Bali – The Magical Island that never disappoints you. This paradise has become one of my favorite destinations for its culture, temples, vibrant beaches, authentic food, and pleasant people. This is my first international trip and my first vacation with my little bro. And I am so glad I chose Bali as it is not only extremely beautiful but also affordable.
Bali is one of the cheap islands but blessed with abundant nature, rich culture, temples, rice terraces and beaches. You will never run out of things to do in Bali – one can relax in sunny beaches in Jimbaran, surf in Canggu, get a herbal spa, enjoy delicious food, hop to Git islands for a secluded honeymoon trip, catch up at Nusa Penida for adventures, admire their architecture at Pura Uluwatu, immerse yourself in divine dance performances or hangout seaside. Whatever may be your preferences, Bali has everything to offer and this is truly a Paradise on Earth.
But, I personally feel Bali is much more than that. There is a specialty to this Island deep-rooted in its Balinese culture, people and their warm welcoming character which can only be experienced and cannot be narrated in words. It’s no wonder that Bali has attracted visitors from different parts of the world for decades.
Bali is purely Magical!
How we circled down Bali?
Many of us know that I visited Bali during my vacation to India – a vacation during vacation. It was an impromptu vacation and the entire planning was done in a day!
It was one afternoon when I and my bro were discussing a family trip and we pinned down three places – Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Bali. We chose these places as they are extremely safe for tourists, visa on arrival for Indians and affordable. We rejected Thailand as it is overcrowded with many tourists flying down to visit Bangkok and Phi Phi Island in recent times. As parents didn’t wish to accompany us this time, we rejected Sri Lanka and reserved for our trip with parents for next time. We finally circled down Bali. Glad we chose Bali!
How to get to Bali?
We booked our flight to Bali through Air Asia. Since we booked the previous day, the cost was around 55,000 INR (Indian Rupees) for both of us. And it was for a round trip. Had we planned earlier and blocked tickets, then it would have been around 30,000 INR. We had a stop at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the entire duration of the flight to Denpasar, Bali is around 6 hours including a layover at KL. They do charge for checked baggage. We booked our flights through Goibibo. Denpasar, the provincial capital is the most populous on the island and is home to the only international airport – Ngurah Rai in Bali.
For booking flights to Bali from India through goibibo, check out here.
If you are traveling from the United States to Bali, then I would suggest Skyscanner book your flights. The airfare seems costlier from the US but one could easily make back savings with hotels, meals, and transportation in Bali.
When to go to Bali?
We visited Bali during the month of April for a week and the weather was awesome with occasional rains. Bali has warm weather and tropical climate year-round with two main seasons – the dry season April to September) and wet season (October to March).
It rains every single day for a couple of hours during the wet season but then it gets hot and humid as well. I have been used to rains as I have been living in Pittsburgh for about 4 years now and hence the weather was perfect for me to explore. And moreover, I would love to travel during the off-season as I get the entire island to explore with few people.
The peak dry season is July and August but then the island will be overcrowded with tourists and rates of the hotels go up compared to other months.
How to get Visa to Bali?
Tourists visiting Bali has Visa on Arrival which is referred to as VoA and it is the main visa tourists need to enter Indonesia. The citizens from more than 160 countries can enter Indonesia for VoA for free for tourist’s purposes. The list included citizens of Indian and United States. You don’t want to process/do anything in your home country to obtain VoA for Bali. All you need is a valid Passport (validity for next 6 months), a blank page in Passport and a return ticket. Once you arrive in Denpasar, all you have to do is get visa on VoA counter in Airport arrival hall, clear immigration and you are free to explore the island.
The VoA is valid for 30 days, however, if you want to extend your visa beyond a month, then you need to pay $35 at the airport for an extension.
Ngurah Rai International airport at Denpasar will not have any signboards for the counters. Hence do please check with the officers and ensure to stand at the valid counters as the queue for VoA is really long and takes around 1 to 2 hours.
We boarded around midnight at Chennai and reached Bali around 10 in the morning. But then, they had system issues at the airport and hence they couldn’t issue VoA. We waited for about 4 hours to obtain VoA until they fixed their system issues. By the time, we obtained VoA, it was around 3 in the afternoon. All the tourists entering Bali have to fill immigration form and mention the amount they are carrying with them.
For more information about VOA, check out here
How to stay connected with your loved ones from Bali?
Being our first international trip on our own, my Amma and Appa were really worried. To satisfy them and to connect with them from Bali, we looked out for options to connect. But I should say that I was so surprised to see the possibilities it offered. One can buy a temporary SIM in Bali or get a WiFi device.
We went with the second option and we chose to buy a WiFi device for 6 days. The package cost was around 1000 Indian rupees per day which is around $15 and you can connect five devices to it. The daily limit was 1 GB. We ordered our 4G WiFi device even before our travel from our home through Klook (https://www.klook.com/en-US/activity/1237-wifi-device-bali-indonesia/) The Device is compact and it easily fits in your pocket and the battery life is 4-6 hours. Get connectivity across Bali and stay connected with your loved ones.
And it can be picked up at the Denpasar International Airport at the store: Discover Bali. They do ask for a deposit of $50 and refund the same when you surrender the WiFi device on the date of your departure.
Money Exchange in Bali
The currency in Bali is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). You should carry Rupiah with you as small roadside shops and shops in Ubud Market accept their currencies. Remember, almost all the tourist attractions have entrance fees and they do accept only their currency. Whereas, hotels and restaurants accept USD and Euros. Most of the restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets accept Visa card.
I highly suggest to convert your local money to US dollars and carry with you. Once you reach Bali, please do convert around $50 to pay enough for your taxi fare from the airport to your hotels. The conversion rate at the airport is usually lesser than the other places.
Bali is known for money scams. Ensure to convert your currency at only authorized locations – say Western Union. We did all our conversions at Western Union Money transfer and they gave us good rates. (1 USD = 14000 IDR). There are some shops which offer higher rates but do check out for fake notes. It’s better to check at your hotel desk for authorized money exchangers and convert your money in suggested locations with their help.
I carried my BOA travel card with me; hence it was super easy and comfy for me as I used my Travelcard to pay bills at hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets. And the best part of using travel cards is they don’t charge for foreign transactions and you do get points on your card.
How to get around in Bali?
Getting around in Bali is affordable with many possibilities to pick. You can either rent a Motorbike or scooter; you can hire a taxi for a day or hire a metered taxi. The best option is to check with the hotel where you stay and most of the hotels arrange transportation with an English speaking guide.
We hired a taxi from the hotel where we stayed (we stayed in Ari Putri Hotel in Sanur) during our trip and Jaffna, our taxi driver/guide charged $50 (700,000 Rupiah) per day. He didn’t charge us for parking and he brought Sarong for us for our temple visit. If you want to explore the island on your own, then renting a scooter is the best options and it would cost around 80,000 Rupiah per day ($6 per day)
Metered taxis are available everywhere on the road and you can just stop them/book them through the app. Blue Bird taxi was recommended by many tourists but then we didn’t have the best experience with them. We hired a taxi in Sanur for money exchange and we asked him to take us to nearby Western Union. We paid more as we didn’t have exact change but then the driver refused to give us back the remaining amount. When we asked him, he started shouting and he started charging for waiting time as we discuss charges with him. He threatened us and we gave the money he demanded just to get rid of him. Hence, I don’t recommend a Blue Bird taxi.
The best option is to rent a scooter or hire a taxi with your hotel management. By that way, it is safe and affordable. If you want to explore the areas nearby, then take a walk. Bali is walker friendly and has street side shops to gaze around.
What are the food options in Bali?
Bali, being the tourist place, has numerous options when it comes to food. You can find restaurants of world cuisines in Bali – Indian, Mexican, Italian, Indonesian, etc. Bali is known for its fresh seafood and one can choose their own variety to prepare for them. And they are affordable.
We had dinner at Maximo restaurant in Sanur and the cost was around $22 for two. We had drinks, appetizers, main course and dessert which I could never imagine for that price in the US. You will get Indonesian food everywhere along the streets and it costs around $8 per person. I had Nasi Goreng and it was delicious; by the way, it is Vegetable Fried rice prepared in Indonesian style.
Bali also has famous restaurants and cafes like Starbucks, McDonald’s, Burger King and subway. Bali is also known for their drought beer and one could buy their famous drought beer at supermarkets. Bintang is their famous drought beer and is available in almost all their restaurants. Bali is also known for its prost beer.
Language in Bali
Indonesian is the main language spoken in Bali. But, most of the people in Bali understand English and speak basic English. Hence, it is simple to communicate with the Balinese people. And they are warm and welcoming too.
Where to stay in Bali?
There are too many options to stay in Bali and you can choose based on your preference.
Kuta – Kuta is the most popular and the most visited place in Bali. Kuta is known for its long beaches that stretch along the coast and is perfect for surfers. The area is also known for its vibrant life with beaches, bars, and beach clubs. Kuta is always overcrowded with tourists.
Seminyak – Seminyak is the central place in Bali with easy accessibility to the entire island and has great beaches, restaurants and loads of option for accommodation from budget to luxury. It is also a great shopping hub with branded shops, boutiques, and malls. But Seminyak is a bit higher in price compared to other places in Bali
Ubud – It’s the cultural hub of Bali with temples, artisan shops, and galleries. Ubud is a serene place with beautiful temples, local markets, endless rice fields, gorgeous waterfalls, volcanoes, and the friendliest people. Ubud has lots to explore during the day but the beaches are hours away from it.
Nusa Dua – Perfect place for a family getaway with adventurous sports, beaches, restaurants and all-inclusive resorts. It’s a peninsula and is far away from the rest of the places in Bali
Sanur – A small town with a beach and a relaxing atmosphere. The city has mid-level hotels, spas and lots of restaurants. Sanur is an hour away from all the major attractions in Bali.
We chose Sanur as it is budget friendly and is an hour away to the places we wanted to visit. Moreover, the town is small with a less crowded beach and is easily accessible by foot. We booked at Ari Putri Hotel – three-star budget-friendly hotel to stay with complimentary breakfast. We had booked two twin bedrooms and we were greatly impressed with their services. The room was neat and clean with provisions to prepare coffee/tea. It also had a balcony overlooking the pool in the premise.
Restaurants usually provide simple continental breakfast as complimentary but we were completely blown away by the breakfast buffet we had during our stay. They had eggs prepared in your way, Nasi Goreng/Veggie noodles, fried spring rolls, varieties of bread and spreads, varieties of cereals, cut fruits, cut vegetables, fruit juices, coffee, tea, chocolate milk, waffles, pancakes, fried potatoes and varieties of sauces to choose from. Isn’t that amazing?
The hotel also had an internal café and bar, internal spa, two pools, and an outdoor restaurant. They also arrange a taxi for sightseeing in Bali. We booked a cab at their entrance desk for $50 per day.
What to do in Bali?
We had 5 days to explore Bali. As I am more inclined to Balinese culture and their people, we focused mainly on their temples, culture, and food. And Bali is also known for its amazing vibrant nightlife. Being our first visit to Bali, we wished to cover almost all the attractions in Bali and we did it. Here is our itinerary.
Day 1: Relax and Rewind
Since we spent most of our day at the airport on day 1, we reached our hotel at Sanur in the evening. We refreshed ourselves and dined at a Thai restaurant – Warung Thai in Sanur. After dinner, we explored the town on foot and visited their local shops.
Day 2: Ubud
Luwak Coffee Plantation, Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest, Ubud Royal Palace, Ubud Local Market, Goa Gajah Temple, Mount Batur, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, and Tegenungan Waterfall
We reserved our day 2 for Ubud, the cultural hub in Bali. It was a tiresome day as we had a lot to explore in and around Ubud. We started our day earlier and visited Luwak Coffee Plantation on our way to Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest.
Ubud local market is well known for their local artisan shops which sell wooden cravings, home décor, antiques, and clothes. We had our lunch in a restaurant overlooking the beautiful Mount Batur – Tepi Danau Restaurant. They served authentic Indonesian buffet and we had Balinese national food – Nasi Goreng, Satay, their fried noodles, spring rolls, and desserts. The entire day was cloudy; hence we could see Lake Batur as it was entirely covered by mist.
We explored Tegalalang rice terraces in Ubud by afternoon followed by Tegenungan waterfall. Bali is known for its rice terraces and Tegalalang rice terraces in Ubud has become the most visited destination in recent days for its short rice terraces with ridge walks. We reached Sanur by late evening and decided to dine at our hotel as we were tired to walk around.
Day 3 – East Bali
Pura Lempuyang Luhur, Tirta Ganga Water Palace, Pura Besakih Temple
On day 3, we visited Bali’s famous temples – Pura Lempuyang and Pura Besakih. We visited Bali during their ceremonies and hence the temples were overcrowded with people and their offerings. Ensure to climb a lot to visit Pura Lempuyang. Pura Besakih is known as the Mother temple and it’s a must to do in Bali
We had our lunch at a restaurant near to Tirta Ganga Palace and after our lunch, we visited Tirta Ganga Palace. We reached our hotel by evening and dined in one of the most rated Italian restaurants in Sanur – Maximo.
Day 4:
Seminyak, Sea Walk at Tanjung Benoa Beach, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran Beach, Padang Padang Beach, Pura Uluwatu temple and Kecak dance
We decided to explore beaches in the south and southeast Bali on our day 4 and also try an adventurous sport. Tanjung Benoa beach is known for adventurous water sport and we did sea walk. It was fun and exciting.
We later visited Water Blow at Nusa Dua followed by Jimbaran beach. Jimbaran beach is known for its vibrant life after sunset with food, music, and people. We had planned to watch Balinese fire dance by evening, hence we visited Jimbaran during day time and the beach was deserted with only a few people around. Jimbaran beach is known for its exotic seafood and beachside bars. We had our lunch at Seafood café on the beach.
We explored the Padang Padang beach after our lunch. Padang Padang is a great place for surfing. We visited Pura Uluwatu temple around late afternoon as the temple is known for its evening fire dance and sunset. Since it was cloudy, we couldn’t witness sunset but then we watched their traditional fire dance – Kecak dance.
We reached Sanur for dinner and we grabbed our dinner from a nearby Indian restaurant – Little India. We then explored the Sanur beach.
Day 5:
Barong Dance, Tanah lot temple
On day 5, we watched another Balinese traditional dance – Barong followed by our visit to Tanah lot temple. As it was our last day in Bali and usually the airport gets crowded, we decided to leave for the airport after our visit to Tanah lot temple.
That summarizes our 5 day’s trip to one of the beautiful island – Bali. Watch out for a detailed post about the places we visited during our trip day wise.
Bali is truly magical and it will remain as one of my best vacations always!
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Thanks, Karthi
