Kuta, Bali

Kuta is the islands biggest town, located on the south side of the island. When flying into Denpasar (DPS) you can take a taxi for around 50,000 R into Kuta which should take around 30 mins depending on traffic. If you're a backpacker and you haven't procured housing in advance, just tell your taxi driver to drop you off at the front end of Poppies Lane 1. It's a narrow alley street for buget hotels and market kiosks aka Backpacker Heaven.

Something you should know in advance (especially as an American). Kuta is not the side of Bali that you might envision as the honeymooners paradise fantasy. Kuta is basically an Aussie's Cancun. It's a short flight from Northern Australia and the beer is cheap. Please do not let the partying areas of this town deter you from seeing the rest of the island. It's an island that's meant for exploring.

New Arena Hotel
Poppies Line 1 and Sorga Lane

Poppies Line 1 is not for driving, it is for walking and scooters only. So when you're taxi drops you off, it'll have to be at the end of the street and you can walk the rest of the way. New Area Hotel is a little walk down Sorga Lane off of Poppies Line 1. I loved staying here, but I have found since that I may have been one of few. Of course, my good fortune might have had something to do with me announcing I'm a travel writer at the front desk. So I should probably put out a disclaimer. This is a semi party hotel for 20 somethings. They play loud music at the pool and do flips into the water that splash the chairs. The 'restaurant' is for basics only. A quick coffee and scrambled eggs and toast on your way out. The front desk will arrange transport back to the airport and recommend some local eateries, but that's the extent of their help.

It's within walking distance to the main beach, shopping markets and the memorial on Legion. You can rent scooters from a little shop next door and there's a travel agency kiosk at the end of the lane to arrange day trips.

Free WiFi Spot!:

Secret Garden Inn and Restaurant

The food is decent and they show movies on the wall at night, so it definitely became one of my favorite places in on the Line. They give you the wireless password after you order at least a drink, plus it's only courteous if you're going to be there for awhile. Which you will because this is the place with the strongest signal, I have found. I like the staff too, just plain nice people, no one trying to muscle you out for not ordering the whole menu. For computer access I suggest sitting inside the actual restaurant for the outlets and relatively peace and quiet. The outside seating and bar can get a little rowdy some nights because of the partiers. 

Balinese Starter Kit

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and White Rice

I love the preparation of this at Secret Garden. They bring you, well almost a mini grill, with the skewers of meat and sauce and rice on the side so that you can mix everything up the way you like it. They also serve Bali Cider here, which is a pretty decent hard cider. I know, they're kind of girly, but I got hooked on hard ciders when I lived in London and can't seem to break the hold.

Free WiFi - Also try the Havana Club (but signal is pretty weak at different times of the day)

Random Railay

If you're really looking save some money but still stay in the Railay/Ao Nang area, you might want to try Ton Sai, a small inlet around the cliff from Railay West. If you're coming over on a longtail boat, they usually make a stop there to drop off all the budget traveling rock climbers. These bungalows are basics at best, used only for sleeping after a long day of conquering cliffs.

I'm going to eat your face, TouristWe should probably talk about Makak monkeys, you know, for your own safety. They are grey/brown and fuzzy and positively spawns of satan. Do not pet, feed or entertain the musings of these climbers in the wild. It might be ok to feed them in an area where they are used to humans, like a reserve, but not in the wild. Their cuteness is apparant at first, but as soon as one hisses at you for being too close to their kids, their K-9 like teeth will surely deter you.

Internet - I'm sorry to say that I did not find a free wifi spot on Railay. Which is a huge bummer considering how expensive the internet is. Normally 50 baht an hour might be standard for a Thai town, but because of the remote location Railay is located, not only is the internet sketchy but expensive. Stay away from the hotel internet, I 've found it to be the most expensive (around 150 baht/hr). Take a walk down Railay east where the bars and travel agencies are. It's cheaper, the connection is better and the computers are Skype ready.

Day Trips:

Bamboo Island - usually included in a package of island hopping including the ideal Maya Bay (The Beach movie). It's just a spotless white beach, you know, nothing special (layered with heavy sarcasm here). I loved this beach. Again, it would be more ideal were there not handfuls of other people there, but what can you do. The only thing manmade that I saw there was an outhouse bathroom, so prepare yourself.

Chicken Island - I'm going to go with my Eiffel Tower theory, in that it is more enjoyable looking at it than actually being in or on it. It's a fluffy looking green island which you'll pass during island hopping, that has a cliff that looks like a chicken neck and head. Honestly I think it looks more like some type of dinosaur, but whatevs. I never actually went ashore on this one, but like I said, some things are only cool from afar.

Phra Nang - aka the James Bond beach. This spot became popular after the 60's when The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed here. It's recently fallen out of favor because of the rise of The Beach lagoon (Maya Bay). And I'm sure sometime in the next decade another Thai beach will be filmed in some blockbuster movie and knock Maya out of the loop as well. Either way, a beautiful beach is a beautiful beach. I think I'd actually rather visit the less populated one.

Random Koh Pha Ngan

 

 Every cafe is also a movie theater

It would be wise to plan your meals based on the chalkboard signs outside each restaurant. One board is for the food and drink specials of the day and the other board is for the show times of bootleg dvds of brand new films and cult classics. They do not charge you to sit and watch the movie, but it is generally good manners to eat or drink in the cafe if you plan to dwell there for 2 hours. This is also a great time to meet other travelers if you're feeling the need for fresh company. And I can almost guarantee you that at least one if not two restaurants will be playing the movie The Beach at any time of the day. The places closer to the party beach seem to play more tv shows than movies. Seasons of the tv show Friends will always be on a loop.

Adopt a dog!

The entire island is full of stray dogs. However, very few of them appear to be sick, beaten or starved. Most of them actually seem quite happy. Why is that? Because apparently travelers who stay for extended periods of time just adopt a dog for the stay. Personally, the Samui dogs are my favorite. They're medium sized, short hair, have perky ears and a wonderful disposition. They kind of resemble a mix of a German Shepard and a black Corgi, I suppose, but they have a little faux hawk ridge going down their backs. They're all over SE Asia, but I was told they originated on the island next to Koh Pha Ngan called Koh Samui.

So if you're staying around Haad Rin chances are a sprite little dog has sat near your table while you had lunch, peering up at you with adorable brown eyes. If you like the dog and it turns out to like you, it'll even follow you home, sleep on your porch and bark at intruders for you. If you rent a jeep to go check out the island, it'll hop in the back, tail a waggin'. My friend Calvin meant to spend 2 weeks on Koh Pha Ngan and ended staying 6 weeks, getting a job and adopting a local dog that he named Saturday (because he found it on a Saturday). That's just how it is there, non Full Moon Party time. The whole place is like an instant home.

So show these cute little guys some love!

FREE WIFI SPOT! - The Outback Bar

photo via ollikkala.comAh, the Outback. It's on the east/west running 'Main St.' between Sunrise and Sunset beaches. Many a morning has been spent by me at said location soaking up the free Wifi. Oh yea, and they have bagels and cream cheese. Yay western carbs! The guy who's usually running the bar is this cool tattooed Irish guy who makes sure that the movie selection is prime. He once reprimanded one of the other workers for playing the news instead of Inglorious Basterds. You hear that? Basterds trumps News - Wanderlust Law. I would not suggest going for Wifi during busy nighttime hours though because the bitchy UK waitress doesn't appreciate someone taking up a seat who's only going to order one drink and use the internet. It's just a more pleasant environment, internet wise, if you attend during the daylight hours. But don't stay too long! You're on a beautiful island! Get out there!

 

Caution. These are not bottles of fruit punch. Do not drink them. These are bottles of fuel sold at most convenient stores and shops for people on mopeds. If you see a bottle on the beach resembling these pictured here, do not shout an exclamation announcing free juice. This public service announcement is brought to you by Christina Wanderlust.