Cheap night in Kuta Bali

You can have a pretty cheap night in Kuta if you take advantage of the club specials and move around.

 

I met a German who had perfected this with multiple iPhone alarms that he followed religiously. He claims to survive on 150,000RP a night ($15) which for the most heavily commercialised part of Indonesia and getting dinner and absurdly drunk is pretty good going.

 

Hotel with pool for 100,000RP can be found around the Poppies Lane 1 or 2 area so Ealing distance to the beach and bars with breakfast included (if you get up in time), massages by the pool for 50,000RP

 

Lunch is optional after breakfast but I usually had something small and coffee 30,000RP so I could save myself for the all you can eat BBQ buffet with free beers between 5-6pm 50,000rp. That's not a typo.

 

Free pours of alcohol at most bars happen around 8pm. So head to alleycats on Poppies 2 for 20,000 " double doubles" that's two shots of vodka and two of red bull. Be sure to collect some free tequila vouchers that are handed out usually for Eikon. Then head there before free pour times at either sky garden or bounty.

 

 

Be careful for methanol in home made spirits and bogans/posers but otherwise a good cheap night.

 

Kuta Lombok

I imagine Kuta Bali would have been very similar to Kuta Lombok 20-30 years ago, the main attraction is surfing, or relaxing on the beach, its also a hot spot for domestic tourists and you can see why, white powder beaches:

Surrounded by lush green mountains and rice fields:

and even more greenery facing away from the beach:

The local sarong (50,000RP) salespeople, kids selling bracelets (10,000RP) and domestic tourists wanting to pose for a photo were the biggest concern and they were by no means a problem, "Tidak terima kasih" (No thankyou) was usually enough to get them to move on if you are not in the mood for buying anything.

We stayed at Ketapang Home Stay (100,000RP), which was basic but clean, the bathrooms had no basin and the water in the town was not very useful for cleaning anything but bottled water was 5000RP for a large cold bottle.

Ketapang is right on the beach but if you want to go surfing or enjoy some soft white sand you can rent a scooter (moto) for 50,000RP per day ($5) petrol is 5000RP a litre.

An incredible meal at Warung Bule (Foreigners Restaurant) is from 30,000-400,000 and is highly recommended. It's on the main road with signage at the T junction out of town, and is some of the best local food I have had (and an amazing chocolate milkshake).

Mushrooms here are cheaper than on Gili T at 20,000 per packet (currently in season) and can be found at some bars or the local bracelet selling children can get them for you, they are more expensive in a shake but obviously taste better.

$1-$2 for small Bintangs (local beer)

Gilli to Lombok

The trip from Gili to Lombok is a 30 min public ferry for $1 the view of the three Gili's and Lombok is pretty spectacular, you can also opt for a speed boat, but the local boat is a good experience, especially if there are chickens on board (this time there weren't any). The ticket office is on the beach, some people pay more if purchasing through an agent.

We then organised a guide (Jo) to pick us up from Bengsal Harbour in Lombok and take us for a quick tour of Lombok, breakfast and lunch, before dropping us in Kuta Lombok, the price for 3 people was 500,000RP or
$50 for 3 people, which is by no means the cheapest but check out the photo's of the waterfall we otherwise would never have seen, definitely worth the extra few $$. Here is our view for breakfast, you can make out the waterfall which is only a 10 minute walk after breakfast.

 Here is Jo at the waterfall:

 

 A quick stop to feed the monkeys, get some peanuts or banana's first.

 If you want to organise Jo you can contact him on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/jo.gili

We also paid 10,000RP or $1 each for entry to the waterfall, and both Jo's and our drivers lunch and coffee.Coffee for breakfast and lunch Mataram in the mall was $8. $10 per night for accommodation opposite Kuta beach is basic and could have done with a basin in the toilet but was otherwise OK. Small Bintangs were $1.60 and dinner of fried chicken with chili sauce, spring rolls, and 2 large beers was $8.

Sydney to Bali

When somewhere has as many tourists as locals you know that your not going to take much away from the experience.

It has flashing lights, drinking, scams, sex trade, all the usual suspects are here. I fail to see the attraction for more than 3 nights. Prices are high, tourists are obnoxious and a lot of locals just want your money. I wish I was here 15 years ago. My advice head out of the Kuta, Legion, and Seminyak area ASAP.

Today's spend:
$35 on VIP airport clearance run by of duty airport guards. Definitely beat lining up for 1 hour.

$10 on a taxi that usually costs $5 but avoided a huge queue.

Lunch $1.90 chicken curry with rice and not enough chicken, free tea and salad.

5 Bintang beers $10

12 5 shot Roman candle fireworks $18 and 25 minutes of haggling.

$25 boat from Bali to Gilli Trawangan

Dinner $15 (ate in Kuta) BBQ shrimp and nasi goreng.

Considering breakfast and the taxi too the airport in Sydney cost $47 I did $150? For the day but have transport to Gilli T, breakfast in Sydney and NYE fireworks sorted I think I did OK.

Regards,
Ben
Sorry for the short message this was sent from my mobile.