Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Bali on a Budget -- massage, comfortable homestays, and more...part 1

Nice one on Ayurvedic massage Sister!   I will definitely try it one of these days.

I love to get massages and had such a wonderful massage filled visit in Bali, plus more.

I visited Ubud, Bali for over a week last year and was able to get a massage nearly every other day.  In Ubud, where I spent most of my time, there were numerous massage places to choose from.  I tried several massage places and found that Jaens Spa Ubud offered the most consistent and relaxing end to end spa experience at a very reasonable price.  Their 1-hour traditional Balinese massage only costs IDR130,000 per hour (SGD13, or PHP475).

So that you don't waste any time,  it is best that you call Jaens Spa and make a reservation.  If a therapist is available, they will immediately send their driver to pick you up within a few minutes, at no additional charge.  Their receptionist greets you warmly upon your arrival and provides a refreshing drink and cool face cloth that helps you unwind.  Once you are settled in nicely, a well-trained therapist arrives and leads you into an area where you are given a foot wash.  You are then brought to a comfortable treatment room for your massage of choice.  The therapist makes you choose the type of oil you prefer and makes sure she checks at the beginning of the massage if the pressure is to your liking.  The next hour or so is absolute bliss!  After the massage, a bowl of fresh fruits and a warm cup of lemongrass tea awaits you...   www.jaensspaubud.com

I did mention in my title that this write-up will be about Bali on a budget.  I had already done a fair bit of traveling the past couple of months and made a pact to myself that I should only travel to destinations that will allow me to keep my daily spend in the SGD80-90 (PHP2,800-3,200) range per day.

First major spend was the airfare.   November, an off-season month, was a good time to travel since the airfares were low.  I decided to go and booked my ticket only a week in advance, but was fortunate and able to get a round-trip Singapore-Bali flight via Jetstar for only SGD165 (PHP5,800).   I travel light and did not have to purchase checked in baggage which adds an additional SGD50 to the airfare. The actual flight was only 2hrs 40mins so I did not have to order any food for the short trip.

For my accommodation, I did some research online and found Gusti Kaler House, a centrally located homestay given high ratings by its guests in both Tripadvisor and booking.com.   They offer clean, spacious and comfortable fan-cooled rooms for IDR220,000 per night (SGD23, or PHP800).  The rate  includes breakfast composed of coffee or tea, fruit and pancakes or mini sandwiches delivered at your room's adjacent veranda every morning.  They also offer airport pick-up at IDR300,000 per way (SGD31, PHP1,100).  This amount is quite reasonable as the airport is approximately 45-60 minutes away from Ubud.

Gusti Kaler Standard Twin Room with Fan

 Adjacent veranda/breakfast area

 Lush/open garden in front of the room

Facade of another room


To be continued...