I have had the pleasure of visiting around 20 countries so far but of course not all countries I would want to visit again. Among those places I want to, Bali is definitely one. Bali has got something to offer irrespective of what your interests are. Be it adventure or partying or food options or nature or you just want to chill in Airbnb’s and Beaches; Bali has something very interesting you. In this blog, I will share with you the interesting things we had done in our trip to Bali along with the itinerary we have followed for the trip. I will also drop an honest rating for each place we had visited so that it helps you decide whether to visit or not. As always, we have put a lot of efforts and time into making this itinerary the best one, so I hope you find it useful.
Just a disclaimer: this blog is fully written by hand and not by a robot :p
Also, if you want to get prints of some of the pictures listed below: Head to PebblePrints
A quick intro this this beautiful place:
Bali is one of around 18000 islands in Indonesia and it is as famous as it is because of plethora of this it has to offer. Bali is one of the few places that has adopted Hinduism as their main religion, and it is interesting to witness and learn about their culture and traditions. Being born in a Hindu family I had some perception towards the way this religion is perceived but visiting Bali, opened up a whole new way of looking at the same religion in a totally different way and I find it really beautiful to witness the form they have given to this beautiful religion in their own way. Keeping religion aside, Balinese people are really warm and welcoming, and I have several delightful experiences interacting with the people here. They are always willing to help, and they are always ready to go an extra mile just to make you feel comfortable while you are there. More stories in the following blog!
Best Time to visit Bali:
Bali has a tropical climate as it is close to the equator. So, the best time to visit would be in dry months that is between May and September but to avoid the heat and crowd in the peak months we had visited Bali in the end of September (between 24th Sep and 2nd Oct) so we had best of both – having relatively less crowd and a very pleasant climate. We have not seen rain a single day though we did witness a few days with a bit of cloudy skies.
Flight to Bali:
We always book our flight a bit early so we always get it for a great price (at least that’s what I would like to think :p). We were able to get our flight tickets at around 50K INR round trip per person. I think it is a fair price as the flight was a direct one from Bangalore to Bali. I would recommend you checking SkyScanner to get best deals possible but if you are not faimiliar with the vendor who’s selling you the tickets, I would recommend you checking reviews on Trust Pilot before you book as we had some bad experiences in the past.
For Photographers:
Bali is a heaven for Photographers! I think there is enough to click and explore in this beautiful island for almost a month even if you go click everyday!!! So, the best you could do if you are not travelling solo is to plan the itinerary in way that you tuck in best places to visit either for sunrise or sunsets to get some pretty photos. Like always, I always recommend you block a few early mornings for yourself and go visit your most favorite place to get those beautiful golden light shots. And for drone pilots, Bali is really friendly with their drone policies. However, there are certain places where they do not want you to fly your drone. Be respectful about that and always make sure to keep an eye out for such sign boards before you fly your drone. Most often times, the restrictions are only near temples.
How to Save time in the airport:
Just three things to do before you land:
Doing this helps you avoid heavy crowd at the airport and helps you get out in just under 15 mins. You’re welcome 🙂
Currency Situation:
Shops in Bali most accept only cash. If you have account international accounts like Wise, Remitly or Revolut, the best way to get cash is by walking into an ATM in Bali and get the IDR. This way you will just lose ~1.5 to 2.5% converting money.
If you are travelling from India and if you donot have a Forex card that gives you good exchange rate, I would recommend you get INR converted to USD from exchanges like Orient Exchange in India and then convert them to IDR(Balinese Rupiah) in local exchanges here to get a better exchange rate. Converting directly from INR to IDR, you loose ~10-15% for conversion rates based on the place where you exchange. At any cost, avoid converting at the Airports. You will lose good percent if you do it at airports.
SIM card situation:
You can either get an eSim online for ease and to save time or get one from the airport once you land. There are quite some Telecom carriers in Bali but before you take one, make sure they support Hotspot sharing option if you have co-travelers. Or the last remedy would be to activate an international pack on your SIM which would cost slightly higher.
Local Transport situation in Bali:
We usually take a self-drive car wherever we go. But in Bali, I would recommend you go with Taxi with Chauffer as they are quite affordable and the driving in Bali Traffic might feel really exhausting. Here is our driver’s number +6281331708056. His name is Aris and he is the sweetest person you can drive with. So be sure to give him a call if you are visiting Bali. He can also help you get tickets for attractions lesser than normal price. If you want a taxi locally within some city, you can use services like Grab or GoJek.
Things to Carry with you:
Bali has a lot of mosquitoes and sometimes getting bitten by them can ruin your trip. So, to be cautious, be sure to carry some mosquito repellants.
As Bali is generally a wet place, the climate might surprise you with some sudden showers. So, carry some rain coats to cover yourself up. They would also come handy when you visit some Waterfalls. More about this in the blog further!
Also goes without saying, carry a lot of swim wear and swim gear if you have any. There is a lot of water in Bali :p
What to avoid:
- Eating out at places that don’t seem hygienic
Okay, now let’s get into the itinerary! In this itinerary, I will also be sharing some hidden spots that not a lot of tourists visit but will definitely be worth your while.
Day 1 – Flight Day:
Take your flight from your home location in the morning to Bali (Airport Code: DPS). After reaching Bali, you can relax for the evening as you must be exhausted by the long flight. We had booked a stay at Kuta called Ramayana suites which is a short ride away from the airport and we used the evening to walk around the streets of Kuta and chilled at the Double 6 Beach to avoid the crowd.
Day 2:
Our day 2 was for travelling from Kuta to Ubud and while on the way visiting some places.
Stop 1 – Celuk Swing and Luwalk Coffee:
Rating: 6/10
The first stop of the day would be to taste coffee and to take a swing (if you are interested). The Luwalk Coffee or the Civet Coffee is made from the partially digested coffee beans by Civets. Do try it and tell me what you think.
Stop 2 – Batuan Temple:
Rating: 7.5/10
If you have not heard of it, to visit temples in Bali you must wear a traditional clothing called Sarong. It is a piece of cloth usually in vibrant colors worn around your waist and can be rented before you enter the temples of Bali. As Batuan would be your first temple visit in Bali, you would be pleasantly surprised by this tradition.
Explore the peaceful temple of Batuan, admire the beautiful architecture and click some photos in your Sarong before heading to the next stop.
Stop 3 – Teganungan Waterfalls:
Rating: 6/10
From the parking lot, the waterfall is around 20 mins hike downwards. Honestly, it might not be the best waterfall you will see in Bali but a dip in fresh flowing water hurts no one!
Stop 4 – Tirta Empul Temple:
Rating: 9/10
Visiting Tirta Empul Temple is one of the most refreshing experiences ever. The concept of this temple is to cleanse your soul by bathing under a series of waterspouts. A few of them are prohibited to use as they are meant for cleansing the dead. The temple consists of shrines of Lord Bramha, Vishnu and Maheshwara and tourists are not allowed to enter the temple as they are preserved only for locals for offering prayers.
Stop 5 – Tegalalang Rice Terrace:
Rating: 8/10
Before heading to our stay for the night, we visited the famous rice terraces of Tegalalang. There are several rice terraces in the region, but I recommend Jatiluwih Rice Terraces which can be entered with a ticket that can be bought from the counter. As you would be nearing sunset by the time you reach here, get some beautiful portraits and perhaps some landscapes of this beautiful place.
Day 3 – Chill Day:
We chose to chill this day as we had booked a really beautiful stay for this day in Ubud called Wahem Luanan. We used the day for some spa, board games, chilling in the pool, roaming around in the scooter provided by the property to interact with locals, shopping souvenirs, flying my drone near the area and visiting some cafes in the city for dinner.
Day 4:
Our day 4 was also semi chill day for us. Well, atleast that’s what we thought and planned only two places for the day.
Stop 1 – Besakih Temple:
Rating: 9.5/10
You will find a lot of blogs and articles on internet saying not to visit Besakih as it would take too much of your time. But take your brother’s word and just go! This temple is easily one of the bests I have visited in my whole life. The entrance of the temple welcomes you will a beautiful Balinese style gates and its worth a shot here.
In the background you will find a humongous stretch temples and if you are lucky that day, you will also see a stretch of low hanging clouds that adds beauty to this place. Besakih is the biggest and the most important temple for Balinese people. The word Besakih means mother and they consider this temple to be the most prominent one in the region. Expect for the temple in the top of the cliff – Lord Maheshwara temple, tourists are not allowed inside other ones. However, you can still get a peak of the temples’ architecture standing at the entrance of each temple. Stroll in the narrow walkways of the temple area, shop a few souvenirs if you like and perhaps buy some paintings in the shops in the region. In the end, walk into the temple of Lord Maheshwara and offer your prayers and immerse in the tranquility of this majestic place.
We did not anticipate but we ended up spending quite a lot of time here. I’m sure you would too!
Stop 2 – Tukad Cepung Waterfall:
Rating: 8.5/10
This waterfall needs a bit of hike downwards from the parking lot. There are two water falls around 400 mts from each other. The most famous one is the one that is inside a cave kind of a structure. This reminded of a similar one in Iceland called Gljúfrabúi. Read my blog on Iceland if you have not yet. Its here :p
Get a close look at this beautiful waterfall by walking inside the cave. Get some photos and walk towards the next one. Be sure to carry a footwear that gives you good grip while walking here as you would have to walk in the water here and that you don’t hurt your feet like I did.
Stop 3 – A hidden GEM!
Rating: 10/10
I don’t have words to explain about this place! “Just looked like a wow!!!”
While I was chilling on day 2, I was looking for places to visit on Google Maps freestyle and stumbled on this place. Its called Pura Taman Pecampuhan Sala. It’s a very pretty and spiritual looking Shiva’s temple and as almost no tourists visit this place so you will have a very calming experience. The temple is around 500mts walk down the hill and the way towards it is from the village on the top.
We got there at around 6:20 and there was very little sunlight left! Just look at the picture below!! Isn’t it jaw dropping?
So, if you are around the region, be sure to visit this place and you wont be disappointed.
After visiting this temple, we headed back to Ubud to our stay and had dinner before calling it a day. You can choose to stay somewhere in the north as well; as the places you would be visiting next day would also be in the north of Bali.
Day 5:
Stop 1 – Ulundanu temple
Rating: 9.5/10
This morning was blocked for my photography. I planned to visit the beautiful floating temple of Ulun Danu. But as we were staying far from Ulundanu, I had to wake up really early (at 3:30AM) to make it for sunrise at 6AM. I had prebooked a taxi on Grab app the previous night as chances for getting a cab at that time of the day would be quite challenging. My beautiful wife being a sunrise lover also wanted to join me for the trip and was ready on time.
Story time:
Though I prebooked the cab, it took a while for the app to find a ride for me for some reason. I planned to reach there at 5:45 AM so that I have some time in hand to plan the shoot (composition, light etc) before the sunrise at 6:00 AM but the cab arrived only at 4:15AM and it was a 1:45 hours of a drive from our stay. So, if I take this cab, I would just make it for the sunrise. A gentleman by the name Nengah arrived to pick me up and asked me why I am travelling this early. I told him that I am a photographer and would like to make it for sunrise for clicking some photos at Ulundanu.
He goes “Ulundanu!!? I cannot really come there! Cabs using apps are not allowed to pick passengers up there and I will not be able to get a ride back from Ulundanu and driving back empty will be a loss for me”
I told him if I have to book another cab now, it might take another 30 mins just to find a cab and I will not be able to make it for the sunrise. He understood my situation and agreed to help me out though he knew that he is not going to make any money from the ride. He literally took 3.5 hours out of his work time just to help a stranger out! Isn’t it so kind of him? All my plans would have gone in vain had he cancelled the trip. With the pictures I took there, I am going to remember Nengah for the rest of my life. I think it’s those little acts of kindness that goes a long way. It might not be as big of a deal to you when you are helping someone with little things, but you never know much it would mean to them. So, help out people out where ever you can! Reaching the location, I paid him a handsome tip so that he is not in loss for taking me here.
Pro Tip for Clicking at this place:
There are a series of mountains just behind the lake on which this temple is located. So when you make it for “sunrise time” it might be possible that you donot see any golden light as the mountains are blocking the light. Be a bit patient and wait until the light hits the temple. Trust me, you are going to nail the shot.
If you liked the photo above, you may get the prints here.
Another General Photography Tip:
If you have seen my work, by now you would know that I am a huge fan of clicking during sunrise. Below is a quick example why! As I keep mentioning, light makes a huge huge difference in Photography. Left image was shot during the sunrise and right one after sunrise when the light is harsh. So whenever you can always take time out to go click during sunrise or sunset and you will start seeing great improvements in your photographs.
Okay, getting back to the blog, after clicking some nice sunrise photos, we waited for a while for my friend and his wife to arrive and headed to have breakfast at this pretty café called “The Lost Café”. It’s a humble café with probably just 3 tables run by a mid-aged Aussie-Balinese Couple. We absolutely loved their food and highly recommend the place. So do visit if you are around!
Attention Photographers and Drone Pilots:
There is a beautiful temple near Ulundanu by the name Pura Dalem Tamblingan. It is by a pond nearby and is surrounded by lush green forests. As I could not find a means of transportation to the temple, I was not able to make it there. This is yet another place with not a lot of tourists and if you go at this early hour, you could have the whole place for yourself. So, if you could visit, you should!
Photo Credits: @merry_amber
Stop 2 – Sekumpul Waterfall:
Rating: 10/10
To visit Sekumpul waterfalls, it is mandatory to take a guided tour as the region is very easily to be get lost with your way at. Our driver arranged for a package before we visited the place and we took a medium level trek which involved a scooter ride to-and-fro from the place where we start the trek, a walk by the rice terraces in the region, a choice between visiting a natural water slide and cliff jumping from around 5 meters into the pond in front of a tiny waterfall. My friend with a broken hand – Kaustubh said, “Let’s jump Chethan!” And I said, “Let’s jump Kaustubh!” and we chose to take the second option.
Our guide for the day Rama was a young man in his early 20’s and was born and brought up in this place. Who would know the place better than a person who spent his whole life here! After around a hike downwards of 30 mins, we came across this stunning little water falls with two places to jump from. The boys jumped while the girls chilled in the pond. Spending around 2 hours of time here, we then headed to the highlight of the day; Sekumpul waterfalls.
If you’re going to Bali just visit this place without missing. Trust your brother, this will easily be one of the best waterfalls you will ever see in your life! The stunning lush forest of this region adds to the beauty of this place. After a tiring but a day filled with memories, head to your accommodation. We chose to stay in the South though it was far from Sekumpul as we planned to visit Nusa Penida next day. The trek along with the early morning wake up juiced my energy out and dozed off like a baby after visiting the stay.
Day 6:
Our driver Aris arranged for roundtrip tickets for the ferry from Sanur to Nusa Penida. The onward journey was decent as the boat was stable though there were high tides. If you are a person who’s prone to having problems with bumpy rides, I would recommend you go with Sanjaya Cruises as their ferries are much stabler than others. We decided to stay overnight in Nusa Penida than going for a day trip as we thought it would be too much of a rush.
Stop 1 – Broken Beach and Billa Bong:
Rating: 4/10
We had someone pick us up at the port (arranged by Aris again) who took us around in the Island. We visited Broken Beach first as it was closer to the port. With the immense heat and a tonne of people in the place, we couldn’t really enjoy the place so much.
Stop 2 – Kelingkling Beach:
Rating: 8.5/10
The highlight of this beach is the massive T-Rex like rock structure that extends from the cliff. Tourists are allowed to go down to the beach, but we chose it skip it as it was really hot and the light was so harsh. But if you could, you should! Get some nice portraits and drone shots in the place but be mindful about the winds from ocean while flying.
Stop 3 – Crystal Bay:
Rating: 8.5/10
After a quick stop for lunch, we then headed to Crystal Bay and chilled there for the rest of the day. Kaustubh (with his broken hand) and I decided to do snorkeling there and it was one of the bests decisions ever! We saw some gorgeous coral reefs, a lot of beautiful creatures and even a Turtle chilling in the water. Experience rating: 10/10! Just go for it!! We then felt too adventurous and even went for Kayaking in the sea (don’t do it :p).
The driver was kind enough to wait for us till the sunset there. I took some portraits and some drone shots before heading to our stay – Billa Penida.
Day 7:
On this day, I was supposed to go for a sunrise adventure to click some photos at Diamond beach which is on the west of Nusa Penida but my body was too strained and didn’t support waking up :/ Maybe some other time! We decided to skip visiting Diamond Beach and relax until our ferry ride in the noon. The ride back was not a pleasant one and was quite bumpy.
Stop 1 – Diamond Beach (Should’ve been)
Stop 2 – Ulundanu Temple:
Rating: 8.5/10
Our driver Aris came to pick us up from the port. Dropping the luggage at hotel, we headed to Ulundanu Temple for watching Sunset and Kechak Dance. Our man Aris arranged for the tickets for the show at 7PM. We missed the sunset (thanks to the Bali traffic), so we just directly headed to watch the performance. Kechak Dance is a Balinese traditional dance which depicts the epics in Hinduism in their own way. The act we witnessed was on the snippets taken from Ramayana. With a touch of Balinese culture to it, it was really nice to see a total different depiction of Ramayana.
Having dinner at an Indian restaurant, we headed to our stay.
Day 8:
This day was again a relaxing and self-care day. We visited a spa called Avenue Spa & Beauty near the hotel that day.
Pro tip: Always ask for IDR menu at Spas as by default they always give USD menu, and they are usually double the price compared to IDR.
We enjoyed some nice and much needed massage and headed to our hotel for refreshing.
Stop 1 – Tanah Lot Temple
We were supposed to make it for sunset here. But thanks to the traffic in Canggu. We missed sunset yet again. If you can, try to make it to this place for sunset for some beautiful views of the temple.
Stop 2 – Agung Bali
This was a hyper mart with souvenirs,clothes, Bali coffee and a lot more at a very reasonable price. The store is being run to support the local community. If you want to avoid tourist traps and shop at a place where you can buy something to take back at a genuine price, this is the place!
Day 9 – Flight Day:
We took a Flight back to Bangalore 🙁
The trip came to an end just like that! But Bali has a special place in my heart <3 Everything about this place was just amazing – the people, the nature, the culture, the food, and everything else. If you are planning on doing a trip to Southeast Asia and are uncertain about which place to pick, Bali would be a nice one for you. Trust me this place is worth the hype totally. Cherry on the cake, everything is Bali is quite affordable and scams are not often seen!
With that being said, I would like to end this blog. I hope you enjoyed reading it and found it a bit useful.
Feel free to drop a comment or shoot an email if you have some questions while planning your trip and your brother would be happy to help
Shubh! Labh!
Signing Off,
CK
2 Comments
Wonderful blog Chethan!! You could have done away with the broken hand part 😂
Kaustubh! Thanks for the compliments. But how can I remove that! It was indeed the highlight of the trip!