gleff

I successfully corresponded with Wayan Sueta at:

sueta (at) dps.globalxtreme.net
sueta (at) indo.net.id

His website email address bounced back for me as well.

lorribarnes

If you check the website for Wayan Sueta the pricing for tours etc are per person. That is probably where the confusion comes in on pricing. The petro prices are really much higher now. Also, the dollar is not as high as it use to be..

l etoile

I've never really found that Wayan charges the tour prices ...more like a flat-fee per day no matter the number of people ...but then I usually book him for several full days centered that include a variety of things I want to do. I suggest asking him his daily rate when emailing to book.

chexfan

Sadly, my experience with Wayan was not positive. We had the date and location arranged for a day's tour and he never showed up (and didn't answer emails or phone calls).

hauteboy

We hired Dewa Marco as a driver this past week, he is very knowledgeable and great to talk with. It was 400k IDR for a full day to Ubud area including transfer from Nusa Dua to the Le Meridien Nirwana.

TravellinHusker

I just returned from a week in Bali with 3 friends. I contacted Dewa Marco about 1 month in advance to schedule airport transfers to our hotel as well as a full day tour. He was more than accomodating. In fact, I had a very bad sunburn the day we were to go on our full-day tour. Instead of the traditional Balinese dance, he took me to the International Hospital (run by very excellent Australians) so I could get treated and a prescription for pain medication. He was so excellent, we ended up hiring him 3 more times during the week. For the airport transfers, he wasn't always available, but he arranged for his cousins Dewa Pablo and Komek to drive us to the airport. His prices are VERY reasonable. He is one of the nicest people we have ever met. Instead of paying the different drivers, we just paid once to Marco and he took care of everything. Very honest, very trustworthy. I highly recommend him without any doubts or hesitations. On time, every time. Very accomodating.

onlysuites

Just got back from Bali and used Dewa Marco team for one day. No complaints, great value for money, quick replies to emails from Marco. Would use again. ^

Was quoted 300,000 for half day and 500,000 for full day.

PatMike

Just sent him an e-mail re my Feb trip to Bali. Thanks!

whackyjacky

I've got a couple questions: We'll be going to Bali and Lombok for a week in Feb. What are your opinions as to renting a car vs a driver. Is a driver just as cheap and is his 'local knowledge' invaluable ? I've rented cars in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and motorcycles in Cambodia previously, so I'm not nervous about it. Also, I've got plenty of Starpoints, but Nasa Dusa seems a little sterile. We may try the Nirwana, any other ideas non SPG ($150 or less) ? Thanks in advance; wj

dano18

Hire a driver for sure. The roads are really narrow and the tour buses are huge. Ubud is really crowded with no parking. Drivers are cheap and plentiful, plus you can enjoy the scenery.
Can't help you with the hotel. We stayed at the 4 Seasons Jimbaran
have fun, Bali is great.
d

SanDiego1K

Hire a driver, Wayan Sueta or Dewa Marco, both highly recommended by FTers. There is no signage on many roads, which would make it very difficult for you to safely navigate the island.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia/...li-driver.html

As for a hotel, I prefer to stay in Ubud, the artistic center of the island, to what I feel is a more sterile tourist south. I stay at Alam Jiwa, a very quiet, very charming, locally owned property just outside Ubud. It won't be to everyone's taste because it is so quiet, but I find it somewhere quite special.

whackyjacky

Driver it is . Thank you both. wj

jiejie

Good decision. I'm also a pretty intrepid SE Asian self-driver, but Bali was one place I was glad to hire a driver. It really is hard to pick your way through all those small, unsigned roads if you don't know the territory. And a decent driver with reasonable English skills can add some interesting color commentary outside the normal guidebook insights.

I was also happy to help the local micro-economy directly. A day's hire of driver and car probably allowed him to feed his family for a week. This was not long after the second set (2005) of Bali bombings, so tourism had dropped off to nothing and the Balinese were really hurting then. Not sure what it is now.

I stayed in a couple of different places, one very isolated, small private eco-resort on the north shore, and also in Ubud, which I highly adore. Look into "Kajane Mua". In Bali, heading for the locally-owned boutique type places is far more rewarding then going with the big nameplates.

cj001f

In Bali driver for a car, if you want to self drive get a moped. Lombok is a different matter either isn't difficult; driving between them is time consuming and likely a PITA. The biggest driving hazard in Bali is the large number of tourists, particularly Europeans, who rent vehicles and aren't used to driving on the left and on small roads with lots of hazards.

Madisonman39

Absolute get a driver, for several reasons. First, it is much safer. Second, it is not much more expensive then renting a car. Third, for all of the Balinese people's peacefulness, they are maniacal drivers. Cars a foot away from mopeds with kids. Passing on the right, on the left. Crazy. DO NOT DRIVE A MOPED OR SCOOTER there if you value your life.

As for hotels, I would definitely recommend a few days or more near Ubud. There are three hotels that are related including Alam Indah and Alam Jiwah. Less than $100 per night. Choice of air con or not and truly wonderful places. Gardens pools nice beds. I spent about $70 a night, but that was three years ago.

You can take a 15 minute pleasant walk through the monkey forest to get to Ubud.

The last reason to get a driver is to take you to places you would never go to otherwise. I met a family whose son drives me and I've been to ceremonies in a bat cave, in thousand year old river temples, in small villages. You can drive through the rice fields. Meet people. Just tell him to take you to places not normally inhabited by tourists.

As for near the beach, DO NOT STAY IN KUTA. It is like every bad place in the Caribbean. Why go to Bali? There are very nice hotels across from the beach in Seminyak. Again, around 100 a night.

So don't waste your points on an international chain hotel. There are great places for $100 or less and owned by locals. (The woman who owns Alam Indah also owns a restaurant with great duck and can help you with drivers and all that.)

Hope this is helpful. If you get out of the tourist areas and into the villages, you will find it is an incredibly beautiful and spiritual place. I love it.


Have fun!