scarlettisis

Anyone know a lot about bali villas?

I know Bali pretty well (love Sanur area etc) but still finding it really tough to find a reasonably priced villa for 10 people (5 couples) to rent for NewYear (6 nights, starting 27 Dec)...

- Ideal if it's Seminyak area as we want place couples/group can wander out for bars/shops etc .. places we've seen near Canggu are just so far from civilisation that we'd need to taxi everywhere which is inconvenient as group of 10 people!

- Also much rather have a 'Bali style' villa as opposed to these modern/contemporary style ones ... dont see point of going to beautiful Bali and then not get to experience the nice bali decor

- Hoping to get somewhere around $1,000-1,500 per night (with taxes) but lots of places insist on 7 nights at NY and/or charge closer to $2,000

Anyone out there got any advice on villas or even good agents?

Thanks,
Laura

Kooky.

Hmmm, I love Villa Kubu in Seminyak but they don't come that big, even though they offer 2 connecting villas to bigger parties. Just checked with a friend I know goes to a biggish one but it's still only 4 double bedrooms (Mia Villa).

Have you tried http://www.balitravelforum.com/ ?

bakedbean

Hi Scarlett and welcome to BE

Slightly hijacking your question, but only slightly, what exactly is the big attraction of Bali apart from nice beaches n cheap? I've never been there and quite put off by other people telling me it's a lotta hassle there... Getting in, hassle on the beaches, manic drivers (and this from someone living in Malaysia). Just curious really.

scarlettisis

it's gorgeous basically ... people are friendly and the whole 'Bali-style' is really pretty...

fyi: if you've spoken to people who say they've been to bali but really they only went to Kuta then they haven't seen Bali at all...

Get over to Sanur or Ubud... or further off into rice paddies cos that's what bali is about... not the crap touristy stuff in Kuta etc

and even the posh bits like Seminyak aren't really as nice as the more local areas, say up near volcano and northern beach areas...

plus... we are divers so love Bali for the manta rays and generally great diving options ... all kinds of small stuff and big stuff and pretty much good conditions all year round :-)

- oh and i love their balinese roast duck too :-)

bakedbean

Roast duck... Now you're talking what's it like for getting in... Visas etc

Kooky.

Wot Scarlett said.

Stay out of Kuta (think Blackpool with sun). The popular beaches aren't that great - we rarely go to the beach. People are lovely, have a kind of serenity you don't see many other places.

Seminyak is changing very quickly - we went last October, hadn't been for a few years, and the number of shops on the main strip had increased amazingly. We stay in a villa (and last year we hardly went out of it as we were fasting).

Visa on arrival, POP. Pay a few bucks to have somebody meet you at the airport and do it for you, get through a lot quicker.

bakedbean

Cheers. What's the PC Brigade then?

Sean and Maureen

Hi there, we have just come back from a week in Bali and stayed in a fabulous 4 bedroom villa, which had a sister villa of 2 bedrooms next door. It's in Kerobokan, just north of Seminyak, great food a short walk away. Would highly recommend it.

If you need an extra couple, I'm sure hubby would love to meet you (sorry, only joking, it's just we loved it). We're divers too, have you dived Tulamben wreck?

http://www.flipkey.com/kerobokan-villa-rentals/p177352/

Davita

My wife and I have just returned from a week in Bali. We are familiar with Bali as we often go there from Jakarta, where we spend our Canadian winters.

This trip was spent in Canggu in this villa:
http://www.villathalassabali.com/rates.php

I can recommend this villa complex for a family or just friends as it comprises of 3 separate en-suite bathroom villas.
One is the master which is king size, the 2nd is a queen size and the 3rd is a twin bed room.
The living/dining area is open plan, as is common in Bali, and the kitchen is very modern....but who cares...there is an in-house (living at the back of the complex) maid and husband and cute little daughter to service all needs. The daughter waves a royal goodbye every time you leave the villa. There is also a security guard that sits outside all night long.

3 bicycles are available for those pre-disposed to fitness...needless to say they were not used during our visit.

There isn't much around the villa except it is only 1.5 kms from Echo Beach, which is well known to surfers. It is a little too far to walk imo but the villa comes with a driver to go almost anywhere. Echo Beach also has about 4 restaurants and one delivers to the villa...a menu is available and we used them one night for a delicious fish dinner.

The one disadvantage is it is a little further away from the Seminyak action in the evenings, but, as the villa comes with a driver we manipulated his hours so he was available to drive us to the jazz scene in Seminyak. Of course, we tipped him for overtime.
I suggest a conversation with the owners about how to utilise the driver is a good idea.

We met the owners who welcomed us on our first night with a satay dinner and some Bali wine...we have made great friends with them.
She is Indonesian but raised in France, her husband is a well traveled Frenchman who speaks English like 'Allo! 'Allo! and a pretty daughter who speaks fluent Indonesian and French and is improving her English.

We had a wonderful week and would return except our lifestyle is more geared towards partying, eating out and drinking in bars. To achieve our objective, closer to Seminyak at night is preferable....but for those wanting to relax in the evening by the pool, have dinner in the villa, or go see the sunset at Echo...Villa Thalassa could be perfect.

Any questions about the villa or Indonesia in general, please ask here on the forum...I will attempt answers.

plixy

Hmm I miss Bali even many time go there but still good place in my mind to visit it

Davita

Hi readers
Just wanted to add to my previous submission that we have bought a villa in the Kerobokan area of Bali and live there permanently on a retirement visa.
I believe I'm now able to advise any expat members contemplating a holiday or a visit to Bali on any subject or question about Bali.
Please fire any query on this open forum.

ex reg

We've been to Bali 5 or 6 times, in fact we had our honey moon there quite a while ago.

But my missus isn't keen on another visit, Mainly because she doesn't like having to dodge stepping on all the flowery offerings on the pavement. Yeah that's true.

To help me entice her for another visit are there small villas just for 2 people within a reasonable price range close to shops, pasar malams and town centres.

And if not which are now the nicest areas for a hotel: don't want the big expensive places, because I'm a tight git, but somewhere nice and not overly backpacker touristy.

Have you got a spare room
Joke, joke.

Davita

ex reg .....I've got 2 kingsize guestrooms but my in-law family don't even like my rates and I offered them a family discount.....so I suspect a self-confessed tight-git like you would swoon

The offerings are hard to avoid.... especially on store fronts...the shopkeepers are either tight lipped when tourists step on them to enter and do purchases or accept they wont do business.
I was unaware that Bali Hindus put a grain of rice on their foreheads to indicate they have done the prayer thing...my waitress had one and I said "You have something on your head" and flicked it off. My wife almost died of embarrassment but the waitress just laughed and said...... "Bule Gila!" (crazy foreigner)

Balinese people are very calm, possibly too laid back, especially Bali men...they don't work; only do art and ceremony. The workers are Bali women or 'tucans' (construction labourers) from Java or Timor.

There are literally thousands of villas/hotels in Bali and located in different areas. A visitor should identify the kind of participation they enjoy...i.e surfing, diving, partying, eco-touring or researching for the spiritual etc.....all is available and I can help.
Xmas and New Year is not a good time as the place is flooded with tourists and the prices and line-ups are sky high. Anytime after about 10 Jan is good for pricing but it is also rainy for an hour a day. The best temp season is July/Aug/Sept. but is also busy and prices tend to rise.

ex reg

Thanks for the info Davita