Posted: 2008-11-04 02:56 AM
OK, one laaaaast question, I promise! You mentioned about a ferry to Lovina. So is it possible to take a ferry from Kuta to Lovina? It would be great to do the land route there and the sea route back.
Anyway, thanks for the intel on the last hotel. I'm still convinced it's where I want to stay!! :)
Posted: 2008-11-04 02:55 AM
Yeah, I got the idea from the website that it was definitely NOT high end. lol But that's what I shoot for. When I first get to beach, I usually only book the first 2 nights. Then I spend the first day walking up the beach looking at literally every hotel (except the international chains). My general rule of thumb is if the person you're talking to is family of the owner, it will be a good experience.
Having said that, I don't care so much about the nationality of the owners. On Alona Beach on Bohol, I found the most awesome place run by a retired US fella and his Filipina wife. Super clean, huge rooms with walk-in hot showers and a fantastic bar with good food. Now was it one of the cheapest places on the strip, but the staff were all a pretty happy and well looked after bunch, so he wasn't lowballing them on the wages I reckon. Here's a blurb: http://asia-travelbug.blogspot.com/search/label/Alona%20beach
Posted: 2008-11-02 08:58 PM
Wow! I love that website. Especially the kind of fake black hair founder guy. lol Seriously though -- I am NOT a fan of the high-end, overcharge-the-tourists, underpay-the-locals chain places. I always choose the local places with personality, and that hotel really seems to have it in bucketloads. So my trip is starting to shape up -- start off in Legian beach north of Kuta, do a one hour stop in Ubud just to say I've been there, then a few days in Lovina. And hopefully a tour to Amed for a couple of nights.
But as I'll only have a week in March, it's more likely to be Kuta this time, and then the rest of the Island in August. But I'll get there! Thanks for the great link. This site should have a special section just to share accommodation like this!
Posted: 2008-11-01 02:34 PM
Dear Marianne
Thank you for your congratulations. The book is launched and I - the author have a big debt to pay. No money for the translation to English. I did a huge work, but that's enough. Now I dream again about packing my backpack and travel to end of the world.
Greetings
Wojtek
Thanks for posting on my profile. And thanks for pointing me to Lovina. I found a great hotel there that has a excellent overview map of bali:
http://www.baliparadisehotel.com/map_large_en.htm
And Lovina is there in big red letters! So now my plan is to head to the south island to set up a base camp at a cheapish hotel. Then do 2-days explorations here and there W/N/E of the the island. And Lovina is now on the map. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction :)
Mike
Posted: 2008-10-22 06:33 PM
thanks again for your nice encouragements. i am quite new here, i am trying to adding you as my friend, but i do not how to do that.
