Helpful Hints

What do I take ?... Not much. Your suitcase should be at least ½ empty for all the clothes and souvenirs you are going to bring back. Bali is a very relaxed place and you will not need any fancy evening wear as it's not required. You will also find that when you are there you will be wearing things that you wouldn't be caught dead in at home. ( remember those hawaiian shirts from the 60's )

Humidity : If you aren't used to humidity, it's like sticking your entire body in the oven with the sunday roast. Don't over do things on the first day or two, till you acclimatise. It helps if you DON'T have the room airconditioner at its polar setting. Have it a few degrees cooler than ouside but not so that your sunglasses steam up when you open the door for room service. This will also help stop the common problem of catching a cold from constantly being in and out of your room. Keep up your fluids by drinking at least 3 litres a day. [ I make no suggestions on what to drink , but remember that alcohol also dries you out ] Also see : Video camera's and Humidity, further down.

Hair Dryer : NO : Your hotel should have a hair dryer if not in the room ... on request from house keeping.

Electricity : 220V , 50 Cycle and the plugs are dual round prongs of the European variety. Adapters are available at some hotels OR can be purchased at Matahari's ( supermarket ) for around 35,000 Rp. If you are taking anthing of great value like a mobile phone , video camera or laptop computer that need batteries recharged , take along a surge protection plug OR 4 way power outlet ( power board ) with surge protection. This way you only need 1 adapter but have 4 power outlets.

Video Camera's: One thing video cameras don't like is sudden humidity. Every camera has a humidity detection sensor built in to prevent the camera from shorting out. This will probably come on the first day in Bali. It's nothing to worry about as it will clear in around 45 min's when the camera acclimatises. To save you any hassle , when you arrive in Bali , place the camera outside for a while at a table while you have a drink or bite to eat , then when you take it back to your room place it inside a cupboard OR anywhere it doesn't get direct cold air from your airconditioner or you will have to start the process again.

Footwear : A pair of sandals and a sturdy comfortable pair of joggers or walking shoes. If you are going off the beaten track , a pair of hiking boots are highly recommended. Shoe sizes in Bali are smaller than western sizes.

Ladies Clothes sizes : Keep in mind that the Asian people are fairly small and therefore the size range available is from tiny to medium build. Although there are a growing number of stores stocking larger ( Western sized apparel ) You may have to shop around for the bigger sizes.

Men's Clothes sizes : Not as big a problem as the Ladies have ... there is a larger range of extra large male attire.

Kid's Clothes : What a range, you will not have any problem finding clothes for your kids & teenagers OR your entire neighbourhood's kids. The Balinese people adore children and they more than show this in the 100's of designer clothes labels available for children. Great choices at the markets as well.

Bumbag / Money belt As the value of the Rupiah is falling, you will need something to keep your exchanged money in and I found a "bumbag" very handy. You can either take one with you OR purchase one there for Rp 10,000 or less.

Passport : Unless you have travellers cheques there is no need to carry your passport around. I suggest you lock it away in a safety deposit box in your hotel OR some where you are comfortable that it is safe. ( Jot down your passport number and visa number on a piece of paper just in case. Even better take along some photocopies. Its better to lose that than your passport. ) Speaking of not losing something...DONT lose that little piece of paper the immigration guy gives you back, when you enter the country. You WILL need that when you go to leave.