Jane and David

Dean was a superb guide and driver for us in Bali.

Not only does he know the best out of the way places, but his encyclopedic knowledge of the country he knows and loves means that he can find anything you want, from a fantastic vegetarian restaurant with views, to a local temple celebration where there are no other tourists !

He is discreet, polite and well prepared for everything, and happily shares local customs and culture for those who are interested !

A note – although he knows all the best restaurants, his own personal favourite is McDonalds for a really special treat !!

We were lucky enough to get a late booking with Dean, and we also met and were chauffeured by some of his team of drivers, all of whom were as charming as Dean himself !

Zila, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Superlative Driver

Dean is the finest driver in Bali suits his maxim "Drivers with Distinction". He with his team drivers gave us the most wonderful experience and gives us good deliberation of Bali and its ethnicity. Although most of us woke late for our tour but his jovial face still delight us with unsurpassed tour. Traveling with a group of 16 jolly youngsters is quite thorny but fun and full of excitement. We will definitely come back to Bali next year and do hopes that you are not oblige to meet us and drive us around! Zila & acquaintances

Doug, Robin, Kinder & Hayley from California

Thank you! Bali-Dean helped to make our trip to Bali absolutely amazing.

He has a detailed knowledge of the entire island, allowing him to help us decide what to see each day and to take alternate routes to and from each place so that we could see even more of the country. He has a great sense of what is “worth seeing” and what is not as well as fabulous suggestions for restaurants, hotels, and photo opportunities. Though he gave us great suggestions, he was also flexible, working around what we wanted to do and which days we wanted a driver.

Dean is completely reliable and a very safe driver. He was prepared to make sure we were comfortable and safe – bringing umbrellas, a cooler with drinks, and even hand sanitizer! Though he teased us a little bit for asking so many questions, one of the best things about traveling with Dean is that he was able to give us a deeper understanding of so many different aspects of Balinese culture.

He speaks English very well and has a great sense of humor. We wholeheartedly recommend Dean and his services. You will be in great hands.

Doug, Robin, Kinder & Hayley from California

Gwen W. New York, NY

Dean Driver of Distinction is the best! His friendly, warm service made my trip to Bali one to remember. I traveled to Bali in March 2006 and found not only a trusty driver but a good, Balinese friend. He calls me his "new friend from New York." We stay in touch via e-mail. He drove my friend and I all around the beautiful countryside, stopped in shops and waited patiently while we explored the towns and the Monkey Forest. At the end of the day, we were all smiles. Especially the evening when we stopped at Dunkin Donuts! Who would have thunk that I'd find one of my favorite haunts half way across the world in Bali? We treated Dean to his first cup of hot chocolate. Dean, here's to you! Thanks.

A message from Dean

Just had word from Dean that he's had a major PC crash :-( All data's been corrupted, so please email him to reconfirm any bookings, and provide you contact details again, etc etc. Everything's been lost...

Matt & Jordan from Cali

This was our second surf trip to Bali and we enjoyed Dean so much the first time we just had to call him again. He knows the best surf spots in Bali as well as the best local places to visit.

He is a safe driver, and a great person to be around, he really lifts your spirits with his up-beat attitude; that's why we will go back again next year and see Dean.

Matt & Jordan, California, USA

Gary and Trudy, Brisbane, Australia

Dean is our friend!
The first time we went to Bali, we were lucky enough to hire Dean. Now we are Bali addicts. Even our teenage sons can't get enough of the place. Some of this addiction is due to Dean.
He has this innate ability to be able to make anyone comfortable around him. His enthusiasm and sense of humour are infectious. Add this to the fact that he is 100% honest and just an all-round nice guy, and you can't help having a great holiday.
Gary and I are now what most people would call "well travelled" but Dean is by far and away the best person we have ever hired the services of, while travelling. His service is world class.
He is probably one of only a few people I have ever met, who is doing the job he was meant to do. He really enjoys what he does and this transfers to his clients. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Gary and Trudy Whinnett
Brisbane
Australia

Mike and Marie, New Zealand

We had the pleasure of travelling with Dean for five days in May 06. He is a great driver who takes you to the places you want to go and also suggests the places you might want to see. He also speaks good English and is not pushy. Nothing is too much trouble for him and he goes out of his way to make your holiday special. We trusted him completly and would recommend him to everyone. We look forward to seeing him in the future. Mike & Marie Napier, New Zealand.

Sdean - Malaysia

I and family were holidaying in Bali at end of May. Someone in the Bali forum suggest me to hire Dean for my trip and guess what? I never regret of my choice.

He was so honest, trustworthy and caring. Even my 8-month infant was well handled by him (usually my infant will cry loudly when someone other than her family try to hold her).

One think we never forgot was getting his assistance to get me a rental car for self diving. Guess what, he managed to get me the car at almost 60% of what the hotel offered. He did not even try to mark up the price although I told him earlier of the hotel’s quote. On the other hand, he sourced around for a cheaper rate.

We hired him for two days and we manage to cover most of the interesting places in Bali. He did not even complaints and most of the times accommodate our requests rather than dictating things to his convenience as most other drivers did.

If I’m in Bali again, this “driver with distinction” will definitely my choice.

Sdean - Malaysia

The Gress Family - Germany, USA and Singapore

We traveled to Bali in February 2006 and it was the best holiday we have had so far. We were so lucky to have Dean as our driver. Not only was he an excellent driver, he showed us the real Bali. He answered all of our questions and told us what it means to be from Bali. He took us to places that other drivers wouldn’t have. Our best experience was being able to walk through the rice fields and see how the people of Bali live. He also took us into the home of a Balinese family and explained to us the importance of family in Bali. Even after our trip to Bali, we still remain friends with Dean and we hope to return to Bali soon to see him. Dean truly is Bali’s best driver!!

The Gress Family – Alex, Stephanie, Manfred & Erika – Germany, USA and Singapore

A message from Dean

If you would like to book Dean, Driver with Distinction, Dean asks you please to contact him direct rather than asking hotel receptions, etc. If you do book through your hotel reception, please be aware to also confirm directly with Dean for the booking, to ensure you are actually getting the 'real Dean' and not the hotel's drivers! He also has 'distinctive' :-) logos on his car, as in the photo below. Thanks!

Mobile/SMS for Dean is : 081 8344 807, the international dialling code for Bali is +62, making the number +6281 8344 807

Cor, Holland

Dean,

After we first met in 2005 I can say that we became very good friends,and during my second visit in April 2006 you welcomed me nearly as a familymember.

You showed me the most beautiful places in Bali, in your brand new AC Toyota Kijang. Can't wait to visit you and Bali again. May the good Gods bless you, your family and your customers.

Cor

Belanda

Tina and Tony - Wales, UK

My husband and I travelled to Bali this yr (April 2006) and booked Dean for one day. He took us where we wanted to go, and even suggested other places. He was on time, very courteous, friendly, knowledgeable, and very trustworthy. He is a person who aims to please and tries his best and is very proud of his country, and works really hard for his family. I would not hesitate to contact him again to take us on more journies to this very exciting and great country. Well done Dean!

Satisfied Customers, NYC - USA

Earlier this year we planned to travel to Bali and knew that we wanted a driver but, didn't know who to pick from the abundant choices on the web. After much web searching we decided on Dean (Driver with Distinction) as we felt comfortable with the honesty of his site.

Our family of four were greeted at the airport and each day we received excellent service. Even our kids loved Dean as he provided DVD movies while we were in route. He was very protective of our kids while we travel around. We even left our younger child sleeping in the car under Dean's supervision while we did a bit of shopping. That's how comfortable we left. We are not naive in nature, especially living and growing up in NYC but, we had an instant comfort level. We would definitely use him again and with any reservations. In fact, we plan to travel to Bail again later this year and will call on his services again.

For all future travelers interested in hiring a private driver, please take our advice and use Dean for all of your transporation needs. You will not be disappointed!

J, Malaysia

Dean is a quite nice chap to chat with. There's a saying that there r 2 things we shud not talk about when 1st meeting someone, which r: politics and religion. But along the long drive, we chatted it all, of course, we did it at the most civilised way. Claiming himself as the best driver in Bali, Dean, is really a reliable one to bring u around the island, and show you the best places to shop at the most valuable price.

Abhishek Sinha, Bangalore, India

I was travelling alone to Bali and Dean was a wonderful find. You can find him all over the net, send a mail to him and he will respond and take care of your car bookings.

The best part is that he hasn't just put his name on the web , for namesake, He does respond to your emails and calls you about the final dates/arrival etc. If he is not available, he will get another driver for you ( In my case he got me puttu who was as amazing as Dean is).

The time I spend with Dean was amazing and he made my visit to bali a pleasant one.

He can speak good english so you are assured that you can have a decent conversation about anything at all with him. He showed me some of the best places around, took me to one of the most scenic resturants in bali. He is quite well informed about whats happening around bali and could teach a university class on bali culture.

I would recommend Dean and puttu to anyone who wants to goto Bali and have a lovely time. The island is pretty peaceful and is as beautiful as ever. Here are pictures of Dean and Puttu that I took while I was there.

Abhishek Sinha, Bangalore, India

jade_du

Currently travelling with jade_du from TripAdvisor

"Ahmed" & Kate, London, UK & Střelice, Czech Republic

Dean this is for you :-)

From Monday 5th to Friday 9th we travelled around Nusa Dua, Kuta, Ubud, Amed, North and Central Bali. Best event was the police escort through town :-)

Dean made our first visit to Bali an unforgettable experience, and this blog is our way of saying thank you for his service, but also for the friendship and little things he did which made the difference.