My Travel Tips for Bali

26 May My Travel Tips for Bali

I would have never thought that Bali would be THIS beautiful! Honestly I’m normally someone who prefers traveling to known, maybe even more western areas such as the US or New Zealand. Hence, I didn’t really think about visiting Bali. But my BFF and I wanted to see something a bit different. Because we’ve only heard great things about Bali our next travel destination was set. I need to mention though that we unfortunately only spent 8 days in Bali which I thought was way too short due to the stressful trip here (read about it here). But oh well… we didn’t know beforehand whether we would actually like Bali so I believe for a first impression it wasn’t too bad 😉

Regarding the temperatures it was probably perfect timing because during the day it was always around 30°C warm (through the high humidity it appears a bit warmer though) and it almost never rained. Only twice in in the evening there were some rain showers in Ubud which we also thought was great and cozy 😉 Even at night it was still really warm. Hence, also for dinner you could sit outside in a short dress or jumpsuit.

Because Bali has become to a very popular travel destination today I wanna give you some travel tips for Bali that might be useful for your next Bali vacation:

1) Swim under the Tegenungan Waterfall

I am lucky to have already seen quite a few stunning waterfalls in my life but none has been as breath-taking as the Tegenungan Waterfall! For those who are brave enough you can even do cliff diving here. And also if you don’t dare to do it the Tegenungan Wasserfall is simply beautiful and definitely worth a visit!

2) Go hiking in the Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Visiting rice terraces was my number one wish in Bali. We were lucky to have already seen them in our hotel (read about in which one here) but I definitely also wanted to visit the Tegalalang Rice Terraces. Even if they are a bit touristy you definitely shouldn’t miss seeing them! Bring some good shoes though (I walked barfeoot in the end because I totally forgot 😛 ) and go hiking through the rice fields. The best atmosphere is in the morning when there are also less tourists.

3) Visit at least one temple in Bali

Don’t leave Bali without having seen at least one temple. I find it always really important getting to know the local culture whenever I visit a place and temples just belong to Bali’s culture. Although it’s possible that as a foreigner you might not be allowed to enter some temples but already from the outside you will get a nice impression.

4) Try out local food

The Indonesian (especially the Balinesian) cuisine is amazing! The dishes are not so spicy compared to other Asian countries which I definitely prefer 😉 For those who like to cook I recommend participating in an Indonesian cooking class. We did that in one of our hotels (read about which one here). We not only had a great time there we were also able to take some great recipes with us home 😀

5) Take a swim at Jimbaran Bay

One of the most beautiful beaches in Bali is the one at Jimbaran Bay. We were so lucky to even stay in a hotel there for two nights (read about which one it was here). But even if you don’t stay directly at Jimbaran Bay it is definitely worth a visit. If you are looking for some entertainment visit the Sundara Beach Club including its stunning infinity pool. If you are looking for some relaxation just soak up some sun at the wonderful beach. Either way definitely try to stay until sunset because the one at Jimbaran Bay is really worth seeing 🙂

6) Stay in Ubud

To me Ubud is by far the most beautiful place in Bali. Therefore, I recommend staying there (at least part of your vacation). There is so much to see in Ubud that one day wouldn’t be enough. In Ubud you can walk through rice fields, swim under waterfalls, shop at cute stores, try out healthy food places etc. Hence, definitely try to look for an accomodation directly in Ubud so you can already wake up in the middle of the jungle 😉

7) Book a local guide

We got this tip from a couple in our hotel who also recommended us a specific guide. I can recommend 100% Gede (pronounced “Good Day” which is very fitting to him 😀 ) to you guys. He will pick you up from your hotel (no matter where you are staying in Bali) with a big car with a/c and he will also bring you back to your hotel at the end of the day. A full day trip with him costs only $50 or $60 (depending on the distance). This is for the entire trip and not per person 😉 This is really cheap and for that amount he will show you the best spots in Bali. You best reach Gede via WhatsaApp. His number is: +62-813-38982222. You can discuss with him what you wanna do that day such as visiting rice fields, swimming under waterfalls, go rock climbing, look at beautiful temples, go snorkling etc. Besides that Gede can also help you to find a great and cheap accomodation in Bali. So definitely contact him whenever you plan on visiting Bali or even if you are already in Bali. He really is an amazing guy and will definitely make sure you’re having an unforgettable day!

8) Meet locals

I always find it really important, no matter where I am, to meet local people. Already through our Balinese guide got to know the local culture quite well. But also otherwise it was great talking to Balinese people.  For instance when we visited the rice terraces I met two super cute boys that told me they are selling post cards after school. Their English was really good because they learn English in school. They were really so sweet and helped me jump from the rice terraces 😛

9) Take the taxi instead of renting a car

I’m usually a big fan of renting a car wherever I go. For instance in New Zealand and Hawaii that was really necessary. In Bali it isn’t though. I find it much better booking a local guide and exploring the island with him or her. In the end this will probably be even cheaper than renting a car. Also getting from the airport to your hotel is really inexpensive because taxis don’t cost a lot in Bali. You can also negotiate the price. So definitely ask beforehand how much it will cost and discuss a fixed price.

10) Go hiking

You may find this a bit surprising but you can also go hiking in Bali. For instance there are quite a few beautiful volcanoes and other stunning landscapes so hiking in Bali is a dream! Hence, definitely pack some good shoes before you’re heading there 😉

Have you ever been to Bali? And if so what where your favorite thing to do there?

Xoxo

Maddi