There’s something approximately Bali.
Ren and I aren’t seashore people so we never imagined we’d be enamored with a tropical destination like Bali. After all, we’re from the Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,six hundred islands, a number of which are recognized year after 12 months as among the fine and maximum lovely within the global. You’d assume a place like Bali wouldn’t be something special to us, but it’s miles.
If you’ve never been to Bali, then the primary issue you’ll likely think about are its sandy beaches. As idyllic as a lot of them are, they tell just a part of Bali’s tale. Within days of our first experience to Bali, we found out that there’s a lot extra to this island paradise than simply sand and surf.
For starters, it’s home to a thriving meals and arts scene that’s extra evolved than whatever we’ve seen in Southeast Asia. Instagram-worthy villas with infinity pools are the norm and there’s a wealth of cultural points of interest to be experienced like Hindu water temples and Balinese dance shows.
But possibly the only aspect that struck me the most became the vibe. There’s an power to this location that’s hard to position into words. When you’re there, you simply sense it.
We went to Bali anticipating it to be like some other island destination in Southeast Asia. We anticipated to find it irresistible, but perhaps no longer enough to actually need to move again. We have been incorrect.Save This on Pinterest!
No time to examine this Bali tour guide now? Click on the shop button and pin it for later!
GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTSBALI TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
Because of the modern international scenario, Bali tour hints have been changing regularly. Our buddies at Booking.com and airheart created web sites that list detailed statistics on journey regulations around the globe.
Before planning a journey to Bali, make certain to check Booking.com or airheart for facts on journey regulations to Indonesia. If you do determine to go to Bali, then you could want to noticeably remember getting travel insurance with COVID coverage.INDONESIA VISA
You might also need a visa and other journey documents to go to Bali and Indonesia relying for your passport. Check out iVisa.com to study the requirements and to use for a visa (if vital).BALI AT A GLANCE
Bali is an Indonesian island province positioned between Java and Lombok. It’s the us of a’s handiest predominantly Hindu province with an estimated eighty three.five% of the nearby populace figuring out themselves as Balinese Hindus. This is thrilling considering how Indonesia has the largest Muslim population within the global.
Bali is characterised via its striking coastal regions and verdant indoors. Hindu temples abound all through this island paradise, as do expressions of its notably advanced arts within the fields of portray, sculpture, woodcarving, metalwork, and dance. While the south is thought for its seashores, the inland town of Ubud is regarded as the cultural heart of the island and a exquisite location to experience Balinese tradition and the humanities.
Bali is certainly one of if no longer Indonesia’s pinnacle traveler vacation spot, receiving over 6.five million worldwide traffic in 2018 on my own. Tourism-associated groups make up eighty% of the island’s financial system, with maximum of the action occurring within the south.
The island is just too massive to cover in a single article so this travel manual to Bali will attention simplest on southern Bali, that is in which many vacationers can be spending most of their time.BEST TIME TO VISIT BALI
Bali, just like the rest of Indonesia, has two seasons – dry and wet. The dry season is generally from April till October even as the wet season starts offevolved round November and goes on until March. Temperatures live pretty constant throughout the year so the pleasant time to go to Bali is at some point of the dry season.
The first-class months weather-sensible are normally July and August, however these are also top months. For that cause, I suppose the exceptional time to go could be from April till June and September to November. The skies are clearer and the island isn’t as crowded.
APR-OCT: This is the dry season. We were there in July on our ultimate experience to Bali and the climate turned into ideal. The sky become clear normal and it didn’t rain as soon as. However, it changed into crowded everywhere and site visitors become horrible, specifically in Seminyak.
NOV-MAR: This is the wet season. November should nevertheless be good enough but December and January are the rainiest months, now not to say the various busiest. Bali receives pretty crowded over the vacations so this probable isn’t the great time to go. Hotel fees can be at their maximum as well.Climate: Annual Monthly Weather in Bali
To help you better understand the weather in Bali, I’ve created the average temperature and annual rainfall graphs beneath. Ideal months to go to Bali are indicated in orange.
Annual RainfallTRAVELING TO BALI
Most visitors to Bali will probably be flying in to Ngurah Rai International Airport, which is just south of Denpasar in southern Bali. If you’re staying within the south, then it’s possibly satisfactory to take a private switch or taxi at once in your inn. As of this writing, there’s no developed public transportation device in Bali so some other option may be more hassle that it’s worth.
BY PRIVATE TRANSFER: This is the great and maximum convenient alternative. The motive force can be watching for you at the advent region then take you directly to your lodge. You can arrange for transfers thru your hotel or through Get Your Guide.
BY TAXI: You also can take a taxi in your lodge however primarily based on what I’ve examine, it could be extra luxurious than a private transfer. You can book it at the official taxi counter within the airport terminal. Just inform them the name of your lodge and they’ll quote you a set fee.
The above information assumes you’ll be flying into Bali, but there can be different approaches to get there depending on wherein you are. You can test Bookaway to discover direction options to be had to you.WHERE TO EXCHANGE CURRENCY
The unit of currency in Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Southern Bali is a huge region so finding the satisfactory region to exchange your money will depend upon where you’re staying.
We didn’t need to change currency in Bali but based on what I’ve study, there’s a combination of authentic and shady currency trading workplaces in famous vacationer regions. Banks are the most official so if you may, then trade your foreign money at an established financial institution.
If you don’t have get admission to to a bank, then you may trade your cash at a forex workplace. According to this newsletter, you must most effective trade currency at Bank Indonesia-authorized cash changers. Follow the link to see what this is in conjunction with other useful money changing guidelines.
If you don’t like brining huge sums of coins on journeys, then another opportunity might be to withdraw IDR from an ATM. I’ve been doing this increasingly now and the costs are similar. Just make certain to permit your financial institution realize you’ll be using your ATM card overseas so that you don’t run into any issues. In my revel in, my card works in some ATM machines however no longer in others.
NOTE: When an ATM system asks in case you’d want to continue without or with conversion, always pick WITHOUT conversion. I made the mistake of proceeding WITH conversion once and wound up with a horrible change rate. Proceeding WITH conversion authorizes the overseas bank operating the ATM to do the conversion for you, usually at fantastically adverse charges.BEST AREAS TO STAY IN BALI
There are so many superb places to live in Bali, ranging from 5-big name luxury motels to humble however fascinating boutique resorts. The opposition among accommodations is so stiff that you can effortlessly discover beautiful motels at very reasonable charges.
I’ll get into precise areas underneath but you can e book a room in Bali on Booking.com or Agoda.
I’ve created the color-coded map below that will help you visualize where every of those areas are. Please be counseled that we’ve handiest stayed in Seminyak thus far, so I can simplest provide a first-hand account of that place. Everything else is only a short precis based totally on my research.
Click at the hyperlink for an interactive model of the map. (Please observe that marked regions are approximations most effective)
RED – SeminyakTURQUOISE – Legian BeachORANGE – Kuta BeachPURPLE – Jimbaran BayGREEN – Nusa DuaDARK BLUE – Tanjung BenoaPINK – Sanur BeachYELLOW – DenpasarBROWN – CangguSEMINYAK
We stayed at Casa Kayu Aya in Seminyak on our remaining experience to Bali. Seminyak is one of the most famous areas at the island with masses of accommodations, restaurants, boutiques, and bars. It’s listed as an upscale region however there are lots of mid-range lodges too.
As you’d count on with one of these famous vicinity, Seminyak can get crowded. Traffic can get pretty awful right here as properly, especially throughout top seasons. Seminyak is where you’ll discover a number of the island’s fine eating places which is why we chose to live right here.