8 Days Backpacking to the North of Bali

Schedule

February 2010

Day 1  Jakarta-Denpasar Airport-Kuta
Day 2  Kuta
Day 3  Kuta-Lovina by Perama Bus
Day 4  Lovina-Menjangan Island for diving with Spice Dive Center
Day 5  Lovina-Kuta-Seminyak by Perama Bus/taxi
Day 6  Seminyak
Day 7  Seminyak-Kuta
Day 8  Kuta-Denpasar Airport-Surabaya-Jakarta

Trip Expense Report >> click here
** this is about the report of expense I had during this trip

Trip Journal

This trip purpose would be diving in Menjangan Island. Just checking out before I decide where to take the license, also knowing whether Lovina is nice place to stay and this time I travel with partner.

Day 1

Arrived Bali in late nite then went to Poppies Lane 1 by Blue Bird Taxi. We got off at McDonal Kuta and walked about 5min to our hotel, Fat Yogi Cottage. The hotel room is big with terrace and pink bathroom. I got it for Rp. 230k/nite twin sharing include AC, shower, bathtub and bfast. The hotel was good until we realized that the room is full with dust and the front officer is not a nice person.

Well, anyway not much things to do since that was very late and we just bought some groceries/drinks and also check-out the nite life there by visiting the Bounty club.

Day 2

Bfast by the hotel pool-the toast taste not bad, swimming then starting exploring the surrounding. We went to Perama Bus Office to purchase the roundtrip ticket to Lovina. Then check-out Dive Center in Kuta, shopping, going to the beach for tattoo as usual and relaxing there. Having lunch at Warung Indonesia and looking around the hotel in Poppies Lane 2 for my last day stay. It was sudden decision to stay for 8 days instead of 7 days due to my flight schedule change so crazily from 5pm to 6am. I am so disappointed with that Indonesian airlines. Anyway, so I checked out Beneyasa Inn I and it seems alright for Rp.90k/nite single fan room include bfast and they have pool which is the important one. After that, we walked through the beach on Kuta and Legian enjoying the sunset. It looks close by but it took us about 1 hour walk hahaha..
At nite, we just had dinner of Nasi Jeggo we bought in the beach for only Rp.3000. We were so starving that bought 3 package of rice (2 chicken and 1 beef). It tastes so good or maybe because we are starving. You can find the seller of this Nasi Jeggo in the beach who brings like a bucket in their motorbike. Then after eating, we just took a rest before the long journey to Lovina tomorrow morning.

Day 3

Swimming in the morning then having bfast by the pool. The banana pancake tastes so delicious. I really liked this hotel but if I remember their service and the ‘dust’ which not clean until our last stay, I prefer finding other hotel next time.
At 10 am we finally started our journey to Lovina by Perama Bus. Please be noted that this bus in NON-AC bus and kind of old bus, but actually their fare to Lovina include 1x lunch and 1 nite accommodation at Perama Cottage. I dunno this cottage location and facilities so I decided to keep on my plan to stay at Puri Bali Hotel. Anyway, the road trip to Lovina takes about 5 hours with one stop at Ubud. It is a long journey but I like seeing and enjoying the green views of mountains, green fields, it is so relaxing, so peaceful. We passed Bedugul where you can see the big lake in the mountain.. so beautiful. Then we arrived at Perama Cottage for lunch, the cottage is standard accommodation with no swimming pool and located about 10min drive to Lovina center. Lucky I haven’t cancelled my reservation in Puri Bali Hotel. Then, we were dropped at our hotel with extra charge ofcourse (Rp.10k/way). We are so happy that our hotel is located in Jalan Mawar in Lovina Center and just 5min walk to the beach or café/restaurant. The swimming pool is so big and the room is big but a little shaddy. I might think twice to stay there all by myself if I plan to take my diving license there though. Anyway, the weather was so hot so I went straight to the pool after check-in to cool myself. Then we went around the restaurant and beach and café in Jalan Binaria and we found local stall which sells local food with very very cheap price. It is located across Jalan Mawar entrance or next to the traffic light. They sell Nasi Campur for only Rp. 5k with rice, fish, pork, veggies and Lontong Tabanan with steamed rice, hot curry, veggies fro only Rp. 3k. I bought some sweet snack called “Jajanan Pasar” for only Rp. 2k. We had those for our dinner.

Day 4

Bfast at hotel – the toast set taste regular.
We were pick-up by Spice Dive at 9am to go to Menjangan Island for diving and snorkeling. The trip to Menjangan takes about 1 hour drive from Lovina and 20min boat. Nothing can be seen in this island except small place for praying and the rest would be only trees. But the underwater view.. WOW!! They have very good coral and fishes that kinda scary and hardly see them in Tulamben-other good dive site in Bali. There’s sea cucumber, starfish, lobster, batfish, clown fish, trigger fish and I saw shark. They said it is reef shark.. Ups.. I dunno whether it’s a good thing or not.. ow- and there is a turtle, medium size..so interesting. The current was changing a lot and quite hard for beginner like me. The water is so clear, despite the shark, I’d really love to come back and diving there. We had 2 dives then back to hotel around 4pm. Relax in the pool then buy the same food as yesterday for our dinner.At nite, we hang out at the Zigiz café in Jalan Binaria. There is this other good club –so they say- at Lovina Center called Pasha Club but somehow the music is dangdut which reminds us of very bad club in Jakarta hahaha.. so we just hangout at this small café, listening  to old songs.

Day 5

Bfast at hotel – had the toast again, since my friend tried its banana pancake and it tastes like fried banana with flour and honey.
Perama guy pick us up at 8.30 in the hotel to their bus station in Perama Cottage. At 9am sharp, we went back to Kuta with 1 stop at Ubud. We were drop in the street which is easier for us to go to Seminyak and took a BlueBird taxi from there which costs us about Rp.35k. It is expensive but we’d like to try staying in Seminyak Area. It’s 10min drive from Kuta but they said the atmosphere is different.
We arrived at our hotel, Taman Ayu Cottage Seminyak, which is very clean, small pool but very good service. The room is so classy and roomy, the bathroom has little rocks under the shower, feeling like being massage while showering. Wow!! We love this hotel. There is BCA ATM across the hotel and also club “Barcode”. The club is too quiet, not much guest so we didn’t go there at all.
We had late lunch at Mojo’s Burrito Seminyak that time which is only 5min walk from the hotel. The place is so quite but it’s clean. I like the Burrito’s but somehow my friend doesn’t but she ate the Nachos.
At nite, we hang out at Santa Fe club meeting my friend from Bali and had late dinner there. The spaghetti tasted good then we went to clubs in Legian, Paddy’s.

Day 6

Bfast at hotel – Indonesian food, the fried rice is good and big size.
Today we planned for buying souvenir and shopping in Kuta area. Seminyak is good for resting or relaxing but for shopping, we prefer in Kuta and it needs extra cost for taxi since none of us can drive a car or motorbike. Anyway, we shop in the morning then lunch at Warung Indonesia again and back to hotel. Then in the afternoon, we walk to Petitengget Beach which is 10min walk from our hotel but it’s worth a walk. Why?? Because the beach is so beautiful, not much stall or surfing since it’s prohibited due to this beach is occasionally used for local ceremony. WoW!! I love this beach.. then we walked through it until Legian beach.. then we took taxi to poppies again for massage hahaha..  we cannot find any cheap massage at legian or seminyak.
At nite, we just hang out at mini mart across the hotel, ate cup noodles then got dress to enjoy my friend last stay in Bali. We went to Bounty and had a very good time there..

Day 7 – 8

Bfast at hotel – Soto Ayam/chicken soup really tasted good.
Then I took my friend to airport via Pia Legong, which is the best snack in Bali!! But we have to order it at least 1 week before.. Then I went back to Poppies Lane 1, check-in at Beneyasa Inn I for its fan room. The room is clean but the light is not bright, lucky that day I hardly stay in the room. I went for short shopping and lunch at Warung Indonesia with my other friend, continue shopping then refreshing myself at hotel pool. Then I went for Thai Massage in Mirah Spa, Denpasar with my friend and her friend. The massage is so cheap for such a good service, I got it for only Rp.60k/1 hour– local rate. Then we went for dinner at foodcourt in Carefour. Hm.. I have been to many carefour in Jakarta but the Carefour in Bali is so different, it looks like big mall. Very nice place!
Afterward, I went back to hotel, got dressed up and having fun till my departure time. What a day! I hardly slept that day since I must go to airport at 4am. My flight supposed to be direct flight to Jakarta, but somehow they cancel that flight which caused me 4 hours transit in Surabaya Airport. Crazy but I had great time in Bali, so none of that matter !!

Note:
–          I had this bad experience meeting a guy who stalking me from a club to other club at day 1.  So girls, please be careful when going to club, especially with those who you reject their dance invitation.
–          When walking on pavement at dark, please walk on the side which is far from the street to avoid robbery by motorbike. I had this experience too in this trip, only God knows why!!

Well, that’s my voyage story to Lovina.

Next trip supposedly end of this year but as you might have read, I got sudden trip for family occasion just 1 month after this trip. In other word, you’ll never know when you can have your next trip too.. might be sooner or later..

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For hotel photos, please see my article about “Budget Hotel in Bali”

For useful information when travelling to Bali >  click here
(nite life, transportation, things-to-do, place-to-go, etc)