Bali Travel Guide
Booking a trip to Bali? This travel guide holds all the essentials to getting you started on this amazing adventure!
Bali is a beautiful place for travellers, as well as summer vacationers. Whether you have 10 days here or 4 weeks, it’s possible to do it all!
In this guide I’ll share with you my itinerary, my top things to do, and a little advice based on what I experienced during my time there.
My Itinerary
Seminyak 2 days
Ubud 3 days
Nusa Lembongan 2 days
Nusa Penida 1 day
Gili Islands 5 days
Canggu 2 days
Day trip to Lovina
Top things to do:
- Uluwatu Cliff Temple
- Rice Terrace
- Mount Batur sunrise trek
- Cooking class
- Snorkel with Manta Rays
- Kelingking beach viewpoint
- Surf lesson
- Snorkel with turtles
- Dolphin boat trip
My exclusive
Travel Tips for Bali
SPA TREATMENTS
Whether you’re visiting Bali in between other travels, or just popping here for a holiday, you have to take advantage of the spa deals here. With a spa in nearly every other building, you can get amazing massages for £10, and get your nails done or have a facial for even cheaper. Some of these therapists and nail technicians are the best I’ve ever come across (and I live in Essex so that says a lot). Don’t be afraid to wander in and look at a price list!
BALI BELLY
If you’re planning a trip to Bali you would have heard of the famous Bali Belly. This can be avoided if you take the right precautions! Make sure you don’t order anything that needs to be washed under tap water; such as salads and fruit like apples and berries. Brush your teeth with bottled water if you can, and make sure not to swallow any water when showering. The locals can’t drink the tap water either, so unlike other places you might have visited, the ice is completely fine to drink! It would have been bulk bought and pre made in bags. Like Covid-19 it is contagious, so your best bet at staying safe is sanitising your hands and not sharing drinks with people! I was the only person not to catch it on my tour.
TRANSPORT
The traffic on the island, especially around Seminyak is terrible. Bare this in mind if you’re travelling between 7-9am and 3-7pm, as it will take you twice as long to drive anywhere. The app Grab is really good (like Uber) to order taxis where ever you are (this also gives you an idea of what you should be paying when not using the app). Bikes are also good to hop on and get around quickly, but just beware that it’s not overly safe, so make sure a helmet is provided. This is only cheaper if you’re travelling with less than 2 people.
HAIR
If you’re travelling with blonde hair, I’d recommend taking a purple shampoo with you. The shower water is fine if you’re not there for too long, but the chlorine is deadly. Try not to get your hair wet in the swimming pools if you can help it, and if you do rinse it as soon as possible! Or you’ll be heading home with bright green locks.
What's overrated
(in my opinion)
The Mount Batur sunrise trek is beyond beautiful, and I’m so pleased that I completed it…HOWEVER they will tell you it’s for all fitness levels when it’s definitely not! It’s a really long, steep, and exhausting climb. The path is busy with tours and experienced climbers, and there are no facilities at the top (no toilets, very limited food and drink options) so pack prepared. Ensure you have sensible footwear on, bring plenty of water and leave plenty of time to get to the top. The last thing you want is to need to take a break and end up missing the sunrise on your way up!
The Monkey forest is a bizarre place. You’ve all seen the famous selfie that the monkey takes with you, which is very cute I’ll admit! However these monkeys are not to be taken lightly. They are wild animals, who become particularly protective when they have babies around (understandably). There are strict rules not to feed the monkeys, not to touch them, not to make eye contact, and hide all loose items (e.g. sunglasses) and if you follow these rules you can enjoy your time in their company! The problem is that most other tourists choose to ignore this, and end up causing disruption and antagonising the animals, resulting in items being stolen and people being bitten.
And finally, have the most amazing time! I hope my tips can help you have the best experience possible. Visit my Instagram and Tik Tok for lots more Bali content and inspiration, and check out my blog posts below on specific trips and Bali destinations.
