Planned Itinerary for 2012

Thursday 24th May  Leaving on a jet plane. Depart Wellington 7:15am arrive in balmy Bali at 2:25pm, travel to Ubud approx 1.5hour car journey. Stop on way to change money into rupiah. Check into hotel, the beautiful Alam Jiwa will be our accommodation for the next 4nights. Unpack and rest go somewhere nearby for dinner.
 

Friday 25th May   Awaken to the wonderful sounds and smells of the spice isles, breathe in your first breath, enjoy brekkie and have discussions around what the next two weeks will hold for yourselves. Wander down to Bumi Sehat birthing centre for a visit and drop off any donations you may have.
 

Saturday 26th May  Baik Bike day yay. Pick up at 8am for an organised gentle bike ride through villages and Balinese countryside. This tour is designed for travellers who seek to witness first hand the daily life of rural rice farmers and craftsmen. This tour is guaranteed to be a memorable adventure.  Pick up is from the hotel by van and start the day with a delicious breakfast over looking Lake Batur's active volcano. After breakfast cycle gently downhill for the next two and a half hours. During the bike ride you can stop whenever you choose to take photos and visit the local people. You will be able to find out details about village life including rice and vegetable farming, ceremonies, and family life. After the bike tour you are driven to Wayan's family compound where you will be treated to a real Balinese feast featuring chicken and smoked duck. They also cater to vegetarians. Dropped off back to your hotel around 4pm.
 

Sunday 27th May  A chillout day for doing whatever you like, maybe a stroll to the Ubud markets and having a good look around the Ubud shops or chilling by the pool at the hotel. The hotel has a shuttle service for those feeling yesterdays bike ride, or a short walk through monkey forest will see you onto monkey forest road and up to the markets. Cooking class at Laka Leke restaurant very hands on and only small groups includes a recipe book and apron keepsake.
 

Monday 28th May  Goodbye to Ubud and Alam Indah and onwards and upwards to Pemuteran top north west region of Bali. Taking a very scenic route in our lovely airconditioned vehicles with our trustworthy driver we will have plenty of sightseeing opportunities, Lake Beratan Bedugal with a temple on the lake, botanical gardens, Munduk waterfall, traditional fruit markets and day to day life in Bali as we travel up the middle of the island and then head west. Stop for lunch at a restaurant/coffee plantation at the highest point then head down to the coast, trip will take around 4hours including stops. Welcome to Pemuteran a laid back coastal fishing village with a few resorts scattered along the bay we will be staying at the eco friendly gorgeous Taman Sari Beach Resort. Relax for the arvo.
 

Tuesday 29th May  Rise early and watch the sunrise over the bay, great photo opportunity. Relax day on or near the beach moving to the tunes of nature and culture. Maybe a snorkel, beach walk past the fishing villages or just chilltime reading and chatting. On the doorstep of Taman Sari Beach Resort lies the worlds newest, biggest and most radical reef system. The bay has a reef restoration project in place called bio rock that uses gentle electricity over steel cages that have had live coral wired to them. The electrification enhances the regeneration of the new coral. In the Pemuteran coral conservation project, hotels, dive shops, village fisher folk, scientists and conservationists have united to protect and restore coral reefs and increase fishery resources, both for tourism and the local fishery economy. Go explore it if you wish, snorkelling gear readily available for hire.
 

Wednesday 30th May  Off to Menjangan Island, good to go early as the sea is calmer in morning.  Exploring a coral and tropical fish wonderland this area has been given marine reserve park status. As a part of Bali Barat National Park, Menjangan Island is well known for its magnificent underwater world, beautiful coral reefs found nearby and the best site for fishing. Another attraction of the island is protected deer. Menjangan, an uninhabited island about 10 km offshore, offers deep coral reef walls and is one of Bali's best diving sites. Snorkelling only on offer here including boat ride, snorkelling equipment and lunch. If you wish to scuba dive, payment will be separate, easily organized through Taman Sari Beach Resort. Back to resort around 2pm for snoozing, chatting, reading. Afternoon drinkies and discussions around the next week of your adventures.
 

Thursday 31st May  Farewell, peace and happiness to  the wonderful Taman Sari and the relaxing fishing village that is Pemuteran North Bali. Our final tiki tour to Legian South Bali through the most stunning scenery Bali has to offer, beautiful terraced rice paddies, serene green as far as the eye can see. Great photo opportunities, observing the rice farmers tending their crops. Stop for lunch along the way at a local warung overlooking the rice paddies. Arrive in Legian around 3pm check into the Andari Villas. Unpack and get familiar with our surroundings. Wander down the road for a lovely meal at one of the many beachside restaurants.
 

Friday 1st June  Shop, shop, shopping day!!! Off to the department stores and the surf outlets today, will have driver for the day so no need to get sore arms carrying around your bargains. Any tailoring, leather jackets, shoes or prescription glasses this is the day to get organised as these will take around 4 to 5 days to be sorted. Meet back at hotel around 4pmish for debrief show and tell. Go for an arvo walk on the beach, great people watching time. Chat to the beach sellers, buy some of their wares use  bartering skills here these guys and gals could sell ice to eskimo’s!!!!  A polite no thank you (tidak mau) if you do not wish to buy. Sunset time and off to dinner……ahhh this is sooo the life. Make time for a massage today all that shopping plays havoc on a girls body..............bliss.
 

Saturday 2nd June  A fun day today at Bali Safari Marine Park included is a ride in a tram taking a journey into nature to see the wild animals roaming around the jungle and savannah. Have a cuddle with an orangutan and or a tiger taking you own photos or with the B.S.M.P photographer, if you wish to purchase your photo the cost is an extra as are rides on the elephants and camels. Food and drink is available for purchase all over the park. Bring your towel and togs there is a water park (entry included) to cool down in. Back to the villa via one of the spas for a treatment, body massage, hot stone massage, facial, pedicure, manicure, take your pick. All blissed out now the toughest decision of the day is where to eat dinner.
 

Sunday 3rd June  Early birds may enjoy a walk on the beach before brekkie, its always an interesting time of the day with surfers heading out, and exercisers doing their thing as Bali wakes to a new day. The morning is yours to do with what you want. Meet with our driver in the afternoon to go see the south eastern sites of Bali on the Bukit, G.W.K park with its giant sculptures, dreamland beach, and the cliff temple of Uluwatu, then to Jimabaran Bay for sunset and a seafood feast on the beach.
 

Monday 4th June  Off to Tegallalang today for homewares shopping on a 5km stretch of amazingly priced goodies ranging from souvenirs to gorgeous sculptures and art, this is where a lot of the local purchasing is done for the lovely homeware shops in Seminyak, Kuta and Legian. Then down to Celuk, this area is known for its silver and talented silversmiths. We will visit a factory and watch the process of jewellery making. They have an exquisite showroom here too that you can purchase from, we will also visit a wholesalers with very good fixed prices.  
 

Tuesday 5th June  The morning is yours you may have tailoring to be picked up or prescription glasses etc. The afternoon is your spa pamper day booked into Prana Spa with a decor inspired by the legendary Moguls of Rajistan ushering you into a world of opulence. As you enter the lofty courtyard, the full meaning of Prana will be revealed to those in search of something different and profound. A relaxed yet strangely exotic atmosphere is before you.  You will have choices of treatments with a budget of $NZ 100 each, but those who want to indulge more can just pay the difference :-)
 

Friday 8th June  Tonight we return to Aotearoa the Land of the Long White Cloud. We will head to the airport at 9pm check in and go to the Prada lounge where we can rest pre flight with tea, coffee, food, alcohol, internet, comfy chairs. Shower also available here (cost for lounge is 100000rupiah). 
 

Saturday 9th June  Arrive back into Wellington around 11.30pm.