Sanur, Bali

Sanur is the first area in Bali to have resort hotels.It's located 20 minutes from Kuta along the Bypass. Sanur is a low key area of mid range and higher level hotels.

As the first area in Bali to have resort hotels, Sanur is where Bali's first luxury beach hotel was built over 30 years ago, and has since been the spot for luxurious seaside accommodation. Conveniently located near Denpasar on the main road leading to the east, Sanur is not nearly as frenetic as Kuta, nor as well-mannered as Nusa Dua.

The main attraction here is the white sand beach bordering a reef-sheltered lagoon. The beach stretches south from the The Grand Bali Beach Hotel and ends up in the mangrove marshes opposite Serangan Island. Due to the protection of the lagoon, this beach is one of the safest on the island, and thus perfect for families.

Sanur can be divided into several sub-areas:
_The Grand Bali Beach Hotel area.
West and south of the hotel, at the point where the black and the white sand beaches meet. This northern section of Sanur is popular with local crowds.

_Sindhu is east
of JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai, and south of JI. Segara Ayu, extending south to the first stretch of JI. Danau Tamblingan. This area is classier, with good hotels on the beach, night and art markets, and good restaurants.

_Batujimbar,
further south, has few hotels, but is the location of expatriate and Indonesian jet set society mansions. Exclusive beaches are reached via small lanes.
Semawang stretches south from the Bali Hyatt Hotel to the Sanur Beach Hotel and beyond. It houses both the priciest hotels and restaurants, as well as the red light district.

Get to Sanur from the airport by taxi. Tickets available at the airport taxi co-op counter outside customs, near "left luggage". The set fare is Rp. 35,000 to Sanur.

Within Sanur either rent a car or catch one of the many public bemos that ply JI. Danau Tamblingan for Rp1,000. These can be chartered for short hops around Sanur ($l-$2), and for trips to Denpasar or Kuta ($2-$4). Bargain hard. The terminal of the Praja Taxi company is in Sanur, Phone 289191, 289090. Bali Taxi is in Jimbaran, Phone 701111, 701621, 701633. Pan Wirthi Taxi is in Kuta, Phone 723355, 723388, 723952.

Biking around Sanur is also fun. At the Tri Dewi Art shop, JI. Danau Tamblingan 48, in Semawang, you can rent a bike for Rp15,000/ day; try bargaining. The bicycles aren't the greatest. It may be wise to pay more by renting through your hotel.

Sanur is an ideal base for trips to Bali's rice growing heartland and the mountain areas. Rent a self-drive car or a minibus with driver on a daily basis. There are car rental companies on JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai and on JI. Danau Tamblingan. Cars and minibuses for hire are found outside all major hotels, or go through one of many car rental companies.

The most reputable self-drive rental agencies are Avis, which has desks at Jimbaran, in the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and the Sheraton Lagoon Nusa Dua; Bali Car Rental on JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai; and Toyota Rent a Car at the airport, Jimbaran, on JI. Raya Airport 99X, in the Bali Padma Hotel in Legian, and Kartika Plaza Hotel in Tuban.

A day-trip in a minibus with a multilingual guide costs around $25, including gas, depending on the itinerary. Group tours cost as little as $10-$15 for the main tourist destinations. Contact Pacto, Tunas Indonesia, Mekar Wisata, or your hotel travel agent.

Private Houses. An alternative to standard accommodations is to rent luxury bungalows owned by affluent foreigners. These can work out relatively reasonably, if food and drink are bought at supermarket prices. Prices range from $250/day for a villa for two, to $1,500/day for a two-hectare beachfront estate with 14 staff, an archery range and use of a game fishing boat

To look place for eating out in Sanur is not a big problem. The Bali Hyatt, The Grand Bali Beach and Sanur Beach hotels have a wide variety of restaurants, buffets, and coffee shops. The food is mostly European, but they also offer Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Most of them offer a greater variety of food in a broad price range. Most close at 10 pm. The cheapest and most colorful food spat at night is the Sanur Night Market, located in the Art Market. The food is spicy, but nothing is cheaper; you can get a nasi campur for Rp3,000-Rp3,500.

For cheap, but better quality local food-the kind of place where your guides prefer to eat go to the street restaurants in Sindhu, on Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai between JI. Segara Ayu and JI. Sindhu. Try Haji Imran's (sate), Cak Muk or Depot Robby's (Chinese).

Warung Jawa Barat, on the corner of JI. Mertasari and JI. Kesumasari in Semawang, has a range of Sundanese food from Western Java, such as grilled fish, karedok (mixed raw vegetables in coconut sauce) or sate. Prices are good: between $1-$1.50.

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Kintamani - Bali

Kintamani

Kintamani is great for day trips, trekking or simply for getting away from it all for a few days. At Penelokan you can view the panorama of Mount Batur set in a huge volcanic crater basin. Stop here on the way to Singaraja to climb to peaceful Pura Tegeh Kuripan. Try to arrive at Kintamani in the morning, as it's often overcast in the afternoon, especially during the rainy season.
Prices in US dollars. Telephone code is 0366.

There are two possible options for staying near Lake Batur: up on the ridge or down inside the crater. The villages within the crater tend to have a rather unpleasant atmosphere with a lot of people hassling you. The views, however, are stunning. The main reason to spend the night in the crater is to climb Mt. Batur at dawn.

There are several attractions from Penelokan, starting with the view from the crater rim toward Lake Batur. Rim temples include Pura Ulun Danu Batur and Pura Tegeh Kuripan, both on the main road. A visit to the crater might include a boat trip to the traditional village of Trunyan, the lava fields, the hot spring at Toya Bungkah, or climbing Mt. Batur.

The best way to visit the crater is with your own transportation or chartered minibus. Walking is possible, but distances are long and the descent into the crater is very steep. You might want to finish your visit with a dip in the lake.

Penelokan and the crater villages are rather "un-Balinese" with vendors hassling you and people approaching you in the street to book accommodations.

There's a local authority charge of Rp550 per person for any car with tourists crossing into the region, plus Rp250 for the car. A similar fee is charged in Toya Bungkah.

Kintamani is the end-point of several tour itineraries heading up from the lower rice plain in the south. Most buses come up the good, scenic road via Tampaksiring, with stops on the way at Goa Gajah, Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul, then going back down through Bangli and Pura Kehen. But there are other interesting routes. One leads from Peliatan in the Ubud area through the wood-carvers' villages of Tegallalang, Pujung and Sebatu. The views along the way are superb. Other roads from Ubud to

Kintamani run through Payangan or from Denpasar through the Sangeh monkey forest, Plaga and Lampu, arriving to the north of Kintamani.

Bemos to Kintamani are available from Ubud via Sakah (notable for its huge "Baby" statue). They also run via Tampaksiring and Bangli.

From Denpasar bemos leave for Kintamani from the Batubulan terminal until late afternoon. The normal fare from Batubulan is Rp2,000 and from Singaraja Rp4,000. Rent a motorbike or car if you want to explore the great back roads in the Kintamani area.

Shuttle buses which run between Ubud and Singaraja stop in Penelokan. From Ubud $4.50-$7, from Singaraja $9-$11.

Alternatively, you can also join a day tour and ride up in air conditioned comfort, lunch included. On such tours, however, you will only see the view of Penelokan and then return, missing the caldera and the lake down the Kedisan road.

Charter bemos from Penelokan to Kedisan cost Rp5,000; Kedisan to Toya Bungkah Rp. 1,000 by bemo or Rp.20,000-Rp.25,000 for charter bemo, depending on your bargaining skills.

To Trunyan from Kedisan

Down inside the caldera you can cross to the lake village of Trunyan either from Kedisan or from Toya Bungkah. Be warned that the people here can be quite aggressive and the government has long advised tour operators not to send tourists to Trunyan.

In Toya Bungkah, the normal "tourist" price is $16 (including insurance) for the round trip for a ful I boat of seven. Don't expect to pay the local price. In Kedisan, the round trip costs about $20 per boat, with a price per person decreasing to $3 per person is the boat is full. If you are tired of bargaining hassles, simply hike around the crater to Trunyan.

Eating In Kintamani

The better places are attached to the hotels in Penelokan up on the calderas and down in Toya Bungkah by the hot springs. Penelokan has choices ranging from very simple and cheap places with good local food to big fancy restaurants, which cater to tour groups from the expensive hotels on the coast.

The local lake fish is a tasty variety called be mujahir, available fried or grilled. It's best fried crisp-more of the fish is edible.

A good place for lunch (and one of the few on the rim open for evening meals) is the Lakeview. Prices here are moderate, but they are geared up for tour group buffet lunches.

The Batur Garden Restaurant has an interesting menu of Chinese and Indonesian dishes, as well as Western bar drinks. Friendly and reasonably priced. Lunch only.

Gunawan Restaurant is very popular with a great view on the edge of the crater. There are many other giant, palatial restaurants on the other side of the street, but most overlook South Bali. Buffet or menu. Great mujahir soup. Approx. Rp 7000 per entree; buffet $4.50, plus 21% tax.

Down in the crater at Toya Bungkah, most losmen have small restaurants (warung), and new eating places are springing up all the time. Our recommendation is Nyoman Mawa's Under The Volcano. His lake fish with homemade sambal matah is worth the trip to the mountains alone.

Kintamani Activities

If you've always wanted to walk around inside the crater of an active volcano, here's your chance. Mt. Batur is 1,717 m high, but the upper cone itself is only several hundred meters above the level of the lake and can be climbed and descended in a few hours. At the top, there's a warm crust of ground over the cauldron. Be sure to hire a guide, as it can be dangerous.

Each home stay can recommend a guide. Under the Volcano has guides for $12 per person; other home stays charge $18-$19.

It's best to start very early in the morning, around 4 am: it's cool and you're likely to see a wonderful sunrise. Your guide will probably find you before you find him. Choose someone friendly who is not charging a ridiculous amount of money: $4-5 is a fair price. Gede at Gede's Trekking near Kintamani market is a helpful contact. Another professional trekking guide service is Panorama Tourist Services, located near the Toya Bungkah Hot Spring. They also organize other trekking trips in the area.

There are several well-marked approaches to Batur. From Pura Jati, near Kedisan (where a large sign announces "Klim Prom Here-Please Polow, Wite Plag"), and from Toya Bungkah where the climb up and back takes about three hours. The latter route is notably easier.

Wear high-top shoes: the slopes are covered with fine dust. Other necessary supplies are drinking water and a snack or two. On reaching the summit your guide will boil some eggs (in the sand) and make coffee. If you're fortunate, a great view stretching all the way to Lombok will be revealed as the sun rises.

Going down is much easier than climbing up and it's possible to take another route down, via the hot spring at Toya Bungkah. Ask your guide to have a car ready to bring you back to the original starting point once you get down. The spring, set in a concrete pool, is not overly spectacular. Entrance is $1
This trip is not recommended during the rainy season (November-April).

There's a good new road that circles the volcano rim from Penulisan east to Pinggan and Blandingan, where it comes to a dead end. Another route is to drive past Toya Bungkah to Songan and follow the sign west to Air Mampeh. The road leads to Penelokan through the caldera behind Batur. It is sometimes difficult to pass because of volcanic sand and stones

HOT SPRINGS

The public bathing spot at the Toya Bungkah Hot Springs is free and frequented mostly by Indonesians. There is now a large swimming facility, Tirta Sanjiwani, set in a lovely garden just above the lake. Two hot spring pools plus a huge regular swimming pool. You can take a personal spa for $25, including a massage in your own little spa and bale. $10 adults, $7.50 children.

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Lombok, Indonesia

Introduction

Lombok forms part of the southern chain of Indonesian islands that fringe the Indian Ocean. Lying east of Bali, it is roughly the same size, but very different in both character and development. The island has a very laid back and agricultural feel with tourism low key and restricted to a few pockets.

Its the uncrowded beaches and lazy ambience that draws people to Lombok. Diving is good and despite the headlines Lombok is a friendly place, and its people are warm, relaxed and courteous, like most Indonesian people. While Lombok lacks the cultural splendour of Bali, for those looking to escape the crowds it makes a great diversion and is becoming a destination in its own right.

What kinds of interesting attractions and places that you can find in Lombok?

There are few attractions that you can find in Lombok. Most of them are pleasant diversions from beaching and are interesting enough. As the symbolic Pura Meru in Cakranegara posites the largest temple on Lombok. 3 multi-tiered pagodas dating from 1720 honour the Hindu trinity. Nearby, set by an artificial lake is Mayura Water Palace.

There are one or two interesting Sasak villages on the road south to Kuta. They are built in traditional-style from mud and thatch in an arid agricultural area. Friendly villagers take you on an enlightening tour of their very simple homes.

If you looking for a beach travels, Lombok may be of them. Lombok has scores of good beaches, few of which have been remotely developed. One of the most true tourist destination is Senggigi.

The 3 white sand Gili Islands off the northwest are also popular. All are still in their infancy in terms of development. None have any paved roads or motor vehicles, electricity is very temperamental, supplies limited and as yet there is no fresh water plumbing. The majority of visitors to the Gilis are backpackers.
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The largest and most developed is Gili Tarawangan. This is where most of the accommodation, dive shops and all of the Gili nightlife lies. Gili Meno and Gili Air are both smaller and quieter with nothing other than snorkeling to do. Meno is now linked to Bali and Senggigi by catamaran.

The snorkeling and diving off the Gilis is quite good, blue coral rather than dead white coral exists and marine life, particularly turtles, is in abundance.

On the south coast of Lombok are the superb stretches of almost totally deserted white sands. Kuta is great for swimmers and further west from Tanjung Aan are the best beaches for surfers and windsurfers. Gerupak to the east is another good one with boards for hire.

Note: Lombok is predominantly Islamic. For women traveling away from the tourist areas it advisable to cover up - beachwear is considered sexually provocative.

Entertaiment and eating out are not a huge available choices. Once again the bulk of the better restaurants and entertainment lies around Senggigi. Prices are very good.
The most obvious is the open two-floored Taman Restaurant. It has a very good menu with some excellent seafood and cheap prices. Several good beachfront restaurants line the shores. Putri Lombok Restaurant II is a good, friendly choice with a very affordable menu. Hotels offer some of the best dining options in the area.

Club Tropicana is a lively nightclub and the focus of nightlife in Senggigi. There are one or two bars on Gili Tarawangan throwing beach parties for the young crowded.

The best place for buying souvenirs, furniture and beach clothes is Senggigi where a few good woodcraft and antique shops also exist. Shops will be keen to take you to their factories for a greater choice. However, many antiques are not as old as one might think. A carving thats sat unsold on the shelf for 5 years is considered an antique.

The Art Market in the centre of Senggigi is a good place to pick up clothing and nik-naks, but prices start at silly levels and are a huge effort to bring down. Bartering is essential!

The small string of mini shops and stalls on Gili Tarawangan offer lower prices for T-shirts, second hand books and trinkets.

The weaving and pottery villages not far from Mataram sell their wares to visitors. Ethnic villages near Tete Batu have superior blankets and Sasak sarongs.

Internet cafes are common in Senggigi, and some exist on Gili Tarawangan. Communications are poor and cut-offs common, especially on Tarawangan. Rates however, are very cheap. A good one is Planet Internet in Senggigi which doubles as a craft shop.

Getting around Lombok can be difficult. Public transport isnt well developed, although major transit points are linked. To reach more remote areas and attractions, travellers must arrange their own transport.
Note: Lombok has several potholes potentially hazardous to the pedestrian. The pavement is made of concrete slabs placed over a sewer. Some have collapsed and others missing altogether. Add to this Lomboks regular electricity blackouts and the result is a hideous accident waiting to happen. Beware!

Taxis are very common in the capital and can be flagged down easily. In Senggigi taxis are fewer but can be easily ordered from hotels. Further out they are rare - very few roam past. Prices are excellent and the meter is usually employed without a gentle nudge.

There are a few public buses running around and from the main station in Sweta close to the capital. Yellow bemos are a useful and cheap way to get around the elongated capital.

Useful for travel are the bargain bemos that scoot around the island. Visitors can hop on or off at any point, but will need to barter. The rather uncomfortable bemos can also be chartered for longer trips.

A cheap and handy option for short distances is the horse and cart. On the Gili Islands this is the only way to travel - there are no motor vehicles.

It is relatively simple to hire cars or motorbikes on Lombok. This is a good cheap way to get out and see the island, and with few roads and less traffic, a less stressful prospect than nearby Bali. Ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy - some are definitely not. Watch out for roaming cows and goats.

Note: If stuck or marooned somewhere, it is surprisingly easy to grab a lift off any passing vehicle. Enterprising locals will often be delighted to negotiate a reasonable transport fee.

Outriggers can be chartered to the Gili Islands from Senggigi beach. The cheaper alternative involves driving to Bangsal Harbour opposite the islands and jumping on one there. Expect to be pestered while you wait for the boat.

There are ferry connections to adjacent Bali and Sumbawa. They are fairly old, slow and basic. The clanking Bali ferry leaves Padangbai in Bali and docks at Lembar, about 45 minutes from Senggigi. The crossing takes 4-6 hrs, depending on the weather. The Sumbawa ferry departs from Labuhan Lombok arriving at Poto Sano around 2hrs later.

The best sea route is via the flashy catamaran Bounty Cruise link from Benoa in Bali direct to Senggigi then Gili Meno. The journey caters for tourists, takes around 2hrs and is very comfortable. The Mabua Express is another high speed and comfortable link that takes around 2 1/2hrs and docks at Lembar.

Full trips inclusive of tourist buses and ferries Indonesian destinations are available from tour operators and can be a real bargain, albeit an uncomfortable one.

Mataram international airport is linked to Singapore and several daily flights to major Indonesian airports including Bali, only 25 minutes away. Watch out for airport porters who whisk your bags away and demand payment. The service is not for free.

Day tours to the Gili Islands can be easily arranged, inclusive of snorkeling or diving. Some stop off to feed the streetwise monkeys in Pusuk Forest on the way to the villages and waterfalls of the lush and green north.
At 3726m Mt. Rinjani is the major excursion on Lombok and the most exhausting. The tough trek up and down this awesome volcano takes 3 or 4 days. It has a smouldering inner cone, hot springs and a crescent-shaped crater lake. The scenery is stunning and holy Rinjani draws many hikers and pilgrims who bathe in the mystic hot springs.

Note: Rinjani is not the safest choice, it last erupted in 1995 and hikers have plunged to their doom from the slippery trails. Bandits have also preyed upon unfortunate travellers, marauding monkeys are an annoyance and theres a lot of litter. There are of course no toilets on Rinjani
Tanjung Aan beach

Head for the north side of Rinjani for Lomboks best waterfalls. The day-long excursion is tiring but rewarding.

For a glimpse of traditional agricultural life, Sembalun Bumbung and Sembalun Lawang are two traditional Sasak villages on the slopes of Rinjani. Other tours stop off at the simple Sasak villages of the arid southern plains en route to Kuta beach.

Children persistently hassle visitors but Tete Batu is a quiet, green and beautiful area. Avoid the Jeruk Manis waterfall near Tete Batu - nothing spectacular.

Boat tours depart to remote Komodo for the islands famous giant lizards - the monstrous Komodo dragons. Tours to the isolated and dusty island last between 4 and 6 days.

Lombok has Islamic, Hindu and Christian religions as well as the indigenous Waktu Telu, a blend of local practices and Islam. Various indigenous festivals are celebrated in traditional villages, spilling onto the roads throughout the year.

The dates of Islamic festivals switch every year. Ramadan is the largest and is marked by a month of fasting. It concludes with Eid al-Fitr, a huge feast with prayers and gifts among family and friends. Another big Islamic feast is Eid al-Adah when pilgrims head for Mecca.

Every year between October and December the rain festival Perang Topat takes place in the unique temple at Lingsar, north of Mataram. The translation for this is topat war. Topat is sticky rice wrapped in palm leaf, and two teams hurl topat at each other in celebration of a successful harvest. Anyone can join in this frenzied food fight.

A colourful Balinese Hindu ceremony, Pura Meru, occurs in June at the time of the full moon at Cakranegaras temple.

Note: Christian churches in the capital have become targets for arson and bomb attacks - 3 recently rebuilt ones were blown up over Christmas 2000. Christian festivals may coincide with ethnic violence. Take care.

Sorce: Lombok, Indonesia

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Bali: Nusadua

How to get to Nusa Dua

The airport taxi co-op counter is outside customs ' near "left luggage". The average fare is Rp35,000 to Nusa Dua, Rp40,000 to Tanjung Benoa and Rp45,000 to Pecatu/South Nusa Dua.Most hotels have a taxi counter run by a private company or co-operative. Prices are significantly higher (30%) than other resorts, with the drive to the airport costing $10 or more. Open-topped buses with tropical motifs travel throughout the complex and to Benoa village. The fare is Rp1,000. There are car rental companies at each of the three gates of the Nusa Dua complex, near the Tragia Supermarket and at several hotels. There's also a bemo terminal. The fare is between Rp 1000 and Rp2,000 to Denpasar, and Rp2,000 to Tanjung Benoa.

Nusa Dua's hotels are geared to tourist groups, beach fanatics and international conferences. Each hotel has its own combination of first-class business and resort facilities. Located in a large, landscaped park, the complex also comprises an international convention center, a championship 18-hole golf course, a luxury shopping center, a medical clinic, and an amphitheater for music and dance. More facilities are located in the village of Bualu, just outside the resort. A strip of hotels, restaurants and watersports operators is located along the narrow cape north of Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa. And a new area is being developed at Pecatu or South Nusa Dua, south of Nusa Dua proper, anchored by the Nikko Hotel.
Prices in US dollars. AC = Air conditioning. Telephone code is 0361.

Eating in Nusa Dua

The Nusa Dua complex has many international restaurants (with international prices) in the five star hotels. A 7-course French meal at the chic Semeru Rotisserie in the Putri Bali costs $55/person. All hotels hold theme buffet dinners featuring Balinese dance for $30-$40/person. The Galeria area offers Spanish, Indonesian, Balinese, Italian, Korean, Thai, Swiss-German, Chinese, Japanese, and Western cuisines. Try Warung Bali to taste some local flavor, Sendok Restaurant for a variety of international dishes and Escargot for French cuisine. For fresh spicy seafood, try the Jala-Jala restaurant in the new Nikko Bali hotel. For excellent Japanese food including sushi and teppanyaki, the Matsuri Japanese Restaurant, next to the Galleria Shopping Complex, is a must.

For cheaper food and more natural surroundings, head for the village of Bualu just outside the resort. Outside the main gate to the right is the big Lotus Garden (free transportation in Nusa Dua area) restaurant which serves fesh, homemade pasta, grilled seafood and steaks. If you like spicy West Sumatran food, try Mega Meriah Padang on JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai. The best price-quality deal, though, is the Ulam Restaurant, just outside the gate facing the Hilton. The specialty is the seafood basket for $8 per person. It's a favorite haunt of ministers and celebrities. Kuta's popular Poco Loco Mexican food has opened a branch at JI. Pantai Mengiat. Also on JI. Pantai Mengiat is the Nyoman Beer Garden with its extensive international menu, featuring great pasta and fresh seafood.

Finally, if you decide to go native and eat for a dollar, there's a sate stall near the main entrance, or try the bakso Solo (meatball soup) at the night market in front of the local movie theater.

Bali Tourist Information

Bali Tourism Development Corporation (BTDC) at the center of Nusa Dua complex, Phone 771010.

Source: Bali Cities

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