First timer a couple of questions

Qatar is a nice airline. Manchester-Doha is 7 hours; Doha-Bali is about 12 hours, because there's always at least one stop.

Kuta will be easier than India (by far) but probably a little more hassle than most of Thailand. There's nowhere you need to avoid for safety reasons though.

Many thanks for your speedy reply. Ive been doing a bit of surfing and found Doha airports website. They offer a service called Al Maha Meet and Greet Service basically u pay 190 qar around £26.00 and u get met from the plane fast tracked through all the airport transit crap and into a nice lounge. As its incredibly busy airport i think its money well spent. Im going to email them to make sure its not just a first class service.

Although I am a man, I have encountered many women traveling solo in Bali. They have all enjoyed wonderful times with absolutely no negative reaction to there situations. Especially in Kuta, which is quite the foreign hotspot. Take time to hire a driver and explore the island. Definately get out of Kuta for a few days/weeks.

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<hr>how safe it is for a single female in Bali. are there any places i should avoid? <hr></blockquote>

The most dangerous places are probably the nightclubs when the Aussie (and other foreign) yobs have had a skinful...

Doha airport is really perfectly fine and actually rather small - no need for lounges for a short, standard layover. They even have some nice silent rooms where you can have a nap between flights. If your experience is otherwise, you can always pay to get into a lounge for your wait. It's much much much nicer than any experience you'll ever have at Heathrow.

With 3 weeks in Bali, I would take use of the time to visit nice places rather than Kuta, which is just another noisy Khao San road-type area with all its rip-offs. There are actually annoying traffic jams full of foreigners on their way to the nearby sights in the morning, it can take you 30 minutes just to leave town on bad days. The beach at Kuta isn't really good for swimming either due to waves and wind.
I would choose a less commercial and busy place as a base or at least start off the trip - Padangbai on the east coast for instance is small, quiet and rather lovely, ideal for getting over your jetlag and lazing/snorkelling for a few days before moving on to some culture in Ubud or wildlife around the volcanoes for instance. Several buses a day by by Perama go from Kuta to Padangbai.
With so much time, also consider using the Perama boat departing from Padangbai to spend a couple of days on one of the Gili islands to the east. Cheap and easy to arrange, lovely trip, and they're fabulous islands to visit.

Thanks again guys this is really helpful. Im only staying in Kuta for a few days whilst some friends are passing through. Then Ubud and and a number of other places are in my plans. I really like the idea of the Gili islands Jeroen so thanks for that.

Bali is wonderful, was there last year. Thinking about going back on my own in October. I did not like Kuta, crowded drunks everywhere! I stayed just a walking distance from there at Kusnadi Hotel! They were SO great.

If you have an adventurous streak you could spend 2 weeks on Bali (which will give you plenty of time to see the main sights and laze around a little) and then spend a week on Lombok.
I found Lombok to be more nearly as easy but more rewarding to travel around - for instance it has the same rice terrace landscapes as Bali but without the mass tourism and 5* hotels everywhere. You could spend a few days on the Gili islands, travelling there with Perama from Padangbai. Then a morning ferry to the mainland (Perama and other agencies offer a hassle-free boat + minibus transfer to Senggigi, worth using) then rent a car (best prices there) and travel to the wonderful rice paddies and crafts villages around Tetebatu and Sapit and then the deserted white sand beaches around KutaOnLombok. If you return the car to Senggigi they usually will be happy to drop you off at the airport in time for for your 25-min $30 flight back to Bali (Transnusa airlines have the best planes). If you have energy and 3-4 days attempt a trip up Gunung Rijani volcano - again more impressive and wilder than its counterparts on Bali, I find. Other cool things: traditional Sasak villages, the steep mountain road up to Sembalun Lawang. Car rental is slightly more on Lombok but lodging and food are a bit cheaper - and the locals seem less jaded by tourism somehow; I've never had so many smiles. Wherever you go, have fun.