Java & Bali
An hour’s flight from Yogyakarta is the popular island of Bali. We first visited the family resort of Sanur, which has plenty of stalls, shops, bars and restaurants immediately outside the hotels. It has a safe feel about it and set on a long 5km sandy beach, would be a great choice for an authentic Balinese beach holiday. Further south are the resorts of Nusa Dua and Kuta. Nusa Dua is protected by a security point and houses a number of large resort hotels, again on a long sandy beach. Outside the boundaries of the hotels, there aren't really any places to wander in an evening, although there are stalls selling tourist 'tat' peppered along the beaches. The stall holders pounce on you as you wander by, and bartering would be the name of the game here. Some fabulous hotels along the coast, but to me for an authentic experience, I would prefer Sanur. However if you prefer a hotel based holiday with everything on hand, Nusa Dua would be perfect. Suitable or all ages. We drove through Kuta, which is geared for backpackers and is lined with tacky shops.
About 90mins inland from the coast is the rainforest. I would highly recommend a few days up here, as the scenery and vegetation is lush and it is very peaceful. Ubud is the main centre in this area, and is lined with artisan shops, bars and places to eat. You will see local crafts here too. The main road through can get busy, but as soon as you step into the grounds of your chosen hotel, you step into an oasis of calm. There is accommodation in Ubud within walking distance of the shops, but you can also stay a couple of miles out, where you would get a shuttle to Ubud centre. This area is great for couples and honeymooners who want to get away from it all. Perhaps have a yoga class, have a relaxing spa treatment, go hiking, or hire a bike. We visited the Monkey Forest, where under supervision a macaque monkey will perch on your shoulder...a fun experience! Entertainment would be low key in the hotels, but you could enjoy a drink watching the star filled sky and be at peace, maybe listening to a guitarist.
We also visited an Agro Tourism Resort, which really was isolated. Ideal for Yoga groups to practice and enjoy a peaceful, healthy getaway. Bagus Agro Pelaga is in central Bali and is 950m above sea level. It is a bit cooler up there and are not bothered by mosquitos, although we did notice some flies when dining al fresco.
One evening we took a taxi to Seminyak, which is about 20mins from Nusa Dua. There are numerous bars, music venues and restaurants here. This thriving area attracts the younger generation, and was a great antidote to the quiet resort hotels.
Although sometimes very busy on the roads, there was no road rage, no beeping of horns. The Indonesian people are just lovely, subservient, offering fantastic service. We tried many local tasty dishes, which were sometime spicy, but not always. The local beer is good, imported wines are relatively expensive, but they do produce their own. On the whole the cost of living is low. They drive on the same side of the road as we do. Voltage is a 220v 2 pin round European plug.
Having experienced both Java and Bali, I would combine the 2 if planning my own holiday. Java offers ancient temples, an authentic Indonesia, whilst Bali has good beaches, rainforest, mountains, forests and lakes. To the north of Bali, the beaches are black volcanic sand, great for diving and much quieter than the south coast, golden sand resorts. From Bali you can get a ferry across to Lombok, which is quieter and great for diving.
So all in all, a diverse place to visit which wouldn't disappoint those who like a varied experience.