Having read the postings and just back reports religiously in the months and weeks prior to my trip, and having learned a tremendous amount from them (things that you could never learn from any travel book), I felt a certain obligation to give back to the forum, so here goes. I hope some folks find it useful.

My wife and I left for our honeymoon in Bali on Sunday July 23rd. We flew Singapore Air from NYC - thru Frankfurt - thru Singapore - to Denpasar. To say the flight is a long one is a ridiculous understatement, but all in all, it was more than bearable. We flew coach, and were pleasantly surprised by what has to be the best coach service in the industry. Granted, the seats are still somewhat tight, and the flights were all packed (not an empty seat on any of the legs), but the hot towels, the individual video screens w/movies, games, tv, etc, and the plentiful, fairly decent airplane food (it is all relative of course) made it go about as quickly as 24 hours in the air can possibly go. One caveat for those thinking of flying this same way - In Frankfurt we decided to get off the plane to stretch our legs, having about an hour while the plane was cleaned and the crew change occurred. We got off the plane and were met by a literal wall of smoke. It seems that everyone was smoking up a storm in order to get that last bit of nicotine in before they had to get back on their respective flights. It was as if the entire airport was one giant smoking lounge. Now this isn't meant to disparage smokers, just to make folks aware that if you're expecting to get a breath of fresh air, it ain't gonna happen. We actually got back on an airplane in order to get fresh air - Imagine that. So if you're a spolied American like me, used to the non-smoking areas, etc, just take heed. That's all. The rest of the flight was uneventful. They turn off all the lights and essentially force the passengers to at least try to sleep. Good for me, but perhaps not so great for those thinking they'll read the entire way - those reading lights just don't cut it when every other light on the plane is off.

Arrived in Denpasar, armed with past reports of airport chaos running thru my head. Not the case here. Customs/Immigration lines were short, our pre-arranged transport was waiting for us, our luggage arrived without a hitch - We were on our way. The first thing that struck me was the smell. A smell unlike any other I'd experienced in my life - spicy & tropical aromas all rolled together in a nice cooling breeze. (I miss it everyday). It's one of those things I'm sure I'll never forget.

Our first stop was the Inter-Continental at Jimbaran. Five days, four nights. We were greeted with frosty drinks and wonderful warm smiles. We upgraded to the "Club Level" (as had been suggested on this very forum), and it was well worth it. It was about $40 US more a night, but this being our honeymoon, was worth the extra cash. The rooms were much bigger, breakfast was included, and we had access to a private pool that was just steps outside our door. The Inter-con is a big, sprawling, gorgeous hotel situated right next door to the 4 Seasons at Jimbaran. I think it's actually got the best beach on the bay. We had dinner at the seafood places right on the water in Jimbaran. First night was great, second night turned into a mini-nightmare. Woke up with either a case of food poisoning or Bali Belly. Don't know the difference, but it wasn't pleasant. Was on my back for about a day. Having been extremely careful about what we ate and drank (to the point of using bottled water to brush our teeth), the only thing that I can pin it to is the lobster that evening. One lesson here: The first night I chose my lobster from the tank. The second night I got lazy and just ordered it - then I got sick almost immediately afterwards. So make the extra effort to walk up and haggle a bit with them when eating here (sorry, don't remember the actual name of the restaurant - they all seem so similar). Not only is it kinda fun to bargain and choose your catch, it may help you avoid any later stomach problems. Despite that little bout, we both were extremely pleased with the Inter-con. And somewhat surprisingly, the place was desolate. More than once we sat down at one of the restaurants at the resort to have breakfast or lunch and we were literally the only ones in the place. Kinda sad given how dependent the Balinese are on tourism -But being Manhattanites, also kinda nice to be so alone and removed from the everyday hustle and bustle.

As part of our package (which we did thru Singapore Air) we received a free tour. Hit Tanah Lot, a Batik store, Monkey forest, and a few other of Bali's greatest tourist hits. It wasn't bad, we didn't ever feel pressured to buy anything (although my wife often did :), and it actually helped us get our bearings in terms of hawkers, haggling, and the general feel of Bali. Tanah Lot was stunning and the monkeys (which we had been hoping to avoid) turned out to be amusing and pretty darn harmless (with the exception of the near heart attack they gave one of our tour-mates when one jumped on her shoulder out of a tree - her face alone was worth the trip to Bali).

Next it was on to the Four Season at Sayan. Since I was still feeling a bit woozy from my bad lobster, the 45 minute trip from Jimbaran to Sayan in a cab was an adventure. The roads and whole driving system is so literally foreign to me that I was amazed we didn't crash or kill a number of people, chickens, dogs, etc. Either way, we got there without incident, although I don't think I was in the proper state to enjoy the wonderful scenery that day. We were greeted once again at the 4Seasons with drinks, towels, and warm smiles. We were brought by golf cart to Villa 16, which is a stone's throw away from the most beautiful river (Ayung I believe) I've seen in a very long time. I suggest this villa for those staying at this resort - it's absolutely magical - plunge pool, beautiful deck, huge bathroom, and the most gorgeous view imaginable. More thna once my wife and I were sitting on the deck, looking out into the valley, and were greeted by the giggles and waves of local children who came to the river to fish, bathe, play, whatever. Despite the fact that this was the middle of the dry season, the weather in Sayan was less than great. Rained almost every day we were there, but didn't stop us from having fun and doing some exploring. My wife and i both loved Ubud. In fact, despite the weather, the $ seasons and our time in Ubud were our favorite parts of the trip. We had dinner at the 4 Seasons one night at their stunning restaurant, then hit Ubud for dinner the next two nights. We especially liked our meal at Ary's Warung, right on main street in Ubud. I highly recommend it. We also popped into the internet cafe in ubud just to check the latest in what was happening in the world. It was fun to reacquaint ourselves with the news of the day, but even more fun to pull the plug and head back to our little villa in paradise and forget about everything else.

After the 4 Seasons, we headed to Le Meridien resort in Tanah Lot for our final few days. This was also a wonderful resort, with an absolutely spectacular setting. The food wasn't all that great at the restaurants (although we may have been spoiled by the 4 Seasons food and the food in Ubud, which was incredible). The Meridien was nice because it offers a huge pool overlooking the crashing waves of the ocean (which reminded me very much of the California coast, for those who've been there). Anyways, we took the last few days to just sit by the pool and enjoy the beautiful weather (about 85 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity). The Meridien is somewhat removed, so it does lend itself a bit to just staying by the pool or playing golf on the great course. We had dinner at La Lucciola one night and were very pleased. The setting is fantastic and don't believe what you hear/read re: reservations. We walked right in at prime dinner hour and got a table without a problem. In fact, the place (as was all of Bali seemingly), was glad to see us and more than happy to accomodate us. Like I said, the number of tourists were minimal in my opinion.

A few other points before all you fall to sleep on me (sorry - things are coming back in waves here):

Hawkers were annoying but manageable. Kuta was by far the worst. Along the beach they were persistent, but not overbearing. However, along the streets and in the shops they really brought it to another level. At one point i looked and noticed that we were literally the only tourists on the block, so I assume they wratcheted up the heat on us because of the low numbers. either way, it was one of the few times I wasn't enjoying myself.

 

The food was great. In fact, I found the food I returned to rather bland and boring after experiencing so many new tastes in Bali.

Coke and bottled water did it for me - no problems with what to drink, etc. Was careful and other than one day, didn't have any problems.

 

Cabs - Light blue ones were always most reliable and always cheap.

 

I would recommend all three hotels we stayed at, especially 4 Seasons Sayan - As my wife said when entering it, "It's like someone dropped us off on another planet"

 

We bought furniture - china cabinet, mirror, and two chairs. The prices were incredibly low for such amazingly crafted goods, and luckily, a relative of mine is an importer who arranged for our bounty to be shipped.

Lastly, I felt extremely well prepared for this trip as a result of this board. I'm grateful to those who posted before me. My Balinese honeymoon was fantastic, in part due to everything I'd gathered from here. I never felt overwhelmed, and despite the fact that it's basically a world away, I never felt unprepared. And beyond all of that, Bali is simply a very special place to visit. The people are wonderfully accommodating to tourists, the island is gorgeous, and the culture is truly exotic in a warm, open woderful way. I miss it dearly and tell everyone I know (including those in the Western hemisphere who find the flight daunting) that they should visit as soon as they get the chance.

Thanks again for all the help, and I'll end on some of the things I'll never forget: the smells, the foods, the rice paddies, the smiles, the flight into the airport overlooking the island, the offers of "transport mister", the palm trees, the Ayung river, and last but not least, the people of Bali, who are as great a host to a traveler as anyone can ever hope for.