Hi guys!
While my blogging has become super infrequent, my vlogging has taken a step up. If you don't already know, I have a fully functioning YouTube channel! I have been pretty regular with my most recent Bali trip, but I can't tell you the number of people who wanted a quick itinerary and that's when I decided to put everything up in a post as well. Bali, as we all know, has become one of the most popular destinations for tourism and honeymoon. I noticed that the entire town runs on tourism! We figured that at any given time, there would be more tourists in the country than locals. Since a trip to Bali was long overdue, my husband and I decided to spend the Easter break at Bali.
The flights were ridiculously expensive considering it was during the holidays, but the saving grace is that from Sydney it took us hardly 6 hours to get to Bali. Before we set foot there, I had a well-planned itinerary for us and we were glad that we could tick most of the items of the list. See, the problem with Bali or Indonesia, is that there's SO MUCH TO DO! I had to spend pretty much 4-5 hours charting out a plan. We pre-booked most of the hotels we stayed in, except one and guess what? Either works! So before we jump in to the post, let me ask you to grab a cup of coffee, 'cause this one's gonna be a long one!
Day 1 - Uluwattu Temple, Rock Bar
We landed late at night the previous day and checked in at Ramada Encore, Seminyak. It was very reasonably priced and the rooms were decent. The following morning we rented a scooter for $8 or so and rode to Uluwattu Temple. The temple has that Balinese feel to it and has a beautiful view of the sea all through the area. It's quite a walk, so make sure you wear breathable clothes. We came back to out hotel and got ready to go to Rock Bar. Rock Bar is slightly overrated, but it's a nice, cozy place to spend the evening at. It's basically a bar by the rocky beach and the sunset is stunning!
Day 2 - Nusa Penida, Made's Warung
We continued to stay at Ramada, but the following day we took a ferry to Nusa Penida from Sanur Port. The ferry was almost an hour or so and we reached this beautiful island called Nusa Penida. We chilled at Crystal Bay Beach for a while, drank some juice at this beachside café called Penida Colada and returned to Bali by evening. We dined at Made's Warung that night and that was spectacular! We got a chance to witness the Barong Dance at the restaurant and the food was impeccable!
Day 3 - Gili Trawangan, Pearl Beach Lounge
The plan for the next day was to spend a night at Gili Trawangan and we took a ferry from Padung Bai Port. Gili Trawangan is one of the three Gili islands in Indonesia known for it's beautiful beaches and super chill island life. The ferry took nearly three hours, but we sat on the roof, soaked in the sun, literally got burnt, but a couple of Bintangs, the blue sea and the wind kept us happy! We stayed at Villa Alamarik and it was a pleasant stay. The rooms were vintage-ish and the villa had a different vibe to it. We dipped in the sea, got drenched in the rain and had a nice meal at Pearl Beach Lounge.
Day 4 - Ubud
We rented some bicycles in Gili Trawangan and just rode around the strip. Gili Trawangan has a lot of cool cafes, small little shops and bars by the beach. We returned to Ubud after a super long three hour ferry ride. We checked in to the next hotel, which was called Bakung Resort and decided to spend the next couple of days in Ubud.
Day 5 - Bali Swing, Ubud Palace, Ubud Art Market
Bakung Resort was not up to our expectations and I wouldn't really recommend that, but it was reasonable as well. We rented scooters and took off to Bali Swing the next day. Bali Swing is a very touristy spot where you can pay to hop on swings that give you a nice view of the mountains below. There are a lot of other cute spots within the venue where you could take great Instagrammable shots. We returned to the city and spent some time at the Ubud Art Market. I would definitely not recommend buying anything there because the prices were ridiculous, but it's something you should just go and check out. We then got ourselves some Kopi Luwak, which is a type of coffee that's famous in Bali. Kopi Luwak is basically processed from coffee beans that a wild civet cat munches on and is collected from its feces. It might sound totally gross, but the coffee is delicious considering the acidic content of the coffee has been eliminated by the cat. We also checked out the Ubud Palace and honestly speaking, it wasn't all that great.
Day 6 - Merah Putih, Tanah Lot, Nussantara
The following morning we packed our bags and checked in to this villa called Annora Villas in Seminyak. This, by far, was one of the best villas I've ever stayed in! We had a pool in the living room and the rooms were massive! We had lunch in a famous restaurant called Merah Putih and rode to Tanah Lot in the evening. Tanah Lot is another temple located in the middle of another rocky beach in Bali. We stayed there for a while and witnessed the sunset. We then spent the evening walking around Seminyak, shopping here and there and had a yummy meal at Hotel Nussantara.
Day 7 - Seminyak Beach, La Favella
We woke up to a beautiful floating breakfast in the villa. It's a bit impractical to eat while in the pool, but it's definitely an experience you shouldn't miss. We spent the day at Seminyak Beach which was a 5 minute walk from our villa. After a nice meal at the hotel itself, we went to Bali Brasco, which is factory outlet located in Bali to get some shopping done. I would ask you guys not to waste your time there since most of the items they have are fake, so beware! We came back to the hotel, grabbed some dinner, chilled at the pool and decided to party at La Favella. La Favella has multiple levels with different kinds of music and crowd, so make sure you check them all out and not get stuck at one place and wonder why this place is so popular!
Day 8 - Seminyak Anantara Spa, Seminyak Beach, Seminyak Market
The last day was meant to be a relaxed, chill day. We spent the whole day at Anantara Resort as we had some vouchers and got a traditional Balinese massage. We also spent our last few notes of the Bali currency at Seminyak Market. I would recommend checking this market out and it's way cheaper than Ubud Market. We finally boarded our flight later at night and said goodbye to Bali.
Tips to plan your Bali trip -
1. Let's begin with flights. Since we booked quite late, we spent quite a bit on flights. I would recommend booking 3-4 months in advance, 'cause trust me, flying to Bali ain't cheap!
2. Stay is pretty cheap! So while you're at it, why not book villas! The hospitality of the people here is beyond amazing and just for a few extra dollars, you can expect royal treatment.
3. Currency exchange at the airport is not a great idea. You can get cheaper rates in the city.
4. Go with a rough idea of what you wanna do there or you could always read this blog post! :) Otherwise, you could get pretty lost in the plethora of things to do and the distances between them! So, plan ahead!
5. Knowing how to bargain is necessary! The cab drivers usually tend to throw in a random amount at your face, so just Google or check the Uber price for the same. Speaking of which, Uber and Grab taxis are quite reliable too.
6. Bali has humid weather pretty much all the time, so the heat might get to you if you're not prepared. Carry breathable cotton clothes, sunglasses, flip flops and do not ever forget your sunscreen!
7. Do make sure you travel light because you might wanna stay in different villas throughout your stay.
8. Keep in mind that most tourist spots are an hour or two away from each other, not to forget the insane traffic could make you pull out your hair! Scooters are a faster and cheaper mode of transport and wherever possible, it's better if you could rent a scooter and ride to places.
9. Bintangs are lifesavers! Do drink as much as you can while you're in Bali.
10. Food in Bali is quite cheap and we spent an average of $50 per meal session and ate like royalty!
I hope this post was informative. We had a few other things on the list, but due to time constraints and distance and stuff like that, we couldn't cover them. But overall, Bali is one of the best places I have visited so far. It's an amalgamation of Balinese culture and relaxed, laid back life, which is very rare to find these days. So, do let me know if you would be visiting Bali. I'd love to know!
Love,
Hand On The Hip
While my blogging has become super infrequent, my vlogging has taken a step up. If you don't already know, I have a fully functioning YouTube channel! I have been pretty regular with my most recent Bali trip, but I can't tell you the number of people who wanted a quick itinerary and that's when I decided to put everything up in a post as well. Bali, as we all know, has become one of the most popular destinations for tourism and honeymoon. I noticed that the entire town runs on tourism! We figured that at any given time, there would be more tourists in the country than locals. Since a trip to Bali was long overdue, my husband and I decided to spend the Easter break at Bali.
The flights were ridiculously expensive considering it was during the holidays, but the saving grace is that from Sydney it took us hardly 6 hours to get to Bali. Before we set foot there, I had a well-planned itinerary for us and we were glad that we could tick most of the items of the list. See, the problem with Bali or Indonesia, is that there's SO MUCH TO DO! I had to spend pretty much 4-5 hours charting out a plan. We pre-booked most of the hotels we stayed in, except one and guess what? Either works! So before we jump in to the post, let me ask you to grab a cup of coffee, 'cause this one's gonna be a long one!
Day 1 - Uluwattu Temple, Rock Bar
We landed late at night the previous day and checked in at Ramada Encore, Seminyak. It was very reasonably priced and the rooms were decent. The following morning we rented a scooter for $8 or so and rode to Uluwattu Temple. The temple has that Balinese feel to it and has a beautiful view of the sea all through the area. It's quite a walk, so make sure you wear breathable clothes. We came back to out hotel and got ready to go to Rock Bar. Rock Bar is slightly overrated, but it's a nice, cozy place to spend the evening at. It's basically a bar by the rocky beach and the sunset is stunning!
Day 2 - Nusa Penida, Made's Warung
We continued to stay at Ramada, but the following day we took a ferry to Nusa Penida from Sanur Port. The ferry was almost an hour or so and we reached this beautiful island called Nusa Penida. We chilled at Crystal Bay Beach for a while, drank some juice at this beachside café called Penida Colada and returned to Bali by evening. We dined at Made's Warung that night and that was spectacular! We got a chance to witness the Barong Dance at the restaurant and the food was impeccable!
Day 3 - Gili Trawangan, Pearl Beach Lounge
The plan for the next day was to spend a night at Gili Trawangan and we took a ferry from Padung Bai Port. Gili Trawangan is one of the three Gili islands in Indonesia known for it's beautiful beaches and super chill island life. The ferry took nearly three hours, but we sat on the roof, soaked in the sun, literally got burnt, but a couple of Bintangs, the blue sea and the wind kept us happy! We stayed at Villa Alamarik and it was a pleasant stay. The rooms were vintage-ish and the villa had a different vibe to it. We dipped in the sea, got drenched in the rain and had a nice meal at Pearl Beach Lounge.
Day 4 - Ubud
We rented some bicycles in Gili Trawangan and just rode around the strip. Gili Trawangan has a lot of cool cafes, small little shops and bars by the beach. We returned to Ubud after a super long three hour ferry ride. We checked in to the next hotel, which was called Bakung Resort and decided to spend the next couple of days in Ubud.
Bakung Resort was not up to our expectations and I wouldn't really recommend that, but it was reasonable as well. We rented scooters and took off to Bali Swing the next day. Bali Swing is a very touristy spot where you can pay to hop on swings that give you a nice view of the mountains below. There are a lot of other cute spots within the venue where you could take great Instagrammable shots. We returned to the city and spent some time at the Ubud Art Market. I would definitely not recommend buying anything there because the prices were ridiculous, but it's something you should just go and check out. We then got ourselves some Kopi Luwak, which is a type of coffee that's famous in Bali. Kopi Luwak is basically processed from coffee beans that a wild civet cat munches on and is collected from its feces. It might sound totally gross, but the coffee is delicious considering the acidic content of the coffee has been eliminated by the cat. We also checked out the Ubud Palace and honestly speaking, it wasn't all that great.
Day 6 - Merah Putih, Tanah Lot, Nussantara
The following morning we packed our bags and checked in to this villa called Annora Villas in Seminyak. This, by far, was one of the best villas I've ever stayed in! We had a pool in the living room and the rooms were massive! We had lunch in a famous restaurant called Merah Putih and rode to Tanah Lot in the evening. Tanah Lot is another temple located in the middle of another rocky beach in Bali. We stayed there for a while and witnessed the sunset. We then spent the evening walking around Seminyak, shopping here and there and had a yummy meal at Hotel Nussantara.
Day 7 - Seminyak Beach, La Favella
We woke up to a beautiful floating breakfast in the villa. It's a bit impractical to eat while in the pool, but it's definitely an experience you shouldn't miss. We spent the day at Seminyak Beach which was a 5 minute walk from our villa. After a nice meal at the hotel itself, we went to Bali Brasco, which is factory outlet located in Bali to get some shopping done. I would ask you guys not to waste your time there since most of the items they have are fake, so beware! We came back to the hotel, grabbed some dinner, chilled at the pool and decided to party at La Favella. La Favella has multiple levels with different kinds of music and crowd, so make sure you check them all out and not get stuck at one place and wonder why this place is so popular!
Day 8 - Seminyak Anantara Spa, Seminyak Beach, Seminyak Market
The last day was meant to be a relaxed, chill day. We spent the whole day at Anantara Resort as we had some vouchers and got a traditional Balinese massage. We also spent our last few notes of the Bali currency at Seminyak Market. I would recommend checking this market out and it's way cheaper than Ubud Market. We finally boarded our flight later at night and said goodbye to Bali.
Tips to plan your Bali trip -
1. Let's begin with flights. Since we booked quite late, we spent quite a bit on flights. I would recommend booking 3-4 months in advance, 'cause trust me, flying to Bali ain't cheap!
2. Stay is pretty cheap! So while you're at it, why not book villas! The hospitality of the people here is beyond amazing and just for a few extra dollars, you can expect royal treatment.
3. Currency exchange at the airport is not a great idea. You can get cheaper rates in the city.
4. Go with a rough idea of what you wanna do there or you could always read this blog post! :) Otherwise, you could get pretty lost in the plethora of things to do and the distances between them! So, plan ahead!
5. Knowing how to bargain is necessary! The cab drivers usually tend to throw in a random amount at your face, so just Google or check the Uber price for the same. Speaking of which, Uber and Grab taxis are quite reliable too.
6. Bali has humid weather pretty much all the time, so the heat might get to you if you're not prepared. Carry breathable cotton clothes, sunglasses, flip flops and do not ever forget your sunscreen!
7. Do make sure you travel light because you might wanna stay in different villas throughout your stay.
8. Keep in mind that most tourist spots are an hour or two away from each other, not to forget the insane traffic could make you pull out your hair! Scooters are a faster and cheaper mode of transport and wherever possible, it's better if you could rent a scooter and ride to places.
9. Bintangs are lifesavers! Do drink as much as you can while you're in Bali.
10. Food in Bali is quite cheap and we spent an average of $50 per meal session and ate like royalty!
I hope this post was informative. We had a few other things on the list, but due to time constraints and distance and stuff like that, we couldn't cover them. But overall, Bali is one of the best places I have visited so far. It's an amalgamation of Balinese culture and relaxed, laid back life, which is very rare to find these days. So, do let me know if you would be visiting Bali. I'd love to know!
Love,
Hand On The Hip
0 comments