Who doesn’t know Bali? This paradise on earth has conjured many eyes, both to domestic and international tourists. This small beautiful island is a part of the Indonesia archipelago, which located in the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. With its numerous interesting places, it’s almost impossible to refuse a lively vacation in this so-called Island of Gods.
Bali enchants anyone with its dramatic dances, colorful ceremonies, arts, crafts, luxurious beach resorts, delicious food, and even exciting nightlife. It has become one of Indonesia’s favorite tourist destinations which offers everything from a family trip to super-Instagrammable spots for millennials. You can visit the rice paddies, see the beautiful panorama of beaches and volcanoes, visit the temples, and do challenging watersport activities.
If you choose Bali as your next holiday destination, you’ll get a very memorable and tropical paradise feeling in you. There are many tourist attractions in Bali that are fun to be enjoyed with your family, colleagues, and friends.
The Island of Gods got its name from its mesmerizing and paradise-like beaches. You can find all kinds of beaches here, from the quiet ones to the fun and more entertaining ones. Obviously, water sports, hanging out at the bar and clubs, and having floating breakfast are a great choice of activity here. But you can also spend some time visiting the greener sides of Bali, such as the rice terraces, Ubud Monkey Forest, and Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park.
Bali is suitable for all types of travelers. Do you want to travel with your family? You can visit Waterbom Bali or Bali Bird Park. Want to spend your honeymoon here? Book a romantic hotel in the Ubud area and spend time exploring the nature of Bali.
Season
Most people come to Bali to visit its beautiful beaches, and of course, accompanied by sunny weather. Since Bali is in a tropical country, it only has two seasons, the rainy season and the dry season. So, we advise you to visit between April and October, when the weather is warmer and sunny. It’s perfect for water sport activities, as well as hiking and sunbathing.
Do note that mid-year in Bali is the most crowded time.
Festival
If you want to experience Bali’s culture even deeper, attend its fun and beautiful festivals. If you’re looking for yoga, seminar, music, community market, and healing centers The Bali Spirit Festival in March can be the right one for you. For culinary tourism, Ubud Food Festival in April can be the perfect destination. To experience Balinese culture through festivals, you can attend Pesta Kesenian Bali in June, Buleleng Festival in August, and Denpasar Festival in December.
In addition, the majority of Balinese residents, who are mostly Hindus, also celebrate Nyepi Day, which generally falls in March. On this day, Hindus are not allowed to leave the house, seek entertainment, carry out physical activities other than soul cleansing, and must not light a fire. Even though they are not Hindu, when tourists are in Bali on this Nyepi day, they are expected to also follow this custom. In addition, shops, restaurants, and even airports may also be closed.
The easiest and fastest way to get to Bali is by:
Plane
Board a plane with the destination of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. The airport is located in South Kuta and only 13km away from Denpasar. To get to the city center from the airport, you can take a metered taxi.
Bus
This option is only available for travelers going to Bali from other big cities in Indonesia. Do note that the traveling time can be quite long, especially if you’re departing from further islands. The main bus station is Mengwi Terminal, which is located in Badung Regency.
Ship
You can also board a ship to get to this island from Singapore, Sumatra, or Java. The staff at the port will help you manage your trip to Bali via ship. The ports in Bali are Gilimanuk, Padangbai, Benoa, Celukan Bawang, Amuk, and Tribuana port.
The best way to get around in Bali is by car or motorcycle. You can rent a car in Bali on tiket.com before your departure to Bali to make your trip easier. While renting a motorcycle in the local area is quite easy and affordable. It can start from IDR 65.000 (~USD 4,65). Aside from that, another transportation option is a taxi. Make sure you choose a metered taxi to avoid paying more than you should.
Bali is also safe and comfortable to get around in on foot. So bring on your comfortable walking shoes and some sunscreen.
To get to the other areas in Bali that are further from where you’re staying, you can consider taking the bus. While to get to the smaller island, such as Gili, you can take the boat from the bigger cities.
The main language of Bali is Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian language). But the Balinese also speak a traditional language, the Balinese language. Aside from that, since there are lots of international tourists in this place, English is also a common language. The hotel staff, the restaurant staff, and even motorcycle rental owners usually can speak good English.
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Bali has a range of accommodation that you can choose, from the luxurious ones to the cheap yet comfortable ones. If you’re looking for a fancy hotel with beautiful rooms and even better views, we recommend staying at one of the luxurious hotels of Nusa Dua, Canggu, or Ubud. You can enjoy its facilities too, such as the spa, restaurant and bar, and the infinity pools.
If you want to stay in the city and find cheaper hotels, hostels, or apartments, we recommend staying in Kuta. Don’t worry about the cleanliness and comfort, because even though they?re cheaper, their service and facilities are just as comfy.
Bali is known for its delicious savory dishes available at every corner of the island, from the cheap to luxurious ones. Just like other Indonesian food, Balinese food mostly contains rice and chili. You can try babi guling (suckling pig), which is a plat of rice, pork sausage, vegetable salad, and chili. Nasi campur (mixed rice) can also be a good option if you want to be full with just one plate. Another one that you definitely must try here is Bebek (duck) Betutu. Aside from the tasty dish, the restaurant itself is quite phenomenal, surrounded by the view of nature.
Some of the best areas for culinary tourism are Jimbaran and Legian. In Jimbaran, you will find lots of delicious seafood, especially the fish. In Legian, you must try the famous pork satay here.
If you eat in smaller restaurants or even not at a restaurant, the food costs usually start from IDR 45.000 – IDR 50.000 (around USD 3). If you eat at a bigger and fancier restaurant that serves western and other foreign dishes, it might cost around IDR 100.000 pers dish (~ USD 7,15).
Vegan/Vegetarian Food
Finding vegan and vegetarian food in Bali is particularly easy. And they?re not always Balinese food too. The best areas in Bali to find this kind of restaurant/cafe is Canggu, Ubud, and Seminyak. The food costs range, depending on the type of restaurant you visit. The cheapest can be around USD 3, and the most expensive can be around USD 45.
Shopping in Bali is another must-do activity here.
Kuta
If you’re looking for bigger shopping malls, you can get around in Kuta and find most of them there, such as Park 23 Mall Kuta, Lippo Mall Kuta, and Discovery Shopping Mall Kuta. For street shopping, you can go to Kuta Art Market.
Legian
You can also visit Legian Street for street shopping. Be sure to shop for some of Bali’s famous souvenirs, such as clothes, necklaces, and more.
There are some important rules and information that you should know before visiting Bali:
