I love Bali
freeride76 wrote:Bummer, hope he gets home quickly.
On that note, what is the preferred Indo travel insurance these days, that you could rely on in a medical emergency?
Covermore. I had to lean on them after an accident in 2019 and they came through.
indo-dreaming wrote:Realistically on most routes almost all traveler's are locals, boards would be a hassle for the airline with little benefit, its pretty harsh though.
A good compromise would have been a max of 2 boards per person to 7ft to a certain max weight and increase price per board to Rp500,000 would have been fair.
But this new policy is way over the top.
I personally dont care too much as have four boards in Indo already where i mainly go, but its a nightmare for surf camps and losmens, and say going into somewhere like Nias now Citilink is going to be flooded with boards so boards are often not going to turn up until the next flight or next day and they will have pressure on them to increase price or change policy too..
It’ll be the good old days of “you wouldn’t believe what happened to me in Sibolga”
Wooden ferry to teluk delam. Smaller crowd’s.
freeride76 wrote:Bummer, hope he gets home quickly.
On that note, what is the preferred Indo travel insurance these days, that you could rely on in a medical emergency?
Its a good question , I can’t answer as I’ve never made a claim . I remember andy-mac saying world nomads were good but won’t cover pre existing conditions . Not sure what I’m going to do as I’m heading over for a few years come xmas . I have private health in Australia which would be worth keeping . I tried getting private health insurance last time I was living in indo but can’t get it over 55 which is when you will need it .
Supafreak wrote:freeride76 wrote:Bummer, hope he gets home quickly.
On that note, what is the preferred Indo travel insurance these days, that you could rely on in a medical emergency?
Its a good question , I can’t answer as I’ve never made a claim . I remember andy-mac saying world nomads were good but won’t cover pre existing conditions . Not sure what I’m going to do as I’m heading over for a few years come xmas . I have private health in Australia which would be worth keeping . I tried getting private health insurance last time I was living in indo but can’t get it over 55 which is when you will need it .
Supafreak. Hi mate. CoverMore since 2008 for me, saying that, have never made a claim. I go with the advice of a friend in the travel business, she’s been in the game 40years, never failed me or my mates with her recommendations. AW.
Anyone know of a reasonably cheap no frills place near Airport/Tuban?
Slim @
https://www.baliwaves.com/
we have used Palm Beach Hotel, cheap no frills but great little restaurant in the hotel. boats for the breaks out the front (its on the street on the beach).
Jl Jenggala no 1, Kuta, 80361 Kuta
Roystein wrote:we have used Palm Beach Hotel, cheap no frills but great little restaurant in the hotel. boats for the breaks out the front (its on the street on the beach).
Jl Jenggala no 1, Kuta, 80361 Kuta
Can second this, stayed there a few times. Straight across road from pantai Jerman which has some pretty good cheap seafood warungs, cold Binnies, and nice sunsets ... ok stating the obvious.
Still has old Bali feel with local groms running around beach without the plastic influencer crowd.
andy-mac wrote:Roystein wrote:we have used Palm Beach Hotel, cheap no frills but great little restaurant in the hotel. boats for the breaks out the front (its on the street on the beach).
Jl Jenggala no 1, Kuta, 80361 Kuta
Can second this, stayed there a few times. Straight across road from pantai Jerman which has some pretty good cheap seafood warungs, cold Binnies, and nice sunsets ... ok stating the obvious.
Still has old Bali feel with local groms running around beach without the plastic influencer crowd.
I like the sound of this place and googled it, ive been wanting to try somewhere a bit different with the family for a few days on way to Java/Sumatra and im sick of Legian area this place looks up my alley, just the classic 80s/90s Bali hotel, budget price but still enough to keep everyone happy pool for kids and seafood warungs for missus.
indo-dreaming wrote:andy-mac wrote:Roystein wrote:we have used Palm Beach Hotel, cheap no frills but great little restaurant in the hotel. boats for the breaks out the front (its on the street on the beach).
Jl Jenggala no 1, Kuta, 80361 Kuta
Can second this, stayed there a few times. Straight across road from pantai Jerman which has some pretty good cheap seafood warungs, cold Binnies, and nice sunsets ... ok stating the obvious.
Still has old Bali feel with local groms running around beach without the plastic influencer crowd.I like the sound of this place and googled it, ive been wanting to try somewhere a bit different with the family for a few days on way to Java/Sumatra and im sick of Legian area this place looks up my alley, just the classic 80s/90s Bali hotel, budget price but still enough to keep everyone happy pool for kids and seafood warungs for missus.
Nice grilled reef fish mate, just not super quick. Prepare to enjoy a binny or 3 while waiting. :)
Was there last September and enjoyed our week stay.
Still busy area sellers etc, but I enjoyed it.
Sulis Beach Hotel
Cheers gents.
Chose Palm Beach hotel.
Supafreak wrote:udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-26/gold-coast-surfing-great-mark-ric...
https://www.gofundme.com/f/medi-vac-mark-richardson-to-australia?utm_cam...
Apparently MR flew back into oz last night.
udo wrote:Wed night Supa
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2023/09/26/urgent-plea-r...
Thanks udo , can’t trust those facebook posts haha
I'm thinking of avoiding the school holidays here and going to Bali from December to February (60 days). I'm after general tips as I've done Bali in the dry season but not the wet.
Where's best to stay on the east side? I'm thinking Sanur up as I'm not keen on Nusa Dua type waves (although I've never surfed it). Would it be worth staying around green bowl (once again I've never surfed it)? Feel free to share any budget accommodation you can recommend that has a kitchen/pool.
What's the wet season like? I've just done a whole wet season in El Salvador so I'm no stranger to 3rd world filth getting flushed out, I'm just assuming Bali will be next level.
What are the crowds like in wet season? Given it's off season, is it worth bringing a stepup or just take/buy a shorty?
Oh, also I'm not sure what if anything happened with the bike ban but are they enforcing it when renting scooters? I have a open bike licence and got a international permit last time but it felt like a waste of money because no one checked.
Thanks in advance.
juegasiempre wrote:I'm thinking of avoiding the school holidays here and going to Bali from December to February (60 days). I'm after general tips as I've done Bali in the dry season but not the wet.
Where's best to stay on the east side? I'm thinking Sanur up as I'm not keen on Nusa Dua type waves (although I've never surfed it). Would it be worth staying around green bowl (once again I've never surfed it)? Feel free to share any budget accommodation you can recommend that has a kitchen/pool.
What's the wet season like? I've just done a whole wet season in El Salvador so I'm no stranger to 3rd world filth getting flushed out, I'm just assuming Bali will be next level.
What are the crowds like in wet season? Given it's off season, is it worth bringing a stepup or just take/buy a shorty?
Oh, also I'm not sure what if anything happened with the bike ban but are they enforcing it when renting scooters? I have a open bike licence and got a international permit last time but it felt like a waste of money because no one checked.
Thanks in advance.
No off season in Bali, just pumping season and not quite as good pumping season. :)
I like the wet as natural footer. Will not give too much away but quite a few options ranging from Nusa (I like Nusa although a lot write it off as a burger but can get good and when it's over 4-6 foot have a bigger board). They cut Nikko in half with is tragic.
Serangan need a boat now but has waves and heaps of other waves around.
Weather been a bit confused and winds can be light and have surfed great Ulu in Feb. Reckon these days will still be crowded out on Bukit, Pandawa etc circus now where use to be no one.
Forget Sanur, locals take their Japanese guests that time of year and the swells are usually weak, and they will probably either send you in or not let you have a wave.
Water quality on East coast not too bad after first few big rains.
Enjoy!
Hey juegasiempre…
I’ve done lots of wet season trips, not too recently (last one bout 5 yrs ago) but spent six consecutive seasons there from bout November to March through the mid 90’s and done about a dozen trips all up.
East side can pump, sometimes glassy overcast days, sometimes torrential rain, but always had swell. I stayed with ex pat relatives in sanur towards the south end, so was very lucky on that front - otherwise a place called alits beach bungalows (nth sanur, near ferry crossing to lembongan) was always cheap and did the job as a good base from which to head to either keramas or back down to geiger (nusa dua)… There are a cpl home stays and other cheap stuff, might be set back from the beach a bit tho…
Plenty of good wave options - a place called hyatt reef always has swell but very shifty with the tides, it’s a little like lembongan where it can be a lower tide and two foot and tide comes in and bumps to bout six feet… long paddle, so getting a boat out and back works best. Go to end of road where the bagus drug store is in sth sanur…
Geiger at nusa dua is about as consistent as ulus, was an early morn ritual back in the day and it can hold serious size… bigger it gets the more it links up, got everything from big burgery roll in take offs to top to bottom sections, good long 200m rides easy on some days. Sometimes lots of Japanese surfers descended en masse but big playground out there and several different sections to sit on. Been a few developments towards that way in recent years so not sure how access or crowd situation has changed.
Another wave down there, called sri lanka I think, out front of club med is worth it on its day - higher tides if I recall correctly. serangan is hit and miss… There are a smorgasbord of rights to be had, sanur itself is the best wave in bali on it’s day - hardly works, and probly packed nowadays - but on massive swells when it’s on it’s fast, makeable (end section very challenging) and tubes like padang padang in size and perfection… I’ve had some incredible sessions there, memories especially of a sunset surf getting pitted and looking out of a truck sized barrel at the sun setting on mt agung in the distance. Etched in my mind forever !
Otherwise, going north of sanur there are a few options before and after keramas - I only did keramas way before the resort or anything though, so dunno really what it’s like now… Up to benoa harbour is worth a check… Bit of grey water to contend with, some wet seasons it doesn’t rain as consistently- heat isn’t as oppressive that time of year and arvo rain squalls are a welcome respite.
More recent trips I’ve only used bali as a pitstop to go to other parts of indo, but I really recommend wet season adventures… I always scored, found it was less populated (pretty sure everywhere is hustling there now tho) and loved exploring ‘the other side’.
I only ever had boards from 5’10” to 6’2”… nusa dua (geiger) can be a seriously thick wave at times - bit of a deep water feel to it so it’s the only place I’d recommend a step up. Down that way is a bit wanky tho and full resort style so that’s why I’d do early strike missions and be outta there by mid morning.
Cpl other waves like tandjung sari (I think it’s called) has a lil wave too but it’s more a small grovelling kind of option. Otherwise, being close to sanur also enables a lembongan trip, but I haven’t been to there or cinnigans since about ‘96 so I’m guessing it’s half concrete now ;)
Can’t help u with the bike stuff. You know how it is in indo though…. There is always a way… with cash ;)
Dunno if any of that is of use to you, (kind of like I just reminisced a past life) and not sure if crowds are just shit all year round in bali nowadays, but all the best, safe travels… cheers
"No off season in Bali, just pumping season and not quite as good pumping season. :)..."
no off season for crowds now either...
just crowded season, and not quite as crowded, but often more crowded season :)
bike ban was a fizzer
same with helmets, no shirts, and all the other bullshit... though I believe canggu has seen a much needed crack down... in that half arsed, indo, soon back to normal manner...
you have no issue if you have oz bike license anyway
get the international license, the cops are genuinely appreciative and impresed if you have both - well most of em...
as many wise locals and blowins say... you wouldn't even consider it in your own country, so why in bali?
it's called respect
sypkan wrote:"No off season in Bali, just pumping season and not quite as good pumping season. :)..."
no off season for crowds now either...
just crowded season, and not quite as crowded, but often more crowded season :)
bike ban was a fizzer
same with helmets, no shirts, and all the other bullshit... though I believe canggu has seen a much needed crack down... in that half arsed, indo, soon back to normal manner...
you have no issue if you have oz bike license anyway
get the international license, the cops are genuinely appreciative and impresed if you have both - well most of em...
as many wise locals and blowins say... you wouldn't even consider it in your own country, so why in bali?
it's called respect
True dat!
Anyone got any current updates on inshore water temps around Bali please? Still needing some rubber?
Not Bali sorry but just back from South Sumatra and at least a 1.5 mm possibly more top required to stay in the water for a decent length of time. So strange it being so cool/cold. Btween the smoke from Farm burnoffs and forest/peat fires and the mist from the cold water I saw the sun just the once and that's bizarre too.
donweather wrote:Anyone got any current updates on inshore water temps around Bali please? Still needing some rubber?
HI Don, just back from Bali, water warm as, i took a 1.5 long sleeve top wore it on the 1st surf nearly died of heat exhaustion.
@juegasiempre , Keramas is pretty packed all year round now, best to stay down Sunur way i reckon.
Cheers AMB and MB.
HI Team what was that name of the recommended hotel near the airport for short term stay?
amb wrote:HI Team what was that name of the recommended hotel near the airport for short term stay?
andy-mac wrote:amb wrote:HI Team what was that name of the recommended hotel near the airport for short term stay?
Thanks Andy , much appreciated
amb wrote:andy-mac wrote:amb wrote:HI Team what was that name of the recommended hotel near the airport for short term stay?
Thanks Andy , much appreciated
Enjoy!
Fantastic but it's not the 1st of April
Can anyone recommend a place to stay at Nusa Dua and Nusa Lembongan ideally within walking distance to the surf?
@maddog NL = Tarci
This is interesting sure seems like Croc sighting in Sumatra have increased too.
"Saltwater crocodiles are slowly returning to Bali and Java. Can we learn to live alongside them?"
https://theconversation.com/saltwater-crocodiles-are-slowly-returning-to...
holy cow! 70 deaths-by-salty a year??
that's nearly one and a half (perhaps literally) a week!
(wonder if that stat is arrived at like the coconut-death one..
wasn't the 150-coconut-deaths extrapolated from some PNG figures?)
Jelly Flater wrote:Hey juegasiempre…
I’ve done lots of wet season trips, not too recently (last one bout 5 yrs ago) but spent six consecutive seasons there from bout November to March through the mid 90’s and done about a dozen trips all up.
East side can pump, sometimes glassy overcast days, sometimes torrential rain, but always had swell. I stayed with ex pat relatives in sanur towards the south end, so was very lucky on that front - otherwise a place called alits beach bungalows (nth sanur, near ferry crossing to lembongan) was always cheap and did the job as a good base from which to head to either keramas or back down to geiger (nusa dua)… There are a cpl home stays and other cheap stuff, might be set back from the beach a bit tho…
Plenty of good wave options - a place called hyatt reef always has swell but very shifty with the tides, it’s a little like lembongan where it can be a lower tide and two foot and tide comes in and bumps to bout six feet… long paddle, so getting a boat out and back works best. Go to end of road where the bagus drug store is in sth sanur…
Geiger at nusa dua is about as consistent as ulus, was an early morn ritual back in the day and it can hold serious size… bigger it gets the more it links up, got everything from big burgery roll in take offs to top to bottom sections, good long 200m rides easy on some days. Sometimes lots of Japanese surfers descended en masse but big playground out there and several different sections to sit on. Been a few developments towards that way in recent years so not sure how access or crowd situation has changed.
Another wave down there, called sri lanka I think, out front of club med is worth it on its day - higher tides if I recall correctly. serangan is hit and miss… There are a smorgasbord of rights to be had, sanur itself is the best wave in bali on it’s day - hardly works, and probly packed nowadays - but on massive swells when it’s on it’s fast, makeable (end section very challenging) and tubes like padang padang in size and perfection… I’ve had some incredible sessions there, memories especially of a sunset surf getting pitted and looking out of a truck sized barrel at the sun setting on mt agung in the distance. Etched in my mind forever !
Otherwise, going north of sanur there are a few options before and after keramas - I only did keramas way before the resort or anything though, so dunno really what it’s like now… Up to benoa harbour is worth a check… Bit of grey water to contend with, some wet seasons it doesn’t rain as consistently- heat isn’t as oppressive that time of year and arvo rain squalls are a welcome respite.
More recent trips I’ve only used bali as a pitstop to go to other parts of indo, but I really recommend wet season adventures… I always scored, found it was less populated (pretty sure everywhere is hustling there now tho) and loved exploring ‘the other side’.
I only ever had boards from 5’10” to 6’2”… nusa dua (geiger) can be a seriously thick wave at times - bit of a deep water feel to it so it’s the only place I’d recommend a step up. Down that way is a bit wanky tho and full resort style so that’s why I’d do early strike missions and be outta there by mid morning.
Cpl other waves like tandjung sari (I think it’s called) has a lil wave too but it’s more a small grovelling kind of option. Otherwise, being close to sanur also enables a lembongan trip, but I haven’t been to there or cinnigans since about ‘96 so I’m guessing it’s half concrete now ;)
Can’t help u with the bike stuff. You know how it is in indo though…. There is always a way… with cash ;)
Dunno if any of that is of use to you, (kind of like I just reminisced a past life) and not sure if crowds are just shit all year round in bali nowadays, but all the best, safe travels… cheers
@JellyFlater. Hi mate. That’s all great info. AW
Geger has been hit with Euro overload ...Since Serangan got closed and the Geger Warung started its Busy
The Euro Learners of 10 yrs ago are now Semi Competent Surfers that have No idea of Surfing Etiquette...
seeds wrote:So buying existing might be better. Does that mean buying foreign owned means buying the lease on the dirt? Or is that re negotiated? Or also, buying local owned you still lease the land but own the property?
might want to check on this info site
https://baliexception.com/whats-the-difference-between-leasehold-freehol...
Thanks Joe. I’ll have a look.
Thinking of a Bali trip around Sept or Oct next year, I'm trying to get hold of tide chart. I can only get tides as far ahead as March next year. Does anyone know how far ahead they can predict the tides and if so where I can access?
Thanks
G’day Flow
Rip curl shop on sunset rd has tide charts that show tides for the year, month by month like a little booklet.Usually have them printed early Jan
Been using them for years, accurate
Hope this helps
Cheers
Cheers Dumai
is it just me that thinks ukrainians should be investing in ukraine at this important point in their history?
maybe ukraine doesn't need the money / investment?
...because western countries are 'investing'... WE are...
maybe it is actually western money investing in bali... along the long trail of deceit...
does bali not care?
(of course they don't... its bali!)
so many questions...
someone's being taken for a ride
all of us?
poor bali...
https://thebalisun.com/construction-to-start-on-huge-resort-in-balis-ses...
I want one but the import duty would kill me . https://www.facebook.com/100000731356649/posts/pfbid02epRM2h6HWWnX9FZdaF...
Bon voyage swelllnutters , sitting on the tarmac at cooly Bali bound . Bloody cheap home scales cost me $110 as they weighed my boardbag in at 23kg but virgin scales had it at 26kg . They don’t charge by the kilo, they charge for simply being over 23kgs . At least they didn’t strike today , I was a bit worried after not hearing how Fridays meeting went . They are running late as usual. Looking forward to time out . Cheers all .
Supafreak wrote:Bon voyage swelllnutters , sitting on the tarmac at cooly Bali bound . Bloody cheap home scales cost me $110 as they weighed my boardbag in at 23kg but virgin scales had it at 26kg . They don’t charge by the kilo, they charge for simply being over 23kgs . At least they didn’t strike today , I was a bit worried after not hearing how Fridays meeting went . They are running late as usual. Looking forward to time out . Cheers all .
Stay well Supa.
Supafreak wrote:Bon voyage swelllnutters , sitting on the tarmac at cooly Bali bound . Bloody cheap home scales cost me $110 as they weighed my boardbag in at 23kg but virgin scales had it at 26kg . They don’t charge by the kilo, they charge for simply being over 23kgs . At least they didn’t strike today , I was a bit worried after not hearing how Fridays meeting went . They are running late as usual. Looking forward to time out . Cheers all .
Enjoy!!!!
Jealous! Hope you find time to unwind from being a Marxist jihadi supporter while you’re there. ;);)
seeds wrote:Jealous! Hope you find time to unwind from being a Marxist jihadi supporter while you’re there. ;);)
Haha lots of Muslims in Indonesia.
Be careful! ;)
I love Bali.
You wouldn't think that such a thought could be controversial . But it is.
Many people don't love Bali, in fact they proclaim to hate it. Bemoan what it has become, it's lack of purity, it's lost innocence.
Sure, I can see their point. I can't imagine anywhere on Earth that has been transformed as radically as Bali over the last thirty years. From rice paddies and coconut groves to six story discotheques . It's totally unrecognisable in the most built up areas.
But that's not what this post is about. It's about why I LOVE Bali.
I love Bali because ...
- it's still the home of an intense cluster of world class waves. Roping lefts : Uluwatu, freight train right barrels : Sanur, backlit mega tubes : Padang Padang. Rip able reefs, fun beachies. Short , slabby pits and long mellow points. River mouths and bombies. It's got the lot.
- it's still possible to get uncrowded quality waves in 2015 when it seems as though the entire planet has discovered surfing. I was trading crystal clear , rolling right walls with only two other surfers just this morning.
- it's still freaking beautiful. Watching the mist reveal Mt Agung in that unique Bali morning light from a black sand beach as the sun comes up is still special.
- the food is amazing. Walking around town building up a hunger and knowing that at any given time you are within shouting distance of fresh, exotic and delicious meals with enough variety to make your head spin is priceless.
- the Balinese are legends. Friendly, happy and always keen for a joke. Unfailingly polite and welcoming. Healthy, spiritual and decent.
- the Balinese surfers rip their waves and they still own them. A visiting Brazilian would not think twice to drop in on an Aussie local at Kirra. But you won't see the same in Bali. The Balinese surfers are treated with the respect they deserve. Because as everyone knows, if they are not treated with respect there is consequences.
- the water is so warm it's like swimming in silken angels tears.
- telling people that you are going to Bali will often elicit a response along the lines of ......"why would you go to that traffic ridden, noisy shithole ?" And then as you're kicking back with a Bintang watching the sunset over Uluwatu you can imagine them sitting at lights in their car on their way home from work in Perth. Which , for those that have never been , is a noisy , traffic ridden shithole. And this makes me laugh. Which is something I enjoy doing.
- The fruit is incredible.
- despite the millions of tourists, the fast food franchises and the Aussie over familiarity with the joint it's still exotic. The smell of clove cigarettes, the ogo ogos of Nyepi, the Buddhist offerings , monkeys , food and language are all enticingly foreign.
- there is no overreaching nanny state. You want to ride your motorbike with all four of your children and the missus on the back...whilst texting. Go for it.
- you can live like a king on a regular Aussie income. Maybe not such a great benefit for the Balinese themselves though.
- it's close to Oz. Twenty hour plane ride and a shot at developing deep vein thrombosis.....ummm no thanks. It's actually faster to fly to Bali from Perth than it is to drive to Albany. You can fly from Port Hedland in less than two hours.
- you get an opportunity to regularly witness some of the most foolhardy behaviour imaginable on a daily basis. You ever seen a man being doubled on a motorbike through traffic whilst holding a large pane of glass ? What about seeing someone hold a nail between his bare fingers while his mate tries to grind the tip off it ? It's all there folks.
- you can see people making do with not much and making it work. An exhaust system held on with a T Shirt ? An outboard motor attached to a boat with no anchoring system, just held on with a man's brute force ? Why not ? It might not work forever but it'll usually get em over the line.
- the winds can blow offshore for months at a time and when they blow onshore, well , that just makes it offshore somewhere else. It's an island !
- you haven't seen glassy oceanic conditions till you've seen Indonesian sheet glass. It's like an oil slick. And if you're ever near Benoa Harbour that could well be what it is.
- old people are accorded the respect they deserve.
- it's exciting. It's a melting pot of the world. Wide eyed villages from remote Asia, jaded techno princesses from Russia, sleek surfy chicks from Canada , your next door neighbour from Ipswich....it's a party and everyone is invited.
Including YOU. I'll see you there. You can't miss me.
I'll be the sun burnt drunk in a head to toe Bintang ensemble with hair braids and a fresh tattoo of a unicorn across my back . Don't be shy. Come and say hello.