Independent traveler : How can I make my Bali honeymoon less expensive and still memorable? Nidhi from India asks

Independent traveler

Love to travel, but hate tours? This blog offers insight on how to go it alone, from safe accommodations to seeing the best, and maybe the worst. After all, independent travel is an adventure. Flexibility and traveling on a budget are critical. No five-stars or all-inclusives. So hop aboard. Learn to enjoy travel at your own pace and price. Meet other adventurers like yourself and mingle with the locals. Remember: You may travel alone, but you wonʼt be lonely. gloria.independenttraveler@gmail.com

Gloria Maschmeyer

I've been a traveler since I can remember. I spread my wings as a flight attendant at age 20, then married a traveling man and we've never stopped. While based in Anchorage, we've ventured to India, Peru, Bali, Morocco, Burma, Tunisia Singapore and Ecuador. I love ferreting out places off the beaten path. And when things don't go quite as planned, that's just part of the adventure.

Gloria's photos

PHOTOS

Gloria's photo gallery

See Gloria's photos from her world travels.

READER-SUBMITTED

Vacation shots

That's a tiny Machu Pichu at left. View more travel shots in our vacation gallery.

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Gloria's videos

Floating England's Llangollen Canal

See a little snippet of floating the Llangollen Canal in Western England in a narrow boat.

Fun with Divot

Divot snorkeling at the confluence of Brook's River.

Fun with Ted and Divot

Divot at the Falls and Ted cavorting at the mouth flowing out to Naknek Lake.

Plan your trip

AIRFARES

www.travelocity.com

www.expedia.com

BEST TIME OF YEAR

www.myforecast.com

Click on "almanac," then on "historical climate" and plug in the city you wish to check.

ELECTRICAL CONVERSIONS

www.travel-images.com/electric-plugs.html

For electrical appliances, it's great to know the voltage used in a country and the types of plugs.

CURRENCY RATES

www.oanda.com

For more information on currency exchanges and helpful hints, read my blogs, "Should I change" and "I've decided to change."

TRAVEL WARNINGS

www.travel.state.gov/travel

This site can help you determine the type of crime that goes on in foreign countries against visitors. It also will tell you areas of the country you should avoid.

WORLD TIMES

www.worldtimeserver.com/

Features the current time anywhere and weather. Helpful when you need to call for reservations or want to call back home while away.

WHAT TRAVELERS SAY

www.tripadvisor.com

A favorite sites to see what other travelers have to say about places to stay and visit worldwide

CAR RENTAL

www.hotwire.com

A good site for finding the best deals on renting cars anywhere in the world

TRAVEL INSURANCE

www.squaremouth.com

Web site that compares costs of travel insurance between companies.

How can I make my Bali honeymoon less expensive and still memorable? Nidhi from India asks

Posted by indietraveler

Posted: December 29, 2009 - 6:36 pm

Q. How can I make my Bali honeymoon less expensive and still memorable?... Nidhi

A. Nidi, from the other information you provided in our e-mail correspondence, you said that you planned to be in Bali for five or six days. You said that you plan to stay at the Hard Rock Café hotel in Kuta for two or three days and that you also wanted to go to Ubud. Here’s what I would suggest.

After your stay in Kuta, hire a taxi or shared van to go to Ubud, which is about one and a half hours from Kuta. While Kuta is a happin’ place with lots a activities including belly boarding and boogieing in one of it’s night clubs, Ubud, located in the highlands, is Bali’s cultural gem where you can relax and take in wonderful spa treatments.

We stayed at the Tegal Sari, which is a fantastic reasonable priced small hotel. It is highly rated on TripAdvisor. I recommend that you book directly with the hotel at this website. We stayed in a wooden bungalow that was private and had a lovely terrace for viewing the sunset. Very romantic.

The hotel offers onsite massages and also has an offsite facility that offers a wide variety of spa services at reasonable prices. You can also go to traditional Balinese dance performances in the evening, which are a don’t miss. There are several good restaurants around the hotel and in the center of Ubud.

Check out my posts from my recent visit to Bali. I have five posts will give you the flavor of Kuta and Ubud. Cick here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Bali in Photos.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. I hope you have a wonderful time in Bali, one of my favorite places.