1. Why to go: Bali – the Island of Gods
2. What you need: Equipment and packing list
3. How to go to Bali
4. When to go: The best travel time for Bali
5. Where to stay in Bali
6. Where to eat in Bali
7. What to do in Bali

 

 

islands_bali_map

©lesniewski

 

1. Why to go: Bali – the Island of Gods

Indonesia is blessed with 17,000 islands and Bali is one of them and probably the most popular target for tourists. Around the world, Bali is recognized as an island paradise with sunny beaches, white sand, ideal surfing points, fishing villages, and more and here is some reason why people go to the island for vacations. With the Menjangan National park the North is a very quiet and natural area whereas the South is pretty crowded with hotels, restaurants, and clubs.

 

Also Bali is an unique place for relaxation and enjoying the natural beauty of the two volcanoes Mount Agung und Mount Batur, picturesque rice terraces, pristine crater lakes, lush tropical forests, sacred caves and spectacular coastline. It’s simply breathtaking and the tropical beaches are a favorite for visitors.

 

Moreover the island of Gods is a treasure for purchase. Markets in Sukawati, Kuta, and Ubud are overflowing with crowds and stalls selling all sorts of trinkets. The discovery shopping center attracts large crowds and there are a lot of avant-garde boutiques in Seminyak. Go into Skull, where you can choose passport holders that are printed by hand or branch at Kody & K for resin Buddha. Be aware that animal products like seashells are forbidden and wooden items must be declared.

 

Bali has a diversified culture and influenced by Hinduism and international elements as well. You can visit very traditional places like temples and dance ceremonies but the same time you find great minimalistic designs and international cuisine in Bali. This mixture is simply unique. This means you can choose between delicious traditional Balinese food in local restaurants called Warung, casual seafood dinners on Jimbaran beach, organic food eateries and stylish world-class restaurants and bars in the area of Legian and Seminyak.

islands-bali-ceremony

©Tropical studio

 

2.What you need: Equipment and packing list

Camera with extra battery and memory card (you can buy a converter charger in Bali), insect repellent, medications and copies of prescriptions, swimsuit, a pair of flip-flops, substantial pair of shoe, shoes for decent dinner, cover up clothing (please! cover when not on the beach!), a couple of T-shirts, shorts and/or skirts, tank tops, dresses; light long-sleeved top that goes with anything and everything, “Good” light weight dress suitable for ceremonial purpose such as temple ceremony, or wedding, your bank and credit card (Notify your bank before going and alert them to your approximate itinerary). Please don’t forget your travel documents and if you intend to drive a car or motorbike take your international driving license with you.

 

3. How to go to Bali

There are different flight connections to go to Bali but most of them are no direct flights. From Europe it’s possible to travel via Singapore, Bangkok or Dubai and needs more than 14 hours. Based on the fact that Bali is a popular place for vacation from an Australian point of view, there are different direct connections available.

 

4. When to go: The best travel time for Bali

July and August are the most popular months to go to Bali which is when there is no school and tour groups take trips around the town. The weather is warm but not as humid compared with the wet season. The rainy season (October-March) are generally referred to as low season, but tourists who are not afraid of moisture may benefit from lower charges and fewer people. If you want to surf better the best time to go is during the dry season between May and September. Rain can still fall but the weather will be better.

 

5. Where to stay in Bali

For sure, it is the island with the most luxury resorts in Indonesia. Based on this it’s difficult to mention all of them but follow the links to see some of the best resorts sorted by region:

Center Bali – Ubud
West Bali – Seminyak
West Bali – Legian
West Bali – Tabanan
South Bali – Nusa Dua
South Bali – Sanur
South Bali – Uluwatu
East Bali – Amed
East Bali – Manggis
North East – Lovina
North Bali – Menjangan

 

6. Where to eat in Bali

From traditional restaurants to international fusion cuisine, on Bali different culinary delights get served in unique atmosphere. The island of Gods is also a culinary paradise, especially Seminyak. Here you find the best Balinese restaurants we want to recommend to you.

 

 

7. What to do in Bali

Before starting to list the places to visit and sights, we will talk about things to do, experiences that can only be gotten from the island of gods:

Surf Bali: From beginners to professionals the island is an ideal destination for watersports and in particular for surfing. One of the best places to learn surfing when in Bali is Kuta Beach but a little bit crowded with people who are learning. Seminyak, Bingin, Padang-Padang, and Legian are also nice beaches and the less crowded ones including Old bans and Batu Bolong located in Canggu, a 40 minutes drive from Kuta.

islands-bali-surfing

©trubavink

Chasing waterfalls: The waterfalls are a major attraction. The waterfalls are located about 70 km from Denpasar to the South of Singaraja. The waterfall that spans about 40 meters plunges into a pool well known by tourists. People will tell you that couples will separate while swim together, so swim at your own risk. Of course, there are also many other waterfalls to explore.

islands-bali_sekumpul_waterfall

©vandergunst

 

Mount Batur and watch the sunrise from the top of a volcano: Climbing Mount Batur during the night is one of the best things that makes Bali worth visiting. Climb the mountain as early as 3 – 3:30AM otherwise you will miss the incredible sunrise above the clouds. It takes about 3 hours to trek the volcano and you will be entertained with orange breakfast and coffee while having the best view of the island.

islands-bali-mount-agung

©Christoph_Lischetzki

Staying in Ubud: Moreover you should visit the city of Ubud and connect spiritually is a unique thing. This can be done several ways; during meditation, spa sessions, yoga classes, walking the Campuhan ridge, visiting the temples or relaxing in the hotel. Most people go to Ubud especially to visit the Royal Palace Puri Saren Agung, the art market, and the Ubud Monkey Forest.

islands-bali-banten

©Sbastien

Work in the rice padi and learn to cook traditional food: Certainly one of the most interesting things to do is to attend cooking classes. This is a way to learn how to make traditional baskets used for offerings, how to prepare Balinese spices and food, cut and chop vegetables, coconut oil processing and rice planting method. This is the best way to get close to Bali’s impressive real life and meet the locals as well.

islands-bali-ricepadi

©Maros Markovic