My Bali Trip 2012 : Day 1 of 8

15 AUGUST 2012 - Wednesday

5am
woke up and get ready for my trip, all bags packed the night before and was very exited about the trip

6.30am
Meet my fren in KL sentral at 6am and proceed toboard the aerobus to LCCT. We reach LCCT an hour later and proceed to the check-in counter. After checking in our bags, we proceed to eat breakfast before going to the departure hall to board the airplane.

>> Aerobus cost : RM8/pax --Reasonable

9.35am
Airplane took off on time and was given arrival/departure card as well as the goods declaration form on the airplane to fill in. Was quite bored and took a book to read about Bali History and foods. The airplane took quite fast and before i know it. we have reached Ngurah Rai Intternational Airport in Denpasar at 12.30pm.

Aerial view of bali

12.30pm
After arriving and collecting our luggage. we took some map and tourist information before proceeding to the arrival hall. Over there we had the first shock in Bali. What greeted us was lots and lots of papers with all sorts of names written on it held by men ( either tour operator or driver or tour guide) They were practically leaning over the iron grid waiting for their customers to arrive. However, we did not engaged in any airport transfer, therefore we went searching for the taxi counter. Before we can find out where is the taxi counter, a freelance taxi driver approach us :



Driver : Where are you going? pergi mana?
Friend : Kuta
Driver : 100k .... rupiah
Friend and I opened our eyes to the biggest.............
Driver : per person

We have done our research before we come to Bali. The Airport Taxi counter charges Rp. 50,000 to go to Kuta - Below are the fares from the Airport to some places around Bali.

Taxi from Bali Ngurah Rai Airport to:
Batubulan 105,000 rupiah
Bukit (Ayana) 95,000 rupiah
Bukit (Pecatu) 115,000 rupiah
Bukit (Uluwatu) 135,000 rupiah
Candidasa 335,000 rupiah
Canggu 135,000 rupiah
Denpasar 70,000-90,000 rupiah
Dyana Pura / Abimanyu 65,000 rupiah
Jimbaran (Intercon) 60,000 rupiah
Jimbaran (Four Seasons) 75,000 rupiah
Kuta (Discovery) 45,000 rupiah
Kuta Centre (Melasti etc) 50,000 rupiah
Legian (Jl Padma) 55,000 rupiah
Nusa Dua 95,000 rupiah
Nusa Dua (Nikko) 110,000 rupiah
Oberoi / Kerobokan 70,000 rupiah
Padang Bai 315,000 rupiah
Sanur 95,000 rupiah
Seminyak (Jl Double Six) 60,000 rupiah
Tanah Lot 190,000 rupiah
Tanjung Benoa 105,000 rupiah
Ubud 195,000 rupiah
Umalas 85,000 rupiah

Once we reach the taxi counter, we had another shock :

Receptionist : Hi where you want to go?
Friend: Kuta
Receptionist : which hotel?
Friend: Everyday Smart Hotel
Receptionist : 70k rupiah
Friend : not 50k rupiah meh? Kuta leh! ( Malaysian, we can't help with all the leh, mah, emh, loh ^^)
Receptionist: No, your hotel is at Seminyak not Kuta
Friend : but our receipt said is Kuta
Receptionist : Seminyak (Firmly)

When we reached the hotel, we enquire whether the hotel is at Kuta or Seminyik, and he firmly said KUTA. Well, we got cheated a bit but Bali is a tourism place, these kind of things happens everyday, but little did we know its just the beginning.

2pm
After checking in and have a nice welcome drink, we went to survey our room, it has a semitransparent glass that separates the bathroom and bedroom. We look at each other and look back at the glass wall and was amazed. From the glass, you are able to see a person or anything in the toilet but in a blurred mode....

After that we realise that one of the camera was left at the airport taxi. We immediately rushed downstairs and inform the receptionist and they identified the driver that sent us to the hotel via the airport taxi hotline.  A porter offered to collect it from the taxi driver for us as the driver has went quite a distance, at a cost of Rp50,000. We have no choice as there arent many options. and off he went in his motorbike.

3pm
Went for a late lunch at a foodcourt near the hotel and was informed that we have to pay a 16% tax for our food. We look bewildered but paid and ate as we were very hungry.

A local dish at the foodcourt ( cheap @ Rp16,000 ~ MYR5.40)

After returning from the foodcourt, we manage to retrieve our camera and off we go and hail a cab to bring us to tanah lot. Our first destination in the itenery. The hotel offered to call a cab for us at Rp.300,000 but we refused and said we will get our own, little did we know that Tanah Lot was situated 1 hour from Kuta by car. It looked so close in the map. And the taxi driver came out with a figure - Rp250,000 for the round trip to Tanah Lot. We informed the taxi that we wanted to use the meter, and he agreed.


5pm
We reached tanah lot but discovered that we are obliged to pay for the parking entrance of the taxi which is Rp5,000 and also the entrance fees which have increased in the begining of the year from Rp6,000 to rp30,000 per person. =.=|||

Entrance to Tanah Lot Temple

Enjoyed the scenery, took some nice photos and then waited for the sunset. We manage t try some local delicacies, which looks like our onde onde fpr Rp.5,000 .

Onde Onde

The view at Pura Tanah Lot ( Pura means Temple in Bali Language ) was nice and fascinating. The sun was setting slowly over the horizon with the tanah lot temple siholeute. It would make a wonderful background photo for a laptop, desktop or ipad etc...

Tanah Lot during Sunset

7pm
After the sunset. we proceed to go to the famous Made Warung for our dinner, It was recommended and the food there was delicious - Their famous Nasi Lemak Special ( consist of many ingredients, including Satay, tempe, chicken, vege, prawns, groundnuts etc) . We also ordered a curry chicken special with rice and 2 glasses of Bali's famous Bintang Beer. Damage : Rp161,000

Made Warung Nasi Lemak Special

Bali Bintang Beer

Curry chicken Special with rice

9.30pm
After footing the bill, we decided to enjoy the night time scenery and continue our journey on foot back to our hotel - a whopping 1 hour away ( which we dont know as the locals there are not that accurate with the distance and timing - a lesson as we learnt as we arrive at our hotel) Many of them gave wrong estimation . Haiz.....