Tourist Attractions in Bali

Hi there i am a beginner too. have travelled some of australia and bali.was cheap compared to australia spent half of what i took enjoyed haggling especially the taxi and buses the people we came across always said 150,000 rupiah for everything t shirts, taxi, buses, etc but always go a third as we were told by many books 50,000 which is about $5.50 aud very cheap for over an hour in a taxi ,hope that helps Terry

I am talking about the tour to "Kintamani" to see the volcano "Mt Batur"

This is all too often touted by so called tour operators, as a visit to see the still active volcano "MT Batur", with promises of views of the crater, steam and some sort of volcanic activity. where as in reality, you arrive at the village of "Kintamani", where they park you in one of the rundown restaurants, with a very limited view, definatly not one worth the time, and expense.

The restaurants are now run down, although some of them still serve reasonable good food, the majority have slipped in their standards.

Should you wish to cross the road, to try and get a better view, then you will more than likely be surrounded by many locals desperatly trying to sell you some cheap trinket or other item, making it most uncomfortable and an unenjoyable experience for many tourists.

Many bona fide tour operators are now boycotting this area and tour, until the local authorities clean up the area, make the attraction more enjoyable, and improve the faciliites.

Unique Suggestions: If you simply have to go anyway, then you would be better organising the trip through a "Car with Driver" available from many operators, that way you are free to stay as long as you like, and leave when you like, the driver is not obliged to stop at one particular restaurant (tour operators get large commissions from restaurants for groups etc) you can choose the restaurant one which looks ok.

Also that way if you decide not to stay for too long you can ask the driver to take you somewhere else on the way home, and get to see something.

Fun Alternatives: There isn't really an alternative the same, but a trip to the West of Bali, towards Bedugul Tabanan, also provides mountain and spectacular countryside panoramic views, which to be honest are better than the one from Kintamani.

I could not understand why some stores, the airport and hotels use USD currency other then to confuse you.

I bought a mosiac plate from the airport and it was in usd and when the girl converted it to indonesia rupiah the price was double. Unfortuantely my plane was boarding so i wasnt sharp enough. I was very 'peed' off when i realised.

Please be careful when you change your money in Bali.

I just came back from Bali two days ago and was staying at Kuta, Legian area.
Went to several money changer near my hotel and was nearly cheated twice.

The trick they used was, some of the money changer indicated a high exchange rate on their white board to lure people.

The changer will then pretend to be trustworthy by placing a calculator to calculate the actual amount of rupiahs you will get.
Then they will count the amount of rupiah and place it in front of you. But do note the trick here is they only have $20,000 rupiah and claimed that they do not have any notes bigger. Trust me, sometimes it is very difficult to count with so many stacks of $20,000.

After placing the money in front of you, they will then collect back the rupiahs and lower the money behind the counter, drop a few notes and then hand it back to you.

After you expose them, they will tell you that they do not want to change the money anymore.

Unique Suggestions: Best is, you may want to look out for authorized money changer or withdraw your money from an ATM, which you can find a lot in Kuta, which was what i did in the end.
But also, do note that when you withdraw money from the ATM there is a fee to pay for every withdrawal.

Peddlers touting their wares or services to you everywhere.
Lake Batur, Kintamani, Tegallang Rice Terrace and many more places in Bali would be a great experience if not because of them.
They will watch you from just before you park your car, rush to your doors and just after you open your doors/windows they will have all their wares ready in plastic bags and put them in your hands, some of them will wipe your windshield or massage your shoulders...
At many occasion we only stopped for a very brief moment as we don't find it enjoyable to be in such situation.

I don´t know whether this applies as a tourist trap or a danger.
Basically be prepared to say NO! about a thousand times, even on the beach. You could ber stark naked and they would still try and sell you something. I am not kidding.

Unique Suggestions: You do not have to go to this tourist trap, it is everywhere you walk. Even the rice paddies where you stop to take pictures, they are there waiting for you.

Fun Alternatives: The only thing I can think of is some very dark glasses and a white stick.

Location: Kuta Beach

We have been warned by our tour guide NOT TO take any massage / mani-pedicure service from the traders along the beach.

My friends, C & S got tempted when one of the trader said she only charge RPH30000 per person for manicure then nail polish with simple flowers design.
Note : Manicure = Nail clipping + Buffing + nail polish.

After almost finishing the 2nd coat of polish, the trader asking for their pay and told them if they want the flower design it cost another RPH 5000 per finger! Both of my friend refuse.

They walk off end up paying RPH 20000 for nail buffing + half finish second coat nail polish.

I did do it cuz I got mine done before I leave for Bali...

Unique Suggestions: Demand for bargain at lower price... if too the situaton is too tense. you have no choice but to give up

Fun Alternatives: -> Listen to you tour guide

-> Be alert

when we touched down in Bali, the hotel pickup driver asked if we had made plans for tours. he recommended his brother in law to bring us around for a fix amount including petrol.
the next morning, we waited at the hotel lobby and a guy who was waiting and observing us approached. We asked if he's the brother in law and he said yes.
When we are in the car driving away from the hotel, he told us he want to charge us more for the petrol . End up, it was a weird trip. The guide did not explain much, he was not bringing us to the places that we thought we are going and he made an excuse to quit the day early.

at night, the brother in law called us and angrily asked where we are. he was insistent to bring us out the next day until i told him we are boarding a flight home. it's a good thing that we took down the bogus driver's number and name and we told the brother in law to call him . this is the most weird situation that i was ever in, even a little scary now that i recall it.

my impression of Bali is it's no longer a paradise. It's filled with people who said they are religious and yet fleece tourists of their money at any smallest opportunity that they can find.
It's a city that has majority of its population surviving on tourism.

Fun Alternatives: to avoid such situation, i think the best might be to pay a little more and get more reputable tours and hopefully a good tour guide.