I know I've totally ignored this space for the longest time ever... and I'm so excited to be blogging again! It's a good habit to pen down my thoughts and blog once in a while everytime I can no matter how cheesy it can get. Good to keep the mind working and my readers.. (I hope you guys are still here :()
Guess what?
I just came back from a 2 weeks long Bali (Indonesia) + Krabi (Thailand) vacation! Mmm.. feeling so refreshed and energised! I guess I actually grew a little throughout the trip. It wasn't any ordinary trip, not your fancy 5 stars resort or fine dining, but rather, we took the other alternative - chatting and hanging out with the locals, having local food and "trying to" lead the local life. Of course, the buffet breakfast in Bali doesn't count.. (Too damn good to give it up HAHA)
Some tips to share for travellers travelling to Bali :)
Simcard
We actually bought simcards (simPATI) from the Bali aiport (Denpasar) for both our Samsung Note 3 and Iphone 5 phones, so we could have internet & GPS throughout the trip that could allow us to navigate through the islands of Bali easily. There were so many places to explore!
Costed us about 300,000 rupiah for two sim cards.
Transport
Most of the locals travel by motorcycles, and tourists can also rent a motorbike conveniently from the streets. About 50,000 rupiah per day (they will most likely quote you highly, so be sure to bargain!)
You could also travel by their taxis. Honest ones will go by meter while the others will go by quotation. Well, I guess in Bali everything is about haggling!
I'd definitely recommend getting the rented motorbike, especially if you have your own GPS.
One of the best places that we've managed to find on our own through GPS and our very own handy rented motorbike was definitely Pandawa Beach.
The cliffs, monuments, statues, sea, view.. omg, just too many to name - there were all so breathtaking. What surprised us was the colour of the seawater! Unlike Kuta / Legian / Seminyak's polluted beach that resembles Singapore's, Pandawa was so different.. It was so clear. We could even see the seaweeds the farmers were growing in the water!
With our bike, we also explored the pretty cafes in Seminyak area (just a 10-15minutes drive from Kuta area) and our best bet? Definitely Revolver Espresso Cafe! And Naughty Nuri's.. and Mama San... and oh my so many!!
Shopping
The local goods that you see everywhere, especially in Kuta Market are all basically the same. I was already bored on the second day, seeing the SAME stuffs everywhere. However, if you were to shop in Bali, go for their surf brands like Roxy, Ripcurl, Billabong, Quiksilver. Most likely the prices are so much cheaper than what you have back home. I got my Roxy bikini at the Factory Outlet along Jl. Bypass for only $15? Also got a super pretty surf shorts (Roxy) while my boyfriend went mad for Ripcurl's surf pants and shirts at their factory outlets, also along the same road.
One thing I did regret not buying was the pink and black Nike Tr Fit 5's shoes :( They were so cheap compared to the ones in Singapore! I saw the same nike shoe yesterday at Tampines retailing at $139 whereas Bali was selling only at $80!
And oh yes, one thing to go for is their sales! If you're lucky, you're bound to snap up some good deals. While we were at Discovery Mall near our hotel (Bintang Bali Kuta), New Balance was having a 1 for 1 sale. And it was fucking cheap! The depressing thing was that we came a little late so our sizes were sold out :'(
Till then.. I will blog more again. Still many things to do ;)
Follow me on my instagram - @gladyspng since I'm using it often, especially when I'm on vacation! In the meantime, you guys could also check out the pictures we took during the 2 weeks ;)
