While the rest of NZ shivers with cold and wraps up for rain, Kiwis who were stuck in Bali are sharing their holiday photos on social media.

Major airlines have resumed flights after clouds of gritty ash billowing from an Indonesian volcano scuppered travel plans for thousands of passengers.

Holidaymakers will be able to kick off their Bali break today after a long-awaited flight has left New Zealand.

Bali-bound travellers had their hopes of relaxing tropical holidays and family reunions dashed mid-flight as volcanic ash forced their plane to return to Auckland.

Ash spewing from Mount Raung has disrupted the plans of Kiwis and Indonesians travelling to Bali, with a flight from New Zealand forced to turn back.

Holidaymakers heading for Bali have suffered another setback after their delayed Air New Zealand plane was forced to return to Auckland today.

"The things that I've heard people say online and to my face have astounded me," says pastor Nick Watt.

The lawyers of a NZ man who escaped the death penalty for trafficking crystal meth in Bali says there are a "number of grounds" on which to appeal his prison sentence.

Kiwi Antony de Malmanche has been handed a heavy sentence after being found guilty of smuggling almost 2kg of methamphetamine into Bali.

Helen Jackson finds her happy place among an exuberant island people.

New Zealander Antony de Malmanche should spend 18 years in jail for bringing drugs into Bali and much of the evidence given in his defence thrown out, the prosecution argues.

The family of murdered New Zealand businessman Robert Ellis is in shock at the 12-year sentence handed down to his wife.

Indonesian ferry explosion victim Paul Sinclair is expected to arrive back home in NZ this week after he is discharged from hospital in northern Australia.

A Kiwi holidaying in Bali last night told of his miracle survival after a horror ferry explosion in the tropical paradise.

Speaking from Lombok Hospital, Ms Love told NewstalkZB Paul was tired and sore but could move all his limbs.

NZ man’s intellectual impairment made him particularly vulnerable to manipulation by a drug syndicate, psychiatrist tells Bali court.

Antony de Malmanche told the court he went to Bali where he believed he would meet his internet girlfriend, “Jesse”.

Christopher Adams battles Kuta's crazy traffic and beer bellies before escaping east.

Friends and family of Myuran Sukumaran have sung the same songs the convicted drug smuggler recited as he faced an Indonesian firing squad 10 days ago.

A Bali drug squad officer has told the trial of Antony De Malmanche he didn’t seek a translator or lawyer for the accused Kiwi drug mule.

A photograph of Indonesian President Joko Widodo has been removed from the walls of the National Portrait Gallery for fear it would be damaged.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully said time was needed to decide what further action could best steer Indonesia away from executions.

As ambulances carrying the men's coffins set off for Jakarta, followed in a sombre convoy by their families, Indonesia defended its actions.

A New Zealand man on trial in Bali is traumatised after the execution of Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran "Mayu" Sukumaran this morning.

The executions of Bali Nine duo Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran has drawn much international criticism, but what do those who live in Indonesia think?

Two Australian drug smugglers set to be executed by firing squad in Indonesia have entered their final hours, but have remained defiant as they face the end.

One was dubbed "The Godfather", the other "The Enforcer", but what do we really know about the two Australians facing death?

New Zealand will not lodge another protest against the planned execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Andrew Chan has married his fiancee Feby Herewila in his last hours alive on death row.