Travel to Bali – Tips
We studied our trip to the island of Bali in great detail before leaving. That’s why we want to share our experience with all of you and give you some tips for your nexttrip to Bali.
Before You Leave
Before leaving for Bali, there’s some basic information you should know:
- Don’t go crazy trying toexchange currencyin Italy, it’ll be much easier once you’re in Bali.
- Thevisa requestis done directly on arrival (unless you have particular issues, it’ll be a quick process).
- As with any trip,for a stress-free holidaywe recommend taking outtravel insurance.
- No vaccinations are mandatoryto travel to Bali.
Where to Stay?
When we had to decide where to stay, we first thought about the type of holiday we wanted:Bali isn’t primarily a beach and sea destination.
To be clear, there are some gorgeous beaches and some are even calm, butmost beaches are great for surfing. If you’re planning to go to Bali for the sea and don’t surf, think again!The island’s main attraction definitely isn’t that.
We decided (and we strongly recommend)staying in Ubudfor your trip to Bali, so you have a more central base and can build your itineraries out from there.
Choosing where to stay in Ubud is genuinely difficult!There are countless properties for every taste and every budget.We suggest choosing a property slightly outside the centre: for the same amenities, the nightly rate will be lower than properties in the centre. To get around into town you can rent a scooter or use the shuttle service that every hotel, resort, villa and guesthouse offers.
How to Get Around?
Even though Bali is a relatively small island, getting around isn’t among the easiest. Traffic is chaotic, as in the rest of South-East Asia, roads are few, poorly lit and poorly signposted.
To get around within the village of Ubud, you can happilywalk or rent a scooter for a few rupiah(about €3 a day). For visits to temples, rice terraces and other points of interest, though, it’s better torely on a Driver.
In Bali there are many organised companies offering car-with-driver and/or guide services. The reality (as the Balinese say) is thatanyone with a car is a Driver.Don’t be afraid to hire one, people in Bali are very easy-going, and even drivers who work for companies (as employees or freelancers) can use the company car for extra services.
Itineraries in Bali
We knew that once we got to Bali, many people would offer uspre-built itineraries, and that’s exactly what happened. Some of these are actually very good and, if you don’t want to plan your own itineraries, they’re definitely worth the money.
We’re a bit stubborn though, andwe wanted to build our own personal itinerariesto fit everything we wanted to see into just a few days.
So once we got to Bali, we agreed afull-day ratewith our Driver, so we’d be free to decide our own stops.
Heads up! We found out that, in many cases,a “full day” means 8 hoursand you’ll be charged extra for additional hours, so check carefully before you leave!
We planned 4 itineraries for our trip to Bali:
- Ubud – The Monkey City
- East Itinerary – The Great Volcanoes
- South Itinerary – The Ocean Temples (Tanah Lot – Uluwatu Temple – Jimbaran)
- North Itinerary – The Lakes and Rice Terraces (Taman Ayun Temple – Candikuning Market – Pura Ulun Danau Beratan – Jatiluwih Rice Terrace)
