CENTRAL COAST - Terrigal - surf - 31 july 2009

Nice waves today.

CENTRAL COAST - Terrigal Wamberal, - surf - 26 july 09

Not much happening. There were some small, fun waves.

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal - surf - 25 july 09

A sunny and warm winter's day. There was very little wind and small, crisp, fun waves. The photos are from my new camera.

Indonesia - Bali - Lovina - 1999

Lovina is a group of villages within a 10 kilometre radius. Kalibukbuk is the main area. The beaches are black sand. The area is very quiet, pretty and laid back. It is a good base to explore north Bali due to the range of accommodations and restaurants.

Things to do

Lovina – kalibukbuk

Dolphin watching tours
Diving
Snorkeling – boat to reef.
Bull races – Yayasan Budaya Den Bukit Lovina – Friday
Cycling
Sit on the beach at sunset
Walk the streets and beaches
Talk with the beach vendors

Yeh Sinih – black sand beach – fresh water springs into pools – Pura Ponjok Batu location – art zoo

Singaraja – harbour and waterfront

Gitgit – entry fee -waterfalls – touristy – walk further 2 km to multi-tiered waterfalls, nice track, jungle.

Brahma Vihara Arama – Buddhist monastery

Air Panas Banjar – hot springs, gardens

Indonesia - Bali - Legian - 2009

Legian is an area north of Kuta. It is a built up area of houses, hotels, shops, temples and restaurants. The beach is grey sand and wide and very active with beach selling and tourist life . The area is quieter than Kuta. It is a good base to explore Bali while enjoying lots of facilities.

Things to do

Waterbom park
www.waterbompark.com
Massages – many types
Spas – get the works
Timezone video arcade
Bungy jumping
Sit on and walk along the beach morning and afternoon
Temporary tattoo
Talk with locals
Wander the streets
Shop
Eat at different restaurants
Bang some bongo drums
Swim
Ball games on the beach
Sit around the hotel pool
Have a cocktail while floating in the pool
Hair braid
Fingernail painting
Fly a kite


Surf
Legian - Jayakarta left right mid to high; Padma
Kuta - surf club high; ½ way at low
Kuta reef – 20 minute paddle or boat – mid to high
Airport lefts – mid to high
Airport rights – 2x rights mid to high

Where to stay
There are lots more but these are within 10 minutes walking to each other.

Hotel Jayakarta
0361751433
www.jayakaratahotelresorts.com

Villa Pisang Mastel jn Werkudara
Jl. werkudara
http://www.rentvillainbali.com/
62361 738830
pisangmas@indo.net.id

Kumala Pantai
Jl. werkudara
0361 755500
email: kumalapt@indosat.net.id

Hotel Kumala
Jl. werkudara
0361 732186, 733448
email: gkumala@indosat.net.id
www.hotelkumala.com

Blue Ocean
0361 730289

Puri Tantra Beach Bungalows

Su’sCottages II
0361 752127

Bali Village Bagak Hotel
0361 753893
info@balivillagehotel.com

Indonesia - Bali - Bike tour - 2008

There are a number of downhill cycle tours through the Balinese countryside. They all seem to offer similar activities but the route taken by bike is different.

We went on the Bali eco tour. The tour agent recommended this as she said this group was better with children.

We were picked up by air con van and driven to a number of locations in Ubud picking up other riders. There were three family groups in all.

The first stop was by some steep and beautiful rice field terraces. They made excellent backdrops for photos.

The next stop was Kintamani, where we sat in a restaurant and had breakfast. The views over Gunung Batur and Danau Batur were excellent.

The next stop was to pick up the bicycles. All bikes were adjusted for each person and safety instructions were given. We were given time to cycle around to get use to the bikes.

The guides lead us to a number of venues at a leisurely pace along quiet rural roads. A van and truck followed in the rear in case there were any problems.

The main guide was very informative and very alert for any dangers or problems.

We stopped at a:

1. Temple. We were explained Hinduism and the function of the temple in Balinese society
2. Primary/elementary school. The kids were on a break when we arrived. We caused a certain amount of mayhem as we walked through the classrooms and chatted with the teachers and the students.
3. Home. We walked through the family compound and were explained the functions of all the buildings. Some members of the family compound were present.
4. Rice field. Once again the informative guide explained the importance of rice and the stages of rice growth. Ducks were wandering through the fields eating insects.

While all this was happening, we were greeted as we cycled by small children yelling ‘hello, hello’. I was in Bali in the early 80’s and this reminded so much of a time that I thought was long gone.

We finished with lunch at the company owner’s family restaurant. The food was a selection of various dishes and it was excellent. Finally, a bit tired we were driven back in air con comfort to our hotels

Best points: exercise, sights, guides, hellos

Worse points: started to get uncomfortably hot just as we were finishing, it ended

Costs

275 000 adult 200 000 child (April 08)

Here are some sites to check:

www.baliecocycling.com
www.jegegbalicycling.com.
www.balibintangtour.com
www.balisobek.com

Indonesia - Bali - Berewa - 2009

Berewa is a grey sand beach with a backdrop of palm trees and rice fields. It is very quiet.
Berewa is about ½ by road from Kuta. It is about a ½ walk from Canggu along the beach.

What to do

Hotel Tugu – classic hotel for dinner and look – 0361731701

The Beach House – dinner
0361738471

Walk to Canggu

Echo beach

Tanah lot -- sunset

Sit on the beach at sunset

Talk with th locals

Surf

Legong Keraton beach – left/right

Right reef

Far right reef

Canggu – right – high; left – mid on

Where to stay

Legong Keraton
www.legongkeratonhotel.com
info@legongkeratonhotel.com
0361.730280
0361.8446330

Bolare Beach Bungalows
0361 730258
www.hotelbolarebali.com
www.indo.com/hotel/bolare
email: Bolare@indosat.com
Jl Pantai Berawa Cangu Kuta
DENPASAR
Phone : 0361-730258, 0361-732295
Fax : 0361-73166

wayan’s - two rooms only
www.balitoursguide.com
wayan@balitoursguide.com
08174759097
0361 8622288

wayans uncle - one room only - budget
lisa – 081337486494 fan

Indonesia - Bali - Bali Bird Park and Rimba Reptil Park - 2007

www.bali-bird-park.com

The entry fee is quoted in dollars us and converted at their rate in Indonesian rupiah. You can buy a separate ticket for each park or a double pass.

There is plenty of parking. You can get there via a tour your own transport or hire a car/driver.

You can guide yourself through the park or hire a guide.

The bird park has quite a number of birds from Indonesia and from other parts of the world. The walking paths meander around the open parks, water features and gardens of the park. There are number of birds that roam freely around the park, are in cages, or in walk through aviaries. A show of various birds in flight is presented at regular times and there is a touch/photo area near the entrance of the park.

There is a restaurant, souvenir shop and toilets.

The reptile park, which is next door has a number of reptiles from Indonesia. This includes Komodo dragons.

Best points: pleasant surroundings, touching birds, walk through aviaries

Worse points: some cages too small.

CENTRAL COAST - Terrigal to Skillion - HIKE - 21 July 2009

Terrigal (skillion) walk July 2009

The walk can be started at Terrigal Beach or from the Haven. It is an easy 1 hour walk. This walk is best done at low tide with a small swell. The waves are more spectacular when the swell is running but it becomes too dangerous to proceed on the full walk.

Starting from Terrigal there are two directions either via the rock pool or follow the footpath above it. Via the rock pool, there is a short difficult climb from the rocks above to the rocks below that lead to the beach at the Haven.

Follow the haven beach, then along the rocks around the small cliff face. Eventually, a small bay is reached just before the skillion. From here, you can walk some distance around the base of the skillion until the water and rocks become impassable. Rocks falls on this part of the walk is a possibility.

Walking towards the road which winds around the skillion and to the left is a steep climb to the top of the skillion. There are excellent views from the top as far north as Crackneck Point and the Cape Three Points to the south. Surprisingly, there is a lot of bird life around the outer bushes of the skillion climb.

Follow the footpath back to Terrigal or via the haven beach and the rock pool.

Indonesia - Bali - Bukit - 2007

What to do

Walk along cliff path to other breaks

Walk along beaches

Swimming

Snorkeling

Surfing or watch surfing

Ulu Watu temple – kecak dance at sunset

Pura Mas Suka

Nusa Dua
Beach promenade 5km
Nice beach

Tanjung Benoa
Water sports


Surfing

Balangan – left – mid tide on
Dreamland – short right and longer left - low
Bingin – short left - mid
Impossibles – three shifting peaks – low
Padang Padang – mid to high
Ulu Watu – several spots – low to high at various spots
Sri Lanka
Nusa Dua breaks – boat south of Hilton

Where to Stay

Mick’s place

Leggies bungalows

Kembung kuning ocean view bungalows

Chocky’s place
http://www.chockysplace.com
81805444833

Secret garden

Podok Indah

Lynnes place

Rocky’s Bungalows

Padang Padang Inn

Ayu Guna Inn

Flower bungalows

Guna Mandala
0361 847073

Ala Manda Cottages

Balangan Sea View Bungalows

Indonesia - Bali - Gunung Batur - 2009

Gunung Batur is a large volcano with a lake at the bottom of the crater with a group of smaller volcanic cones.

There are villages on the upper rim from Penlokan to Penulisan. A road leads down to the bottom of the crater from Penlokan. There are a number of villages at the base of the crater – Buahan, Kedisan, Toya Bungkah, Songan and Toya Mampeh.

There is an entry fee for entering the base of the crater.

What to do

Trunyan is a Bali Aga village
Get a boat – cemetery – different customs – Pura Pancering Jagat

Toya bungkah
Hot springs – Tirta Sanjiwani Hot Springs Complex
Volcano climb – mainly for the sunrise and to see the other smaller volcanoes – this can be approached also from Pura Jati, Songan or Kintamani
Danau (lake) Batur
boat ride from jetty in Kedisan - swim

Songan
Pura Ulun Danau Batur – market gardens

Kintamani
View - market

Penulisan
views - Pura Puncak Penulisan

Penlokan
Amazing views from nice restaurants.

Where to stay

There are hotels/restaurants in the villages along the rim at Penelokan and Kintamani.

In the crater, there are accommodations at Kedisan and Toya Bungkah.

Note We stayed in Kedisan for about four nights. It was very quiet, enjoyable to explore and very scenic.

Best Points: volcano climb, walking around the area, views

Worse Points: sellers to a degree.