Author Topic: Bali [Live]  (Read 22418 times)

Offline Suave

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Bali [Live]
« on: October 15, 2015, 07:45:57 AM »
I am going to start posting random ideas, places and reports...maybe one day I will combine it all into a more proper trip report.
(most of my images include others, so i will find alternative 3rd party images where I can)

My trip reports are more destination guides so I am not sure if I posted this in the right place.

This thread is live for now, as I am not sure how much longer I will be here in Bali for.

Ubud
I find it hard to describe the vibe in ubud, It's artsy, yuppy, rustic, peaceful etc but a bit overrun with unappreciative tourists. If you are looking to absorb/observe the balinese culture, this may be a good place to start. If you appreciate handcrafted art, unique handmade fashion & home decor, you will love it here.

Most of the action happens around the proverbial center (Raya Ubud, Monkey Forest Rd, Hanoman street etc) Decent (Semi-tsnius) Nightlife can be found near the soccer fields; Chillout lounge, CP Lounge (I come here for the live music and the shisha), XL Lounge (also has shisha but is more popular among the local youth). Right near the soccer fields on Dewi Sita you can find the Havana Cafe (I love the vibe here + they have shisha) & Bamboo cafe which is cheap.

Places I have stayed in & around Ubud:

Villa Anandani
This was by far the best place we have stayed in ubud. We had a "servant" on hand 24/7, we taught him the basics of hilchos yom tov and he was running around turning on fans, AC, lights etc. without being told.  The second he saw me with an unlit cigarette he would run for the candle. The rooms were comfortable and the beds were made every time we left the room. Officially he is also supposed to make breakfasts etc - but I would bring utensils etc. (Madre was a horrible cook btw - but he tried and we appreciated that)

The pool is nice and served as my b'dieved mikvah before sunrise every morning.

The owner has a VERY eclectic taste in literature, but there were some good reads for me.

It's about a 15 minute drive (south) from Ubud Center. It sits on a quite rice field.

Expect to pay about $100-$125 per night. Booking.com







Villa Lumbung
This place is much cheaper and works for slightly larger groups as they have 2 private villas each with 2 large double beds each (and options for more).
Komang and his family were very accommodating to our needs (shabbat, eiruv etc) which made the stay very enjoyable.

About $30 per night. 15 minutes north of ubud, Close to Petulu.





Budi House Bungalows
Cheap homestay type place, decent rooms, Wifi, Pool but no AC - About $18 per night
It's in the center of ubud, within walking distanced of anything of note.




Kosher Food
There are tons of "shehechianu" fruits here, Dragon Fruit, Snake Fruit, Durian (It stinks!), Jack Fruit, Star Fruit, Mangosteen (Yummy!) Soursop and more. There are many OU Items in the shops here (Ubud: I found tons of stuff at Coco Supermarket on Hanoman st.) I would strongly suggest checking out the Australia Kashrus kosher list as there are some imported items available here.



For fresh fish you can look out for Red Snapper (Locally known as kakap merah) , Mahi Mahi, Tuna & Salmon. (Ubud: There is a good sushi joint called Ryoshi on Hanoman St. that would sell you sushi grade fish by weight (this option obviously depends on your kashrus standards and commitment)) Lake Batur is famous for it's fresh water tilapia which may be your cheapest option.

A local told me that some Israelis opened a Vegan place a while back, but further research proved futile. There are a few local Vegan/Vegeterial places but to each their own.

If you are staying in a private villa, I would suggest arranging for someone to come cook by you (just buy pots and pens for a few bucks + vegetables, rice etc). There are tons of tofu/tempe options.

Balinese cooking is really good IMHO (Try Vegetable nasi goreng, ikan bakar, gado gado (healthy & cheap), martabak and satay) Might as well go for Balinese cooking classes while you are here. The frum world can use a culinary upgrade back home.

(Sometimes I would ask restaurants if they have whole fish - I would then fillet it, double wrap it in silver foil with my secret spice blend that I carry around in my backpack and have them grill/bake it)
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Offline Emkay

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2015, 08:09:52 AM »


I am going to start posting random ideas, places and reports...maybe one day I will combine it all into a more proper trip report.
(most of my images include others, so i will find alternative 3rd party images where I can)

My trip reports are more destination guides so I am not sure if I posted this in the right place.

This thread is live for now, as I am not sure how much longer I will be here in Bali for.

Ubud
I find it hard to describe the vibe in ubud, It's artsy, yuppy, rustic, peaceful etc but a bit overrun with unappreciative tourists. If you are looking to absorb/observe the balinese culture, this may be a good place to start. If you appreciate handcrafted art, unique handmade fashion & home decor, you will love it here.

Most of the action happens around the proverbial center (Raya Ubud, Monkey Forest Rd, Hanoman street etc) Decent (Semi-tsnius) Nightlife can be found near the soccer fields; Chillout lounge, CP Lounge (I come here for the live music and the shisha), XL Lounge (also has shisha but is more popular among the local youth). Right near the soccer fields on Dewi Sita you can find the Havana Cafe (I love the vibe here + they have shisha) & Bamboo cafe which is cheap.

Places I have stayed in & around Ubud:

Villa Anandani
This was by far the best place we have stayed in ubud. We had a "servant" on hand 24/7, we taught him the basics of hilchos yom tov and he was running around turning on fans, AC, lights etc. without being told.  The second he saw me with an unlit cigarette he would run for the candle. The rooms were comfortable and the beds were made every time we left the room. Officially he is also supposed to make breakfasts etc - but I would bring utensils etc. (Madre was a horrible cook btw - but he tried and we appreciated that)

The pool is nice and served as my b'dieved mikvah before sunrise every morning.

The owner has a VERY eclectic taste in literature, but there were some good reads for me.

It's about a 15 minute drive (south) from Ubud Center. It sits on a quite rice field.

Expect to pay about $100-$125 per night. Booking.com







Villa Lumbung
This place is much cheaper and works for slightly larger groups as they have 2 private villas each with 2 large double beds each (and options for more).
Komang and his family were very accommodating to our needs (shabbat, eiruv etc) which made the stay very enjoyable.

About $30 per night. 15 minutes north of ubud, Close to Petulu.





Budi House Bungalows
Cheap homestay type place, decent rooms, Wifi, Pool but no AC - About $18 per night
It's in the center of ubud, within walking distanced of anything of note.




Kosher Food
There are tons of "shehechianu" fruits here, Dragon Fruit, Snake Fruit, Durian (It stinks!), Jack Fruit, Star Fruit, Mangosteen (Yummy!) Soursop and more. There are many OU Items in the shops here (Ubud: I found tons of stuff at Coco Supermarket on Hanoman st.) I would strongly suggest checking out the Australia Kashrus kosher list as there are some imported items available here.



For fresh fish you can look out for Red Snapper (Locally known as kakap merah) , Mahi Mahi, Tuna & Salmon. (Ubud: There is a good sushi joint called Ryoshi on Hanoman St. that would sell you sushi grade fish by weight (this option obviously depends on your kashrus standards and commitment)) Lake Batur is famous for it's fresh water tilapia which may be your cheapest option.

A local told me that some Israelis opened a Vegan place a while back, but further research proved futile. There are a few local Vegan/Vegeterial places but to each their own.

If you are staying in a private villa, I would suggest arranging for someone to come cook by you (just buy pots and pens for a few bucks + vegetables, rice etc). There are tons of tofu/tempe options.

Balinese cooking is really good IMHO (Try Vegetable nasi goreng, ikan bakar, gado gado (healthy & cheap), martabak and satay) Might as well go for Balinese cooking classes while you are here. The frum world can use a culinary upgrade back home.

(Sometimes I would ask restaurants if they have whole fish - I would then fillet it, double wrap it in silver foil with my secret spice blend that I carry around in my backpack and have them grill/bake it)
Nice! I like these fly by the minute reports.
P.S. I'm pretty sure "Vegeterial" is not a real word

Offline Joe4007

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2015, 08:11:44 AM »
Love it! Great to see a totally different perspective on travel!

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2015, 08:20:23 AM »
Excellent TR!

Offline Adam101

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2015, 08:21:51 AM »
Fresh idea. Loving it!

Offline TimT

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2015, 08:44:00 AM »
Nice TR! Looking forward to more

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2015, 08:44:46 AM »
Keep it coming...

Offline ilherman

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2015, 09:46:22 AM »
Great! Thanks for taking the time!
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2015, 09:47:22 AM »
How are you getting around?
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline Suave

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2015, 09:59:03 AM »
How are you getting around?
Scooter, the roads are not good enough for real motorcycles.

Scooters will run you about $4 per day, always bargain, always check and confirm fuel, always make sure the tires have good treads. It's always a good idea to take a video of the bike from all angels so you don't run into surprise charges when returning it. Never leave your passport as a deposit. Some areas in the mountains have no gas stations but you will find many roadside kiosks with 1 litre bottles of fuel (usually in whiskey or vodka bottles) for about a buck each.

On my last visit here I circled nearly the entire island on a scooter (covered about 700km in 10 days) stayed in a different village every night.

Always try to get a 125/150 cc bike. I had to take a 3 hour detour because my bike wouldn't make it up the other side of batur Volcano (I nearly died in the process)
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Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2015, 10:00:55 AM »
I noticed that everyone was scootering around when i was there, but traveling with a kid is not really conducive for scootering. I did see families all huddled up on one scooter, but do not think i can handle that.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline stbaum

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2015, 10:01:26 AM »
Scooter, the roads are not good enough for real motorcycles.

Scooters will run you about $4 per day, always bargain, always check and confirm fuel, always make sure the tires have good treads. It's always a good idea to take a video of the bike from all angels so you don't run into surprise charges when returning it. Never leave your passport as a deposit. Some areas in the mountains have no gas stations but you will find many roadside kiosks with 1 litre bottles of fuel (usually in whiskey or vodka bottles) for about a buck each.

On my last visit here I circled nearly the entire island on a scooter (covered about 700km in 10 days) stayed in a different village every night.

Always try to get a 125/150 cc bike. I had to take a 3 hour detour because my bike wouldn't make it up the other side of batur Volcano (I nearly died in the process)

whoa. details? thanks for the TR how's the weather in Bali now? it's spring now, no?
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Offline yakrot

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2015, 10:12:19 AM »
Wow keep it coming!

Offline Suave

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2015, 10:22:55 AM »


Live: drinking young coconut is cheap and good for you. It's full of nutrients and electrolytes. Costs a buck or less.
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Offline srap

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2015, 10:24:41 AM »
Never really thought of going to Bali.  You make it tempting and taking out all the work preparation to make it practically doable.  LOVE your summary reports.  Waiting for more...

Offline Emkay

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2015, 11:24:10 AM »


stayed in a different village every night.
stayed with locals or booked online?

Offline Suave

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2015, 03:14:52 PM »
So my friend and I are laying by the pool (at our hotel which is sort of perched on the top of a (cliff?) mountain with the river far below) when suddenly we hear a loud crash from the river below...I say; What was that? My friend replies without skipping a beat; Oh nothing, the Hanging gardens just did an instant renovation and is now called the lying gardens. 

Let's see how many of you get joke :-)
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Offline Suave

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2015, 03:16:14 PM »
stayed with locals or booked online?
Both, It's very easy to find a local family to crash by for the night, I have done it in many other countries too.
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Offline ual902

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2015, 04:22:45 PM »
I saw an Israeli flag in Kuta beach by a cafe, the owner told me he loves Jews and Israel LOL when I was there... Enjoy

Offline Suave

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Re: Bali [Live]
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2015, 11:05:03 PM »
Just laying back and checking out some sichos
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