What we did in Bali, Indonesia

Jimbaran Beach

Dinner by the Sea

Seafood dinner by Jimbaran Beach!

Jimbaran Beach - Lia Cafe

One of the most iconic things to do in Bali is to have a tranquil seafood dinner on the beach while watching the sunset. Yes, literally on the sand, facing the sea and sunset. We arranged a car to take all seven of us for Rp300,000, both ways and including waiting time for us while we have dinner.

We knew we wanted to head to Jimbaran for dinner, but there were SOOO many choices to choose from. After researching, we heeded TripAdvisor's recommendation and headed to Lia Cafe.

Address: Jalan Pemelisan Agung Kuta Sel. Bali 80361, Indonesia
Tel: +62 361 709002
Check out the menu here.

Lia Cafe!

There are about 3 different sections of Jimbaran Beach with different restaurants. Lia Cafe is located in the middle section. This small establishment boosts about 20 odd tables, so do go early to secure your table with a good view!

Table facing the sea and sunset

Sunset is about 6pm, so we got our car to pick us up at 4.45pm (from Potato Head) and we arrived at about 5.30pm with sufficient daylight to take more photos and wonder around the beach. Of course, traffic is also rather bad around that timing, so do give yourself ample time to get lost or even to find a suitable restaurant that you like.

Many restaurants line the Jimbaran shore

Lia Cafe has several menu packages, most of which caters to two persons only. Thus, the guys went to select and choose our own seafood and style of cooking.

Group photo with setting sun!

We had a total of four Sri Lankan crabs, 15 big prawns, one fish, one (according to the guys - hugeass) squid and a plate of kangkong vegetables. Later on, we also ordered grilled chicken (just a chicken leg) and satay. To be honest, the seafood was much better than the meat dishes.Also, I've had better crabs in Singapore, but for that amount we're paying I can't really complain much. At least the seafood was fresh and juicy!

Seafood feast!

We spent about Rp1,300,000+ for the seven of us in total for all the food.

Lounge at Beach Clubs

Lounging by the sea

There's a plethora of beach clubs dotting the shores of Bali. During our trip, we visited two of the most popular beach clubs in the Seminyak/Kuta area. It's a perfect place to just lounge and laze the day away, drinking Mojitos and eating pizzas, while working on your tans.

Check out the full list of the best 10 beach clubs in Bali!

Ku De Ta

Address: Jl. Kayu Aya No. 9, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Phone:+62 361 736969
Opening Hours: 8:00 am – 2:00 am
Website: http://www.kudeta.net/

Ku De Ta

We visited Ku De Ta on the whim late at night after returning back to the Villa after our scrumptious dinner at Jimbaran. We were tired, but we've heard so much about Ku De Ta that we just had to check it out. I initially refused to go as I was tired and oh-so-smelly. I didn't want to walk alllllll the way there in the middle of the night. I was just looking forward to soak in the tub and scrubbing all the salt and grim away. The guys persuaded me by saying that we will just take a taxi over.. I was on board! The taxi fare was about Rp30,000.

Lounging on the grass

I sincerely apologize for the sucky quality of the photographs as I was so lazy to adjust the settings and just used Auto mode all the way.

Arriving at KDT, everyone was granted access.. All except G, because he was in singlet. It was almost midnight and we only had two options. To go back to the villa to get a t-shirt or to just go outside and purchase one. We choose the latter. He bought a Bob Marley t-shirt for Rp100,000 (which was rather steep, but we were desperate). The guy initially quote us Rp300,000. Madness or what! But G being the uncle he is... Well, you know the rest..

Full crowd

There's both a restaurant (which looked really posh) & a bar lounge area. Surprisingly at 12 midnight, the lounge area was full! When my friends requested for a table outside, they said "free seating". Hmmm~ My friends found a table indoors by the bar and about 10mins later, G said there's an area on the grass patch with two small tables and beanbags. Quite a nice place to lounge, so we shifted! It was a good idea as KDT installed flood lights facing the sea, so you're able to look at the waves crashing against the shore.

Pulled pork pizza

We all ordered cocktails each, pulled pork pizza and a bowl of fries. The red stuff on the pizza is actually red cabbage! The pork is so heavenly, I swear! As the clock ticks on, people started to leave, and the wait staff shifted us to the day beds where we stayed till about 2am.

Potato Head Beach Club

Address: Jalan Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali 83061, Indonesia 

Tel: +62 361 4737979 

Opening Hours: 11:00 am – 2:00 am

Website: http://www.ptthead.com/

Hordes of people lounging on Easter Sunday!

After walking for nearly 1.5 hours from our Villa to Potato Head, we just wanted to relax and soak up some Vitamin Ds. We honestly did not expect throngs of people that flooded Potato Head Beach Club! My big mistake then was not making a reservation for a day bed! We couldn't lounge by the pool or even near the sand. The only place available was on the second floor terrace. Although it's away from the crowd and pretty peaceful, there was no shade at all. I didn't mind though, as the day wore on, the sun grew lower and we found some solace in the shadows of the surrounding palm trees.

Check out all those people on beach towels on the grass! It was crowded to the point where people just laid down on the grass and soaked up the Easter Sunday atmosphere! By the way, I had no idea how those people did it. I was just walking through the grass patch as I was returning from the beach and I got bitten by a red ant on my foot! Although, it wasn't very serious, it did hurt and itched like crazy over the course of the next few days. I might had an allergic reaction or perhaps it's because I scratched it in my sleep, but the ant bite became an ugly, angry, 1-inch wide, red patch of inflamed ugliness. You could still see the small, teeny-tiny dot in the middle where the ant bit and the surrounding area was just massively red and inflamed. Thus, morale of the story: DON'T SCRATCH! Damn, my itchy fingers!

Check out G's grumpy face

We had a fantastic view of the beach and could see gigantic waves crashing onto shore. People were being tossed around (including us when we went down) in the sea and having so much fun! Potato Head is more casual as compared to Ku De Ta, and surprisingly, the hostesses attending to the front of the club were all Caucasians, some could even speak fluent Berhasa, whereas, Ku De Ta's staff were mainly Indonesians. It was quite a pleasure because for once, I could communicate efficiently to the staff and get myself understood.

We ordered some sparkling water to cool ourselves down, fries and calamari with squid ink sauce. The squid ink sauce is absolutely divine. I suspect it was finished in 10 mins! Clean towels were draped over the day beds so it was not too hot to lie on.

It is a fantastic place to just chill and soak up the atmosphere. The staff were friendly, though they were a little overwhelmed with the large crowd that gathered over Easter Sunday. I don't blamed them though, I totally understood what they were going!

Try the Local Food

Warung Babi Guling Pak Malen

Babi Guling

Address: Jalan Sunset Road No. 5, Kuta Utara, Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Tel: +62 361 7452968
Opening Hours: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Pak Malen

We've been meaning to try this Babi Guling (pork rolls) since the first day we arrive in Bali. We just didn't get round to it with all the activities. Now, this place is like an ordinary coffee shop, just like the shop name states "Warung" (food stall/street stall), so don't expect much for an ambiance or service.

Long long queues

Do expect long queues and sweltering heat though! The service is pretty fast so you're able to find a table soon enough. I was surprised that with such a big group, we were able to find two tables for ourselves within about 10mins of waiting. Besides, with the heat in the shop, most people will just eat and go. Hardly anyone lingered around chatting. Wear comfortable clothing (singlet and shorts will be best), bring a hair tie and lots of tissue! You're bound to perspire like you just took a shower!

Yummy Babi Guling

The mixed plate consists of the pork skin cracker, pork skin, spicy minced pork, fried pork cutlets, seasoned meat, a satay stick and some pork roll. The minced meat is really good and flavourful, but be warned! It is spicy as hell!

Have a Spa Day

 Spa Bali Seminyak

Bali Spa Seminyak!

Address: Seminyak Bali, Indonesia
Tel: (0361)-737-932/(0361)-737-933
Website: http://www.spabali.biz/
Opening Hours: 10am to 11pm
Outlets: Drupadi, Seminyak & Kuta

Spa Bali has a professional spa ambiance throughout the vicinity. There's professional hair salon facilities as well as big comfy chairs for your meni-pedi! We got the hot-stone massage as I needed the heat to ease the tension in my muscles after climbing the two volcanoes. It cost me about Rp200,000++ (Rp235,000nett) for an hour's massage.

This is considered expensive in Balinese standard as we we went to a more casual/street massage place the next day and had an hour's worth of Balinese Massage for Rp60,000. I guess you're paying for the ambiance, cleanliness and the service as the massage techniques and styles were about the same for both Spa Bali & the street one we went the next day.

We were shown to a locker room where we could keep our belongings safely and then we were ushered into a couple's room. It's a wide, beautiful room with two bathtubs which we wished we could use. We were asked for our names and the therapists used it frequently when she asked about the strength and hotness of the stones during the massage.

Usually, after the massage, we're used to having something hot, like hot lemongrass teas served in Thailand spas (even dodgy street ones), or even warm water if they're really budget ones.. But Spa Bali gave us cold water in those disposable plastic cups. Quite a funny end to our wonderful treatment I must say!

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Check out our beautiful villa where we stayed for 3 days!

Or our experiences climbing Mount Bromo & Kawah Ijen!

10 Ways to have a wallet-friendly vacation

Summer is here! It's time to travel, see the world and learn so much about this Earth and yourself! So many places to go, so little money though! Let's be real, we're not Paris Hilton and do not have an international hotel chain our dear Grandpops owns and stay at anytime we want. Here's how you can travel and still be kind to your wallet.

1. RESEARCH

It is always important to do your research properly. Do not book the first airline you come across or the first hotel you like. Compare prices across all online platforms and even with the airline/hotel directly because sometimes hotels offer a lower rate as compared to an Online Travel Agent (OTA) and are also flexible with your reservation (i.e. You need to cancel or postpone your trip due to unforeseen circumstances).

Read reviews on Tripadvisor and get feedback from friends who have visited the destination/hotel. The website may look lovely and really posh for the price you're paying, but in actual fact it's all Photoshoped.

2. CREATE A SPECIFIC BUDGET PLAN

I created this budget plan for my own personal use about two years ago when I wanted to keep track of my travel expenses. Being a poor student, every single cent counts. Give yourself a cushion of 10% to fall back on in times of emergency.

3. PLAN EARLY

Planning, NOT booking, in advance is always good. Give it room to be flexible and change. If you intend to embark on a big/expensive trip, plan from 4 months to a year in advance. This gives you enough time to find the right deal, the right destination and also to save for the trip.

4. SAVING

Once you've budgeted the rough estimate of your trip, start saving! I never liked the idea of dipping into your savings account (meant for education/rent/retirement), and created a new bank account solely for my travels.

Once I've settled on an amount, I will take a look at the time frame I have to save and divide it equally by the number of months I have to save.

For example, I will be travelling to New Zealand in October for a 10 day trip. My budget is $2,500 and I started planning (or rather, thinking about it) in January. Thus, I need to save $250 each month for my trip.

Next, ask yourself if the monthly amount is comfortable for you? If it's not, are you able to lower the budget (doing lesser activities or having a shorter trip) or are you able to move the trip to the following months to give you more time to save.

5. BOOKING AT THE RIGHT TIME

There is always a right time for everything. According to travel gurus:

• Book between 6 to 8 weeks in advance to get the best deal on international travel
• Book between 9-12 months in advance if you plan to visit a tourist hotspot during a “peak” holiday period (prime example: New York during Christmas/New Year’s Day)
• Book on a Tuesday or Wednesday at 1am due to airlines reloading their booking systems with the latest low-cost fares

Also be flexible with your travel dates. Try not to travel on the weekends because that’s when tickets can really jump in price.The difference a day or two make can equate to hundreds of dollars.

6. PACKING

Packing light allows you to hand carry your luggages and save money on buying check-in luggage. Budget airlines tend to charge check-in baggage separately. Toiletries tend to be the heaviest in the luggage and I will usually just buy it once I've landed at my destination at the nearest convenience store.

Wear your heaviest clothes to the plane like jackets, shoes and hats that would just weigh down your backpack.Checking in your luggages also increases the chance of your luggage getting delayed or missing too!

7. TRAVEL DURING OFF SEASONS

I always like to travel during off seasons if I can. There's lesser tourists and everything is just cheaper! Of course, there's a reason for it being off seasons. Is the weather rainy? Is it cold? All those factors actually play a big part, and if you're ok with that, you're set to go!

We visited Pulau Redang in March this year. Pulau Redang is usually closed (yes, the entire island) from October to February due to the Monsoon Season and will generally open from March onward. Peak Season is between May - July. When Redang opens once again in March, the island's experiencing the tail end of the rainy Monsoon Season and prices for accommodations are generally low. About 20-30% cheaper, and the accommodation prices usually includes full board meals! We were thankful that it didn't rain at all during our weekend there.

8. STAYING WITH FRIENDS/FAMILY (or you can couch surf)

Why not? It's free!

Always ask for permission before hand and it is always better if you are able to find someone that you're once close to, but have drifted apart. Use this opportunity to catch up and you will even have a local guide in that destination.

Of course you may not have a relative in every country you visit. You can try couch surfing or even hostels. You are able to meet plenty of people from all walks of life, gain new friends and experiences and even share an itinerary together!

9. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Need I say more? Trains and buses are always cheaper than renting a car. You get to immerse in the local sights, sounds and culture and get to travel the way they do! Unless you're in Jeju and renting a car is already very cheap and there are hardly any buses around.

10.SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS

I know in Singapore, we have this Personal Data Protection Act in which consumers love, but I don't. I love signing up for newsletters and receiving junk mail. Of course, I have a separate email account set up specifically for this. Numerous times I've saved 10-20% off accommodation because the newsletters comes with discount codes. In May, our air tickets to Hong Kong was half price because it was 1 for 1! I wouldn't have known if I didn't register for the newsletter!

Spending less than S$2,000 for a 12 day trip to South Korea!

I am compiling a guide on how to experience South Korea on a budget. In May 2013, I visited Shanghai, Busan, Jeju, and Seoul for a total of 12 days on the road. I spent a total of about S$2,000. The only reason why I spent so much is because we ate luxuriously and shopped for make-up like CRAZY! If I were truly on a budget, I would have spent a total of only $1,500. But that is not me, I am pampered and spoilt & I needed my Black Pork Korean BBQ!!

Check out my elaborate blog posts about South Korea & Shanghai here:

• China: Shanghai
• South Korea: Busan
• South Korea: Jeju Part 1
• South Korea: Jeju Part 2
• South Korea: Seoul Part 1
• South Korea: Seoul Part 2

For further information regarding my itinerary, please click here:

• Discovering South Korea Itinerary!

I spent about $1088 for flights, housing, car rentals, major attractions like going to the DMZ and Lotte World and this is how I did it.

South Korea Costs

International Flights

Airfare is always one of the biggest bulk in your expenditure. I always check Zuji & Skyscanner for good deals first and than try to book directly. My dates are always flexible and I will always try to fly a mid-night flight if the flight will take 7 hours or more. As you know, I work shifts and in the hotel industry, and it is really difficult for me to take leave and I want to maximize it to the fullest. We booked multi-city tickets (it may add on extra charges, but for $460, we didn't really care) and flew to Busan straight, after transiting in Shanghai for 1 night, and than flew out from Seoul to Singapore.

Food served on China Eastern, not too shabby right?

Furthermore, flying at night not only save you 1 Annual Leave, it also saves you 1 night of accommodation and 1 whole day to explore the city. We flew at about 1am, and landed in Shanghai at about 5.30am. We had breakfast and than we took the first train out to the city! I know it sounds tiring, but if you're young and on a budget, this is the way to go!

Sunrise!

Also, we didn't fly with any budget airlines because it is about the same price, NOT including meals, baggage allowance, and the entertainment system (I was too tired after my shift and so knocked out all the way though). China Eastern is fine, the only problem I had was some China Auntie pretending that she was booked for my window seat. We had that sorted out in no time after my dear gung-ho of a boyfriend confronted her. Hahaha.

Domestic Flights

Now, I visited 3 cities in South Korea and the cities are not exactly near where you can just take an hour's train and you're there (like Japan). From Busan to Jeju, I flew with Busan Air and from Jeju to Seoul I flew with Eastar Jet. Do your research properly! There are plenty of affordable Korean domestic airlines that can get you to places! Sign up for their free membership and you also get additional discounts! Always use trial and error to find those flights!

Accommodation

My friends and I always stayed in a hostel/motel/guesthouse. You'd be surprised at how beautiful and cosy the hostels are! Of course we splurged a little and got the 4 pax bunk with ensuite for our stay in Jeju. To be honest, I felt the accommodation could be cheaper, but I just wanted a nice little house/room to go back to after a long day. I never regretted it!

Rainbow in Jeju Hostel!

Look at how beautiful those hostels are! They even provide basic groceries for you to cook your own breakfast every morning. Look out for hostels with laundry facilities, because if you only brought a limited set of underwear, you're gonna have a bad time if you don't wash it.

Doo Guesthouse (traditional housing)

Always look out for past reviews from other guests who have stayed there previously, location, and of course the pricing. It is always cheaper to get a family room of four, as compared to a room for 2. Of course if you don't mind, you can always bunk in with other (random) people to lower the cost.

Lee & No Guesthouse (MY FAVORITE OF ALL)

Like I said, I am spoilt, I wanted my own room. Besides, there were four of us, and we saved a lot when we got the family rooms.

Car Rental in Jeju

I always advice my friends who are visiting Jeju, has a SG licence, and above 21 to ALWAYS rent a car in Jeju. There are no trains in Jeju, only taxis and buses. We rented the Hyundai Sonata for about 3 days with full insurance, and each of us paid only S$42! (Total is about $165.)

Of course if you have people to split it with, that's good for you, if not, rent a smaller car with partial immunity, that will lower down the costs for you.

Our ride: Hyundai Sonata

By the way, I loved the boot space of the Sonata! I can fit 3 dead bodies inside. HAHAHA.

I've read and heard of people who was lost and didn't have any transport back after sunset, and how they had to beg/hitchhike the locals to drive them out to the main road where they waited for 30mins for a taxi. Or how people have walked so much and spent so much time trying to get to the attraction, they were tired already before they even reached the attraction.

Every rental car comes with a GPS system

If you can't rent a car due to the legal age limit, try searching for taxi drivers who are willing to drive you around for the whole day! I am not sure how much it will cost, but it is def better than walking 45 mins to the museume.

To me, time is money. I hate wasting time walking to places. Ok, I hate walking.

Every rental car comes with a GPS system. I rented the car through KT Kumho Car Rental (of course after signing up as a member and getting 70% off), and requested for an English GPS system. Bear in mind the local addresses are still in Korean, so you need to keep the telephone numbers of the attractions you want to go to and you can just punch in the telephone number into the GPS system.

WiFi

THERE IS FREE WIFI EVERYWHERE!

I can't stress this enough. Do not buy/rent those egg Wifi thing you see at Changi Airport. It will be a waste of money! You walk into the shopping mall, there's Wifi, you walk into the cafe, there's Wifi, you take the TRAIN, there's also Wifi. It is everywhere and it's free! Even at the airport!

Besides, I can't stress this enough. You're on a holiday! Turn off your Facebook, Instagram & Twitter! You can brag about the places you've been when you rest at the nearby cafe...

Food & Shopping

I will not and do not want to touch on food and shopping because i'm embarrassed by how much we ate. It was almost Korean BBQ almost every night until I fell terribly ill with high fever. I had no budget when it came to food. My BF and I splurged on it and ate luxuriously. So it really depends on how you eat and shop as that's something we're all different.

My only tip is to go for all the street food! There's plenty of yummy street food that can fill you up, and even Korean BBQ along the streets in Seoul. Jeju was more or less restaurants and it was more expensive than in Seoul.

By the way, I did not shop too much for clothes, but I went crazy with make up stuff.

Getting Around

Taking the buses and trains are of course the cheapest way to get around. Not only do you save, you get to experience what the locals experience. Download this app "Jihachul". It is an app for the Korean Subway system and it is available in Korean, Japanese and English!

Awesome Korean Subway App

This app has the train system of all the major cities in South Korea like Seoul, Busan, Daegu, etc. It tells you the rough time estimate it takes from your current train station to your destination, the time the next train arrives & even which exit to take to change lines. What is so awesome about this app is that it doesn't require any internet connection because the trains run on a strict schedule (very much like Japan) which is also available on their Subway website.

Of course, planning your route and attractions plays a big part, you want to visit all the attractions in the East, for example, before visiting the West. It saves on time and transport fees!

Weather

I know you must be thinking, "What does the weather got to do with budget?". Well it does! You're saving S$2,000 for your Korea trip to pay for all the expenses, but have you forgotten the budget you're forking out to prepare for your trip?

Rainy & cold in Shanghai!

I visited in May, and the weather was JUST NICE. Nice and chilly when I was in Busan & Jeju, yet I didn't need more than my sweater and windbreaker! I did my research and after weeks of monitoring the weather and temperature, I decided to bring along 2 pair of jeans and 2 pairs of leggings. I wore the 2 pair of jeans when I was in Shanghai & Busan (because it was Mother cold), and the leggings with shorts when I was in Jeju (when it was NOT foggy, and it was nice and sunny). I learnt my mistake when I went to USA in 2012 thinking it was summer (all shorts and tank tops) and upon arriving in LA, it was 12-15C. I nearly died.

Foggy & cold in Busan, as it is a port city

Now, if I went in WINTER. I had to buy heatec leggings and inner wear, boots, wool socks, heat packets, jackets, the list goes on! We live in Sunny Singapore, where the weather is always HOT or RAINY. We do not have winter clothes, and travelling to winter countries means spending about a good $300 on all these items.

In a lava cave in Jeju where it was cold & Kenneth was all garang.

IF you intend to invest in such items as you travel to winter countries every year, than yes, good for you. If not... Beg, Steal or Borrow. The only way to save on such items.

Winter Wonderland in Hokkaido, Japan!

Trust me, you'd want to invest in a good pair of socks and boots (even a hat or a scarf) because you're gonna be so miserable you cannot enjoy your vacation thoroughly. I've been to Hokkaido dead in their winter. I know what it is like when you wear 2 pairs of heatec under your jeans in -20C weather, AND it doesn't work.

Remember to always do your research and be prepared for the worst! Hope you'll enjoy Korea as much as I did!

Taken on beautiful U-do Island!