Bali, the island of God. With its unique culture and its reputation of being a tropical paradise, it has long been a dream destination of ours. Bali is one of the only places in Indonesia where the predominant religion is Hinduism instead of Islam. Balinese Hinduism is a combination of Hinduism and indigenous animist rituals that existed before the introduction of Hinduism in the Indonesian archipelago. The sense of spirituality you will find in Bali is like no other in the world. Different religions, cultures, and customs coexist peacefully, always with a smile and great respect for the joy of life.
Nature, the food, the lovely people, everything made us fall in love with this island. In this post, you will find some of our recommendations for first-time travelers in Bali.
The first thing you must know about Bali is that it is a big island. There are several different areas worth visiting and it can take quite a long time to move around between them. Don’t stay only in one area and don’t fill your itinerary with too many things.
Ubud
Ubud is a small town surrounded by luscious rice fields and a beautiful jungle. It is a nice place to hike, explore, and relax at one of the many spas. There are also a lot of yoga retreats in the area. Given its popularity, Ubud is one of the most crowded areas in Bali but despite that, we loved exploring the local markets and walking in the beautiful ricefields.
Things to see
- Campuhan Ridge is a 2km long walk in the heart of Ubud. We recommend coming here for sunrise to escape the crows. It will take you around 20–30 minutes to walk from one side to the other. Many visitors come here to run or exercise.
- Rice terraces: there are some famous ones but if you simply drive around you will see a lot of beautiful and not-so-crowded rice fields. From the city center, there is a nice walk to Subak Juwuk rice field where you can enjoy a sunset walk or go for a scenic run in the morning.
- Holy water: try to participate in the water ceremony (Tirta Empul is the most famous one but there are many, just make sure to visit early in the morning to avoid the crowds).
- Monkey forest (there is a less touristy one in Sangeh with incredible trees and a beautiful temple)
- Waterfall chasing. Some of our favorites: Leke Leke, Kanto Lampo Waterfall, Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
Where to stay
- Yudha Ubud or Divara Ubud for a budget-friendly option
Where to eat
- Sun Sun Warung
- Moksa
- 9 Angels & 9 Bamboos
- Prima Warung Vegetarian
Uluwatu
Uluwatu is one of our favorite areas, with beautiful beaches with crystal clear water, surf for any level, and a relaxing vibe. In recent years, tourism is increased in this area and unfortunately, many natural areas are getting destroyed to build new restaurants and villas. Despite that, nature in this area is stunning and if you just explore outside the beaten paths you will find many authentic and wild places to discover.
Things to do
- Surf at Padang Padang beach (go early in the morning to avoid crowds) or Balangan
- Visit Uluwatu Temple for Sunset and watch the Kecak dance
- Enjoy the beautiful sunsets
- Relax at Dreamland Beach or Melasti Beach
- Discover the natural beauty of Green Bowl Beach during low tide
- Discover the nearby area of Jimbaran and Kuta and get lost in one of the little narrow streets to experience real local life.
Where to eat
- Yeye’s warung
- Warung local (our favorite)
- Ceanna Warung for great local food at a cheap price
- Cempaka Cafe for Indonesian and Thai food
- Drifter café for breakfast
- Cashew tree for vegan desserts
Nusa Penida
To reach the Nusa islands, you can drive directly to the harbor of Sanur and take a fast boat. If you have limited time you can also do a day trip from Uluwatu.
Things to see
- Kelingking Beach, probably one of the most famous places in the world
- Crystal Bay (manta dive)
- Broken Beach and Angel Billabong
Nusa Ceningan & Lembongan are also very nice and a bit less crowded.
Kintamani
Hike to the volcano in Mount Batur and visit the local village and Kintamani Lake. Keep in mind that the volcano hike can get super crowded in high season.
Another great experience in the area is visiting Trunyan Village. Aside from being an isolated home for the Bali Aga people, the village is notable for its tradition of treating the deceased. Instead of burning the remains, as is often done for Hindu Balinese, the Trunyan people just set the bodies on the ground, covered with fabric and bamboo canopies, and left them to decompose.
Trunyan Village is located west of Lake Batur, and the best way to get to the settlement is via boat.
Sideman
Sideman is one of our favorite places in Bali. This area is much less touristy than Ubud and has beautiful rice fields to visit. You can also swim in the river and immerse yourself in beautiful nature.
Munduk
Munduk is located in the northern part of the island. There are fewer visitors, and it is a stunning corner of Bali. You can see some of the most spectacular waterfalls up there. 30 min ride from Munduk you can visit Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, a beautiful temple on a small lake.
Amed
Amed is a lovely fishermen's village in the north of Bali and the perfect place to enjoy snorkeling and diving. Some of the best snorkeling spots are the Japanese Shipwreck, Pyramids, and the underwater temple in Jemeluk Bay.
If you have a scooter you can drive to Lahangan Sweet for a beautiful sunset with a view of Mount Agung.
Unfortunately, we were a bit disappointed by the amount of plastic we found in the ocean but the locals are doing their best and we noticed that most of the restaurants and accommodations are plastic-free.
Where to eat
Galanga
Galanga restaurant completely blew our minds and we tasted some of the most unique dishes we had ever tried in our life.
Food in Bali
Bali is absolute food heaven. Not only is local food incredibly delicious but you can also find any time of cuisine you like. Eating vegan and vegetarian has never been easier than in Bali, we could find options pretty much anywhere we went.
- We strongly recommend eating at local warungs for an authentic and amazing food experience (most of them offer vegetarian and vegan options)
- Try nasi campur, our absolute favorite food, and Balinese spicy curry.
- Try some street food from local vendors, for example, Murtabak, a delicious pancake that can be sweet or salty (our favorite was chocolate and peanut, just make sure you eat it when you are hungry as the portions are huge)
- Drink some Jamu which is a turmeric juice that promotes health and boosts your immunity (every place in Indonesia has its own version)
- Other Indonesian dishes that you should try: nasi goreng (fried rice with eggs and vegetables), mie goreng (same as nasi goreng but with noodles instead of rice), gado-gado (boiled vegetables with peanut sauce usually served with rice and one egg), sambal (spicy sauces, my favorite is sambal matah), cap cay (vegetables sauteed in soy sauce), tempeh balado (tempeh cooked in tomato sauce), rendang (you will find the vegetarian version with jackfruit or mushrooms).
General recommendations
- Bali is a big island and traffic can be very intense. Don’t stay only in one place and think you can explore the whole island. Don’t fill your itinerary with too many things and areas.
- As mentioned, traffic is very intense in some areas and it can get very dangerous if you are not an experienced driver. Rent a scooter only if you feel comfortable, otherwise, you can always rent a grab bike to take you around. Keep in mind that some more remote locations like Amed or Munduk are easier to visit if you rent a scooter.
- Don’t forget to bring a rain jacket as the weather can be unpredictable
- Be respectful in temples in holy places and cover your knees and shoulders. Be mindful of offerings and don’t walk on them. In general, don’t go around in a bikini or without a T-shirt if you are not at the beach.
- Learn a few words of Bahasa Indonesian. Local people are extremely kind and friendly and really appreciate it when foreigners try to understand their magic culture. Balinese culture is like no other in the world, if you have a chance to see a ceremony, don’t miss out because it’s an incredible experience.
- Bali, like many places in Southeast Asia, has unfortunately a big plastic problem. Try to reduce plastic waste by avoiding plastic straws (maybe buy your own metal ones?), bringing your own sustainable toiletries, and reef-safe suncream. We also usually take our reusable bottles with us and refill them at our accommodation or at restaurants.
- Download Grab and Gojek apps for transport and deliveries
- Try Balinese Massages
Budget
Traveling in Indonesia is pretty affordable. This is more or less what we spent in Bali (of course, this can vary a lot with the choice of accommodation and transportation).
- Food: 5$ per meal for two people at local restaurants (Warung) / 15$ for two people for Western options
- Accommodation: 30$/night for a hotel room and 15$/night for a guesthouse
- Scooter rental: 4$ / day