If I could paint Bali, I would paint it with all the colors of the rainbow. Bali is so diverse from its tradition to its culture, arts, nature and people. There are so much to see and explore in this island. I think that Bali still has a lot of hidden places waiting to be discovered. It feels like this island is engulfed with magic. Like every turn or small paths will lead you to something exciting. You will easily fall in love with this island.
I visited Bali with my then boyfriend (now my husband) on May of 2019. It was the perfect season with lots of sun and less rain. We visited near and far places with our motorbike to see this island’s magical waterfalls, beautiful white sand beaches, and sacred temples. We indulge ourselves with their mouthwatering local cuisines and local fruits. We filled our eyes with its lush green rice paddies and we danced to the tune of their traditional music.
Where To Stay In Bali?
Bali is one of the big islands in Indonesia. We stayed in 3 different places so we can explore more tourist destinations without having to travel for long hours. We first stayed in Kuta, then in Ubud and lastly in Jimbaran.
We stayed here on our first two nights in Bali. We chose to stay here because of its close proximity to Ngurah Rai International Airport. It’s only a 13-minute drive from the airport. The hotel is affordable and clean. They offer delicious breakfast and the staff are very friendly.
Grandmas plus Hotel Airport
This is a hidden gem in Ubud. If you are looking for an accommodation where you can truly relax and enjoy nature, then this place is for you. I chose this place because I love to experience staying in the middle of the rice fields. This place exceeded by expectation. It is only a 20-minute drive from Ubud center. They have their own restaurant and I swear, you will never look for any other restaurants because the food they serve here is homemade with love and so delicious that you will keep ordering for more. We tried the other restaurants in Ubud and we can always compare at how good the food in Hati Padi is.
Hati Padi Cottages
If you want to spoil your self a little bit to have a really relaxing vacation on a beach front resort, then this place is for you. We spent our last night in Bali here because of its close proximity from the airport. Only a 15-minute drive to the airport. It is also a walking distance from the popular seafood restaurants. They have a beautiful view of sunset here.
Keraton Jimbaran Resort
What To Do In Bali?
Most of the places in Bali are reachable by motorbike. With the help of Google Maps you can easily navigate your way to your destination. The fuel is really affordable and you will find a lot of small stores that sell them in a bottle.
Places To Visit In/Near Kuta
Kuta Beach
One of the popular beaches here. It’s a long stretch of white sand beach where you can enjoy sunbathing or swimming. There are a lot of vendors nearby but they will never bother you if you just want to enjoy a time on your own by the beach.
Kuta Beach
Potato Head Beach Club
They have a really nice ambiance to chill and enjoy a delicious food. We came here for a quick lunch.
W Bali
You can pass by the beautiful entrance made of bamboo trees of W Bali on your way to Potato Head Beach Club. The guards are not strict if you just want to take a picture here.
W Bali entrance
La Brisa Bali
This place is popular especially for surfers and tourists who want to enjoy a sip of wine or beer while watching the sunset. We made a reservation prior to our visit because they can easily get fully booked.
La Brisa
Places To Visit In/Near Ubud
Sacred Monkey Forest
This place is popular among tourists. From the name itself, this is a forest filled many monkeys who are taken cared of by the locals. You will also see a lot of Balinese statues. There are huge old trees with roots that grow from its branches which gives this forest an impression of being enchanted. It has an entrance fee at minimal cost.
Saraswati Temple
This temple is in the heart of the busy Ubud center surrounded with shops, restaurants and hotels. You are only allowed to visit up to the entrance of the temple. We were not allowed to go inside.
Saraswati Temple
Art Market
I love this place! You will see a lot of colorful handmade items like rattan bags, carved wooden buddhas, colorful dreamcatchers, clothes and a lot more. Wait until the closing time and you can bargain at a really good price.
Bali Pulina
This is a coffee plantation. With a reasonable entrance fee, you will get a free coffee and tea tasting experience. They will also take you on a tour in the coffee making process and you will get to meet the popular luwak or civet cat which produces the expensive coffee luwak from its poop. It may sound disgusting but during our tour, they explained to us the whole process of how they make the coffee from the luwak’s poop. Each visitor will be provided with a tour guide. They also sell Bali coffee powder at a reasonable price. I highly recommend this place.
Bali Pulina
Tegalalang Rice Terrace
This is a popular tourist destination. It’s a beautiful sight but this is not my favorite place because it is very crowded and even if it’s just right beside the road, the view from the road is obstructed with houses or shops and restaurants.
Temple of Lempuyang Luhur
This is the farthest destination we visited from our hotel. It took us almost 2 hours by motorbike per way. This is also one of the most visited tourist attraction. It is located at the slope of Mount Lempuyang in Karangasem. It is popular for its gate of heaven. I think it’s best to come here early in the morning. When we arrived there at noon, the queue of people who wants to take a picture of the gate is already very long that we have to wait for 2 hours for our turn. Someone is in-charge of taking photos for you using your phone with a mirror effect that is very popular just like my photo below.
Temple of Lempuyang Luhur
Blue Lagoon Beach
A quick stopover on our way to Lempuyang Luhur. If you are driving from Ubud to Lempuyang Luhur, this stopover is worth it. You can enjoy the view of the beautiful blue lagoon from a balcony of one of the two restaurants here.
Blue Lagoon
Taman Tirta Gangga
A beautiful and relaxing water palace worth a stopover on our way back to Ubud from Lempuyang Luhur. It’s also popular among tourists. You can feed the koi fish with fish food that you can buy from the stores outside the palace.
Taman Tirta Gangga
Tukad Cepung Waterfall
A 49-minute drive from our hotel. This waterfall is also very popular among the tourists. It’s best to come here early in the morning. If you arrive at 9am, you will witness the sun perfectly aligned with the cave, creating a magical display of sun beams illuminating the waterfalls.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall
Kanto Lampo Waterfall
One of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. It’s best to arrive here at 6am to avoid the crowd. It’s very tricky and slippery to go down to the waterfall. I don’t recommend this for kids and elderly people.
Kanto Lampo Waterfall
Place To Visit In Jimbaran
Jimbaran Seafood Restaurants
Along the beach of Jimbaran is a wide selection of seafood restaurants which offers fresh seafood. It’s best to come here during sunset to have a romantic dinner.
We were able to visit all these places in a span of 6 days. Most of the places are in close proximity from each other and it’s safe to do a do-it-yourself tour in Bali. Most tourist spots are crowded so it is best to visit them early in the morning to avoid waiting in a queue just to take a photo. Balinese people are very friendly and welcoming.