Posts by Cerelinde

Djalma is amazing! 😎 Thanks for the explanation, Philippebrg! 😉 In Indonesia, locals translate it as "jackfruit," but I guess that’s just for convenience.

Right now, you can find quite a few of them in markets, but what is this fruit? Do you know it? It’s not that common. The segments you remove from the bunch can be eaten raw or fried with the pit still inside.















Hi, I think it’s jackfruit. You see a lot of it in Indonesia and Malaysia, for example. I’ve never tried it, though!

Hi Thierry,

Actually, we spent 2 weeks in Lombok, since we got stuck in Bali for several days waiting for a solution for my son. Not too much beach time, no. Just at the end of the trip in the "secret Gili" islands. We spent most of our stay in the central and northern mountain regions. I can’t really answer about the slow ferry—we took a fast boat from Padangbai to Bangsal. And we took a flight back to Bali for the return trip.

Hello everyone,

This September, my partner and I are heading to North Sulawesi for 3 weeks. Our international flight is with Malaysia Airlines, departing from Paris. We have a layover in KL, then Denpasar, and after that, a domestic flight from Denpasar to Manado. We land in Bali Denpasar on 05/09 around 12:00 PM, and our flight to Manado is on 07/09 at 1:30 AM. The idea was to have at least one night (from the 5th to the 6th of September) between our international flight and our flight to Manado, just to recharge a bit since we're not 20 anymore 😛. My question is, given the very short stop in Bali (a day and a half), is it better to stay in Denpasar rather than go to Ubud? I know Bali, and from what I remember, even though the distances are short, the transfers take a long time because of the extremely heavy traffic—but I was there in July, not September. I’m not sure if that makes a big difference? If the answer is "it’s better to stay in Denpasar," are there any nice places to visit? There’s very little feedback about the city since tourists don’t usually linger there. Thanks in advance for your answers.

Hi,

A little update is in order. Jimbaran was a great choice—we really liked that part of Bali. There was a nice beach near our hotel (a 5-minute walk). The hotel (Bali Breez Hotel) was great for the price. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We were supposed to stay just one night in Bali, but fate had other plans, and our whole itinerary fell apart. Our original plan was to go to Sulawesi. We were supposed to meet up in Manado with my son, who was coming from Jakarta, but he got stuck because of the volcano eruption. We waited a few days in Bali, but since the situation didn’t improve, my son ended up taking a train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta and then a flight from Yogya to Denpasar to join us. Having lost quite a few days and money, we finally decided to visit Lombok instead of Sulawesi. This is the second time Sulawesi has been canceled for us—I hope we’ll make it there someday! Next year, maybe? Fingers crossed!

Hello, I’d love some feedback even though I’ve already bought the ticket. Thanks!

Hi Carole, sorry for the late reply. I’ve had a few little adventures here in Indonesia (because of erupting volcanoes). I completely forgot to give feedback on Malaysia Airlines. Everything went really well. No complaints at all. Flights were on time and the in-flight service was good. The staff were friendly and smiling. The meals were fine—I’ve seen much worse on other airlines. Hope you have a great experience too. Safe travels.

Hi Carole,

When do you plan to book your tickets? I’m traveling for the first time on September 4th with Malaysia Airlines. If you’re not in a rush, I’ll be able to share my experience very soon.

Just confirming—you're on the list. 😉 I’m like you—I don’t like making hotel reservations, and the rest of the trip will be spontaneous, but I usually like to secure the first and last night.

Hi everyone,

Just to let you know, I found a room in Jimbaran (now booked) for 18 €—breakfast not included—right near the beach. I think it’s the best value for money. There were cheaper options, but they either had a worse location or really bad reviews. Except for this hotel, if you want all the conditions (good location, decent amenities, comfort, good ratings, etc.), the price jumps up pretty quickly. So, it seems like (to be confirmed once I’m there, of course) a great compromise. At that price, you can’t ask for the moon either. 🙂

Thanks to everyone who helped me with my search. [;]

Hi Christian,

We’re sticking to the north for our 3-week trip, so we’ve had to make some choices. Still hoping we’ll have time to make it to the Togian Islands via Gorontalo, though. I’ve got a rough itinerary in mind, but nothing’s set in stone since we’re not booking hotels in advance—we’ll decide on the spot based on how we feel and whatever unexpected things come up. 😄

Hi,

Thanks for the info and the price. I did mention taxis because they’re the easiest and most flexible option, but of course the shuttle can be a much cheaper good deal. For now, we’re leaning toward Jimbaran—the more we think about it, the less we want to end up in Ubud’s hustle and bustle. I actually found a hotel in Jimbaran right near the beach that fits the budget we want to spend for this night in Bali.

Hi Christian,

You’re right—we *did* exchange messages about Sulawesi before. Back then, I was planning a trip with my teenage son, and it was actually your story that sparked my interest in discovering that part of the world. That was in 2020, the year of the pandemic, and well… we all know how that turned out. The plan fell through.

Now I’ve revived the project, but this time with my partner, who’s never been to Asia. Sulawesi will be their gateway to discovering this amazing continent. 😉

Thanks! Indeed, by applying the filters, we found reasonable prices on Booking.

You can't book for just 1 night—you have to stay at least 2 nights. Too bad, because it looked really good and the price was "great"!

Ok, thanks.

Hi Songsam,

Which platform did you find those rates on? Booking?

I don’t know about Jimbaran in particular (never been), but 10 years ago we found small guesthouses at very affordable prices—even really low ones—with no problem for all our stops on the island, and with good service. After taking a look around Ubud, it still seems possible to find a night at a more than reasonable price. But you’ve got to consider the taxi fare, which will definitely be pricier than for Jimbaran, so the choice isn’t easy.

Hi Kate,

Thanks. Well, I think all the advice is pointing in the same direction. I’ve started looking at accommodations, and the prices are all over the place, but mostly on the higher side—even really high 🤪. If anyone has a good place at a reasonable price, I’m all ears. 😉

Hi Christian,

Okay, got it. Thanks. I just took a look at your travel journal about Sulawesi, which I’d already read a few years ago before the forum closed. I’ll probably have some practical questions for you in the coming days and weeks about planning our trip. 😉 But maybe it’s better if I ask them directly in your thread or start a separate topic. Not sure, we’ll see.

Now there's Jimbaran Lotus House Villa... same owners but probably managed differently... No dining options, likely...

It seems to be apartments. Hard to say exactly what kind of services they offer and at what price since I couldn’t find a website. For one night, I’m looking for something simple—preferably a room—and at a reasonable price.

Hi Christian,

Okay, thanks for the info. So if I understand correctly, Jimbaran isn’t just a beach resort area lined with hotels—that’s good to know because that’s the image I had in mind. I don’t know this part of Bali at all. I’ll check out accommodation options in the area.