You’re planning to visit Bali ! You are in the right place. You will find all the information you need to prepare your travel thanks to the “Best travel guide Bali holidays 2023”.
Bali is one of the best destinations in the world, famous for its awesome natural beauty, its exotic beaches, looming volcanoes, steaming jungle, lush terraced rice fields and its stunning temples all around the island.
More than that, Bali has an attractive, vibrant and rich history, a welcoming people and a unique culinary culture.
The island attracts millions of visitors each year, trust me you will never get bored on this island.
Language : The principal languages spoken in Bali are Indonesian, English and Balinese.
Currency : The official currency in Indonesia is Rupiah (IDR)
Safety :
Bali is a very safe place, violents crime are raw in Indonesia. Nevertheless, the most common crimes are thefts, especially on public transport but also snatching. I advise you to always stay alert and keep your valuables in a safe place.
Furthermore, indonesia became number two on the world concerning credit card fraud. To avoid this scam I recommend you to use cash as most as possible and always make your withdrawals in a recognized bank instead of any ATM that could steal your payment informations.
I also advise you to do not take all your cash on you and take only what you need for the day.
Best time to visit
There are 2 seasons in Bali, the rainy season (November to March) and the dry season (April to October). The humidity fluctuates a lot depending on the season, while the average temperature stay approximatively the same over the year.
The Rainy season, is the cheapest time to visit Bali, as the level of humidity is high. If you don’t mind the rain, there are plenty of activities to do during this season.
The Dry Season is the best season to visit Bali, you can expect occasional rainfall, but the level of humidity are low during this season.
Visa
Travelers from 60 countries can obtain their visas on arrival.
If your country is not on the list, you will need to make a visa application to enter in the country.
Tickets flight
As Bali is a touristic destination I advise you book your tickets in advance. Here are some great tips to find cheap ticket flights.
Useful websites to find cheap ticket flights :
Google flight
Vaccines
There are not compulsory vaccines to do to enter in Indonesia. Nevertheless, some vaccines are strongly recommended, such as Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Poliomyelitis.
Budget
Bali is the perfect destination for all types of budgets, whether you are a luxury traveller or you want to travel on a budget.
You can choose to spend your stay in one of the best luxury hotels on the island.
But you if you want to save money during your travel, you can opt for Best on-budget hotels with swimming pool.(With swimming pool). PICTURE + LIEN BOOKING. Affiliate dans autre post blog. under 100 Pounds.
If you want to live an unforgettable and unique experience, you should try one of the most atypical and cool hotels in Bali.
If you are a couple, a family, a group of friend, or even if want to relax alone, you can also opt for a villa with swimming pool. Under 100 Dollars.
Areas to visit in Bali
Ubud
Ubud is recognized as the cultural and spiritual heartland of Bali. With its multiple temples, traditional arts, markets, yoga studios, spas, its culinary culture and its wonderful nature, the city has a lot to offer. It is a good base to discover the Balinese lifestyle and culture.
Furthermore, Ubud is one of the best area to stay in Bali, I recommend to stay 3 to 5 days in Ubud, to explore the town.
Seminiyak
Seminiyak is famous for its incredible views on the ocean and its remarkable sunset. But also for its good shops, restaurants, spas, trendy bars and clubs.
Nusa Penida
With its clear blue water, its diverse marine life (Dolphins, giant manta rays, colorful fishes…), remarkable rock formations, and its wonderful views. Nusa Penida is one of the most beautiful place to visit in Indonesia.
You can also visit the island on a day trip, but I recommend you to stay at least few days, as there are many great photo spots, hike and things to do.
Canggu
With its advanced reef breaks, remarkable seascapes and sunsets, but also the variety of seafood choices all along the coast of the black-sand beach. Canggu is interesting, cheap and beautiful. It became one of the best destinations for digital nomads and expats.
Uluwatu
Uluwatu is known for its spectacular cliff top views, white sand beaches and especially for its epic surf spots. This region has some of the best surf spots in the world, the water is warm and clear. If you are surfer or you want to learn surf, Uluwatu is the place for you.
Kuta
Kuta is a touristic place, people enjoy water sports and water activities on the famous Kuta beache. Women offer traditional Indonesian massages on the beach, others are seen plaiting hair. Before sunset, people rush to the beach to admire Kuta’s legendary sunsets.
Kuta is located near from the airport, it can be a great place to start or end your travel. Personally I did not really liked that place as it is overcrowded by tourists.
What to do in Bali
Whether you travel in couple, with friends, family or as a solo traveler, whether you are an adventurer or you are looking for relaxation. Be sure that your will find the activities that suit you !
As an adventure traveler there is my list of the best adventurous activities in Bali.
Family (With kids) – Couple – Solo traveler – Friends – Adventurous – Relaxing.
Find an accomodation in Bali
There are accommodations for all desires and budgets in Bali.
If you want to spend your trip or a few days in a cool, blown minded and atypical accommodation.
The value for money is amazing, you can find cheap accommodations everywhere on the Island.
Transports
Grab and taxis
Taxis are considerably cheap in Bali, with a base fare of 7000 RP (0,46 Dollars) and an additional price per kilometre of 7200 RP (0,48). You can find taxi all over the island, ready to take you to the destination you want to go.
Bluebird taxi is the most reliable company, as they provide metered taxis and have English speaking drivers. Use Bluebird taxi will help you avoid getting scammed and charged a fortune. You can order your taxi from an app on your smartphone.
Grab is the equivalent of Uber in Asia, the app offers ride services. There is also GoJek. Nevertheless, these app can sometimes costs more than a usual taxi in Bali.
Buses and bemos (angkot)
Bemos also named ”angkot” are open-air minibuses, these are the traditional mode of transportation on the island. Despite they are cheap (arround 5,000 IDR the ride), Bemos are not often used by tourists, because they take time compared to other type of transportation.
Buses are a good and affordable way to get around Bali. Perama and kura kura bus are the main tourist buses operator on the island, their buses are comfortable they have air-conditioning and some even offer access to Wi-fi.
Scooters and motorcycles
The scooters are the best way to explore the island and find hidden amazing places. Scooters and motorcycles are a very common way of transport as they enable to get out of a congested traffic.
There are a lot of scooters rentals all over the island. A scooter rental costs around 50,000 IRD a day, while a motorcycle rent costs around 300,000 IRD a day.
You only need your international driver license to drive a scooter in Bali. However, to rent a motorcycle, an international motorcyclists license is compulsory in Bali. As there a lot of accidents, you have to be a experienced driver.
Bicycles
Bicycles rent are also available everywhere in the island. A bicycle rent costs around 50,000 IRD per day.
Useful resources for your travel in Bali
Here are several resources that will help you to organise your trip.
Booking.com and Agoda.com, ones of the best sites to the perfect hotel according to your needs and your budget.
Tripadvisor – On this site, you can book hotels, but also find the best tourist destinations, cafes, restaurants, or activities you want to do. As many travellers left their reviews about their experiences toward accommodations, restaurants or any activity they tried.
Viator – On this website you will find all the excursions, tours and experience you want to try in Bali.
Itinerary
10 days itinerary is a good amount of time to discover the island
- Ubud – 3 days
- Uluwatu/Jimbaran – 2 days
- Seminyak/Canggu – 2 days
- Gili Islands – 3 days
I hope this ”travel guide Bali” will help you organise your trip easily !
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