Holiday in Bali

Four days of free time should be more than enough to give Bali a very good look. 

After spending several days in the south of Bali for your conference you probably will be more than ready to get out and see the real Bali.

Ubud and its environs is called the cultural heart of Bali and for good reason…it is exactly that.  You'll want to spend at least a day if not two exploring its endless temples, ancient archaeological sites, museums and galleries as well as to enjoy Balinese dance and theater. 

You also should head up north to central highlands for incredibly beautiful vistas, waterfalls, and the famed botanical garden in Bedugul.  You also might enjoy exploring the east coast of Bali from Candidasa up to Tulamben.  There is some awesome snorkeling in this area, especially in Tulamben.  These three areas will chew up four days very well allowing for 10 hours of touring each day. 

Your best bet is to contact and hire a private Balinese driver to take you around.  Don't use taxis as many are driven by non Balinese Indonesians and the fact is, only the Balinese can really explain their unique culture.  The drivers I list below are all very well known to me and you will do very well with any of them.  If you can't make contact with any of them, have no worries as there are many excellent and independent Balinese drivers.  Typically they charge around 600K IDR or about US $60.00 for a full 10 hour day all inclusive (no hidden charges). 

All of these drivers are Balinese drivers who use late model SUV vehicles.  Each has excellent command of the English language.  Each has been driving for me for at least 10 years and each know all parts of Bali in great detail. 

Dialing IDD to any hand phone:  +628…and then drop the 0.


-Professor Doctor I Wayan Dedik Rachman  (Wayan or Dedik)  Wayan is based in Ubud

E-mail:  [email protected]

Hand Phone: 082147556237

Note:  Wayan has his doctorate from the University of Illinois in Chicago in Ethnomusicology.  He is particularly recommended for those tourists who are seriously interested in Balinese culture.  His wife Dewi is a famed Balinese dancer and teaches Balinese dance at the Royal Palace in Ubud.  If Wayan is not available on a given day, both his brother and father (each named Made) are also excellent private drivers.  In fact, Wayan's father was Michael Jackson's driver when he visited a number of years ago. 


-I Putu Aribawa (Putu)  Putu is based in Nusa Dua

E-mail:  [email protected]

Hand Phone: 081555621368


-Agung Blado  (Agung)  Agung is based in Ubud

E-mail: [email protected]

Hand Phone:  081239246648

If you want to read a bit more about me in order to determine the credibility of my advice you can read here:  http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/deec0/

Have a great time.

Hi Ubudian

Thanks a lot for your experienced info on Bali. Actually I too was looking for  this kind of information and advice. It is very helpful to me. My first visit to Bali was just introductory ... now on my subsequent visits to Bali I want to explore real Bali and its Balinese Hindu Culture.May be I will need your more advise when my plans are finalized. Thanks.

You will find Agama Hindu Bali to be both fascinatingly similar and at the same time dissimilar to Hinduism as it's practiced in India.  In Bali, Agama Hindu is a mix of Animism, Hinduism and Buddhism, and in that order.  The Balinese consider themselves as the direct descendants of the Majapahit people of central and eastern Java, this being the result of a steady migration of people from Java to Bali as Islam became increasingly more dominant in Java. 

It is only by a quirk of fate or history that Hinduism and Buddhism came to Java starting around the 8th century AD.  Hinduism arrived by traders from southern India and Buddhism arrived at the same time by way of traders from China.  Animism and its beliefs, especially ancestral worship, was already in place.  These all merged over several centuries into a marvelous and unique cornucopia not seen anywhere else in the world.

The Balinese are always eager and very willing to share their temples and ceremonies with foreign guest but they will never try to push this sort of thing on their guests.  In the Balinese mind set, a guest to Bali is essentially no different than a guest to their own home.  It really is up to the guest to express an interest in witnessing and sharing these ceremonies, and once that desire has been expressed you will find the Balinese to graciously welcome you to these events which most tourists seldom witness.  These ceremonies can range from elaborate temple ceremonies to more modest ceremonies held within their private compounds such as marriage, tooth filing, purifications, 3 month and 6 month ceremonies for children, and celebrations of their otons (their Balinese birthday).   

You know the old adage, “you get out of life what you put into it?”  Here in Bali that is especially true.  The most successful tourists to Bali…those who truly get their fingers on the pulse of this amazing place, are the ones who make the effort to seek out the real Bali.

Here in Bali, many are called…millions of tourists each year, but few are chosen…the vast majority of tourists depart Bali without a clue of what Bali is about.

One can lead a horse to water or throw abundant food in front of a pig, but one can neither force the horse to drink, nor the pig to eat…that being their decision.

The above is an excellent post; most interesting.
Hinduism and Buddhism, as Roy said, were very strong in Central Java; we see evidenced in the many temples, notably between Jogja and Wonosobo.
These cultures left their mark, even after the influx of Islamic traders, as visitors to Java see but rarely understand.

Interesting post, Roy! 
Mas Fred, yes - even many tourist guide in Java's temple sometimes don't really understand about the Java cultures affected by those three(Hinduism, Buddhism and Islamic) and the connection between those can bee seen from the temples we have.

I should be proud knowing that I have all those naturally mixed on my blood - as interpretation of "bhinneka tunggal ika". Bangga Indonesia eh!

Hi everyone
I am Kelly..I am not really new member but I just find my password! and happy can join in this interesting topic.

I agree with you Wid..we should proud be Indonesian..we have more 'colour'..cultural and ethnics..and still living in harmony like bhinneka tunggal ika..I also mix here..half bali half java and still have little china blood too. and I can respect and understanding in difference. as Indonesian..we should preserve cultural heritage like temples, traditional dances, etc..I really love Indonesia

Yes, Indonesian culture, language and the wonderful mix of peoples should be preserved, but not at the expense of progress or to the point of extreme nationalism.

“Yes, Indonesian culture, language and the wonderful mix of peoples should be preserved, but not at the expense of progress or to the point of extreme nationalism.”

How do you define progress?

Is paving over all the sawahs and building roads, shops and houses progress?

Is Kuta, Bali a result of progress or unchained greed and corruption?

For the Balinese it's pretty simple.  If their culture dies, so do they.  It's just that simple.

Have you ever been to Hawaii Fred?  That's a great place to go to look over a Jurassic Park of a dead culture.

Thank you Ubudian,
I did read about youa t virtualtourist as well . Thank you for the information and hope to reach out to your drivers as well. I am excited about my trip to Bali

Ubudian wrote:

“Yes, Indonesian culture, language and the wonderful mix of peoples should be preserved, but not at the expense of progress or to the point of extreme nationalism.”

How do you define progress?

Is paving over all the sawahs and building roads, shops and houses progress?

Is Kuta, Bali a result of progress or unchained greed and corruption?

For the Balinese it's pretty simple.  If their culture dies, so do they.  It's just that simple.

Have you ever been to Hawaii Fred?  That's a great place to go to look over a Jurassic Park of a dead culture.

Progress, in this context, would be inviting foreign investment and assisting the impoverished by increasing business opportunities for as many as possible.
When I entered my village, I tried to spend my cash locally and that directly assisted business within the village.
The local hardware store did best as we bought a heck of a lot of stuff from him to the point where he took on extra staff and expanded his place.
That made him the best stocked shop for miles so people used his business even more.

Some of the more extreme nationalists want all foreigners out and that would hurt Indonesia.
I'm never been to American occupied Hawaii so I can't comment.

I agree Fred that more foreign investment would be beneficial for certain provinces of Indonesia, but not for Bali where it can (and is) argued as being already excessive and destructive.

When compared with the other countries of SE Asia, Indonesia ranks very high in its FDI (foreign direct investment) numbers each year, and actually it was second among ASEAN nations in 2012 behind Singapore but ahead of both Malaysia and the Philippines.   

So long as Indonesia continues to aggressively fight corruption which is seen as the singular most negative determent to foreign investors, Indonesia's future prospects for ever increasing FDI are seen by economists as excellent.

For certain, the abdication of Indonesia's rich cultural heritage, which is the very essence of what defines her best, is not necessary, nor should it ever be considered as a fair price to pay for foreign investment.

You have to be in Indonesia for a long time to really start to understand local culture, and then only the culture of your small area.
You can google all you like but you know nothing until you've actually lived there (But not in the bule bubbles - these people know nothing and never will).
The variety in Indonesia is amazing, from the odd mix of Islam with it's Hindu flavour to small local foods that hardly travel away from one town...and everything in between.
Even two towns, not more than a few miles apart have differing traditions - it's wonderful and must be preserved.

"You have to be in Indonesia for a long time to really start to understand local culture, and then only the culture of your small area. You can google all you like but you know nothing until you've actually lived there (But not in the bule bubbles - these people know nothing and never will)."

Are you preaching to the choir or directing those comments to me? 

“…it's wonderful (the culture) and must be preserved.”

I couldn't agree more, but that's a bit different than what you wrote earlier:

“Yes, Indonesian culture, language and the wonderful mix of peoples should be preserved, but not at the expense of progress or to the point of extreme nationalism.”

But I think you agree that an acceptable price to eradicate poverty is not the abdication of culture, nor is "progress" something worth having at the cost of culture.   

In other words, Indonesian culture must be preserved at any cost.

Nice thread on amazing culture of Bali. Please do not spoil its essence with your ARGUMENTS. To me Culture is like a river which never dries or dies  and flows in its own way merging things in to it what ever comes in its way.  I am looking forward for more input from Ubudian to come ... I was dumb-struck when first time I was in  Bali. I dont have that flair of writing .... can express the feel in Words. I still feel  captivated by fascinating Balinese Culture and its people.I am truly in love with Bali .

We're not arguing Nagina, in fact, it's pretty rare when Pak Fred and I disagree on most anything.

Heck, if we all agreed all the time, how boring would that be?

Ubudian wrote:

Are you preaching to the choir or directing those comments to me?

I, rather boringly, am agreeing with you (again) but I'm preaching to neither you nor the choir.

I seem to recall something I read in the bible (Yes, I've read it) about wasting time preaching to the converted.

I'm rather hoping visitors to Indonesia (and expats who live) here will read the comment and realise, as Socrates did, the only true wisdom is knowing you know sod all (I paraphrased) so take the time to open their eyes.

Added - Make that any visitor to any country, not just restricting my comments to Indonesia.

Culture is like a river which never dries or dies

Agreed but history is full of examples of lost cultures (Sometimes destroyed by idiots) and I see them as crimes against the world.
The mad extremists in Afghanistan who destroyed the Buddha statures spring to mind.
Culture does move on but that's no reason to lose what we have.
Our history is what defines us, as we see with the beautiful form of Islam we see practised by the vast majority of Indonesians.
Without the previous cultural influences, things could have been very different.

Long live Indonesian culture.

Ubudian wrote:

We're not arguing Nagina, in fact, it's pretty rare when Pak Fred and I disagree on most anything.

I think your hat looks daft.

Don't worry, Nagina. Ubudian and mas fred are best partner I ever seen in this forum. Always like their warm conversation! Roy, Fred... lol!

wid wrote:

Ubudian and mas fred are best partner I ever seen in this forum.

I feel I must clarify something.

We aren't "partners" - I don't want any ladies thinking I have gay learnings in case they stop fancying me.

mas fred wrote:

wid wrote:

Ubudian and mas fred are best partner I ever seen in this forum.

I feel I must clarify something.

We aren't "partners" - I don't want any ladies thinking I have gay learnings in case they stop fancying me.

Oh oh just partners in crime then! hehehe ok ok, as far as 'mas' not changed to 'pak' fred; girls must be around here..

I think we're out of topic here.. sorry, let's back to the page.

wid wrote:

mas fred wrote:

wid wrote:

Ubudian and mas fred are best partner I ever seen in this forum.

I feel I must clarify something.

We aren't "partners" - I don't want any ladies thinking I have gay learnings in case they stop fancying me.

Oh oh just partners in crime then! hehehe ok ok, as far as 'mas' not changed to 'pak' fred; girls must be around here..

I think we're out of topic here.. sorry, let's back to the page.

Most people think the "mas" is a Javanese title but it really means, gold.
I just didn't realise the adjectives went after the subject in Indonesian.

Gold suggests my value as a 'partner', even for an hour.

“I think your hat looks daft.”

It's an udeng ole chap, not to be confused with an udang.  An udeng is a necessary part of adat dress for the Balinese man and required at either temple ceremonies or formal occasions.   I also have a peci for formal Javanese occasions and visits to a mosque.   Would you be happier if I were wearing that?       

And, for your own benefit when in Bali, never call a young Balinese man, “mas” rather use the word “bli.”  Mas is a Javanese title…gold is emas although pronounced the same as mas.   

“I don't want any ladies thinking I have gay learnings in case they stop fancying me.”

No worries ole boy.  I think the girls all know that you prefer sheep.

Malam, partner!

Hi Ubudian

I , my husband and son will be in Bali on 23rd to 26th Jan. Would love to have suggestions to explore more on this trip  . I am planning to spend one night at Ubud too.... Do you recommend any nice place to stay  ? Does Bali / Ubud has any Aarya Samaj Temple ? Would love to meet you too if its convenient ...

Hey, You are choosing best travel places in Asia. Bali is most tourist places in Indonesia. It's a beach and tourist spot. If you want visit with Bali packeges then i will create a post for you. I think it will help for your visit

There are no Aarya Samaj Temples in Bali. 

Nagina, Bali Agama Hindu which is the official name for Balinese Hinduism is almost unrecognizable from Hinduism as practiced in India.  Not only is the architecture completely different, but so are the ceremonies. 

You'll likely find our temples and ceremonies to be as foreign to you as the Hindu temples and ceremonies in Singapore and Bangkok were to my Balinese wife (our not having traveled together to India).  That said, you will also likely find them to be rather fascinating and and interesting development of Hinduism outside of India.   

Best wishes for a great visit and if I wasn't already tied up with visiting friends from the US I would enjoy the opportunity to meet you.

Thanks Ubudian for information. I was very excited for our 2nd Bali trip but we cancelled  due to rain and flood situation everywhere. I have to wait for next time ....

I think any of the million or so tour agencies can show you the main sites in Bali. Usually about US$40 - 50 per day and they will take you to most of the favourite places.

"I think any of the million or so tour agencies can show you the main sites in Bali. Usually about US$40 - 50 per day and they will take you to most of the favourite places."

Absolutely WORST was to see Bali is through a tour agency or travel agent.  Very BAD idea!

Best way is to hire a private Balinese driver...and there are many, and see the island through their eyes.

Organized tour agencies most always work on commissions with many of the local craft, coffee, entertainment venues on Bali and will simply dump you there for some shopping.

You might think that Bali has gotten highly commercialized, and it has, but there are still great ways to enjoy Bali without falling into the tourist traps set up specifically for the ignorant.

Ubudian it's british from inter nations! It's good to see you on another forum. I haven't been getting any responses in the Jakarta expat q&a forum, decided I would join another forum as well. Would you know of any personal drivers in Jakarta? Or maybe even Lombok for holiday time? I'm figuring out how my husband and i will get around Jakarta when we get there in April.

For drivers in Jakarta I would try to get someone recommended by another expat. There are a lot of bad drivers in Jakarta and also dishonest ones.

Ubudian wrote:

Absolutely WORST was to see Bali is through a tour agency or travel agent.  Very BAD idea!
Best way is to hire a private Balinese driver...and there are many, and see the island through their eyes.

I am totally agree with Ubudian. We hired a Private Balinese Driver for 2 days on our last trip and yes we could FEEL the soul of Bali through his eyes. As driver was Balinese Hindu he shared many interesting aspects of Balinese Hinduism and recited Gayatri Mantra too while taking us on Bali Tour. 

Hi All,

I am interested to buy a silver ring for my wife. Does anyone know the best place to buy one in Bali? I heard that Celuk is the best place.

Mike

Celuk is indeed the jewelry making center of Bali, but you can find silver rings made here all over the island in craft and souvenir shops.  Unless you are going for a John Hardy original, I'm not so sure that running to Celuk is going to be worth the effort unless you plan to be in that area anyway.

btracks...sorry, I didn't spot your post right away.  Also sorry that I haven't responded yet to your PM on Inter Nations.  Being a cheap old dog as I am, I only get five uses of the IN messaging system a month and I run out fast.   

I'm sorry but I can't help you out regarding private drivers in Jakarta but I'm betting that Mas Fred and a few others that live there and often post here could offer you some suggestions.  Same goes for Lombok.  When we go over there we take our own Kijang SUV and my wife or brother in law does the driving.

Thanks Ubudian, appreciate your expertise.

Hello Ubudian

Do you know of anyone who can show Ubud by Motor Bike as that would be faster to get about. I am thinking to follow the driver on my own bike. Could this be possible, as for sure many folk might like this, as I have heard Ubud has traffic issues same as most of Bali where people gather. I have not spent anytime in Ubud and would like to go there for a 2 day break.

thanks
Andy

You know Andy, as long as I've lived on Bali I never heard of anyone using this approach, but that is one heck of an interesting idea.

I see no reason why you wouldn't be easily able to arrange this.  Most of the free lance Bali drivers hang out along Jalan Raya, the Ubud main street, and simply asking them leads me to believe you would have no trouble finding a good guide to show you about on motorbikes.

Given your business, while in Ubud you might consider stopping by and meeting my "brother" Joe Yaggi of Jungle Run Productions.

I was very happy you liked my idea and was good to surprise you and hope a new trend follows which will help the locals who do not yet have a car as a means of making money. My plan is to make this happen within the next 6 weeks. It could feel like I am working for DHL, Fedex. I see you are a VIP member, so you would also know about many people asking the same questions. I did suggest a new menu where top and essential questions relating to moving to Bali can be found, as then we can paste that link to new folk dotted with some additional words. What do you think?