The Statistics
Number of days spent in country – 30
Cities/towns visited – Kuta, Bali; Ubud; Bali, Padang Bai, Bali; Gili Air, Lombok; Sengigi, Lombok; Kuta, Lombok
Number of different lodgings – 7
Flights – 0
Bus journeys – 4
Boat rides – 3
Taxi journeys – 5
The Budget
Total US dollar amount spent – $2054.14
Average cost per day, per person – $34.24
Average lodging cost per night, per person – $7.45
Most expensive lodging, per person – $12.50 for a private cabana with bath at Banana Cottages on Gili Air. It was an ok value, though it would have been better if it included breakfast. The cabanas were brand new though, and were cleaned every day, which was a huge treat for us.
Least expensive lodging, per person – $3.65 for a private double with bath (cold shower, toilet, no sink) including breakfast at Tri Putri homestay in Kuta, Lombok. It’s a basic surfer compound but we had our own room with a fan and bathroom, unlimited banana pancakes (really crepes) for breakfast, a little patio area with a drying rack, and it was just on the edge of the village.
Average food/drink cost per day, per person – $12.20 – We ate out exclusively, everything from $1.00 Mie Goring (the local cheap noodle dish) to more Western style meals, mostly on Gili Air. We also drank copious amounts of beer.
The Best
Chill Out Bungalows and Bar on Gili Air – This was the most consistently decent Western food we had in Indonesia. It’s beachfront and they have free wifi that actually works. They have tables inside, little surfer decks (most have some cover) outside, and lounge chairs on the beach that you can use all day if you order something, even just a bottle of water.
Cheap cheap cheap Magnum ice cream bars.
Corner Warung, in Ubud, Bali (on the corner of JL Raya Ubud and JL Sugriwa) – Really great food for cheaper than comparable places. The Thai beef salad and the BLT’s are the best.
Tude’s Family homestay in Ubud, Bali (on Sugriwa St not far from where the street branches off from JL Raya Pengosekhan. There’s also an entrance on Gang Menda. Call ahead – 081 338 227 008) – It’s walkable from the Perama bus stop and the town center, but far enough out to have a real neighborhood feel. He’s got two rooms, one with a double bed, one with two twins, both have their own bathrooms. The rooms are new and spotless, and come with breakfast , afternoon tea, and towels. Prices vary, depends what you negotiate, but we paid around $7 per person in the shoulder season.
Paying a few dollars to spend the day lounging around at fancy hotel pools. Lots of places will let you do this, just ask around until you find one you like. Biyukukung Suites and Spa, on JL Sugriwa #89 near Tude’s is great because it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by rice fields. There’s an upper and a lower pool, the lower is much more private.
Super cheap local food – you can get a plate of Nasi Campur (rice based dish) or Mie Goreng (noodle based dish) for a dollar or two at many local places. Quality varies, so ask around about good places. This particular plate we found at a tiny little place in Ubud for $1. It was pretty good, and Justin ate a total of 3 full plates in one sitting.
We took a cooking class at Casa Luna one day, and we were very pleased with the value. It’s a group class, so you don’t get to do everything, but there’s TONS of food and it’s really interesting to see the curries made from scratch, especially since they take a fair amount of effort if you are hand grinding all the ingredients. We took a class on a day with the market tour and it was great to be able to wander around the local market with a guide who could tell us a little more about the food and spices that we were buying to cook with.
The Worst
The never-ending calls of ‘taxi/transport/massage?!?’ you get while walking down the street.
Kuta, Bali. Wow. I mean, we somehow just had no idea that Bali is to Australians what Mexico is to Americans, meaning a place to get crazy drunk for super cheap, or a place to stay in nice resorts for a fraction of what you’d pay in Australia. We were expecting paradise, but Kuta just reminded us of Cancun…only tackier. It’s the place to be if you want super cheap t-shirts/sarongs and a souvenir penis in the form of a bong, bottle opener, lamp or just about anything else you can imagine and you can get them in wood, plastic, aluminum, or disco ball style. You can also find a full range of some of the most offensive stickers I’ve ever seen. Most people end up here for at least a day since the airport is here, but it was our least favorite place in our entire 15 month trip.
The Parallel Life 