bali is predominantly Hindu. anywhere you go you’d see temples and offerings to the gods and dieties.

since i went there on a shoestring budget, i stayed at the suka beach inn. typical backpacker style facilities. they serve “simple” breakfast. if you want to splurge, the begawan giri estates is the way to go!

there are many ways to get around the sights of the island. you can rent out a motorcycle, rent out a cab or go around on foot.

places you must go to are the following:

1. uluwatu temple

2. batur temple

3. some volcano there

you might get templed-out so make sure to also visit other attractions there such as the bali bombing memorial. do some island stuff shopping at the kuta square and the discovery mall. dining isn’t a problem as well. beachfront dinner restos at the jimbaran beach!

visit my flickr photos to get an idea of what i’m blabbering about.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danes96/sets/652379/

I blogged about Bali in my travel blog

http://pillowindebag.blogspot.com/search/label/bali

Don’t miss the floating temple – go during the late afternoon and evening to see the difference.

There are festivals / prayers almost everyday in Bali so you don’t have to worry about missing seeing the rituals.

If you like shopping, there are stretches of shoplots at Kuta! The prices for the same item may differ.

Oh, book the transport there (van and motorcycles mostly) instead of before because it’s cheaper there!

As indicated by some of the posts here, and most travel books, Bali has a really wide range of accommodations and activities. I only had a chance to see Denpasar, but by all accounts try to include Ubud.

I went in 2002 and stayed at a small, mid-priced hotel in Tanjung Benoa, called Suites Hotel Bali Royal. It was lovely and highly recommended. Food at the hotel was modest but the atmosphere and neighbourhood were great, with a nice restaurant next door.

Enjoyed Bali thoroughly and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in things to do or see. Go with an open mind and try to appreciate the history and culture.

My personal recommendations – dine at Jimbaran Bay, temple at Uluwatu, Walk Tanjung Benoa (not the shopping area, the neighbourhood), white water rafting (number of places around Denpasar).

Enjoy your trip.

Glad to help. I suggest hiring a driver to take you around to the local villages. They each specialize in a local craft handed down from generation to generation. For instance, Celuk is famous for hand-worked silver, Klungklung for fabrics, Ubud for paintings,etc. Denpasar is the capital city and has many good sights. Other places that are a “must”:

Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Jimbaran (great seaside cafes!), Bali Bird Park, Goa Gajah (elephant cave temple) Lake Batur. Never pay asking price for anything – bargaining is expected! You will end up paying around 60-75% of asking price unless you get your driver to get you the “local” price. If you have an invitation to a cremation ceremony, accept, but stay out of the way and keep your cameras unobtrusive. Don’t bother with the “fake” cremations put on for tourists. Men and women both will be expected to wear a sarong in the temples. Visit several temples, they are all unique.

I stayed in Nusa Dua and I do recommend staying away from the tourist area of Kuta as it is noisy and there are pickpockets and beggars that harass the tourists. We also spent a couple nights at Bali Spirit resort in Ubud for two nights and it was fantastic – on the hillside full of lush vegetation.

If you have more questions, please so not hesitate to ask.

Joan