Thailand vs Bali

[a447]

Thailand and Bali are completely different experiences. In Thailand I can go to a gogo bar, choose a suitable guy and take him back to the hotel. Of course, in Bali there aren't any gogo bars, so you take what's available out on the street in front of the bars or wait until someone approaches you in the bar. That doesn't always happen, or you are often approached by unattractive or overly fem guys. The guys here do not always have the toned bodies you see in Thailand - must have something to do with their diet - and there are no Isaan sized cocks to be had; at least, I've never found one here. But both guys I've had sex with have reasonable sized cocks and both have been great tops.

Thailand just has more certainty - you never have to go home with someone who doesn't meet most of your criteria. You know you can always find someone. But here it's very hit and miss. There's a chance you may not find a suitable guy. And the money boys here are very much into cum and go; they just want to rush back to the bar to find another customer. At least in Thailand the boys like to linger a little longer. My new guy is a welcome exception. And I get free Indonesian lessons thrown in, as his English is very limited so I have to speak Indonesian with him. And he's very happy with the going rate of $30. None if this "give me $50" caper.

[joe552]

So the attraction of Bali is...? I know NIrish guy likes it, but given your description, a447, why would the average sex tourist want to visit?

[GWMinUS]

I will speak from my experience.
Bali is not for Butterflies.
But Indonesian men can be wonderful mates for touring and sex!!!
My guy is from Java, so he is Muslim. And I guess very different from Balinese guys.
He is very manly but loves gay sex and just spending time with his old Dad.
YEAH, I am 73, so maybe even a Grand-Dad.
We meet for a week and always have enjoyed our time together.
He never asks for money or gifts. He is very proud to have a good job in Java.
He even buys his own airline tickets.
So not much more I could ask for...

[Nirish guy]

Whilst respecting the view above I would respectfully disagree as I'm fairly sure I fall into the butterfly camp ( and then some) and I had a ball ( no pun intended) in Bali and both could have been and was shagging two, three and four times a day when there, basically just as much or as little as I wanted too.

Whether that was as already discussed above guys from inside the bars, which was non stop, to the guys outside the bars, who were there for the taking ( literally) to grindr and gay Romeo etc which again were non stop if you wanted it with a wide range of types of guy.

I accept bali isn't anywhere near as full on as the sex scene end of things in Pattaya and "appears" and is a little quieter / more relaxed etc but there is /was plenty of action to be had there and I actually enjoyed the more relaxed vibe after the full on madness of Pattaya where it's more a case of who NOT to take home each night rather than who TO take home and as I've such a soft heart I just hate to offend any poor Thai guys heart so just end up taking them all home it seems he he

[joe552]

Just as a matter of interest, how much would a few days or a week in Bali cost? I mean air fares and hotels, rather than boys and drinks and all the extras. Who knows, when my mother dies and I get a little bit of cash, I might spend a bit more time exploring.

[Nirish guy]

Simple short answer - about the same - big variations in hotel / villa costs but really good bargains to he had, plus right now with the exchange rate etc the drinks and boys etc and really cheap ( much more so than Pattaya) - EVERY single time I leave Pattaya I look at my bank balance and say HOW MUCH and likewise when leaving Bali but for exactly the reverse reason !

The last time I left I thought the ATM machine hadn't registered my lifts of cash or something and instead of going every two days I was going twice a week - and trust me joe you know I like to blow money when on holiday, on Bali I spent as hard if not harder than in Pattaya and still come away "up" - so go for it - and actually knowing your non butterfly preference etc I think you'll actually enjoy Bali more as the guys "appear" more genuine and less hooker like and treat you in a much nicer way than some of the jaded Pattaya old school guys.

Also Bali to me feels much more like a "holiday" as sometimes when I leave Pattaya I'm wrecked and in NEED of a holiday, whereas when in Bali I feel genuinely relaxed and at ease ( whilst still getting lots of fun with hot guys when I want it).

Joe if you're checking flights for comparison I suggest you aim to fly to KL first and use that as a hub as that's the cheapest way usually, but there are direct flights too which aren't any worse than Bkk in high season etc. Oh and you'll also find the bali locals all on GR etc so you can find your partner several months before you travel and get to know them which I know you like doing.

[a447]

Joe wrote:
So the attraction of Bali is...? I know NIrish guy likes it, but given your description, a447, why would the average sex tourist want to visit?

A good question which is hard to explain.

Bali is a place where the boy experience us so different to Thailand, but as I have written in my Bali Report, I've still had plenty of sex. It's more of a challenge, that's all. Guys don't just always fall into your lap like in Thailand. And it can be a little frustrating.

The normal procedure us to sit at the bar and wait fir a guy to come and sit next to you. Then they go through the " hello. Where you from. yada yada" routine. More often than not, a real handsome guy will sit next to you but you wait in vain for the initial conversation. Then 10 minutes later his boyfriend/fuck buddy turns up! In Thailand you know darn well that the guy who comes and sits right next to you is a money boy.

And as NIrish says, Bali is more relaxing. It's somehow more like a holiday. But if you read my latest post in the Bali Report, you'll see that all is not as laid back and simple as it seems here. I've never had such an experience in Thailand.

There are heaps of boys on Grindr but I haven't tried it as I don't know if they are money boys or not - many say they are looking for a relationship. In Thailand, I regard all boys on Grindr as money boys.

So I'm now wondering if I'll bother coming back here. I love the gay bars and usually stay out every night until they close around 3am. At that time you'll have no problems finding a guy - you'll be manhandled and groped on your way to the toilet. It's finding the right guy that's more difficult here.

[Oliver]

I'm just back from Bali. I had a wonderful time with my boyfriend but, from what I saw, would have not participated in the gay scene had I been alone. Nor did I do so a decade ago. This is not to say that it doesn't exist, only that I wouldn't have felt as comfortable as I do in Pattaya. But then I am more shy than many.
I 'd recommend anyone going to Bali to get out of the tourist areas and see the interior. Jungles, mountains, lakes, an active volcano....a countryside very different to that of Thailand even it it sounds similar. Unfortunately, it take an hour plus to escape the urbanised area around Seminyak and Kuta....but worth the trouble, I assure you.
And beach lovers should be aware that the beaches around Seminyak are for surfing, not gentle swimming.

We flew on Air Asia from Bangkok. Amazingly cheap prices. Go!

[joe552]

Thanks for all the information. Something worth thinking about.

a447 - what a horrible experience you had - now that sort of thing just scares me. Hope it hasn't put you off

[thaiguest]

Just as a matter of interest, how much would a few days or a week in Bali cost? I mean air fares and hotels, rather than boys and drinks and all the extras. Who knows, when my mother dies and I get a little bit of cash, I might spend a bit more time exploring.
So your long suffering mother will now have to take you out of the sleeze route and put you on the strait and narrow touristic path of rightousness and she has to DIE to do so!

[joe552]

Nicely summed up thaiguest :)

[christianpfc]

I 'd recommend anyone going to Bali to get out of the tourist areas and see the interior. Jungles, mountains, lakes, an active volcano....a countryside very different to that of Thailand even it it sounds similar. Unfortunately, it take an hour plus to escape the urbanised area around Seminyak and Kuta....but worth the trouble, I assure you.

That sounds very interesting to me, but is there public transport to and from these places?

[a447]

There's no public transport in Bali. If you want to go sightseeing you hire a driver. And guess what...more often than not your car is stopped by the police out in the countryside who demand money from you!

[RonanTheBarbarian]

There are some public bus services - google Perama for more information.
You can get a public bus from Kuta to Ubud with Perama, for example (although I think it only goes about three times a day)

However, the bus service is not at all convenient for seeing the tourist sites, such as say, seeing Tanah Lot or Bedugal. You really have to either join a tour or hire a driver for that.

You can avoid some transport costs though, if you plan ahead. I went on a tour that left fron Kuta and passed through Ubud on the way back, so I got off at Ubud (as that was my next destination), and so saved on paying a separate fare to Ubud.

I saw a lot of sites on my Bali trip, and only hired a personal driver for one day.

[Magnum]

Christian, find a Boy with a motorbike and ask him to show you the Island. I've done that and it was wonderful, one of my best travelling experiences.

[a447]

The guy I'm with in Bali, Apdee, has offered to take me sightseeing on his motorbike. The only thing is, I've been everywhere before, and I'm not happy travelling on a motorbike. Bali is infamous for motorbike accidents.

[Oliver]

We rented a car and driver from Bali Friendly, a gay travel company.
It cost about $25 a day- the same as renting a self-drive car in Thailand. The driver was reliable, the car in excellent condition.
Not only were we not stopped by police, I can't remember seeing any except while passing through a busy town (Mengwi). He was directing traffic.

The roads are narrow and dominated by motor-cys. I wouldn't recommend renting one.

[Nirish guy]

@ a447 - as mentioned above renting a car is easy there / the way to go - as both car and bike rental is so cheap, I ended up renting a car ( and leaving it parked at the hotel 97% of the time!) and a bike which was a far easier way of scooting about during the day but the car was certainly good for sight seeing - once you got out of the horrendous traffic which was why I hardly bothered.

Your hotel should be able to sort both for you easily and cheaply and have it delivered to your door and collected again when you're finished all ready for you use.

[goji]

Joe wrote:
The normal procedure us to sit at the bar and wait fir a guy to come and sit next to you. Then they go through the " hello. Where you from. yada yada" routine. More often than not, a real handsome guy will sit next to you but you wait in vain for the initial conversation.

This is no good at all. If I'm PAYING, I want to choose the guy I like best.

[peeseua]

There's nothing to stop you from starting up a conversation with a guy you like first instead of waiting like some high school wallflower.

I didn't even have to speak Bahasa Indonesia to any of the guys I approached and I had no problems finding a companion every night.

[a447]

That's right. But I find it difficult to initiate conversation with a stranger, especially if I don't know whether or not he's gay, or available for sex. As I said, all the handsome guys I saw seemed to end up with their Bali boyfriends.

And I had sex every night but not always with the handsome guy with the 6 pack and large cock that I can find anywhere and anytime in Thailand.

I don't think I'll bother making another a trip to Bali as a sex tourist; I prefer the choice of boys in Thailand and the general ease of finding a suitable guy for fun.

But I'll still continue to visit bali for the food, as I've always done in the past, often just for a weekend. The food at Made's Warung on Jalan Raya Seminyak is awesome!

One of the great advantages of living in Australia is that Asia is on our doorstep.

[Nirish guy]

I had sex every night.......

I'll still continue to visit bali, often just for a weekend.
One of the great advantages of living in Australia is that Asia is on our doorstep.

Man you really know how to rub it into the rest of us not do lucky to have Asia on our doorsteps don't ya ! Lol

And for those wondering or saying about sex being hard to find in Bali I'm currently sitting in Kuala Lumpur airport waiting on my flight to Bali and have just changed to location to Simenyak on a few of my gay Apps and literally within two minutes I had 8 plus messages hitting me for point blank sex on gay romeo alone so I'm guessing it's all there if one looks hard enough ( or not very hard at all it seems) - however I think a few weeks of meditation and Temple visits alone each day and night are in order for me now in order to cleanse my soul of the corruption and debauchery I was forced to endure whilst in Sin City Pattaya. lol

[a447]

Man you really know how to rub it into the rest of us not do lucky to have Asia on our doorsteps don't ya ! Lol

Yes, but you've got all of Europe on your doorstep. If I want to visit the Louvre or Musee D'Orsay for a special exhibition I have to fly for at least 19 hours!! I don't do that much now as I can't stand the long flight anymore. You can be there within a couple of hours. Christ, you can even hop over to Paris for lunch and Madrid for dinner and be in your own bed before midnight. That's what I'd be doing if I lived on Europe's doorstep - looking at a map of Europe and planning my meals...hehe

So I guess we can both count our blessings.

[latintopxxx]

Europe is way...way...way...over rated. Would swop all the splendours of paris/london/prague for pattaya...

[joe552]

Finally something we can agree on, latintop - I know how relieved you feel

[Nirish guy]

So, I've just arrived in Bali two days ago and an loving it already again, my first nights hotel was crap ( but at ┬г12 a night I wasn't expecting much and it was only to allow me to meet a friend and go better hotel hunting and to be fair the place was ok it was just noisy Russian guests who ruined it).

So I'm now staying at the puri dewa bharata hotel which is LOVELY, private villa room complete with a four poster bed and large bathroom, huge totally private outside terrace area with sofas and a fish pond ( all INSIDE my own room private room complex and all lovely Balinese stone craft work everywhere, all set in it's own grounds and with a lovely swimming pool, bar and restuarant with 30ft of me outside my room door - and wait for it - all for ┬г29 a night !!! ( 1600 baht!!)

I've hooked up with a sex friend from my last trip and he's taking great care of me, away shopping ( for food) yesterday, then organised my motorbike and had it delivered to my hotel, can't do enough for me, is 27 and is as hot as hell both body wise and in bed, took me out to a lovely floating restuaant last night for dinner ( I paid of course) which for a cracking meal for two with drinks and lovely traditional food was ┬г14 in TOTAL (700 baht) and we then went to the bars around Bali joe area last night where as usual they had great shows on and the guys (and girls strangely this time !) were tripping over themselves to get my attention and on opening grindr this morning I see that I have 34 messages awaiting my attention so whoever says you can't get a shag here needs to be having a serious look at their technique or actions whilst here lol, we then finished our ev├иning with a lovely moonlight stroll along the beach hand in hand as the waves crashed beside us - like something straight out of a mills and boon romance novel lol - and I have to admit it was lovely, if I was living here the guy I'm with now is definitely a keeper !

So for a few days I'm doing the "boyfriend" thing ( joe you'd be proud of me and I do concede it's lovely and very differnt to butter flying every day but everything in small doses and with 34 messages awaiting even my "boyfriend" agreed it's only a matter of time before I break ( and he's quite ok with that even ! :-) - oh and I should add that not a penny is involved with this guy ( or lots of others I've met here before) they just want to be with ( and fuck) westerners ( as we're called here rather than farang) - so who am I to deny them their wishes !

So, day three just starting and I'm LOVING Bali all over again ( except the bloody mosquitoes perhaps but hopefully my array of sprays will help that today - but I doubt it !!

[joe552]

Ah sweet, NIrish has a boyfriend at last. Great report and that hotel looks amazing. You might entice me to Bali yet.

[paperboy]

looks great nirish
ive always fancied going there, just checked agoda and its even cheaper.
will check out flights etc
thanks for the report

[Nirish guy]

Yes you're right that hotel does offer even cheaper rooms upstairs ( which are still great) but I chose the downstairs villa as there was very little difference ( to me) but nearly double the price to them, also I averaged out the price over my 15 nights and my stay period includes a big hidat weekend in which all the prices go up.

And Joe "careful now" lol let's not get carried away - and I'm already starting to regret having a guest - although I did manage a massage with two oral happy endings for a fiver ! So dont worry I haven't settled down "quite" yet lol

[joe552]

I'll put off buying a hat for the wedding, so.

[Nirish guy]

Lol aye, but don't let that stop you sending your wedding gift - I take caah, cheques, PayPal :-)

[joe552]

Send your full bank details and it's a done deal =P~

[fedssocr]

That does look like a nice place.

Really looking forward to my first time visit to Bali in a couple of months. I'm still trying to decide where to stay.

[a447]

Fedssocr, I stayed at the Bali Ginger Suites hotel; it's right opposite the gay bars but one street behind. You can get to the bars in less than 2 minutes via a little alleyway and I had no problems bringing guys back.

The staff are very friendly and the place is clean and modern. I think I paid US$72 per night for a room on the first floor with an outside area with a sofa, and a fridge under a small sink.
If you are into the gay nightlife, it's perfect.

Back in March I stayed at the Villa Angelo - a clothing optional gay hotel about 5 minutes walk from the bars. Only problem is, it's very popular and it's hard to get a room there.

I can thoroughly recommend both hotels. I'm not into grabbing a guy from the bar and then having to go back to a hotel by taxi. Staying at these hotels means you can have your fun in the room then just wander back to the gay bars.

When in Thailand I always stay right in the centre of the action. Some may be worried by the noise from the bars but if you like to stay out late like me, it's fine.

[fedssocr]

Thanks. I was thinking I might stay at Mango Villa http://www.fruitvillasbali.com/local-in ... ango-villa (http://www.fruitvillasbali.com/local-info/about-mango-villa) It's basically a 2 bedroom house with pool. Supposed to be across the street from the Banana Spa and close to the bars. I will only be in Seminyak on my own for a few days. The rest of my time in Indonesia is already planned and booked through a travel agency with a guide/driver to see some of the old sights on Java and then tour around Bali as well. I am mainly go for photography purposes but like to enjoy the locals too. :-) And I agree that staying in walking distance of the scene is much more preferable to having to get a taxi to get around.

[danny99]

If you want to go sightseeing you hire a driver. And guess what...more often than not your car is stopped by the police out in the countryside who demand money from you!

What a load of crap!

Yes there are organized police blocks when most cars and more often bikes are stopped to check if the driver 'owns' the car and has paid up registration and a valid driving license, in the case of 'rental' cars the car must be registered as that but they are NEVER interested in any passenger.

I have been driving all over Bali almost every day for the past 16 years, am stopped about 6 times a year, and have my license [every foreign driver MUST have a valid International license to drive anywhere in Indonesia] and registration papers held out the window even before the police get there, and get a smile and thank you in return!

...and in reply to other posters....

I never go to the gay bar scene in Bali [rare to find Balinese there anyway unless they are the barman] rather they are full of muslim boys from other islands who are only there for the money, I am too busy meeting [picking up] Bali boys in the villages around Ubud or enjoying the relaxed Amed scene, again boys from the villages. I much prefer the subtle chat up process with a bintang or two, with a little hint of the unknown, to the supermarket purchasing of boys in gogo bars of Thailand [although I know of many places where I can meet Thai boys ready for action as well, money not needed].

As for Isaan sized boys, in Bali we call them Karang Asem boys [such as the ones from the villages around Amed]...hung like horses!

Of course you do not openly ask for sex, the right magazine or video always does the trick..... then just let nature take over!

[a447]

What a load of crap!

I guess I must have been dreaming.

Then again, if you've been driving around Bali for 16 years, chances are you don't look like a tourist.

[morse]

My experience in Bali-now 5 years ago and maybe thus not reflective of the current scene- was very positive. I was there on business , but not opposed to mixing business with pleasure turned to GR to find a massage guy. He was great. Good massage, good extras and good price. Amazingly he was able to find my room (undetected) in an upscale hotel- a feat I barely managed until the end of my stay. During my stay we explored Denpasar on his motor scooter and visited gay bars. He was very polite and caring. I agree it is not an in-your-face gay scene like Soi 4 or Pattaya. But Bali is OK .

[Nirish guy]

Well I was meant to leave Bali tomorrow to head back to pattaya and then Bangkok for my return trip home but and have actually extended my stay here by the days I was meant to be back in Pattaya so I guess that says something. But to be fair it's a mixture of things namely I'm a lazy bugger of late and just can't be arsed physically getting my ass back to Pattaya for only a few days, I seriously debated it but I thought about it and did a pros and cons list - pro - or CON?? ( paid ) sex on tap and the beach and a bit of partying if I want it ( but partying of course a subjective term, then Cons - (PAID) sex and also adding in the "my friend he join us for whiskey, we got to Nab ( with another 5 miraculously appearing friends) plus the taxi fares from the airport etc etc plus Thailand in general is not "cheap" anymore ( IMHO anyway) - whereas I'm here in Bali and was sitting in a superb crystal clean beach drinking beer at 70 baht a bottle ( and not much more in any bar anywhere - even the main bars - 80 baht there in balijoe etc).

In terms of action I can't believe this trip as HONESTLY without me even trying or thinking about it this whole bali I've ( unintentionally ) ended up with only one "taxi money" boy who was lovely and that one "help" With a taxi fare (700 baht - which I was graciously thanked for) has resulted in him and several of his friends spending a lot of ( free ) time with me, I also had an "official" massage in my room ( also 700 baht for 1.5 hours) and the guy was a genuine massage guy and knew his stuff in that department and we ended up fucking anyway as I got hard and he got horny -no extra cost asked for, expected or wanted and he's been in touch a few times afterwards to ask for another "massage " session lol.

Apart from all that all the other action I've had has been ( and I swear to god) has been both free and local ( well Asian if not local ) guys messaging me and asking can they come over for a fuck ( over and over again - and trust me I'm nothing to write home about in any department I'm sure) - and being the jaded cynical fucker ( literally ) that I am I've been waiting on the "angle" but there just hasn't been one and we've all met up in the bars night and night later and had great Craic with each other, with no jealousy, no bullshit and all just for being a normal decent guy and buying the odd drink now and then ( at bloody cheap prices) - and not in the "expected" way in Pattaya either and if if ( undoubtedly) the Bali guys "think" they are playing their game and getting their pound of flesh out of you a) it's so nicely done it's "almost" unnoticable and b) even if they do it's that little in monetary terms it's not worth even thinking about and the good name ( grace) you get from letting one or two of them they've "played you" maybe for 200 or 300 baht is repaid in spades and to me all the guys is for you to play the game,buy a few drinks and have laugh and their creaming you might come to nothing more than then ordering a (cheap) cocktail rather than a beer - and they are delighted with that and that good feeling and word that you're a good guy spreads in a matter of hours and as this is my third of forth trip here I think I'm now benefitting from my "reputation" lol.

My only personal problem here is bali is small and it appears I've already entertained a resonanble number of guys here and being with a guy just yesterday and lying in bed with his friend this morning and him messaging me ( to join us ! and me telling his friend I've ( genuinely ) never even spoken to the guy before ( when we were all in each other's company last night for several hours! I think a memory transplant might be a help - mind you the guys all know that about me as I make no secret of that fact and I think it actually works in my favour sometimes !

Yesterday I went to a pool party and whilst the party itself wasn't well attended ( it was the organisers first time) there was about 15 asain guys and 3 westerners - two of the Asian guys guys were 23 and a 25 year old blood brother Chinese guys and both gay - well let's just say I marked a few fantasies off my to do list and that was just with them, when the other guys all joined in it all just ended up one crazy fuck fest and I have to admit I ( due to lack of white guy numbers) was "it" and thanks to a little Viagra boost before hand I was in fine form and had one if the best afternoons of my life - and I really mean that - and all for the cost of my drinks bill which was no more than 1000 baht !!!! :-)

Anyway, I could say a lot more about my time in bali but bottom line is I haven't stopped :-) yes it's not Pattaya but that's the while point it's NOT Pattaya ( and dont get me wrong I still like Pattaya and will certainly be going back ) but it is differnt and bali seems to just that little more relaxed, genuinely easy going and guys genuinely wanting to fuck - and half the price or less for everything which has more than made up for my 12000 baht splurges in one or two places just never mind the rest of the nights drinking off a night in Pattata thankfully.

The one thing ( like Thailand) is that the here remember EVERYTHING - from what I'm drinking so all I need is a nod walking into a bar, to the henna tattoo guy on the beach not only remembering me but what tattoo I had one year ago plus the fact that while he was doing it I was getting a pedicure ! Also sex wise of course the guys all talk as it's a small island, but in a positive way and assuming you're not an asshole and treat them right, with a a few pleasant words, taking the time to say hi and maybe buying ONE or two drinks here and there they treat you really well - well that's my experience anyway.

So hey As usual excuse paragraphs typos whatever, I'm in a bar, having a few jars and just can't be bothered, but anyway that's maybe a 30% snapshot of my time in Bali so I'm staying for another few days :-)

[joe552]

Great post NIrish - you certainly make Bali sound appealing.

[fedssocr]

Thanks so much for telling us about your experience. You should work for the tourism bureau. :-) Really looking forward to my time there.

[atri1666]

After my last stay in Bali in june in future i will prefer to stay in Seminyak in Gingersuites. LOS lost the magic for me. Only will do short visits same like in june.

[a447]

Atri, what was the reaction of those lovely girls at reception when you brought a guy back to the hotel?

[Nirish guy]

So that's me in the airport lounge awaiting my flight back to Bkk after my two weeks in Bali and without rehashing the stuff I posted above I just have to say that I was really taken a back at the amount of free fun there - and I mean 99% of all my fun was free this trip - honestly !

I think on previous trips I've been assuming the guys were money boys and paying them accordingly whereas now I KNOW there is a big difference as a lot of the guys just want to go with a westerner "anyway" and if you were to help them out at the end that's just an added bonus and on this trip I generally didn't - and not in a mean way but it just wasn't necessary and at no time was it an issue in fact a few times there were one or two guys who I felt were using ME for sex - but as they were maybe 23-25 year old, with great bodies and great in bed that was FINE by me but I STILL have no idea what possesses them to select the guys they do (ie me etc) as I just don't see what they're getting from it ( as as much as I'd like to think it I'm sure the sex isn't anything 100 other local guys could give them) anyway either way I'm just happy they do want and (appear?) to like it and when THEY ask to come back two and three times and ALL for free it just makes me scratch me head in (delightful) wonder !

So, on now to Bkk for one last weekend splurge before my flight back to Ireland on Monday so DJ Station et al watch out !! :-)

Oh and in answer to A447s question ( albeit to someone else) re what did the staff say or think re bringing a guy back, my Indonesian friend assures me that not only is it policy not to give a shit who brings who back in hotels but the seminyak area is that gay it's TOTALLY normal and NO hotel would give it a second thought and right enough I tested the theory when a very conservative check in lady at my hotel asked was my "boyfriend" staying with me for the two weeks ( ie did he need a key) to which I replied "well yes A boyfriend but it'll be a differnt one every night if I can help it" and watched for ANY reaction and there was genuinely none and she'd obviously seen it and heard it all a million times before, so elsewhere in Bali might be different but Seminyak is gay central and you dont have to worry about such things there.

[joe552]

So you're planning a quiet weekend in Bangkok, NIrish? Just what you need after your exertions in Bali.

[paperboy]

hi sounds good

this year i went to cambodia from BKK, was great
so next year bali looks promising
which airline did you use and how much you pay ????

[Oliver]

Try Air Asia. Low prices, basic comfort and, for our visit in June, on time both ways. The early departure from BKK is an inconvenience. Some airlines go via KL, take twice as long and cost twice as much. Unless money is no object, Air Asia is fine.
Have some US$ on arrival to pay visa fee. Don't be put off by the journey to your hotel; Bali is better than it first appears! Much better, once you are out of Kuta and Seminyak.

[Nirish guy]

Oliver is spot on re the air Asia flight being the one to get, four hours direct and not too expensive ( price goes up and down) I tried to get it for yesterday and it was full so had to take the Malaysian airlines KL option ( which was cheaper not dearer) but it's an unnecessary pain in the ass that you can just avoid by going direct.

Oh and dint worry so much about the dollars on arrival thing, I remembered that from last time and made sure I had my dollars with me but once there it transpired they take loads of currencies ( including rupiah) so no big drama.

Oh one GOOD tip I got - the airport was a bloody disaster to get through with queues of maybe 200-300 at every check station for passport, customs etc and I was moaning about this to my local friend and he ( and several other people later also confirmed) that ask ( it appears almost anyone) in your hotel or bar or local friend etc to go "see someone" for you as for like 100 or 200 rupiah ( like 50 baht) they'll ( bribe) pay one if the airport staff who will whisk you through and past all the checkpo ( I assume via the diplomatic channel but god knows knowing Bali !) and instead of the hour plus it took me to clear the airport you'll be out in minutes - money well spent if you can arrange it !

Also one stupid thing that caught me out and to be aware of - my driver was arranged to collect my at the airport with a name board etc, so at arrivals I walked up and done and up and down the many guys standing with boards, anyway to cut a long story short he wasn't there I called him and he was on through and JUST outside the airport door ( along with many other drivers with boards all doing the same thing) and when I gave off a bit and asked why the hell hasn't he stood in the obvious first line place he shrugged and said "money" as the airport officials bribe / charge each driver to allow them to stand there - and even then only for 15 minutes apparently then they have to pay again ( and my guy was waiting 3 hours for me ) so couldn't and wouldn't pay - so be very clear with your collection driver will he be inside or OUTSIDE the terminal to avoid any possible confusion.

Oh and yes Joe dint worry I'm doing my best to go out with a bang or two on my last weekend !! But the army are ding what they can to stifle that it seems whar with them sitting DJ Station at 2am now and GOD and SPICY not being open and even CHOCOLATE which is always a late night closed at 4am - hell I was starting to think I was back in dreary Belfast ( until I looked around me at all the lovely Asian guys - and I have to admit Thais really do have the edge over just about all their neighbours - and damn then because they KNOW IT TOO ;-)

[paperboy]

hi again
sorry for being a pain, but, what airport do i fly too from BKK with air aisa

thankss

[Nirish guy]

I know why you're asking as there seems to be a little confusion over that on booking sites, the reason being I think that the old airport was called one thing using the local place name ( can't remember what now) whereas the new shiny terminal they have ( which is in exactly the same place) is now simply referred to as "Denpasar" or Bali and the airport code is "DPS" - so just use any of those and especially the airport code of course and that'll be you going to the right place.

[Shuee]

some indo guys seem very homophobic & get annoyed if you talk to them, but not in every case of course. maybe its something to do with their religion?
it seems $30 is a big price to pay for short term considering this is the going rate in thailand & things are much cheaper in indo
the indo people seem much poorer than thais & some very cute boys indeed, if only they could get their mind set around, not even being gay, but gay for pay, then they would see how easy it is to make money & an easy liviing getting all your expenses paid, & more of us would travel back there. but then im thinking from a westerner point of view after all, were logic provails

[Nirish guy]

Actually the reason I like bali is that that thinking DOESNT generally prevail and the guys you meet are on the whole genuine and not the seasoned money extractors that we all meet so often in Thailand, so no harm to you but I hope your wish is the LAST thing that comes true in regard to Bali.

[atri1666]

Atri, what was the reaction of those lovely girls at reception when you brought a guy back to the hotel?

No had special reaction. Everything was fine.

[fedssocr]

I am wrapping up my stay in Bali now. And I have to say that I am worn out from everyone working an angle here. Between EVERYONE wanting to give me a massage or a taksi ride, I feel like a wallet on two legs and everyone is just trying to extract as many rupiah out of me as they can.

The heat and sun have taken a lot out of me over the last couple of weeks. Between here and Singapore I have been wet pretty much constantly. Maybe I just have a better handle on Thailand after many visits, but I think I prefer things there to here.

I've gotten a lot of Grindr and jack'd messages as well. But they all seem to be money boys. I met one guy yesterday who I thought was not a mb, until we got back to my place and the whole manipulation started. Another guy really wanted to meet me too. At first I was amenable to the idea, but after yesterday's experience I was much more wary. After initially setting up a time to meet I wasn't feeling very well so I sent him a note to cancel which was followed by a stream of emotional responses that seemed to be aimed at getting me to relent. I just felt relieved and like I'd just dodged a bullet instead.

I am staying at the Ginger Suites. It's OK. I'm not a big fan of the open air bathroom. But I will say I slept very well last night. I think I would have been much better off in one of the near-by large hotels instead. Since there are only about 8-10 rooms here total I feel like everyone knows my business. I did briefly check out the gay bar scene last night. One of them (facebar or Bali Joe maybe) was filled to overflowing. The others were a lot less populated. I went into one of those places and found it to be uncomfortably loud and way too smoky for me. I only stayed for a few minutes. I guess I am just really not a bar person. Maybe one of the gay resorts would have been a better choice.

I did go to Banana Spa this evening for a massage. It was OK. The massage guy was nice and cute enough. He had the smallest penis I have ever encountered on an adult person. The massage itself was just average I'd say and a bit overpriced but still cheap.

All of that said...there are tons of interesting things to see in this country. I spent a good while here in Bali and about 5 days in Yogyakarta. The problem with Bali is that it takes a long time to get to the sights because the roads are small and crowded. I spent way more time in the back seat of a car over the last couple of weeks than I care to think about. Ultimately I think I liked Jogja better for a variety of reason. Traffic there is hectic as well but it's a big city with more big roads. Borobudur at sunrise is pretty spectacular. I went to Prambanan temple fairly early in the day as well and the light was quite good. There's a Buddhist temple in the same park where I was the only visitor at the time. I could wander around and shoot pictures to my heart's content without a selfie stick in sight. We went to this nice little Hindu temple on a mountain overlooking the city for sunset too which I really liked. My driver was an adorable 25 year old who is just finishing university so that might have had something to do with my feelings. I felt like he and I really clicked. But other than the aggressive sellers at Borobudur things were a bit more low-key in Jogja overall.

I think next year I will probably spend some time in Thailand again. I miss it. And I want to visit southern Laos and maybe go back to Luang Prabang. Certainly it was worth coming here to check it out. And Indonesia is a huge country. So I could likely make a return to see other things. People are nice enough here but it feels less genuine in some ways.

Sorry for the rambling...

[a447]

Your experiences in Bali reflect mine. Of course, we are seen as walking atm machines all over S.E. Asia. And you can expect to encounter money boys on the apps and in the gay bars, although some posters have actually met guys who are not money boys. I wish I had their luck!

I forgot about the open air bathroom at the Ginger Suite hotel - my room had a big opening near the ceiling in the bathroom that let in mosquitoes, so I made sure to keep the door closed. And yes, everyone does know your business,especially the girls at reception, but I guess that's the price we pay for staying in a small boutique hotel.

Are those guys living in the shed just outside the hotel still asking you to buy them beer as you walk past??

[fedssocr]

there is a lot of construction going on next door to the hotel and along the driveway they are sprucing up the wall. The guys working didn't seem interested in even acknowledging me. Even a smile and nod were met with a blank stare.

[marti]

Who knows, when my mother dies and I get a little bit of cash, I might spend a bit more time exploring.
Oh man, that's a lot of class you have.

[joe552]

marti, I don't understand your comment. I take care of my mother full time and have done for years, so only get 2 weeks holidays a year, which I spend in Pattaya. When she dies I will inherit a little bit of money - probably enough for one extended holiday in Asia. What's your objection to that?

[latintopxxx]

just sounds a bit morbid...vulture like. Think most of us realise that is not the case, anyone who kinda puts their life on hold to care for a relative deserves to win the lotto ......

[joe552]

I'm talking about inheriting a couple of thousand Euro - hardly a fortune. And I have no immediate plans to put a pillow over her face during the night. She's 93 and still quite active, so my extended trip to Asia could be years away. Speaking of death may seem morbid, but it's a reality we will all face.

[a447]

Marti, I think your comment re: Joe was a bit mean. I've always seen Joe as a poster with heaps of class.

And "vulture like?" Come on now Latin!

Everyone of our generation has ageing parents, and many will be lucky enough to receive an inheritance when they pass. I think Joe was only stating the bleeding obvious.