Rijasa Homestay

Simple, excellent accommodation in a beautiful part of Bali. The restaurant is the best option for eating at Tirta Gangga, and offers much better value than the alternatives.

The bungalows are clean, the beds are comfortable, and in the hills it stays cool enough at night without AC. My bed had a blanket but no top sheet, though they happily brought me another when I asked. Prices are very good, probably because the place doesn't appear in Lonely Planet-style guidebooks. The older man who runs it was welcoming and even brought fresh flowers from his garden to my room after I checked in. He also offers guiding, but didn't push it. He saw my hiking boots and asked if I wanted to go with a guide, and left it at that. The location is convenient and great value, just across the road from the entrance to the water palace. The bungalows are set in a pretty garden. The larger deluxe ones have hot water and a spacious front porch with a sun lounger, table, and two chairs. They're mostly built in pairs, so one wall is shared, but I didn't hear much from next door, and a divider separates the porch areas. The smaller standard bungalows have cold water and a slightly smaller porch with chairs but no lounger. There was some traffic noise from the main road, though the town is so small I suspect you hear it almost anywhere. I was very happy with my stay.

It was very cheap, but I had a hard time sleeping because dogs barked all night and traffic kept passing in both directions around the home. I asked the woman about dogs the day before, and she said there weren't any. The next day, her husband told me guests often complain about them. Watch the taxi price to Amed too. She quoted 250k for a 45-minute trip, but the drive takes no more than 20 minutes, and 100k is already a very good price. I'm sure she gets a commission.

Clean room, pretty garden, and the owner and staff were lovely. The bistro was very cheap. For the price, it's good, but the bath wasn't nice and there was no flushing toilet. The road is nearby, so you hear traffic, and the bistro smelled of gasoline. Tirta gangga is right across the road.