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Blogs from Bukit Peninsula, Bali, Indonesia, Asia
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March 17th 2013
Our previous memories of Bali were, to put it mildly, not great. We found the people unwelcoming and the prices off-putting but we weren’t sure if we’d really given it the chance it probably deserved so a few months back we’d booked flights to return here after our time in the Philippines. We were determined to try and see a different side to this island but our guard would be well and truly up. It’s a shame because last time around our experiences in Indonesia were some of our highlights and indeed our ultimate destination is found in this country so why did we leave Bali vowing never to return again? Hopefully this time around we might leave with a more positive outlook but lets wait until our 3.5 weeks are up until we make that ... read more
November 18th 2012
I left Canggu for Balangan in the mid-afternoon and it was awesomely easy to find. I took Sunset Road past the turnoff for the airport, then kept going to the next right turn where there was a sign for Jimbaran/Ulu Watu. I fought the traffic down the length of Jimbaran bay and then it was just up the hill, past the GWK cultural park, to the Nirmala Supermarket, where there is a sign for Balangan. I did find it a little hard to adjust to the crazy Kuta scooter traffic, which is so unlike the re3latively open roads of the far west of Bali. I stopped at Nirmala to stock up on the cheapest water I've seen and a few groceries and then drove the last 7km to Balangan beach. The landscape of the Bukit Peninsula ... read more
October 11th 2011
In a perfect world, as an alternative to having to take an Intro to Negotiating course in college, professors should be able to send their students to Indonesia, where everything is negotiable. It's a lot of fun negotiating with the guys here for anything--I haggle for everything now, just because I get a kick out of it. It's not rude or unusual--it's just the way it is here. It's normal. The conditions for negotiating here are quite favorable, as there is usually someone else selling the same thing somewhere nearby for around the same price. One of the first things they teach you in negotiating is never accept the first offer. The people I've negotiated with here have learned this lesson as well, but they use it in the wrong way--for example, if they tell you ... read more
October 7th 2011
Air Asia was a pleasant short flight from Singapore, just a mear 3hrs which is nothing for the journeys i have taken in the last 2 months! Landed on this island and went straight to Balangan beach on the south peninsula of Bukit where i parked myself at a surf warung (bungalow on the beach) for a few days and soaked up some sun and sea! Waking up to the view of surfers already out catching the waves at 09h30 was wonderful to say the least and the days there were totally unstressful. I lived on fresh fruit juices and and very quiet evenings catching up on some reading, as not had the chance to do much of that since i left Belgium!!! It was one of the best surf spots here so I am told ... read more
September 30th 2011
Leaving Singapore was great to see during the day, being overtaken by supertankers whilst trying to dodge the Indonesian fishermen that were fishing in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, in their 10' long dugout wooden canoes. Our trip from Singapore wasn't the smoothest trip I've ever had, but it wasn't the worst either. The 4 day trip consisted of 15-25kt winds right on the nose and 3-5' seas--this little boat was moving around a little bit, and two of the girls were puking for 3 days. I actually enjoy those conditions though because I sleep really well in the rocking seas, and usually have some pretty wild dreams from my brain juice sloshing around. Our arrival in Benoa, Bali was right at sunrise. Once we hit the dock, we were boarded by ... read more
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September 3rd 2011
Buenas!! Para aquellos que os pensabais que nunca iba a volver... parece que este viajazo esta tocando a su fin desgraciadamente. Hoy es nuestro ultimo dia en Bali y manyana volamos a Singapur, y pasado manyana por la noche pillamos el vuelo nocturo a Frankfurt, y de ahi a Madrid. pfffffff... que bajon. Pero en fin, aun quedan un par de dias asi que a seguir disfrutando a tope como venimos haciendo. Ahora mismo estamos en la peninsula de Bukit, en el sur-sur de Bali. Es una sucesion de playas veneradas y frecuentadas por surferos de medio planeta, porque al parecer las olas deben ser miticas. Concretamente estamos en la playa de Padang Padang, una de las mas aptas para nadar porque el resto es practicamente imposible por la corriente. De dia esta a tope de ... read more
May 3rd 2011
Sun, sea, sand. young coconut. Delightful. Unfortunately I also have a cut foot and grazed chin from falling off a scooter (very minor, pathetic attempt to turn on the road and have now taken the back seat). Bali was a bit of an impulsive and opportunistic decision, and so after borrowing a lonely planet from someone siting next to me on the plane, i heading for the cheap backpacker areas of Poppies lanes in Kuta. Crazy busy, hawkers everywhere, dirty beach and BUSY nightlife. I then went on a 48 hour trip around the island, driving up the n\the mountains and north, into lake filled volcanoes, getting stuck going up a STEEP hill in the rain and having to be helped out by half a dozen local guys, lifting the back of our 8 person VAN ... read more
September 22nd 2010
Massage? No. Massage? No. Massage? No. Massage? How much? 20,000 Rp ($2.50) Hmmm. Massage? Ok. Such is life on Bali. Persistent. Waves of water. Waves of kindness. And yes, waves of offers. These days (I'm aware this is my first blog entry) I'm resting my head in the one-dimensional outpost of Balangan on the Bukit Peninsula. Bukit is a very popular surf destination for everyone who comes through Bali. It has some of the most famous waves in all of Indonesia, and therefore, some of the most frustrating crowds. I'm staying at a family run lodge, (does it need walls to be considered so?), on the beach. It has a floor. And a roof. My room has a bed. And a fan. Surfboards, leashes, and drying supplies, litter the remaining space. Travelers from France, Austria, Australia, ... read more
A breath of fresh Air- Bali and Gili Islands
Published: July 5th 2010Asia » Indonesia » Bali » Bukit Peninsula
July 4th 2010
BALI We'd met a guy in Bromo who recommended a cool surfers beach in Bukit so decided to give infamous Kuta beach a miss and head there instead. Got a taxi to Dreamland beach and realised at once that the bloke meant us to go to Bingin, round the coast, as Dreamland was a posh villa resort. So back in a taxi to the pretty and chilled out cliff top village of Bingin. Took a beautiful Balianese decorated room on the cliff top at a guest house run by Lynie and her family (Pondok Indah Lynie Guesthouse). The amazing rooms all looked out onto a pretty garden and there was an outside gazebo chill out and TV area. Loads of UK and Aussie gossip mags for Holly and surf DVDs for Dee and 'Mama' (Lynie's mum) ... read more
April 4th 2010
The day started with me first checking out the pancake situation at the hotel restaurant. Well actually, the first order of business was to check the water drain situation …yes it does turn the other way. Now I can die saying that I’ve actually seen it! I know … the smallest things make me happy. I’m simple like that! So back to this pancake situation … they are banana pancakes and oh my sweet Lord …I am definitely going to take full advantage of that for the next couple of days!! There’s a reason that this guy is so popular! It’s funny how every trip, there’s a new obsession that starts … I mean Anik and I practically had to go through cappucino detox after a week in Santa Lucia! From breakfast I headed to the ... read more
