“I don’t need therapy, I just need to go to Bali”
Up until now, I didn’t really understand the meaning of the above quote until I visited Bali myself and spent 9 beautiful days there. As people say, its truly a magical paradise. A place which will leave you speechless. Every corner, every road, every beach is spectacular and beautiful!
If you haven’t travelled to Bali yet, then one thing I can guarantee you, even spending a month here wouldn’t be enough to explore its best. I was there for 9 days and honestly I still feel there is so much for me to see and I can’t wait to go back and live in this paradise!
In this blog, I will be sharing everything you need to know about Bali. So lets get started!
Bali cities map
Things to know before you travel to Bali
Language: Most local people are fluent in Indonesian, Balinese and English. Indonesian is the national language of the Indonesia and Balinese is the native language of Bali.
Climate: Months of May till September are considered to be the dry season with the most influx of tourists. October and April is the wet season. One can experience heavy showers during this period.
Currency: The Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is the currency of choice here. 1 INR coverts to IDR 184.05 (as on September 2023).
Bali is considered to be one of the cheapest tourist destinations and highly budget friendly!
Cash and cards: Its a good idea to keep a mix of cash and card here. But I recommend carrying cash mostly as locals prefer that! You can easily pay using your card at the restaurants. Carrying USD will be the best bet as the rates are quite good!
Visa and Flight Tickets
Indian nationals are required to apply for a visa to enter Indonesia. You can either apply it through the official website or apply on arrival as well.
The visa cost USD 35 or IDR 5,00,000 on arrival and it is recommended to carry change. If you decide to apply online (which I totally recommend), an additional fee of IDR 19000 as processing charges will be added. You will receive the Visa in a minute and enter Indonesia easily!
Flight tickets from India to Bali can be quite expensive. Most flight prices shown will be without any luggage allowance. I would recommend booking flights 3 months in advance at-least to score great deals!
How to get around in Bali
For commuting in Bali, I would highly recommend downloading two Apps – Grab and Gojek.
You can use both these apps to book cabs and bikes to commute from one place in Bali to another easily. Apart from Nusa Penida these apps work just fine to get a quick ride. You can also use these apps to order food to your hotels/airbnb’s.
For booking Ferries, I would highly recommend checking out Klook.com or 12Go Asia website. You can get read reviews of all the boats available and book as per your need.
In addition to Grab and Gojek, you can also rent bikes here for as low as INR 400 per day. Though no one asks for an international driving license, the rules in Bali have recently changed and it is required to own one.
Heavy fines are levied by police officers if you are caught driving without a valid license.
Where to stay?
The best part about Bali is you can find accommodation for styles of travelers – Solo, Group or with Family and that too in all kinds of budget!
If you are a solo/budget traveler you can book hostels across Bali or Airbnbs at affordable costs. Hostel beds start at as low as INR 400 a night and Airbnb’s can be scored for as less than INR 2000.
They are various budget friendly hotels in Bali with amazing facilities. A decent hotel room with pool facilities can start at INR 3500 per night (including breakfast).
Pro tip: Do read the reviews of AirBnb very carefully to avoid any kind of mishaps! There have been incidents where the Airbnb’s are either located too far from city center or our next to jungles/cemeteries.
Where and how to book tickets for various attractions?
As always, I would recommend Klook.com to book tickets to all the attractions you plan to visit (including your Sim).
For waterfalls, beaches and temples, entry tickets can be bought at the entrance gate itself. The entry tickets would mostly be in the range of IDR 15,000 to IDR 75,000.
Through the Klook app you can also book experiences such as day tour to Nusa Penida, Aloha Ubud swing and more!
Experiences you should definitely not miss!
While the island has so much to offer, I would highly recommend making the following activities a part of your travel itinerary –
a) Waterfall hopping
b) Beach hopping at Uluwatu.
c) Snorkeling with the Manta Rays at Nusa Penida
d) Catching sunset at the Uluwatu Temple
e) Bali swings @Aloha
f) Relaxing and unwinding at Sidemen
g) Exploring beautiful temples
h) Checking out the various day clubs like Finn’s or Cretaya
i) Early morning walks at rice fields
How many days are enough for Bali?
I was in Bali for 9 whole days and still feel I haven’t seen enough. That’s the impact this beautiful island would have on you. Depending on your budget and travel style you can choose how long or how short you want your trip to be!
As the airline ticket prices are quite high make sure you make a conscious choice. In my opinion – Anything between 7 to 10 days is perfect for capturing the best of Bali!
Best time to visit Bali
The months of May to Mid October are considered as the dry season in Bali with sporadic rain showers. This is the best time to visit Bali. However, its also the peak tourist season with massive increase in prices.
Months of Mid October to April are considered the wettest months in Bali but there is still so much you can do. The prices of most things are slashed to almost half during this period.
If you don’t mind shelling out that extra money, I would recommend planning your holiday between the months of May to September.
I hope you enjoyed the above blog. I would be sharing detailed guides of all the places I visited during my time here for you to plan efficiently and effectively.
I would be updating this starter guide as and when I receive new information for you guys to always stay updated. My time in Bali has to be one of the most beautiful moments in my life and I can’t wait to go back. Until then,
Love,
Rituparna
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