Bali is one of my favorite places in the world and has become such an immense hotspot over the past few years. Trying to list everything to do is nearly impossible, but I decided to compile a quick little list for anyone visiting Bali for the first time.
Where to Stay
Bali is a small island but each region is vast and has its own personality. To make the most of your visit, choose a place best suited for the vacation you’re looking to have.
- Ubud – If you want a retreat-like experience, Ubud is the place to be. It feels like the heart of Bali with its plush greenery and art-centric vibes. It’s also home to some amazing wellness spas. My first trip to Bali was over the span of 2 weeks and we used Ubud as our base. Hotels are available, but Airbnbs are a good bet in Ubud – they are beautiful and inexpensive. You may get a lizard in your room once in a while, but ya know…authentic. Those beautiful jungle villas you see on Instagram, yep those are more than likely in Ubud.
- Seminyak – If you’re more of a luxury traveler, then this is where you may need to be. You can find the island’s best restaurants and beach clubs here. You can also find some amazing rooftop bars that overlook the coastline to take in the sunsets. The beaches, resorts, shopping, and nightlife in Seminyak all cater to the “wealthier” traveler. However, with Indonesian Rupiah being 141,171 to the 10 USD, anyone can ball out in this country.
- Kuta – If backpacking and surfing is your vibe, set up shop in Kuta. This area is home to the best nightlife and Bali’s most famous beach. Kuta attracts the money conscience traveler and has restaurants, bars, and hotels to fit in anyone’s budget. The streets can get very congested, which can lead to a terrible traffic situation during peak season.
What to Do / See
Honestly, you could stay here for a year and not even scratch the surface of everything there is to do. However, here are a few things you may want to consider on your visit.
- Bali Zoo: The country’s first and only zoological park. You can have breakfast with orangutans, give elephants a mud bath, or spend the night at the zoo and experience the animals after dark. One of the most important things to me in experiencing foreign animals is making sure that the company I use employs humane treatment and habitats for the animals. The Bali Zoo is all about environmental and animal conservation.
- Pura Luhur Ulu Watu (temple): Uluwatu is one of Bali’s nine key directional temples and is located on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. You can enter the temple area through two split gates entrances. They are surrounded by Ganesha scultpures (human body with an elephant head). The temple is inhibited by monkeys, who are serious about snatching your belongings. So have a tight grip on anything you’d like to keep.
- Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary Ubud: This monkey forest is home to over 700 monkeys and lies within the village of Padangtegal, which owns it. The residents see this forest as an important spiritual, economic, educational and conservation center. Also – keep your items close.
- Tegalalang Rice Terraces: Seriously, this is one of the most beautiful things you can witness in this lifetime. Take in the view from the roadside and then step down into the paddies.
- Goa Gajah Elephant Cave: A significant Hindu archaeological site, dating back to the 11th century. Knees must be covered by men and women to enter. You can lease a sarong to cover yourself, if you happen to arrive dressed inappropriately.
- GitGit Waterfall: Just look at the photo. Need I say more?
- Mt. Batur (Kintamani): An active volcano that is open for hiking with or without a guide. It will take roughly two hours for the full hike, depending on how fit your group is. There are a bunch of local guides who can be a pester if you decide to walk it on your own.
- Watersports (Seminyak) – For some of the best water sports, head to Seminyak. A few things I’ve done: rafting on the Ayung River, snorkeling at the Blue Lagoon, and flyboarding (which I suck at). All of this to say, there’s something for everyone.
- Kopi Luwak Coffee Plantation – I think everyone should step outside of their comfort zone to try this at least once. The coffee is really good – and expensive. It’s expensive because it’s made from coffee cherries that have been eaten and pooped out by a small mammal called a civet. So yea, I’d understand why one would have reservations about trying it. If luwak coffee is just out of the question for you, don’t worry. Balinese coffee plantations have every flavor of coffee and tea you can think of. One of my favorites is Avocado Coffee. A really nice villager showed me how to grind the coffee beans myself. I’ll stick to my Keurig, but I appreciate all that goes into this artisan process.
That’s all for now. If you have specific questions, feel free to leave them below and I’ll tackle them.