Bali People & Culture

Well what can I say. Was an interesting place didn't really go the narrow streets etc. Was quite a dirty place. However if anyone ever heads that way the tours were excellent especially the Kintamani volcano Tour and the Monkey Forest and Temples Tour. Be wary if offered a friendship bracelet or the like as my friend and I were ripped off $280AUD each the first day we were there if you do find yourself in this situation and not knowing the value of their Money all you need to do is say the word police and they back right off. Great weather, really hot. We stayed in Kuta at cheap accommodation but if you go there i would recommend going for something around the 3.5 - 4 star mark as the accommodation we had was only 2.5 star and the sheets were washed daily but they were kinda brown and blood on the walls of our unit. Kuta Beach was lovely but they have a lot of people selling stuff that tend to hound you. lol. The shopping absolutely amazing and very cheap. We were offered drugs by some guys .............no we didn't take them neither of us were into that but however if you are game to purchase off of them do be warned that as soon as you buy it they go to cops and report you then you have the balinese police on your back. Overall was a great place especially the tours, kids ride moped thingees to school and the balinese drive crazy.........yes there were times we thought we weren't goin to make it back to NZ. Was a real eye opener for us. These people work so hard for so little.

Bali is a safe, good value for money entry level Asian destination. While the people may be poor, they aren't stupid so don't treat them as such. Pay them what is fair for what they offer (it's not that hard to work it out!) and you'll be treated with respect and more than you asked for in return. Almost everyone here speaks English, the food is good and there are unlimited good value resorts. It's a paradise for lazy westerners....

Some of Bali's best is not on the beaten path. Avoid kuta beach and try a secluded beach with less people like semenyak. See a ketcheck dance but also see a ceremony with real traditional tira (dance). Be sure to wear a sarong and sash inside the temple, NOT a towel or makeshift sarong. It is very disrespectful. And no pictures inside especially of barongs. The cremations are beautiful and often if you make friends with someone and ask they will know of one and invite you. Locals are the best way to gain information.

Take a driving tour around the island and visit some Hindu temples. A lot of people just veg on the beach, get drunk at night and never see anything of the island. There is a lot to see. Do not miss Ubud in the middle of the terraced rice fields that you have probably seen in a thousand pictures.

BALI!is something else!stay at kuta if you can.there is a hard rock cafe where you can stay if you want,its right accross the beach!on the beach loads of (mamas)old ladies that offer you a massage for a few euros.loats of cheap places to eat(try lobster)!loads of nightlife but i dont know after the bombing if people still goes.go to the monkey forest.then is a water park in kuta called water boom its really cute and tropical.oh god there are so many things to tell.try to make a deal with a taxi driver for your trip and dont book through travel agents its cheaper,for exaple you can book a driver for a full day trip for 20 eur and ask him to take you to many places. go,go,go!

If you're looking for a great driver to take you anywhere on Bali, contact Putu Eddy Sukratha (home phone: (0362) 27804 mobile: 081805456266). He was really friendly and shared lots of information about the sites as well as cultural and personal experiences. When we were moving on to Lombok, he tried to help us buy Ferry tickets the day before. When he learned they would be closed, he drew us a map and went through instructions to make sure we could get there on our own. I'd highly recommend him!

Well what can I say. Was an interesting place didn't really go the narrow streets etc. Was quite a dirty place. However if anyone ever heads that way the tours were excellent especially the Kintamani volcano Tour and the Monkey Forest and Temples Tour. Be wary if offered a friendship bracelet or the like as my friend and I were ripped off $280AUD each the first day we were there if you do find yourself in this situation and not knowing the value of their Money all you need to do is say the word police and they back right off. Great weather, really hot. We stayed in Kuta at cheap accommodation but if you go there i would recommend going for something around the 3.5 - 4 star mark as the accommodation we had was only 2.5 star and the sheets were washed daily but they were kinda brown and blood on the walls of our unit. Kuta Beach was lovely but they have a lot of people selling stuff that tend to hound you. lol. The shopping absolutely amazing and very cheap. We were offered drugs by some guys .............no we didn't take them neither of us were into that but however if you are game to purchase off of them do be warned that as soon as you buy it they go to cops and report you then you have the balinese police on your back. Overall was a great place especially the tours, kids ride moped thingees to school and the balinese drive crazy.........yes there were times we thought we weren't goin to make it back to NZ. Was a real eye opener for us. These people work so hard for so little.

Bali is a safe, good value for money entry level Asian destination. While the people may be poor, they aren't stupid so don't treat them as such. Pay them what is fair for what they offer (it's not that hard to work it out!) and you'll be treated with respect and more than you asked for in return. Almost everyone here speaks English, the food is good and there are unlimited good value resorts. It's a paradise for lazy westerners....

Watch out for all the peddlars, they tell you it's a gift and put it on you then demand money. You have been warned!

If you want to know about Indonesian industrialized area, you should go to Bekasi in West Java. There you can see the real Indonesian way of life. You can see how they work, how they deal with traffic jam, etc.

Some of Bali's best is not on the beaten path. Avoid kuta beach and try a secluded beach with less people like semenyak. See a ketcheck dance but also see a ceremony with real traditional tira (dance). Be sure to wear a sarong and sash inside the temple, NOT a towel or makeshift sarong. It is very disrespectful. And no pictures inside especially of barongs. The cremations are beautiful and often if you make friends with someone and ask they will know of one and invite you. Locals are the best way to gain information.