Bali - la isla bonita

While most people will tell you Bali is small, which is indeed true remember that travel times from one part of the island to another is roughly 1.5 hours, the topography changes as you traverse the island and the offerings (hotels, adventure tours etc) change depending on the region.

Hence, it’s important to know what you want out of your holiday. If you are looking for beach time, head South (closer to airport). If you are ok with skipping the beach, head to Ubud (centrally located) and make this your base for your excursions or split between the two. Beaches in Bali are infamous for tides that have caused many drownings so I’d suggest enjoying the hotel pool for swimming enjoying the view of the Ocean.

Where to stay in Bali ?

There are MANY MANY MANY hotels to choose from; it’s overwhelming.

Obviously, start with your budget. At the extreme luxury end, are the four seasons, Ritz Carlton and Amandari. These are gorgeous resorts all along the river (all in a row interestingly). However, these are about 20 minutes drive from town and in a relatively quiet area. Hotels charge ridiculous prices for taxis, so if staying away from town, either book a taxi in advance for the entire stay or try a motor-scooter taxi. There are many of these guys hanging around downtown Ubud.

We stayed at a hotel called Desa Visesa - super hyped, Website made the hotel and Room look super luxurious but in fact ended up being a disappointment since the hotel staff did not orient us well to the hotel and overall was too casual in its approach. Also, the hotel was too crowded and it’s main pool was at the lobby making it noisy and unattractive to swim in :(

For the last 2 nights, I checked into the Plataran Ubud, located 5 minutes from Yoga barn. The hotel exceeded all expectations, every Hotel staff member I interacted with over extended himself, to be helpful, including the swimming pool attendant! This made the entire stay unreal! I strongly recommend this hotel if you are looking for a semi luxurious experience in the heart of Ubud - enter the hotel from the busy street into a haven of tranquility - the contrast is inexplicable.

What to do in Bali?

There’s something for all age groups in Bali. We focussed on the more adventurous activities. Here’s a list of some of my favorite activities!

Book the tours directly with the companies. I used Bali Golden Tours http://www.baligoldentour.com they were excellent and very quick to respond. They custom make tours for you as needed and if short on time, combine the cycling / rafting / ATV (any 2 in a day!). A company called Mason tours also does the same tours but they were priced higher than the others so we didn’t use them.

1 million IDR is roughly 5000 INR. The tours below cost roughly 500,000 IDR and are well worth the cost. They also include a meal. Most tours also include Hotel drop and pick up so you don’t need a taxi on the days you have tours unless you are venturing out for dinner post the tour. So book taxis accordingly!

1. horse riding - http://www.balihorseriding.net
2. Cycling - https://www.greenbiketour.com/tour/cycling-tour-best-bike-tour-bali
3. ATV - book with Bali Golden tours - don’t go with Mason since they don’t have Atvs (they have mini jeeps and you do laps of the same track instead of following a long track)
4. Waterfalls - we went to aling aling falls after some research and using this blog (http://nomanbefore.com/best-waterfalls-bali. The falls are a natural water park with cliff jumping and sliding - it’s 2.5 hours drive from Ubud - but unforgettable- rent a taxi on your own and go. They have local guides on site there. The guide is included in your ticket price of IDR 150,000.
5. Rafting - mostly grade 1 and 2 rapids only making this a safe activity to so with kids 5 plus. Book with Bali Golden tour.
6. Bali Treetop Adventure Park - we didn’t do this but is supposed to be excellent for kids and adults. Rent a taxi and head out on your own.
7. Yoga classes - Yoga barn has about 12-15 classes daily - just show up 15-20 minutes before and pay. If you go for multiple classes buy a pass. Their cafe is superb so def have a meal / smoothie there. House of Chi is supposedly great for aerial yoga as well. Classes are 130,000 IDR at Yoga barn - do not miss the Tibetan bowl Meditation (for this you need to go at least 45 minutes in advance to sign up - hugely popular class - surreal experience)
8. Massages - every 200 meters you will find a foot massage parlor. Cost is about 80,000 IDR for an hour - peak inside before you decide to pay!
9. Temples - there at thousands of temples in Bali - do your research to see which ones interest you.
10. Bali swing and coffee plantations (same place)- overrated experiences ! Skip.

What to pack for Bali ?

Carry - light rain jacket, sunscreen, walking shoes,  cap, slippers, swimwear,  sunglasses, a small backpack, beach shoes to walk in the waterfalls, misquote repellent, compact towel, full track pants and t shirts for activities, sunglasses for activities also (sporty ones), Yoga wear if planning on doing a class, casual lounge wear for restaurants (even the high end places are not super formal).

Where to eat in Bali?

The Main Street in Ubud is lined with restaurants , hotels and bars - you do not need to look for food in ubud - that’s for sure!

While the food standards are generally decent, I’ll list some places you just shouldn’t miss if you are a foodie!

I also recommend booking these places well in advance - they r hugely popular.

1. Mozaic - fine dining. The interiors are nothing to write home about but the food is Just sumptuous- plan to spend at least 2-3 hours here. If you are vegetarian, do the 8 course tasting menu since portions are not too large and each course is just delicious!
2. Room 4 dessert - they have a 6 course tasting menu too but I felt personally that was too much sugar for me. I opted to sit out in the garden and enjoy an a la carte order of the Choco bubbles (the only chocolate dessert on the menu!). The menu stays the same for 6 months of the year.
3. Seeds of life - an affordable, casual, veggie cafe serving healthy Food and drink options - head to the terrace and grab a mattress on the floor. They have several vegan and gluten free options and yes, it’s very tasty!
4. Clear Cafe - very chic cafe, also serving several vegan and gluten free options in addition to meat. The interiors are gorgeous so budget enough time to savor the place along with the food! Be warned - the staff was rude and service average but the food and space more than make up for it.
5. The Chedi Hotel - the hotel is stunning right from the entrance till the entrance of the restaurant, which is located surrounded by rice fields on 3 sides making for spectacular dining. The food was decent, coconut ice cream decadent and service standards superbly high. The hostess (Ayu), who was 8 months pregnant, did everything in her control to go over board to pamper us. For dessert, we requested them to move us to the deck chairs in the middle of the rice fields - unreal :)
6. Kubu at the Ritz Carlton - we didn’t go since it’s booked out a month ahead (?!?) but the location on the river Bank looked spectacular.
7. Kupu Kupu Barong - this Hotel (close to the Ritz) also houses the Occitaine spa (very disappointed for the price - please skip!). They have a private dining area for couples called the Birds Nest that overlooks the valley - quite spectacular for couples looking for privacy - suggest going for lunch to enjoy the view or early dinner at 6 pm. Post 7:30 it gets dark, and if it starts to rain then it’s quite chilly too.
8. Rock Bar - this is in the Ayana Hotel as Jimbaran - it’s super super popular and very busy during sunset. You get priority booking if staying at Ayana so if you really want to spend your evening here best bet is to stay in the same hotel. Post 7:30 the place is much more relaxed since the crowds leave post sunset. Since it’s dark you can see the oceans blue but still can hear the waves and see the place lit up. I’d recommend going around 8 for dinner if you like quiet places like I do!
9. Omni - this is an all day club, also in the South, with a location similar to rock bar (this one is brand new though). We didn’t go, but heard rave reviews. It also has pool areas inside, so remember to take your swim wear and make a day out of your visit!

This is of course, just a slice of Bali trying to cover what we found most appealing. It’s a location waiting to be discovered - so explore and share!