Bali Tours and beach

Can anyone please recommend a tour company that could take us to visit Ubad and some sights in the area for the day.

What would be the best beach to head for please on our second day

Many thanks

Hi, I might be able to help with advice.

Firstly, I would recommend the village of Ubud, mainly for shopping, temples,

etc. however, make sure you walk along Jalan Raya Ubud (street) towards Wos River, to see terraced rice paddy fields, etc.

In Ubud, there is Puri Lukisan Museum, shops, etc. Forget the Monkey Forest. I see them in Singapore each time I visit relatives there. Two things about the monkeys, "dont bear you teeth at them" that's sign of aggresion, and secondly, don't produce a banana from your backpack, you will start WW3 with the monkeys.

I like Pura Taman Saraswati temple, it faces Cafe Lotus.

Enjoy Ubud,......so much nicer than Kuta.

I forgot to mention which beaches in Bali to visit.

Kuta is for teenagers, wild drinking parties, etc. not my cup of tea, as they say.

I have friends who have stayed at Nusa Dua & love the upmarket resorts & quiet beach.

Another beach that is worth visiting, and suited more for mature adults is Sanur Beach on the eastern side of the peninsular.

Ooops, forgot to mention the island of Nusa Lembongan, off the east coast of Bukit Peninsular. Your cruise ship will no doubt dock at Benoa Harbour, which is in striking distance of Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua, or Nusa Lemongan.

Another beach areas which is more upmarket than Kuta is Seminyak.

First of all, yes, Ubud is well worth a visit. Actually a collection of neighbourhoods/villages, each with their own speciality craft - wood, stone, painting, etc.

Also the nearby monkey sanctuary, where you walk amongst the residents. :cool:

But if you take a refreshment break at an outside table of an adjacent café, you may have an uninvited guest at your table. :D

You are likely to stop at a temple or two - take some low-denomination USD as a donation or in return for the use of a suitable over-garment if you're not appropriately-dressed.

And throughout your visit to Bali, USD is the only currency you'll need.

We did pre-book a car, ridiculously cheap, but he didn't show (later apologised that he was held up). But there were stax of minibuses at the jetty, even more ridiculously-cheap. Around $50 for the vehicle for the day, with both a driver (limited or zero English) and a guide (very acceptable English). We were there two days, a group of us used a different minibus each day, and both were excellent. That was about 3 years ago.

Can't help re a beach for the second day, though if you're going to devote a day to the beach I'd suggest the flexibility to do that on day one if the weather's fine - there are often rainy days on Bali. Always warm, but sometimes very wet as well.

But although it's none of my business, I'd query the idea of travelling thousands of miles to spend a port day on the beach.

Each to their own of course, but Bali has a great deal more to offer besides Ubud.

Such as the volcanic hills & lakes of Kintamani.

There, instead of the big & crowded restaurant used by ship's coach parties, our driver took us for lunch at a terrace restaurant looking down onto paddy-fields. Great place, good food, lovely people, and again ridiculously (even embarrassingly) cheap. A couple of pet fruit bats hanging by the door. With the owner's guidance we fed them - without his guidance I'd be typing this post using just one hand :D

An elephant "sanctuary" on the way too, if that's your scene.

Plenty of other alternatives too, we made a lot of interesting stops at places which despite research we'd known nothing about.

Bali's a super place, super people - gentle, friendly, artistic.

Enjoy

JB :)

Just got back from Bali after our Crystal Cruise, we were there December 7-11 . We toured with a very nice young man who spoke very good English. His name is Made Sabar and his email is madesabar@hotmail.com. Make sure you go to the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud and a must see Balinese dance.

Just got back from Bali after our Crystal Cruise, we were there December 7-11 . We toured with a very nice young man who spoke very good English. His name is Made Sabar and his email is madesabar@hotmail.com. Make sure you go to the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud and a must see Balinese dance.

If you read this before January 8, could you please email me at tracie at carolina.rr.com? I would like to vet this driver prior to finalizing our arrangements. Thank you.