Southeast Asia 14th Edition, March 2008 [PDF] / se-asia-14-indonesia

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Dangers & Annoyances

Persistent hawkers are the bane of most visitors to Bali. The best way to deal with them is to ignore them from the first instance.

Take a little extra care in the Kuta area. Pickpockets sometimes target drunk revellers stumbling home after a night out and you may be offered drugs and solicited by sex workers of every gender. Drug-users and dealers are dealt with very strictly in Indonesia – you could face years in jail for having a joint, and entrapment by police is a possibility. Bali’s famed oong (magic mushrooms) contain psilocybin, a powerful hallucinogen that can have unpredictable effects.

Travellers have been stung badly by cardgame cons and dodgy holiday ‘timeshare’ deals. Some have been tricked into paying large amounts for unnecessary repairs to rental cars and motorcycles. Gigolos, ‘guides’ and friendly locals have persuaded visitors to hand over money to help pay for education expenses and life-saving operations. Moneychangers are adept at switching notes at the last minute – a healthy scepticism is your best defence if you’re offered a great rate.

The beaches of Kuta, Legian and Seminyak are subject to heavy surf and strong currents – swim between the flags.

Getting There & Away

AIR

The internal Indonesian flight market is now extremely competitive, with new airlines starting (and folding) each year. Prices have tumbled on many routes, particularly if you book up early. Unfortunately many of the airlines’ websites do not function well, if at all, so you may be faced with having to pitch up and grab the first available flight, or using a good travel agent.

Merpati offers the most comprehensive network of flights in Indonesia, covering virtually the entire archipelago. For sample one-way fares see Map p161).

Ngurah Rai airport (code DPS; %0361-751011), a few kilometres south of Kuta, is a major international hub and well connected globally. See p159 for international airlines servicing Bali.

Domestic airline offices (located at Ngurah Rai airport unless specified otherwise):

Adam Air (code KI; %0361-761104; www.adamair.com) Air Asia (code AK; %080 4133 3333; www.airasia.com) Batavia Air (code 7P; %0361-254955; www.batavia -air.co.id)

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Garuda (code GA; in Denpasar %080 7142 7832, Ngurah Rai airport 0361-751011, ext 5228; www

.garuda-indonesia.com)

Lion Air (code JT; %0361-236666; www.lionair.co.id) Mandala (in Denpasar %0361-222751, Ngurah Rai airport 0361-759761; www.mandalaair.com)

Merpati (code MZ; in Denpasar %080 0101 2345, Ngurah Rai airport 0361-235358; www.merpati.co.id) Pelita Air (code PAS; %0361-762248; www

.pelita-air.com)

TransNusa (%0361-754421; www.transnusa.co.id)

BOAT

Ferries (7000Rp, one hour) travel between Gilimanuk in western Bali and Ketapang (Java) every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day.

Ferries (21,000Rp, 4½ to 5½ hours) run between Padangbai and Lombok every two hours, 24 hours a day.

The Gili Shop (Map p215; %0361-753241; www.gili -paradise.com; Poppies 1-12, Kuta) operates a pricey fast charter boat between Bali and Lombok (690,000Rp, two hours) from Beroa harbour. By the time you read this, the shop should also be running trips from Kuta to Gili Trawangan on the Mahi Mahi (550,000Rp).

Three Pelni boats stop at Pelabuhan Benoa, linking Bali with most major Indonesian destinations. In Kuta, the Pelni office (%0361763963; www.pelni.co.id; Jl Raya Kuta 288; h8am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Thu, 8-11.30am Fri, 8am-1pm Sat) has the latest schedules.

BUS

Many buses travel daily between the Ubung terminal in Denpasar and major cities in Java; most travel overnight. Fares from Denpasar: Surabaya (150,000Rp, 12 hours), Yogyakarta (170,000Rp, 16 hours) and Jakarta (300,000Rp, 26 hours).

Perama (%0361-751551; www.peramatour.com; Jl Legian 39, Kuta) runs daily bus-boat services between all tourist destinations and Mataram/Senggigi/Gilis in Lombok (100,000Rp to 300,000Rp).

Getting Around

BICYCLE

You can hire bicycles in tourist centres for 15,000Rp per day; most have gears.

BEMO & BUS

Most of Bali’s public transport is provided by minibuses called bemo; the main hub is in Denpasar, (see p214).

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You can flag down a bemo pretty much anywhere along its route, but Bali’s bemo are notorious for overcharging tourists.

You can also charter a whole vehicle for a trip (negotiate the price beforehand), or by the day (for around 375,000Rp depending on the distance). The price should include driver and petrol.

Several shuttle bus companies link KutaLegian with the other main tourist centres.

Perama (Map p215; %0361-751551; www.peramatour

.com; Jl Legian 39, Kuta) is highly recommended. Book a ticket at least one day before you want to travel.

CAR & MOTORCYCLE

Virtually every hotel and many businesses in Bali can offer you a hire car or motorbike. This should involve you signing a written contract with the owner, agreeing to an excess in case of damage, and includes limited insurance. Obviously check the vehicle first for signs of damage. Make sure you obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) before you leave home – there are steep fines for unlicensed driving, and travel insurance may be invalidated.

Four-seater Suzuki Jimnys cost around 110,000Rp a day, larger Toyota Kijangs around 150,000Rp. Alternatively, Avis (% www.avis.com; Ngurah Rai airport) offers cars from US$35 per day, including full insurance.

Motorcycles cost about 30,000Rp per day, including limited insurance. If you don’t have an IDP, ask the renter to take you to the relevant police station in Denpasar, where you can buy a temporary SIM Turis licence (200,000Rp).

TAXI

Prepaid taxis from the airport cost 40,000Rp to Kuta or 175,000Rp to Ubud. Otherwise, walk across the airport car park to the main road, from where bemo go to Denpasar’s Tegal terminal via Kuta (2000Rp).

Taxis cost 5000Rp for the first kilometre and then 2000Rp for each subsequent kilometre. Bluebird (%0361-701111), in Kuta and Denpasar, is reliable.

DENPASAR

%0361 / pop 412,000

Denpasar is a typical provincial Indonesian city – a grey place that’s heavy on the concrete, choked by traffic and cursed by relentless heat.

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It holds near-zero interest for the visitor, but if Bali is your only stop in the country, you may just be tempted to see what an Indonesian city entails, warts and all. Otherwise there’s no real reason to linger – bar a museum and a temple.

Orientation

The main street of Denpasar starts as Jl Gajah Mada in the west, becomes Jl Surapati in the centre, then Jl Hayam Wuruk and finally Jl Raya Sanur in the east. The airport is south of the city.

Information

There are banks with ATM and exchange facilities across town, including several on Jl Gajah Mada.

Post office (Jl Raya Puputan; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat) Way out in the Renon district.

Prima Medika (%236225; www.primamedika.com; Jl Pulau Serangan No 9X; h24hr) Private hospital with English-speaking staff.

Target Tours (%240967; Jl Diponegoro 75; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat) For plane tickets.

Tourist office (%223602; Jl Surapati 7; h7.30am- 3.30pm Mon-Thu, 8am-1pm Fri) Deals with Denpasar municipality, including Sanur; has copies of the useful Bali-wide Calendar of Events.

Warung@internet (Jl Nakula 33; per hr 6000Rp; h9am-5am)

Sights & Activities

The Museum Negeri Propinsi Bali (%222680; Puputan Sq; admission 2000Rp, camera 1000Rp; h8am-3pm SunThu, to 12.30pm Fri) showcases Balinese crafts and is worth an hour or two. Alongside the fine hand-spun textiles are some incredibly intricate drawings of the Ramayana, and startling barong costumes used for Balinese dance.

Next to the museum is Pura Jagatnatha (Puputan Sq; hdawn-dusk), the state temple with a striking tiered central monument. Opposite here is Puputan Square, with its heroic Catur Mukha statue. Despite the statue’s rather macabre role commemorating the suicidal stand against the Dutch in 1906, it is a popular local meeting place.

Downtown Denpasar rotates around Bali’s biggest market, Pasar Badung (Jl Gajah Mada; h7am-7pm). There are a few handicrafts here, but it’s best used as a place to get a grip on the hubbub of day-to-day Denpasar and fire off a few colourful snaps