Healthcare is an important concern for anyone in Bali taking part in serious activities like surfing, parasailing and getting drunk every day. For those staying in Tanjung Benoa there are at least 3 clinics and I visited 2 of them. The first was the tiny Pratama Clinic which is located on the left side of Jl. Pratama heading north. I spoke to the owner Ketut Suweta who told me about the services which include minor injury care, medical check ups and a dentist. Pratama Clinic is open from 9am-12pm and from 6pm-8pm. There is also an ambulance on call 24 hours a day.
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Most budget travellers to Bali who are looking for budget accommodation head for Kuta and then spread their wings around the rest of the island. One place they do not usually go is Nusa Dua / Tanjung Benoa because of the prices associated with it. However Benoa has some affordable options. The whole area on the eastern end of the Bukit gets labeled as Nusa Dua but there are well known local names for its separate parts. As you arrive at the main gate to the complex you are actually in Bualu, which comes complete with hotels such as the Hotel Bualu, a clinic (SOS Pratama) and the Bale Banjar, the local community headquarters.
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Situated on the left side of the street as you head towards Tanjung Benoa, Loco Cafè sits under a large open air bamboo alang-alang roof. There is enough seating here for about 70 people, either under the roof or in the patio area. When I visited at 1pm the place was totally empty and the staff told me the restaurant has been open for 4 months. There restaurant has a bar and a small Carlsberg will cost you 18,285rp (they don't serve small Bintang only large, 25,875rp). Mixed drinks range between 45,000rp-37,662rp
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Riding up the hill from Green Ball (close to the Bali Cliff Resort) I was very hungry. Once again I left lunch way too late and was feeling weak. Heading in the direction of Nusa Dua I stopped into a little roadside warung advertising bakso (chicken ball soup). The lady who ran the place was from Solo, in Central Java (hence the large sign saying BAKSO SOLO) and I chatted with her briefly. The shop was in the same style as 10,000 others across Indonesia, cement floor, white walls, with multi-colored bottles of drink acting as decoration, plastic chairs and a small TV blasting out a soap opera.
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Thursday afternoon I wanted to explore somewhere new, so I gathered my sun protection gear together and headed down to the Bukit. The Bypass took me in the direction of Nusa and I took the Uluwatu turn off. Heading up the hill I followed signs for the Bali Cliff Resort, located on the south coast of the Bukit peninsula. The resort is closed for renovations and I rode down the adjacent road towards Green Ball, the southern most surfing beach in Bali.
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Nusa Dua is a place for privacy and luxury. It is designed to shut out the world and let you enjoy your holiday in style. That's all good, but if you decide you'd like a little interaction with the outside world how do you go about organizing it? If you are staying in a resort hotel in Nusa Dua or Tanjung Benoa you can arrange car rental through your hotel, which will be a tad expensive. If you are staying and a budget place, or just want to save money there is a selection of small operators along Jl. Pratama, the main road that heads north towards Tanjung Benoa.
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Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa are loaded with water-sports operators and reviewing them all would be a whole guide section in itself. In Bali everyone copies everyone else so you can imagine that the services offered at one place will be seen all over if they prove profitable. I visited a place called Hotdog, mainly because their huge sign on Jl. Pratama created attention (there's something to be said for a big sign). Hotdog features water-sports such as dolphin tour, fishing, para-sailing, wave runner, wake boarding, water skiing, knee board, snorkel rental, glass bottom boat, as well as para-sailing.
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Nusa Dua is a part of the Bali tourist scene that is a bit of an enigma. Built in the late 70's as home base for a string of resorts, the former mangrove swamp cloisters guests in luxury away from any interactions with Balinese culture (unless it is hired by the hotel). For some people Nusa Dua represents heaven on Earth, a tranquil place in the tropics where smiling staff attend to your every need. To others it feels like a Florida retirement community. I have done a few hotel reviews in the Nusa Dua area and wanted to take another look at the place. Getting to Nusa Dua from Kuta or the airport is super easy, just get on Bypass Ngurah Rai and follow the signs. The ride takes about 15-20 minutes.
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My Pocari and orange was 5,000rp and while sitting, the locals, who had no business at all wandered over to try to sell necklaces to me, asking price 5,000rp. Not buying, but chatting, I got along with them fine and they looked after my helmet while I descended the cement stairs down to Green Ball beach. Overlooking the beach I got a lovely view, the turquoise water leading to the edge of the reef where waves were breaking. I'm no expert but it seemed like high tide descending into low tide, not a single surfer in the water although there were waves. One thing about Bali is that in July the wind picks up, there is a distinct weather change and mornings and nights are cooler. The winds can spoil the surfing if it's too strong.
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Looking through a copy of Tropical Living Magazine ( the magazine of Tropical Homes) I read an article on the new villas at the Ritz Carlton. The article says, 'Invisible technology, state-of-the-art communications, untra-modern entertainment concepts and contemporary interior designs and landscapes are part of the new generation of luxurious villas at The Ritz Carlton Bali, Resort and Spa's magnificent six hectare multi-faceted development.'
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