Travel Guide: Bali Indonesia

‘Island of the Gods’

Hi Friends!

Thanks for checking out my Bali Travel Guide. In August 2019, I finally had enough free time to travel around the world to Bali. Some may call this my Elizabeth Gilbert moment from Eat, Pray, Love. I like to refer to it as my own personal ‘Hero’s Journey’. I chose Bali because it was the screensaver of my cell phone for two years and it felt right to start my journey there.

Planning my trip became my full-time job. I spent countless hours doing research, joining Facebook Bali groups, asking friends and it took almost a full month to plan. Most people don’t have this type of free time and that’s why I created this Travel Guide. I hope this adds ease to your planning. IG and TripAdvisor links are included for easy browsing.

My trip to Bali was incredibly life changing and I hope the island brings you as much Love and light as it brought me.

xx,

Alicia

“With age, comes wisdom. With travel, comes understanding.”

— Sandra Lake

Getting to Bali: Unless you live in Australia, Bali is far. Get over the 30 hours of travel time, it’s 100% worth it. The airport is Ngurah Rai Denpasar (DPS) and is located in the southern end of the island. You will likely need to connect in another country on the way. Flying from LAX, I chose Singapore on the way and Tokyo on the return.

Tourism makes up for around 85% of Bali’s economy which means there are a lot of tourists and the island really caters to them. Expect to receive exceptional customer service and hospitality. Also prepare for street vendors looking to sell you beautiful souvenirs.

Currency: Bali uses the Indonesian Rupia (IDR). It took me a long time to get used to the currency because the bills are so large. You may have 500,000.00 IDR, but that’s really just $35 USD. I use the App XE Currency for all international conversions. Tip: keep hand sanitizer with your cash and use it. Money is very dirty with the constant changing of hands, avoid getting sick by sanitizing with every transaction. Also clean your credit cards often.

Water: Only drink bottled water. This also applies to brushing your teeth. Only bottled. Only use ice at higher end restaurants that have filtered water. Also avoid salads, fruits that could be exposed to tap water, etc. from restaurants that do not look like they cater to tourists. Locals have an immunity to the water that we don’t. There is a travelers sickness called ‘Bali Belly’ that is often caught from water consumption/food. You don’t want that.

Culture: The Balinese are incredibly nice. It is the first country I’ve visited where I’ve had people pray for me and put offerings at my Villa doorstep. You’ll see locals pray daily and put out handmade offerings that contain flowers and incense. This practice is learned as a child and is seen everywhere from sidewalks to restaurants. I personally believe the energy from the daily prayer and practice of doing good is the reason the island is so beautiful and has such a calm energy. When millions of people are committed to the same good and practice of prayer, it’s truly powerful. Just visit Bali and you’ll understand.

Experiences: I opted to dive deep into the culture of Bali. My cultural experiences took place in Ubud. I participated in a traditional Fire Ceremony known as the Agni Hostra which was done with a priest at Fivelements Resort this ceremony rids all things you are holding on it. It’s followed by a 5 course raw plant based meal which was delicious. I also participated in a Meditate with a Shaman and Holy water ritual through AirBnB Experiences. This took place at the Pura Mengening temple followed by a lesson on making traditional Canang sari offerings and a reading by a shaman. I highly recommend these experiences if you are looking to have a very spiritual and cultural trip. They were definitely life changing for me. Other places to visit: Tegalalang rice terrace, Waterfalls and the Monkey Forrest.

Beach Clubs: My favorite beach clubs were La Brisa in Canggu and La Plancha in Semyniak, Both are beautiful and really worth a visit to catch the sunset.

Restaurants: A few of my favorite places by location. Seminyak: KIN Restaurant, The Coffee Library, Ku De Ta (catch the sunset here), The Junction House, Metis. Ubud: Savannah Moon (this was my absolute favorite hole in the wall local restaurant. I ate here multiple times. Watercress, Alchemy (Vegan), Three Monkeys Cafe. Akasha (Vegan) Restaurant was really beautiful but only for drinks, not food.

Getting Around: Most neighborhoods are completely walkable. For short distances you can use a Taxi (I recommend Blue Bird, they are a trusted cab company). For longer distances like the airport, transferring to Ubud, touring, etc. I suggest a private driver. They are very affordable and also safest way to get around. Hire my trusted driver, Ketut (@ketutdrivesbali).

Temples: There are temples everywhere in Bali, it’s pretty amazing and they are beautiful. Tourists are only allowed to visit the Public Temples as the Local Temples and Village Temples are only for the locals. Temples require an admission fee and they will give you a traditional sarong to wear before entering. Just know the temples get very busy with tourists and you may not see a ceremony taking place. Enjoy the architecture but if you would like a more in-person experience, look at the ‘experiences’ section of this post.

Hotels: There are tons of great options. I opted to stay at an AirBnB and a Boutique hotel with villas to have a private pool. Look for options that are walking distance from restaurants and shops.

Vaccines: There are recommended vaccines to visit Bali, I already had everything on the list from other international trips but definitely take a look at the requirements as they change often and chat with a doctor.

Laws: Drugs is a serious crime in Bali. Don’t do them, bring them or get involved with them or anyone who has them in any way. The punishment ranges from prison to the death penalty. Respect the laws of Indonesia.