testimonials

tripadvisor member 
    
    
   

SubsonicSounds

Perth, Australia 

Great Driver for Tours - Ketut Suwendra

Jan 20, 2013, 9:06 PM

Myself and my partner have just returned from a 7 day trip to Bali.

While in Ubud, we used TripAdvisor to look for a driver to hire for a day trip to see some touristy spots around the Island. My sister also recommended Ketut Suwendra, so we sent him a email at 9pm on Monday night asking if he is free all day on Wed. He replied instantly with some ideas on where to go and what to see, plus his prices which were very reasonable. He took him up on his offer and asked to be picked up at 9:30am.

On Wed we checked out of our Villa and went to reception where Ketut was waiting at 9:00am. Very promptly on time! He had driven 1.5 hours from Denpasar!

We hit the road and instantly we knew Ketut was a safe and friendly driver. Never at one point did we feel unsafe. His car is a nice Toyota Family Van and is very tidy, cold aircon and rides on the bumpy Bali roads comfortably.

He took us to see some great places including wood carvings, the rices terraces, the Volcano and Lake. We had Lunch overlooking the volcano at a little cheap restaurant that he recommended over the expensive tourist places. After lunch down the hill and we came across a Police road block. Ketut handled the situation very well, as he has all the required licences the Police did not hassle him or us for a "fine". (Drivers require a Indo Car Licence, a Licence to carry passengers and a Motorbike Licence. Lots of Drivers we saw did not have the Passenger Licence).

Ketut then took us a great temple and then to a school so my partner (a teacher) could see all the kids leaving for the day and jumping on their motorbikes to head home. He then took us to a safe money exchange and great supermarket. Then to Legian for our second hotel.

Ketut spoke good English and was full of culture. We learnt more about Bali in 1 day with Ketut then we did on the whole trip.

We highly recommend him.

To contact him we used email.

Email - iketutsuwendra45@gmail.com

Mobile - 08179781331 local, +628179781331 from overseas

Website - http://discoverbalidriver.blogspot.com/ or http://iketutsuwendra.blogspot.com/

Cheers,

Phil and Tara

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aimee_fe  
     
    

tripadvisor member 

date posted 13 Aug 2012

australia   

“Exellent Bali Driver - Ketut Suwendra”

Reviewed 13 August 2012

My partner and I visted Bali for the first time in August 2012, and we engaged Ketut to drive us around to all the attractions in Bali. Ketut was friendly, reliable, always on time, spoke english well, and told us a lot about Bali's culture. He knew all the good attractions, helped us planned where to go each day and drove safely. He also went to the trouble of researching our villa and telephoning ahead to let them know we were coming, when we went to stay at a villa in the middle of the rice fields.

He has a large, relatively new and aircondioned Toyota which was very comfortable. He also has all the required licences (drivers licence, car licence and licence to carry tourists) so we did not get stopped at all by the police. I would highly recommend Ketut to anyone wanting a good reliable driver in Bali.

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tripadvisor member 

     

Suzanne_Veen

Eindhoven, The...

posts: 1

reviews: 16

Looking for a good private driver in Bali?

01 November 2010, 19:08

If you're looking for a good private driver during your stay on Bali contact I Ketut Suwendra (iketutsuwendra45@gmail.com or by phone 08179781331). Ketut helped us out a lot during our stay and showed us some beautiful places. Also, he drives very safely!

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bali forum post

akbali

India

posts: 1

reviews: 5

Beautiful place, peaceful, calm getaway

01 June 2011, 9:12

We stayed at the Royal Bali beach club in Sanur. Very clean, friendly staff and very very comfortable. We had engaged a driver Ketut Suwendra to show us around Bali. He actually made this trip worth the while. Planned the whole week, gave us all the info needed about any place and was a big help with any thing we asked for. Very Very friendly and helpful person charging reasonable rates. Thanks Ketut. The beach in Sanur is good and had several eating joints. It is close toUbud where we get to see a lot of places and also the Nusa Duabeach, denpasar, Kuta. But sanur is not as touristy as the other places

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Recommended Driver 
     

18 May 2011, 23:38

Casper2700  

Brisbane, Australia

posts: 

Hi all,

We (myself and 6 friends) have recently returned from an 11 day trip to Bali.

Before leaving, we used Trip Advisor to research drivers for hire. The first driver we contacted was Made Sukarma, and his details are listed in the "recommended drivers" post in this forum.

Made was great, but unfortunately the second day we wanted to use his services, his young daughter fell ill and was hospitalised (she was feeling better a few days later!).

Made immediately made arrangements for his younger brother, Ketut Suwendra, to pick us up.

We found Ketut to be just as friendly, helpful, honest and reliable as Made. His English was clear and easy to understand, and his vehicle (which seats 7 passengers) was always clean.

Ketut charged us the same rates as Made - 300,000RP for half-day, 400,000RP for full day.

We stayed in Tuban (South Kuta) and as Ketut is based in Denpasar, he was always on time.

If you're looking for a good driver who you can trust in Bali, I highly recommend Ketut!

Contact Details:

Email - iketutsuwendra45@gmail.com

Mobile - 08179781331 local, +628179781331 from overseas

Website - http://discoverbalidriver.blogspot.com/ or http://iketutsuwendra.blogspot.com/

Cheers,

Adam

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Private driver

Peter J 
     

Stratford, Australia

posts: 2

Oct 12, 2012, 3:11 AM

I can highly recommend Ketut Suwendra for a private driver in Bali. Ketut will take you where ever you need to go and wait as long as needed. I have used Ketut on several occasions while in Bali. The first time we met unbeknown to me my phone fell out of my pocket and I thought it was gone for good. Ketut found it the next day and phoned a friend and he delivered it back to me. He is honest and speaks excellent english. He is a very safe driver and a pleasant genuine person. He can be contacted by email - iketutsuwendra45@gmail.com or phone 08179781331

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Recommended Driver in bali

Jan 16, 2013, 10:09 PM

dsvn

Hong Kong, Chin

Hi there, I would like to recommend Ketut Suwendra. A very responsible driver and friendly too. I had my first day tour with Ketut and his suggestions were great. Managed to communicate well enough and he's rather flexible with schedules.

Had him on the second day too. Very reliable indeed. Please visit his websites for more information:

www.iketutsuwendra.blogspot.com

www.discoverbalidriver.blogspot.com

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1. Re: Van drivers with Air Con recommendations

Apr 26, 2013, 8:47 AM

baygalQueensland  
     

Queensland  

posts: 487

reviews: 1

you could try Made Sukarma. His website has some tours on it for information for you as well.

http://www.balidiscoveryexperience.com/

He works as a team with his brother Ketut Suwendra www.iketutsuwendra.blogspot.com

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Bali trip

paulsmith1
Member 
Join Date: Apr 2008

I'm just back from Bali 4D3N. I enjoy very much because I have a very nice driver. My friend recommend me to him. He can plan and recommend you all the places of interest. You can view is blog below..... He is a very honest guy  

pls contact........

www.iketutsuwendra.blogspot.com or

discover bali

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Posted by bluejose

on Saturday, 26. November 2011 at 22:50 Bali Time:

In Reply to: bali drivers posted by kizz on Tuesday, 15. November 2011 at 15:25 Bali Time:
We just came back from Bali & hired Ketut as private driver. He is someone who is friendly, honest and patient. His charges are very reasonable & his service is definately worth for you to consider.
You can call him or email him in English. iketutsuwendra45@gmail.com &
Mobile: 08179781331 bali local, or +628179781331 overseas.


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2. Re: Great Driver for Tours - Ketut Suwendra 

May 17, 2013, 4:16 AM

Aggie M

Perth

posts: 7

reviews: 26

Hi

I can't recommend Ketut Suwendra more highly and am committed to posting as many reviews on him so he does well but hopefully not too well that we can't hire him in future! :)

Ketut Suwendra: Safe and honest driver

I prefer to book my own driver as the quality of service differs so markedly in terms of safety. In 2012 and recently this April/May 2013, I used Ketut Suwendra from Discover Bali Driver (www.discoverbalidriver.blogspot.com or www.iketutsuwendra.blogspot.com and email iketutsuwendra45@gmail.com & by phone number 08179781331 local here, +628179781331 overseas).

I'm stunned that there is no review for Ketut Suwendra. I have used him many times and each proved to be the right choice. I find Ketut to be a very safe driver who is professional, patient and punctual.

First time in Bali in 2012, I actually got him through his brother, Made, which indicates he is trustworthy. Ketut took us around Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, then to the Kecak Dance in Uluwatu, at his recommendation. It was stunning! We were very late getting back but Ketut remained flexible amiably. My son had fallen asleep at lunch and Ketut babysat him while we grabbed lunch.

On a second excursion, both Made and Ketut were booked so I tried another company. It was then I realised the difference in service. The other driver was preoccupied with the next day's itinerary and kept checking his sms! I was so nervous that I couldn't nod off despite being tired.

When I planned this 2013 trip, I made sure I booked Ketut once my itinerary was sorted. I wanted to stay in Lovina so used the trips to and fro for sight-seeing. On the journey there I wanted to include the Munduk drive as I had read it was scenic. I was indeed relieved it was Ketut driving as that route is steep with fish-hook turns all the way. It was also raining. Ketut concentrated hard and was extra cautious.

On route he also recommended a stop at Coffee Break in Bedugul which was more than a coffee tasting place. It was educational and had other herbs labelled in the garden. We found that really interesting and wouldn't have bothered to include if not for Ketut.

He chose a scenic spot to stop for lunch as he had picked up by then that I am camera-happy. We got some of the best pics of Lake Bratan without having to pay fees. The warung was well located and reasonably priced.

Ketut is not one to pour out tourist info like a textbook but he listens well as we chat and intuitively makes suggestions along the way. I prefer to chat about life in Bali, his family, etc and read up the tourist info online! He is informative no doubt about local info that you can't find online. I prioritised safety over info-overload, as is often the case with tourist guides.

On our return journey, Ketut was well prepared and punctual. He took us to Gitgit and to the falls appropriate for our kids. He also knew my fascination with padi fields! :) That stop offered more than the falls.

I wanted to go to Jatihluwih and explained my disappointment withTegalalang on last year's second excursion with other driver. Tegallang was so commercialised and packed that it was hard to get pics without ppl in the background. He asked if I would like to have the Jatihluwih views without the crowd and fees. I went with his suggestion and it proved amazing. We had views, food and a manicured garden to photograph. There was also a bale set up with a tinglik that my boys played on later.

At another coffee tasting place, Ketut explained it was a good one for price though it didn't provide an educational tour.

All through, Ketut would always offer choices for meal breaks - price, setting, taste - instead of taking us where he gets the highest commission.

We used Ketut again in the city. When he realised we were just using him as an expensive taxi service, he told us the taxi fare equivalent to save us money. Even when we wanted to tip him, he discounted the tip and said the half day fare was sufficient!

When we wanted to go on a date, my husband booked Ketut straightaway to take our boys on a tour of their own.Yes, he can be trusted to that extent. Ketut took them all round on a cultural tour and to the night zoo. My husband left him with a wad of AUDs but Ketut was so careful with what he spend, and how he accounted for the expenditure, that we were amazed. He never once took advantage of the responsibility he was laden with. My sons keep stating that day with Ketut as their best day in Bali.

The other aspects of Ketut is his punctuality and professionalism. He rings up your accommodation on his own volition, to check location, etc.

Ketut now has a nicer, larger car with great suspension so it is more comfy than the smaller cars for hire.

Lastly, Ketut is unassuming which may explain why this site has no review yet. We would not hesitate to recommend him and will certainly book him again in Bali. We consider Ketut to be family and friend now. I'm happy to help with any other detail you may have.

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Julia writes in Cars, Bikes & Driving

Hi,.... 

I will come to Bali this summer with my best friend and we will certainly need a driver time to time for the day or maybe even several days in a row to discover Bali.Can we have some recommendations about drivers you have been using that speak English and are honest and can show us all the best of Bali not only tourist attractions.
Thanks a lot.

Posted on: 24/04/2012 at 12:50 


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1. Re: Great Driver for Tours - Ketut Suwendra 

Apr 14, 2013, 8:11 AM

makiely

Queensland

posts: 27

reviews: 7

Agree with everything said above. I'm in bali now with my husband and 2yr old daughter. Ketut has taken us out for 2 days now.

He is very reliable and safe driver. He has a baby seat for our daughter. He has also sat with her in the car with ac for a few minutes whilst we have been in a shop.

Highly recommend him, especially if you have small children and still want to do some sightseeing

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KenandBarbiedoBali
Darwin, Australia

“This guys genuine and a great driver” 

5 of 5 starsReviewed March 23, 2014
Once again had the pleasure of Ketut's company for a trip to Ubud and around. He is a great driver- knows how to avoid the traffic jams and took my friends and took my friends and I to some great spots, esp a gallery where we bought some truly beautiful original art(did not see anything like this artists work anywhere)
Thanks Ketut, the girls and I enjoyed the day

Visited March 2014 

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Kim T
Singapore, Singapore
1 review

“Fantastic driver and great with kids!”
5 of 5 starsReviewed February 4, 2014 via mobile
Ketut is extremely patient and ever willing to fit to all your requests and requirements whenever he could. He listens attentively and caters to what you need. Traveling with a 3 year old kid can be challenging but a good driver like Ketut makes a whole lot of difference. Thanking for making our trip a success! Your safe driving skills also makes us feel assured! 

Visited February 2014 

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Carey H
Okinawa

“Best driver in Bali!”
5 of 5 starsReviewed February 2, 2014 via mobile
We just got back from a week long vacation in Bali. We used Ketut from the very first day that we were arrived there. He is courteous, punctual, knowledgable and kind. He will take you to local places and is aware of prices, so that you have options in choosing your activities. Nice, roomy car with AC. He drives smoothly and doesn't take unnecessary chances wit traffic. He goes above and beyond meeting expectations! Will use him when we go back!

Visited February 2014 

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Denis 
Jurien Bay, Australia

“Fantastic Bali Driver”
5 of 5 starsReviewed December 7, 2013 

KETUT IS THE BEST BALI DRIVER! 

Really made my holiday extra special!
I have traveled in Bali a number of times and tried a few different private drivers. I must say that Ketut is by far the best I have had the pleasure to engage. A really genuine nice guy with a late model air conditioned Toyota that was always spotless!
From the first contact via email Ketut was easy to deal with, answering all my questions in detail and providing pricing for my itinerary.
Ketut is based in Ubud but happy to travel afar, even staying overnight when needed. I traveled to North Bali where I stayed for a number of days and Ketut made the journey a pleasure by providing loads of great information about the sights, Bali culture and points of interest along the way whilst stopping at scenic spots and amazing restaurants with top food & views to take your breath away.
Ketut looked after us like a close friend from the moment we met at the airport. He was extremely helpful, polite and flexible to our needs. It was no problem to drive us for hours in the day then return to our villa to take us to dinner no matter how late we stayed out. Ketut also provided great suggestions on things to do and see, where to shop, eat and safely change money.
After North Bali we stayed in Ubud. As we had come to think of Ketut as a great companion we suggested we meet his wife whilst in Ubud. This was a lovely experience, Ketut's wife Kadek was warm and welcoming - what a great couple!
I have stayed in email contact with Ketut since returning home and plan to always use him as my Bali driver in the future. Having the same great driver for the whole of a holiday is certainly the way to go. It makes your holiday experience so much better! I thoroughly recommend Ketut to anyone who really wants to enjoy their time in Bali with a safe, reliable, honest driver who caters to all your needs.

Visited November 2013 

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Penta-Seattle
Seattle, Washington 

tripadvisor members

“Another Wonder in Bali”
5 of 5 starsReviewed September 24, 2013
After researching Trip Advisor, we took up the suggestion of hiring a driver for the day, and Ketut specifically. His service was impeccable. We created our own tour and made flexible stops. He promptly picked us up at our hotel in a late model, comfortable clean car. Communication to make the arrangements was all done by email. He was able to suggest eating places that we would never of found on our own and subtley infused the Balinese culture as we inquisitly discussed daily life we observed as we passed through our surroundings. Look him up while in Bali. His service is reliable and Ketut is a honest and very personable fellow.


Visited September 2013 

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kholtslag
Singapore, Singapore

“Excellent driver”
5 of 5 starsReviewed September 18, 2013
On a last minute trip to Bali, I was looking for a driver to tour us around the island as we only had one day. 
I found Ketut's information on various forums on Tripadvisor and decided to e-mail him. Within an hour I received his comprehensive reply in which he already recommended a couple of places to visit.
He arrived at the hotel early to pick us up and made a plan with us. During the day he was forthcoming in providing us with information, making changes to our initial plan to suit our needs and interests. 
All in all, booking Ketut made for an amazing day- we saw a lot of interesting sites and ate at amazing local venues thanks to him. I'd recommend him to anyone!

Visited September 2013 

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khchin312
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

“Polite and Reliable”
5 of 5 starsReviewed September 17, 2013
Ketut has been helpful whenever we need advice on what/where to eat.
I've wrote to Ketut before we've confirmed on his service and he gave some humble opinion but not forcing us to go to particular shops.

It was good time with Ketut during the journey and he always brought us to place that more local and less commercial in term of price and also people. 

Furthermore, he still helped us to find back our staff that we've left in SPA even it's not his duty to do that.

Visited September 2013 

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KenandBarbiedoBali
Darwin, Australia

“Polite reliable driver”
5 of 5 starsReviewed September 4, 2013
We used Ketut as a driver twice during our recent stay. 
He was punctal, very polite and pleasant. A very careful driver, and courteous to other road users. He was happy to talk and tell us about Bali, but not too chatty.
He was very clever at getting thru and around the traffic jams. It was much more relaxing to be driven around by someone who knew the roads than to try to drive ourselves. 
On the first day he got us to our destination early despite massive traffic and a fire along the route, and called the spa to ensure he was going to the correct place, which was hard to find. He was happy to wait until we were ready to leave. 
We also went on a tour for a full day, and Ketut was great at suggesting places to go, how long it would take and discussing various options. 
As mentioned above the coffee plantation was nice, and the temples we went to beautiful and not crowded. He also took us to a great restaurant in Ubud, and a couple of less known viewing spots to avoid the crowds, and we were lucky to get to lots of spots ahead of other groups.
It was pleasant to spend the day in his company and I highly recomend him to other travellers.
Regards 
Rebecca

Visited August 2013  

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Lin L
Vilnius, Lithuania

“With Ketut Suwendra - easy to know Bali”
5 of 5 starsReviewed August 15, 2013
Hi, 
I have recently visited Bali - the wonderful island of Indonesia. For some reasons, I was travelling alone, and felt not very comfortable to get around the island by myself, that is why, before leaving for Bali, I was looking for a private driver to get safely to various famous / beautiful places in Bali. My college recommended Ketut, I wrote him my expectations, he answered at once with the perfect plan for visiting places - in one day I saw so many that I wouldn't be able to do by myself in few days! Ketut was very punctual (pick me up from hotel) , showed where we could go, in one day we even managed to reach Volcano in Kintamani, all way to this place he was telling me a interesting things about Bli, about people in Bali, it was a very interesting trip, I saw more not like a tourist, but as a local guy, we stopped anywhere I asked, or he recommended, that was worth to see, in one day we visited coffee plantation (highly recommend to do this during Your staying in Bali), rice terraces, Volcano, Monkey forest, even the traditional house of Balinese, Ketut waited for me in every stop, and I was feeling safe. The driving conditions in Bali is rather difficult, narrow roads, lot of motorbikes, but Ketut is a very good driver! So all in all, if You are going to visit Bali, my best recommendations - call to Ketut, and You will have all service in one - safe driver, interesting guide, local protection (in case), wonderful trip and impressions in sightseeing for a reasonable (low) price! (phone number 08179781331)

Visited August 2013

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Mariel W

“We love Ketut!!!”
5 of 5 starsReviewed 11 July 2014 NEW
We met Ketut last September after he came highly recommended by a family friend and he far exceeded her praise. Touring Bali the first time was made so easy as I gave him a list of activities and sights that we wanted to see and do and he put together a great itinerary for us. 
As soon as I'd booked holidays this year I contacted Ketut and as usual he was willing and able to fit us in!!
While his driving skills speak for themselves, the extra time and care he put in to our holiday is what we love the most about him. 

If you're looking for a dedicated, knowledgeable and entertaining friend to drive you around Bali then you should definitely contact Ketut!!  

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