with a relatively limited time in the area.<br> <br> We also went diving on the wreck about an hour''s drive north from the hotel. The dive is excellent with plenty to see, with the added advantage of being fairly shallow, so inexperienced divers can also give it a try. The rest of our long weekend in Bali was just spent enjoying the hotel, it''s fantastic ambience and it''s facilities.

Don''t go to Tanjung Benoa (or even Nusa Dua) for the beaches! They might have been charming once, now the whole stretches are split with stone walls and little pavillions. But do go to Bali: Landscape and temples and so many details truly make it the Island of Gods! In only 4 days and with two infant children, we managed to go elephant trekking in Taro, art-buying in Ubud und fire-dance -watching in Ulu Watu. One of the best Balinese retaurants was to be found in Tanjung Benoa: The Bumbu Bali offers original culinary delights and great ambience at a very reasonable price (sea turtles swimming at your feet!).

Borobudor and Prambanan are a must for visitors to this city. They are great. I find that the peddlers at those tourist sites a nuisance. Just say no if you are not interested and DO NOT talk to them too much. They are the most persistent lot that I have ever seen! Bargain with the taxi driver for your fare before you take the taxi. It is negotiable. I find they are very honest.<br> <br> For food, try the side walk stalls at night along Jalan Malioboro. The pigeon meat is a bit tough to chew but should try. Gudeq is a local cuisine and is quite good, though a bit sweet. A good place for this dish is at Legian Restaurant along Jalan Malioboro. A bit pricey but good. The restaurant is situated not far from hotels such as Mutiara, Ibis and Inna Garuda. One should also try their local Bakso, noodles with beef balls, at any of the side stalls. It is cheap and nice.

Bali is safe (even for Australians), but the queues at immigration upon arrival if you don''t possess a visa stretch your patience. We waited nigh on 1.5 hours. Immigration and airport staff were flawlessly polite and friendly though, so don''t take your frustration with government policy out on them. Just make sure you get a visa before arrival.

The best places we found to eat. PaPa''s at Kuta. Padma Cafe is just across the road from the motel and is very good. The tailor across the road in the little shop is very good and does lovely work and will be made on time.

Kuta is nice, worth a trip. Kudeta restaurant is an experience, but very high priced in particular for Bali.

Recommend Silver Bird taxis since they are metered.

Bali is a nice relaxing destination. It was not very busy which may be a result of the lingering doubts felt by some tourists after the Kuta bombings of October 2002. I felt entirely safe the whole time I was there and would not hesitate returning. I would recommend hiring a taxi for the day. 8 hours will set you back aorund 250,000-300,000 rupiah which is a bargain. Places to see are Tanah Lot, Mt Kintamani (I hope that''s how it is spelt), Ubud and the nearby monkey forest.

Beware of the taxi driver, although most of them used meter, they insisted I paid the minimun rate. Minimum rate demanded by the driver varied from one to another, I had paid the minimum rate from Rp10K to Rp18K.

The location is not too bad but needed to get a cab to the nightlife but not a huge problem as taxis are very cheap (bluebird or silver bird are the best and cheapest!!) One bar to check out is CJ''s in the Mulia Hotel. The band there was absolutely fantastic...a real must!!! It would be worth another trip to Jakarta just to go and see them again.

OK, first Lombok is not the new Bali. Lombok has a charm all of it''s own. Lombok is for those looking to relax and unwind and do nothing too exhausting. Don''t expect streets lined with bars and night clubs or huge shopping centres. Tours are available to the watersfalls (2hr drive from Senggigi), the Monkey Forest (1hr drive from Senggigi) and other areas, but we spent most of our time at our fantastic hotel, sitting on our balcony, swimming in or lying around the pool, or lying on the balcony day bed sleeping. We also went to Mataram (the main city) using the local public transport, but unless you speak Bahasa Indonesian (we do), we recommend that you get taxis. A trip from Senggigi to Mataram costs about 25,000rp and they are clean and safe. Just make sure they use the meter. Mataram has the only Shopping Mall in Lombok and it is rather small. We will be back!

In Ubud you should visit the Neka Museum which shows many great paintings from Balinese and other Indonesian artists. Bargaining is a must: reasonable price is maximum 20 % of first quote!

There is not much to do on Lombok, hence removing the need to charged around and do anything at all! This makes the island laid back and relaxing. However check the transfers from Bali to Lombok carefully. I ended up on the night ferry (or nightmare ferry), which takes and incredible 5 hours to journey 35km! To be avoided!

The only downside is the location of Bali Hai as it''s not too near Kuta itself or other restaurants and shops (although there are some just outside). However, taxi prices are so low - it''s only about $1.50 to Kuta - that it''s not a big problem. If you want to eat out, there''s a range of restaurants along the main Tuban road to Kuta (Jalan Kartika Plaza). We had an excellent Indonesian meal at the Bali Terazo there as well as reasonable meals at other restaurants in that area. Made''s Warung in Jalan Pantai Kuta is famous - deservedly so - and serves excellent local food at reasonable prices, too.

Yogjakarta is a great city, cleanest compared to Bandung, Medan and Jakarta. Borobudur while interesting is overhyped. Nothing compared to Angkor Wat. Needs better facilities and knowledgeable guides. Kraton was worth the visit as it displayed the lifestyle of the Sultans. The temples at Dieng are nothing to look at, not restored and just mounds of stones left, no written history. Same at Prambanan.

Third time in Bali and still surprisingly charming, despite the hyped-touristy image. Worth another visit, exploring with a hire car and staying away from the big three resorts we''ve already done. Telumban dive site is worth a visit but 3 hours drive(!) from southern resorts. As an alternate to the volcano I recommend Bedugul. To my surprise and despite I enjoyed the freelance entertainers at Jimbaran; grilled fish also pretty good.

Best way to get to the hotel is to call them to book a bluebird cab on arrival from the airport at fixed all-incl rate of Rp 120,000 and do the same thing on your way back. The Indian food at Ganesha Bar & Restaurant on the BRI-II is superb, they also have traditional dances with music to make your dinner enjoyable.

Kuta is fun and tawdry-if you want to go shopping, go clubbing and hang out on the beach or by the pool, it seems fine. Not exactly an inspiring destination however but may be a nice pit stop before, during or after other travels; or if you are not too adventurous and just want to hang out without breaking the bank.

I made the mistake of not using the Silver Bird counter on arrival at the airport and used another taxi counter instead. This turned out to be more expensive and while the driver spoke excellent English the car was rather tatty. Best to use the Silver Bird desk when exiting the arrivals hall or find the Silver Bird queue outside. Avoid the touts at all costs.

Places we visited: went to the monkeys forest in Ubud. The kids loved it of course, Mom had a good time shopping. We also did a wild water rafting day. Great fun for all. We have a 6 year old who was just fine with it. Snorkeling was not the greatest because the weather was bad. We visited the restaurants outside of the hotel a few nights and had great meals. Went to the Galleria by shuttle from the hotel, it was o.k. but because I have lived in the area I did not think it was the best shopping ever. If you are visiting from abroad, it is the place to go.

Tour in the morning!! Less people, cooler. I used a private car for Borobudur, and then got to Prambanan by myself. You don''t save much going by yourself but it definitely is more of an adventure. The bus station in the South of town is a pit - very dirty and garbage everywhere. Get out as fast as possible.

We really love Indonesia and go back every year and try different places every time. We don´t like the very touristy places. Besides Menjangan we stayed this trip in Ahmed (The Santai hotel) which was really quiet as well but with beautiful gardens, lots of birds and flowers and very good Indonesian food even for vegetarians. We started at the Bali Intercontinental, a very nice hotel but there was a group of 400 people there as well, that we found a little too much.<BR> <BR> Besides that we went to the Novotel in Tanjung Benoa. It has beautiful surroundings but the food was not good, very European, hardly no Indonesian at all, and very poor veggie food (the cook had no imagination). Afther a couple of days you want away from there back to Indonesia. Afther that we went to Lombok,a very nice and quiet place to go to if you want to relax, do some sight seeing and some diving or snorkeling. On earlier trips we went to Java and Sulawesi, which are still for us the best islands to visit.

On my way to Malang, overnite stay in Surabaya was a welcome relief. Went to a hot spot disco called Top situated next to Sogo shopping complex. Fancy stuff going on there, need to be careful on the crowds. Good relaxing and enjoyable vacation.

Nusa Dua beach is not very clean anymore. At low tide you walk 200 m through the mud. It is a bit a rip off destination. Other areas in BALI (Kuta, Ubud) are far cheaper for everything. Especially since the recent problems are most hotels practically empty. Transports, restaurants and shops have sharply increased priced to compensate. Like that the few tourists will also not return anymore. I will definitely go back to Bali, but not to Nusa Dua.

Restaurant in Ubud called Mosaic serves excellent food in a alluring garden setting. Must try!

In Jakarta for business so no sightseeing time. You need to be fairly careful of taxi touts at the airport. I recommend Silver Bird as a reliable taxi company to use. Not especially cheap but reliable and seemed to have good drivers.

Just around the corner (turn left when you exit the main gates) is Poco loco. Great mexican food with loads of atmosphere. We also went to La Luciola, just beautiful. Taxis are the easiest way to get around and are very reasonably priced. Just make sure you get the Blue taxis as most of the white ones don''t have meters.

Watch out for exorbitant prices on Jimbaran Bay for seafood. I personally walked from one restaurant to the next until I had two offers that were 1/3 of the prices offered by the initial ones. For instance snapper was available for 80,000 from the first stall and 25,000 from the one I ate at.<BR> <BR> We had a private four piece band play for us on the beach and it was incredibly romantic. It was available for the seafood restaurants toward the far end of the beach from Puri Bambu.

Bandung is a small town filled with factory outlets with very good bargains. Be prepared to spend, but with the comforting knowledge that you''re getting good value for money. As for restaurants (in case you need an alternative to Malya''s sole restaurant), "The Valley" is a good place to dine as it is located on a hilltop that has spectacular view of the whole valley where Bandung is situated. However, remember to call and make reservations prior to going: I had to wait more than 30 mins to get a table.

Take a trip to Sukawati Market north of Kuta. 45 mins drive. Good for handicrafts, oil paintings, clothes, sarongs and batik. Much cheaper than in Kuta Square.

It seems to me taxi prices have gone up. Be careful negotiating a fixed price, as the meter may be cheaper!

A chauffeur driven minibus will cost you 5 usd per hour. It is a good way a seeing the sights. Although Bali has small roads, very narrow and getting somewhere takes hours.

The best way to travel is by hiring a motorbike, very easy to maneuvre through the heavy Kuta traffic and also convenient across the small and narrow Bali roads.

This is my first time in Jakarta and I am disapointed. Immigration were slow. When I ask the check in guy that I want an aisle seat as I was very sick, he didn''t bother to assign me a good seat and put me in the middle of 5 seat row. Theer were plenty of empty aisle seat available. There are nothing much to see or do other than shopping. I travel down to Solo and I find that place much more interesting. I would skip Jakarta and probably go to Jogjakarta or Bali. For those who love shopping, I would recommend Blok M mall, Times Square, Plaza Senayan, Plaza Indonesia.

Highly recommend Hasara Indian restaurant ($$$) next door. Oasis Restaurant ($$$$) on Jln Raden Saleh and Art and Curio Shop restaurant ($) on Jln Cikini 4?, both in Menteng close enough for becak transport. Also Cafe Batavia ($$) if you can manage to get north to Kota through the traffic.

Mahkota (formerly named Tiongsan) at Gandek''an that is close to Mlioboro St. would be the best selection for those who want to eat Chinese food with the moderate price.

Ubud must not be missed for those who like arts, paintings and appreciate the architecture. There are also beautiful temples to view eventhough not encouraged to enter. There is a lotus pond with a temple and restaurant near the market area. The temple is beautiful.

It is rather easy to get around by yourself in Bali, the taxi drivers are helpful and friendly. This is good as I find that there is not much signboards on the road that shows the direction to the outskirts eg. Ubud & Tegalallang and as such driving on your own would be time consuming. Another factor is I find that the road from the airport to Sanur is poorly lighted at night. A visit to the Lembongan island - Coconut beach resort is breathtaking. The food prices at this restaurant is slightly pricey, but taking a walk of about 100m to bungalow 7 for meals is worth as it is cheap and good. I would recommend the mixed juice which is really tasty and refreshing.

Jimbaran is a beach located south of the airport (10 minutes by car). It''s a really nice place to have dinner on the beach and eat fish and seafood in a great atmosphere. It is easy and cheap to travel around south Bali (Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Sanur,etc) with a taxi (just control the switch the taximeter on). If you want to know a little about the island you should also visit Ubud, Mount Batur and the east beaches of the island (Amed is a quiet nice place perfect for diving). It is easy (and cheap) to rent a car at Kuta or directly at the Puri Bambu and driving around is quite a balinese experience.

I advise all to do the AJ Hacket Bungie Jump in Kuta.

Nusa Dua is more of a quiet location compared to Kuta where all of the bars, restaurants and shops are located. Kuta is about 30 minutes drive from Nusa Dua. Getting around can be done by taxi or rental car. If you are planning to stay more than 2 days, it is best to rent a car.

Just be careful if you visit uluwatu temple - the monkeys are very wild and nasty. He grabed my glasses and ran.

Although there were only a handful of stalls open, enjoyed the antique market. The train to Yogya is quick (a little over an hour), inexpensive (Rp 5,000) and convenient.

It would be much better if you have somebody you know in Jakarta. This place is more for working than for leisure. But I am sure you will get a lot of excitement.

I come to Bali for business so normally don''t have time to go sight seeing. Some good places to eat is Warung Made near Kuta square, most little cafes around are alway great. Unless you have breakfast package with the hotel you stay, it is good to get breakfast outside the hotel which is so much cheaper and good (less selection). For $2 you could get nice egg platter with fruit and toast coffee/tea. Getting around is quite easy by foot or taxi. Just make sure they use the meter.

Traveled with 2 children (8 and 10). They both loved the Kecak and fire dance at the monkey temple- Pura Luhur Ulu Watu. The Barong dance was another favorite. Check out the kite flyers, I have never seen larger kites! Dinner on the beach in Jimbaran should not be missed. Freshest seafood grilled and served to your beach table.

We visited Ubud, Gunung Batur, Paddy Fields, Monkey Sanctuary, Legian and Nusa Dua. Recommended restaurants - Ubud Dirty Duck and Indus. Tip for taking long distance taxi agree the price before getting in and whether this is per person. We agreed a rate for Sanur to Ubud only for the driver to stop after a mile and say that this was for one person only. Trip up the Volcano, Gunung Batur. We were led to believe that this can be only done with an official guide. Well worthwhile but cost is Rp300,000 per person. Middle range restaurants are excellent value in Bali as long as you do not expect to drink wine. It costs Rp 100,000 Passenger Service to exit Bali from the airport.

Yoyakarta is a highly underrated tourist destination for anyone hungry for Asian culture. World class temples close and the surrounding landscapes with their volcanos and high plateaus give a good scenery. The handicraft factories and shops are well worth a visit and very cheap compared to other Asian areas.

Places to visit are obviously Borobudur Temple (40km) and Prambanan (17km). It is better to have a guided tour (not vey expansive-compared with the entrance fee- and very interesting). Restaurant : You have to try the newly opened Mlengy: the Chef is the former chef of the Hyatt Regency & the ambiance is very romantic (within 5min you''ll forget the noise of the cars).

Not many tourists around at Canggu! We had the wide beach almost for ourselves. Bathing in the sea is only possible if the waves are not too high.

Near Grand Balisani Suites you can find some restaurants that we would like to recommend. One is La Luciola (really good italian food well located in Legian Beach and well served. Excellent!). The other is called Hu''u (modern outdoor restaurant, very good international cuisine and well served. Excellent also!).

For asians, I reckon Bali isn''t really the place you would go for food. The fare caters mainly to the europeans/americans. Be careful of the whole row of money changers right outside the hotel. The money you changed are actually lesser than what''s calculated.

Although it seems travelers are returning to Bali, the Kuta-Legian area is still pretty sad. A lot of empty tables. Ubud, however, seemed much the same as I remember it on my last visit about six years ago. All the restaurants we ate in had excellent food and service. My partner and I stayed in the Ubud Village Hotel. Beautiful room with outside private garden and bath and shower area. Very nice staff.

Nice taking the becak''s (rick shaws) around to see the town.

Sarangan is about 6 hrs drive from Surabaya - outstanding view, cool, friendly villagers and nice waterfalls.

Jakarta is a terrible mess, it is overcrowded, hot and full of cheats. Every cabby will try to cheat you, from the cabbie to the shopkeeper, pretend he does not understand what you''re saying etc. On taxis, avoid the normal blue taxis, opt for the black Silver Bird instead. Even though it is 50% more expensive, at least it is spacious and the aircon works well. Jalan Thamrin is a good place for shopping, eating out etc. though very crowded. Cafe Batavia is highly recommended, though I found it far from civilization, a little shady, very expensive and devoid of crowds on a Saturday evening!

Batam is pretty bleak during the day, fruit stalls are cheap but a bit hard to find (except the local ''farmer''s market'' that is almost across the street from the Melia Panorama hotel, but everything is sold out by 8:30 AM - but if you want good fresh fruit, go there about 6 AM and you can get anything, try the durian). Best Western food/ambience/pool bar for expats is Lucy''s Oar House (not misspelled - its motif is supposed to be like a British sailor''s bar. Filled every night with expats (British and Australians working on contract for the oil/gas industry). Excellent Tex-Mex chili, split pea soup, cold beer, nice staff (pretty, young local ladies who do not hassle you like prostitutes, but just serve you beer and food with a smile). The fish and chips are great and servings of everything are almost always too much. Almost the only place I could find real smoked ham (being Islamic, pork is not served in many restaurants except in some Chinese noodle places). On the second floor above Lucy''s is a real get-down bar/club with bar top pole dancers and lap dancers featuring young micro-mini-skirted ladies who will offer many varied and delightful ways to remove any unneeded cash from your wallet. Not my cup of tea, but still it was interesting to go up and ''take a look'' (literally). Taxis, a pain sometimes beacause they are always honking at you, are cheap & generally trustworthy. Just agree with the price before you get in, most are private autos with the owners trolling for extra money. I travelled about 20 kms every day (30 minutes) to work for 50,000 IDR, which only comes out to about US$6 or 3.50 British pounds - very reasonable. Almost any destination within Batam is less than US$2. In my 2 weeks stay, I never had any problems with local people, all were very friendly and open.

Yogyakarta never ceases to amaze me. I have been here so many times, yet every visit is still worth remembering. I never fail to take a stroll along Jalan Malioboro - a haven for cheap traditional crafts, from the colorful batiks to the uniquely designed trinkets, masks to shirts and export overruns. And if that''s not enough, try visiting Pasar Bringhardjo, where there seems to be an endless of anything and everything Indonesian or Javanese. A tour to the many batik houses around the Sultan''s palace is also worth trying - you could even try your skill in batik painting. After a day of bargaining and shopping, have a nice dinner of fried chicken or catfish at the many food stalls that crop up along the road as dusk sets in. If your lucky, you might even be serenaded by some local troubadors. Be ready though for some coins, music does not come free here.

The Bali-style Spa is around 375,000 per person.

Head for Pasaraya Grande Mall for shopping, not too far by Taxi.

Check out the small pubs at Jalan Jaksa near Jalan Thamrin - cozy, cheap and lots of foreigners.

I was taken ill, so I didn''t get around much. But there isn''t much to do in Batam except for golf, or if you just wanna hang around and chill. Golden Prawn, the local seafood restaurant, served good food at affordable prices. Unfortunately, it was a little far away from Novotel, the hotel we stayed at.

I really enjoyed Bali. I was struck at how friendly everyone I encountered was. Bali has definitely been hit hard by the bombing, and my heart goes out to the Balinese. They are warm, friendly, charming people. They made me feel safe and welcomed. I hired a car and driver for two days, and was able to see the standard sights. As this was my first visit, that was fine. The next time I go back, I would like to spend more time on the western side of the island. If you are going to Bali, be prepared to deal with the street hawkers. They are everywhere, and they are agressive. I even ended up in a small tug of war with a sarong hawker over the loaner sarongs at Pura Ulan Batur. (I was bigger, so I won!) Bali is definitely worth a visit.

Jakarta is ok. To go around, choose only a Silverbird or bluebird taxi as most of their drivers understand english. Traffic was terrible when we went to Puncak Pass from Bogor. We spent almost the whole day in the bus.

Many roadside stalls nearby with cheap and good food. Restaurant across the road "Ayam Goreng" Suharti is a must try.

Nagoya, Batam is adjacent to the nearest ferry port to Singapore and is a popular destination for weekend getaways for Singapore residents. Many foreign workers in the oil industry live here. There''s not much of interest to tourists in Nagoya itself. Most of the resorts are located outside the town.

I did not have much time to go around, outside of business meetings and meals. When I ask residents about what I can see in Jakarta, most say "not much", which surprised me. The hotels had very good restaurants and I would recommend highly the ox-tail soup in Hotel Borobodur. I was able to visit the Wayang (International Puppet) Museum and watched a brief impromptu puppet show, in English. I found this very interesting and worth the time.

I had not the oppurtunity to delve into Surabaya City itself as the city was only my entry and exit point for my trek and ascent of Mt. SEMERU. IF one enjoys trekking, the "Indonesian style" is quite incomparable. My wife and I had two porters, a cook and a guide. They collectively blessed us with : superb "mountain and trekking " cuisine cooked over open log fire; with cheerfulness and devotion to our safety, comfort and enjoyment that made our trip memorable. WE are surprised that there is precious little information generally available on the SEmeru Trek and climb.

It''s not so far from airport (around 45 minutes).

Pretty convenient as there is a good shopping mall nearby.

Surabaya is a noisy city with no major sightseeing points. It''s just for an overnight stay if you to to Mt Bromo National Park, Malang etc. Mt Bromo is a really fantasctic experience, one of my best trips to Indonesia. Malang is fine with a nice climate and beautiful surroudings. I organized all myself, i.e. local train, bus etc.

Mine was a 2 day business trip, so not much sightseeing was done. Reasonably good nightlife though.

Don''t like Jakarta, too much pollution, noisy, traffic is crazy, everything seems not to work as it should... So, don''t go there for holidays!! ;-)

Travelled around by friend''s car.

I did not really travel around as I was mainly on a business trip. But my experience was good as I find good and clean resturants.

Off the hook! Great city.

Lombok is a peaceful island, good place to relax and to enjoy beach.

Bali is an enchanting place, although getting from one place on the island to another can take a long time. The beaches are wonderful, the people are friendly, the golf is great, the temples are fascinating.

Jakarta is scary sometimes, so much poverty....if you go for taxis, only choose BLUEBIRD as they can be trusted and always use meter. It''s not advisable to walk around alone at night in JKT....

Recommend Matahari island.

Staying on Jl Hayam Wuruk puts you in the heart of Chinatown. While not a destination for walking much, you are well located from a business point of view if your business is in the Northern part of Jakarta. Its important to check carefully as Jakarta is one big traffic jam during the day.

From our previous visits to Bali we have a regular driver whom we use. We visited furniture shops (Tarita is outstanding), and also a lovely ceramic factory/shop in Jimbaran. We also made a trip to Ubud which we always enjoy and up to Mount Batur to see the volcano and the lake which is spectacular. We had short trips to Nusa Dua and Kuta but have always found Sanur area suits us best. Aside from the restaurants in the hotel we found a couple of small ones on the road outside the the hotel which served good food and had great ambience. All our Bali trips have left us feeling that we had a truly great and relaxing break. How anyone cannot like Bali beats us.

There are many excellent restuarants in Jakarta but you have to look hard to find them. Best to use up to date magazines (some available in hotel) to find good places.

The restaurant was good.

Excellent hotel for business traveller. No need to go anywhere else.

Surabaya is a convenient city with several big malls and good restaurants. Taxies are cheap. By the way, I had a trouble crossing the street.

If you can bring your golf equipment there do it!

Borobudur, very good! You can arrange transportation to the place and just request experienced (official) guide there. (USD5) Better to go early morning.

A very polluted city.

Pls visit the Nusa Dua beaches. Simply unspoilt and not crowded. It is a swimmer''s haven.

There are lots of nice local foods around, from light to heavy meal, however, you must ask your friend to help as the location is not around the hotel vicinity. Places like Kelapa Gading area, Mangga dua are one of the places where you can find both good shopping deal and nice food. <BR><BR> Jakarta is not an easy place to walk around like in Bangkok, so buy a map before you travel and know where you want to go if you are travelling on free and easy, unless you have friends. As for transportation, always use blue bird taxi as it is safer for foreigners. Always check if the meter is on. Please prepare small notes for taxi as they don''t give you small change like in Singapore. <BR><BR> The Spas is good and cheap, much cheaper than in Singapore, it is a good try.

Manga Dua Area and special Dusit Hotel have direct connection to shoping mall.

Good taxi service available round the clock. Just a short distance from the hotel to the city.

Taxis are readily available to bring you around at any time of the day.

Traffic jam in Jakarta is getting worse, so I would recommend to have a certain allowance of time for appointment or any other moving especially in the morning/evening rush hours.

Travellers are advised to carefully choose their means of transport in Jakarta nowadays.

Jakarta is a difficult city to get around in. The best option is to get a Silverbird taxi from the hotel and have him standby while to are shopping, eating, or in meetings. This practise is costlier than it use to be but is still the best way to get things done in the city. Plan your travels to avoid heading the same direction as rush-hour traffic. <BR><BR> The best restaurants include Stix, Riva, Hazarra, Porta Venicia, Batavia Cafe, and Paprika. All very good. There are also now a few Starbucks in the city. Batavia Cafe is also a great place to visit from a historical perspective.

Security situations seem to be improving. Major international hotels, such as Holday Inns, Grand Hyatt, etc. provide good restaurants as well as entertainments.

We also stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort in Senggigi and would recommend that hotel as well: lovely garden, nice pool, excellent food, free tennis court, convenient apartments for larger families. <BR><BR> We visited the Sasak Village not far from Novotel Coralia: not to be missed!

Restaurants good.

Visitors to Jakarta love it or hate it. Bad traffic pollution and slow to move around but friendly people more than compensate. I''ve been going several times a year, most recently Jan 03 and I''ve never experienced any problems of any kind.

My main destination was the Borobudor. The travel agent in the hotel do not offer group tour, but personal tour only, which costs you about US$50 per person (to Borobudor and Prambanann). (over $60 if you are alone.) If you want to save a bit, you could just ask for the car and a driver, that cost about $30 to $40. <BR><BR> If you want to save more by taking a group tour, try an agent in Ibis Mariobolo Hotel. The tour I took cost less than $10 though you have to pay for your lunch and entry to the ruins. ($7 each and less than $2 for lunch at a local restaurant.) Even it was called as a group tour, it was only me and a couple and a baby from Sumatra. <BR><BR> In Jogjakarta, there are a lot of batik stores that are overpriced. (though I do not know how much was the RIGHT price, and the people in general was very friendly to me and tended to give me better price because I am Asian...). If you want to see art batiks (not for clothes but for decoration) at a reasonable price, there is "goverment art center." I was told about the place from a guide at the king''s palace(''Kraton''). (There you have to be guided at first to take a look.) He also instructed the Becha (bicycle taxi) driver to take me there at a very reasonable rate (that you would never get when you ask one on street). I think the price was reasonable there, they only show you the final price on the list. (or at least I was just comfortable with the endorsement of the government...?) <BR><BR> If you need to bargain, you''d never know the right price and you tend to pay much higher than appropriate range unless you know the market very well or you are exceptionally good at bargaining, so... <BR><BR> Then one of the staff there took me to my next destination, a museum. (He actually wanted to take me to his gran''ma''s batik store after the museum, that I declined...) <BR><BR> May be because of the drastic reduction in tourists, people selling things/service in Jogjakarta as well as Bali were TOO eager to sell you, that made me very tired. But people in general was pretty kind and nice!

Recommend Twilite restaurant in Kemang and BATS bar and the Shangri La for a good evening''s entertainment.

My trip was a business trip so I visited no place, didn''t have any tour. I recommend "Pulau Dua" as a nice place for dinner, even though it''s located close to one of the main roads...

Actually, Jakarta seems like a desperate place right now. It is hard not to see the desperation in people''s eyes. Country is beautiful, but capital looks a little scary.

Always travel by meter when in a taxi. Go by Blue or Silver bird ONLY. Even so, make sure your driver knows the way or better still buy a map before you enter the country. Good Jakarta maps are hard to come by, even at the malls. Bookshops are a rarity for English books. It''s best to know your way around by being orientated on the map via landmarks. Asking around may not help ''cos even the hotel staff may not always understand what you are saying in English. <BR><BR> Learn a few essential Bahasa Indonesia words for convenience/survival. Stay away from city central if you are Chinese-looking or caucasian ''cos at any time, an uprising with people brought in from other islands can occur. <BR><BR> Senayan is more or less, a safe place away from the crowds. Walking to Plaza Senayan after dark is ok. Just don''t go beyond the area on foot. Try to dress down - don''t show off and don''t show too much skin. I was followed on my return walk from expensive Pasar Ria and Blok M (half hour''s walk away) so you need to watch your back and keep in crowded and bright areas. If followed, make a u-turn, then follow the person following you. That shook my follower off.

An interesting city. Had a delicious meal at a Japanese restaurant called Ambia (?).

Great island but very expensive.

Indonesia is going through difficult times at the moment with the almost complete disappearance of Western travellers, and one does not always feel comfortable in certain areas of the city: people do not smile very much in public in Java (unlike Bali) and one tends to wonder if one is welcome. <BR><BR> Just around the corner from the hotel is one of the main streets of Chinatown with several excellent restaurants. Ordering can be somewhat comical because most of the menus are in Indonesian only, but there are photographs of the dishes, and the staff speak at least 15 words of English, including "beef," "fish," "vegetable," which can be useful when in doubt.

There is an Indonesian restaurant on the next shopping mall B1F. It''s very delicious and serve very quickly.

Good weather condition to stay.

Took a day trip with a tour guide, nice fellow. Vendors unreasonable and irritating.

It is located little off the city center, need to use taxi for shopping and enjoying entertainment.

Lombok was fairly empty of tourists. It''s sad to see how the region has changed since October. It''s safe, but no one is there.

If you want to have Japanese food, I recommend ''Kurino-ya'' in the Harmony hotel.

You can easily reach the famous Borobudur site even on public buses. Javanese people are very friendly. At Borobudur try to get Ms Aisha as a guide, she can tell a lot of interesting facts and stories in reasonable good English. She usually waits for customers at the ticket office.

Yogyakarta is a wonderful place to visit. It is in close proximity to the world heritage sites of Borabudur and Prambanan which you can visit conveniently either on your own using local transport or by arranging tours with local tour groups located in close proximity to hotel Natour Garuda. <BR><BR> We also visited Mt. Merapi an active volcano just 25 km away from Yogya. In Yogyakarta itself the Kraton is interesting and local transport includes Andongs (horse cart) and Becacks (bicycle rikshaws) which are cheap and great fun. Shopping along Jalan Malioboro and eating Indonesian food at night from street cafes is also good fun.

Yogya is a fantastic place especialy for those that what to experience something different from Bali. There are many tours laid on to Borobudur etc. a very good restaurant and definitely worth a visit is ''Gadja Wong'' on Jalan Gadjya. <BR><BR> Taxi''s have improved a great deal, all of them use meters, so its a cheap and comfortable way to get around. learn just a little bit of the local language and you''ll have a great time.

I was in Jakarta 4 bays for business purpose, so could neither visit nor entertain a lot. I would recommend the beautiful national museum and the astonishing handicrafts available at Sarinah Plaza (3rd Floor), Thamrin Road.

Went up to Puncup with friends. An excellent place to get away from the polluted city air. Cool climate and great scenary. Lots of good photo opportunities. One thing to note is that most money changers do not accept old US-dollar notes. Only the newer post-1999 notes are accepted.

Little bit far from center but taxis very cheap.

Beautifully located in a valley high up in the mountains. As a foreigner, I felt a lot safer in Bukit Tinggi than I had felt in other parts of Indoensia. The people are warm, friendly and welcoming. This part of Indoensia is totally Muslim dominated but apart from the odd road blocks asking for donations for Mosque building funds, it is a plesant place to visit. Cost of living is extremely cheap compared to other East Coast cities. You could stretch your dollar farther than you thought possible. However, bargain is the rule of the game. If you are travelling from Pekanbaru, whcih is what we did, beware - the route is a killer. The 6 - 8 hours of winding road is a sure test of your driving skills but the scenery which is breathtaking at times, sure compensates for any negative aspects of the journey.

Jakarta has turned into a traffic nightmare since the last time I visited 6 years ago. Getting around the city sucks, especially in rush "hour" which seems to last all day and most of the night also! Can''t recommend any restaurants as all I visited were quite bad.

Bali was a very enchanting and mystical place. The people were very warm and friendly and greeted us as if we were friends. They made us feel safe and welcomed. <BR><BR> During our stay, we took a one day trip to see other parts of the island. We visited Ubud were there were many arts and crafts shops. We also saw beautiful rice terraced rice fields and the Baturlake and volcano. Prior to visiting Ubud, we also experienced a Balinese Barong Dance. It was very exciting. <BR><BR> While in Ubud, we had lunch at a restaurant by the name of Indus. It is located on a hill with breathtaking views of a terraced rice field. It offered a reasonably price menu with a variety of American and Balinese dishes. There were also many nice restaurants in Kuta. The one that we frequented the most was Made Warung, which was recommended by the hotel staff. The menu offered a variety of good reasonbaly priced food and beverages served in large proportions. One of their specialties is prawns with sweet and sour sauce. The service was also very good. <BR><BR> There are also many furniture and handicraft shops within walking distance of the Puri Bambu hotel. Many are located along Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai. All offered reasonably priced teak furniture and local Balineses handicrafts, however, I would recommend Antique Asia, and Kembar Garden Furniture.

Did own travelling and itinerary. Visited Taman Safari in Jakarta a different experience. Did shopping in Manggua Dua vicinity, very crowded, need good bargaining skills, quality of products reasonable.

There is a big shopping building nearby. SOGO and Senayan Plaze are very nice for me. An area is not a center downtown.

Hawkers are the main problem with Sengiggi - on the beach and down the main street. They are not aggressive or unduly persistent, unlike e.g. some African countries, but as soon as one goes another appears!! <BR><BR> Good choice and variety of restaurants in Sengiggi - ludicrously cheap in many, with drinks often costing more than food!! The absence of the 21% GST tax, which luxury hotels charge, make this a good option. <BR><BR> The place was very quiet when we were there, but this was just after Bali. Lombok is very undeveloped - almost "primitive" - certainly outside of Sengiggi. Well worth hiring a jeep or car for 3/5 days to see the island. Car hire is cheap, but rental agreements seem rather vague on insurance etc!! Roads are pretty good and traffic light, other than around Mataram. The drive up North from Sengiggi is spectacular. We were not impressed with Kuta in the south. <BR><BR> People are very friendly - crime doesn''t seem to be a problem. A great place to relax.

In Jakarta I liked especially walking around and eating some food in a small warung in Sunda Kalapa. In my opinion the most beautiful spot in Jakarta is the small wooden foot bridge between the two parts of Sunda Kalapa kampung near the Luar Batang Mosque, with a very beautiful view over the old harbour.

Hotel well located for Jalan Maliboro and near the railway station.

Excellent location. Many eating options, excellent shopping, and situated on main streets. Expect taxi ride from airport to take a minimum of 40 minutes, depending on traffic and time of day. Allow up to 2 hours for transport back to airport (depending on time of day/traffic).

Close proximity to spas, Sarinah dept store (to do your batik shopping), nice eating places like Hazara, Viet Phoa, Paprika.

UBUD is in the rain forest and you get bitten to pieces. It''s a charming town with plenty to see. Eating out in UBUD is very, very cheap as long as you stay away from wine. Definitely worth the visit. The Balinese people are one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet.

Bali has lots of activities and lots of shopping for typical Southeast Asian souveniers. Prices are not to be believed and many try to get as much as they can - need to do some research before buying something - many stores with the same exact stuff. Travelling around the island is slow and tedious - roads are overcrowded and poorly marked. Driving is a bit tense, but does afford more freedom to come and go as you wish.

I thought the hotels in this area were generally of higher quality compared to Kuta, Legian and Senur. The beaches in Kuta were filled with people and traffic. It''s hard to enjoy the beach and the sunset when you have to constantly say no to all the peddlers selling trinkets and souvenirs. Moreover, many of the shops and stalls in Kuta sell the same items. In comparison, the beaches at and near this hotel was white, fine and very clean with fewer people. This area is much more exclusive and nicer than Kuta. I would recommend this area over Kuta.

Bali has something for everyone, a lot of people don''t go past the shopping in Kuta but there is so much to see around the island. We hired a car in Padangbai and toured the north east coast. Spectacular views of Gunung Agung, great snorkelling and diving around Amed and Tulamben and the pools of a water palace amidst beautiful rice terraces at Tirta Ganga.

Nusa Dua is really a hotel complex with little other attractions. Great if you want to relax and do nothing. Otherwise you need to go inland.

Sanur is just perfect for a peaceful holiday. It has everthing that Kuta has to offer, but at a much slower and relaxed place. Lots of good places to eat, including The Bonsai Cafe on the beach front and Swasitikas Resturant.

For any group of 4 or more, the most cost-effective way of travelling and sightseeing would be to rent an automobile with a driver speaking whatever language you understand for the entire day. It is more enjoyable than joining a group of strangers on a fixed schedule which most likely will cost considerably more and visit fewer sites. Our driver also worked as a tour guide for many years. <BR><BR> In essence, we had our own private English speaking tour on our own schedule for the whole day. We paid US $40 for a air-conditioned van for 10 hours carrying 5 people from Kuta to Ubud with many stops in between. That''s $8 per person for a whole day compared to $20+ offered by many agencies for a half-day tours.

Bali is beauiful and unique. Rafting on the Ayung river was fun with Sobek. Bud is the place to do almost all your shopping - lots of selection and good prices.

Only pro was the central location. Chili''s restaurant was good. We travelled with meter taxi.

The location of the Atlet Century is very convenient to important location, to malls, restaurants and taxi services to historical sites.

Very centrally located. Next to the shopping mall (and grocery store). About a 5 minute walk from the kraton (sultan''s palace). We paid 353,000 Rp (about $65 canadian) for a tour to Borobudur and Dieng Plateau. A bit pricy, but well worth the driver, guide and air conditioned van. McDonald''s is right next to the hotel. The hotel restaurant is pretty good too.

Jakarta is busy, but taxi''s generally honest. I spent the whole of my stay with a terrible migraine headache, and had to call on the services of the hotel doctor and nurse, so unfortunately didn''t get out much this time!!! They were very nice and efficient though.

Not a tourist resort but the car of Jakarta is unsuitable for walking mostly.

Two main shopping malls Plaza Indonesia and Plaza Senayan are close by. Good for both shopping and eating, and given cost of taxi probably best to take a car there and back.

Perfect for shopping. All the malls are starting direct at the Hotel.

Good restaurant in Kuta ''the Kory'' (poppeys 2).

The hotel is very well located within the city and staff are quick to arrange what ever transportation you like. It''s close to Borobudur and Prambanan. Both amazing temples. In the city itself the water palace and the sultan''s palace are the most interesting places. Shopping in Yogya is not great...

Gadja Wong restaurant close to the river is very good!

Better take a taxi with meter or rent a Kijang with driver as they should know places that suit your taste.Recommended, ASAHI RENT A CAR.Tel:(031)5661463.Cheap and good.Food taste too sweet in the restaurant or the street hawker.Club,lounge,bar BEWARE! You are nobody but if order per bottle of liquor, you are somebody.But the bottle will walk or vapourise by itself.

- Used company transport - Hu-U is a new restaurant in Legian which is very good

Lombok is a very quiet and lovely island. Very good to escape from all busy life. You can go out and dinner on the mainstreet for very few money

Yogya is a great place: big town atmosphere without the pollution and overcrowding of Jakarta.

Not far from central Kuta - easy to walk instead of getting bus. Near to beach and restaurants. Recommend JPs restaurant, and Aromas cafe in Kuta.

Famous Jimbalan cafes (sea food restaerants on the beach) are worth visit. Lobsters are excellent.

Nusa dua is a quieter place. If you are looking for a romantic place, this is better place to stay specially for honeymooners. There a package tour at the hotel for places you wanted to go. You can choose for half day or whole day tour. We went to ubud and saw how they make paintings, gold and silver, wood sculpture and sarongs, be sure you have money with you, you can''t resist buying anything. I rather buy wood sculpting and painting in ubud cause its original and well made. quite pricy but you can always bargain. if you want cheaper but poor qulaity you can always go to any street market.

I recommend Padmanadhi Restaurant in Jakarta which is excellent for those looking for Chinese Vegetarian food.

Location is not too bad, a short distance from the highway.

Tranquil destination .very good the temple of Tanah Lot, the village of Ubud and his temple. very good in jimbaran the fish restaurant on the beach Caffè Santi.

Travelled mainly by taxi - very economical - but ensure that the meter is running to avoid arguments over fare when arriving at destination.

Plenty of taxis and not a crowded city. Some intersting old buildings.

We were travelling with a small child & had to cater for her needs. Therefore we choose to see the birdpark which was surprisingly fantastic. To explore the beautiful countryside of the inner Bali island we recommend to stay there (Ubud) for a few nights rather than taking a full day trip from the beach. The restaurants along Benoa Beach seem to be good, we enjoyed the seafood & Balinese food at El Mare near Novotel. Fresh seafood at Jimbaran Bay is very romantic, because served right at the beach in simple style, but the preparation is rather simple, too.<br><br> It''s easy to get around in a taxi or limo, especially if you plan to go to very specific destinations. The price is agreed up-front & the driver waits while you have dinner or visit the sights etc. We strongly recommend to refrain from so-called "Sunset Dinner Cruises" - they are a complete rip-off & a waste of time.

The night we arrived in Bali and the next night we stayed at WANA VILLAS & BEACH RESORT, Desa Canggu. The hotel is distant from the airport but the beach near the hotel relaxed us because of few people there. The food served at the hotel was very good except breakfast.

Did not like a tour of the city. It was expensive and I could have done it on my own using taxis as transportation.

Yogyakarta is amazing and definitely worth a trip for anyone that is travelling in Indonesia. The two main attractions are the Borobudur temple and the Prambanan temple. These two temples are definitely worth the trip!

Nusa Dua is an ideal location if you want just more than a hotel. It has a large shopping area which is serviced by buses from all the major hotels in the area. As well as having a wide range of shops it also has many restaurants if you wish to sample eating outside the hotel environment.

Mount Rinjani climb was good fun. The north East of the Island the roads are very steep and very scary on a motor bike. Best meal I had was at the Intan Lombok Village ( I tried several nearby restaraunts which were cheaper but not nearly as good).

the garden is as good as i expect, but the facilities like swiming pool is so rare and small, and i didn''t find a cozy place to listen the music at mahoni bar. Menu at Meranti and Verandah is general ( if you take your the children prepare food or snack for them )

Easy to hire a man and a van for trips to Mas/ Gianyar etc . Hotel can arrange this for you . Hotel can also arrange airport pick up.

Apart from Candi Cetha (aka Ceto), Candi Sukuh, the kratons and usual tourist sights, go to the main Batik Danar Hadi store at Jln Slamet Riyadi 261 for a fabulous selection of batik; a guided tour of the gallery of antique batiks and workshop is worth the Rp15,000/person fee.

Lombok is very nice.

To me Bali is highly over rated. It is mainly a stop over while traveling to or returning from my ultimate destination.

Since the hotel is in Nusa Dua it luckily is away from all the hectic loud tourism and badgering of some of the other tourist centres like Kuta or Legian. The hotel offers excellent tours at reasonable prices which allows you to explore the island. Relatively close by is the Ulu Watu temple at the most Southern tip of the island which has some magnificent beaches nearby. Ubud, the cultural centre of the island is about a 50min drive from the hotel. This part of the island is much more tropical during the dry season than the southern part of the island. It is a very beautiful and mystical place (old temples) and should not be missed!

With Blue Bird taxi in a coppel of minits we were in all places in Surabaya we wanted to visit.

The traffic is very crowded, and the security is still not so well.

fortunately far from all the tourist centres!

I went to the Borobudur and Mendut Temples, as well as the Parangtritis Beach. Had a chance to ride the andong at Malioboro and also the bendi at the Beach, the rides were great!

- There are many insects, especially the mosquito. So it is good to take an insect avoids spray.<br> - It is better to walk round, if you would like to buy a souvenir. Because the price is much different by the place.

Elephant safari ride was well worth the money. water park also good fun.

We enjoy Bali but have avoided Kuta before. However the hotel insulated us from the hastle of Kuta while still providing excellent access to the beach and shopping.

Surabaya is not a place to go unless you have to, being a fairly large, grey and polluted city. However, it is significantly better than Jakarta and women receive slightly less hassle here. If you have a free afternoon, the zoo is substantially better than some in Indonesia and has a good array of animals.

Bali is one of the most sublime holiday destinations you will find. There is something for everyone here. It is Conde Nast meets backpacker heaven. Amazing restaurants, great weather and extremely cool shopping choices.

Be careful with what taxi you take at the airport. I would recommend a silver-wing (or blue-wing) taxi. If you take a private one you run the risk of getting ripped off...

JKT is always a good fun place and well worth the time and money.

As we were on a stopover and had little time, it was difficult to see much of the place. All organised tours seem to end with a a sunset visit to a temple which we could not do as our flight was due to leave in the late afternoon. We organised our own tour through an agent in the Hard Rock Hotel and managed to see some of the island and temples before we left. Overall the island was not the tropical paradise expected but intetresting all the same.

Dieng plateau is a must. The city itself has very nice character, although many locals are agressive when it comes to transportation. Watch taxi prices. Be careful of handicrafts on Malioboro. Look deeper and go to the places where they are made. Prambanan temple is magnificent, on par with Angkor Wat but with less tourists. The BEST restaurant in Yogyakarta is easily "Gadja Wong"

If you have the time, I would recommend spending most of your time on the beach and a few days in the northern countryside. They are equally beautiful and although Bali is a small island, it''s very slow to get around. We did a bicycle tour through Sobek tours, and it was fantastic. We started at the top of a mountain overlooking a volcano and lake Batur and rode downhill through small rice farms and villages. It really gave you a feel for what Bali is. We hired a car and driver for three days which was economical(US$30/day) and practical - we didn''t feel as though we could handle the driving through the cities.

Very interesting destination because there are many cultural events (do not miss the Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan !), incredible monuments (Borobudur, Prambanan), lots of art galleries and shops where you can find some very good batiks.

We hired the driver who brought us from the airport to the hotel thru'' a pre-arranged airport transfer. It is cheaper to hire the driver thru'' private negotiations than thru'' the hotel. For the entire day-tour in his car for 2 adults, ie. 9am to 7pm, we paid 300,00 rupiah. He brought us to Celuk (silver producing village), Mas (wood carving/carpentary village) and Ubud ( craftsmen village). We had lunch at a restaurant in Kintamani which was perched on a mountain top overlooking the volcanoes- it was really awesome and the air was nice and cool! The driver also brought us to Amandari Hotel in Ubud for tea. Sitting high above overlooking the paddyfields was really something else!! Subsequent trips to Kuta and Jimbaran Bay (for dinner at the beach which was an experience in itself!) were also arranged thru'' the same driver. Really convenient.

It is very close to the Balau village which has some very quaint and inexpensive restaurants for dinner (which are also very good). I highly recommmend hiring a private bemo and venturing to see the rest of the island to get a true taste of Bali.

Jakarta has few tourist attractions. However, if you are here for one or two days, you may want to visit the National Museum and Sunda Kelapa.

Be sure to ask for the "cheap" menu when going to the seaside restaurants at Jimbaran Bay; they have a separate menu for those guests for whom they provide "free" transportation to and from the restaurant, which lists higher prices. Bargaining is also accepted at the above restaurants.<br><br> Bemos are difficult for tourists to negotiate for a fair price; furthermore, often multiple bemo transfers are required to get to certain destinations (i.e., to Ubud from Kuta) and the fare goes up along the way for each segment for unsuspecting tourists. An alternative is to hire a taxi (metered) or to hire a car for those who have international driver licenses and nerves of steel. Tourist shuttle buses are another option, but are generally more expensive on the return portion of the trip. <br><br> Overall, Bali had a lot of natural beauty to offer. Unfortunately, the atmosphere was somewhat ruined by the blatant attempts to exploit tourists for their money, as well as by the aggressive, rude, never-ending touts lining the streets.

For good sea food I can recommend Nelayan sea food restaurant. Good value for monney.

Jimbaran is a good place for having a nice seafood dinner but there are better locations for swimming.

We went to Jimbaru Beach for sea food dinner and it was lovely. The tables are set on the beach and you can have your dinner under the stars facing the crashing waves. A dinner for two with drinks cost only Rp200,000. Another good restaurant is Lenny''s -- the grilled fish is one of the best I have ever tasted.

Great hotel for a few nights, especially if you have a car. Eating out if very inexpensive. Not a location to go to if you are looking for a lot of night life.

You can by their suttle bus in front of Hard Rock.(9:30am.11:30am and afternoon--I forgot what time.)

So far from airport 90min., you must to book a car. no way by the taxi, expensive.

Batam is the worst tourist trap I''ve seen!

Sanur is a perfect place for a totally relaxing Bali holiday. Laid back life style lots of things to see and do and relatively little hawking and hustling by the standards of some other places. By comparison, Katu, the resort nearest the airport and very popular with surfers and young people generally, is the complete opposite: an appalling place, polluted, traffic-congested and overcrowded - to be avoided at all costs.

I have been for the second time in Jogyakarta and I love this town and its famous Borobodur and Prambanan temples! Just be aware of smart-selling Batik-tenders in Jogya. They know all about sales psychology...

Restaurants around the hotel are not so good. Taxi service at the hotel is very expensive, it is better to take local taxis in the street. We didn''t take any tour because we know Bali since 1é years, and we just wanted to relax. Unfortunately this hotel was not the best option, so we changed.

Bali, despite being the most "touristy" place I have ever visited, still has many redeeming features. The "in-your-face" constant demand for money gets wearing after a while but I retained the impression that this was a means to an end ... maintaining a culture.<br><br> Bali seems to have managed to embrace rampant capitalism but retain its culture and the charm of its people. But this opinion was based on only three days in Bali and I still have much to learn. Would I go back to Bali? Certainly, in a month would be perfect.

The aim was relax around the pool and in the hotel so I did not visit the area much. It was a stop pver from Malang and Bromo.

As touristy as it is, I still love Bali. I really enjoyed our stay in Ubud at the Tegal Sari, and the Kokokan restaurant attached to the ARMA museum was my favorite restaurant. The Jazz Cafe in Ubud is great also. Another nice day is to take in the sunset Kecak dance at Ulu Watu, and then have dinner on the beach at Jimbaran Bay.

My all-time favourite is the seafood stalls at Jimbaran Bay (near Four Season''s Hotel). Live seafood (yes, still swimming in tanks) at one-third or half the prices you pay for fresh (or more likely frozen and thawed) seafood at restaurants around town. Only bane is the controlled taxis for return to town at a price that is hardly bargainable (but still a steal for the whole experience).

We did go to the nearby Aman resort one night for drinks and dinner, but were so uninspired by the menu of the main restaurant, we just turned back and ate at the Bale. "Faces", the Bale''s inhouse restaurant, is excellent -- every meal starts with a complimentary amuse bouche and offers palette cleansers of homemade fruit sorbet. The food was always very fresh (and I am an organic muesli type from California so hard to please!) and cooked perfectly. The menu changes every other day or so and we honestly never wanted to eat elsewhere. <br><br>Unlike our stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Ubud and at Jimbaran Bay where we always thought the food was good, but left feeling that we have been "a little ripped off", we always felt Faces was excellent value (but ok, it''s not Ary''s Warung where you can leave dinner and only spend US$3). An all out splurge meal with wine, fabulous souffles, fresh fish, starters, etc, will cost around US$45-50 for two. Final comment: don''t miss the desserts!

Nice town for 2 or 3 nights (Borobodur, Prambanan,....). Kraton can be visited (1.5 km.)

Hotel in walking distance to Arjuna Statue and the Monas... then across the road to Mosque and Catholic Church... spent a few hours walking round the area. Shopping: Millenia... discount clothes, good quality. Mangga Dua also good. Taman Mini is cool. Also saw Ragunan. Train to Bogor to see Botanical Gradens is also worthwhile experience.

Lombok is very interesting. We made a day trip to Gili Trawangan, one of three small islands off Lombok. It was an excellent day of swimming and relaxing. There is also a large new mall in downtown Mataram which has some excellent deals at better prices than in Bali.

I got a lot of informations about available exkursions. The trips I would recommand:<br> Uluwatuh- one of the mayor temples in Bali East Bali Tour<br> Ubud - you should see the restaurant "Miro´s" (one of the most beautiful restaurants i´ve ever seen)<br> Lovina/ Anturan (I stayed there for 4 weeks!!!) black sand, few tourists, peaceful and quiet<br> If you´ll go there don´t miss the best place which is named "KUBU LALANG" - an excellent restaurant with the best food I could find in Bali.

This area is not suit for swimming. You can go to Kuta or Suminyak by car around 10 minutes. There are some nice restaurants including Italian restaurant on the beach, you can walk these restaurants within 10 minutes.

Bring a lot of insect repellant and a camera because the scenery is beautiful. There are great restaurants just 10 minutes away by car. The hotel food (took to go) seems over priced and the portions rather small. A roast beef sandwich and fries were $8-10.00 and the sandwich was really small!!!

Bali was more magical than I imagined it to be. We spent 2 weeks going around to 6 different parts of the island and if I could do it again, I would probably do less traveling and prefer to stay situated in one place for a little longer. Overall, it was fantastic.

Bali is beautiful, relaxing and full of life. Prior to traveling there, I was a bit jaded about it. However, it exceeded all expectations. Visit the following restaurants - The Living Room and Gado Gado, the former being one of the best meals ever!

It is about US$3 to get anywhere by taxi so transportation is inexpensive.

Overall I was unimpressed with Bali. It was my first trip and outside of the resort areas I thought it was dirty and the people tried to rip you off. If I was going to travel to an exotic location I would recommend Phuket Thailand over bali anyday.

Numerous inexpensive and good restaurants. Shopping is good for furniture; the rest is mostly trinkets.

I particularly recommend the services of the knowledgable, English speaking driver whom I retained for a week, at US $30/day. His English name is Robin, and he may be reached on his cell phone at 0818561705. He has good contacts in the various crafts communities, and was extremely helpful in negotiating a large purchase of Balinese wood carvings for me. That is to say, by bargaining on my behalf, he managed to save me an additional 12% on the transaction!

White water rafting and elephant safari trips are great fun. Nearby Kuta is good for shopping, there is a free shuttle bus from the hotel.

most convenient to move around with a taxi, not too costly there''s this restaurant in east jakarta which sells very delicious "kuey teow" noodle cant remember the name of the place though if you are willing to spend a little on shopping, check out plaza senayan and a shopping centre in melawai or else the market in melawai is recommended for budget shoping wanted to go to the mall in mangga dua coz i heard its great for budget shopping but didnt have the time.

transportation is monopolised by the hotel, extremely xpensive compared to even downtown jakarta ! not a single taxi avail.

This is our 3rd trip to Bali. We stayed in Ubud, Candidasa and Jimbaran. We come here to relax. As long as you avoid the overcommercialized centers, you find lovely spots to do just that.

Two restuarants where the food was rather good are Terazo and Tutmak. We did lots of walking through the numerous shops and just taking in the atmosphere.

It was our 3rd trip to Bali. This trip started in Ubud. Being tired and needing to unwind, we toured very little around Ubud. We did find a couple of restaurants with good food. Terazo, across the street (Jalan Suweta) from the Ubud Palace was a delightful surprise servicing lovely salads. To breakup our shopping and take a rest, we had good coffee at Tutnak. <br><br> The drive from Ubud to Amankila took us through some lovely towns. We always like to take in the sites and enjoy these drives. My husband organized a walking tour through the rice fields and jungles. We trekked for over 3 hours, stopping here and there to take photos. Although it was hot and humid, it was worth every minute. The tour ended in the village of Tenganan that is well know for its traditional double ikat weaver. I Wayan Kondri at Indigo Art Shop was very knowledgeable and was able to clearly explain in English the craft that he practises. Another outting took us by car to various villages in and around Mt Agung. One of the stops was Tirtagangga, the Royal Water Palace. <br><br> I would recommend that one should stay in the east parts of Bali to get away from the more developed areas. We prefer the quiet. We just like to lounge, walk and just take in the sites at a slow leisurely pace.

We visited Bali and Lomback and stayed at 3 different hotels in different parts of the Island - Umbud - the mountain district where arts and crafts are everywhere and the sea shore which has few hotels and wonderful beaches - in addition to our stay at Tugu Bali.<br><br> We usually rent a car on trips but wisely passed up self-driving on Bali - which is harrowing at best. White water rafting on the Ayung River, horseback riding on the beach, and a cooking lesson at Tugu Bali were among the most memorable parts of our trip. The cooking lesson began with a 7 AM visit to a local food market with one of the chefs where we chose the food we would prepare. A wonderful experience and a wonderful feast. Lomock is much less developed and great fun. We stayed at Pur Mas - a delightful, relaxed, and inexpensive hotel right on the water.

Definitely go to the kecak dance in Ulu Watu and the Barong Dance in Ubud. Both are so worth seeing. Do beware of the monkeys in Ulu Watu though -- they will take anything off you that they can get their hands on.

I visit Git Git waterfall and benugul Lake and botanic garden. I recommed Ubud(Monkey forest) and Nusa Dua(nice beach). This restaurants was quit good: Santa Fee, Gado Gado and som Indian food place all this restaurants are in Jalan Dyhana Pura street in Seminyak.

Been to Bali many times in the past. Usually rent a car but not through the hotel because it is much much more expensive. Only had one meal at the hotel (breakfast). Otherwise Warisan and Terazo restaurant in Bali are always great.

for antique and furniture shopping I can recommend Jalan Kemang Raya and Timur.

This is my 6th visit and Jakarta is pleasantly calm this time, maybe it''s due to her birthday celebrations. I just heard that they had a bomb blast last weekend, one day after I left.

Getting around is easiest by taxi. Taxis are always available at the hotel. A place to eat excellent satay at a good price is the Satay House Senayan (in the direction of Blok M from the hotel). The nearby mall (Plaza Senayan) only has expensive brand stores, but is convenient for ATM''s and has a good supermarket.

Bali, fantastic. Especially if you venture out of Kuta. Tonnes to see, but sometimes you get hassled far too much and a bit too aggrssively.

I was on business while in Jakarta so getting around was easy as our associates arranged for transportation. However, if you were to travel on your own, avoid taking taxis or simply walking down the streets. This is definitely not Bali where you find friendly people and smiles.

can traveling by taxi or ojek (motorcycle taxi). taxi fare is about 20,000RP for short trip (20 minit) around town. must try panti pijat (massage parlour),lovely lady, great service.

Dirty area.

Didn''t go for any tours. The restaurant is clean and the buffet spread is enough to cater for the asian and western visitors. Shuttle service to the shopping mall should have been two-way for the convenience of visitors. Better have small change when taking taxis. The driver may claim to have no small change to return to you and you end up paying more.

Beautiful setting, but very isolated. Cannot possibly be compared to Bali. In terms of Cultural interest.

Bali is a great destination. The entrepenurial spirit is very much alive and well!...... Transport anyone?? Sarong??

Bali is breathtakingly beautiful. Kuta Beach was my favourite although there are a variety of beaches to choose from. For something a little different, rent a Jeep and drive to Sideman to see some of the island''s postcard-perfect rice fields. The views are definitely worth the drive.

Be prepared! the minute you set foot on Bali you will be agressively approached by people wanting to sell you anything from wooden sculptures to massages and manicures ! We must have said "no, Thank you" at least a million times during the last 14 days. It gets a bit annoying in the end. Apart from that, the balinese are very friendly, helpful and eager to show you their way of life. Bali is still a paradise worth visiting.

You can go to Bali for nature and isolated beaches, but Kuta isn;t for that. It''s party time.

Bali is a beautiful island. People are friendly. Tours are cheap in general - good value for your money.

Easy walk to lots of shops and the beach. Great food at Un''s, also within walking distance.

Always remember if the locals ask when you bartering: you flew with Garuda, you are a Student, you are an Aussie/Kiwi, your friend bought it cheaper, and find the cheapest hotel in Kuta and say you''re staying there. This way you''ll pay the lowest prices. Flying with Qantas, being fully employed, being from England/US or Japan, not knowing what the price of something is, and staying at the Aneka Beach hotel is basically saying to the locals... I get a lot of Rupiah to the £/$/Yen so please fleece me.<br><br> Definitely visit: Lambongan Island, Gitgit Waterfalls (check out the multi-tiered one - up the hill from the main one), Monkey Forest, Ubud, Ula Watu and the Volcanoes. For thrills hit the Waterbom Park, Slingshot Bungee and Aj Hackets Bungy - oh yes and the surf.

Not tours taken this time. We traveld 35 hours straight to reach Bali. The hotel was a recovery point prior to birading a live aboard dive boat.

Bali is a beautiful place - lots to see for people interested in arts. A very quaint place with still lot of rustic element and modern life.

Bali is a beautiful island. You can find anything for any budget, and you can combine a beach holiday with a lot of cultural sightseeing. A little bit disappointing is that you can hardly find any Indonesian food at the main tourist spots.

The staff was kind enough to tell me the places I should visit and making all the arrangments. Please convey my thanks to them.

Korea restaurant "HAN KUK GWAN" was vary good taste and convenient to use. It takes around 10 minutes by take a walk.

Yogya is a nice city with lots of tour possibilities as to the nearby Borobodur.

Kuta is a the place to go if you like cheap copy t-shirts (or copy most things for that matter), cheap beer, dressing up as a surfer (noticed there were a lot of hangers on with all the clothes and no board!), actual surfing, and basically living a seriously hedonistic and borderline immoral existence. In short, Kuta is what many Australians would love Australians to be and probably would be if there were no goverment. <br><br> There is another Kuta and that is the one which is choc-a-bloc with health spas, beatiful furniture and lace shops, some excellent seafood restaurants, some very cool local and expat run designer clothes shops and a beautiful clean beach.<br><br> My ideal holiday is a combination of the two so Kuta was ideal. In my four night / three day stay we partied till four thrirty in the morning a couple of nights at the Hard Rock and Double-Six, ate delicious crab, shopped for clothes and gifts, visited Ubud (what a dump that place has become), spent a few hours in the galleries and furniture shops, tootled around on the USD5/day rental motorbike and generally lazed around the beach and the pool. <br><br> In my humble but experienced opinion, Double- Six is one of the top clubs / discos in Asia (up there with Zouk in Singapore and Retro in Jakarta) along the beach at Seminyak. Well worth a visit, as it attracts its fair share from the local, tourist and expat community and also unites the gay and straight communities. Now there''s a touching thought!

Very far from the city, but very calm. This hotel has private beach, best sunset scenic. If you want to see sunrise, this hotel is very good I think.

Le Brasserie at Le Meridien hotel had excellent buffet breakfast and dinner.

The Lan Na Thai is worthwhile.

Don''t miss the Hazara Indian restaurant, in particular the marinated leg of lamb!

I used Puri Tours in the hotel to arrange drivers to take me to Borobudur and Prambanan, and was very happy with this arrangement. The Melia hotel is in the center of Jogja, a short becak ride from the palace, post office, Malioboro and other places of interest. Watch out for the becak drivers! They are pleasant enough, but seem to have no scruples about charging 10 or 20 times what the ride is worth if they think they can get you to pay it. For instance, 5000 Rupiahs to get to the palace is VERY generous. Set the price before you get in. If a driver won''t take your price, just walk away. There are PLENTY of becaks in Jogja, and your man will invariably break down once he knows he''s about to lose the business. The sights and musuems are interesting, but I think the highlight of Jogja is the gamelan, dance and puppet performances. The Tourist info office hands out a little sheet listing the regular performances. I went to the Dalem Pujokusuman for traditional dance (Monday night) and it was just about the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It is hard to find, don''t try to find it on your own, my becak driver had to ask where it was, but its worth the effort. I also went to the shadow puppet show at the Sono Budoyo musuem (every night at 8), and the dance rehearsal at the palace (every Sunday morning) and both were very worthwhile. There are also gamelan rehearsals at the palce (Monday and Wednesday morning) which I missed, but I''m sure are very good. I asked which batik shopes were the best, and Margaria, Mirota, and DanarHadi were all mentioned. I bought some nice cloth at DanrHadi, but would have liked to see the selection in the other stores if I had more time. I sense there are a lot of unscrupulous batik dealers, so try to get a reference for any place you go into to actually buy.

There are a few good cafes around and I must recommend Daddy''s cafe which is located right outside Bali Dynasty. The waitresses are very freindly and warm and most important of all they serve reasonable good food. The price was very reasonable as well. We visit the cafe almost every night for dinner.

Despite the last few years of problems, I have found the majority of the people to be warm and friendly. Once they find out I am from the United States, nearly all want to have conversations about the US.

The extremely low value of the Rupiah, combined with some of the best international class expat chefs in Asia, make Bali currently a gourmands delight.

Golf is good at the Senayan Club nearby. No massage facility available in hotel or nearby.

What can you say about Jakarta - you either love it or hate it. Fortunately, I love it, and happy to go back there whenever I can.

Ignore the guide books. Kuta is great fun. It has the best beach in Bali. There are some fantastically smart restuarants springing up in the Kuta.Legian Area. Who wants to be stuck out at Nusa Dau and Jimbaran when your can have the best of everything here.

Had an excellent massage at "The Body Work Centre" located at 25 Hanoman Street in Ubud...very reasonable prices....probably 4-5 times less than what you would pay at a comparable place in the Nusa Dua. Had an excellent dinner at the Bumbu Bali restaurant in Tanjung Benoa. The Balinese Rijsttafel is a must try! The Terrance restaurant at the Amanusa hotel was a disappointment. Although the view and setting was nice and the staff service was pleasant, the food was terrible. The Prawn curry, Sumatra style was not fresh. The prawns were soft and mushy...a sure sign that the seafood is not fresh. Upon complaining to the waiter, all he did was smile and apologize....no manager or head chef came out to respond to our complaint.

Bali is a great destination if you like hot weather, beautiful beaches and cheap hotels. Five-star hotels in Bali are considerably cheaper than in the west and the favorable exchange rate makes Indonesia very cheap. Taxis are especially cheap. International political problems have discouraged people from visiting but Bali is Hindu (not Muslim) and has absolutely no problems for the average tourist. I have been to all the major beach resorts in southeast Asia and I would rate Bali the top for value for money, cultural interest, variety and quality of food (esp. international cuisine) and freqeuncy of travel to/from the island.

Splendid location

We visited Ubud -- would have loved to have spent more time.

Very hectic, lots of tourist.

Ok, just a few words to give you my feeling : you can not find any Jakarta postcards in shopping centers ! The reason is very simple : nothing to visit in Jakarta !! City noisy, traffic jams, pollution. Go to BALI, not Jakarta !!

The hotel is located near a fishing village and in a residential area; it is therefore isolated from traffic and is quiet compared to what we saw elsewhere. Because it is isolated, we used the hotel shuttle to the tourist town of Kuta, 20 minutes away, which departs daily at 1000, 1300 and 1500; from there it is possible to take various types of transportation elsewhere. Because we were unfamiliar with the transportation system, we preferred to book group and individual tours to the numerous attractions through the hotel. <br><br>Jimbaran Beach is located some 400 meters away; there are some 80 eating establishments (warungs) specializing in fresh barbecued fish there. We enjoyed the walks along the beach, which is busy during the day with the small fishing boats; however, the rainy season brought extensive debris back on the beach, so there was little incentive to swim there at this time of year.

Hotel is located near shops , email cafe , McDonalds , Pizza Hut and 2 Indonesian restaurants, all within 5 mins walk. It is about 15 mins in bad traffic to main business area but taxis are very cheap and airconed.

Close to the golf course, not too far from restaurants, clubs and bars with a large taxi on its doorstep - you cant really go wrong for a US$40 hotel room.

In the area of this hotel a lot of markets and restaurants, big and small. Near Chinatown means a lot of Chinese food and restaurants.

Very convenient location. Close enough to a big shopping mall (Plaza Senayan). It was also easy to go to the airport because the hotel is located close to the entrance of the toll road.

It is very convenient to move around in cab, to Plaza Senayan, Grand Hyatt, etc. Try some foods at the Vietnamese restaurant, was not good.

Local transport/with drivers easy and cheap. Quite knowledgable about (limited) availability of trips to ubub, temples et. Nothing to faze a reasonably savvy traveller. Sea food good at jimarang? bay, meals by room service adequate, better value at beach restaurants.

Very practical location becaused annexed to a shopping mall in the center of city. Though raining, shopping is always easy.

Sanur''s fairly quite,but it''s a good place for families with kids.

Legian and Kuta very crowded with severe traffic jams and narrow streets. Very different architecture to Java. People extremely friendly and helpful. The Nusa Dua area is cleaner and more relaxed.

Ubud is definitely worth the trip and is easy to navigate on foot. Kuta was a little disappointing - lots of polution and traffic.

Their product knowledge of places of interest are very bad. Is best for you to check yourself first. The Internet and Hotel rate are not much different.

Plaza Espana to be recommended.

Hotel is located near a lot of good restaurants at reasonable prices.

What to say about Bali. It is a beautiful place indeed. The Balinese tradition and culture is best seen in Ubud. If you go there, be sure to take in some traditional Balinese dance. Ubud is also great to go for souvenirs. You can get crafts for cheaper and better quality. I made the mistake of not purchasing some things in Ubud under the assumption that I would just pick them in Sanur - big mistake.

Visited a number of tourist sights during my short stay of 3 days (eg: Ubud, Money forest & temples) with a (privately negotiated) driver & vehicle need to bargain for everything (shopping, tour, etc)& don''t be shy about offering 50% of the asking price, be wary of special prizes/offers in shopping areas as these are from people promoting "time share" holiday units.

We had a car & driver from 9.00am to 8.00pm for 250,000 + 20,000 tip. Only regret was the choice of places the driver brought us to was probably influenced by the commissions he got, and I understand it could be quite high. These places typically charged higher even after discounts (probably to pay for the commissions) when we compared later at other shops on our own.<br><br> We enjoyed Kintamani and Ulu Watu very much. The museum at Denpasar was also very interesting but best be clear with the unsolicited guide about his charges first.<br><br> The best restaurant we enjoyed was an Indonesian one, can''t recall the name, about 100m down from Matahari Dept store on Legian Road, same side. It had a antique furniture shop in the front and the restaurant is further in.

A very cheap place for shopping. Excellent choice of food and restaraunt outlets, in many areas. Taxi travel by the meter is cheap within the city only. Bargaining , is the name of the game, in BALI. Many travel agents to assist you to suit your personal tours.

I did not visit many places. I took a half-day private guided tour of the temples but it was not good. If you are in hurry and have to take a half-day tour, I recommend the royal palace. If you have a full day free, visit Ayutaya.

Great place..the tour of the island is good, but you spend a lot of time in the car (% hours out of 8)

Good surf.

Best way to get around Bali is to make use of the hotel driver/minibus service. Reasonably priced. However, the minibus stops at prearranged "tourist" spots and you are immediately surrounded by street sellers. This begins to get overpowering since a simple "no thankyou" doesn''t seem to work. This is also true on the beach where it is impossible to more than two minutes between "sales visits".

Hiring a car is quite cheap (about US$20 per day) and a great way to see the island at your own pace. The pottery shops at Banyumulek are a must - great choice at great prices.

Too exhausted to do much traveling. Day trip to Ubud and Mt Batur well worthwhile. If staying close enough to Legian for dinner then a trip to La Lucciola is a must.

West bali waters were superb.

We have travelled to Bali many times and as a result have quite a few contacts. So we use local transport or negosaited driver/ transport. There is a great range of restaurants/ eating places in Bali from US$1 to US$60 per head all are good. Note: wine is very expensive, Beer is cheap, good quality spirits are normal western prices.

Seminyak is nice and away from the hustle bustle and you are harrassed as much as Kuta. Balinesse do harrass you to buy goods a bit too much.

If you''re staying at garden Palace hotel and lack of places to go to, try the discothe at Kowloon on the fifth floor of Surabaya plaza, just a 100m walk from your hotel. Nice hangout for the young yuppies of Surabaya. Entry is 20,000 rupiah on weekday, R25,000 on weekends. You get one soft drink (coke in a 250ml bottle).<br><br> Ask any taxi drivers at Surabaya to drive you to a massage centre (this is located near to Shangrila hotel). The price there is R30,000 for 1-1/2 hrs of traditional massage but there are other "typical" massage. There are total about 10 massage centres in this community.

1) Surabaya zoo by taxi 2) Surabaya plaza, Tunjungan plaza, Galaxy mall. Galaxy mal has lots of Chinese people and seem to serve the richer community.

Visited Pemuteran for diving, Tulamben diving, Ubud for food. Hire car from Poppies , very good rate and reasonable vehicle. Best restaurants Ary''s Warong in Ubud, TJ''s in Kuta and Chi Chi''s in Lovina Beach.

Jakarta is not the greatest tourist destination (just read the Rough Guide introduction for a ''damning with faint praise'' overview. This was my third trip to Indonesia, and on two out of the three I have been robbed (last year passport, this time wallet). However, almost worse than the experience of having my wallet lifted in Pasarya department store was the experience of having the pickpocket caught by store staff. I was taken down to the store basement, given back my wallet (contents intact), and then asked to wait for the police while what seemed like the whole staff of the store took turns to kick and beat the culprit (by now stripped and cowering in a corner). <br><br>Ultimately the police turned up, and told me that I had to leave my wallet and contents with them for three months as evidence! With great relief I refused, hoping that the poor wretch would then be released. Jakarta is not a city to visit without good reason.

Close to Shopping Centre and golf course.

Can provide airport pick-up and car rental or taxi services to tourist sides, e.g. Burabudur, Brampanan, Kaliurang and city center for which you can make reservations at the taxi stand in front of the hotel.

far from the center, but there are shopping mall behind the hotel that you can walk.

Sanur in Bali is a great place for couples and peeople wanting a quiet night. During the day the beach is nice, with little hassle but a few street sellers. Water sports are on offer as the beach has few waves. During the evening the main pastime is dining and a few resturants have bands. I would highly reccomend sanur as a first stay in Bali. Everything is cheap here!

Kuta is a little way away from the main tourist centres (and the airport) but the hotel makes it easy to arrange day trips to the main centres, the various Gili Island destintations etc. and you can easily take in the more local areas on a moped. Lombok is extremely quiet, and the beaches are pristine - the atmosphere is incomparable to Bali - not sure what options are available for night life etc in Senggigi but Kuta certainly does not abound with options for a frenetic night. Highly recommend snorkeling in the Gilis and a trip to the waterfalls.

Booked transport with the hotel is reliable and safer.

Bali is a very nice relaxing island, altough you cannot easily swim in the sea (very low deep untill arriving to the dead coral reef). The currency varies every day against USD.

THE HOTEL IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM A VERY LARGE MALL WITH A COMPUTER SECTION ON THE 4TH FLOOR FEATURING THE USUAL GOODIES. UP AT THE CORNER IS A TONY ROMES RIB BAR IF YOU CANNOT FACE NASI GORENG AGAIN! NOT FAR FROM THE SHOPPING SECTION OF TOWN "BLOCK M"

SANUR IS A MORE SEDATE, QUIET RESORT THAN KUTA. GOOD RESTAURANTS ( BONSAI RESTAURANT ON THE BEACH IS VERY GOOD). THE BEACH AROUND THE TOWN IS MUCH BETTER THAN FURTHER NORTH. SAND IS YELLOW. CORAL REEF JUST OF BEACH BEYOND WHICH SWIMMING IS DANGEROUS, SWIMMING AT LOW TIDE IMPOSSIBLE. THEREFORE HOTEL WITH POOL ESSENTIAL.

Immediate surroundings are really unimpressive. The beach is not too clean.

More hawkers than we expected but less pushy than an Arab or African country. Lovely place, nice beaches, friendly locals and very very cheap to eat and shop.

I think Sanur is nicer than Kuta, especially if you prefer a quieter more relaxed kind of holiday location. There are still plenty of good cafes, restaurants and shops and the walkway along the beachfront is far more attractive than Kuta I believe. One advantage of having the sun setting behind the beach rather than over the sea (as in Kuta) is that in the hottest part of the day there is more shade. Sanur also has many more trees than Kuta and less hectic traffic.

It rains a lot in Bali in August or at least it seemed to!

The food was very cheap along Poppies Lane, watch out for "Tree Top Cafe" the meals there are really cheap and offer wonderful value! A meal for 2 persons plus beer is no more than US $5!! BTW motorcycle rental is at about US$12 for two days plus insurance. Also make sure you bargain 80% off ANYTHING that you buy and stay at the bargain price, move up slowly and it''s best that you walk away. Come back later because they''ll often yell the "best price".

bali is excellent but be warned you wont be able to shop at your leisure without getting hassled,night life excellent,resteraunts are all good too many good ones to mention,best to buy a guide book before you get there....

We truly appreciated this property. In particular, the grounds were lovely, and having never been to Bali before and expecting to find a cultivated Hawaiin experience in the culture of SE Asia, we found Kuta alarmingly lacking in safe and effective infrastructure, extremely dirty, garbage everywhere, no recycling program in sight, open sewage run-off into the sea, and we were overrun by tourist sales hawkers. We were particularly sorry to see so many coral pieces being sold in the forms of jewelry, etc., which of course represents the irreversible destruction of the natural reefs. Many travellers will pay very good money to be allowed to see nature in its natural state, not produced for temporary tourist markets, and we hope places like the Bali-H''ai can influence the local villagers to stop their plunder of the natural resources, and conserve their environment for those seeking eco- and cultural tourism experiences.<br><br> To have the resort be such a pretty oasis in the midst of ugly Kuta was a wonderful thing. <br><br> We took a day trip to Ulu Watu, and went on for five days in Ubud from Kuta, and then stayed in Sanur for the last part of our trip. We did not venture to the restaurants nearby, because Kuta was so unwelcoming, particularly for two sisters travelling alone. The hotel menu was fine.

The western coast of Bali is enough off-the-beaten track in Bali to offer good beaches (albeit a rough surf at times if you''re an ocean swimmer) and interesting local walks. Definitely visit Ubud (but be prepared for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic james) and Mas, famous for its woodcarvers and other craftmakers. Hire a hotel car and turn the driving over to a hotel driver so you can enjoy the sites and simply call out "stop!" when something interesting appears. They''re great local guides and can be of real assistance in toting your wares back to the hotel. All hotels will pack your purchases for you for loading onboard.

Diwangkara hotel is at one end of Sanur Beach. Just behind the hotel, there''s little stores that sell clothes and sunglasses. A few mini resturant that serve italian and seafood. Just walk out to the main road, you will be able to catch "bimo", to get to anywhere (a small local "blue" bus to hop into) but make sure you negotiate with the driver before you actually hop on it. Taxi is the same. Make sure you have small change before you take a transport. The drivers will ignore you when you don''t give them the excact amount. Most of them won''t give you back any change.

The people are really annoying as they pester you constantly and once one starts you are surrounded by 5/6/7 of them it ruins your hoilday!

Rafting

We enjoyed shopping along Jl. Raya Seminyak whole afternoon. We took a taxi from the hotel to the north end of Jl. Raya Seminyak then walked to the south. There are too many attractive shops on both sides and it''s not very easy to cross the street, because the traffic is very busy. Aslo, the street is incredibly dusty in this season and the air is terribly polluted by the exhaust gas. We got so dirty and had soar throat. So don''t try to spend too much time on shopping along this street at one time.

First visit to Bali; we have been travelling through SE Asia for last eight months. Friends we met up with in Vietnam had recommended Bali so we came at the end of our trip. The only tour we went on was to a Balinese cremation ceremony (organised via the hotel) -- sounds morbid but it was very enjoyable and colourful. Only problem was that our guide disappeared at the beginning of the ceremony and only re-appeared at the end. SO we got no explanation of what was going on.

Spent three days in Kuta, simply reading books by the pool. Then three days diving at Menjangan island. Did this through Dive and Dive. They are a very reputable company that I have used a few times. Spent the next three days in Sanur, reading books by the pool. Having been to Bali a dozen times this was just perfect and most relaxing.

I visited the zoo called Kebun Binatang Ragunan in Jakarta. I saw beautiful white tigers there.

A seafood restaurant called" Segara Agung" was really great. Free transportation service is avairable within Sanur area. It''s a casual restaurant located almost on the beach. We enjoyed dinner in the moonlight.

I hired a car after PAYING for a local 30day bali licenses (1for a car and 1for a motor cycle..300.000rp for both)... The car was delivered without petrol..another 50,000rp fro a tank of fuel. I met up with friends and went to Dempasar markets and from there negotiated with a losal driver to take up back to the hotel and in the conversation arranged to hire him for 4hours to drive to Ubud and places for 160,000rp The Young Artist shop in Ubud ( a bit of an apprentice workshop centre),is the best for paintings of all sorts and supporst the local artist directly.

A trip to Ubud from Denpasar is well worth it. Both in terms of sight seeing (Royal palace, Monkey forest and Elephant cave) and shopping.

Surabaya is a busy city. Several large shopping malls. For day trips there is a nice waterfall neat Batu ourside of Malang. Tretis is a mountain resort nearby.

Do not rent your own car. Hire a car and a driver to take you around - to Ubud, to temples, Gunung Batur, etc.

die zentrale Lage empfiehlt das Hotel fuer einkaeufe. die grossen Shopping centers sind schnell zu erreichen.

highly recommend T.J's Californian Tex Mex restaurant down Poppies Lane 1.

Tanah Lot is a MUST. Don't just get the sunset at the beach and temple, head out of the town for about half a mile and look back towards the sea; the water in the padi looks as if it is on fire!! We hired a Suzuki Jimmny which was great for the local roads and plenty of room for two people (+shopping!). Once you get off the main roads the signing is woefully lacking and there are no such things as road numbers. A road map is a must, but is only partially helpfull. If you are from the northern hemisphere don't forget that in the summer the sun goes from the east through NE to N at noon and through NW to west at sunset - took me a couple of days to get used to it.

Bali is the best. It reminded me of Hawaii a bit although there were distict differences as well. Nua Sudua is great - very clean, very beautiful - even if it is a bit artificial. Still, the rest of the island was beautiful as well.

Bali is the greatest place on earth. (You MUST stay a few days at Bali Cliff Resort, absolutely the nicest people you have ever met and the place is a palace.) Get out and meet the local people at the Warungs. I love Jimbaran at sunset for seafood. I don't care if the scales are off it still a great deal.

Taxi are very cheap. Take some trips in the area like Malang and Bromo to escape the crowded Surabaya.The traffic is crazzy!

Staff were really helpful & friendly. They were my guide to all my needs in JOGYA !

As mentioned above, slightly off the beaten path (the end of Benoa peninsula), but still a very cheap and not too long cab ride from all the major hot spots.

I would highly recommend a night or two at one of the black sand beaches on the west coast, as the black sand against the crashing waves makes a dramatic backdrop

Definitely go snorkelling...this was a highlight! (at low tide, not far around the bay from Waka Nusa (nr. pontoon). Village tour is available just about every day...worth going...but if you want more time, just walk in your own time...it's not that far. If at all claustrophobic, don't go anywhere near the underground house!!! (I didn't make it through the entrance!) Take motion-sickness medication prior to boat-trip over to island!

Bali is beautiful, our sixth trip and we keep coming back. Mystical.

Easy to get around. Driver is best deal if all day trips are taken.