Bali, Indonesia
With my semester abroad being in Perth, Western Australia, Bali was a convenient 3-4 hour direct flight away. I got to spend ten full days making my debut in Asia with my now-boyfriend Johan who I met on exchange through uni. We had the best of times! The food was incredible, beaches were stunning and often secluded, and everything was paid right out of our own pockets — so affordable all around. I got to cross of so many firsts like sleeping in a tree house (our favorite accommodation), swimming in an infinity pool, getting a facial and deep tissue massage, and relaxing on black sand beaches! Bali has remarkable cultural appeals, picturesque hidden gems, and an ultimately beautiful feel all around. This was one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, trips that I have ever taken and we wish we could’ve extended it even further. Hopefully this breakdown will help you bring your own island getaway dreams to life!
Accommodation:
Dreamland View Villa | Uluwatu
Ocean View Treehouse | Pangkung-Tibah
30-40 minutes from Canggu
The Jungle Villa | Ubud
Restaurants:
Canggu:
The Avocado Factory
Copenhagen Canggu
Honey,
Kynd Cafe Bali
Penny Lane
The Shady Shack
Touché
Yema
Nusa Penida Island:
Amarta
Ubud:
Ivy Cafe
Melali
Milk & Madu
Pasir
Sleeping Gajah Kitchen & Lounge
Two Sister’s Cafe
Uluwatu:
Drifter Cafe
The Gelato Factory
La Baracca
Nourish Cafe
Ours Bali
Salty Coffee
Suka Espresso
Activities:
Canggu/Pangkung-Tibah:
Beaches:
Canggu
Echo
Pigstone | 5-minute walk from treehouse Airbnb
Love Anchor Market | open daily, 8am-10pm
I got a necklace and bracelet I never take off plus a taupe-coloured, mesh bag that says “BALI.”
Standard shops were often pricey so markets are definitely the way to go to save a bit of money.
Samadi Sunday Market | 8am-4pm
Nusa Penida Island:
Beach:
Kelingking
Prepare for about a 40-minute decent to the beach. The waves are dangerously aggressive, but they so stunning and I am so grateful we took on the hike and got to chill here for 2-3 hours! Absolutely stunning from every angle, meaning you can just view it from above, take pictures then head out if that suits your fancy more.
We took a ferry that left at 8:30am, arrived at 9:30am, left at 4:30pm, and returned at 5:30pm.
under $60 USD for the two of us
Uluwatu:
Beaches:
Bingin
Dreamland
Nyang Nyang
20-minute hike down - worth it!
Padang Padang
Uluwatu Beach
Ubud:
Jaens Spa
We got a couples facial for an hour that cost just $50 USD for us both.
Kaveri Spa
This was our last adventure in Ubud before grabbing our stuff then heading to the airport. The spa was connected to a beautiful resort property called the Udaya Resort & Spa. We got a 90-minute couples deep tissue massage for just under $100 USD for the both of us.
Mount Batur | (sunrise) volcano hike
Sidemen Silver | silver jewelry making
Waterfalls (20-minute walk apart from one another):
Taman Sari Waterfall & Natural Pool
Tibumana Waterfall
Hot Tips:
Cash: Bali’s currency is Indonesian rupiah (IDR). We first exchanged my $200 AUD cash for approximately two million IDR at the airport. There are heaps of no commission places and ATMs (Commonwealth Bank is a trusted ATM that we used), but be mindful that minor credit card surcharges can be incurred.
It is typical for payment to be required for beach accesses (i.e., Dreamland Beach: 10k IDR = ~$1 AUD). Cash is often the preferred method of payment here. Most places have tap-card systems, but this can be the case from time to time.
Grab: This is the Uber of Southeast Asia. The easiest and arguably most affordable way to get around is via scooter through the Grab App or through renting your own. My first ride cost just thirteen cents for a 15-minute drive. We used grab to get us between accommodation spots and the airport a handful of times. We felt comfortable and found it most efficient to rent our own scooter in each location since Johan had owned a motorcycle for about five years by this point. Scooter rental spots were all over and often smaller operations.
Visa on Arrival: only $30 per person | very easy to obtain, simply with a valid passport
Water Quality: Balinese tap water is notoriously contaminated and unsafe to drink, brush teeth with, etc. We bought large water bottles as needed at local gas stations/convenience stores and used these for everything.
Oval-shaped ice with a hole in the middle is recognized by the Balinese government as safe to drink. If you see ice shaped different than this, feel free to ask a staff member if their water is from the tap.
I recommend taking a high-quality, third party lab tested probiotic such as Seed (haven’t tried but have only heard rave reviews) or Beekeeper’s Naturals (my personal favorite). Do this for a few days leading up to the trip, each day during, then for a few days after. This will help strengthen your gut in the event that you do consume the water and would otherwise feel unwell as a result.
