Ubud Friends Packages

t could have been better if separate pickup was arranged so that excessive waiting time could have been avoided by the first group members. The reason was the distance between the airport and the place of stay. The travel advisor could have arranged the itinerary in such a way that the first day was spent at a nearby place. Anyway, not a major issue. 2. Stay at Ubud: The property was good; the only issue was that it was not properly maintained. In two villas, the room fridge was not working. The next day, a mechanic was called, and he suggested replacement. Toiletries were not filled in before arrival; even the tea pouches were made available on request. Warm water was not available in some villas. The major issue was property selection; all members were entitled to equal amenities, whereas in fact, the villa configuration was different for two facilities. The tour organiser was aware of the same, and we were kept in the dark. 3. 07/09: The day was spent well. The driver arrived on time. No major issues. 4. 08/09: The sightseeing itinerary planning was OK. But faced issues at the new property. The rooms allotted were not accessible by lift, whereas members were having knee issues and were not OK with stairs. After a lot of persuasion, the rooms were shifted. It was specifically mentioned that since the group comprises senior citizens, either book the rooms on the ground floor or the lift should be accessible on the upper floor. If, after arrival, we have to manage that, why at all are we engaging a travel organiser is a moot question. 5. 09/09: The itinerary planning was poor. Returned to the hotel by around 3.30 pm; had to miss one scheduled activity as there was a gap of 3 hrs in the next item on the schedule, whereas the plan mentioned that it was till 8 pm. The planning was at fault. 6. While finalising the itinerary, the organiser missed one major activity of bali swing. It is an iconic activity associated with Bali. Don't know why it was not included. Secondly, in the itinerary, there is a reference to a volcano visit which was not covered. Further, at Nusa Penida: In the itinerary, it was mentioned to keep IRD 25K per person for the broken bridge, but we were taken to two places where, at each place, the entry fee of 25K was demanded, and we were short of cash. The driver had no idea about the speedboat, dropped us at a location too far away, and we had to walk more than one kilometre, whereas the nearest parking was available within walking distance (say, 50-100 meters) 7. 11/09: Early morning (4 AM) departure to the airport was not well coordinated. 8. Last but not least: In a foreign country, the driver is the sole communicator between travellers and the local community. We were told the driver cum guide would be English-speaking. We can understand the limitation, but communication skills are a critical factor and needs serious improvement. Being professional is different, but travellers need a companion during the trip, which was a major miss. Summary: We enjoyed the trip, but the experience could have been better. I would say that we deserve compensation for the deficiency of services we faced during the trip to restore our confidence in Travel Triangle to assign our future trips (this was 3rd trip we organised through Travel Triangle)

all our queries before and during the trip. They were always available to assist us with platform-related questions, payments, vouchers, etc. A special thanks to Avishek from Kalpana Tours for managing our itinerary so well, accommodating our requirements, and always being available to resolve our queries—even at midnight (India time). The support from Avishek and his team truly made our trip more memorable. Overall, the service from Travel Triangle and Kalpana Tours was excellent. However, we did observe a few areas of improvement—more as suggestions for future Bali travelers: 1. Our stay at Legian Paradiso Hotel in Kuta was very good. The service, breakfast, and overall ambience were up to the mark, and I would highly recommend it. However, our experience at Prayatna Villas Ubud (private pool villa) was disappointing. The breakfast options were extremely limited (only one veg/egg option), portions were minimal, and even extra bread was chargeable. There was no staff available between 11 PM and 7 AM for any assistance, which could be risky in emergencies. Some basic amenities were also missing, and the location is quite remote. I would not recommend this property. 2. Our assigned driver initially tried to rush through the itinerary and was reluctant to cover some en-route places. After raising the concern with him and later with Avishek’s local team, the issue was resolved and the driver became cooperative. 3. Suggestion for travelers: If your plan is to relax at the hotel, a 10 AM start is fine. But if you want to explore Bali fully, it’s better to leave by 9 AM, as sunsets are early and markets in many places close by then. Despite a few stressful moments (which are quite normal in any trip), our overall experience was smooth and enjoyable. Whenever we reached out to Avishek, he was always available with quick solutions, regardless of the time. Avishek, Minshu, and Ritu were extremely helpful throughout, and I would definitely recommend their services for a Bali trip. Looking forward to planning my next trip with them again.

late at different spots. He was super helpful throughout the journey and made our trip stress-free.

e. That is a big negative point. But, the staff behaviour of the hotel was very good, they were attentive and very supportive. The staff behaviour won our heart. Also, they provided best and authentic quality food. Drivers were cooperative. Dinner at Jimbaran beach.

r sure!! i had to struggle with checkin and seat booking and i was not told about airlines till it was booked. Also i wish we did Ubud first and then kuta as returning from ubud to airport was a long trip and we hardly got any time left to go to lounge , eat and do any last minute shopping at the airport. it was such a touch and go from ubud to airport. Someone needed to have thought through this better!! Good points were- Ubud stay , currency support given , hotel booked .

g receiving the vouchers and initial coordination, went smoothly. However, the actual experience during the trip was far from satisfactory. We were two families traveling together, and the biggest issue started with the execution on ground. We were assigned a driver who was also supposed to act as our guide. While the driver during our stay in Kuta and Ubud was polite, he had no guiding knowledge whatsoever — he was merely a driver. Due to this lack of guidance, we missed out on a couple of important places on our itinerary. For example, one evening we were taken to a temple and reached there at 7:05 PM, only to be told it was closed at 7:00 PM. What was disappointing is that we had stopped on the way for 20–25 minutes, and the driver didn’t inform us about the closing time. That resulted in a complete waste of 3 hours (1 hour to the temple and 2 hours back to the hotel). Another instance was at Tanah Lot. Although we reached the destination, we were taken to a different side of the area, completely missing the more iconic and beautiful view from the main side. Again, the lack of guidance played a role in this mishap. The most troubling part of our trip was at Nusa Penida. The driver there was extremely unprofessional and borderline threatening in his behavior. As tourists, we rely on local operators for information and direction. If something is not aligned with their plans, it should be communicated politely and respectfully. Instead, his tone and behavior were completely unacceptable and made us feel uncomfortable and unsafe. We also saw how other tourists were treated by their drivers and felt extremely disappointed with our choice. In hindsight, choosing Tour Hunters through Travel Triangle turned out to be a grave mistake. What should have been a joyful and memorable trip became frustrating and disappointing in many aspects.

or them. Will definitely recommend! Ubud villas, smooth activities and execution