The best human being (and driver/guide) in BALI

[Mrs f.]

I just sent Dewa an email.  Hope I got the right person 😁

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Ask him the name of his parents in Canada. Please, post the reply.

The Canadians!😎

[Mrs f.]

Will let you know once he answers. Thanks so much.

[Mrs f.]

Just heard back from Dewa. He said yes he is the guide. He asked where we were from. Said almost 80%  have been vaccinated  with 2 doses plus booster.

 

Will it sound weird for me to ask the names of his Canadian  parents?

[cashmeremypuppydog]

I WhatsApp Dewa and you emailed the right person. He said you are visiting Bali in December. It's all good, you got the right wonderful Dewa. Enjoy your time in Bali!

The Canadians!😎

[Mrs f.]

Thank you so much.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

I recently contacted Dewa on Facebook messaging because someone on a November 2022  Oceania cruise asked for the name of the driver/guide we used.  Dewa was appreciative that I gave the person his info.  I imagine the long Covid shutdown was pretty hard for him.  But now Bali is open and the ships are going.  I'm so happy for that.  I wish I could go back, but I suppose that will never happen.  Anyway, if you're on Facebook, you may be able to just send him a Facebook message, either by writing on his page or by messaging him.  I don't think you have to be Facebook "Friends" to correspond by messaging.  In case there are two Dewa Dg folks, he's the one who's sitting down, sideways shot, with face turned.  

[Mrs f.]

So happy I saw this posting. I contacted Dewa last March. We've got him for 2 days in December. Very excited. He had some suggestions on what to see and says they could be changed if I want.

[Mrs f.]

Question  for a cruiser.....is it far from ship to outside the gate where he meets us?

[cashmeremypuppydog]

53 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Question  for a cruiser.....is it far from ship to outside the gate where he meets us?

If I remember currently, it is not far. If you have mobility issues, please tell Dewa and he will give you more info about it. 
I hope you can meet him and enjoy his nice personality! We last spent 2 weeks with him (on and off) for my 50th birthday in 2019. We miss him!
The Canadians!😎

 

[Mrs f.]

No mobility issues....just wondering. Thanks

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

When we used Dewa in Dec. 2019, he picked us up at the airport, with a sign.  When he dropped us off at the port for our cruise, he dropped us inside the port area.  He had to pay to get in the port area, but then was able to drive right down to the port terminal to drop us off with our luggage.  I don't know exactly where he meets people coming off the cruise (either at disembarkation or for a day tour) but I imagine right at the terminal.  The terminal and parking area are not huge, so even if you have to meet him outside, I wouldn't consider it a long walk to where he can park, at least not to let us off.  But you do NOT want any driver/guide who wants to pick you up outside the port entrance, which I believe has a fence - not walkable to that point!

 

At the airport, there were tons of guides and drivers holding up signs.  I suppose it COULD be similar at the port, though likely a lot fewer people.  At home, you may want to download/test (keeping large time difference in mind!) the whatspp app on your phone in case you need to call him at the port or elsewhere.  We never had to, but the app was good to have just in case.  I'm not good with phones when overseas.

 

Touring with Dewa, with the things we chose to do, we did not need much cash, and really not all that much money at all except for lunches, which we were able to charge.  However, once you have a tentative plan of what you want to do, you may want to ask him how to handle little things like admission, as I don't know how widely anything but rupiah is accepted.

 

He's very familiar with all the places tourists normally want to go, so he can advise you on which ones require the least/most walking, steps, etc.  Just keep in mind it is quite hot there, so you may not want to spend as much time outdoors walking around as you think you want to do initially!  I was a little bit overly optimistic, but in the end it worked out fine.  My spouse likes to do less, so he spent some time with Dewa, just talking and relaxing while I did a few things. 

 

Enjoy!

Edited June 22, 2022 by IWantToLiveOverTheSea

[cashmeremypuppydog]

17 minutes ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

When we used Dewa in Dec. 2019, he picked us up at the airport, with a sign.  When he dropped us off at the port for our cruise, he dropped us inside the port area.  He had to pay to get in the port area, but then was able to drive right down to the port terminal to drop us off with our luggage.  I don't know exactly where he meets people coming off the cruise (either at disembarkation or for a day tour) but I imagine right at the terminal.  The terminal and parking area are not huge, so even if you have to meet him outside, I wouldn't consider it a long walk to where he can park, at least not to let us off.  But you do NOT want any driver/guide who wants to pick you up outside the port entrance, which I believe has a fence - not walkable to that point!

 

At the airport, there were tons of guides and drivers holding up signs.  I suppose it COULD be similar at the port, though likely a lot fewer people.  At home, you may want to download/test (keeping large time difference in mind!) the whatspp app on your phone in case you need to call him at the port or elsewhere.  We never had to, but the app was good to have just in case.  I'm not good with phones when overseas.

 

Touring with Dewa, with the things we chose to do, we did not need much cash, and really not all that much money at all except for lunches, which we were able to charge.  However, once you have a tentative plan of what you want to do, you may want to ask him how to handle little things like admission, as I don't know how widely anything but rupiah is accepted.

 

He's very familiar with all the places tourists normally want to go, so he can advise you on which ones require the least/most walking, steps, etc.  Just keep in mind it is quite hot there, so you may not want to spend as much time outdoors walking around as you think you want to do initially!  I was a little bit overly optimistic, but in the end it worked out fine.  My spouse likes to do less, so he spent some time with Dewa, just talking and relaxing while I did a few things. 

 

Enjoy!

Excellent response!

[Mrs f.]

Thanks

[uncletanus]

I emailed Dewa to the Email address included in this topic.   I received a response back from a Dewa Gede which is a different last name that was provided by a poster.  Also Dewa Gede’s Facebook page has a different phone number that was provided by a poster.   Not sure if I have the right Dewa.  

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Hello,

What is the last name on the email? If it is Dewa Purwadinata

He might have changed his phone since I first posted…

Send me a private message with your name and I will make sure he got the right person. We should then update his phone number

Thank you for your question.

The Canadians!😎

[Mrs f.]

Dewa Gede is the one I have booked. I know he is the correct one since  "the Canadians "  that got friendly with him confirmed.  

[Mrs f.]

He is dgrock1140 if that helps.

[cashmeremypuppydog]

I emailed him and his phone number never changed: +6285238493089

His email address is still the same.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Have a wonderful trip in Bali. They need tourism!

The Canadians!😎

[Mrs f.]

10 hours ago, uncletanus said:

I emailed Dewa to the Email address included in this topic.   I received a response back from a Dewa Gede which is a different last name that was provided by a poster.  Also Dewa Gede’s Facebook page has a different phone number that was provided by a poster.   Not sure if I have the right Dewa.  

He sounds great . We have him booked for 2 days. Very excited.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

Just in case this helps anyone, I think pre-cruise we corresponded with Dewa using the dgrock1140 yahoo address, but if his last name was in the gmail address itself, I didn't see it.  But he gave us a card, and I think he listed two phone numbers on there.  One may have been his whatsapp number and one his cell number, but I forget.  If you're a Facebook user, you may be able to contact him initially by looking for him on there.  However, I would just use that as an initial contact with little information on your travels and name, just in case other drivers see your post and decide to offer their services!  I'm not saying that will happen, but I know that Dewa Gede is a common combination of names in Bali.  On a subsequent cruise, a waiter on Oceania from Bali was named Dewa.  I asked if his second name was Gede and he said it was!  (Ask Dewa about naming in Bali - it's interesting).  Anyway, here's the photo of Dewa that he currently has posted on Facebook, just in case there are similar Dewa's from Peliatan, Ubud on Facebook.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

12 hours ago, uncletanus said:

I emailed Dewa to the Email address included in this topic.   I received a response back from a Dewa Gede which is a different last name that was provided by a poster.  Also Dewa Gede’s Facebook page has a different phone number that was provided by a poster.   Not sure if I have the right Dewa.  

Not sure; see my post!

 

[diddlydi]

Hello fellow Canadians.  I emailed Dewa last night and as of yet I still have not heard from him. 

What part of Canada are you from? WE are from BC . 

I am not sure what time zone Dewa is in but. I am looking forward to hearing from him.

We will be going to Bali in November 2023. 

Thank you for sharing your story

 

 

Dianne

 

[cashmeremypuppydog]

1 minute ago, diddlydi said:

Hello fellow Canadians.  I emailed Dewa last night and as of yet I still have not heard from him. 

What part of Canada are you from? WE are from BC . 

I am not sure what time zone Dewa is in but. I am looking forward to hearing from him.

We will be going to Bali in November 2023. 

Thank you for sharing your story

 

 

Dianne

 

Hello Dianne,

We are from Saskatoon. We met Dewa already 7 years ago. Time flies.

Have a wonderful time in Bali. Are you stopping in Bali while cruising or are you spending a week or two in Bali? Lots to do. The rice terraces are so beautiful… we biked through them on a bicycle tour. I have found memories. Plus, we had a drink in the middle of a rice field…

You will love the culture. They are beautiful people.

Please, update this post after your return. This helps him tremendously.

The Canadians!😎

P.S. We have 12-hour difference. He will email you soon.

[diddlydi]

We are stopping over night on the Celebrity Edge. He has gotten back to me and he seems very nice. He is asking me where we would like to go and I have no idea. LOL . 

I have always wanted to go to Bali but don't know what to do when I get there. 

We have got 2 good days there. 8 am overnight till 5 pm the next day. 

Any suggestions will be appreciated. 

Dianne

P.S. My hubby is from Lintlaw Saskatchewan. Near Kelvington.