Bali is one of the top visited islands in Indonesia. Every year it attracts travellers from across the globe. This island has an amazing landscape ranging from waterfalls, beaches, volcanos, lakes and, last but not least, beautiful rice terraces.
If you are an adventure sports lover, you would love further, as it has one of the best water sports activities you can indulge in. Excited Huh!!
We were too. Now its time for a trip to Bali 🙂
If you are planning to visit Bali, then this Blog is just for you!
We will be sharing the important tips you need to know before you land your foot on this magical island.
Let’s begin…………..
Table of Contents
Best time to visit Bali
Bali has two seasons:
1. Dry season: April – September
2. Wet season: October – March
We chose the month of September to avoid crowds and grab cool deals on hotels and flights. To skip the crowds, you can plan in April, May, June or September.
Things to carry in your backpack
- Cotton or linen clothes that are light and breathable.
- Walking/hiking shoes.
- Umbrella or rain jacket.
- Sunscreen lotion with high SPF.
- Sunglasses.
- First aid kit with essential medicines.
- Reusable water bottle.
- Light snacks.
- Travel adapter (Type C and F plugs for Bali power outlets).
- Insects/mosquito repellant.
- Sarong/scarf for covering in case of visiting religious monuments.
- Power bank
- Travel map in case of low network coverage area.
Visa for Foreigners
You can apply for e-visa easily through their official website https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/. Also, Indians have a visa on arrival facility, which cost around 35USD and you get the visa at the entry port itself. Indonesia is visa-free for 170 countries for a stay of up to 30 days. Please check the visa requirement from your country of travel and apply accordingly.
Travel Insurance
Though travel insurance is not mandatory to enter Indonesia, we strongly recommend getting one as it provides coverage in case of unforeseen circumstances such as medical emergencies, baggage loss, trip cancellation, etc.
There are many online options available to choose from. Most of them are pretty affordable. You can check out various options at Policy Bazaar. We have taken Care Health Insurance, which was sufficient per our requirement.
Things to keep in mind before you book your Stay
We have chosen our stay considering the below points. Also, for budget travellers, these will be helpful.
- Check out the stay options, which provide complimentary breakfast, as it saves you a lot.
- Do not forget to check out the distance of your hotel from the main tourist attractions and the city centre, of course.
- Staying in hostels can save you a penny if you travel solo.
- Look out for the food options nearby; otherwise, you may need to travel to the town area for your meals.
- Also, you can check the distance from beaches as Bali is a beach destination.
- Kuta is close to the Denpasar International Airport and is one of the happening places to enjoy the nightlife. There are many stay options available in this area.
Food Options
Bali has enormous food options for everyone. Some of the must-try are below:
1. Nasi Goreng: Fried rice with fried egg and vegetables.
2. Mie Goreng: fried noodles with vegetables.
3. Yummiest Seafood.
4. Give a try for authentic Balinese cuisine at Warungs or local eateries.
5. Smoothie bowls, salads and fresh fruits, and juices.
Local Transport
Bali has many transport options, such as Taxis, Scooters and Motorbikes. Apps like Gojek and Grab provide an easy way to get around. If you are comfortable driving, you can rent a car (4000 – 7000 INR per day) or scooter (500- 700 INR per day) – and explore independently. All these options are pretty affordable.
Tip: Do not forget to negotiate for grabbing a good deal.
Currency and Sim Card
Indonesia has an official currency, as Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). You can exchange your foreign currencies, such as US Dollars, Euros, Pounds, etc., at any money exchanger. A few popular money exchangers where you can convert your currency are BMC Money Changer, Central Kuta Money Exchange, Bali Best Rate, etc. You can find their multiple outlets across the Island.
Avoid currency conversion at the airport as they do not provide good rates. If required, convert a small amount to fulfil your immediate needs.
Sim card counters are available at the exit of the arrival Hall. We have chosen Telkomsel as per our requirements.
Budget breakup for the Trip
Stay options:
Kuta, Yogyakarta
You can plan to visit North, South, East & West Bali making Kuta as the base which we also did. You could get budget options hostels, hotels and homestay starting from approx 1000 INR per day for a double bedroom or 400- 500 INR per day for single bed. Also, you can plan your stay in lavish villas.
In Yogyakarta, one could easily get hotels starting from 600- 1000 INR per day for double/single bed.
Food: Average meal cost for local delicacies can cost around 700 – 800 INR per person. For more details on what to try in local delicacies , refer to Food Options section above.
This trip cost us around 80000/- INR per person for 8 days 7 nights(Inclusive Yogyakarta trip).
Places we visited during our Trip
1. Excitement for Landing in Bali
Plan Your Trip to Bali – Landing on the Magical Paradise in 2024
2. Tanah Lot with South Bali (Padang Padang Beach, Nusa Dua Beach, Garuda Visnu Kencana Cultural Park, Uluwatu Temple, Fire and Kecak dance performance)
Plan Your Perfect Trip to Explore South Bali in 2024 With These Insider Facts
3. Central Bali: Elephant Cave Temple, Celuk Village, Tirta Empul Holy Water Temple, Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Luwak Coffee.
Plan an Amazing Trip to Lush Green: Central Bali in 2024 With These Insider Facts
4. Nusa Penida Island
Plan a Perfect Memorable Trip to Nusa Penida in 2024 With These Insider Facts
5. North Bali: Taman Ayun Temple, Ulun Danu temple, Banyumala waterfall, Handara Gate, Jatiluwih Rice Terrace and Alas Kedaton Monkey Forest.
Plan a Perfect Vacation of North Bali: Hidden Treasure in 2024 With These Insider Facts
6. Central Java Island (Yogyakarta): The World’s largest Buddhist Temple and one of the largest Hindu temples of the world, Borobudur and Prambanan temple.
Plan an Amazing Trip to The Java Island: Unveiling Yogyakarta in 2024 With These Insider Facts
7. East Bali : Tirta Gangga Water Palace, Lempuyang Heaven Gatea and Tegenungan Waterfalls.
Plan an Amazing Trip to East Bali in 2024 With These Insider Facts
8. What kind of help are we gonna provide?
Let us inform you that we prepare itineraries not only for anywhere in India but also for Asia. We have been travelling since we were toddlers. So here in our blogs and stories, we will be giving you a glimpse of our journey and also helping you to plan your trip.
Read about our Uzbekistan blogs.
Read about our Kazakhstan blogs.
Read about our Singapore blogs.
Read about our Vietnam blogs.
Read about our Cambodia blogs.
Read about our Bali blogs.
Read about our Kuala Lumpur blog series.
Read about our Sri Lanka blogs.
Read about our Nepal blogs.
Read about our Char Dham blogs.
Read about our Ladakh blogs.
Read about our day trip to Hyderabad.
Read about our Madhya Pradesh blogs.
Read about our Andaman and Nicobar blogs.
Do follow our Instagram handle @mindfulllofvacations and watch for the next destination story of Bali. For any query related to any trip, drop a mail at @mitkau007@gmail.com.
by mitkau
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