Bali was so different to what I expected and I loved it! My partner and I travelled out in November with Singapore Airlines (very good), via Singapore, both there and back. We were visiting friends who currently live in Bali; they were kind enough to show us the best of the country without us having to do too much research ourselves, which was just brilliant.

Food & Drink

The food in Bali is wonderful. Naturally, like anywhere else in the world, you have to be mindful about where/what you’re buying; however, the main restaurants, bars, cafes and other eateries are great and the staff are so helpful, friendly and kind. Generally speaking, the ingredients are very fresh and flavours delicious. Some places are themed, some are geared more toward western cultures/tourists, others are more traditional; so you will never go hungry. Furthermore, the food is extremely cheap to buy (from a UK traveller’s perspective).

The drinks are great too; cocktails share the same freshness as the food and having a variety of fruits and spirits (not to mention the gorgeous surroundings) makes for an idyllic combination to unwind. Unlike the food, however, the alcoholic drinks are comparatively expensive which is definitely worth keeping in mind/remembering after you’ve had a couple. Depending on personal drinking/eating ratios, the bill should balance itself out, although if you’re anything like me, it may be worth budgeting slightly more for beverages.

Where to go

Bali has something for everyone, bars, restaurants, beaches, forests, rice fields, coffee bars, a volcano and more! Here is some info on a few of the places we visited, which I’d recommend.

The beach bars are extremely casual and offer a mix of music, food, drink and atmosphere. You can simply wander in and relax by the pool, sit overlooking the beach or graze all day.  One such bar (quite well known too) is the contemporary and chilled Potato Head in Kabupaten Badung. We just walked in from the beach and sat in the amphitheatre-styled bar beneath an array of uniquely salvaged antique shutters for a cocktail or two.

Next stop was along the beach a little further to Tropicola. The first thing that hits you here is the bright colours and the retro theme that runs throughout. Great fun and a brilliant spot to watch the sun set, as you can see, here.

The beaches themselves were clean even though there is, like everywhere, too much plastic. You can go to most beaches and set your towel down or go to a privatised section of a beach, such as Karma Beach, where there is a small fee to use the loungers etc. So again, something to suit every want and budget.

If beaches aren’t your thing, then why not explore a jungle? We stopped off for a wander down into Gianya, Sayan. It was hot and humid and mosquito repellent is a must, plus the ground is quite uneven so tread carefully. All that said, it’s totally worth it! The views were awesome, and you felt so small against the beautiful trees and general landscape, it was like something from a fairy-tale.

A must is going up to see the volcano Batur Selatan; however, this has to be done on a clear day so make sure you ask the locals if it’s worth the journey on the day you’re planning to go; looking out to a white-out is less spectacular.

On the way up to the mountain, there are places to stop for a coffee or bite to eat. We stopped in Kintamani and reflected over what looked like a perfectly manicured rice terrace, as seen in my photo at the top of the Blog. Gorgeous.

One of the best bars we visited, in my opinion, was El Kabron Cliff Club. As the name suggests, it’s inset into the cliff with sofas and a perfectly placed infinity pool overlooking the ocean. On arrival you’re instantly infected with a chilled vibe.

The well documented Monkey Forest in Ubud was nice, yet important to remember, this isn’t a zoo. Keep your loose items close. The monkeys are clever, fast, cute and can be cheeky and even aggressive; although, more to each other, unless you torment them!

Nearly everywhere you go in Bali, you will be able to see a temple, the Monkey Forest included. Bali and its residence seem very spiritual and, as far as I’m aware (best not to quote me on this), the temples offer a place for people to give thanks. If spiritualism isn’t your thing, they’re still worth a visit whilst you’re here; the structures and detailing are amazing.

We treated ourselves on our last night and went to the Double-Six Plantation Grill in Seminyak. Absolutely wonderful food, great setting, stunning bar, fabulous drinks and excellent service.

Getting about

I’m sure you can, if wanted, hire scooters/mo-peds to get from A-to-B. The roads are busy; however, and vehicle horns create their own song amongst the hustle and bustle in the streets. Any rules of the road appear to be lapse at best and things like traffic signals/lights are more of a suggestion than a rule. That said, we never saw any ‘road-rage’. If a mistake was made by someone, they tended to accept responsibility, and everyone carried on.

I’m not confident on two wheels so ordered taxis to get us around. They’re air conditioned and reliable. On top of which, if you get a good driver, you can arrange to employ them for the day and they’ll take you from place-to-place and wait around until you want to move on; they’ll probably offer some valuable local knowledge and guidance in the mix, too.

Top tip

Download the ‘Grab’ app. It’s so widely used in Bali and allows you to order everything from food and drink to taxis. The taxi arrangement works brilliantly. You can see the driver, select the size of car you want and can see the price of the journey before you confirm your booking. Safe, smart and easy-to-use.

Weather

The weather is changeable at the time of year we visited. It was very hot and humid and had some days of sunshine with the odd shower and even a tropical storm.

Bali and the people there are truly amazing and I will never forget our time there. It’s a long journey and I will be making it again in the future.