Trip LomBa (1): Dari Bali Menuju Lombok

highlight: menyiapkan itinerary, airport tax, ojek di Bali, penginapan murah di Bali dan Lombok, Damri di Lombok

Basa-Basi.
Trip ini direncanakan sejak tengah tahun 2012 karena tiket promo AirAsia (lagi!). Dengan merogoh kocek IDR 382.800 saya mendapat tiket penerbangan paling pagi (6.00 WIB) tanggal 3 Juni 2013, dan penerbangan pulang paling malam (23.20 WITA) pada 12 Juni 2013. Awalnya hanya akan bertualang di Bali saja, tapi mendekati hari H, dengan berbagai pertimbangan dan perasaan ingin mencoba bertualang ke tempat yang baru maka diputuskan untuk menambahkan Lombok sebagai destinasi pertama. Yap! Mari mulai cerita perjalanan LomBa (Lombok-Bali) ini.

Selengkapnya di timejumble.wordpress.com: klik.

FamTrip: Bali (April 16-18, 2013) D3 ~ Uluwatu Temple

Continuing from:

• D1 ~ Jimbaran
• D2-1 ~ GWK
• D2-2 ~ Kuta and Tanah Lot

The wonderful sight of Uluwatu Temple

Day 3, April 18, 2013 | Uluwatu Temple
highlight: accommodation tips, Uluwatu Temple, Odalan

We got up quite early this last day since I had a mission to visit Uluwatu temple before we pack our bag and head home. It was around 6.30 AM that we went further south to the end of the road above the cliff to Uluwatu Temple, one of the Balinese sea temple, which is also Bali’s nine key directional temples.

From Jimbaran to Uluwatu wasn’t half as far as going to Tanah Lot from Kuta, although I felt almost the same length was traveled. It was a smooth 40-mins long journey and we got there pretty early, however the place was already crowded with people who came to celebrate Odalan.

It’s a common knowledge that Bali is famous for a lot of things, the breathtakingly beautiful and many kinds of beaches, the cultural- historical- archaeological attractions, the picturesque landscape, the amiable and hospitable people; in shorts, many things that will make you reconsider to lengthen your vacation just a bit more. One that Bali is also famous with, something that you will easily recognize at every turns and corners when you visit this Island of the Gods, is their strong belief and loyalty for Hinduism; Odalan is one of the testaments.

FamTrip: Bali (April 16-18, 2013) D2-2 ~ Kuta and Tanah Lot

Continuing from:

• D1 ~ Jimbaran
• D2-1 ~ GWK

The summer feel in Kuta Beach, ouyeah!

Day 2, April 17, 2013 | Kuta and Tanah Lot
highlight: accommodation tips, Kuta Beach, Tanah Lot Temple

So! From GWK we firstly headed back to the hotel as it was in the way, and got ready for a long ride to Kuta Beach. What made it an easy trip for non-native rider like me was, of course, the advice I got from Villa Puri Royan staffs, as stated in the prior article. They gave me advice such as that I have to only follow road that has white-stripe in the middle because then I would never get lost in any way, since it’s the main road, and thanks God, that Bali doesn’t have many main road.

It was a true thing that once I got on the road, I found the way to Kuta Beach easier than just by imagining from suggestions, and in addition to that, I was a person who often asked people to confirm if I was right on track to my destination or not; so yeah, in more or less an hour with a stop to eatery for lunch, we got to Kuta Beach safely.

Kuta Beach has been noted as tourist destination since early 1970s and is also known as Sunset Beach, as opposed to the Sunrise Beach known as Sanur Beach. In my eyes, Kuta Beach is a place to enjoy the heat of summer, although it’s given since Indonesia is a tropical country; however, Kuta Beach brings the summer sensation like how it’s usually portrayed in movies.

FamTrip: Bali (April 16-18, 2013) D2-1 ~ GWK

Continuing from FamTrip: Bali (April 16-18, 2013) D1 ~ Jimbaran

Posing in front of Garuda

Day 2, April 17, 2013 | Garuda Wisnu Kencana
highlight: Garuda Wisnu Kencana, I Nyoman Nuarta, tips on renting motorcycle

We woke up quite early and were well-rested, thanks to the comfortable bed of Villa Puri Royan. About 8 o’clock we have breakfast, fried noodles for mom and toast for me, while we waited for the rented motorcycle, which the hotel staff had recommended to me.

The rent rates for the motorcycle is IDR 60.000/24 hours, a fair price I guessed, but I heard there were cheaper options. The lessor then took my ID card as guarantee and told me that the receipt they gave can be used as ID card replacement, in case of emergency.

Here are some tips on renting motorcycles or other vehicles:

• Ask for a contact person/emergency number in case something happen with the vehicle on the road.
• Please check on the tires, and ask for replacement if the tires look bare and dangerous for slippery road. Do check where you want to go and if the vehicle is capable enough to get you there.
• Do a little test-drive.
• It’s good to know what is covered in the fee we pay for the vehicle, such as vehicle replacement for flat tires, etc.
• You can fuss on the rented vehicles but do it nicely. A good relationship with the tenant will do you good.
• Be a safety driver. Wear a helmet if you ride on motorcycle, or put on safety belt if you drive a car. Don’t forget to check the license.

FamTrip: Bali (April 16-18, 2013) D1 ~ Jimbaran

Woohoo! Finally! Driven by AirAsia promo, me and mom (yes, you read it right, my mom!) successfully visited the place that was also known as The Island of Gods. Actually this was a first trip we did together in many years, I wasn’t even sure we had a trip together with only the two of us before… anyway without further ado, please enjoy the story of our short 3-days trip!

Day 1, April 16, 2013 | Jimbaran
highlight: accommodation from airport to hotel, hotel, eating, shopping, sunset view, seafood cafes or restaurant for dinner

Waking up, going and getting at the airport too early in the morning was inevitable whenever it was with mom. That aside, Bali trip with mom gave me enough jitters that I booked a hotel room prior on January. Checking, comparing, rechecking and reading review after review on TripAdvisors, in the end I chose to book a room at Villa Puri Royan via tiket.com (read my TA review for the hotel, here).

An on-time and smooth 2-hours flight later, we found ourselves at a renovated Ngurah Rai International Airport around lunch time with 1 hour plus difference (Bali time is set to GMT+8). After haggling with not much success, we headed to Jimbaran, where the hotel was located, in a private taxi (that’s Xenia for us) for IDR 65.000; from airport to Jimbaran was supposedly around fourty to fifty thousand rupiah only, this was proven when later I got IDR 50.000 from the hotel service. I also read in many blogs that it is actually cheaper using airport taxi that has taxi-meter, like BlueBird.