What I loved most about Bali, was how easy going the people were and how seriously breathtaking the place was. I’m already looking forward to my next trip there but you’ll feel well prepared on your first one with this guide. We’re not responsible if you you’ll want to stay here for an extended amount of time just to soak up all the culture, endless food options and get into all the activities.
Getting Around
Bali is located in Indonesia and you’ll need to fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar (DPS). You’ll most likely have to transfer in another city so prepare yourself for this 15+ hour flight. If you want to explore some more, plan your layover to be long enough to see another country. I flew with Qatar Airways which served me some of best airplane food I’ve had to date. Getting to Bali will probably be the most expensive part of your trip, once there everything is pretty inexpensive.
To enter Bali from the U.S you must have a valid passport expiring in no less than 6 months from the date of arrival and two blank passport pages on it. No visa is required for visits of 30 days or less. Travel requirements can be found here for reference.
Where to Stay
There are plenty of options all over Bali from hotels and Villas to Airbnb but it’s all about what area you want to stay in. Our group stayed in South Kuta for the entire trip and we rented a home for the 7 of us. Kuta is known to be a party town but we stayed a bit further down to avoid the hoorah. Ubud is another popular area where most of the attractions are and we were about two hours from there.
Things to See and Do
You can never run out of things to do in Bali. The beaches alone are amazing and even relaxing at the spa is a must do. Here are a few things we got into that really made our experience one to brag about.
Waterbomb Bali
If you’re into Water Parks, you’re going to love Waterbomb Bali. It’s the second best water park in the world and to my surprise, served thee best amusement park food I’ve ever had. They had a variety of lunch options and plenty of rides, slides and pools. It’s best to arrive early to avoid the crowds and bring your own lock!
Upside down Bali
Upside Down Bali is a new attraction where everything in the place is…uʍop ǝpᴉsd∩! It’s so much fun to go and take photos in the different rooms and freak people out back home. From bedrooms, to kitchens, there’s something in the museum for everyone to have fun with.
Monkey Forest
You can’t go to Bali and not experience the Monkey Forest. Located in the UBUD area, the monkey forest is has over 900 monkeys. Be sure not to wear any jewelry and don’t keep your belongings out because they like to pick pocket! It’s also unsafe to look the monkeys in the eye because they can get aggressive. However, it’s a true treat being surrounded by them in their natural habitat and only cost about $1 to get in.
Where to Eat and Drink
Cuca Restaurant
Bali is full of restaurants and it can get really difficult trying to choose the one of your dreams. Trust me, it’s Cuca. They offer a Gastronomy menu so you can have all of the chef’s favorites and share with your table. The decor is absolutely stunning and it’s extremely inexpensive for the value you get on the table Your stomach will thank you.
Luwak Coffee
If you find yourself at a Luwak tasting, the experience is free! They bring out about 15 different teas for you to try and give you the history of some of the most expensive coffee in the world. In some places, it can go for $100 a cup! The coffee bean is eaten by the civet cat animal, digested, picked up by the workers, cleaned and turned into coffee. This experience was featured on the bucket list so we were all very excited to try it. The coffee you must pay for separately but it is really good!
Our trip was for one week but we saw and did so much in Bali. Be sure to do your own research to appropriately schedule your trip but this should help you get started on your journey!
