I want to go back to Bali for two reasons and none of them are the clear beaches or breathtaking sunsets. It is actually a person and a brand of beer that we exclusively get in Bali. If you’re looking to ditch the travel agencies and plan your itinerary individually, the best private driver in Bali has got to be Wayan Murdiarta.
My sister went through thousands of online reviews to shortlist this person who was well-reviewed. But what we experienced with Wayan was beyond what reviews can tell.
Some people deserve blog posts in their name, as their stories might never be told otherwise. And that is my initiative with the category of Vocal Guides.
Here I share my personal experiences about the people who can help you navigate a city, who can assist you with shopping experiences, and be the best guide.
The journey of Vocal Guides started with Wayan because he is the first person I can think of and because Bali initiated my travel journeys before Jaipur manifested the same.
Personal Experience with Private Driver in Bali
Day 1
Wayan picked us up from Denpasar airport, and we three over-enthusiastic sisters thought an overnight flight wasn’t going to make us lose the day.
Instead of going right to the hotel, we started off with our tour. Since we had booked Wayan for the day, we didn’t want to waste our time.
Our Bali driver for a day helped us get to a good place to exchange money, and we ensured we got the right amount. Since Bali is known for scams associated with international money exchange, we wanted to be sure of where we got our dollars converted.
Next, we went straight to an eatery, tasted the best banana pancake, changed our clothes and headed to Tanah Lot.
Since our hotel was far away from this site, we went there before our hotel check-in.
By now, we had already matched the vibe with Wayan, as he was super fun to be around. Here is why Wayan is the best driver in Denpasar.
On a trip where you’re travelling for leisure, you will want someone who not only knows the places he is taking you but also is equally enthusiastic about having you.
Wayan greeted us with my sister’s name on a placard to welcome us. He stopped for us in places where we just wanted to click photographs. His love for Bollywood movies, especially the song Coca Cola Tu instantly resonated and made our road trip musically entertaining.
All in all, Wayan makes me want to go back to Bali and share a bottle of Bintang.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to go there again, but here are more places that Wayan took us and the complete services we rendered.
Day 2
Wayan picked us up from our stay at Anahata Villas and Spa Resort and took us to Tegalalang Rice Terrace. It is famous for the swing, where you can either sit alone or with a companion. We took some killer photos here (photos where my cousin could roll down the rice terrace).
Our next location was Pura Tirtha Empul. Here is where you can bathe in the holy waters and feed fish before moving to Kintamani View Point for lunch.
Here we had Balinese food with the most picturesque view in front. Found out about how the mountain of Kintamani came into being and asked Wayan if we should try out the trek. He very sweetly told us that me and my sibling don’t seem fit enough to do this trek and we should choose other options. And he was right!
We clicked lots of pictures, tried exotic fruits, and changed our clothes before moving to the next stop. Our next destination was Luwak Coffee Bali Plantation. Yes! This is where you get to taste Bali’s famous poop coffee with a variety of many more types of beverages. A guide helped us understand how they use Luwak excreta to process it into fine coffee.
It was almost evening, and we had time to go to one more place. So, we ended our day at Gunung Kawi temple. You must note, there are lots of stairs to go down to explore the holy place.
Day 3
On day 3, we went river rafting. Wayan picked us up a little late as we only had one activity to do on that day. We availed the service by Toekad Rafting, and Wayan waited for us as we took our time to go through the experience.
The rafting expedition starts after you go down at least 100+ stairs, and you must be prepared for this before you go. The water isn’t steep and is comparatively calm. We were supported by an expert on the raft who ensured we were safe.
After the experience, we had our lunch in the same place and headed to Ubud for a spa. We also visited a temple around the area and hopped through some shops.
After our spa session, Wayan dropped us back at our hotel.
Day 4
After day 3, we went to Gili Trawangan and stayed there for two days. We went back to Bali and chose to stay in Seminyak.
While we explored the place by ourselves for one day, and booked Wayan again for the last day. He took us to Uluwatu Temple, and that’s how we ended our Bali trip.
Why choose this private driver in Bali?
Wayan is just a fun person to be around. I am not lying when I say I want to go back to Bali only to meet him. He has been entertaining, nice, courteous, and adorable. Wayan is a family man with wife and kids whose pictures and videos he keeps sharing on Facebook.
I am in touch with him and wish I could have helped him during the pandemic when his work was most impacted. Since I couldn’t do anything for him this is my small tribute to him to grow his future clientele.
If you’re looking for the best private driver in Bali, Wayan is the one to depend on for Denpasar. These are his contact details.
If you avail of his services through me, just tell him I said hi!
Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/Balitourismbywayan
Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/balitourismby/
Phone Number: +6287761681619
Wayan, is amazing. Best tour guide and friend now. He Made our trip to Bali Perfect. So happy and funny and knows his country. His cultural knowledge and private tours, he embraced us and we feel like family now.It was the most amazing trip ever. His dedication made our 4 day trip so enjoyable. I highly recommend my clients to him as well.