Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LydiaSarah]

I'll be heading to Bali this August for about 12 days and was looking for advice on how much to Budget for food/accommodation. I don't mind staying at cheap guesthouses, so long as they're somewhat clean and have hot water. If you've been recently, how much did you spend per night or per meal on average? What cities did you stay in? Is it easy to get around? Thanks!

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Depends what you want, but Losmen accommodation can run you from 5 bucks to 15 bucks a night. Depends where you want to stay too, as many are well back from the beach in Kuta/Legian. Cheapest hotel I found last time I was out there on business was IDR 250 000 a night and was not pleasant, just in behind the bomb memorial and within screeching distance of a few large clubs. Food wise, eat warung/street food and you'll spend around a buck or two a meal. Drinks are cheap, as is transport if you stick to bemos or even rent a bike, but beware. If I were you, though, I would ditch Bali and head to Lombok with a few nights at Sengiggi and then up to the Gilis, both being even cheaper than Bali.

[Illysook]

Ubud was about fifteen dollars a night on average. It's up in the mountains and is a Balinesian cultural center and you can eat at really nice restaurants and get quite fat for around ten dollars a meal.

[LydiaSarah]

Thanks for the advice. We'll be there in August. Should we look for places to stay ahead of time, or will it be pretty easy even during the busy season?

[ttompatz]

Seriously, budget about US$100 per day of your visit (for 1 or 2 people sharing).

You can always bring the extra money home (it doesn't expire or go bad without refrigeration) but it really SUCKS to get caught short without the cash to do something when you want to.

It never hurts to have too much but it sucks to have too little and be a long way from home and no access to your cash,

.

[victorology]

I just got back from Bali.

It was around $40 to hire a driver for a day (8 hours). You can also hire drivers for a short one way trip. I found negotiating with drivers was cheaper than taking metered cabs.

I got a one hour massage for $4. I also found a nicer spa and got a 2 hour treatment for about $20. Our driver said the facilities there were on par with our hotel.

There are a lot of activities like parasailing, snorkeling, jet skiing, surfing, etc. There are also many sites to see. All of these activities cost money so I think it really depends on what you want to do.

You'll have to do a lot of bargaining and a good word to know is "mahau" (expensive).