great takes on family travel in the U.S.

I have been given 900 words to describe Bali. (1/2 of them I will write today)

I suppose this is because I recently took my wife to Bali for our honeymoon and as a result I have been asked to create a little Bali travel guide!

900 words max… wow! Where to start? Damn three more gone! Four more…

Here are the quick facts about traveling in Bali:

• Bali is one of the most amazing places on earth; it is both beautiful and fun and the local people are amazingly friendly.
• Bali is tropical and the weather is warm and perfect almost all year round, even in the rainy season.
• During the time that it is winter in North America, Bali is warm and the rain is like a warm shower.
• Bali is expensive go (flights cost over $1000 from LAX) but once you are there, it is amazingly inexpensive.
• You can get a great hotel room for $50USD/night or a private villa with a private pool for ~$250/night.
• You can rent a nice place to live for $400-$500 a month.
• You can “eat out” every meal for under $20 a day.
• Taxi rides cost $3-$5 depending on how far and you can find a private driver for a whole day for $20.
• The people of Bali are some of the friendliest and kind in the world, and many of them speak English.
• The people are mostly Hindu and they believe that smiling is very important.
• There are only a few different names in Bali and the names correspond to the order of birth, so you will meet a lot of people named Ketut or Putu.

250 words down…

Bali Trip FAQ:

Q: When should I go to Bali?

A: As soon as possible, seriously, it is amazing.

Q: Who should go to Bali?

A: Anyone who loves to travel. Again, seriously, it is amazing.

Q: What is the best time of year to go?

A: All times are great! If you like warm rain go in winter, if you want it dry and sunny go in the summer.

Q: Should I find a Travel Agent in Bali?

A: Yes!!! This will cost you nothing (the agent gets paid by the hotels, and actually your agent will save you money as the hotels want to stay in good graces with the agent) I know a really good one, you can email me for her name brian at kango dot <com>.

Q: Where should I stay in Bali?

A: Uma in Ubud is great, the Ulin is fantastic, and I also like the Honeymoon guest house.

Q: What is Bali “like”?

A: Bali is a developing nation; the infrastructure is not like America or Europe. Expect uneven roads, pollution on the main streets, different hygiene standards, etc. It is also fantastically beautiful with amazing works of art, rice paddy fields, great food, and extremely friendly people.

Thanks For Reading Part I
Stay tuned for Part II coming very soon.

Part II will cover the Bali packing guide and some of the best things to do while you are there!