hiring a driver in bali

In Bali you have two options when it comes to getting around, hiring a scooter or hiring a driver. Hiring a scooter (around $5 a day) is probably not the best idea, the roads are ridiculously busy and your travel insurance probably won't be valid for starters but it's also hot, sweaty and just a bit of a pain in the bum. Hiring a driver however gives you a locals expert knowledge of the roads, secret spots and gets you an air conditioned car for the day, a full day with a driver starts at around $40 AUD depending on how many days you book and how well you know the driver, but realistically you can expect to pay $50-60. I'd also recommend throwing in a tip and offering to buy your driver lunch. There's literally 1000s to choose from if you scroll through tripadvisor you'll find some incredible reviews, make sure you book well in advance. We used Semiton Bali Tour on our recent trip and the guys were incredible. 

Knowing we were pushed for time on our trip we asked the tour company for some advise on things to do to get the right mix of culture, history and natural beauty. The driver picked us up from our hotel reception just after breakfast and we set off on our journey into Bali.

Our first stop was at a beautiful old temple, we paid the temple guards for sarongs (donation) and spent time wondering the temple grounds. I didn't take any photos or write down the name- bad blogger.

From there we set off to Tegenungan waterfall, we totally underestimated the steps to get down to the falls so decided to take the chance to grab an ice cold beer in a shop looking out over the falls instead. It was a pretty sensible choice given the heat! 

From there we head out to Ubud, we made a quick stop at some rice terraces on the way however they were ridiculously busy so we were only out of the car for about 20 minutes.

Once we arrived in Ubud we decided it'd be a good idea to spend a few hours wondering around, we agreed on the pick up time and place and set off on foot to explore the town. I spent time in Ubud (Ubud, Bali blog post) the first time I visited Bali and fell in love with the mix of arts, culture and hustle and bustle.

We made our first stop at a local warung to fill up on food, from there we head to the Ubud monkey forest for a few hours and then walked in to the town centre to explore the shops and markets.

When we were finished it was almost the end of the day, so we asked to be dropped in the centre of Seminyak. We bid our driver goodbye and decided to walk around before heading to the beach..

From the beach we had a lovely walk back down to our hotel (Double Six Hotel blog post). 

Have you been to Bali before? What's your top tip for hiring a driver?

xo

White water rafting in Bali

Just a little apology none of my schedule posts have actually posted recently! 


When we were planning our getaway to Bali we decided we wanted a mix of culture, relaxation and adventure so we quickly decided on a day of white water rafting. We booked through Nyoman ( who was recommended to us on Facebook) she owns Resi Bali Tour  which offers a mix of private tours and activities, for a few hours of white water rafting, pick up from Seminyak and a buffet lunch you can expect to pay around $40 AUD per person which is great value for money.

The optional flying fox to the start of the rafting

We were picked up bang on 08:30 from our hotel and shared a journey out into the jungle with a few other couples, the van was comfortable and luckily had air conditioning, I even snuck in a little nap on the way. Once we arrived at the rafting centre we paid our fees and got assigned life jackets and paddles, it was glorious Bali chaos, however we were given ice cold bottles of water to cool down whilst we waited for our time to go.

There was a fairly brief safety talk before we set on our 14km journey, our guide was really fun and enthusiastic, he knew a few words in English, you know the essentials like 'boom boom' (in both a sexual way and a raft hitting rock kinda way), 'pokemon go' and 'beer'.

After the first 30 minutes of paddling we pulled over for a leg stretch / re-inflate and chance to climb a waterfall (which we chose not to, let us at the rapids!)

The journey wound through rice paddies, section of jungle and through several waterfalls leaving us well and truely soaked...

It was definitely a laugh and more than suitable for those with no skills on the water at all, the couple in front of us didn't paddle at all (so of course myself and the guide made every effort to soak them with our paddles).

The journey ended by flying off a man made waterfall before a few flat water turns to the end point. I wish I'd taken the clip to attach my go pro to my helmet as it was a whole heap more exciting than it looks in photos! 

When we were back on dry land we had a horrific hike back up to the buffet, showers and pick up point. I'm not going to lie the steps were horrific in the heat and humidity and took me a good 15 minutes longer than anyone else in the group, they sucked. The showers were probably what you'd expect in the middle of the countryside in a third world country, I would definitely recommend packing lots of clean clothes, body spray and baby wipes!

I chose to not eat any of the buffet food as again, it's what you'd expect for an included buffet in the countryside and definitely didn't look vegetarian friendly (I'm not one to risk bali belly).

Overall the experience was so, so worth the $40 we paid, it wasn't the most exhilarating thing I've ever done but for an activity for total beginners and families it's awesome fun and something we'll definitely recommend friends and family do when visiting Bali.

Have you been white water rafting before?

xo

ubud monkey forest

Ubud Monkey Forest is a nature reserve and temple complex in the heart of Ubud, Bali. The Monkey Forest lies within the village of Padangtegal, which owns it. The village's residents view the Monkey Forest as an important spiritual, economic, educational, and conservation center for the village. 

For just 40,000 ($4 AUD) you can spend a morning getting lost in the forest surrounded by families of local monkeys. Beware though, they're super cheeky and will make every effort to get into your bag or to climb up you to grab a banana, which you can buy in the forest from the guides. 

Aside from the monkeys, the main reason most people visit, the forest is home to a huge species of trees and an array of hindu temples built in the 1300s. I love the bridge pictured above, and the massive tree which surrounds it. 

Tired after a fun-filled day at the Monkey Forest? Relax in one of the 7 Best Value Hotels to Relax in Bali listed by HotelsCombined. 

Address: Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia

Open daily 08:30-18:00

Phone: +62 361 971304

monkeyforestubud.com

Living it all at Double Six Seminyak

We've had a pretty hectic few months at work so jumped at the chance for a luxury getaway to beautiful Bali. We spent aged trying to decide where to stay but after recommendations from friends decided to book Double Six Luxury Hotel in Seminyak.


We arrived well past midnight and were welcomed by the check in manager, a butler took our bags from the car and we walked straight to our room. I was a little confused, but followed along anyway. We arrived at our room and were welcomed to our home for the next few days. The check in manager quickly explained that Double Six like to do things your way, so offer in room check in. The butler re-appeared with a tray of complimentary welcome cocktails, perfect after a few hours on a flight and a humid late night transfer to the hotel. After a few minutes our in room check in was complete and we were fully informed about the hotel's services. We sipped our cocktails on the balcony before jumping in to bed ready to wake up and really get to know the hotel.

The bathroom was out of this world, a bath big enough to sink into after a long day walking, a wonderful rainfall shower, there was a huge amenities box under the vanity and the shower was filled with beautiful smelling Hermes toiletries

.

We woke up bright and early, made a cup of tea and sat on the balcony admiring the view. We were lucky enough to have an Ocean View Suite, which had a perfect view of both the beach and the pool. 

The pool stretches the entire length of the hotel meaning there's more than enough room for everyone.  

We head down to Seminyak Italian for Breakfast, I liked the option of dining in the poolside bar or the restaurant, but we preferred the restaurant with the view of the ocean.

Breakfast at double is again your way, no more warm buffets- hello a la carte breakfast menu with all you can imagine and more. You can order as much as you like and trust me when I say all the food is incredible.

The type to work off breakfast? Not a problem, Double six has a perfect little gym nestled behind the spa on the 2nd floor.

When I told some of the other girls at work we were staying at double six they screamed "you have to go to the rooftop" and I totally understand why they urged us to do so. The rooftop of double six is home to the most beautiful, tropical themed bar. You enter by glass lift at the hotel entrance, walk through a beautiful room filled with draped fabric before being greeted by the most gorgeous hostesses/

Sunken booths don't need a reservation, but they do require a minimum spend of 1mil (around $100 AUD), they seat 8-10 people which makes them super value for money. 

The perfect place to watch a beautiful balinese sunset! 

Walking back into the bar you'll find a door to the far right, it leads down into the Sling bar, a late opening bar perfectly designed and dimly lit perfect for chatting late into the night. From the Sling bar you walk down into Robert Marchetti's famous Plantation Grill...

I have never been so amazed by the design of the restaurant, The Plantation Grill oozes 1920's Great Gatsby style glamour, everything has been so incredibly planned from the lighting to the staff uniforms. A definite must do if visiting Seminyak.

Throughout our stay at Double Six we were made to feel so at home, the staff were absolutely incredible and couldn't do enough to help us, I've never received such high standard service from staff in a hotel and we cannot wait to return in the near future! 

You can find more information about Double Six at http://www.double-six.com

or via their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DoubleSixSeminyak/ 

Address: Jl. Pantai Double Six No. 66, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

Phone: +62 361 730466