Travel | Bali Part II – Hints & Tips

Hi! I hope you enjoyed my little “gallery” post – I haven’t used that feature on the blog before and it took a bit of fiddling on my end!

I have been keeping up a regular schedule at the gym but my body is taking time to get used to it. I have low blood pressure and get a bit giddy on some machines so am pacing myself! Gradually increasing the weights. I’m very tired this week, so apologies if my posts are not as chatty as usual!

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If you missed Part I of my thoughts on Bali click here.

I love this photo up in Ubud! So I keep using it hehe

I wanted to also share with you some general hints and tips about travel to Bali – here they are – I hope you find these helpful!

• Bali has a tropical climate and is close to the equator, so it’s very warm all year round. There is a wet season (October – April) so if you are wanting to do a lot of sight seeing, perhaps avoid that time of year! On the other hand, you may not mind if you’d prefer to avoid the crowds.
• As you may have gathered from my previous Bali post, it is a very “touristy” destination. Take time to plan your trip beforehand if you want to do more than surf, sit by the pool, and/or sip cocktails!
• The Balinese are very friendly and I felt very safe there; I would recommend it as a good destination for those with children as there is a variety of food there including a lot of Western food which won’t upset little ones’ tummies.
• Pack very light – you will be able to buy just about everything you need over there for le cheap! However brand name skin care and cosmetics will set you back similar prices to Australia.
• It is worth getting a hotel that is at least 4 star – it is much cheaper than in Australia and you will be in absolutely lovely surroundings! We stayed at The Haven in Seminyak – would recommend it 100%!
• Tipping is expected and the amount tipped is whatever you feel.
• Bartering is also commonplace and be prepared to barter in any market or stall. Supermarkets, pharmacies and shopping centres have fixed prices just like at home.
• I didn’t see many mozzies (mosquitos) or flies during my trip but did pack insect repellant. If you are travelling in the wet season you may wish to check out other protection options (e.g. re dengue, malaria risk). Despite being in nice accomodation we often saw a mozzie or two buzzing around our room! I didn’t get bitten at all, luckily!
• Kuta is the really boozy part of Bali and can get a bit feral; if you don’t like that scene stay in Seminyak or consider a getaway in the mountains (Ubud) or other more remote areas.
• It is easy to hire a driver and get a personal tour of Bali’s sights; we enjoyed this much more than a standard “group” tour and got to benefit from a personal commentary from our driver.
• For most countries you purchase a Visa upon arrival ($25 USD in USD) at Denpasar airport; for all travellers there is a departure fee too (150000 rupiah if I remember right! Equivalent to $15 AUD approx).

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If you have any particular questions for me please ask in the comments below!

So excited about Adelaide Beauty Conference (ABC) 2012 on Saturday!
Keep an eye on my Twitter (@beautstoryblog) as during the day I’ll be a busy bee!
&/Or follow the official event account at @AdelBeautyCon x