Bali & Jakarta experience ?

[flight2010]

Hello,

I'm looking forward to go to Jakarta & Bali - Nusa Dua with my other half in Mar12 for a friend's wedding. We plan to fly with Singapore Airline and then will transfer to Jakarta ( 3-4 nights) and then Bali (5-6 nights) and then back to Singapore and home.

Last year, we traveled a fair bit with Singapore + promo points from Amex Card, we have saved enough Kris Flyer for a returned Save Award ticket from Melb - Sing. Hopefully until the time we book, we can save enough for another ticket (however it's unlikely) - I have just started to accumulate points via Amex card - our target is in December - January.

Any suggestion will be greatly welcomed, and I also have a few questions:
1. Which reputable airline companies that we can use to fly from Sing - Jakarta - Bali - Sing ?
2. I plan to stay at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua in Bali, and Le Meridien in Jakarta (our friend's wedding is at Ritz Hotel) - both are SPG hotels. Has anyone stayed there before ?
3. Things to do in Jakarta and Nusa Dua ?
4. Should I wait to see any promotion from Singapore Airline, or should I book early ?

Thank you.

 

[richie9x]

Seeing as you are already traveling with Singapore it would make sense to do SIN-CGK and DPS-SIN with them as well. It might be possible to add these legs on to you main flights. Or at least you would be able to credit the flights to Singapore.

CGK to DPS is domestic so you'll have to go with Garuda, Air Asia or Lion Air. If it was me I would probably go with Air Asia. Or a mixture of Air Asia and Tiger just what ever combination of flights works out best. Singapore based Tiger seems to be better run than the Australian version. For short flights LCCs are ok. You could go with Garuda - they seem to have improved over the past few year, but I am still a bit wary of them.

I really like Jakarta. But it can be difficult from a tourist perspective. It is very spread out and not really suited for pedestrians. There is no real mass transit system. The traffic jams can be very bad, often you need to plan your day around the traffic jams. Go with Blue Bird or Silver Bird taxis they are the best brands - reliable and won't rip you off.

I would suggest a visit to the Monas (National Monument), the National mosque and Jakarta Cathedral are nearby if you like that sort of thing. Mangga Dua (Jakarta's Chinatown) is great for bargain shopping. Also close by is Jakarta Oldtown where many of the old Dutch buildings are. Do you have any interests or things you want to do while there?

Nusa Dua is really just a beach resort not a whole lot to do there, expect beach resort stuff. Close by is Jimbaran a fishing village which has some great seafood restaurants. If you have the time I would consider a day trip to Ubud and/or Tanah Lot temple.

 

[ksthommo]

Jakarta Jaya Pub is a good place to sample live music.
Sarinah shopping centre for souvenirs, batik etc.
Traffic is horid, Trans Jakarta Bus is the quickest
way around, they have a dedicated buslane.

 

[flight2010]

Seeing as you are already traveling with Singapore it would make sense to do SIN-CGK and DPS-SIN with them as well. It might be possible to add these legs on to you main flights. Or at least you would be able to credit the flights to Singapore.

CGK to DPS is domestic so you'll have to go with Garuda, Air Asia or Lion Air. If it was me I would probably go with Air Asia. Or a mixture of Air Asia and Tiger just what ever combination of flights works out best. Singapore based Tiger seems to be better run than the Australian version. For short flights LCCs are ok. You could go with Garuda - they seem to have improved over the past few year, but I am still a bit wary of them.

I really like Jakarta. But it can be difficult from a tourist perspective. It is very spread out and not really suited for pedestrians. There is no real mass transit system. The traffic jams can be very bad, often you need to plan your day around the traffic jams. Go with Blue Bird or Silver Bird taxis they are the best brands - reliable and won't rip you off.

I would suggest a visit to the Monas (National Monument), the National mosque and Jakarta Cathedral are nearby if you like that sort of thing. Mangga Dua (Jakarta's Chinatown) is great for bargain shopping. Also close by is Jakarta Oldtown where many of the old Dutch buildings are. Do you have any interests or things you want to do while there?

Nusa Dua is really just a beach resort not a whole lot to do there, expect beach resort stuff. Close by is Jimbaran a fishing village which has some great seafood restaurants. If you have the time I would consider a day trip to Ubud and/or Tanah Lot temple.

Thank you, I will have a look into booking a ticket from Melb - Sing - Jakarta and Bali - Sing - Melb. It is not a problem with normal ticket however for the reward ticket, can we do that - and will it be cost effective ?

Garuda seems to be the way to go. My partner is rather a large size so I worry that he wont fit into Air Asia seats.

Thanks for the tip, I will keep in mind the traffic when arranging our inter-state flight.

Any good shopping in Jakarta ? Are they as good as KL ? :mrgreen:

We LOVE laying around the beach and pool, doing nothing except for massage, dinners and occasionally visiting sight seeing. That's why I chose Nusa Dua. I had a look at Ubud and Tannah Lot - very interesting. We will try to squeeze in one day to either one of them.

I am also worried about food hygiene in Indonesia, both of our trips last year in Vietnam and Thailand, we both got food poisoning. However we were fine in Kuala Lumpur.

 

[Cynicor]

Not sure of your hotel budget or status with SPG but I have stayed at the luxury collection next door (also SPG) which seems like a nicer hotel and the rates are often lower or the same. The Westin has just had a renovation but seems ot be more family oriented and only has about 3 types of room. The LC has lagoon access rooms which are great for a pre-breakfast wakeup swim.

My parents just got back from the Nusa Dua resort and spa which is a luxury hotels of the world and Iprefer hotel. It is on the same strip of beach as the other two and is apparently very nice too. It is frequently cheaper again, with spa packages and club rooms available. Club rooms in resorts are useful if you are planning on having a few drinks each night as alcohol is relatively pricey.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Thank you, I will have a look into booking a ticket from Melb - Sing - Jakarta and Bali - Sing - Melb. It is not a problem with normal ticket however for the reward ticket, can we do that - and will it be cost effective ?

Same points req for SQ redemption Mel-Jakarta / Bali-Mel as Mel-Sin / Sin-Mel

 

[flight2010]

Same points req for SQ redemption Mel-Jakarta / Bali-Mel as Mel-Sin / Sin-Mel

That's great! They are in deed the same points. No need for me to buy another tickets from Sin - Jakarta and Bali - Sin now.

 

[flight2010]

Not sure of your hotel budget or status with SPG but I have stayed at the luxury collection next door (also SPG) which seems like a nicer hotel and the rates are often lower or the same. The Westin has just had a renovation but seems ot be more family oriented and only has about 3 types of room. The LC has lagoon access rooms which are great for a pre-breakfast wakeup swim.

My parents just got back from the Nusa Dua resort and spa which is a luxury hotels of the world and Iprefer hotel. It is on the same strip of beach as the other two and is apparently very nice too. It is frequently cheaper again, with spa packages and club rooms available. Club rooms in resorts are useful if you are planning on having a few drinks each night as alcohol is relatively pricey.

Thanks Cynicor, I did have a look at the Luxury collection. The main reason why I choose Westin because the pictures if Westin's beach in tripadvisor looks more appealing to me.

Will keep them in mind and compare their offers.

 

[Cynicor]

The beach is exactly the same. When I say they are next door, i mean they are literally next door to each other with no barriers. You walk along a path and suddenly appear in the Westin. The beaches are free for all comers anyway. I'm not sure what the beaches are like where you live, but they are generally unappealing in the Nusa Dua area of Bali and cannot compare to anywhere in WA. In fact, the water kind of stung after swimming there and felt a bit odd. The pools were much nicer at the Laguna but I would think you have access to the facilities of both (fact check required). If not, the Laguna is where I would put my money between those two. If you aren't booking prior to December I can update this post, as I will be staying for 4 nights at the Laguna (base room) and 4 nights in a Conrad Suite, also in Nusa Dua

 

[flight2010]

The beach is exactly the same. When I say they are next door, i mean they are literally next door to each other with no barriers. You walk along a path and suddenly appear in the Westin. The beaches are free for all comers anyway. I'm not sure what the beaches are like where you live, but they are generally unappealing in the Nusa Dua area of Bali and cannot compare to anywhere in WA. In fact, the water kind of stung after swimming there and felt a bit odd. The pools were much nicer at the Laguna but I would think you have access to the facilities of both (fact check required). If not, the Laguna is where I would put my money between those two. If you aren't booking prior to December I can update this post, as I will be staying for 4 nights at the Laguna (base room) and 4 nights in a Conrad Suite, also in Nusa Dua

Thanks heaps, if you dont mind. I would also want to know about Conrad as well. Our friend's wedding is not until March so I wont book until end of Dec-Jan, waiting for their promos.

Comparing between the 2, Laguna does look better (if they are at the same strip of beach), and seems to be less family oriented than Westin --> less kids (we will be a happier couples). :mrgreen:

 

[Cynicor]

No problem, will post up my tripadvisor reviews on here and a bit of editorial. Laguna didn't seem to have any kids last time, but the deck chairs get taken up fairly quickly post breakfast. The smoking situation at these hotels is much better than in Thailand, so if you are non-smokers it is a pleasant place to be.

 

[Sprucegoose]

No problem, will post up my tripadvisor reviews on here and a bit of editorial. Laguna didn't seem to have any kids last time, but the deck chairs get taken up fairly quickly post breakfast. The smoking situation at these hotels is much better than in Thailand, so if you are non-smokers it is a pleasant place to be.

The Germans are responsible for taking (hogging) all the deck chairs.