I've been to Bali too!
Aussies discovered Bali in the 70's but it took me until 2000 to find out just why they could never get enough of this magical island. The melting pot of attraction consists of the people (smiling, happy, friendly, welcoming and gorgeous), atmosphere (warm, sunny, carefree, exciting), and shopping (cheap, exotic, colourful and plentiful).
Away from Kuta, there are many developments catering for those with more spare cash. The Intercontinental at Jimbaran Bay is a place you can enter and never need to leave. In addition to the beach, swept clean every day, there are a variety of water features to cool you - pools, fountains and ponds, beautiful gardens, restaurants catering to gourmet and casual dining, markets, entertainment and traditional Balinese displays. The hotel employs 800 locals, 80 of them work in the gardens. With a ratio of 2 staff per guest it's very easy to fly in, be collected at the airport and driven in air conditioned comfort to the controlled enclave where they can take care of every whim.
Although we were lured into a number of tours organised by the hotel including freebies that gave us cooking lessons and tours of the kitchens, gardens and temple, we also were quick to recognise special experiences when the opportunities arose.
One afternoon while on our way back from a batik factory in Denpasar where tiny pretty girls had giggled as they ran marathons around my frame tucking and tying swathes of material, our driver asked if we liked to eat fish. He arrived at the hotel at 6pm as scheduled and within minutes had deposited us at one of the many restaurants on the beach at Jimbaran Bay. There, toes wriggling into the sand, Bintang Beer in hand, we watched the sun slip slowly away and enjoyed the best grilled fish ever. Later the owner of the establishment drove us back to the hotel and the whole deal set us back $AU 10.
There are many restaurants like these on Jimbaran Bay, don't go home without experiencing one.
Published on 4/13/03
[3 ratings] 
