Day Trip Option - Bali Safari Park

Hello again. We have another guest blogger today, my lovely aunty Lisa Cammaroto. Enjoy!

LIONS and TIGERS and BEARS Oh My!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got the drama gene too….

The Bali Safari and Marine Park is a terrific day out for young and old. Beautiful gardens and lots of friendly faces with some really CLOSE animal experiences. 

Like most zoos there is a variety of old and new enclosures and it is a big area, in fact it’s a big day. With your entrance fee you get to choose a close up experience with either an orang-utan or a tiger. Both amazing and quite surreal. I can’t wait to watch my son see the piranha feeding  (10.30am each day).

Other close up experiences include handlers walking around with amazingly colourful birds, a 'birds of prey' show in an amphitheatre and for a few dollars you can buy food to feed the elephants. Elephant rides are available for a separate fee and can be arranged at the entrance. But it was the safari drive in a little camouflaged bus that was a fun photo opportunity and proved really entertaining.

There is also a water park for children so don’t forget the towels and maybe a change of clothes. There is the obligatory souvenir shop and over priced café and most importantly CLEAN toilets!!

It can be a very busy place so we went early last time and plan to go early again. The trip is approximately 40 minutes from Seminyak.

Let me know if you enjoyed it as much I did. See you soon on the Island of the Gods

Cosa Nostra - Restaurant Review

A fantastic restaurant within walking distance of both Breezes and Pelangi is Cosa Nostra.
Specialising in yummy Italian food, this restaurant is family friendly, cheap and delicious!

Food: Delicious Italian food, Pizza, pasta, salads and plenty of it! For a full menu click here.

Price: Cheerfully cheap! Average meal price is $6-$8. That's a main size pizza or pasta for $8 maximum! Sweet! Bintang's are also well priced.

Location: Couldn't get much better, a short stroll up Dyhana Pura, just up the road from Breezes.

Ambiance: Easy, casual dining. Great for families, couples or groups. Sit at the bar at their unique bar stools or pick a table out the front and watch the world go by.

Tips: No tips needed for this place. It's great for lunch or dinner so the main tip is just make sure you get there!

Not long to go now...

Until you wake up to this every morning...

And watch this go down every night...

Meet you at the bean bags in less than 30 sleeps!

Potato Head Beach Club - Review



PHBC From outside looking in.

 A little further afield than the old favourites, the Potato Head Beach Club has one of the best names we've come across in a while, as well as an amazing atmosphere.
Location - Located closer to the trendy new suburbs of Petitenget and Canggu this unique club is hidden down a long lane off the main road.

Ambience - Part Beach club, part restaurant, part nightclub, it's hard to really define what the club is. You can go there for a fabulous meal with amazing cocktails and some of the best non-alcoholic options around. You can take your beach bag and laze the day away on the double day beds right next to the pool. Or you can get your party on here pretty much all night long.


View of the pool and day beds

It's a cool place without being pretentious, a pleasant change from some of the more well known establishments. On some days it can be crazy busy and yet on others there are plenty of beds to go around. Your best bet is to head there from 11am onwards if you're thinking about spending quality time. If you're after a change of scenery from your hotel pool then this has to be stop number one!

Price - This is again on the higher side of Bali, however the facilities and quality of the food and beverages is worthwhile. See you there soon.



La Lucciola - Restaurant Review

Walking distance along the beach from both the Pelangi and Breezes, La Lucciola is a Bali institution that has served some of the best food on the island for years. Perfect location for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this is one of the more special places to spend your time. 

• Location - right on Seminyak beach, walk in the opposite direction to Kuta and you can't miss it! 
• Ambience - Amazing! Green gass, perfect palm trees and by night lanterns and soft lighting. The Frangipani bar is a great place to sit and wait for your table. The entrance from the carpark is worth a mention.  
• Food - Beautiful. So many options, very filling, great sides. Modern, mediterranean cuisine. The weekend breakfast is different from during the week and well worth a try.
• Drinks - Try the passionfruit caprihini! Aussie wines (although you'll pay for it) and anything else you'd want.
• Price - Definitely in the higher price bracket for Bali. But having said that, you will eat and drink like a King, be waited on patiently and have an unfortgettable night for $50 to $100 per couple.
• Tips - If arriving by car you'll need to pay a small amount of money ($2) to get into the carpark as the restaurant shares its land with a local temple. Also, there are no fans so still, hot nights can be a little uncomfortable.

A beautiful restaurant that you must try while you're on the island. Also a very special place for us, this is where we got engaged!

Spa Days - Guest Blogger

Hi all, we have another guest blogger this week. Please welcome Bernie (AKA Mother of the Bride) with her helpful spa review - enjoy!!

We thought it was about time to get down to the serious side of the wedding trip, discussing Spa visits!

Bali is a fantastic spa destination with not only your upmarket salons but also small salons on every corner. There are gorgeous  Indonesian girls asking if you want Massage, Pedicure or Manicure as you stroll on by. These smaller salons are pretty basic but do a fair job for a very reasonable price. Obviously you get what you pay for but after a few hours shopping in the heat - a pedicure and leg massage can be just what the doctor ordered!

We have a few favourite Salons from past trips and we will endeavour to give you just a sample of what sort of services they have on offer.  The salons listed below are all within a short distance of the hotels where you will be staying.

COOL SALON AND SPA

This is probably our favourite salon for massages at a very reasonable price – a 1hr aromatherapy massage (with your choice of oil) for only about $15.00.  Prior to your massage you are given a foot wash and scrub then taken to a very quiet, dark, peaceful room for your massage.  Cool also offers lots of other services including facials, body scrubs, manicures, pedicures etc. 

Example of prices;

90min Body & Foot Massage - 185,000 (or $20)

105min Body massage with Facial - 200,000 (or $22) 

2hr 45min Body scrub and massage + facial 400,00 (or $44)

BODYWORKS

One of the original spas to have started in the Seminyak area.  This salon is a little more upmarket compared to Cool and some of the prices reflect this.  We have had many treatments at this spa, probably the most enjoyable was an exfoliation massage (Mandi Lulur) or as we affectionately call it “Curry in a Hurry”!  “The treatment begins with a 75 minute Balinese massage, and then the entire body is painted in a brown, granular paste containing turmeric, sandalwood, cinnamon, ground nuts and rice.  The paste is then gently rubbed to exfoliate the skin.  After a quick shower the body is covered in fresh yoghurt.  The enzymes stimulate cell activity and restore the pH balance of the skin, which feels soft as silk after the yoghurt is washed away.  The final step involves luxuriating in a warm, fragrant, flower filled bath”.  Absolute Heaven! 

Another firm favourite is having a manicure, pedicure and hair cream bath (this involves having your hair washed and a conditioning cream massaged into your hair).  While the cream is nourishing your hair, you are given a 1/2hr shoulder, neck and arm massage, all the while having your pedicure and manicure at the same time.  It doesn’t get much better than that!!

Example of prices;

90min Full Body Massage with warm bath to finish - 282,000 (or $31)

2 hrs Exfoliation Massage (Mandi Lulur) - 378,000 (or $42) 

60min Facial 175,000 (or $19)

AMO BEAUTY SPA

This is a relatively new spa salon in the increasingly popular Pettinget area but still not too far from our Hotels.  They do all the usual manicures, pedicures and massages but they also perform fantastic facials as well.  Other services include waxing, hairdressing,  etc.

Example of prices;

90min Relax or Rejuventate Massage - 260,000 (or $28)

30min Oxygen Facial 250,000 (or $27)
3 hours Spa'licious - Body scrub, massage, hair wash and blw dry 550,000 ($61)

Enjoy!

"Taxi!"

There are several ways to get around in Bali. One of the easiest and most comfortable to new travellers are taxis (or Taksi!). Plenty of Taxi companies exist however there's only 1 reputable one - Blue Bird.

Blue bird taxis are distinguishable by their light blue colour car and the large blue bird symbol on top of the cab.



 Blue Bird taxis always put their metres on unlike some of the others and have a much better reputation. You can try your luck with some of the other random taxis that get around however you may be ripped off on arrival because 'the metre is broken' or 'I forgot' etc etc. Unless you know how much a trip should cost always insist on the driver using the metre.

You can also pay drivers in regular cars and vans to take you where you'd like to go. One depot is located on the road that connects the Pelangi and Breezes. It is customary to let the driver know where you're headed and then negotiate a price. Speak to some of the Bali regulars to get an idea on how much it should cost to get to your destination. If you have more than 4 people or you can't locate a Blue Bird, private transport is a good option at times.

Some people will also rent scooters while in Bali, these are available for rent quite cheaply and petrol costs next to nothing. You should have an international motorbike license to ride these however many tourists take the risk.

Travel laws in Bali are fairly simple - keep moving! Stay left an go slow and you can't get in too much trouble. If you're wise you'll avoid JL Legian after 11am...

Happy travels!

Sunset

A great time to hang out at the beach is just before sunset, anytime from 5pm onwards.

All of the Balinese families come down to enjoy their time together, there's plenty of games and activities happening and just near our recommended hotels are a whole heap of beach warungs (local cafes) with comfy beanbags. If you lose people during the day, it's a sure bet that you'll find someone to chat to on a beanbag at sunset.

These pictures are of one of the larger warungs called La Plancha. This place has become pretty popular so you may need to make your way to the beach at 4:30pm to secure a good spot.

You can get beer,wine and soft drink here as well as some nibbles.

As you can see by the photos , it's a pretty difficult way to spend an afternoon.

See you there soon for a drink!