merrilyanne

That price is high. Although I do like Thai airways, I just went from Singapore to Bali and return on Singapore Air for far less than $200. return and you are only flying one way. It is such a short flight, I don't think you need to worry about comfort or amenities. Trying clearing out your history, cache and cookies and do private browsing, and then search again as sometimes the online internet sites increase their prices because they monitor your cookies and history and up the price when you return to the site. And the airline sites themselves do not always have the lowest prices - search around.

Marilyn

The airport is Depensar airport in Bali - I just came back from Bali and met lots of people from London that flew on my Singapore Airlines flight. I was surprised at the fact that it was a very new airport and very nice and efficient.

I was picked up by my prearranged driver who was excellent and his price much lower than most of the others. If you need a good driver his contact info is: http://www.putudriverinbali.wordpress.com

call/sms: +62 81 805 671 005

putu.supartana@yahoo.com

He can take you from the airport to your hotel, or to the ship, or combine some sightseeing with either. He is very knowledgeable, has a good van with A/C and speaks good English and a good knowledge of Bali and its culture.

Marilyn

I desperately want to go to the Maldives also. But as most posters have mentioned, Male is not desirable and sitting at a resort on one island doesn't really show you the beauty of all of the islands. I ended up taking a cruise that went to the Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, etc. because very few cruise lines stop at the Maldives, and only for one day. Unfortunately to try to hop around the islands on your own is really expensive. I did find some very small boats/yachts that you could book to stay on that cruised around the islands, but it was very expensive and I am not sure if I want to be on such a small boat in a very tiny cabin/hole in the wall.

If you solve this dilemma, please post what you have found on here as I am determined to go as people say it is the most beautiful place in the world, and having been to the South Pacific and Bora Bora areas, and also the Seychelles, I tend to think the Maldives are superior.

Marilyn

I had Putu Supartana for five days while in Bali, including pick up and return to the airport. We drove all over Bali, exploring the entire island, usually for 10 hours a day. I would not have been able to see so much if it hadn't been for him. Not only his excellent driving skills, and excellent English, but he worked with me to plan each day's itinerary both before I left home and after I arrived. He has a great van with A/C and is very knowledgeable and helpful. Please consider him to pick you up in Benoa and take you around Bali, if you are arriving on a cruise ship. Best places to see are the Ubud area and the rice terraces and temples. I might add that his rates are extremely reasonable and his in depth knowledge of all aspects of Bali is invaluable. His contact info:

putu.supartana@yahoo.com

http://www.putudriverinbali.wordpress.com/

Marilyn

We had a wonderful local tour by a young local man called Alex Rymer at Mono Tours. 809-816-3248 email rorislamorena@hotmail.com He speaks three languages, is very accommodating and flexible and very reasonably priced. He has a very new van and great air conditioning. He went beyond the call of duty to take us to some interesting places. We drove quite a long way to Rincon Beach, mostly for a swim and for the scenery along the way, with the lagoon at one end, and a marvellous view and beach at the other end. He also took us to a local waterfall where children came out and jumped off the top into the pool below. It was nice just to see the countryside, mountains and lush vegetation along the way. We also went to his house to visit his lovely wife, son and new baby. I highly recommend him. Tell him Marilyn sent you.

I felt very safe and I think that the town has changed a lot in the past few years. I was there March 2015 and loved it. There are now rows of very colourful two storey Colonial shops and also a local market right on the waterfront. Ports change dramatically once the cruise lines sink money into the area. I have been in other ports and other countries where I felt more unsafe. As with any area, just use common sense.

We had a wonderful local tour by a young local man called Alex Rymer at Mono Tours. 809-816-3248 email rorislamorena@hotmail.com He speaks three languages, is very accommodating and flexible and very reasonably priced. He has a very new van and great air conditioning. He went beyond the call of duty to take us to some interesting places. We drove quite a long way to Rincon Beach, mostly for a swim and for the scenery along the way, with the lagoon at one end, and a marvellous view and beach at the other end. He also took us to a local waterfall where children came out and jumped off the top into the pool below. It was nice just to see the countryside, mountains and lush vegetation along the way. We also went to his house to visit his lovely wife, son and new baby. I highly recommend him. Tell him Marilyn sent you.

I felt very safe there - there is a nice new boardwalk along the waterfront from the tender dock to some new shops that look like two storey colourful Colonial houses. There is also a local market with the usual crafts and souvenirs right there. There are also two interesting churches. I found the people friendly and would go again. Anyone who did take a spur of the moment local tour, really enjoyed it. Also, some people travel up to various beach and resort areas that are all within an hour's drive.

We had a wonderful local tour in Samana by a young local man called Alex Rymer at Mono Tours. 809-816-3248 email rorislamorena@hotmail.com He speaks three languages, is very accommodating and flexible and very reasonably priced. He has a very new van and great air conditioning. He went beyond the call of duty to take us to some interesting places. We drove quite a long way to Rincon Beach, mostly for a swim and for the scenery along the way, with the lagoon at one end, and a marvellous view and beach at the other end. He also took us to a local waterfall where children came out and jumped off the top into the pool below. It was nice just to see the countryside, mountains and lush vegetation along the way. We also went to his house to visit his lovely wife, son and new baby. I highly recommend him. Tell him Marilyn sent you.

We had a wonderful local tour by a young local man called Alex Rymer at Mono Tours. 809-816-3248 email rorislamorena@hotmail.com He speaks three languages, is very accommodating and flexible and very reasonably priced. He has a very new van and great air conditioning. He went beyond the call of duty to take us to some interesting places. We drove quite a long way to Rincon Beach, mostly for a swim and for the scenery along the way, with the lagoon at one end, and a marvellous view and beach at the other end. He also took us to a local waterfall where children came out and jumped off the top into the pool below. It was nice just to see the countryside, mountains and lush vegetation along the way. We also went to his house to visit his lovely wife, son and new baby. I highly recommend him. Tell him Marilyn sent you.

I would say that you should go snorkelling as there is not anything that much to see on the island of Bonaire itself. I have been to over 160 countries and in my humble opinion the snorkelling off Bonaire is in the top 3 or 4 places in the world for seeing amazing sea life.

Not the greatest for a two year old. The water taxi is small and a bit hard to climb out if it is rough as there is no dock on the island. No shade and out in the sun and wind is not good for a little one, but you could go for just an hour or so. Nothing much to see there and not even a good swimming spot if you aren't snorkelling.

I agree. Very rocky near the shore but not very far at all before you get past the rocks. However, you only go out a very short distance and then you start snorkelling along a very steep drop off. This may not be good for nervous snorkelers, but the fish are fabulous. It is always a bit of a current/small waves, but that's what makes it a drift snorkel.

I always hang out at the Fort Young Hotel while in Dominica. It is almost in front of where the ship docks. When sitting on the patio at the hotel, the bow of the ship is right out in front. You definitely should be able to get a tour for 3 for $100., just keep bargaining and say "they are children" so you don't have to pay full price for your children. Dominica is very safe. If locals approach you on the street (other than the street vendors) it will be to tell you all about their island, not to beg for money or do anything ontoward. There isn't very much to see in the Botanical Gardens - mostly trees and more like a park and not a lot of time is needed there. Try to join others to share a van/tour and that will be much cheaper.

Many people on cruisecritic are on here to form groups to share taxis at the docks in ports all over the world. In Dominica, there will be many taxis at the pier and they will take you on their standard tours or where you want to go. You can bargain with them, but they try to stick together to all have the same price, and there is now a head person/dispatcher that tries to control who is going where and for how much. The locals are very honest, sincere, and to me, some of the friendliest people in the world. They love their island and like to tell you about it. I have never found a place in the world where there weren't local taxis to take advantage of the cruise ship business. Dominica has changed a lot in the last five years, as back then there weren't a lot of local taxis offering tours, but with the increasing number of ships arriving there, it has evolved.

Marilyn

I was there twice by chance, when Carnivale was going on. For a small island, it is a rocking event! It goes on for days. People parade through the streets for two days and nights straight. The costumes are amazing. People come from all over the world for this. The local children are dressed up for this with their hair braided with beads, so just to see all the locals is amazing. It gets kind of too much at night, as people are drinking all day in the streets.

Marilyn

Dominica is not really a beach destination. Mero beach is quite a drive out, and you would need to share a taxi. There are no buses that easily go there. It is a black sand beach and very hot on the feet and hot to sit there, even if the water feels cool sometimes. But that is your only option for a beach on Dominica. Dominica is more about the people, the waterfalls, the river tubing, the lush forests, hot bathes, etc. than the beaches. The Botanical Gardens are not like what we are used to - mostly trees with a main road going through the area - more like a park, with very few flowers. I am going back to Dominica in two weeks, but will not bother going to the beach, as I don't feel it is worth the drive/cost and I do not enjoy black, course, sand beaches.

Marilyn

You can get the local bus to the main road to Jolly Beach but depending on where you are going in Jolly Beach, it can be a very long walk. People use golf carts to get around because it is such a big area. Where the bus lets you off is not really close to the water. I wanted to go and check out the Jolly Beach compound, but everyone said it would be too much to walk in there from the road. Not sure your purpose in going there, but it is not one of the best beaches on the island and is more of an older development on an inland bay.

Marilyn

You walk down the pier to a touristy square right at the end of the pier, and then wind your way to the right for about 10 minutes on uneven and narrow sidewalks, to where the local fruit and vegetable market is, and the bus station is right across from the market. It is a main street you will be walking down. There will be lots of buses sitting there but not really a terminal or station. Just keep asking the locals, they are very quiet but very friendly and helpful. The bus lets you out at the road and you have to walk down a pathway/road but it is not far. Coming back, just stand by the side of the road and wave at any vans coming along that look like locals and that will be the bus you take back. I think the fare is now $3. WELL WORTH THE effort to see this beach. VALLEY CHURCH BEACH is the best kept secret in the Caribbean, if not the world. The colour of the water is so beautiful and changes constantly with the sun. I have been to over 160 countries and this is my favourite beach in the world. I stay at a condo sometimes in Antigua on Dickenson's Bay, just so I can keep going down to Valley Church beach. I am going on a cruise next week that will stop there and plan to take the local bus to the beach again. So unspoiled. I gather people together off the ship and take them there and they go crazy when we drive up to it and they see the colour of the water. No rocks or stones. very long sandy beach - white sand and hardly anybody there. Sometimes a sneaky wave will try to knock you over as you get out of the water, as there is a slight incline right at the waters edge, like many beaches have. The taxi drivers will take you further down to Darkenwood beach and try to tell you it is Valley Church beach, but it isn't.

Email me and I will send you photos and you can see exactly what it looks like. merrilyanne "at" hotmail and then a "dot" and com.

Marilyn

There really isn't too much to see or do there, so passengers and local tour guides, usually combine a visit there with going up to Shirley Heights and then to a beach. Most local tour guides only drop their passengers off for 3/4 to 1 hour, at Nelson's Dockyard, if that tells you anything.

Marilyn

You can easily do Mauritius on your own. Taxis are relatively cheap but you have to bargain and be aware of scammers. Just rent a taxi for the day, the island is easy to get around.

There are some expensive taxis right at the ship that have a monopoly and overcharge. But if you walk a short distance down a road, you will come to a road with cheaper taxis that aren't allowed in to where the ship is. I loved Mauritius, but there are a lot of taxi driver scammers, so beware.

Taxis are extremely inexpensive and readily available as both gas and vehicles are cheap. Dubai is small and you can easily do it on your own with a taxi driver. Customs are extremely strict in general.

I have been to FP and the Seychelles, and have done a lot of

research on the Maldives. The Maldives are supposed to be the most

beautiful islands in the world, and from the photos, I tend to agree.

But it is expensive, and also, because most upscale resorts are on

individual islands, it is hard and expensive to get a water taxi to take

you around to see the islands. So many people find themselves somewhat

isolated at their resort on their separate island. But if you look up all the

hotels on any of the travel sites, each one looks spectacular with white

sand beaches and aqua water surrounding them. Other than Bora Bora,

I didn't find Tahiti itself or some of the other islands, as scenic as they

didn't have as many sand beaches or atolls as the Maldives do. I say, if you have been to FP already, nothing to lose by going to the Maldives at least

once. It is the ultimate place to go in the world. How many people do you know that have gone to the Maldives? Very, very few. Good luck with your choice.

Marilyn

I have gone on many, many cruises, with many different companies, always alone and have met many life-long friends, including many couples. Couples

are friendly and included me and we often went off the ship together on excursions. Try to get "anytime" or "open" dining, so you can be seated with many others each night, as that is a good way to meet people. I am mid fifties, by the way.

I have just completed three cruises and got absolutely nothing from travel agents.