Bali Resort recommendation needed

Super info guys! Thank you!

Steve

Hi Steve,

You've already gotten a lot of great information. Add me to the list of those who think Scuba Seraya is a great place to stay. I stayed there one year ago in October before heading to Wakatobi. I loved the atmosphere at Scuba Seraya and would go there again in a heartbeat. Although I didn't do any massages there, some folks in our group got them. In Bali, the massages are very inexpensive especially compared to cost of massages back home. You can do shore dives nearby and you can also go by boat to dive the wreck of the Liberty. I also took a photo workshop from Jeff Mullins, who lives in Tulamben. it was well worth the money spent. Jeff's wife Dawn served as a spotter on our dive at Seraya Secrets and located a Mimic Octopus, Coleman Shrimp and other cool things.

When in Bali, I would try to attend a Kecak dance if you have the time. I've attached an image of this not-to-be-missed performance that is quite special.

Also if you or your wife is into shopping, I can give you the name of a kind and courteous local man named Eddy that I hired for 1/2 day. He used to live in the United States so speaks perfect English. For only $25, he took me around in his air-conditioned car to the local shopping places to buy silver, artwork and other assorted things that I bought as gifts for friends and relatives back home. It was money well spent.

Enjoy your anniversary trip! Bali is a wonderful place and I think you will have a great time.

Ellen

Thanks Ellen,

I appreciate your thoughts. My wife is a world class shopper, seriously into the thrill of the hunt. She doesn't spend alot of money, just enjoys the sport of it I think. From all everyone has said and what we've read. I think she's going to enjoy Bali.

Great shot of the dancer, are there some special events like this that we'd need to book reservations for ahead or just roll with it when we get there?

Cheers,

Steve

Steve, better be prepared with cool towels and smelling salts for shopping overload! Better yet, take a look around the house and see what you need/want - furniture, stone sculptures for the yard, all kinds of serving utensils, art work, carvings, whatever - Bali is shopping heaven! Maybe even take some measurements for custom book cases, cabinets, bed frames, etc. If you go overboard, I have a good shipping agent I can refer you

Phil

Steve,

You usually do not have to make any reservations in advance for the performances. If you go early, you can just show up and pay at the door and get a decent seat. I agree with Ellen that the Kecak dance is well worth it. Sometimes they combine it with the fire dance which is interesting as well. Another one I could recommend is the Barong Dance, which is often done in the morning around 9am. If you are given an opportunity to visit a temple celebration (Odalan), do it. You can see some performances there and not for tourist benefit. You can also see the Balinese worship and Gamelan orchestra's play. It is the temples anniversary, which occurs ever 210 days and with the number of temples in Bali, there is usually always one going on somewhere. Full moons are a good day for the Balinese and many occur on full moon. The Balinese are usually very welcoming to tourists who want to take in their culture, but you have to wear proper traditional attire (sarong and waist sash) to enter the temples and only Hindu's may enter certain parts of the temple. It is best to go with a guide during these festivals so they can take you where appropriate and also explain their customs and religious rituals. You and your wife are gonna LOVE Bali!!

Great shot of the dancer, are there some special events like this that we'd need to book reservations for ahead or just roll with it when we get there?

Just roll with it when you get there. There are people on the street selling tickets to the kecak dance and it won't be difficult to get them when you are there. The price was reasonable as I recall and cost only about $7.50 or $8.00 or something like that.

Cheers,

Ellen

I can save you some time with Scuba Seraya. I've already tried to book around the same time but the Hugy Cup is being held there from June 20 to August 14 and all the rooms are booked for that event.

I considered joining in the event but 150 Euro /per person /per day is a little too pricey for me. I'm pretty sure that I will be able to photograph the exact same fish quite comfortably at 20% of the price at my alternate lodging location.

Thasnks DC, I had noticed that too. Many of the Tulamben resorts are already booked that week for the contest.

Have a great time on your trip!

Steve

Steve, thanks for starting this thread. I am visiting the same area in Oct, 2010.

Did not see any comments regarding Bluehill Resort at Tulamben and wondering.. has no one been there or seen it?

their website seems nice, the few reviews I found were nice as well.

Any one familiar or have comments regarding them?

One criteria I have is a table and chair in the room or balony/patio for computer work. I will be traveling solo and when all else goes quite, I will work on photo's from the day, etc. Mimpi does not seem to have anything but a bed and night stands, for example, which does not work for me.

Dave

Steve, I would recommend Aman Resort if you want to move around. You can stay 2 days at Amankila and dive at Amed, Candidasa or even Tulamben. It is not that far really as the view to Tulamben from Amankila is very nice. Then you can stay at Amandari which is at Ubud for some really nice cultural experience. My wife and I stayed at both for our 10th years anniversary and we did some diving too then. Nice resort, nice location, nice people.

Hi Steve,

Congrats on your upcoming anniversary!

You might want to split up your 5 days into a couple before your flight to Wakatobi, and either 2 or 3 afterwards. You could spend either part up in Ubud, and the other at a beach resort. I second all of the options mentioned by the other posters ahead of me, but one thing that also Bali excels at are the SPAS. You would be remiss to not indulge in multiple spa treatments and massages, even every day!

Getting a private driver and car will help make the most of your time and get you to places before the tour buses arrive. It was the best travel tip I learned before my several Bali trips. The driver also acted as a guide, and made sure that I got to the Monkey Forest before the bus, and got to the best temple, had the sarong, etc.

While this may sound morbid, I was at Sanur on one trip and the beach masseuse mentioned that there was a Cremation ceremony going on up the beach. Wow, what a celebration, with music, dancers, huge displays etc. All people were welcome, with more that a few with cameras... it was a whole day event, with multiple cremations occurring simultaneously. If there is one going on, I do suggest wandering on by. It is a very interesting cultural event in Bali.

There is plenty to do without diving, but if you really want to dive, then have a great time.

Wonderful ideas and info guys. Superb help, thank you.

 

Drew, the mola's are one of the reasons we picked this trip for our anniversary. My wife (girlfriend then) met her first one off the old sailboat on the way back from Santa Barbara Island on what must have been close to our first date. She was duly impressed and has always wanted her picture with a Mola. I said as I usually do. "We can do that". They better show up or I'm in big trouble. Anybody know a Mola incantation?

 

Thanks again for all the help,

Steve

Steve -Congrats on your 25th Anniversary. My guess is that if she has kept you this long, she will probably forgive you if the Molas do not show up. But you might be relegated to the "fish" house for a few nights. Eric and I just celebrated our 25th and we think it just gets better from here.

Good luck planning your trip - DiverPam

Hi Steve,

You probably already mades plans but I'll put my two cents in anyway.

Tulamben is great, but I really loved Menjangan Mimpi Resort. Really beautiful and peaceful, (sounds like you are looking a bit for a resort experience).

The diving to the island was excellent, but the muck at Secret Bay was out of this world. Bobbit worms galore!

That said, good luck with the molas -- I've heard they're beginning to be harder and harder to see around NP. Too many divers!

Hi Steve,

Congratulations! My wife and I want to do something very similar to what you are doing. So what did you decide?

If you dont mind me jumping in here a little bit and asking the others as well?

We are looking at a same type of trip later this July or anytime in August 2010 for Bali

Ideally, the following would be perfect for us:

- stay at a boutique-like resort with quiet private bungalows and the ability to enjoy very good shore diving in front of the resort at any time.

- Optional boat dives available each day.

- Some hiking nearby without needing a car, whether its for nature, cultural, or landscape, etc, as I'd like to wake early each morning for a run or hike before breakfast and diving starting afterward.

- Enjoy a spa massage in the afternoon

- Great food though it does not have always be at the resort. (I'm vegan, so a bit harder for me).

- And importantly, does anyone here know if there is high-speed internet or wifi in any of the rooms for these type of resorts? i.e. Scuba Seraya, Villa Markisa, the Mimpi(s), etc? My wife needs to be able to deal with nagging work issues when necessary and we need to have in-room internet service. Running to a lobby, business center, or internet cafe wouldnt work for what she would need to be able to do. I put emails out to some of the resorts, but no response came back.

We want to head to Ubud for some of the other, non-diving activities as well. We are going to the Bali area, and only Bali, its nots a stopover thing like you are getting to enjoy Steve.

Steve, can you let me know what you found and anyone who can make suggestions, based on those tastes and criteria, it would be so great! Its only our 14th anniversary on Aug 10, so we have catching up to do.

Thanks ALL!

paquito

Hi Paquito,

We are off on our trip July 19. We are on the Pelagian for 11 days across the Flores Sea from Bima, Komodo, then ending up at Wakatobi. At least that's the plan. We found what I hope is a nice place in Ubud (Kajane) to stay for a few days after the boat ride. I plan to do a couple of days with Aquamarine chasing Molas around if I can sneak off from the shopping extravaganza.

The folks here have provided a ton of good info on the area around the Liberty and Seraya. I don't have a good feel for your internet question. Hopefully the good folks here who have been there will jump in with some intel.

Hope you have a great trip, if I get back in time to be any help I'll try to fill you in on the latest, but it sounds like we may cross in the airport.

Cheers,

Steve

Paquito,

E-mail aquamarine: http://www.aquamarinediving.com/bali_dive_sites.html

They set up wonderful custom Bali dive trips. I have used them and can recommend them 110%.

They meet you at the airport, transport you and have excellent private dive guides.

Steve, have a wonderful trip.

Elmer

Thanks Guys, will check it out. Steve, Have a great trip with your wife!!!!! May everything run smoothly and work out to perfection!!!! All the best.

We were at Scuba Seraya a month ago, don't count on high speed internet. Patrick, the owner, will let you use his internet connection but it is very slow. According to Patrick, most operations have offices in south Bali because of the lack of high speed internet in the northern regions. Cell service is good so a smart phone is an option. That said, it's another vote for Scuba Seraya, our own dive guide for the whole time we were there, the boat with the no more than four divers and the two of us most of the time, you make the call on what you want to see and what time you want to dive and the guide will deliver. Villa's are nice and meals are cheap, not five star food but good.