Highly recommed Gede

“Highly recommend Gede” 5 of 5 starsReviewed April 21, 2015 NEW Gede met my daughter and I at the airport and we were very impressed by his welcoming ,friendly nature and he gave us a few tips on the way back to our hotel which proved to be very helpful!. He took us on a full day trip to Ubud and we felt very safe and secure,lots of information about the various places we visited and about Balinese culture in general.we didn't feel rushed at all and nothing was a problem . Thanks Gede for your professional service,we would recommend you to anyone that wants a hassle free service We will defineatly be back to Bali again and will be contacting Gede for when we need transport.

Trusted and Good Manner Driver

We hire him for 3days. 1st&2nd day Gede bring us around while on the 3rd day its Ketut. Gede will answer your queries or question .Both of them speak good English but most of the time we speak Malay or Indonesian(althought we are not so fluently as we only learn some form indon drama)LOL. They follow our day trip.Nothing much changes.Just for Ketut we really impress as we ask to go the restaurant (he indeed bring us there without disagreement). Actually we book this restaurant in Malaysia but turn out not good and too much advertise. Ketut also patiently wait for us during Sunday mass in Kuta catholic church.Gede also give us tips to speak in Indonesia language while you buy entrance fees. We manage to buy domestic entrance fees most of times. They did wait us patiently outside.Mostly we just go around by ourself and feel very secure as I'm in Bali with my mom (2 of us only).Overall we satisfy with the driver. If you have anything to ask, please ask they will answer you.Thank you so much for bringing us around Mr.Gede & Ketut.See you next time & I will recommend my friend in Sabah to you. :)

Will definitely recommed them

“Will definitely recommend them!” 4 of 5 starsReviewed April 6, 2015 NEW We booked a guide for one day quite spontanously for our Bali trip after reading all those wonderful reviews on Gede and his team. Contacting him via WhatsApp was very easy and his reply came very fast. Our guide was wonderful! He was on time and a very careful driver :) “My recommendation” 5 of 5 starsReviewed April 6, 2015 NEW Our friends recommended Gede and from the arrival to the departure we (2 adults und 2 children) used his service. I can say that we felt always in good hands and save. He was always on time, very reliable and a good driver. We didn't have any communication problems during the trips and also the communication by Whatsapp was quick and to the point. His car (a seven seater) looked like new - my recommendation... Visited April 2015

Very Accomodating...

“Very accommodating ” 4 of 5 starsReviewed March 16, 2015 NEW We booked last minute with this company and had to wait just an hour from our driver Suria. He was friendly & knowledgeable. Also a safe driver. He was happy to wait whilst we visited various places and spoke good English.

Very reliable and friendly...

“Very reliable and friendly.” 5 of 5 starsReviewed March 11, 2015 NEW via mobile We booked Gede ahead our vacation for a transport from Benoa to Munduk / Lesong and back. I contact him via whatsapp and he replied very quick. We made appointments and he was always on time. On the tour we stopped at some attractions and it was never a problem. Also our transport to the airport early in the morning ( 4:30 am ) was no problem. Thank you . Visited March 2015

Very Reliable...

“Very reliable, excellent service” 5 of 5 starsReviewed March 9, 2015 NEW I reserved Gede's day tours ahead of reaching Bali and he helped me a lot in planning my itinerary as per our inclination. He was always on time, his biggest UPS is he speaks good English so he was able to share information about the places. He took us to the good store for shopping, always accepted last minute changes in itinerary. He is really prompt and good driver. we felt really safe with him and enjoyed our trip. thank you Gede! Visited March 2015

Nice bali

“Nice Bali - 5D4N” 4 of 5 starsReviewed February 22, 2015 NEW This was the first time to Bali for me and my family of 7 with small kid, grandma and few teens. I came across Mr Gede's blog and some recommendation from other tourists with google search. I engaged him for the whole trip while in Bali. He is punctual and even help to plan our Itinerary. I just take his... More

Nyepi day...

The Day of Absolute Silence It's really you want to enjoy your slinet day,please visit Bali,this is year fall on March 21st. Nyepi is a very special day to the Balinese as this is the day that they have to fool all evil spirits that no one is actually on Bali - hence the need for silence. If this can be achieved, then it is believed that the evil spirits will go looking elsewhere for their prey and leave Bali island alone for another year. Balinese people are very religious and life is full of ritual - Nyepi is one of the most important days in their calendar. Police and security are on hand to make sure that everyone abides by this rule. Nyepi also serves to remind the Balinese of the need for tolerance and understanding in their everyday life. In fact, Hinduism on Bali is unique because it is woven into and around the original Balinese animistic religion. The two now have become one for the Balinese - a true sign of tolerance and acceptance. As a day reserved for self-reflection anything that may interfere with that purpose is strictly prohibited. Nyepi mandates a day of absolute quiet, based on the four precepts of Catur Brata: • Amati Geni: Prohibiting the lighting of fires, the use of lighting or satisfying pleasurable human appetites. • Amati Karya: Prohibiting all forms of physical work other than those dedicated to spiritual cleansing and renewal. • Amati Lelungan: Prohibiting movement or travel; requiring people to stay within their homes. • Amati Lelangunan: Prohibiting all forms of entertainment, recreations or general merrymaking.

Bali Island

Bali island

The island of Bali lies 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. Bali and Java are separated by the Bali Strait. East to west, the island is approximately 153 km (95 mi) wide and spans approximately 112 km (69 mi) north to south; administratively it covers 5,780 km2, or 5,577 km2 without Nusa Penida District,[23] its population density is roughly 750 people/km2. Bali's central mountains include several peaks over 3,000 metres in elevation. The highest is Mount Agung (3,031 m), known as the "mother mountain" which is an active volcano. Mountains range from centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Bali's volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility and its tall mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports the highly productive agriculture sector. South of the mountains is a broad, steadily descending area where most of Bali's large rice crop is grown. The northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables and cattle. The longest river, Ayung River, flows approximately 75 km. The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is navigable by small sampan boats. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for significant tourism. The largest city is the provincial capital, Denpasar, near the southern coast. Its population is around 491,500 (2002). Bali's second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja, which is located on the north coast and is home to around 100,000 people. Other important cities include the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically part of Denpasar's urban area, and Ubud, situated at the north of Denpasar, is the island's cultural centre. Three decades ago, the Balinese economy was largely agriculture-based in terms of both output and employment. Tourism is now the largest single industry in terms of income, and as a result, Bali is one of Indonesia's wealthiest regions. In 2003, around 80% of Bali's economy was tourism related. By end of June 2011, non-performing loan of all banks in Bali were 2.23%, lower than the average of Indonesian banking industry non-performing loan (about 5%). The economy, however, suffered significantly as a result of the terrorist bombings 2002 and 2005. The tourism industry has since recovered from these events.

Ubud

Ubud is a town on the Indonesian island of Bali in Ubud District, located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency. One of Bali's major arts and culture centres, it has developed a large tourism industry. Ubud has a population of about 30,000 people. Recently, it has become difficult to distinguish the town itself from the villages that surround it. The area surrounding the town is made up of small farms, rice paddies, and dense forest. The main street is Jalan Raya Ubud (Jalan Raya means main road), which runs east-west through the center of town. Two long roads, Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman, extend south from Jalan Raya Ubud. Puri Saren Agung is a large palace located at the intersection of Monkey Forest and Raya Ubud roads. The home of Tjokorda Gede Agung Sukawati (1910–1978), the last "king" of Ubud, it is now occupied by his descendants and dance performances are held in its courtyard. It was also one of Ubud's first hotels, dating back to the 1930s. The Ubud Monkey Forest is a sacred nature reserve located near the southern end of Jalan Monkey Forest. It houses a temple and approximately 340 Crab-eating Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys. Ubud tourism focuses on culture, yoga and nature. In contrast to the main tourist area in southern Bali, the Ubud area has forests, rivers, cooler temperatures and less congestion although traffic has increased dramatically in the 21st century. A number of smaller "boutique"-style hotels are located in and around Ubud

Tenganan Village

Tenganan Pegringsingan is a village in the regency of Karangasem in Bali, Indonesia. Before the 1970s was known by anthropologists to be one of the most secluded societies of the archipelago. Rapid changes have occurred in the village since the 70's, such as the development of local communications by the central government, the opening up to tourism, the breaking of the endogamic rules. [1] Tourists are attracted to Tenganan by its unique Bali Aga culture that still holds to the original traditions, ceremonies and rules of ancient Balinese, and its unique village layout and architecture. It is known for its Gamelan selunding music and geringsing double ikat textiles. Village layout Houses in Tenganan Pegringsingan village are built on either side of the north to the south concourse with their doors opening on to it. The entrances of the houses are narrow, only allowing one person to enter or leave at any one time. One enters the village through the gate on the southern end. On either side of the entrance are two small temples. Across from these is the long balé agung, where the administrative decisions for the village are made. Next to that is the drum tower (kul-kul). The kul-kul is beaten 21 times each morning to start the day.Up the center are a series of communal pavilions (balé banjar) for formal and informal meetings, ceremonial gatherings.[3] At the northern end is the village temple Pura Puseh, the temple of origin. The People of Tenganan PegringsinganThe people of Tenganan Pegringsingan are called Bali Aga—the original Balinese. They descend from the pre-Majapahit kingdom of Pegeng. There are strict rules as to who is allowed to live in the village. Only those born in the village can stay in the village and become full members of the community. There are rules regarding marriage and anyone who marries outside of the village has to leave. A strict protocol regarding marriages among the kin groups have steered the Tengananese through the genetic perils of intermarriage although with increasing contact with the outside world these rules have relaxed somewhat. Rites and Rituals Many of the life-cycle rituals of the Tengananes are similar to those of the Balinese in general, but have subtle differences. Some ceremonies are unique. One of the distinguishing features is the use of geringsing. By virtue of their magical qualities geringsing are not only capable of keeping impurities and danger out of the village, but also shield and protect humans from baleful influences during rites of passage as they transition from one phase of life to the next. The Tengananese receive their first geringsing at the hair cutting ritual. His hair is cut and placed in a basket which is placed on a folded geringsing on the balé tengah, on which the Tegananese both enters and leaves the world. In the ceremony that admits a boy or girl to the youth association of the village, they are carried in a geringsing

Very Good Driver

“Very good driver” 5 of 5 starsReviewed December 9, 2014 NEW Mr Gede was our guide on the second day of our trip. He is very punctual. It is a good thing he is very fluent in english so we got good info on the places we were visiting. It is very convenient and comfortable that he has his oqn air conditioned car. Just in case he is not available, he makes sure there is a good proxy for him, but I very much prefer he do the tour. We got to see a lot of temples, a waterfall, a rice terrace and lots more. On our last day we he gave us Bali coffee, which tastes great btw. If you want to visit Bali and want to know more about the island I would recommend this guy. He has reasonable rates.

Such a memorable & wonderful trip ever !

“Such a memorable & wonderful trip ever !” 5 of 5 starsReviewed October 20, 2014 we had been there for 5 days 4 nights. Gede was our trip driver + tour guide + private photographer. He is a super nice man & he always give us useful information & advisor as well. His car is very clean and comfortable. we had really awesome experiences & best services in Bali ! Appreciated that gave us so much unforgettable memories & 100 % will find you again once we visit to Bali again !! Thanks Gede ^.^ Visited October 2014

Trip to Bali

A trip to Bali is not really complete without visiting at least one temple. The island has over 20,000 pura (temples in Balinese) and even though it’s impossible to visit them all, a few of them are really worth the time and effort. Plus, many of them are close to each other, so you can visit several in one day. I visited these five temples over two days and managed to see rice terraces, a butterfly farm and other Bali sights, too. How to dress : Remember to bring a sarong if you visit a temple. Most temple guards will ask that you cover up your shoulders and ankles, but if you’re wearing pants and a tee, there shouldn’t be a problem. If you don’t have a sarong, you can borrow one for free at most temples. At Besakih, it’s included in your entrance fee so don’t let anyone there convince you otherwise. Unfortunately, the place is crammed with people trying to rip you off! Prices : Visiting a Balinese temple is cheap (cost is between $1-3), but there are different prices for foreigners and locals. You can find the prices below. How to get there : There are three main ways to see the temples. You either sign up for a group tour, you rent a driver (what I did) or you rent a scooter. The latter is definitely the cheapest, but sitting on a scooter all day is probably not the most comfortable way to enjoy Bali’s temples. Remember, if you bring a few friends, you can split the costs which makes it a lot cheaper.

Monkey forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a Balinese Hindu site at the bottom of Monkey Forest Road and populated by cheeky long-tailed macaques. It's a popular site with visitors to Ubud who come to see the monkeys and the temples within the sanctuary. There are hundreds of monkeys living in and around the monkey forest. You can purchase food for them at the entrance gate but be warned that the monkeys are aggresive opportunists - particularly in their pursuit of food. They will think nothing of climbing on you or raking through your bag in search of something edible. There are 3 temples within the forest, Pura Dalem (death temple), the Holy Bathing Temple and Pura Prajapati (funerary or cremation temple). All 3 of these temples are sacred, as is the forest and the monkeys, who are believed to protect the area from evil spirits.