Hey everyone, hope you're all keeping safe and well.
Can anyone believe it's already May? Time seems to have taken on a completely different feel during these past few weeks. Now is the time we're supposed to be looking forward to those exciting summer plans. Music festivals, holidays, beer gardens, rooftop bars, barbecues, birthday parties, summer parties... the lot. All I'm looking forward to right now is the next time I'll be able to hug my friends and get a haircut.
A lot of us are probably dreaming about the first holiday destination once travel bans are eventually lifted and airlines get back on their feet. This will take a while, but we can still dream and start to plan these adventures in our heads.
Has anyone else felt like their dreams are way more exciting than their days? Some mornings I lie in bed trying to force myself to go back to sleep so I can finish a great dream. We're all having strange dreams right now because our minds are less stimulated during the day than we're used to. Therefore, the mind has to go really deep and far into our memories.
Anyways, I bet we're all wishing we could escape to Bali and live out our best Elizabeth Gilbert Eat Pray Love moments. I had a dream about Bali the other night. As we all know, this isn't possible right now. But, it will be one day.
I could probably write a whole book about my time in Bali, but I don't think anyone would read it. Plus, I wouldn't want them to. I also really don't have the time and motivation to do that. Let me rephrase that... I do have the time (especially now because I'm unemployed and stuck in the house all day), but there are other things I'd rather spend my time doing. Obviously.
In this blog, I aim to talk about my own experiences and opinions in an open, honest, relatable way. But I'm not sharing everything. So many memories you make travelling aren't meant to be shared. They're meant to be kept only for you. This post is a brief overview of my time in Bali. You'll find some recommendations and thoughts. I hope that it inspires, or makes you feel something. Even if you just pick up some useful (or not useful) information, I appreciate you taking the time to read my meaningful waffle!
Around the beginning of November, I said goodbye to my Vietnam travel buddies and flew to Bali. I was completely solo again for the first time in weeks. The people I'd met on my adventures through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam had become close friends. Saying goodbye to them and parting ways was no doubt sad. Whilst travelling, overcoming boundaries to make deep and meaningful bonds with people seems effortless. Strong friendships are created very quickly, which makes saying goodbye that much harder!
Nevertheless, there were new places to discover and more friendships to be made. A new chapter of my adventure was beginning. As I took off from Hanoi, I gazed out the plane window and the excitement of the unknown was all too real.
What's the visa situation?
If you plan on staying in Bali for longer than 30 days, then make sure you purchase a visa on arrival. If you pay for a visa on arrival, then it means you can get the visa extended beyond 30 days. You can also go straight through without paying, but that means you won't be able to get your visa extended. However, you can do a visa run by leaving the country and coming back in to renew the 30 days. I was in Bali for over a month, so I bought a visa on arrival and easily got it extended without having to do a visa run. You can do this through a visa agent, or you can do it yourself.
Pre-book your transport
I arrived at Denpasar airport, collected my bag (which smelt delicious because as all my shampoo had exploded 👌) and was greeted by my driver who took me to my hotel in Seminyak. I know, I sound like a princess don't I? To avoid stress after a long day of travel, I had arranged transport through my hotel beforehand. If possible, always book airport transport ahead of time to avoid being ripped off by drivers. As soon as you step foot into the arrivals area, you'll get bombarded with taxi offers. Don't fall for them! They'll charge way too much.
Taking grab bikes or cabs is a popular way to get around if you don't want to drive your moped. It's an app similar to Uber and rides are reasonably priced. Be careful though, because transport apps are not allowed in a lot of areas. This is to prevent the business from being taken away from local taxi drivers. The Balinese people are lovely, but if you're caught catching a grab ride in these certain areas, you could be shouted at by an angry local.
Seminyak and Canggu
When I first arrived in Bali, I stayed in a hotel in Seminyak for 3 nights. The driver who picked me up from the airport was great. He made me sing Karaoke with him in the car. The Balinese people are some of the most happy, calm, kind-hearted people I've ever met. Even when driving through chaos during rush hour, they completely keep their cool. I don't think the Balinese people even know what road rage is. For my first 3 nights, I had booked a private room. I needed some 'me' time to collect my thoughts and prepare for the next adventure.
Seminyak is nice. Lots of adorable aesthetically pleasing little shops and cafés. It's very expensive though. Adjusting to the new currency and higher prices took a while. Bali is very westernised. The economy profits greatly from tourism and the local people will try to make as much money as they can from you.
Canggu is where you'll find most backpackers who are down to party and have a good time. It's filled with beautiful, fun co-working spaces and delicious brunch spots where you'll see all the attractive digital nomads (seemingly) living the dream working from their laptops.
In Seminyak, check out:
1. La Favela
Alright, I have to admit, I didn't actually make it to this place. But, lots of people have recommended it to me so I guess I'll have to go back to Bali ASAP to check it out. Located in the heart of Seminyak, this place was designed by the creative couple Gonzalo and Sandra Assiego. Inspired by the jungles of Bali and Indonesia, showcasing stencil art and graffiti from all around the world, you're sure to be captivated by this exquisite venue.
2. Potato Head Beach Club
Described as 'a creative village by the ocean', Potato Head Beach Club is a great place to relax and soak up the sounds and views of the beach. Enjoy delicious cocktails, listen to some great tunes, and enjoy a beautiful meal filled with love and wellness.
In Canggu, check out:
1. Tipsy Gypsy Hostel I loved this place. So much so I stayed here twice during my time in Bali. It's reasonably priced, in a great location and the staff members are absolute legends. There's also a really cute dog named Tipsy. I was sold. It's quite small, so you'll meet people easily and become close quickly. It's not too much of a party hostel, so you'll be able to get a good nights sleep if needed. This is the first place I stayed after my 3 solo nights in a hotel. It's always a bit scary entering a hostel for the first time and not knowing anyone, but everyone is always so nice and welcoming if you make a bit of an effort. I settled in, put my bag away, took a deep breath, and then stepped outside to introduce myself to everyone. Before I knew it, we were all drinking beers on the beach and planning a trip to the Gili islands.
2. Layday Surf Hostel
Now this is a party hostel. Don't expect to get much sleep at this place. Happy hour is every hour and don't be surprised if the bartenders hype you up to do a shot on arrival. I had so much fun at this hostel and made some life long friends. This hostel is a bit further away from the beach, but it's still a great location nonetheless. The food is also great!
3. The Farm Hostel
I have a place in my heart for the farm hostel. Everyone is like a family. One big happy 'farm'ily! I stayed here for my last week before flying to Australia and had the most lovely time. The staff are all locals, and will do anything for you. Expect to be singing along to jam sessions most nights. It's a bit more pricey than the other hostels, but hey, you get what you pay for. The rooms are immaculate and air-conditioned, a small breakfast is included and the bathrooms in some of the rooms are open air. Surrounded by lush green plants, you can stare at the stars as you shower.
3. Finn's Beach Club
I have to admit, Finn's wasn't my typical scene. It's filled with a lot of very rich people showing off their designer swimsuits and sunglasses for the gram. Nevertheless, it was fun to live like VIPs for the day. If you go with a big group, you can all split the cost of a bed and stay there for the whole day. The money you pay is then your drinks tab and then you can pay extra on top if you want more drinks. As a big group, it's not too pricey. We got our money's worth.
4. Old Man's Bar and Sand Bar
This is a classic backpacker night out in Canggu. I think I heard Tones and I's song Dance Monkey played about 9 times in one night. Start at Old Man's bar and enjoy the happy hour filled with lots of cocktails and Bintang beers. As the night goes on, a dance floor opens up. Once this gets too crowded, head down to the beach and carry on the party at the Sand Bar. It's free entry to a huge party on the beach. More Dance Monkey will be heard. Also, don't expect to look really cute whilst you show off your moves for the boys... dancing on sand after you've had too much to drink is horrendously difficult.
5. Pretty Poison and Black Cat Mini-Mart If you know anyone who's been to Bali, you've probably seen a video of some guy skating in an empty pool surrounded by loads of people watching. This is the Pretty Poison Bar. I think it must be every skater's dream to be good enough to skate here one day. All the skaters seem like mini celebs. It's quite entertaining to watch! I did watch a girl try to skate and fall straight on her face though... experienced skaters only please. She was okay by the way!
After Pretty Poison, we headed to Black Cat Mini Mart. From the outside, you'd just think it was a normal mini-mart. Nothing special. When you go inside, there's a fridge door on the back wall. What happens when you open the fridge door? Well, surely you'd find a bunch of cold drinks and Bintang beers, right? Wrong. You open the fridge door and step into a full bar and club area. Casual. Dance the night away in a fridge, because why not!
Gili Islands
The Gili islands are 3 tiny islands just off the coast of northwest Lombok. Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. I went to Gili T and Gili Air. Not many backpackers go to Gili Meno as it's more of a honeymoon destination. To get to the Gili islands, you have to get a boat from Padangbai. Hostels usually assist in arranging transport and you can buy open return tickets. It's about an hour boat ride from Padangbai to Gili Trawangan. From Gili T to Gili Air it's about 15 minutes.
These islands are paradise. Beautiful beaches, great snorkeling, absolutely no cars, and an extremely laid back vibe. However, the beaches aren't white, sandy and pristine. There's quite a lot of coral and the water stays knee-deep for quite a while. Nevertheless, these islands are worth a visit.
Gili Trawangan
Gili T is the party island. Lots of crazy backpackers out to have a good time. I kind of got a Magaluf vibe, but not as tacky. We stayed at My Mate's Place, a great hostel with daily activities and snorkeling trips. Another great hostel recommendation is Gili Castle. To be honest, most of the hostels are pretty great and everything is so close together that you can easily check them all out! The nightlife consists of many fun bars including the Jungle Bar and the Sama Sama Reggae bar.
You can snorkel with turtles and see underground statues, rent bikes and cycle around the whole island, gain a diving certificate, kick it by the pool, climb the hill to watch sunrise and sunset... whatever floats your boat. I really enjoyed the simplicity of it all.
Gili Air
Gili Air is even smaller than Gili T. You can walk around the whole island in about 45 minutes I'd say. Nevertheless, my friend and I still managed to get lost in broad daylight. I think I preferred Gili Air to Gili T. The water seemed clearer and the beaches were a bit nicer.
A popular hostel is Begadang. This is the top place for solo travellers with excellent facilities and a funky mushroom-shaped pool. There is also a varied food menu to choose from, although I'd suggest checking out the local spots located a stone's throw away.
I did a whole lot of nothing on Gili Air. I chilled out to the max, read my books, and met some really interesting people at the hostel from all over the world. Island life suited me just fine.
Upon returning to the mainland, don't get scammed!
The laid back island life had to come to an end eventually. I got the boat back to Padangbai. I'd then make my way to Ubud.
We finally arrived back to the mainland and were all given a ticket indicating our next destination. A load of Balinese men started to wave and shout at me as I got off the boat. It was all very confusing and very chaotic. One of them grabbed my ticket and said he was providing transport to Ubud. Great. I mean, I didn't have a choice, he'd already taken my ticket! I followed, thinking he was a member of the boat company.
The ticket I bought provided free transport from Padangbai to destinations including Ubud. When we moved away from the crowd, the guy started quoting prices. Turns out he was a local driver trying to make some cash! I explained that I was entitled to free transport. He then told me that the free transport to Ubud would take over 3 hours because they would stop off at different destinations on the way. If I paid him a price, he would take me there directly and I wouldn't have to wait. Complete lie.
I had a look at maps and saw that Ubud was about an hour away by car. There was no way it would take 3 hours. I eventually bumped into some people who were also headed to Ubud. They guided me to the correct bus stop location. I eventually hopped on a bus and was in Ubud in under an hour! Moral of the story: don't trust people who aren't wearing official company uniform when you get off the boat at Padangbai, they will rip you off completely.
Ubud
I think Ubud was my favourite place in Bali. It's a magical place that will touch your soul and enlighten your mind. Filled with yoga studios, retreats in lush rice fields, delicious brunch spots, beautiful boutique shops, and stunning temples, Ubud is bursting with traditional Balinese culture. You can also get to lots of amazing waterfalls in the heart of the Indonesian jungle by moped or car. Some of these waterfalls include Nungnung Waterfall (about an hour's drive north of Ubud), Tibumana waterfall, and Kanto Lampo Waterfall. Those were the ones that stood out to me! You can also head to Wanagiri Hidden Hill to get some classic Bali swing and nest pics.
Another thing worth doing is climbing Mount Batur at sunrise. You can book sunrise tours through all the hostels or online! Climbing a mountain in the pitch black and watching a sunrise overlooking Bali is a surreal experience.
There's so much to do in Ubud. Watch traditional Balinese dancing, visit the monkey sanctuary, get a massage, do a yoga retreat, take a cooking class or just sit with a cocktail and soak it all in. There's no big nightlife scene, so no matter what you do, you'll leave Ubud feeling cleansed, refreshed, calm, inspired, and happy!
Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan
These islands are located southeast of Bali. They're absolutely beautiful and a perfect escape from the hustle of mainland Seminyak, Canggu, and Kuta. There are 3 islands: Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, and Nusa Ceningan.
We hired a driver to take us around Nusa Penida and hit all the main spots. You can rent mopeds if you're a confident driver, but be careful because some parts of the road are, well, just not there. The views were incredible and you can easily see everything in one day. However the overcrowding of tourists thwarted the experience for me.
Nusa Lembongan seemed a bit less crowded. It's a very chill, laid back vibe. Rent a moped and hit all the main spots including the Devil's Tear and Blue lagoon.
Uluwatu
Uluwatu is located at the southern tip of Bali. Filled with luxurious cliff top resorts and villas, it's a laid back place with incredible views of the open ocean. It's a very popular surfing spot too! Enjoy the beautiful beaches away from the crowds and be sure to visit the Uluwatu temple for your daily dose of touristic activity. At sunset, you can watch the locals perform the traditional fire dance overlooking the ocean. It's an unforgettable experience.
The influence of social media on the feel of Bali.
I wanted to touch on this topic because it's something that was on my mind a lot as I experienced all that Bali had to offer. It seems that a lot of Bali's hot spots are greatly promoted through social media platforms, especially Instagram. You know how it is, you see an incredible picture on Instagram of a model posing next to an unreal waterfall and think, wow, I really need to go there. Subconsciously you're thinking that maybe you could even get a similar picture. Reality check: unless you have a whole photography team behind you, your pics will not look like that. Remember, some of these people get paid to do this. It's their job.
Certain picture locations have sort of become 'iconic' through Instagram. Yes, these locations are absolutely stunning and are worth a visit, but you also have to remember that a lot of these pictures you see are manipulated and edited to the max. Because I had some pre-conceived ideas in my head of what places would like, shaped by 'influencer like' pictures on Instagram, I'd find that I was sometimes shocked to see how these places actually looked in real life. Don't get me wrong, they didn't look any worse, just so different.
I guess that's like most travelling experiences though! You have your expectations and you have the reality. In some iconic picture locations, you actually have to pay! The locals have definitely figured out how to profit off some people's obsession with the gram. Props to them to be honest.
I just found it a bit odd that you'd sometimes find yourself queueing to get a picture. At times, I felt that people forgot to even appreciate where they were because they were so concerned about capturing the perfect shot. You'll definitely see a lot of over the top photoshoots going on around Bali. It's fine to want to get great pictures, but like, come on, don't obsess over it, and make it quick.
Until next time!
That pretty much sums up all the places I visited in Bali! There's no need to plan a rigorous timetable before arrival. It's so easy to plan your travels as you go. A lot of plans I made stemmed from conversations with people I met. Everyone is always willing to share stories, recommendations, and advice. In Bali, all you need to do is go with the flow, be opened minded and you'll be sure to have an incredible time. Another post is coming soon about my experiences travelling in a pirate ship (not really lol) from Lombok to Flores, so keep an eye out.
Until next time guys:) Thanks for reading!
Big love,
Belle x
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