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INDONESIA
WHEN: April-May 2019
WHERE: Bali
Where To Stay?
Kuta
Palm Beach Hotel
Location
Not in Kuta. Very misleading. BUT it is close to a beach, shopping and a short drive to the airport
Likes
The staff is the most friendly staff I've ever encountered. The breakfast was amazing. The pool was very refreshing. And very good security and grounds.
Dislikes
Location wasn't in Kuta beach which was disappointing.
Price
IDR 382,685.00 /night (C$129.19 for 3 nights)
Ubud
Bali Spirt Resort and Spa
Location
PERFECT!! Close to everything and right along a river.
Likes
Everything. The food was delicious. The spa was unreal. The staff was friendly. The beds were comfortable and room super amazing and spacious. 2 pools - both amazing with lots of beds. The greenery and the statues.
Dislikes
A bit pricey for food/drinks
Price
C$84.13/night (C$305.01 for 3 nights)
Jimbaran Beach
FOX Harris
Location
Great location! 15 minutes from the airport and a 2 minute walk to the beach
Likes
Comfortable room, shower and pool area, beautiful hotel
Dislikes
Very over priced food and not a lot of selections, not enough lounge chairs at the pool, organization seemed weird, was told we had breakfast and was then charged, was told I had a deposit down so I could order drinks and charge to room (which did NOT happen), very disappointed in the hotel.
Price
C$73.49/night
What/where to eat
We honestly hardly ever ate off the resorts/hotels. We were told by past travellers and locals that it isn't overly safe to eat at local places so we steered away from that. Of course some places (especially in major tourist locations) are safe but we loved the food at our hotels. Some special meals/foods I would try are the following:
- fresh fruit (especially pineapple) in a yogurt dish
- breakfast! (its much different then our traditional breakfast) and try it floating ;)
- spaghetti (random but so good!)
- rice (all grown local)
- Jaffle
Things to do/see
#1. Rice Terrifs
- located literally everywhere
- only some allow tourists
- go early morning to beat crowds
- they have "birds nests" and swings located at most of them!
- offer money to borrow a hat for photos (or buy it!) they're desperate for money
- be respectful (they're still cultivate and eat this rice - so try not to step on it)
#2. Temples/Gates
- also located everywhere
- expect large crowds and long waits for photos (go REALLY early - before 7am)
- pictures may not show how it really appears in person
- cover your shoulders and legs
- visit a water temple (trust me) and feed the fish!
- don't go if you're not going to be respectful (people still pray here)
#3 Waterfalls
- again go early to avoid crowds
- wear water shoes
- you'll get wet no matter what so prepare for that
- get ready for a hike down
- not really for swimming but definitely will cool you down
- there's multiple ones (some less touristy)
- waterproof camera/phone
#4. Go for a Swing
- located in Ubud but at many spots near
- some you are strapped and some your aren't
- fly over the jungle, pools or rice terrifs
- fairly cheap
- completely safe
- bali swing is a popular place with longer wait times I was told (not where we went - ours was part of a tour)
#5. Go to the Spa
- We went to ones at our hotels but there are lots of them all around
- very affordable with lots of options
- I did a traditional with body scrub and my friend did traditional with extra shoulders
- there's something they do that's so different and more relaxing I swear.
#6. Visit an Island
- we only had time to visit one so we chose Nusa Penida over Gili (it was easier to get too)
- pack food & water for the day a
- prepare for long BUMPY drives (our roads x30 I'm not kidding)
- hire a driver
Tours to Take
Island Tour
Where: Nusa Penida
Length: 10-12 hours
This one was a bit tricky for us. We had originally decided to go while we were in Kuta and just show up to the island and get a driver although we later found out it was impossible to see it all in our time frame. So we cancelled and tried to hire for a full tour. We ended up booking a tour over Expedia which was more pricey than it could have been but it appeared most local companies were booked.
Our meals were included and the driver stopped when asked. He didn't speak english which really sucked but he had good music :P
I honestly would have preferred to do it alone & stayed on the island although driving on the island is nearly death worthy. Its very bumpy - i don't recommend this island if you get car sickness. Seriously. Its bad bumpy.
It was stunning though.
Price: $210 for 2
Instagram Tour
Where: All over the northern part of Bali
Length: 10 hours
This was truly the highlight of my trip.
Our driver (Kadek) was unreal. We had so much fun, learnt so much from him and he was extremely helpful with tips. We started with the gate of heaven and pura temple. We also saw a waterfall, a water temple, rice terrifies, how to make local coffee, and of course a swing. Its everything include in one tour. It is rushed so if you're someone who likes to take your time maybe hiring a driver for 2 days is more appropriate but it was perfect for us.
You could definitely get this tour cheaper if you waited to get to the island but I don't know if everything else would be included like Kadek had for us (you'd also would have to meet drivers when you're there - and face availability issues). We booked this prior to going on Get Your Guide and it was literally called "the instagram tour"
Price: C$224.16 for 2
when we went
We went at the end of April into May. Before we left we checked all of the weather sites said it was going to thunderstorm the entire time we were there. But it didn't rain once. It would even say its raining but be 30 degrees and sunny. The weather was perfect. 28-30 degrees and sunny everyday. Maybe one day it was cloudy. Which tbh you need. As for crowds I think it was perfect. It could have been less crowded for sure, but it was good for me. Was out of peak season so prices were lower and defiantly a lot less crowded then it could have been.
General tips/tricks
-
Bring toilet paper and sanitzer - they don't have toilets everywhere and you literally pee in a hole. Also you have to pay in a lot of public/tourist locations to go
-
practice your bartering skills - don't allow yourself get ripped off
-
get a sim card - we didn't and were find with it, but definitely could have used one in certain situations
-
have cash - hardly anywhere takes cards
-
contact me for drivers we got on with while we were there (Pebi was our fav!) you'll likely use them
-
download grab, gojek and WhatsApp before you go. Whatsapp they use for almost everything when it comes to contact . The other two are like uber
-
arrange airport pick up - its sketchy having everyone yell taxi in your face
-
we wish we had more time, 1 week wasn't enough - its too beautiful
-
visit Kuta beach (the real one right in it) for a more party scene and Ubud for a more jungle experience
-
stay the night on an island
Final thoughts
I can't speak much for Indonesia as a whole, but Bali is spectacular. Its the perfect mixture of party and relaxation and jungle and beach. The culture is something i've never seen before - these people truly love where they come from and respect their land so much. Its such an insanely beautiful country with so much to learn from.
Would I recommend going?
Yes of course!
Would I go back?
I'm already planning a trip back with my hubby!
Total Cost:
Around $1500-$2000 per person
(please note: we flew standby with my airline & Also had Malaysia & Hong Kong included in this price)
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