INDONESIA – Bali

The Island of Gods

Bali is known as the Island of Gods due to the strong religious connections that are practiced today across thousands of temples. streets are dotted with shrines and temples, footpaths and doorways are adorned with offering, and daily rituals are the norm. This is a place that truly respects and honours its culture everyday of the year.

Venture away from the main tourist areas and you will find relaxed villages, lush rice paddies, fresh food, zesty refreshing drinks, temples, waterfalls, looming volcanoes and smiling locals. Combine this with accommodation and attractions to suit any budget and Bali ticks the box for a great holiday.

This destination guide for the island of Bali in Indonesia covers Quick Facts, Things to See and Do, Better Traveller Tips, Typical Costs and Money Saving Tips. Or you can jump straight to a list of blog posts by clicking here.

Quick Facts
  • Population: 4.3 million, with around 6.5 million tourists each year
  • Money: Indonesian Rupiah IDR. Largest note is approximately AUD$10 so expect to carry a thick wad of cash!
  • Beliefs: Majority Hindu. Also Muslim, Christian and Buddhist.
  • Language: Indonesian and Balinese, English
  • Best time to visit:  Year round. Peak period July-August, Dec and into January. We travelled in October which is rainy season, but the weather was wonderful.
  • Nyuh Kuning Village in Ubud

Things to see and do in Bali

Explore Ubud

Ubud is nestled in lush green forests, surrounded by rice fields and gorgeous villages. My love for Ubud is eternal, as reflected in the Bali blog posts mostly being from the Ubud area! Explore the villages, amazing temples, waterfalls and immerse yourself in the art and history of Bali. Ubud is a cultural centre that showcases the rich beliefs and customs of life in Bali.

Oh and don’t forget to visit the cheeky monkeys at the Monkey Forest!.

Indulge

Don’t hold back, get the massages, order another drink, have seconds for dinner, go for one more swim then do it all again tomorrow! And don’t feel guilty about it, you are supporting the local economy after all.

Enjoy a beach escape

To be honest, a beach has to be pretty amazing to impress me! I know that sounds snobby, but I have been spoilt living in Australia and an hours drive from beautiful, clean, sandy beaches.

So what about Bali beaches? Some beaches are littered with rubbish, others are manually cleaned each day (such as outside resorts). Like pretty much everywhere in the world, you will find plastic rubbish on Bali beaches. We visited the beaches at Sanur, Nusa Dua and Canggu and didn’t find rubbish was an issue at these locations. Yes, there was rubbish around but it wasn’t so bad that it felt “dirty”. Does that make sense!?

Photo taken from the end of a pool looking towards the hotel gardens. There are small villas in the gardens.
The range of accommodation in Bali will suit every budget.
three_monkeys_asleep_upright_ubud
Sleepy monkeys at Ubud Sacred Monkey Sanctuary.

Cultural Experiences

Bali has around 20,000 temples – hence why it is known as the Island of Gods – with each village having multiple temples. Temples at rice fields, temples at springs, temples at waterfalls, temples in the main street, temples temples everywhere!

There are also really excellent museums such as ARMA Museum  and Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets in Ubud, traditional villages, cultural centres such as Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park, and traditional dance performances. Take the time to visit some temples and learn about Bali’s history – you won’t regret it!

Better Traveller Tips

Bartering and tips

Bartering is expected in Bali but please put the money into perspective. Know what are reasonable prices before you go, and don’t barter too hard. While tourists might think it is fun to barter hard, remember you are bartering with a real person who needs to make a living. The fact you could afford to visit Bali puts you in a better financial position than most locals.

Also consider the costs before complaining about a service or product. If you are paying AUD$5 for massage, then you shouldn’t expect a 5 star massage service. Being served one-dollar drinks? Then be patient if they take time to arrive. If you pay $50 for a hotel room then accept that some lizards might sneak through a gap in the door and visit. Please, be a good tourist and put the costs into perspective.

Tips are welcomed in Bali. Around 5-10% of the total cost is respectful.

Respect the dress code

Respect the dress codes at temples and remember that Bali is a conservative country.

Plastic

Plastic pollution is present in Bali, you can argue whether it is tourism, or locals or the fact that Indonesia has been taking other countries recycling – but it does’t mean you should contribute. Try not to get take-away containers for food and drink (why not sit and enjoy it!) and don’t assume that if you put rubbish in a bin it will be disposed of appropriately.

Best option is to avoid as much packaging as possible – this counts too for all the blow-up pool toys being sold along the beaches outside resorts. Whilst the inflatable unicorn is totally gorgeous, it that will no doubt break and be left in Bali (unless you take it home if your home country has good waste management systems!).

Water

Did you know that around 60% of groundwater extracted in Bali is used for tourism? And these groundwater aquifers are being depleted and impacting of water availability for locals?  You can help conserve water by avoiding resorts with large or multiple pools, being mindful of the time spent in showers and think about whether you really need to go to a water park. There are plenty of lovely hotels with smaller pools for your relaxing Bali holiday.

close up of a large puppet with a white face, long earlobes and gold crown. The puppet is smiling with eyes closed. Once of the many beautiful items of display at Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets.
Explore the Balinese culture.
Gate to the Gunung Kawi temple courtyard
Gunung Kawi temple is a perfect half day trip from Ubud.

Typical costs when travelling

Accommodation – Bali covers all accommodation budgets from backpackers through to luxury stays.  For a comfortable family stay with 2 bedrooms, breakfast and swimming pool budget AUD$50-$100.  Moving past $100 per night will get you very good accommodation.

Food – On average we spent around AUD$5 per meal and around AUD$1.50 for drinks (fruit smoothies, teas etc). You can save money on food by eating local dishes and avoiding the tourist areas.

Transportation –  The cost of transport changes with the area. A private driver for a day in Ubud was AUD$70, whereas from Canggu was AUD$80.

Cost Summary – Our 2 weeks in Bali for 3 people was around AUD$5,000 which included flights from Melbourne.

  • Rice fields in Bali

Money saving tips

Research ATM fees -Before you head off on your Bali adventure make sure you have researched the charges for using your bank or travel card. ATMs will give a maximum of 1,250,000IDR (around AUD$125) which means you may need to make multiple withdrawals to get enough money. This can add up very quickly in fees!

Private cars  – Private cars with a driver are charged by car, not number of people. Find people to fill the car and split the cost! A full day is often cheaper than 2 x half day trips.

Recent posts on Bali

Below are recent posts for Bali with all posts available here.