Fly to Bali

Some years ago, getting to Bali required changing planes in Bangkok, Singapore or Jakarta. However, today there is an increasing number of direct connections between Bali and Adelaide, Amsterdam, Auckland, Bangkok, Brunei, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Frankfurt, Fukuoka, Guam, Honolulu, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Munich, Nagoya, Osaka, Paris, Perth, Rome, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Vienna, and Zurich. And most international visitors will fly to Bali directly.

Airfares
Air routes and fares into Indonesia change constantly. As soon as the Official Airlines Guide is published, it’s out of date. Check the latest and cheapest means of getting to Bali in the Sunday travel section of a major metropolitan newspaper near you. Also check the Yellow Pages and adventure-travel media.

The International Air Traffic Association (IATA) is a cartel of air carriers that fixes high fares for all participating carriers-you’ll pay the same inflated rate no matter which of these airlines you use. Avoid paying full IATA fares by buying your tickets from travel agencies and consolidators. The latter discount agencies often offer gray-market tickets at low rates that cannot be advertised. To know what fares, features, and restrictions you’re trying to beat, check first with Garuda, the Indonesian national air carrier.

Before paying for your ticket, inquire about restrictions, refunds, cancellation fees, and stopovers. Technically, to obtain an Indonesian entry stamp you need a ticket out of Indonesia. In reality, however, immigration officials never ask to see a ticket out. Travelers under 26 should inquire about student discounts. Children four to 12 could also receive substantial discounts.

A good deal could be an Advance Purchase Excursion (APEX) fare, which must be reserved and paid for two to three weeks before departure. There’s a substantial penalty for cancellation, and no stopovers are allowed. Since APEX tickets require rigid departure and return dates, purchase one-way tickets only. Rates are lower in the off-season, February to November. Always ask about special promotional fares.

Consider buying a one-way ticket from Europe or the U.S. direct to Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Singapore; from these points it’s relatively inexpensive to continue on to Bali. Discounted roundtrip flights from London to Bangkok cost £400 and from Los Angeles to Bangkok around US$750. From Bangkok you can travel down to Penang, from where it’s an easy hop on a boat or plane to Medan, North Sumatra.

It doesn’t usually pay to join a package from Europe, U.S., or Australia because accommodations in Bali are so inexpensive. However, Garuda Orient Holidays, a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia Airlines, is an exception. They offer some airfare and hotel combos for little more than the cost of airfare alone (see “From the U.S.A.,” below). If you plan to make a number of stops in Indonesia, investigate Garuda’s Airpass, which allows you to make three flights on any of 35 routes flown by Garuda or Merpati for just US$300 extra. See the “Getting Around” section for details.

Gateways
You can fly into Bali from all over the world. The three main international air gateways are Jakarta, Denpasar, and Medan. By far the largest number of flights arrive in Jakarta’s international Sukarno/Hatta Airport, 20 km west of Jakarta in Cengkareng.

Unbelievably, except on expensive cruise ships, slow passenger ferries, or private yachts, it’s difficult to reach the world’s largest island nation by water. You’ll find only two regular maritime entry points. Ferries depart Penang, Malaysia for Medan, and a daily ferry connects Singapore with Pulau Batam in the Riau Archipelago; from there you can board another ferry to Pekanbaru, East Sumatra, or Jakarta.

Ocean liners and cruise ships of Holland American Lines, Spice Island Cruises, and Lindblad Travel call at remote Indonesian ports at luxury prices. These upscale tour companies offer fly/cruise arrangements whereby you’re flown to Surabaya, Bali, or Medan to meet your cruise vessel. See your travel agent.

All flights to Bali arrive at Ngurah Rai Airport, which is actually referred to as “Denpasar (DPS)” though it is 11 km south of Denpasar and three km south of Kuta at Tuban. It takes you just 15 to 30 minutes by car from Kuta, Legian, Sanur and Nusa Dua, and in about 50 to 60 minutes from Ubud.

Circle-Pacific and Round-the-World Tickets
Using a combination of airlines out of the U.S.-Air New Zealand, Qantas, MAS, Singapore Airlines-travelers can spend up to a year circling the Pacific and Southeast Asia. For Qantas and Air New Zealand, you’re looking at around US$2449 roundtrip, 14-day advance purchase, with four stopovers. Additional stopovers are US$75-200 extra. Most require that you use all your tickets within 12 months, some give only six months. To save money, either ask your travel agent to do business through a consolidator offering flights to Asia, or call a consolidator directly. The cheapest fares entail midweek departures.

Air Brokers International, Inc., 323 Geary St., Ste. 411, San Francisco, CA 94102, U.S.A., tel. 800-883.3273 or 415-397.1383, fax 397.4767, sells more round-the-world tickets than any other U.S. consolidator.

Bali is often included as a stopover on many round-the-world tickets. The variations possible in round-the-world itineraries depend on the ticketing alternative the traveler selects. The best and most expensive is the full-fare, full-service ticket. You can go where you like on almost any airline and take six months or a year doing it. The main drawback is you have to zigzag around the world in one direction only, booking individual flights as you go without the privilege of switching carriers. Plus, all your flights may not be available when you want them. You sacrifice some flexibility but save some cash by buying a round-the-world package offered by an individual airline or specific group of airlines. It’s cheaper still to string together several discount tickets, acquired in such bargain centers as London, Bangkok, or Hong Kong.

Ticket packages vary considerably in price, length of validity, and number of stopovers permitted. If your round-the-world ticket doesn’t offer a stop in Bali, try to land as close as possible-Singapore or Bangkok-then hops down to the archipelago.

Singapore Airlines sells a US$2570 economy ticket with stops in at least three cities; six-month validity, 14-day advance purchase. The airline offers daily flights east from New York to Bali via European cities and Singapore; and west to Bali via Singapore. Qantas offers a US$3000 ticket on a 21-day advance purchase.

Arriving by Air
In the luggage pick-up areas in both the domestic and international terminals at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport there are well-staffed hotel booking counters. Have the clerks (all speak English) try to arrange free transport for you to a hotel of your choice (usually only higher-priced hotels are represented here, US$50 and up). The two terminals are only about a five-minute walk from each other.

In the International Terminal you have to clear customs first. Curiously, in spite of the large number of tourists visiting Bali, the customs officers are among the most officious and demanding in all of Indonesia. Get in a long line where they are under more pressure to process you faster.

After customs there are a number of quick and honest moneychangers, both inside and outside the terminal, where you might as well change money because the rates only vary a few points from what you can get anywhere else on the island. There are also tourist information booths with a fairly good amount of literature.

After changing money, look for your hotel vehicle for a free ride. If you’ve booked ahead the driver will usually be there to greet you, holding up a sign with your name on it. For a taxi, go up to the taxi window, buy your ticket, and then present it in the taxi line. Fixed tariffs to various parts of the island are: Kuta Rp8000-10,000 (depending upon which part), Legian (7 km) Rp11,500, Seminyak (9 km) Rp12,500, Denpasar (14 km) Rp15,000, Ubung Station (17 km) Rp16,000, Sanur (18 km) Rp17,500, Nusa Dua Rp17,500, Jimbaran (10 km) Rp11,500, Tanjung Benoa (20 km) Rp18,500, Krobokan (17 km) Rp15,000, Batubulan Station (22 km) Rp21,000.

If going to Ubud, instead of paying the exorbitant fare, just get a taxi to Batubulan (Rp21,000), then board a blue Isuzu the rest of the way to Ubud for another Rp6000. If you want a cheaper metered taxi to anywhere, you can push your cart to the end of the sidewalk only about 100 meters from the entrance of the airport. Lug your stuff past the tollbooths to the first street on the left and then flag down a metered yellow taxi, an even cheaper bemo, or hitch anything (someone will stop). Yellow taxis are not allowed to pick up passengers at the airport, but they are allowed to drop passengers off.

Reaching Bali from Asian Countries

Within Indonesia
By Land
Bali is accessible from a number of different islands and directions. If you’re landing in Jakarta, you can travel overland all the way to Denpasar on a comfortable, air-conditioned, long-distance night bus-a 24-hour trip-for around Rp65,000 (Rp25,000 economy class). Regular and efficient ferries leave from Ketapang, East Java to Gilimanuk, far-western Bali, and from Lembar, Lombok, to Padangbai, east Bali.

Express buses to Denpasar are available from Bandung, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Malang, and many other Javanese cities. A reliable traveler’s transport service is Perama, with offices at Jl. Pembangunan 2 (tel. 6221-345.3636) in Jakarta and Jl. Prawirotaman 29 (tel. 62274-728.53) in Yogyakarta. Perama sells a bus ticket from Jakarta to Denpasar for Rp60,000 and from Yogyakarta to Denpasar (15 hours) for Rp45,000.

All buses from Java terminate at Denpasar’s Ubung bus station from where you can take a bemo to other stations in Denpasar, or connect with other bemo to go anywhere on the island. If you want to go to Lovina in northern Bali’s Buleleng District, buy a ticket to Gilimanuk in Far West Bali from where you can catch a bemo to Lovina.

By Sea
Pelni, Indonesia’s national shipping concern, operates 20 passenger/cargo ships, each of which navigates a different inter-island loop every two weeks. For the latest timetables and routes-which change about every 90 days-check with one of the Pelni offices before you go. On Bali, Pelni’s port is Benoa just west of Sanur. The ships offer four classes, from deck class or economy-where you sleep in a huge common room-to first class private cabins with inside bathroom, a/c, and TV.

It’s important to book ahead. The main Pelni office is at Jl. Gajah Mada 14 (tel. 6221-343.307, fax 6221-381.0341). Ticket offices: Jl. Angkasa 18, Jakarta (tel. 6221-421.7406); Jl. Pelabuhan, Benoa Harbor, Bali (tel. 62361-228.962); Jl. Industri 1, Ampenan (tel. 62364-372.12, fax 62364-31604); Jl. Kol Sugiono 5, Medan (tel. 6261-518.899); Jl. Pahlawan 3, Kupang, West Timor (tel. 62391-219.44).

By Air
Three major domestic airlines (Garuda, Merpati and Bouraq) and a number of military, timber and oil, and private air-transport companies service every corner of the archipelago. Always shop around to get the best fares. Sample one-way fares to Bali: from Jakarta, Rp220,000; from Kupang, Rp192,000; from Medan, Rp400,000. Don’t forget to add Rp4500-7500 per departure for domestic airport tax.

Hong Kong
Hong Kong is as cheap as Bangkok and Penang for air tickets in Southeast Asia, with direct flights available to Jakarta and Denpasar. Return flights are even better bargains. The discounted fare to Denpasar is around HK$3000 roundtrip (roughly US$400). Many discount travel agencies advertise in English-language morning newspapers like the Hong Kong Standard, South China Morning Post, and the monthly magazine, Business Traveler.

The following agencies are consistently good: Phoenix Travel Service at Tjim Tja Soi in Kowloon, tel. 2722-7378 (talk to Rocky); STB, 26 Des Voeux Rd., Central Bldg., 26/F, tel. 2810-7272; Time Travel, Chungking Mansions, 16th floor, A Block, tel. 2366-6222; Hong Kong Student Travel Bureau, Room 1021, 10th floor, Star House, Tsimshatsui, tel. 2730-3269. Ask agents about the Cathay Pacific roundtrip flight to Denpasar.

Taiwan
For discount travel agencies in Taiwan, see the notice board at the Taipei Hostel near the Lai Lai Sheraton Hotel. Travelers tend to gravitate toward Jenny Su Travel Service, 27 Chungshan N. Rd., 10th floor, section 3, Taipei, and tel. (02) 595-1646.

Japan and Korea
Tokyo is a better place to buy air tickets than is generally realized. The city’s many resident gaijin foreigners are required by Japanese immigration to periodically leave the country and reenter. This requirement has created a ready market for cheap excursion fares. Many discount travel agencies specializing in overseas flights advertise in English-language media like the Japan Times and Tokyo Journal. Tokyo’s a big place, so it’s best to phone around and compare prices.

The following agencies are worth checking: Council Travel, Sanno Grand Bldg., Room 102, 14-2 Nagata-cho, 2-chome, Chiyoda-ko, Tokyo 100, tel. (03) 3581-7581; STA, seventh floor, Nukariya Bldg., 1-16-20 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-Ku, tel. 5391-2889, fax 5391-2923; A.B.C. Air Bank Co., tel. 233-1177; Asahi International Travel, tel. 584-5732; E.H.L., tel. 351-2131; M.I.C., tel. 370-6577; N.L.C., tel. 988-7801. The only nonstop flight from Tokyo to Bali is offered by Garuda on DC-10 wide-body jets for US$1021 one-way coach fare; US$1752 one-way first class.

Few discounters are found in Korea. The travel agent in the USO Club outside the gates of the Yongsan U.S. Army Garrison is worth a try: 104 Kalwol-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, tel. (2) 792-3063 or 792-3028. He sells mostly roundtrip tickets to Asian destinations for GIs and dependents. Also try the Korean International Student Exchange Society (KISES), YMCA Bldg., Room 505, Chongno 2-ga, Seoul. Tickets to Jakarta sometimes sell for as little as US$550.

From Penang
Malaysia is a good place to buy cheap air tickets. Refer to the Straits Times for ads. Popular with travelers is the low-priced hop from Penang across the Strait of Malacca to Medan in North Sumatra, from where you can work your way through western Indonesia to Bali. The MAS flight leaves Penang daily, takes just 20 minutes, and costs around M$54 one-way, M$108 roundtrip.

An excellent high-speed ferry service operates between Penang and Medan every Tuesday and Friday at 0800, returning from Medan to Penang the same day at 1330. First-class fare is M$100 one-way, M$180 roundtrip; economy class is M$90 one-way, M$160 roundtrip. Children two to 12 fly half price. Free refreshments and snacks and free transfer from the port of Belawan to Medan City center are included. Belawan customs doesn’t seem to check tickets out. In Penang, buy ferry tickets at the KPLFS office, PPC Shopping Complex, Jl. Pusara King Edward, 10300 Penang, tel. (04) 625630 or 625631, fax 625508. In Medan, call (061) 514888 or 518340. Travel agencies and hotels along Chulia Street in Penang sell tickets.

From Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s capital is a real travel bargain center. It’s now just as cheap flying to Bali from Kuala Lumpur as from Singapore. The flight to Medan with MAS or Garuda is around M$78 one-way, M$156 roundtrip. MAS now flies from Kuala Lumpur to Surabaya, from where it’s a short flight or overland trip to Bali.

Student Travel Australia (STA), sixth floor, UBN Tower Letter Box 32, 10 Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, sells a Kuala Lumpur-Denpasar MAS or Garuda ticket for about half the price of other agencies. On the same street as STA in Kuala Lumpur are other cheap ticketing agencies.

Philippines
Garuda operates a 2,179-km-flight from Manila to Jakarta on Wednesday and Saturday for US$570 roundtrip; minimum stay five days, maximum 180 days. For good tickets check YSTAPHIL, 4227 Tomas Claudio St., Manila, Philippines, tel. (02) 832-0680.

Thailand
Near the Malaysia Hotel in Bangkok are a number of travel agencies selling cheap tickets. Fares and departure dates fluctuate, and getting a straight answer to a seemingly simple question is like trying to bite the wind. Walk around and compare prices. Student and off-season discounts are available, as are package deals offering no-frills indirect flights. K Travel Service, 21/33 Soi Ngam Dupli, Bangkok 10120, tel. (2) 286-1468, has a good reputation among travelers. Several other agencies are found along Sukhumvit Road. STA in Viengtai Hotel is expensive but honest.

Singapore
By Air
Singapore is a popular and convenient departure point for Denpasar, Bali. Remember that 30-day excursion fares are usually cheaper than regular fares. Check travel agencies for the cheapest fares. Many advertise in the Straits Times.

Airmaster Travel Center, 36-B Prinsep St., Room 1, Singapore 0718, tel. 338-3942 or 337-6838, sells a Singapore-Jakarta-Denpasar ticket and a Singapore-Denpasar ticket with a stopover in Yogyakarta. Ask about their 30-day excursion fares. Price varies depending on airline and length of stay.

Student discount tickets (ID card required) are available from Singapore to Denpasar. Check with Student Travel Australia (STA), 02-17 Orchard Parade Hotel, 1 Tanglin Rd., Singapore 1024, tel. 734-5681, fax 737-2591.

Airline Offices
Cathay Pacific, Ocean Bldg., Collyer Quay, tel. 533-1333; Garuda, Gold Hill Sq., 101 Thomson Rd., 13-03, Singapore 1130, tel. 250-5666; KLM, Mandarin Hotel, 333 Orchard Rd., tel. 737-7211; MAS, Singapore Shopping Center, 190 Clemenceau Ave., tel. 336-6777; Qantas, Mandarin Hotel, 333 Orchard Rd., tel. 737-3744; Singapore International Airlines, SIA Bldg., 77 Robinson Rd., tel. 223-8888.

By Sea
Travelers can enter the Riau Archipelago, three hours south of Singapore, on their own and visa-free by taking a ferry (S$20, 40 minutes) from Singapore to Pulau Batam or Pulau Bintan. Launches leave every couple hours from Finger Pier, Prince Edward Rd., Singapore. A speedboat also runs directly from Singapore to Tanjung Pinang for S$45 (two and a half-hours).

From Tanjung Pinang, a Pelni ship sails to Jakarta every other Sunday. The Pelni office is at 50 Telok Blangah Rd. No. 02-02, Citiport Center, Singapore 0409, tel. 272-6811, 271-5159, or 271-8685. These ships provide the cheapest way of getting to Jakarta from Singapore (about S$35 total). However, they leave early in the morning and require at least one night in Tanjung Pinang. If you plan to arrive in Tanjung Pinang from Singapore on Saturday, you’ll encounter another problem. The Pelni office-Ketapang 8, tel. 2151-closes at 1300 Saturday, and the direct ferry from Singapore to Tanjung Pinang (S$46) won’t get you there in time to buy your Pelni ticket for the following day. Solution: Take the smaller, faster boat from Singapore to Pulau Batam (45 minutes). Go through customs in Sekupang and catch a taxi across the islands to Kabil. From Kabil, speedboats leave constantly for Tanjung Pinang (crossing time 30 minutes); when you arrive catch a minibus (Rp200) to the Pelni office. Once in Jakarta, you can either fly or head overland to Bali.

Reaching Bali from Western Countries

Australia
From Australia, even economy-class tickets are expensive. Qantas and Garuda offer frequent service to Bali from Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, Port Hedland, and Sydney. Only Garuda offers the Darwin, while only Qantas flies from Brisbane. Flight time from Melbourne to Bali is about six hours, from Sydney to Bali about five and half-hours.

Qantas and Garuda offer precisely the same fares and flight restrictions to Bali (A$753 one-way, A$915 roundtrip), with seven-day minimum stay, maximum 45 days. During the Dec.-Feb. high season, flights from Australia to Bali are heavily booked; reserve your place at least three months ahead.

Fly to Bali from Perth for A$596 one-way, A$937 roundtrip (peak); A$504 one-way, A$787 roundtrip (low). Flight time is three and half-hours. Perth-Denpasar-Jakarta flights leave twice weekly. If you have an International Student ID card, check out STA flights from Perth to Bali. Student and under-26 fares are about 10% cheaper.

The cheapest indirect flight to Bali is on Royal Brunei, which flies from Darwin (A$902) or Brisbane (A$1054 roundtrip) via Brunei once a week. You arrive in Bali the same day you take off. They also fly from Perth (A$876 roundtrip) twice a week, but you have to overnight in Brunei.

Many travelers fly from Darwin to Kupang, West Timor, and then island-hop to Bali. From Kupang, regular flights to Denpasar cost A$190 one-way. From Darwin, Merpati flies to Kupang twice weekly for A$330 one-way, A$407 roundtrip in low season. This flight leaves each Saturday morning and takes two hours; return flights leave Friday. Upon arrival in Kupang you’ll receive a 60-day entry stamp.

Ansett International flies to Bali from Sydney, Melbourne, and Darwin twice weekly; from Brisbane to Bali once weekly; and from Perth to Bali three times weekly. Fares from Brisbane and Adelaide are the same as from Melbourne and Sydney. You’ll find scant difference between the fares offered by all the airlines-Ansett, Qantas, and Garuda-which service Bali.

Airline Offices
Air New Zealand, 5 Elizabeth St. (corner of Queens and Customs Streets), Sydney, tel. 02-9223-4666; Ansett, 501 Swanston St., 16th floor, Melbourne, tel. 03-962-3333; Garuda, 175 Clarence St., Sydney, tel. 02-334-9900 (Australian-wide telephone is 008-800873); Merpati, 12 Westlane Arcade, Darwin, tel. 08-941-1030; Qantas, International Square, Jamison St., Sydney, tel. 02-957-0111 or 9236-3636 (Australia-wide telephone is 131767); Singapore Airlines, 17 Bridge St., Sydney, tel. 02-9236-0111.

Discount Ticket Agents
Anywhere Travel, 345 Anzac Parade, Kingsford, Sydney, tel. 02-663-0411; STA Travel, 732 Harris St., Ultimo, Sydney, tel. 02-9281-9866 or 9212-1255, and 256 Flinder St., Melbourne, tel. 03-9347-4711 (other offices in Cairns, Townsville, Canberra, and Adelaide); Discount Travel Specialists, Shop 53, Forest Chase, Perth, tel. 09-221-1400; Topdeck Travel, 45 Grenfell St., Adelaide, tel. 08-8410-1110.

Package Holidays and Group Tours
Numerous package tours from Sydney and Melbourne to Bali are available for around A$800. Even though you pay for places and services unseen, the prices on a twin-share all-inclusive package are unbeatable: Sydney to Bali, A$900 (peak), A$750 (low) for eight days, and from A$1150 for 15 days. This includes airfare, transfers, accommodations, continental breakfast in a three-star hotel, and a token sightseeing tour or two. Each extra night costs only A$20 per person. Children are usually charged two-thirds the adult airfare.

Certain restrictions may apply. Departure and return schedules are usually unchangeable. The tour packages issue hotel vouchers, which you exchange for accommodations in Sanur, Kuta, Nusa Dua, or Ubud. Other packages offer accommodations in Jimbaran, Lovina, and Candidasa. Vouchers are sometimes also issued for dining or for rental of bicycles or motorcycles. The final price depends on how long you stay, the class of hotel you choose, and when you go. Low-season fares are in force from February to March and from 16 October to 30 November; shoulder season is 16-31 January, April-May, and 1 July to 15 October; high season is 1 December to 15 January.

Package tour prices can be so good that some travelers take advantage of the cheap airfares offered and ignore the vouchers. Don’t sign on for too many extensions and additional sightseeing tours because these can be purchased much cheaper in Bali. Look for deals in the travel sections of Australia’s big-city newspapers. Find a flexible agent who can arrange for you to use vouchers in a selection of hotels so your movement won’t be too restricted.

Australia is the place to take advantage of some unique adventure and sports tours to Bali offered by specialist tour operators. Surf Travel Company, with offices at 12 Cronulla Plaza, Cronulla Beach, Sydney (tel. 02-527-4722), and at Kirra Surf Center, corner of Gold Coast Highway and Coolangatta Road, Kirra, Queensland (tel. 075-5599-2818), sells surfing packages to Bali including accommodations, meals, and transport. Pro Dive, Royal Arcade, Shop 620, Pitt St., Sydney (tel. 02-9264-9499), specializes in dive packages to Bali including airfare, accommodations, diving equipment, and transport to dive sites.

Canada
With persistence, some good bargains are available from Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Look for cheap flights at travel agencies specializing in Southeast Asia and in the Toronto Globe and Mail.

Discount agents offer low-season roundtrip fares of C$1400 on Air Canada flights that connect with Garuda in Los Angeles. High-season fare is C$1600.

Another approach is to try to find a cheap flight to Bangkok, then travel overland to Bali. Consolidators in Canada sell roundtrip tickets on Canadian Airlines (tel. 800-776-3000) to Bangkok via Vancouver and Hong Kong for as low as US$750 in the low season, US$850 peak season. Flying time is 21 hours. Also check out Cathay Pacific flights out of Vancouver, connecting with Garuda in Los Angeles or Honolulu. Their low season fares are as little as C$1200, high season C$1425.

Probably the best bucket shop in Canada is Adventure Center, 17 Hayden St., Toronto, Ontario M4Y 2P2, tel. (800) 661-7265, with offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Vancouver. Also an excellent choice is Nouvelles Frontieres, 1001 Sherbrook East, Ste. 720, Montreal, H2L 1L3, tel. (514) 526-8444; another branch is in Quebec City.

Travel Cuts, the Canadian student travel bureau, sells consistently inexpensive fares: C$850 one-way (C$1340 roundtrip) to Jakarta. Travel Cuts main office is located at 187 College St., Toronto, Ontario M5T 1P7, tel. (416) 979-2406. Pan Express Travel, 6 Wellesley St., Ste. 303, Toronto M41 186, tel. (416) 964-6888, is worth checking out as well.

Europe
It’s not difficult to find low fares from Amsterdam, Athens, Basel, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Vienna, or Zurich. Indeed, Indonesia-bound traffic has become so frantic that European countries now offer unbelievably cheap package deals.

In Germany, the fare from Frankfurt to Denpasar is DM3902 roundtrip, DM2828 one-way excursion fare. Recommended is SRS Studenten Reise Service, Marienstrasse 23 (U-Bahn and S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse), for discounts to students up to age 34. Travel agencies offering cheap tickets advertise in the travel section of such publications as zitty. Also try Alternativ Tours, Wilmersdorfer Strasse 94, U-Bahn Adenauerplatz, tel. (069) 881-2089, a well-known and trustworthy consolidator.

In Austria, the biggest student travel agency is Osterreichisches Komitee fur Internationalen Studentenaustausch (Okista), with head offices at 9 Garnisongasse 7, Vienna, tel. (0222) 401-480. Open Mon.-Fri. 0900-1730, Saturday 0930-1200. Try other Okista offices at 9 Turkenstrasse 4-6 and at 4 Karlsgasse 3, tel. 505-0128 in Vienna.

In Switzerland, get a recent issue of the best Swiss travelers’ publication, Globetrotter-Magazin, which lists loads of cheap airlines. The SSR offices are also outlets for cheap Bali-bound tickets: try first the head office at Rue Vignier, Geneva, tel. (022) 29-97-33; open Mon.-Fri. 0900-1730. Another good ticket agency offering budget fares to Asia is Globetrotter.

In Belgium, try the student travel agency Acotra, Rue de la Madeleine 51, tel. (02) 512-8607; or Connections Travel Shop, Rue du Marche-au-Charbon 13, tel. 512-060, both in Brussels. Nouvelles Frontieres of Italy and France offers cheap airfares to the Far East; the Rome-Jakarta ticket costs only 950,000 lira roundtrip. In Rome, the student travel center CTS, Via Genova 16 (off Via Nazionale), tel. (06) 46-791, has some great fares to Southeast Asia. In Paris, investigate Selectour Voyages, 29 Rue de la Huchette, tel. (01) 43-29-64-00, open weekdays 0945-1830; and Council Travel, 31 Rue Saint Augustine, tel. 42-66-20-87, open Mon.-Fri. 0930-1830, Saturday 1000-1400.

Ireland
No direct or nonstop flights serve Bali from Ireland, but agents can put you on an Aer Lingus flight to London, connecting you with a Garuda, Thai International Airways, SIA, or Qantas flight to Bali. From Dublin to Denpasar, the best peak-season fare (July-Aug.) available presently is with Thai Airways via London and Bangkok for IR£665. Garuda charges around IR£775 for the Dublin-Denpasar flight in the high season and about IR£150 less in the low season. From Belfast, get a flight first to London with British Airways, and then board a connecting flight to Bali. Roundtrip fares start at around IR£765 in the high season, IR£650 in the low season.

Long-Haul Ticket Agencies
Best discount agency for students is USIT, Aston Quay, O’Connell Bridge, Dublin 2, tel. 01-679-8833; Fountain Center, College St., Belfast BT1 6ET, tel. 01232-324-073; 10-11 Market Parade, Patrick St., Cork, tel. 021-270-900. Also check out Apex Travel, 59 Dame St., Dublin 2, tel. 01-672-5933; Flight Finders International, 13 Baggot St., Lower, Dublin 2, tel. 01-676-8326; and In-flight Travel, 92-94 York Rd., Belfast, tel. 01232-740-187.

Airline Offices
Aer Lingus, 41 Upper O’Connell St., Dublin 1; 42 Grafton St., Dublin 2, tel. 01-844-4777; 46 Castle St., Belfast BT1 1AB, tel. 01232-245-151; 2 Academy St., Cork, tel. 021-327-155; British Airways, Dublin reservations, tel. (800) 626747; 9 Fountain Center, College St., Belfast BT1 6ET, tel. 0345-222-111.

London
London is famous for low airfares to the Orient-the best place in Europe to buy air tickets. In fact, you won’t be able to find anything but budget airfares, thanks to the city’s many discount ticket outlets called “bucket shops.” Each shop may or may not have its own advance-purchase requirements and cancellation penalties, so inquire.

The weekly Time Out, available at London newsstands, contains ads for many bargain airfares and bucket shops. The Sunday Times and the News and Travel Magazine may also prove useful.

Cheap tickets may not be available at peak periods, when airlines can fill their planes at higher prices. During the summer high season, discount airfares to Bali run about £700, but plummet to about £530-580 other times of the year.

Compare prices with those of Brunei Airlines, which are lately coming in as the cheapest low-season airlines from London to Bali (about £700 in the high season). Also investigate Aeroflot flights to Jakarta for £500 year-round, and Thai International’s flights.

Start inquiries at London’s Garuda office. To Bali, Garuda offers a fare of £708 one-way or £1159 roundtrip, minimum stay seven days, maximum 180 days. Garuda is the only airline out of London which flies direct to Bali (21 hours). The flights leave three times weekly, stopping en route in Zurich, Abu Dhabi, and Jakarta.

Also check Qantas and Singapore Airlines, both offering nonstop flights to Bali via Singapore; they lay over just an hour in Singapore, then fly straight to Bali (17 hours total).

When buying a ticket through a bucket shop, don’t pay more than a deposit before receiving the ticket-these agencies have a high rate of closure. Make sure the shop you use belongs to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA); its members guarantee a refund in case the individual shop goes broke.

An appealing option is to fly London-Singapore, for which fares are deeply discounted (around £600 roundtrip). Then-after a trip into Malaysia-buy a roundtrip Singapore-Jakarta ticket.

Or try for a good fare from London to Australia (around £500) with a stopover in Bali. A roundtrip ticket from London to Sydney with a stopover in Singapore and Bali will run around £1000. Various low-cost London-Australia and London-New Zealand flights are available for about £500-800 roundtrip, with inexpensive stopovers in either Singapore or Bali. The fewer the stopovers, the cheaper the ticket.

Travel Agents
A reliable and competent travel agent for cut-rate tickets is Trailfinders, 42-50 Earls Court Rd., London, tel. 0171-938-3366; 194 Kensington High St., London W8 7RG, tel. 0171-938-3939; take the tube to High St., Kensington.

The largest budget agency for those under 26 is Student Travel Australia (STA), located at 86 Old Brompton Rd., London NW1 2SX, tel. 0171-937-9962, and 38 Store St., London WC1, tel. 0171-361-6262. Branches in Birmingham, Cambridge, Canterbury, Cardiff, Coventry, Durham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, and Nottingham.

Also worth a look are Council Travel, 28 A Poland St., London W1V 3DB, tel. 0171-437-7767; and Travel Bug, 597 Cheetham Hill Rd., Manchester M85EJ, tel. 0161-721-4000. Another specialist in low-cost flights is Campus Travel, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1 OAG, tel. 0171-730-8111; branches in Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester, and campuses and YHA offices all over the U.K.

Airline Offices
Aeroflot, 70 Piccadilly, London W1V 9HH, tel. 0171-355-2233; Garuda Indonesia, 35 Duke St., London W1M 5DF, tel. 0171-486-3011; Malaysia Airlines, 61 Picadilly, London W1V 9HL, tel. 0181-740-2626; Qantas, 182 The Strand, London WC2R 1ET, tel. 0345-747767; Royal Brunei Airlines, 49 Cromwell Rd., London SW7 2ED, tel. 0171-584-6660; Singapore Airlines, 143-147 Regent St., London W1R 7LB, tel. 0181-747-0007; Thai International, 41 Albemarle St., London W1X 4LE, tel. 0171-491-7953.

Netherlands
You can fly from Amsterdam to Indonesia at very reasonable prices-sometimes even cheaper than flying from Sydney to Singapore. One of the cheapest flights from Holland is with Czechoslovakian Airlines-a 20-hour Amsterdam-Prague-Abu Dhabi-Bombay-Singapore-Jakarta jaunt.

To find the cheapest flights, check the Saturday editions of Holland’s main national newspapers. The best is Volkakrant. Many small ticketing offices are found in Amsterdam’s Chinese quarter (where you might find a Cathay Pacific flight for 1200-1300 guilders). Ask if the agent is a member of ANVR, a union of travel agents, which requires its members to join a fund that guarantees your ticket in case anything goes wrong.

The problem of leaving from Holland lies not in the reasonableness of the fares but in being able to actually get a seat on an aircraft during the July-August busy season, when 150,000 Netherlanders fly to Indonesia. You can always buy a First Class ticket on KLM, but it may be hard to find a cheap Garuda, KLM, MAS, SIA, or Thai discount ticket.

If you absolutely must get to Indonesia during this time, try to get a flight to Frankfurt and then connect with a Lufthansa flight to Indonesia for around 1600 guilders. Or you might try to get on an expensive economy seat on an Air France flight out of Paris.

KLM and Garuda operate a weekly B747 joint service between Amsterdam and Bali. The fare to Denpasar is 4075 guilders one-way, 7416 guilders roundtrip. Garuda APEX fares from Amsterdam to Bali: 1593 guilders one-way, 2950 guilders roundtrip (minimum seven days, maximum 180 days, valid only until 31 May). Garuda’s office is at Singel 540, 1017 AZ Amsterdam, tel. (020) 272-626.

Cheaper flights might be found through NBBS (the official Dutch student travel agency), Rokin 38, tel. 624-0989, or at Leidsestraat 53, tel. 638-1736. Another good outfit is Amber Reisbureau, Da Costastraat 77, 1053 ZG Amsterdam, tel. (020) 685-1155; 100% reliable. Also worth a try is ILC Reizen, NZ Voorburgwal 256, tel. 620-5121.

New Zealand
Both Air New Zealand and Garuda offer twice-weekly direct flights between Auckland and Denpasar for NZ$1358 (low season) and NZ$1518 (high season). Fourteen-day advance purchase is required, and you must stay a minimum of five days and a maximum of 35 days. Add at least NZ$350 if you fly from Christchurch or Wellington.

Airline Offices
Air New Zealand reservations in Auckland is 09-357-3000; Ansett, 50 Grafton Rd., Auckland, tel. 09-307-5378; Garuda, 120 Albert St., Auckland, tel. 09-366-1855 (reservations in Auckland 09-366-1855 or 366-1862); Qantas, Qantas House, 154 Queen St., Auckland, tel. 09-303-2506; Singapore Airlines, West Plaza Building (corner of Albert and Customs Streets), Lower Ground Floor, Auckland, tel. 09-379-3209.

USA
Airlines serving Bali from the U.S. include Garuda Indonesia, Hong Kong Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and KLM. An hour or so spent calling toll-free numbers (see below) will provide the most up-to-date info on current airfares, timetables, and connections.

The travel sections of the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and San Francisco Examiner are full of ads for cut-rate transpacific flights. Other good sources are Great Expeditions Magazine, 242 W. Milbrook, Suite 102-A, Raleigh, NC 27609, tel. (800) 743-3639, fax (919) 847-0780; and ITN, 520 Calvados Ave., Sacramento, CA 95815.

If you work through travel agents, have them contact a knowledgeable Asian consolidator for the best fares. If you plan to travel in the high season (June-Sept., December, and the Chinese New Year), you’ll need to book months in advance. If you’re planning extended travel in Asia, buy an open ticket valid for one year.

Tickets from the U.S. West Coast to Hong Kong or Singapore average US$1150 one-way or US$1400 roundtrip. From these points board another flight to Jakarta or Bali. Some incredibly cheap tickets are available between Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Singapore with stops in Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Bangkok.

The real bargain fares into Bali depart from Los Angeles. For as little as US$1000 in the off-season, Malaysia Airlines flies from Los Angeles to either Tokyo or Taipei (two-hour layover), then flies to Kuala Lumpur and Denpasar. One free stopover is allowed each way, and the total travel time to Bali is 24 hours.

Singapore Airlines flies to Bali from New York via Frankfurt or Amsterdam for US$1375 (low season) and $1575 (high season); flying time is 26 hours. SIA also flies to Bali from Los Angeles with a two-hour stopover in Singapore for US$1150 roundtrip low season, $1275 high season. China Airlines offers daily flights from Los Angeles to Bali via Taiwan.

Continental flies from Los Angeles to Denpasar four times weekly for US$1450 roundtrip, via Honolulu and Guam. The low-season fare is US$1350 roundtrip, for departures before May 31. You’re allowed one stopover, for up to six months. American Airlines and United Airlines both offer regular flights from major cities to Los Angeles and New York, with connections to Bali.

KLM flies from New York to Jakarta via Amsterdam; one-way fare is US$1234 coach, US$2059 first class. Icelandic Airways, tel. (800) 223-5500, connects New York with Luxembourg for US$159; from there you can catch a cut-rate European charter to Asia. Malaysia Airlines flies five times weekly from Los Angeles to Bali via Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur. Thai International offers four flights weekly from Los Angeles to Bali via Bangkok and Seoul.

Garuda Indonesia
Garuda offers direct flights four times a week between Los Angeles and Bali, via Hawaii (18 hours). The usual fare is US$1050 (low season), US$1225 (high season) from Los Angeles to Bali. This is the same fare as from Los Angeles to Jakarta. From New York, the ticket to Bali via Los Angeles is US$1350 (low season) and US$1575 (high season).

Garuda doesn’t give discounts on tickets you buy from them. You get one “free” stopover in Bali on the flight from Los Angeles to Jakarta. Ask about Garuda’s Visit Indonesia Pass, which allows you to visit three cities in Indonesia for US$300. Each additional city costs US$100, to a maximum of 10 cities. For more information, call (800) 247-8380, or fax (213) 389-1568.

North American Garuda Offices: 3457 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010, tel. (800) 342-7832 inside California or (800) 826-2829 outside California; 360 Post St., Ste. 804, San Francisco, CA 94108, tel. (415) 788-2626; 51 E. 42nd St., Ste. 616, New York, NY 10017, tel. (800) 248-2829 outside New York or (212) 370-0707 inside eastern region; 1600 Kapiolani Blvd., Ste. 632, Honolulu, HI 96814, tel. (808) 947-9500; 1040 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6E 4H1, tel. (604) 681-3699.

Garuda Orient Holidays: Some airfare and hotel combos offered by Garuda cost little more than the airfare alone. For US$1279 in the high season, US$1099 in the low season, you can buy a roundtrip package from Los Angeles to Denpasar with five nights in Kuta, including transfers and sightseeing tours. Inquire also about their eight-day and 15-day packages that include airfare from Los Angeles, all transfers, and five nights in Ubud for only US$1500. Hard to beat. The price depends largely on the rating of the hotel you stay in. For more information call (800) 247-8380 from the U.S. and Canada.

Budget U.S. Ticket Agencies
Overseas Tours, 475 El Camino Real, Ste. 206, Millbrae, CA 94030, tel. (800) 323-8777 in California or (800) 227-5988 outside California, claims to match any advertised ticket price to the Orient. Overseas represents 20 scheduled airlines, 300 tours, and 500 hotels in Asia.

Travel agencies owned by Indonesians or with strong connections to Indonesia are well placed to offer bargains. Such companies include Canatours Inc., 427 Bernard St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, tel. (800) 345-2262 outside California or (213) 223-1111 in California, fax (213) 223-1048; and Royal Express Tours and Travel, 731 S. Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park, CA 91754, tel. (818) 289-8520.

Also with great prices to Asia are Adventure Center, 1311 63rd St., Ste. 200, Emeryville, CA94608, tel. (510) 654-1879; and Community Travel Service, 5299 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618, tel. (510) 653-0990, fax 653-9071. The latter sells Japan Airlines roundtrip tickets for US$952 with stops in Tokyo.

Air Courier Association, 191 University Blvd., Suite 300, Denver, CO 80206, tel. (303) 279-3600, sells deeply discounted flights to Bali, as does the Educational Travel Center, 438 N. Frances St., Madison, WI 53703, tel. (800) 747-5551.

Air Brokers International, Inc., 323 Geary St., Ste. 411, San Francisco, CA 94102, tel. (800) 883-3273 or (415) 397-1383, fax (415) 397-4767, sells a Los Angeles-Denpasar-Jakarta ticket for as low as US$875 roundtrip (low season) and US$1050 roundtrip (high season).

Council Travel Services, 2511 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94701, tel. (415) 848-8604, and 205 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10017, tel. (800) 743-1823, is a well-known student discounter; non-students may also use its services.

Pan Express Travel, 209 Post St., Ste. 921, San Francisco, CA 94108, tel. (415) 989-8282, sells a US$830 roundtrip ticket for a San Francisco-Honolulu-Denpasar-Yogyakarta-Jakarta flight.

Student Travel Network is a budget student ticket agency with offices worldwide. STA, 48 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10013, tel. (800) 777-0112, and 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 2100, Los Angeles, CA 90036, tel. (213) 937-1150, sells Garuda tickets from anywhere in North America to Bali. Prices aren’t the absolute cheapest but the service is dependable.

From Hawaii
Asia Travel Service, tel. (808) 926-0550 inter-island or (800) 884-0550, sells tickets to Bali or Jakarta for US$799. Also check out Panda Travel, tel. (808) 734-1961, fax 732-4136. Emerson Travel offers a seven-day tour of Bali for US$950, including five nights in a hotel, daily breakfast, airfare, transfers, and day tours. A tour to Yogyakarta is optional. Emerson also sells tickets to Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta, Solo, and Surabaya for US$799.

Airline Toll-Free Numbers
American Airlines, tel. (800) 433-7300; Cathay Pacific, tel. (800) 233-2742; China Airlines, tel. (800) 227-5118; Continental Airlines, tel. (800) 231-0856; Garuda Indonesia, tel. (800) 342-7832; KLM, tel. (800) 374-7747; Malaysia Airlines, tel. (800) 421-8641; Singapore Airlines, tel. (800) 742-3333; Thai International, tel. (800) 426-5204; United Airlines, tel. (800) 538-2929.

Getting Around

Driving in Bali
There are some important points to remember while driving in Bali. It is not unusual for cars and bikes to swerve into your lane without indication. Because there are often obstacles such as parked cars or the ever-present procession of ‘bakso’ trolleys and salesmen of all types of paraphernalia on the sides of the road, a system of “sharing lanes” has developed.

Quite often red traffic lights are considered “only as a suggestion” and there are a few lights where traffic in the left lane may turn or continue straight through whilst the light is red.

That’s okay if you’re used to it but can be quite a shock to the “virgin” driver in Bali! Be aware that drivers from side streets often don’t look when joining a main road and the larger vehicle is king of the road.

Remember to “hoot” your horn when going around curves on mountainous roads, as it is very common to drive in the middle of the road here. There are a lot of one way roads in Bali, (meant to help traffic flow but it hasn’t really turned out that way!) If you miss your turn off you may have to drive quite a distance before being able to turn back. This has resulted in motorbike riders riding a few hundred meters in the wrong direction, as a shortcut rather than following traffic flow. Be alert!

It is not recommended to drive at night especially on the to Gilimanuk where the ferry to Java commences. Truck drivers to and from Java are notorious for overtaking on corners. Only a leafy tree branch often marks obstacles such as pot holes or road construction. By the time you think, “What’s that there for?” you could well be in a pothole!

In less populated areas, roads may not be sealed and the famous “gang” (very small road just big enough to accommodate one car, but very often two-way) is ever present no matter what area you may be in. This invariably tests the reversing skills of many drivers!

An important virtue to have while on the road in Bali is patience! Although the road system in the heavily populated areas is quite reasonable (condition wise) in comparison to other developing countries, it can be heavily congested at peak periods. Ceremonial processions often overtake the whole road so if you’re caught behind a procession, enjoy the colorful experience. Roads can be quite narrow with heavy pedestrian traffic on each side.

Road Conditions
Traffic conditions worsen from day to day. It has become a horror to drive a car, let alone a motorcycle, between Denpasar and Kuta and Sanur, east to about as far as Klungkung, west as far as Tabanan, and north on the roads up to Ubud.

In most other locales on the island, the traffic is relatively light. There are stretches of dirt roads, particularly in the mountains, but by far most roads are paved (even in the northeast) and consist of just a single lane. The signing is casual and erratic; double white lines on the road only mean that someone has put paint on the road. Only the Bypass Highway from Tohpati to Nusa Dua is a proper highway with shoulders; most other roads do not have shoulders, so be very careful because vehicles can stop in the middle of the road. This means that large oncoming vehicles force you completely off the road. Three vehicles overtaking at once is not unusual if the road might allow it (ignoring oncoming traffic). Speed limits are liberally interpreted.

The most dangerous are those infernal buses and Javanese trucks, particularly at night. They don’t give a damn about who is in front of them. The number of trucks is incredible! At one point in 1994, 200 trucks a day were carrying loads of sand from Klungkung to Tuban. The drive to Ubud is sometimes bumper-to-bumper trucks, vans, cars, and motorbikes. They’ve widened the main roads, and the Bypass has been extended from Tohpati cutting north and west to come out on the main road to Tabanan in Ubung. The Bypass in Sanur has been divided on either side by concrete blocks to form local lanes a la Jakarta.

A new coastal road, which starts north of the Gelalel Supermarket in Kuta, heads straight across to Tanah Lot and beyond. It was finished in 1996 when the massive Nirwana Resort at Tanah Lot was finally completed. Although many buildings were destroyed in the process, this road relieves a lot of traffic congestion in southern Bali. Now it takes only 20 minutes to drive from Tanah Lot to the airport! Another new road is being built to the northeast to Kusamba.

Traffic development always comes first; traffic rules come later. With thousands of trucks, vans, and local buses spewing out diesel, it has become quite smoggy in southern Bali now, yet more emphasis is placed on road rules than vehicular environmental standards.

In the main towns a motorcycle culture has developed. Hundreds of leisure bikes mark the prestige of young men who spend their afternoons and evenings riding from one meeting place to another to see their friends and be seen by everyone else. Most of these bikes are low-power, low noise bikes, but there are also high-powered bikes with mufflers rigged to produce maximum noise. Their owners like to roar around the main streets in the wee hours of the morning. The dogs and roosters have to yell at triple volume in order to communicate.

When a festival is taking place, a town like Ubud can be brought to a standstill under continuous ritual parades. Also, the day before and the day after Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan (Independence Day, 17 August) may be difficult traveling through Bali’s big towns because of ‘lalu lintas macet’ (traffic jams). If you’re bound to a tight schedule, don’t plan major travel by land on those times.

Another problem is parking. The traffic jams around the Penelokan/Batur area can be as long as three km in the peak tourist season, with no place to park except at expensive restaurants up the road. Normally, however, one may park in designated parking areas for a small fee, or just anywhere, even at the base of the Batur volcano-but never leave anything valuable in the car.

Best Time to Travel
Adopt the Indonesian concept of ‘jam karet’ (“rubber time”). Times of departures are stretched or contracted depending on the whim of the driver or how full or empty the vehicle is. So don’t be in a hurry-no one else is! The best times of the day to travel are in the very early mornings and late afternoons when it’s cooler and when the widest variety of transport is available, leaving the middle of the day free to rest and eat.

During important religious holidays such as Galungan, tens of thousands of Balinese hit the road to visit relatives and temples. During these times the roads are hectic. The best time to visit climate-wise is in the cooler dry season (May-Sept.) when skies are clear, there is less rain, and coastal breezes cool the air.

The best time to travel to avoid tourists is during the non-tourist season (roughly January through June). During this time, public transport after sundown slows to a crawl. Plan accordingly. In July and August, Europeans start raining down on the island. After Christmas the Australians leave and from then on it gets more and more quiet until May when Australians on school holidays start to arrive again.

Moving On

By Bus
Bali is not just a destination but an important and convenient jumping-off point for the less spoilt islands to the east as well as Java to the west. It’s easy to shop for the best deal because most bus companies are on just two streets: Jl. Hasanudin (near Jl. Sumatra) and Jl. Diponegoro, Denpasar.

Most transport outfits are listed in Bali’s telephone directory. A number also have offices at Ubung Station selling tickets to Java and points west. The quality of the service is similar, so just pick an agent with a convenient departure time. There are dozens of ticketing agents in Kuta, Legian, Ubud, Candidasa, Lovina and Sanur who can sell you a ticket.

There are plenty of buses going to Surabaya and Malang. Take note that Java is one hour behind Bali. For Surabaya, ‘bis malam’ leaves Ubung at 1900, 2000, and 2100 and arrive early in the morning. Start with Jawa Indah, Jl. Diponegoro 14 (tel. 62361-227.329), which charges Rp21,000 including a meal halfway through the 11-hour trip. Their full a/c bus with toilet leaves at 0600 and 1800. There are at least 10 buses per day, depending on the season. If you leave in the cool of the evening (last bus at 2100), you miss the scenery.

If you take a Simpatik bus to Surabaya, it costs Rp15,000 (toilet, video, breakfast, water, and snacks) and arrives at 0530 Java-time at Bratang Station, which is where all the night buses arrive. For Yogya/Solo, long-distance a/c buses cost Rp38,500. The Damri bus leaves around 1730 and takes 14 hours; other buses leave Ubung at 1430 or 2000 and arrive at around 1700. Two meals (‘nasi campur’ and drinks) are usually included in the fare.

For Jakarta, take the punishing a/c express bus from Ubung at 0600 or 0730 for Rp45,000 and taking at least 35 hours. It arrives (two out of three times) at Jakarta’s Pulo Gadung Station by 0930 the next day (Rp58,000). Note that you can’t travel direct from Singaraja to Jakarta. You have to spend a day in Surabaya waiting for a connection.

If you need to catch a non-changeable, nonrefundable flight out of Singapore, book your bus seat ahead of time. If you try to do it in stages, the bus to Surabaya could be four hours late and then you may sit at the ferry slip at Gilimanuk in western Bali for five hours before the crossing. In the evening the beast could break down several times or the main road could be closed. Allow three days to get to Jakarta.

Another option is to get to the Gilimanuk ferry terminal, then take the ferry across to Ketapang on the Java side. Here buses will be waiting to take you to Banyuwangi’s Terminal Blambangan where you can catch buses straight to Surabaya or else travel via the southern route to Malang (six hours). Or you can take a bus from Bali straight to Malang for around Rp25,000 (10 hours), leaving at 1830 or 2000. Long-distance buses now travel all the way to Sumbawa Besar on Sumbawa and Medan in northern Sumatra. Either destination takes about a week!

Bus Traveling Tips
In the busy season, it’s best to buy your ticket the day before and choose the best seat-seats can get booked days in advance. In the slow season, just show up at the time of departure and you’ll probably get on. Buying your ticket from a travel agent costs about five percent more than purchasing it directly from the bus company. The exception is buying through the bus company’s official ticketing agent, where the price is the same.

Look for a bus with comfortable reclining airline seats, pillows, and an inside toilet. The prime (and most hair-raising!) place to sit is beside or close to the driver. The worst is in the rear. However, the seats in the rear recline, because there’s no one behind you.

By Air
Numerous direct flights leave the domestic terminal of Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport (tel. 62361-751.011) daily for Surabaya, Yogya, and Jakarta on Java, as well as to such Outer Island cities as Mataram on Lombok and Ujung Pandang in South Sulawesi.

You’ll find ticket agents all over Kuta, Legian, and Sanur. These discounters also sell tickets to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Darwin, Sydney, and London. Confirm your reservation at a Garuda ticket office (below) at least three days before departure. Or call the reservation/reconfirmation office at 62361-227.825 (hunting system) or 751178. Office hours: Mon.-Fri. 0730-2100, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays 0900-1700.

If you want to order an air ticket, do so from a ticket agent or hotel courtesy desk anywhere, but allow about 48 hours for your money to be sent to Denpasar and the ticket to return via shuttle bus or courier service. Reconfirming reservations usually costs Rp6000 or so if done through a local travel agency, or you can phone the air offices in Denpasar yourself for less (they speak English). If you pay for a ticket with a credit card, add three- percent bank’s fee.

Don’t forget that holders of an International Student Card (ISC) receive as much as a 25% discount. Garuda, Merpati, Sempati, and Bouraq all charge about the same for the Denpasar-Jakarta flight. It’s cheaper and faster to fly from Bali to Ujung Pandang than it is to fly from Surabaya to Ujung Pandang. Also Bali is the best place from which to fly into Nusatenggara and the string of islands to the southeast.

If you’re heading into Nusatenggara, your flight almost always stops in Mataram on Lombok first. On the flight east, there are great views over Gunung Rinjani and Gunung Tambora if you sit on the left-hand side of the plane. On the flight to Maumere (Flores), you stop also in Bima (East Sumbawa) where they have to chase the goats off the runway in order for the plane to take off.

Sample domestic airfares: Ambon Rp328,000, Balikpapan Rp306,000, Biak (Irian Jaya) Rp525,000, Ende (Flores) Rp223,800, Jakarta Rp222,900, Kupang (Timor) Rp227,100, Malang Rp94,000, Manado (North Sulawesi) Rp374,000, Maumere (Rp207,300), Medan Rp457,000, Palembang Rp351,400, Pontianak (Rp414,100), Semarang Rp160,000, Surabaya (East Java) Rp94,000, Solo Rp122,500, Ujung Pandang Rp157,800, Waingapu (Sumba) Rp184,200), Yogyakarta (Rp122,600).

The Garuda flight to Los Angeles from Bali or Jakarta takes about 13 hours to Honolulu, then another five hours to Los Angeles. This plane is often about an hour late, both ways. On the way to the states, you may no longer deplane at Biak and visit the Baliem Valley because the big new combis don’t need to refuel and can make it now all the way to Hawaii. Now a Garuda “Visit Indonesia Decade Pass” or “Indonesia Airpass” in which you are allowed to visit any three cities within Indonesia for an extra US$300, is the only economical way to reach Irian Jaya. Each additional stop is US$100.

Flight information at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Tuban is tel. 62361-751.011. Note that during December and January, flights out of Bali can be booked solid with many people on standby. Due to Garuda’s habit of overbooking flights, be at the airport counter at least two hours early on international departures; otherwise, your seats could be given to people on the waiting list.

From Denpasar’s Stasiun Tegal, take a ‘bemo’ to the airport, Rp1000. From Kuta to the airport, minibus and ‘bemo’ drivers first ask Rp25,000 for a charter. Just laugh at them-Rp3000-5000 is the going rate. Make sure they drop you at the right terminal, domestic or international, depending on your destination. Another way is to walk to Kuta’s Pertamina station, near the Kentucky Fried Chicken, turn right and flag down a ‘bemo’, Rp500.

Domestic airport tax is Rp7500; international departure tax is Rp21,000. Porters don’t wait to ask whether you would like your baggage carried-they just grab it and then demand Rp500 apiece. Baggage storage is available for Rp3300 per day. The new international terminal has color TVs, gift shops, news agencies, a spacious departure hall, lounges, comfortable seating, etc. Brace yourself for high prices: Rp31,500 for Fujichrome (three times the Kuta price) and Rp2500 for water (five times the correct price). Better to just change excess rupiah back into home-country currency at the bank windows.

Garuda Visit Indonesia Decade Pass
You may have trouble with a Garuda VIDP flight if your ticket is canceled and you have to get rerouting. Most Merpati offices won’t touch it, even if a rerouting would be the same price. This is because the ticket was issued abroad. In fact, any international ticket they won’t reroute. So, if they make you buy a new ticket, go to the biggest Garuda/Merpati office you can find, get the reroute done, and ask for an “XO”-a single rebate on the ticket you had to buy.

“Garuda Indonesia City Check-In”
Check-in and seat assignment facilities for Garuda’s international and domestic flights are available at all the off-airport offices mentioned in the chart “Garuda Offices.” Passengers may check in for their flight and obtain boarding passes at any of the locations between 24 and four hours prior to scheduled flight departure time. Baggage must still be checked in at the airport, but this may be done at a special counter reserved for GICC passengers. Any international departure taxes must also be paid at the airport. For GICC passengers, the airport reporting time for international flights is 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure time and 45 minutes for domestic flights. City check-in locations are open seven days a week 0800-1700 on weekdays and 0900-1300 on weekends and holidays.

By Sea
If traveling alone to Bali’s offshore islands, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida, take one of the long, motorized outrigger ferries that depart either from Kusamba, Padangbai, or Sanur. Ask for stasiun bot. Boats leave only at 0800 or 0900 (Rp15,000).

Benoa Harbor in southern Bali is a favorite port for visiting yachts. Inquire around for a lift on a private yacht in exchange for work. There may be a lot of competition from other travelers. Also check the bulletin board at Poppies in Chute for advertisements for crew. Another place to check for possible rides on Makassarese schooners is Bali’s main deep-water harbor at Celukanbawang in Buleleng Regency.

Pelni, Indonesia’s National Shipping Company, operates 20 passenger-cargo ships, each of which does a different inter-island loop around the archipelago every two weeks. For the latest timetables and routes, which change about once every 90 days, check with the Pelni office (tel. 62361-228.962) at Benoa just west of Sanur. The ships offer four classes from economy where you sleep in a huge common room to first class with inside bathroom, a/c, TV, two-to-a-cabin. It’s important to book ahead.

Lombok by Boat
Take a minibus from Batubulan to Padangbai (Rp2000) on the East Coast of Bali. From Padangbai, the three-and-a-half-hour ferry departs for Lembar on Lombok every two hours, except at midnight. The standard fare is Rp4000. Be warned: every day there are changes in the schedule and if you want to catch the 0800 ferry and have to take the 1000 ferry instead, you probably won’t make it to the Gili Islands in one day.

Another way to get to Lombok is by the Mabua Express a high-speed jetfoil from Benoa Harbor. The two-deck hydrofoil leaves Benoa at 0800 and 1430, arriving in Lembar Harbor (Lombok) at 1030 and 1700 respectively. Punctuality depends upon weather and sea conditions. Here you’ll find a bar, TV/video screens, and reclining lounge seats. Fares are Rp50,000 Diamond Class for the upper deck, Rp32,500 Emerald Class, and Rp25,000 Economy Class. Children’s rate is 50% of adult rate. Capacity is 248 passengers. For more info and to order free pick-up service, call 62361-772.521 or 261.212 24 hours.

Yet another way is to join Perama Travel’s very reasonably priced “Land-Sea Adventure” which sells seven-day tours of Lombok, the Gilis, Sumbawa, Rinca, and Flores. Or just fly independently from Bali to Lombok for Rp47,000 in 25 minutes.

Heading east from Bali, island hop all the way to Timor. Or charter a boat roundtrip to Komodo for Rp560,000 with your own cook and guide as a Swiss tourist who wrote me did.