BALI

Bali is awesome, just beware the significant volcanic and seismic activity going on in the west-Java (Yogyakarta) area if you plan to travel through all of Indonesia. Incredible culture, great food, beaches, shopping...

Things in Bali change a lot in a short amount of time. They're still getting back on their feet after the most recent bombings and so nothing can be taken as gospel, especially with regards to prices, but it should give you a good idea.

Visas:

Indonesia has a visa on arrival system. You must have US dollars to pay for your visa and the price depends on the number of days you want to stay.

Getting around locally:

You can get a car and driver to take you any place you want to go. This is probably best arranged by your hotel. There are loads of touts walking around offering "transport". Be aware.

The taxis immediately around the airport exit will try to charge you exorbitant fares to Kuta. Assuming you can just hoist your gear and walk out, the further from the terminal you get the cheaper the fare. From the main road it'll be about as cheap as you can get. Try not to pay more than Rp50,000.

The mini-bus public transport is really cheap, about Rp4000 to most destinations around town and Nusa.

Places to go:

Kuta

Some say you should avoid it as it is a big mess of dirty streets, overpriced clubs and souvenir shops.

to stay:

Lokha Legian - Nice hotel. Has a pool and is a 200 metre walk to the beach. Price includes breakfast buffet.

A P Inn - a kind of upscale guest house. The rooms are nicer than your regular guest house but it's also cheaper than a hotel. In the middle of a busy back alley, so there are a lot of shops and resturants near by, and the beach is about a 10-15 minute walk. http://www.apinn-bali.com/

Ubud

You can rent bikes and cars easily to get around and see the island. There are loads of excellent restaurants to try.

to stay:

Alam Jiwa - highly recommended - a spectacular place to stay. It's pricey, but worth it since your money goes much farther here. A very quiet place, outside of town with private villas. Better for couples than for party animals. Watch the sunrise over the rice paddies while eatting breakfast on your private terrace. http://www.alamjiwa.com

Candidasa

Very small quiet town. Not much to do but relax and take it slow. You can arrange snorkelling trips or trips to Pasir Putish (white sand beach) which is isolated and beautiful. Take some time to visit Tenganan, a traditional mountain village.

to stay:

Kubu Bali - get a bungalow at the top of the hill and you can see the ocean and watch the monkeys. http://www.kububali.com

Yogya

(pronounced Jog not Yog) is a fabulous place to visit, but keep an eye on the local warnings and the international news as experts are saying the volcano is getting ready to erupt.

Lombok

Everything is cheaper in general, but if you go to islands in the south of the bay (Gili Nanggu etc) they are more expensive than islands in the north, commonly referred to as just "The Gili's", which are much more popular with the relatively few tourists who venture over to Lombok than the southern islands.

Getting around

To get to Ubud from Kuta is really easy. There's plenty of tourist buses that go all day, and you can of course take taxis. Taxis to Ubud are cheap and fast. Negotiating a taxi ride to Ubud late at night might not be very easy though. You may not be able to get a taxi to take you (If you're lucky you'll find a taxi who lives in Ubud in which case he'd take you for a reasonable fare as it's on his way home). If you have flexibility, maybe spend a night in cheap lodgings in Kuta and then go with other travellers the next morning. It shouldn't cost more than Rp80,000 (per taxi NOT per person!) but that requires a good amount of bargaining and depends on the above-mentioned factors. If you do spend a night in Kuta, the hostel staff will be able to give you a good idea of the going rate for a taxi to Ubud and any other means of transport available.

You can fly to Lombok on a teensy plane (compared to the cost of the ferry this was very expensive, but may be a time-constrained necessity), and then take the ferry back to Bali and then taxi. Ferry is a mere Rp15,000, because locals use it, and takes a VERY long time. Up to 6hrs if the weather/currents are against you.

TOP TIPS

• When you arrive in Bali, DON'T let someone pick up/carry your bags for you in the baggage claim area. They will basically take it hostage and carry it a few metres then want money (quite a lot of money, too) for the 'service' of having picked up your bag, whether you asked for it or not. The security guards will not help you and these guys can get aggressive.

If you do plan to travel throughout Indonesia, Sumatra is a tough place to travel logistics-wise but VERY worth the effort. Also, especially in undeveloped Sumatra and other off-the-beaten-track areas where photo processing is nigh-near impossible, a cheap polaroid camera and a good supply of the film will make you countless friends and is a great way to interact with the locals.

River Rafting

Bali Adventure Tours - recommended - http://www.baliadventuretours.com/