Should I go to Bali for NYE?

[stratigos vasilios]

Hi all,

As the title suggests, a boys trip has been organised (last minute). I went to Thailand earlier this year and had a great time with the boys, so we were thinking of replicating that again in Bali!

Should I go or should I not go? People have highlighted to me the 'cons' of such trip (safety and stability of the country), however there are many 'pros' such as a relaxing NYE on the beach and partying it up with the lads!

Anyone have any advice for me? Whether it's a great idea or things I haven't considered?
Cheers & thanks!

[naut]

Indo is nice. Not been to Bali. But Jogja is pretty nice. You can't really go wrong there. Just be aware that you will get diarrhea and guard your valuables at all times.

[Cute Wolf]

IJust be aware that you will get diarrhea and guard your valuables at all times.

1) Do not bought food from street vendors that wash their utensils in roadside water ditch (it's true anyway), keep look out for utensils near roadside ditch
2) Do not bought food, especially satay (indonesian meat on sticks), who expose the meat to open air (yep, that means 75% of satay vendors) - actually it won't matter if you are used to eat old meat, but...
3) Do not eat "sambal" or "indonesian chili stuffs too much, if you aren't used to eat very spicy food yourselves. for comparison, average Javanese *not all indonesians* actually think Hottest Mexican chili is for wimps, THEY ARE USED TO EAT CHILI RAW WITHOUT ANYTHING *yeah*
4) Do not carry your valuables when visiting busy streets / traditional markets, just leave them on hotel deposit, and unless you know the person personally, DO NOT ASK any random guys to take your photos, most of the time, if they know its expensive camera *watch out, $ 100 is allready luxuries for most native indonesians * they will just run and took away your camera
5) if you bring girls (or pretty women), DO NOT wear too revealing shorts, but feel free to wear as much as revealing tops, most pervert here is going to grab arse...

[stratigos vasilios]

Thanks CW. Most of what you mentioned was highlighted to us prior to going to Thailand, I guess the same rules apply. I tried my best to be careful, but at least for one day I was grounded with a stomach bug, damn water!

I wonder, do many of the locals throughout Indonesia eat the street food?

Also I bought my ticket, should be good! You may even see me on the news for misbehaviour... [/Joking].

[classical_hero]

Just be careful of some of the local brews, since they can kill, since there was a story of that happening to a guy recently.

[stratigos vasilios]

Oh really? Wow I hadn't heard of that before, that's pretty crazy.

[Husar]

What's a NYE?


Oooooooh, nevermind...

[Cute Wolf]

Thanks CW. Most of what you mentioned was highlighted to us prior to going to Thailand, I guess the same rules apply. I tried my best to be careful, but at least for one day I was grounded with a stomach bug, damn water!

I wonder, do many of the locals throughout Indonesia eat the street food?

Also I bought my ticket, should be good! You may even see me on the news for misbehaviour... [/Joking].

well, actually it's quite the opposite, err.... technically speaking... we eat "street food" everyday, but it's maybe because our stomach is allready used for that... and not all "street food" are dirty, you just need to know who has the clean one

Just be careful of some of the local brews, since they can kill, since there was a story of that happening to a guy recently.

I don't suggest you to bought streetside glass bottled "Tuak Jawa" that was non hygenie (consist of chewed sugarcane juice! chewed by the brewer!) and it's very disgusting (dunno why Rahwana's tribe can drink it anyway, but if the brewer have typhus, cholerra or such, you can get that as well - I myself never drunk that as the smell is questionable too), if you want some local brews, Try Arak Bali, or Ciu, or Arak Menado... do not bought Streetside Javanese brews (it's dirty)

[aimlesswanderer]

There have been a bit of a run of unfortunate Aussie tourist related incidents in Bali recently, be careful.

Not to mention that it has been described by several people I know as 'drunk bogan heaven'. Though perhaps that is what you're looking for...

[Cute Wolf]

There have been a bit of a run of unfortunate Aussie tourist related incidents in Bali recently, be careful.

Not to mention that it has been described by several people I know as 'drunk bogan heaven'. Though perhaps that is what you're looking for...

yep, despite technically "the country with biggest muslim population in the world", de facto, most Indonesians are drunkards, regardless of their religion... yep, we have among the most diverse alcoholic beverages variation here, if it can be eaten, there will be a booze made out of it here :D

[Shaka_Khan]

I've never been to Bali so I don't know. You'll get to have one of the earliest NYE in the world. (I don't know whether that's good or bad or neither).
For a different Asian country, I suggest Hong Kong or Shanghai. They have the best fireworks display.

[Major Robert Dump]

You need to go, for sure.

My first trip to PI is in a few weeks, assuming the MAN will let me go in light of the recent kidnappings that are happening no where near where I will be.

Bali is on the list.

TBH, Thailand just does not interest me anymore

[stratigos vasilios]

Yeah I'm pretty excited for it, should be great! Hopefully you don't see me on the news or anything... :S

[Khazar_Dahvos]

I will be in the P.I. for NYE gotta see my ol lady and my firstborn daughter who was born in oct. And you shouldnt have too many problems with the MAN Major Robert Dump in getting over there, I hope you plan on seeing more of the province than just in Metro Manila

[stratigos vasilios]

Regrettably we'll be in metro for most of it, it's a quick 7 day holiday maily meant for partying up. We did a lot of tourist stuff in Thailand, so I guess I'm still sated from that.

[Cute Wolf]

Regrettably we'll be in metro for most of it, it's a quick 7 day holiday maily meant for partying up. We did a lot of tourist stuff in Thailand, so I guess I'm still sated from that.

do you immediately land on Bali or transit in Jakarta first?

[stratigos vasilios]

Land in Denpasar and travel straight into Kuta.

[The Stranger]

1) Do not bought food from street vendors that wash their utensils in roadside water ditch (it's true anyway), keep look out for utensils near roadside ditch
2) Do not bought food, especially satay (indonesian meat on sticks), who expose the meat to open air (yep, that means 75% of satay vendors) - actually it won't matter if you are used to eat old meat, but...
3) Do not eat "sambal" or "indonesian chili stuffs too much, if you aren't used to eat very spicy food yourselves. for comparison, average Javanese *not all indonesians* actually think Hottest Mexican chili is for wimps, THEY ARE USED TO EAT CHILI RAW WITHOUT ANYTHING *yeah*
4) Do not carry your valuables when visiting busy streets / traditional markets, just leave them on hotel deposit, and unless you know the person personally, DO NOT ASK any random guys to take your photos, most of the time, if they know its expensive camera *watch out, $ 100 is allready luxuries for most native indonesians * they will just run and took away your camera
5) if you bring girls (or pretty women), DO NOT wear too revealing shorts, but feel free to wear as much as revealing tops, most pervert here is going to grab arse...

if you follow these rules you might as well stay home. you will miss out on all the fun and adventure...

for me there is nothing better than to eat the stuff from the warungs and similar shops and to haggle with the washinglady about how much of your stolen money she ough to return. it makes for much better stories than... i went to the expensive restaurant, ate french fries with burgers (it was the only thing on the menu that seemed familiar) still got the flux and spent the rest of my holidays in my far too expensive hotel while the airco broke down...

[Cute Wolf]

if you follow these rules you might as well stay home. you will miss out on all the fun and adventure...

for me there is nothing better than to eat the stuff from the warungs and similar shops and to haggle with the washinglady about how much of your stolen money she ough to return. it makes for much better stories than... i went to the expensive restaurant, ate french fries with burgers (it was the only thing on the menu that seemed familiar) still got the flux and spent the rest of my holidays in my far too expensive hotel while the airco broke down...

well? white tourists are often become victims of food poisonings here, yes eating from warungs is ok as long as they are clean, but you know, our standard of cleanliness... is not that high (I admit it)

and I doubt not all of you have all the suicidal urges to get robbed here, when cornered, local robbers here are among the most violent (at least you can survive with one or two knive slashes if you meet one), unless you get used to street brawling and knive fights, or at least know some street smarts, I suggest you to stay out of those street urchins here.

nah, not all the fun is lost somehow, just avoid the slum streets, you will regret it if something happened (unless you're into some kinky stuffs here, yes, that stuffs often available only in slum areas here, I don't suggest it)

[stratigos vasilios]

I didn't get sick CW! Solid trip overall.