Bali Customized Private Day Tour

Today in Bali was our first tour with Tours by Locals — and to be honest, we started the day with some concerns: English proficiency, flexibility, transportation quality, driving safety, and overall experience. Those concerns disappeared almost immediately. If Dewa is the standard for ToursByLocals, we have absolutely nothing to worry about for our next excursions from this group. He arrived right on time, communicated clearly, and demonstrated exceptional flexibility—thoughtfully suggesting adjustments that made our day even better than planned. What he delivered was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our day began with an unexpected request: I was having an issue with my Canon R7 camera and asked if he could help us locate a repair shop. Within minutes, Dewa found an authorized Canon service center and drove us there. Five minutes later, the problem was fixed. From there, we visited a Batik studio, where we were given a concise yet fascinating demonstration of the process while watching skilled artisans at work. The adjoining gallery showcased stunning finished pieces—beautiful and tempting. During our drive, we shared our preferences: after visiting Cambodia, we had seen enough temples for a while, and instead wanted to focus on local art, culture, crafts, and wildlife—especially meaningful since my wife is an accomplished pastel artist in the U.S. Dewa listened—and absolutely delivered. Our next stop was the remarkable Komaneka Fine Art Gallery. It’s difficult to overstate how impressive this place is: room after room, seemingly endless, filled with thousands of works spanning an incredible range of styles and techniques. The creativity was extraordinary—paintings incorporating sand for beach scenes, textured materials for rural landscapes, and more. My wife was delighted to find works by I. Made Gunawan and I. Made Tubuh, masters of the Batuan style. Even better, these are not just museum pieces—they’re available for purchase, often at surprisingly reasonable prices. On the way to a wood carving workshop, Dewa gently suggested we might enjoy a temple visit after all. He was right. Wearing traditional sarongs, we explored a vast and vibrant Hindu temple complex being prepared for the upcoming Iron God ceremony. It turned out to be one of the highlights of our day. The wood carving workshop that followed showcased extraordinary craftsmanship—powerful, intricate pieces that were both artistic and deeply expressive. To keep this from becoming a novel, I’ll just say: don’t miss the coffee plantation, the Bali Bird Park, or Dewa’s excellent recommendation for authentic Balinese cuisine. He even helped arrange a quick detour for me to get a fantastic haircut for under $15. Dewa is outstanding. His English is excellent, his driving is safe and smooth, and his ability to understand exactly what his guests want—and deliver it—is exceptional. I recommend him without hesitation.

Adnyana D. was a fantastic guide. We used his services in both of our ports in Bali. He listened to what we were hoping to do anbd made it happen. We wanted to see dolphis and he made it happen. Cost of the dolphin and snorkel excursion is not included in the price but it was so worth it. He arranged the excursion stayed with our belongings so they would not get soaked and was waiting upon our return. We could not have had a better day. My family highly recommends Adnyana's services. His toyota minivan was cvlean, comfortable, and held all of our stuff. He provided water as well. Adnyana certainly fulfilled our Bali sightseeing dreams.

Adnyana Dewa Gede is an excellent guide, attentive to one's interests, and a good conversationalist. He knew that I wanted some quality souvenirs for my family back home and he took me to a unique workshop that made amazing gold and silver jewelry that was a big hit with my loved ones back home. He knew I liked photography and he took me to some very picturesque locals. He is a good driver with a very clean and well maintained vehicle. The day after my tour, he picked me up at the Ritz Carleton Bali hotel and took my to my cruise ship. He is not just a tour guide...he's an "experience coach"!

We loved the tour and were thrilled to be w local who knew it all so well .. we adjusted to the rains and it was perfect!!! We purchased art made by the Indonesia people

Adnyana made our trip to Bali truly special. He was incredibly organized from start to finish, always on time and prepared with thoughtful recommendations. Whether we wanted to explore art studios, shop for local crafts, or just stop for an amazing lunch at an amazing resort. he took us wherever we asked without hesitation. He knew the island inside and out—from cultural sites to adventure experience (he told us about them and they sounded amazing but we were more interested in the arts of Bali). I asked to find a shadow puppet maker and special papers we went to his their shops. Adnyana shared interesting insights along the way. We felt safe, relaxed, and well taken care of the entire time. It was like traveling with a knowledgeable local friend. We can’t recommend him highly enough!

Great personalised tour which was agreed before arriving in Bali. Highly recommended!