People mainly associate Bali, Indonesia with Hindu Temples and sandy beaches but there is so much more to this island than that. Bali has a varied landscape with hills and mountains on one side and rugged coastlines and sandy beaches on the other. Lush rice terraces on one side and volcanic hillsides on the other. Bali is a picturesque, and colorful place with spirituality and culture at its core.
Since there is no direct flight from India to Bali we opted for stopovers in Vietnam while going and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on our return. Though the journey is 18-19 hours long including the layovers it is worth it.
The first thing we did after landing was to buy a local SIM card from Telkomsel for easy communication. Most people in Bali use WhatsApp for calling and communicating hence it is best to have a roaming facility or take a local data plan. You will find FREE Wi-Fi facilities in most restaurants and hotels (even the smaller ones).
We tried to keep a mix of different kinds of things in our itinerary instead of sticking to the fixed ones available on the net. Ours was a 13 nights/14 days itinerary – 1 night in Kuta, 3 nights in Ubud, 4 nights in Sanur, 1 night at Munduk, 3 nights at Nusa Lembongan, and last night at Nusa Dua. Since we were traveling with a pre-teen, we tried to include adventure activities in our itinerary 🙂
The island of Bali is an exception where about 87% of its people identify as Hindu. There are a lot of similarities between our Indian Culture and theirs. I try to learn about the culture of each new place I visit and also almost always try the local cuisine. Most Balinese people are spiritual, simple, and honest, though communication with the locals can be a bit difficult. But most people related to the travel industry do speak English.
The word “Warung” means “local or small family-owned business”, you’ll find many warung eateries around. Most temple names start with the words “Pura Desa/Pura Puseh/Pura Dalem”, here is a key to decode them
- Desa or Village Temple is a place to worship God Brahma (the Creator)
- Puseh Temple to worship of God Vishnu (the Preserver)
- Dalem Temple to worship Lord Shiva (the Destroyer)
OM SWASTIASTU – Hello / Welcome
Picturesque and Adventurous Bali 14-Day Trip
Day 1 – Kuta
Since our flight was reaching in the evening, instead of traveling further we decided to stay for a night in Kuta and chose to stay at Holiday Inn Baruna Bali which is just 10 minutes from the airport. We enjoyed this beautiful property with great food and an adjoining beach.
Day 2 – Seminyak Beach, Ubud Palace, Ubud Market, Cultural Evening
En route to Ubud, we stopped at Seminyak Beach. It is a beautiful beach with shacks and people swimming and surfing. After the beach, we stopped at Seminyak Flee Market. It’s best to shop in Ubud, you will get must better deals for the same stuff.
Then we went to Ubud Palace. There is very little you can see at the Ubud Palace as only a few parts are open to the public so my take is that is overrated and can be avoided. We bought tickets for the cultural dance later that evening and checked in to Villa Ubud Sunshine. A quaint little place with a warm staff, excellent breakfast, and lovely room.
The plug standard in Bali is a two-pin plug for a socket, also known as plug type F and type C, we didn’t have suitable charges for these types of sockets for our electronics and hence had to borrow at each hotel we stayed. Please plan for this in advance.
Ubud Market – You can shop to your heart’s content in Ubud. Loads of souvenir shops – clothes, bags, hats, paintings, and more. Be ready to bargain, discount almost everything by 50% to the quoted price. If you do not want to haggle and bargain a great place to shop is the Krishna Market in Kuta. It’s an air-conditioned souvenir shop and very reasonably priced…you wouldn’t believe it, prices are lesser than in the Ubud market.
Travel Tip #1 - Most tourist attractions and temples have an entry fee and close at round 6 pm
For me, the Legong & Barong Dance was the highlight of the day. It took place near Ubud Palace and lasted for about an hour and a half. It is advisable to go a little before the start time as the seating is on first cum first serve basis.
Day 3 – Sacred Monkey Forest, Taman Ayun, Luwak Coffee, Tanah Lot
Sacred Monkey Forest is a serene place with a lush forest, a river, and a temple within its premises and of course hordes of monkeys. You’ll have to walk for a couple of hours so it is advisable to wear comfortable footwear. There are specific guidelines one must follow when visiting the place they are all mentioned at the venue like feeding monkeys is prohibited.
Pura Taman Ayun literally means “A Beautiful Garden” and it is a 17th-century temple that has four different courts (most temples have multiple courts, the outermost is called ‘Jaba’ and the innermost and the most sacred one is called Utama Mandala). In the 2nd Court are the structures depicting the 9 Gods guarding the cardinal directions. The innermost court has a gate that is open only during certain ceremonies and celebrations.
Travel Tip #2 - For both men and women clothes should be below your knees to enter temples in Bali. "Sarongs" available outside most temples for Free.
Since we had time before sunset and we wanted to visit Tanah Lot at that hour we stopped on the way at a plantation and learned about the famous Luwak Coffee. Luwak Coffee is named after the “Luwak” the animal which eats the coffee beans….I’ll not get into the details of how the coffee is made…will leave it up to you to find out…;-) We tasted 18 varieties of tea and coffee and landed up purchasing a few too.
Pura Tanah Lot temple is an ancient 16th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the gods of the sea overlooking the Indian Ocean. Tanah Lot means “Land (in the) Sea”. The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. One must walk through the market with souvenir shops, eateries, etc. to reach the temple. Though like all the temples in Bali, one is not allowed to enter the actual shrine you can visit the holy water spring below the island rock, and offer prayers.
Travel Tip #3 - Best time to visit Tanah Lot Temple is at sunset.
Day 4 – Bali Swing, ATV Adventure, Batuan Temple, Tegenungan Waterfall
There are a lot of places offering Bali Swings but only two of them are worth it. We decided to go to Aloha Bali Swings as it has 7 different types of swings included in its package. You can also hire a flowy dress to get Instagram-worthy pictures here, very popular with female tourists 🙂 One can also go in for a professional photo shoot at each of the swings at an additional cost.
ATV Adventure was none like what we have done earlier. Jambe Asri ATV covered 7 different types of terrains – muddy tracks, farms, caves, slopes, rocky terrain, river, and waterfalls. You are provided with gum boots and a helmet. They have shower rooms as well. You need at least 3-4 hours for this adventure.
Next on the list was Pura Puseh Desa Batuan Temple. It is a 1000-year-old Batuan village temple popular among tourists. Batuan Village is famous for its artists and craftsmen and of course Batuan paintings. In my opinion, this one can be given a miss….if only there was someone explaining the history/significance of the temple it would have been worth it.
One of the best waterfalls in the Ubud area is the Tegenungan Waterfall. I was too tired to go all the way down to the waterfall but my husband did go right up to the waterfall. There is a huge car park and a lot of souvenir shops and eateries around. You could easily spend a couple of hours at the falls, but we just did a quick visit.
Day 5 – Saraswati Temple, Water Sports, Pandwa Beach, Uluwatu Temple
We had to leave for Sanur so we did a quick visit to Saraswati Temple which was within walking distance from our hotel. Goddess Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, there are very few temples dedicated to her; hence we were keen to visit the same. The lily pond at the temple is very beautiful. Like the other temples in Bali, you can just visit the outside. This one is a relatively smaller temple.
The adventure activity for this day was water sports. We did “Sea Walking” where they take you deeper sea point and then you need to go 15-20 feet below water wearing a helmet connected to the oxygen tank on the boat. I am quite proud of myself that in spite of not knowing how to swim, I did this adventure. Initially, one does feel the water pressure in the ears but it settles down if you follow the instructions given before the dive. Our child also did Jet Ski, with him being in the driver’s seat of course with an instructor behind him……which he is not allowed to do anywhere else because of his age.
After the water sports, we went to another very picturesque beach – Pandwa Beach. There are huge statues of the 5 Pandav brothers and Kunti from the great Indian epic Mahabharata across the road from the beach. The turquoise waters and the clear blue sky with parachutes flying over our heads is awesome.
The Balinese Hindus believe that the powers of the Hindu Trinity — Brahma (The Creator), Vishnu (The Sustainer), and Siva (The Destroyer) — merge at the Uluwatu Temple. Pura (Luhur) Uluwatu meaning “temple at the edge of a rock/cliff” is another one of the sea temples. The views here are amazing including the sunset and but beware of the monkey menace here. Your hat, glasses, phone, etc can get snatched off in seconds by the monkeys. Every evening at sunset 6 pm a Kecak dance performance based on Hindu Text Ramayan is performed in Uluwatu temple but it gets sold out very quickly. Plan for the tickets in advance if you wish to watch the dance performance.
Travel Tip #4 - Carry a stick with you to deter the monkeys.
We did a quick stop to take a look at Jimbaran Beach and then to the Swiss-Belresort Watu Jimbar Hotel. The hotel is located within walking distance of the beach and close to the market area. Most eateries and restaurants do not serve water by default, unlike India where water is given freely. You will be charged for water almost everywhere so advisable to carry water along with you.
Travel Tip #5 - Buy water and other necessities from convenience stores like Indomaret / K mart / Alphamart etc.
Day 6 – Sanur
We took a relaxing day at Sanur, enjoying the hotel property – swiss-belresort watu jimbar and the Sanur beach at a walkable distance. We enjoyed dinner at a popular joint – Massimo. Would highly recommend a visit to Massimo with excellent food and Gelato. People queue up for the gelato, it’s advisable to pre-book a table during peak hours.
Day 7 – Eastern Temples of Bali, Zipline & White Water Rafting
Our first stop for the day was at Besakih Temple – It is the holiest and the largest temple, considered the mother temple. The temple is built on six levels, terraced up the slope. Ride in a multi-seater electric vehicle taking you to the entrance of the temple up the slope is included in the temple ticket.
You are assigned a local guide to take you around. Most people here do not expect to be tipped but if you are happy with their service it’s a good idea to Tip them, in Besakih, it is almost mandatory to tip the guide. It can take up about 1-2 hours to go around the complex, taking pictures from various views. On the way down there is no vehicle assistance and the path is lined with souvenirs, local goods shops, and eateries.
Travel Tip #6 - One is expected to tip the guide IDR 50,000 - 100,000
White water rafting was the next activity for the day. We took a zip line across the rice terrace till the start point of rafting. It was a 14 km ride with an instructor with us in our raft. After about 7 km we stopped at a waterfall on the bank and had coconut water. Toward the end of the rafting journey, they click pictures that can be purchased at an additional cost. It was an amazing experience with Avatar water sports. The lunch is included in the ticket price.
It was about 4 pm by the time we finished lunch and then headed to Tirta Gangga – the former royal palace. We skipped Lempuyang temple as there was supposed to be a 3-hour waiting for the gates to heaven. It is a very colorful and picturesque place. There is a small boat ride also available here.
Day 8 – Mt Batur sunrise, lava fields, Hot Springs, and Goa Gajah Temple
To catch the sunrise at Mt. Batur one needs to leave between 2.30 am – 3.30 am depending on where you are staying. We left Sanur at about 3.30 am. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the Jeep pick-up point. From there another 30 minutes to the sunrise viewpoint. We did not trek up on foot as our child wasn’t up to it. It’s a bit chilly also windy in the open 4-wheel jeep at Mt Batur, we had to rent jackets out at the jeep pick-up point.
Travel Tip #7 - Carry light jackets for your sunrise jeep adventure
You also have the option to sign up for breakfast, which would be given at the viewpoint in cane baskets…it’s some bread and boiled eggs. We had not opted for breakfast. The sunrise views were awesome and absolutely worth losing your sleep.
At about 7.30 am we left for the lava fields, which are about 45 min away from the sunrise viewpoint. One can see 3 craters of this active volcano at a distance. Some people do a couple of hours’ trek up to the craters. We could see white smoke at a distance coming out from the volcano. From the lava fields a quick round of the pine forest and we were done with our morning adventure.
Just a little further from the Jeep drop point was the hot springs location. We didn’t do much exploration as were hungry by now and went in for the closed hot spring location – Toya Devasya. It turned out to be a picturesque location but the ticket pricing was on the higher side. Our ticket package included breakfast. We enjoyed the scenic view along with our breakfast and then went into the infinity pool of the hot springs later. The place is very neat and clean, has ample lockers and changing rooms, and availability of towels. They also have rooms and tents for on-location stays.
At about noon we started our journey back to Sanur and on the way stopped at Goa Gajah Temple. It has a cave-like entrance and inside the hall within the cave is an image of Lord Ganesha, Shivling among other images. You will pass through a complex lined with shops and the entrance of the cave is accessed only by walking down a long flight of stairs. Within the complex are 7 statues of women holding water pitchers that depict seven holy rivers of India: Ganga, Saraswati, Yamuna, Godavari, Sindhu, Kaveri, and Narmada.
Day 9 – Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, Banyumala Waterfall
We left our hotel at Sanur at about 7.30 am as it was going to be a long travel day. On the way to Banyumala Waterfall, we covered the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, a UNESCO Heritage Site. Before starting with our exploration at Jatiluwih we had breakfast at the Gong. It is one of the best rice terraces in Bali, known for the SUBAK irrigation system. The views are spectacular. We hired a guide who took just a walking tour around the rice terraces and explained the process of growing rice. There are different rice varieties growing there…Red rice, black rice, and normal white rice.
The next destination was Banyumala Waterfalls. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the parking lot of the falls. From the parking lot, it is about a 15-20 minute steep climb down to the waterfalls. Those who find it difficult to walk down can take a scooter ride behind a driver from near the entry ticket counter costing around IDR 25,000. The entry to the falls like most other places closes at 6 pm, so plan your trip accordingly. There is a toilet and changing room near the falls. It is one of the best waterfalls in Bali.
We did not want to travel all the way back to Sanur hence we decided to stay the night at Munduk. Since this is at a higher altitude the evening here was quite pleasant. We stayed at Bali Rahayu Homestay which had a nice view of the valley and small but comfortable cottages.
Day 10 – Wanagiri Hidden Hill, Twin Lake, Handara gate and Ulun Danu Beratan Temple
We had to catch a 4.30 pm ferry (the last one) from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan in the evening and hence left at around 8 am from Munduk. On the way, we pass the Wanagiri Hidden Hill and Twin Lake viewpoint. We did not spend much time here and then stopped at Handara Gate. There was an hour’s wait time to click pictures at the Handara gate so we just saw it from outside and stopped at Ulun Danu Beratan Temple.
Oh! it’s such a scenic place, I don’t know how many pictures we must have taken at the Ulun Danu Beratan. Ulun Danu means “Above the Lake”, as the name suggests the temple complex is on the shores of Lake Bratan. Lake Bratan is the main source of water for irrigation in central Bali. We also took a boat ride, the ticket for which are separate from the entry tickets and need to be bought from within the complex. Pictures do not do justice to the beauty of the place but give you some idea…
We reached in time to catch the last ferry for the day to Nusa Lembongan from Sanur. We had done our stay/hotel booking in advance hence we had to travel all the way back from Munduk. Else it’s just a 45-minute ferry ride from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan. It’s an endless wait for the cars to reach the Sanur Harbour from the main road…..best is 5-walk down from the main road towards the Harbour building.
Travel Tip #8 - If you do not plan to stay on any other island then it's better to take trips to Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, and Nusa Ceningan from Sanur.
There isn’t a proper jetty at Nusa Lembongan and hence be prepared to climb down into the water at the beach on reaching. The boat service providers help take out the luggage onto the dry sandy area of the beach but you can get wet.
Travel Tip #9 - You will disembark in about knee-deep water at Nusa Lembongan so dress accordingly - preferably shorts.
Day 11 – Nusa Penida Island and Snorkeling
We had booked ourselves for 3 days at Pattri Garden in Nusa Lembongan. We took an early morning snorkeling trip around Nusa Penida, which took us to Manta Bay, Gamat Bay, and Crystal Beach. Though we didn’t get to any Manta at Manta Bay the corals and vibrant color fishes and the beautiful underwater world are glorious. I am so thrilled that even though I do not know swimming I managed to snorkel at 2 of the above locations. After the snorkeling trip, we were taken for a day trip to Nusa Penida Island. We took a shower at the beach (costing IDR 5000/- per person) before moving on with our car trip.
We covered 3 main tourist locations in Nusa Penida – Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, and Angel’s Billabong. Kelingking Beach has a T-Rex-shaped land jutting out to the sea. It has a long climb down and hence we just took pictures from the top, like most tourists there. Very few venture all the way down. The Broken Beach forms an arc-like structure. Angel’s Billabong is a natural infinity pool. It’s considered dangerous to swim in the Angel’s Billabong during high tide as the waves and the current will pull you into the ocean. Nevertheless, each of these sites is so picturesque and quite popular.
We enjoyed a leisurely evening at the Pattri Garden and had dinner at a local Warung nearby. Pattri Garden only serves breakfast and the other meals need to be taken outside or have to be ordered from out. We had two connecting beautiful rooms.
Day 12 – Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan islands
Today we covered Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan islands which are connected by a “Yellow Bridge“. The bridge is only for walking or two-wheelers. Nusa Ceningan is a small island located between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida.
We visited Nusa Lembongan – Mahagiri Beach, Panorama Point, and Sea Weed Farming.
Nusa Ceningan – Mahana Point and Blue Lagoon. We had lunch at Mahana Point which is a cliff jumping site and also a great site for surfers. Blue Lagoon is just a few meters away from Mahana Point and is a very picturesque location. Swimming is not allowed at Blue Lagoon though.
Day 13 – Devil’s Tear and Nusa Dua
Before we left Nusa Lembongan we did a visit to Devil’s Tear and Dream Beach in the morning. The whooping waves hitting the cave-like structures and making a whooshing sound with rainbows at the end are just amazing. Devil’s Tear is a must-visit, once you buy a ticket here you can visit it more than once.
After breakfast, we took a ferry to Sanur and then a taxi to Nusa Dua. We stayed at Bali Relaxing Resort and Spa, a beach-facing property. It’s quite a big property with a lot of rooms and a lovely swimming pool. The service though is slow in the restaurant and this is the only place where we had mosquitos. This evening we enjoyed the property, a relaxing massage, and the beach.
Travel Tip #10 - Water Sports activities are mainly available in and around Nusa Dua
Day 14 – Nusa Dua – End of our Trip
We had chosen to stay our last night at Nusa Dua since it’s not too far away from the airport. It took us just about 20 mins to the airport.
Bali as a place and its people will hold fond memories for us.
Selamat Jalan (Goodbye) Bali!!
