During my most recent trip to Bali, I had a lot of adventures planned for my friends and I. One of them was quad biking. I only organised this a few weeks prior to the trip after we decided to do this instead of going to Waterbom Park. My email response from the company owner, Shifty, was prompt and we were booked in. We were booked in for the morning session which meant a bright and early 7:00 pick up.
When we arrived, we were introduced to the company owner, Shifty, before reading the safety instructions and signing a waiver. What I liked about the company was the big emphasis on safety and fun. Shifty made it clear: this was not a place to be stupid with the quad bikes unless you wanted 400 kilos rolling on top of you. After a quick instruction of how to use the bikes, we were off. We rode down to the beach first, which of course meant no traffic. This gave us a good chance to get comfortable with the bikes and slowly start to pick up speed. Along the beach was the only place we actually got up to a considerable speed, because we had the space to spread out and zoom along at whatever speed we were comfortable with. The rest of the ride took place along rice fields and through a local village. Because we were either going along a not so wide dirt track or on the road with other traffic, we went quite slow. The scenery throughout the ride was just beautiful; the endless green of the ricefields, the dark sand of the beach with the waves crashing on the shore and the quiet roads of the village.
A couple of small things that I thought the company could address and adjust were, firstly, the introduction of the guides. Shifty introduced himself as soon as we stepped out of the car, but the guides that were with us on the ride didn't introduce themselves until half way through. Not everyone will feel the same, but I like to get to know the guides, whether it be with stand up paddle boarding, white water rafting or riding an elephant, but being on quad bikes doesn't exactly give you the opportunity to chat. Secondly, I felt there was a bit of an inconsistency with how we were all shown how to use the bikes. For example, I was shown by Shifty and as I had ridden quad bikes before, I was comfortable with it. A couple of my friends, who hadn't ridden quad bikes before, were shown by the guides and didn't feel nearly as comfortable with them. With the big emphasis on safety at the beginning, I think this could have been better followed through with clearer instructions on how to use them. Apart from these very small things, my friends and I loved the quad biking. It was a great way to have a bit of fun and admire some of the beautiful Bali scenery.
I've been asked a few questions about the quad biking and I'll do my best to answer them.
- Would it be suitable for children?
Yes. The tour allows you to always go at a speed that you're comfortable with, and as previously mentioned, the only time we actually had an opportunity to speed up was along the beach. Tandem bikes are available so mum or dad can do the driving while the kids sit behind and enjoy the ride. 1 hour rides are also available.
- Did you think it was good value for money?
Whenever someone asks me if I think something was good value for money, I always consider how much it would cost to do the same thing in Australia. For hotel pick-up and drop-off, about a 2 hour ride on the bikes, drinks and an Aussie Bali Adventures singlet, the price was $85 per person. Do I think this was good value for money? Definitely.
- Which time slot would you recommend booking in for?
We were booked for the morning session which meant a 7:00am pick up, but in the end, we were very thankful for this, firstly because although we did an early session, it was hot and we all got sunburnt. Doing a later session would have meant it was even hotter. Secondly, it meant we were back by 11:30 and still had the whole afternoon ahead of us. I would definitely advise getting up a bit earlier for the first session of the day.
- Did you feel safe?
Yes, we all felt safe. As an Australian owned and run company, the bikes are all kept in top condition and serviced regularly. This was a big factor in my decision to book with them, because you can never be too careful especially when overseas
- Would you do it again?
Definitely. My friends and I had a great morning and got to see another beautifully scenic area of Bali. Aussie Bali Adventures have some great packages available, including horse riding, dirt biking (experienced riders only) and sunset tours. Having full confidence in the company, I would love to look into one of their packages for the future.
If there's anything else you'd like to know, please feel free to send me a message either via my contact page or on my Facebook page.
Please note that the ATV's of Aussie Bali Adventures has recently been taken over by Bali Island Horse. It is held in the same location and is still owned and run by an Australian. To make a booking, go here.
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