Practical Bali arrival questions/money/kids/left luggage?

Hi
Short about money- avoid the 1oo's US dol. older then 2000 y, better choice is smaller bills.Saffer place to change is the airport.
Blue taxis are recomended.You also can share the car with driver for good price. ( in 2005 Toyota/driver for all day costed $ 40 )
bon voyage

I was just in indonesia a coule of months ago and found that the easiest bills to exchange were crisp, new 100's. I got a better exchange rate on the larger bills (meaning that I didn't have to hassle with the money changers to get the posted rate). I didn't change money in Ubud, but I think that it would be similar to the streets of Kuta and Makassar. I walked down the street and noted which place had the best rate posted. I then went back to them, let them know how much money I was going to change, and waited until they counted the Baht out before handing anything over to them. This worked out well and I never had any problems with anyone trying to rip me off.

As far as a place in Ubud goes, I was quite pleased with Sania's House which is located just off of the main drag right near the market. It was quiet, had a nice clean pool, and a freindly staff. I paid about $19 a night for a beautiful room there and felt like my belongings were very safe. I may have the hotel's info at home (it is also listed in the Lonley Planet guide book). Let me knew if you would be interested in that.

have fun,

Evan

MONEY: Bring 100's crisp and new

ARRIVAL: Be sure to have $$$ handy for the Visa on Arrival

ATMS: Right after Customs in the Baggage Claim to the right. I think there are 4 options

UBUD: Blue Taxi as indicated above are cleanest and easiest (most expensive) option

CAR SEATS: I highly encourage you to secure a driver for your stay, be sure he has rear seat belts for the car seat.

HOTEL: Highly recommend Alam Shanti ($90-$120 USD) huge rooms, private veranda, free brealfast or Tegal Sari ($30-65USD) Smaller rooms, quiet and quaint, free shuttle to main drag and free breakfast.

Tegal Sari recommended by #3 is a nice hotel, but you are unlikely to get in unless you book way way in advance (which you can do direct), and prepay a deposit.

Car seat - you can leave luggage at the international airport - there's a desk near the departures area. However that would be an expensive option (about $8 per day per item from memory) - I'd be tempted to lug it around.

Left luggage wasn't that expensive as I remember. Turn left after exiting the arrivals hall and walk (rather far) towards the departures area, it's a signposted hole in the wall. You could perhaps also take it to Ubud, leave it at your hotel there and pick it up before you return home if your route allows.

ATMs are safest - be very careful when changing cash as rip-offs are common in especially Kuta - count and recount your money very carefully. I have used ATMs only in over 15 years of travel in Europe and Asia now... never had a problem and always got the best rates. There are several in the arrivals hall. Exchange offices there too - but check the rates at www.xe.com and see if they're any good before using them.

You can save quite a lot of money by avoiding the official airport taxi (with their annoying touts) when you go to Ubud from the airport. You'll pay much less if you don't mind walking 300m (across the car park and to the right) through the ornate main gate and hail a blue BlueBird taxi there (the taxi mafia doesn't allow them to pick up people inside the airport compound); you'll pay perhaps 40% less which especially makes sense on a longer trip like that.

Thank you all for the info. We are actually on a tighter budget than Alam Shanti or Tegal Sari, though if they have a room when we get there we may stay one night.... We are looking for more in the $US20 and under range for accommodations.

We are going to be in Bali for about 3 weeks, so if we have to pay $2/day (the price I've heard quoted) for storing the car seat, that adds up to more than what we paid for it...so I guess we will have to find another option...

Regarding the transportation to Ubud: What is the difference between the Blue Taxi mentioned by #3 vs the BlueBird Taxi mentioned by #5? How much should be expect to pay for a "Bluebird" taxi? If I'm not mistaken, I heard the number 175,000 idr for the "official pre-paid" taxi from the airport....

Also, if we take one of these taxis, would they take us to more a couple of hotels to check out or will they just drop us off at one location?

==========
Also, to clarify our last question from my original post <blockquote>Quote
<hr>if our flight is delayed and we arrive later than expected, where would be a good, clean, quiet, easy to get to hotel to spend our first night -- prefer in the 100-120,000 idr range (+/-)<hr></blockquote>

I should have specified that I meant, if it is too late to get to Ubud at a reasonable hour (if our flight arrives much later than the 14:45 eta), then what would be a good budget place to stay in Seminyak, Legian, or similar area not too far from the airport?

Disagree with #1 on smaller bills. You get a better rate on 100s, but as #1 says they should be the current series. Also brand new if possible. Any marks or folds may mean a lower rate, and dirty/torn notes may be refused. This rule giving a lower rate on used notes only seems to apply to US$ and seems to be a central bank issue.

The rate at the airport money changers is usually not as good as the ones in town but should be OK to change say $100, you will only lose a couple of % I think.
I change money in Indonesian banks (eg. BII, BNI, BCA, etc.) as I find their rates are as good as the best money changers and I have never had a problem with fake notes or being short changed. A good rate for US$ is about Rp.40 or 50 from the interbank/mid rate, so the buy/sell rate difference will be about Rp.100 at a good exchange place. But of course their opening hours are limited. You can see their exchange rates on their web sites eg www.bni.co.id<BR>Avoid small unofficial moneychangers, they have a bad reputation - just use bigger ones with proper offices and count the money very carefully - especially if they drop it after counting it for you - and look for notes folded so they are counted twice. International banks generally have bad exchange rates, hotels are even worse. Especially avoid any small casual money changers offering much better rates than the banks and official changer - they cannot make a profit except by fraud, usually short-changing, folded notes. fake notes, etc.

ATMs - it depends partly on your bank. Some banks charge high fees per withdrawal, and/or have bad exchange rates.

Visa on arrival: they accept other major currencies not just $. Any change is usually in Rupiah. Exchange rates are not great but are OK for that small amount. They also accept Visa/Mastercard in Jakarta and I think in Bali too.

I am surprised at #5's experience with "annoying touts" for the airport taxis. I just walk up to the taxi office, buy a ticket and a driver takes me to a car. Never had any tout problems. But as #5 says you should be able to get a cheaper one outside. I don't bother but I never go as far as Ubud direct from the airport.

Maybe you can leave the car seat with a hotel that you will return to?

Accommodation - I always stay at a homestay in Penestanan called Anna Sari Guesthouse. They have 4 rooms, fan only - but this time of year you don't really need a/c, hot water, and are clean. The family that runs the place are lovely, I've been staying there for about 10 years and have seen their kids grow up. A room is around Rp 80,000 to 100,000 per night for 2 including a good breakfast.
Penestanan is just out of Ubud up the hill, takes about 20 mins to walk into central Ubud, or you can get transport pretty cheap. There are plenty of cheap places to eat in that area and little galleries etc. Not far to walk to the river for a swim, and some expensive hotels around where you can pay to lie by their pool for the day.

Here's the phone number - 62 0361 977268 (drop the zero if dialling from overseas)

Suggest you give them a call and book - then if you get in late you can phone them and they will wait up for you. Just tell them one or two nights and then you decide if you like it and stay longer if you want.

If you want a place in Kuta/Legian, last time I stayed at Ronta Bungalows for a night - it was cheap and reasonably clean.
Ronta Bungalows, Legian Street Poppies Lane II Telephone 0361 754246. Go down poppies II and turn left into Gang Ronta. There is also a good cheap place to eat right next door. We paid Rp 70,000 for the night.

However, the later it is, the quicker it is to get to Ubud - less traffic. Unless you are actually wanting to stay a day in Kuta you can still go straight to Ubud - especially if you have the phone number of the place you are staying and can call them and let them know you are arriving late.

Are you bringing a cell/mobile phone? Sim cards are dirt cheap in Bali and a great way to keep in touch.

Taxi - I can't be bothered dragging suitcases, kids, etc across the airport carparks onto the main road to save a few dollars on a taxi - especially after sitting on a plane for hours and getting through customs. Go to the taxi desk and get a taxi there - I think the price you quoted is current.

Blue taxi and Bluebird is the same thing. Bluebird is the correct name - they are metred and generally honest. However, only certain taxis (who pay to do so) are allowed to pick up passengers from the airport, so the taxi operators who are not 'airport taxis' hang about outside. Also outside are bemos and you negotiate a price with them.

The taxi will want to drop you off at a location if you've prepaid. They will also try to tell you they don't know the hotel you are going to and then tell you about their 'cousin' or 'friend's' hotel. That is the place where they are getting a good commission. Tell them you've pre-booked, otherwise they come back when you're not there and ask the hotel/homestay for commission, which is a bit hard on a place you are only paying a few buck a night. If you want them to go to a few places you need to offer to pay them a bit more once you are in the taxi - say another Rp 20,000 depending on how long they have to spend with you.

Money - change some money on arrival at the airport to pay for your taxi and to last for a day or so. You will also get change in Rupiah if you pay your VOA in $$, but perhaps not enough for a taxi to Ubud. The exchange rate is not the very best at the airport, but they are honest. You won't lose a fortune and it's convenient. You can change money in Ubud - there are banks and money changers there. I prefer to use banks as they don't try to steal from you - that being said, the money changers in Ubud do not have the bad reputation of the Kuta money changers. Kodak shops usually are a good bet for changing money too. As others have said, make sure all your notes are fairly new and unmarked and not torn - they won't accept them otherwise. And take $100's. Take one or two $20 for your last day in case you run out and don't want to have to change another $100.

Left Luggage - re-thought that one, hubby reckons is about Rp11,000 per piece per day.

have a lovely time!

#7 - as soon as they noticed I didn't head for the prepaid taxi counter but to the luggage office, other taxi drivers approached me offering good deals to central Kuta (just $20 he said). The guys walked with me to the office and halfway to the main gate - that's annoying :)

I really like the idea that Bluebird taxis offer hassle-free rides on Bali and Lombok, with helpful and well-dressed drivers, always using the metre, fair prices, and delivering you at the correct address and not their brothers shop. It's rather unique for this part of the world, and I find that alone is worth the 300m walk away from the prepaid airport taxi gang at the exit. Who knows what bribes are involved in getting an airport pass but I can imagine it's pricey. No extra payments if you shop around hotels with Bluebird - just pay what's on the metre.
I think the difference between prepaid and Bluebird from the airport to Kuta is 50.000 versus 30.000Rp (that's worth a free meal), and I think I paid 70.000 to get from Sanur to the airport with Bluebird - so on a longer trip like to Ubud you can use the saved cash to splash out on a nicer hotel for a night or two. Anyway, that's my travel philosophy. Have a great trip.