How I Spent My First Evening In Bali

Posted by : foongpc | Wednesday, April 14, 2010 | Published in

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After leaving Jenggala Keramik in Jimbaran, my friend and I asked our driver to drop us at Bali Collection in Nusa Dua.

By the way, we hired this driver earlier at the cost of 400,000 rupiah a day. He was a very pleasant and friendly driver and would proved to be invaluable to us for the remaining parts of our trip in Bali.

Nusa Dua is a high class resort-like enclave in Bali where you can find some of the best international 5-star hotels and resorts. The place reminded me of places like Beverly Hills in USA which I saw on TV with manicured lawns, and huge expensive looking properties.

And the Bali Collection in Nusa Dua is a shopping complex with an outdoor mall feel complete with restaurants and outdoor dining.

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Here's the map of the place.

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I did not take many photos here. It was a huge place and we just did some window shopping.

I saw these fine looking sandstone sculptures at one of the shops there.

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Almost thought of buying this one below because of its very skillful carvings, but decided against it.

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Although it costs about 100,000 rupiah (RM36), it was still much cheaper than buying this sandstone carvings in Malaysia.

We passed by this Tropic Spa and almost wanted to go in but we decided not to.

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Two of our friends would be arriving at 7pm and checking in at the Mercure Hotel at Jalan Pantai Kuta (Kuta Beach) so we got our driver to drove us there.

However, it was still early and since there was time to kill, we walked along the Kuta Beach road and patronised some of the shops there.

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The above is a photo of Starbucks at Kuta Beach. I like the building!

One of the shops had these cute hens for sale. They are for you to store your chicken eggs!

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Would you like these "Welcome" signs at the front entrance of your house?

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Well, my friend bought the hen but I did not buy anything. I was pretty sure the hens would make quite nice souvenirs but they were a little too big for me!

We then took a stroll along Kuta Beach, which was a popular surfers' beach. I was surprised to see more locals than tourists at this beach.

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The beach was just like any ordinary beach to me - nothing special or interesting about it. I guess if I really wanted to go to the beach, I would rather go for Carribean holidays. I could just imagine those Carribean islands with their white sandy beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters! Heavenly!

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After strolling for some time, we went over to Mercure Hotel opposite to wait for our friends. They arrived at about 7.30pm and after checking in, we got our driver to drive us to La Luciola for dinner.

La Luciola is a beach-front Italian restaurant located at Jalan Raya Petitinget. Reservations is compulsory so we had earlier made our reservations.

The food was nice but unfortunately I could not show any photos here as they did not turn out well due to the lack of lighting in this restaurant. Yes, it was so dark I could hardly read the menu and had to ask the waiter for a torchlight!

Oh, if you really want to see a photo, here's one!

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It was our desserts for the night and please don't ask me what they were as I honestly could not remember!

That about wraps up my first day in Bali.

Coming up next : My Bali Breakfast

FIRST COMMENTER

(94) Comments

  1. Caroline said...

    kaya oh!

    April 14, 2010 at 9:06 AM
  2. Caroline said...

    eh am the 1st 1? lol i like the starbucks buiding too! nice! :D

    April 14, 2010 at 9:11 AM
  3. Caroline said...

    hahaha! the hen look cute aye! :D

    April 14, 2010 at 9:12 AM
  4. Caroline said...

    WHOAA d beach soooo crowded! how come got those ppl wearing in white leh? special eevnt at thr??

    April 14, 2010 at 9:14 AM
  5. Caroline said...

    cheh got so dark meh till wanna use torchlight?! lol but d dessert look yums! :D

    April 14, 2010 at 9:15 AM
  6. manglish said...

    hahaah i stayed in nusa dua when i was there after the bombing, i think it was cheaper then and the beach was not so crowded

    April 14, 2010 at 9:18 AM
  7. Jobless Girl said...

    I wish go there again.. Bali is nice place.

    April 14, 2010 at 9:35 AM
  8. Reanaclaire said...

    I dont know when I will go Bali, somehow i m not too keen yet, perhaps after reading about it here, i might change my mind :)

    April 14, 2010 at 10:14 AM
  9. bluedreamer27 said...

    yikes! missed the FC

    April 14, 2010 at 10:46 AM
  10. bluedreamer27 said...

    oh that's really nice sculptures foong

    April 14, 2010 at 10:47 AM
  11. bluedreamer27 said...

    wowo i love the beach... speaking of beach, my friend and i will spend our summer somewhere here in Phil.. so excited about that

    April 14, 2010 at 10:48 AM
  12. bluedreamer27 said...

    is that an ice cream??

    April 14, 2010 at 10:50 AM
  13. bluedreamer27 said...

    have a great day foong
    happy blogging

    April 14, 2010 at 10:50 AM
  14. iamthewitch said...

    Oh I remember entering that Starbucks in Kuta too! It very near the Hard Rock Hotel right? Anyway the sandstone looks HEAVY Ler! Don't think it's wise to buy something so heavy to bring back! LOL!

    April 14, 2010 at 11:10 AM
  15. Robo said...

    I like the Kuta Beach!

    April 14, 2010 at 11:12 AM
  16. Cindy said...

    I want to go Bali, but it's hot there hor?

    April 14, 2010 at 11:35 AM
  17. khengsiong said...

    So you were an high class tourist in Nusa Dua?

    And you won't have problem with the $500-room in Redang, 2012?

    April 14, 2010 at 11:56 AM
  18. foongpc said...

    caroline ng, why kaya? Window shopping only! Yes I think there's a special event at the beach but did not bother to check what event that was! LOL!

    Yes, it was so dark had to ask the waiter for a torchlight! Cos they only use candle lights placed on the dining table : )

    April 14, 2010 at 1:03 PM
  19. foongpc said...

    manglish, Yes I heard all hotels were cheaper in Bali right after the bombings.

    April 14, 2010 at 1:04 PM
  20. foongpc said...

    jobless girl, Bali is indeed a nice place. I want to go there again too : )

    April 14, 2010 at 1:05 PM
  21. foongpc said...

    reanaclaire, well I hope my blog will change your mind about Bali, but then again, it's my experience. You may experience it differently : )

    April 14, 2010 at 1:06 PM
  22. foongpc said...

    bluedreamer27, better luck with the FC next time! : )

    Oh! Going for a summer beach holiday? How nice!! Can I join? : )

    Yes, it's ice cream on top! Happy blogging to you too! : )

    April 14, 2010 at 1:07 PM
  23. foongpc said...

    iamthewitch, yes Starbucks is almost next to Hard Rock Hotel. The sandstone is not really heavy and it's actually worth buying cos it's so much more expensive here in Malaysia!

    April 14, 2010 at 1:08 PM
  24. foongpc said...

    robo, yes it's very touristy : )

    April 14, 2010 at 1:09 PM
  25. foongpc said...

    cindy, it's terribly hot in Kuta and Seminyak and Denpasar. But cooler in Ubud.

    April 14, 2010 at 1:10 PM
  26. foongpc said...

    khengsiong, not at all! I mainly window shop, haha! I'll be going Redang before they raise the price!!! : )

    April 14, 2010 at 1:10 PM
  27. Anonymous

    What are the caged hens for? :)

    As for desserts, I believe the one (white) on the right is a panna cotta. I love that dessert. It's usually served with a swirl of berry sauce. Yum!

    I solved your mystery dessert! ;)

    April 14, 2010 at 1:28 PM
  28. Donna said...

    not yet got the prize wor.. what is that? heheheh..

    April 14, 2010 at 1:30 PM
  29. Donna said...

    the last photo is yummy!!!!

    April 14, 2010 at 1:31 PM
  30. lina said...

    foong, eyesight not good izit have to ask for torchlight to read menu.
    Old people like that one, you know. LOL
    Kidding ah!

    April 14, 2010 at 1:58 PM
  31. lina said...

    I like the cute cat Welcome sign. :)

    April 14, 2010 at 1:58 PM
  32. lina said...

    The beach looks nice but so many people lah...

    April 14, 2010 at 1:59 PM
  33. Kelvin said...

    Met any celebretites there on the beach?

    April 14, 2010 at 2:22 PM
  34. RoseBelle said...

    I would have definitely bought that sand sculpture! How was the weather in Bali? Extremely hot or comfortable hot? My parents plan on traveling to Asia this summer but they're worried that the climate in Asia has gotten too hot over the past couple of years. The dessert looks really yummy!

    April 14, 2010 at 3:03 PM
  35. Merryn said...

    if u say that hen is big, i wonder how u bawak balik dat piggy? lol.. that piggy is pretty big too! :D

    April 14, 2010 at 3:28 PM
  36. இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

    The sandstone carvings maybe be cheaper than in Malaysia but add in the freight, insurance charges etc would be the same and back to square one haha.

    April 14, 2010 at 5:54 PM
  37. இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

    My colleague was in Bali just after the bombing and said got first class service with few waitresses serving him and a very high discount on room rates. He said it's the most safest time to go as the terrorists would not strike a second time and second can get plenty of protection from police. Think he could be one of the "terror-risk" sounded he knew so much about their modus operandi haha..Nice virtual tour of Bali. tQ

    April 14, 2010 at 5:56 PM
  38. இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

    The kok kok kai looks nice are they bigger than the oink oink?

    April 14, 2010 at 5:59 PM
  39. foongpc said...

    mei teng, the caged hens are for putting your chicken eggs. Haha!

    I think you are right about the dessert - it's pannacotta, but no prizes for guessing it right, haha! : )

    April 14, 2010 at 6:19 PM
  40. foongpc said...

    donna, wonder why it's taking so long for the prize to reach you? Hope it's not lost in the mail. Or worse, stolen!

    April 14, 2010 at 6:20 PM
  41. foongpc said...

    lina, none of us could read the menu lah and none of us is old! : )

    I don't really like the beach - we have better beaches here in Malaysia actually! But Kuta Beach is popular cos you can do surfing in the waves there.

    April 14, 2010 at 6:22 PM
  42. foongpc said...

    kelvin, none. zero. zip. nil.

    April 14, 2010 at 6:23 PM
  43. foongpc said...

    rosebelle,yes the sand sculpture is really nice and I was tempted to buy too!

    The weather was extremely hot in Bali! But that was in Seminyak and Kuta area. It was cooler in Ubud.

    The dessert was delicious! : )

    April 14, 2010 at 6:25 PM
  44. foongpc said...

    merryn, I would say the hen is as big as the piggy, haha! I could only choose one lah since not enough space in my luggage and I chose the piggy! : )

    April 14, 2010 at 6:26 PM
  45. foongpc said...

    bananaz, not really. After adding in the freight and whatever additional charges, it would still be cheaper than buying at marked up prices in Malaysia.

    Yes, I think it's smart of your colleague to visit Bali right after the bombing - I also think that'a the best time to visit!

    The hen is almost same size as the piggy : )

    April 14, 2010 at 6:29 PM
  46. HalfCrazy said...

    Hi there, it has been a while, how you doin? Looks like you're having fun taking pictures and traveling!

    The Starbucks Building looks really good, I've only seen the same kind of style when I was taking a trip in one of the provinces outside Manila.

    And wow, there's a lot of people in that beach, do you dig beaches with a lot of people? Of course you'd rather have like only a handful of people!

    April 14, 2010 at 7:10 PM
  47. fufu said...

    kuta beach... i wanna go back again... and surf again and again!!!!

    April 14, 2010 at 7:12 PM
  48. Willie a.k.a Reptoz said...

    Wow. I am impressed with the shopping complex.

    April 14, 2010 at 8:12 PM
  49. Caroline said...

    lol who ask u window shop ny?! tot u say u're the millionaire at thr. :P

    April 14, 2010 at 9:12 PM
  50. eiling lim said...

    I wonder how you're going to carry the stone carving back if you do buy one?!!

    April 14, 2010 at 9:17 PM
  51. Ken Wooi said...

    i think the chicken hen thingy can be bought back here in msia.. haha =)

    April 14, 2010 at 9:27 PM
  52. Ayie said...

    so much cute stuffs there...that hen (chicken) thing is cool!

    April 15, 2010 at 6:39 AM
  53. Ice said...

    ang-moh like to visit Bali, almost like their playground. This place sure looks very peaceful.

    So, those indonesians don't hassle you to buy stuff from them?

    April 15, 2010 at 8:31 AM
  54. Unknown said...

    the beach is great, we went to Kuta beach but just for a while

    April 15, 2010 at 9:42 AM
  55. Unknown said...

    anyway the dessert doesn't really look appetizing...

    April 15, 2010 at 9:43 AM
  56. Oman said...

    what a first day. a great day to feel the vibe of the place. awesome views foongpc.

    April 15, 2010 at 10:12 AM
  57. xin said...

    i love the starbucks building too!

    April 15, 2010 at 12:02 PM
  58. Donna said...

    huh? how long you sent?
    ahahaha, maybe my company is in jungle..

    April 15, 2010 at 3:05 PM
  59. bluedreamer27 said...

    hi foong just visiting you here... gheeeh thanks for visiting my other blogs!!
    happy blogging

    April 15, 2010 at 4:25 PM
  60. Che-Cheh said...

    No wonder you bought so many souvenirs home. They have really cute stuff there.

    April 15, 2010 at 5:14 PM
  61. jam said...

    I like the view of the beach. I always like beach!

    April 15, 2010 at 7:40 PM
  62. Tekkaus said...

    400K Rupiah? How much is that in RM bro? Sounds like very expensive in Indonesia. Ha :D

    April 15, 2010 at 7:41 PM
  63. jam said...

    If I were you, I would have stay to take sunset on the beach. Your friends only arrived at 7.30 anyway.

    April 15, 2010 at 7:41 PM
  64. jam said...

    @Tekkaus, 1 million rupiah is equal to roughly RM370. Now, do the calculation :)

    April 15, 2010 at 7:43 PM
  65. Tekkaus said...

    Those are sandstone? :D Wow....I hope one day I can buy these for my future homes. :D

    April 15, 2010 at 7:43 PM
  66. Tekkaus said...

    What the heck? RM36 only? That freaking cheap? I thing we are selling it at a few hundred in Malaysia? Goodness...what a stark different. :/

    April 15, 2010 at 7:44 PM
  67. Tekkaus said...

    Ouh....RM1Million only RM370? War...our money very big o.

    April 15, 2010 at 7:46 PM
  68. Tekkaus said...

    War...the Starbucks look so comfy and exquisite. :D It's been awhile since I went to any Starbucks. :D

    April 15, 2010 at 7:47 PM
  69. Tekkaus said...

    Hahaha :D Those chickens are so creatively crafted. :)

    April 15, 2010 at 7:48 PM
  70. vialentino said...

    wah...nice bali pics ler...cant wait to go there in month of may....

    April 16, 2010 at 4:41 PM
  71. CH Voon said...

    I like the beach and pretty sky.
    Feel so relaxing.

    April 16, 2010 at 4:54 PM
  72. Bluedreamer said...

    visiting you here again
    have a great day and happy blogging

    April 16, 2010 at 11:51 PM
  73. HappySurfer said...

    Nice and neat buildings - somehow remind me of buildings in movie studios. No?

    April 16, 2010 at 11:56 PM
  74. HappySurfer said...

    Those sandstone sculptures would look great in a garden though could be quite cumbersome to bring back, wouldn't it?

    April 17, 2010 at 12:00 AM
  75. Mariuca said...

    I am waiting for Bali breakfast then!

    April 17, 2010 at 2:48 AM
  76. Mariuca said...

    Not just to chop but also cause i love breakfast ha ha!

    April 17, 2010 at 2:48 AM
  77. Mariuca said...

    I guess Photobucket is down tonight, can't seem to view most pics...

    April 17, 2010 at 2:49 AM
  78. Cashmere said...

    Wow! There's so many people at the beach! Now, you're getting me all excited for my maiden Bali trip which is like 2 months away! haha! It's unbearable! ;P

    April 17, 2010 at 9:31 AM
  79. lechua said...

    Kuta Beach.. i remember that was the first time i saw surfers at sea. Bali is pretty. looking forward to ur series on bali.

    April 17, 2010 at 4:59 PM
  80. LifeRamblings said...

    so you went to Bali? how fascinating. i'd love to visit this magical place someday. enjoy the rest of your weekend.

    April 18, 2010 at 4:20 PM
  81. Merryn said...

    hmmm... so ur streamyx back in business.. where's ur new post? :P

    April 18, 2010 at 9:42 PM
  82. HappySurfer said...

    Wei-wei, we are still spending the first evening in Bali? Seems like a long evening.. haha..

    Hope all's well.

    April 19, 2010 at 2:28 PM
  83. Alex said...

    Nice sandstone sculptures, beautiful resort. Hens are so cute. Sea beach is amazing.
    Thanks for sharing.

    April 19, 2010 at 7:05 PM
  84. [SK] said...

    hahaha, again?? going to the showroom for ceramics again?? hmmm, must be your friend's idea~~

    April 20, 2010 at 4:28 PM
  85. [SK] said...

    kuta beach is very famous with tourists!! we went there at night, and everywhere is foreigners, haha..

    April 20, 2010 at 4:29 PM
  86. [SK] said...

    but we just went there to get some souvenirs from Hard Rock.. didn't have time to for the beach, and i remember that day it was raining whole day..

    April 20, 2010 at 4:29 PM
  87. [SK] said...

    hmmm, what a waste you didn't show us the nice food you had in the restaurant!! so disappointing.. :(

    April 20, 2010 at 4:30 PM
  88. [SK] said...

    haha, why you have no idea what the desserts are?? they didn't impress you at all that you don't care to remember what they were?? :p

    April 20, 2010 at 4:31 PM
  89. [SK] said...

    hmmm, looks like some pie with ice cream.. and the other one is pana cotta?? no idea, just wild guess.. :)

    April 20, 2010 at 4:32 PM
  90. Faisal Admar said...

    the dessert looks so delicious. even though you can't remember...

    what is that?

    April 20, 2010 at 5:33 PM
  91. Monica said...

    i like the hens for chicken eggs haha!

    April 22, 2010 at 3:03 AM
  92. Monica said...

    wahh so many ppl at Kuta Beach.. i prefer if it's not so crowded..

    April 22, 2010 at 3:10 AM
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    April 23, 2010 at 7:57 PM
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    October 20, 2010 at 8:37 PM