Cover Story
Bali
Best time to visit
While April to October is the best season given that it is a dry period , you could land a good deal if you visit during the rest of the year , barring the Christmas holidays .
How to get there
Take a flight to Denpasar , Bali , from either Mumbai or Delhi . Garuda Airlines will launch direct flights from Mumbai to Denpasar in April .
Places to see
Bali has a host of beaches as well as temples and monuments that will particularly appeal to Indians . Seminyak boasts of clean beaches , parasailing , and water sports . Ubud ’ s chief attractions include the nearby Kintamani Lake and Mount Batur . Sunset at Uluwatu temple is not to be missed . Kuta is a shopper ’ s delight .
Accommodation
If you ’ re a beach person , book accommodation ( hotels or villas through Airbnb ) in Seminyak . For a more cultural experience , choose Ubud .
Precautions
Bali is considered safe , with streets witnessing considerable activity even late in the evenings . However , avoid going to the beaches after 7 pm . Thanks to the massive inflow of Australian tourists , it will not be difficult to come across Englishspeaking locals .
Food
A foodie ’ s paradise , Bali has a lot to offer meat-lovers , but also boasts of several vegan restaurants .
Airfare to Denpasar
From Delhi – `29,895-35,478 From Mumbai – `22,681-32,857 ( Source : Skyscanner . co . in , tentative return airfares for April 2018 )
Birds Of A Feather For those who like the company of other travellers , IT professional Swapnil Mayekar recommends group tours . Mayekar and his parents went on a European tour organised by Mango Holidays , which covered 10 countries and 24 cities . It cost `2.5 lakh per person , for which the family dipped into savings .
“ It was a good tour as we got what was promised ,” says Mayekar . “ We compared the package with other tour operators before zeroing in on this one . There were no hidden expenses – all meals were taken care of . We had to pay only for our shopping ! However , we
Swapnil Mayekar , 26 years
Type of Traveller : Prefers group tours where the tour operator takes care of all arrangements
Planning Tip : Compare services offered by tour operators and number of destinations covered
Word of caution : Don ’ t get carried away by the name of the hotel ; always verify the kind of room promised realised that hotels booked by Kesari are better in comparison to the others as they choose well-known properties .” One should always talk to the tour organiser before finalising the booking . For example , if you ’ re told that you will be put up in Holiday Inn , make sure you ask for details of the rooms they plan to book . You may expect a deluxe suite , but the organiser might have a more modest option in mind , which can be a huge let down . Similar is the case with restaurants , Mayekar cautions .
Currency On The Go Make your payments in advance whenever possible , and not just for flights and hotels . For instance , it is possible to book train tickets in advance for intercity travel in Europe . This ensures cheaper rates . “ Taking the train from Paris to Nice proved expensive because I hadn ’ t booked in advance . Also , in Europe , the locals travel out of their cities in summer . So ticket prices tend to be higher ,” says Kumar . If possible , ask a local from the area to book train tickets for you as it works out cheaper . It ’ s the same with Airbnb .
Another problem one could face in Europe is obtaining change for currency
Photo : Soumik Kar
26
Outlook Money April 2018 www . outlookmoney . com