We are a bunch of 4 who travelled Bali in May 2024. Typing this article in my flight from Bali back to India. Trying to capture as many nuances as possible before I forget some finer details. This is a memoir and also a guide to help you plan out your Bali trip.
To kick things off, hereās an overview of areas we have covered.
Against each area, Iāve listed out bunch of activities we have done in that area and also a list of places weāve had some food.
These places to eat have some vegetarian / vegan options
Since its impossible to cover them all, Iāve also included a section of other places that were on our lists.
Schedule Overview
Day | Area |
Day 1 | Kuta / Uluwatu |
Day 2 | Nusa Penida |
Day 3 | Nusa Penida |
Day 4 | Gili Trawangan |
Day | Area |
Day 5 | Gili Trawangan |
Day 6 | Ubud |
Day 7 | Ubud |
Day 8 | Caangu |
Kuta / Uluwatu
The first day, we landed in Bali and checked into our stay at Kuta Beach. We grabbed a quick lunch and headed to Uluwatu Temple to catch a sunset on a couple of scooters we hired.
Uluwatu Temple expects a covered wear. They also offer a Sarong to wear in the temple premises.
Couple of my friends managed to blitz through the traffic and catch the perfect sunset. A few minutes after sun hid behind the clouds wasnāt bad either as the terrific cliff and sea views set against the red hues of sunset really made it a great view.
Thereās also a Kecak dance which happens daily - 2 shows. Unfortunately, we couldnāt make it but thatās something worth exploring
Kuta Beach had a number of eateries to explore for dinner. As you are done with your dinner, sit, collect some shells and feel the cool breeze along the beach.
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Places to Eat
- Little Italy - https://maps.app.goo.gl/m2SE9MJ5fcHocijTA
- Icelab - Gelato - https://maps.app.goo.gl/KwCZRK2BcWQxaPMC8
Nusa Penida
Day 1
We checked out of our hotel at 7 in the morning to catch an early ferry to Nusa Penida from Sanur Port.
We took our stay near Crystal Bay Beach. Only to realise, itās detached from the more happening areas of the island near the harbour. Something I would recommend against, as harbour has easier access to getting vehicles, petrol and even more restaurant options.
We checked in, got our scooters and rushed to Kelingking after a quick lunch.
Kelingking is a beautiful spot. Iāll give that, but it is super crowded with not a lot of activity to do beyond getting few photos clicked.
Thereās a cliff view point nearby, giving similar view and we didnāt feel worth to pay entry fee to what was a restaurant overlooking the cliff to access the view point.
Later in evening we headed to Angelās Billabong and Broken Beach
Angelās Billabong offered a great sunset view accompanied with a great overview of the cliffs extending kilometers.
We got some pretty photos clicked and wrapped the day with some nice dinner.
Day 2
This was the scuba day. There are lot of dive centers, some of the recognised by PADI, to give you a scuba dive.
We were couple of beginners with our irrational fear, who were carefully taught the basics of managing the dive. Itās an incredible experience. Scuba for beginners and even the advanced one costed us approx 1.5Mn IDR per person
Couple of my friends headed to Diamond beach for sunrise as their scuba ride for certified divers was scheduled at noon. We, the beginners, went to Diamond beach at sunset. Still pretty impressive. Itās a tough trek down the diamond beach, be sure to attempt it with shoes only
Thereās a beautiful treehouse a km from diamond beach, giving spectacular views. Do check that out
After such a hectic day, we had a laid back evening witnessing sunset over the Crystal Bay beach. It is also a nice spot to witness the sunrise, as long as you arenāt sleeping your way through the sunrise like me š
Places to Eat
- Nusava - https://maps.app.goo.gl/MXP7QP9H8a5Xhfyq6
- Payoda - https://maps.app.goo.gl/JRrzE8cMw1KQ8u7R6
- Penida Colada - https://maps.app.goo.gl/1kDHRTRRmatGHKKm7
Gili Trawangan
Gili T is a more laid back / party place in the entire trip.
Day 1
As we landed on Gili T after an almost 3 hour ferry from Nusa Penida, we rushed to our star event of the day - Private Cruise and Snorkelling Tour.
With 3 snorkelling dives along various spots across the 3 Gili Islands (Gili T, Gili Meno and Gili Air) to witness the colorful corals and turtles trying to grab a meal.
We also witnessed the underwater statues while snorkelling. Brace for some crowds here.
Be sure to get a lifejacket with you, if you are beginner or uncomfortable with depths like me.
The cruise was a fun experience as we witnessed one of the best sunsets of my life from middle of the ocean while indulging in some nice snacks and desserts.
Dinner was fun as we were singing along Taylor Swiftās Love Story with tens of others in the Music Trivia night at the Mad Monkey Hostel.
Day 2
I kicked off the day with a run around the island. Itās a little over 7km to cover the entire island. I took around 50 min to capture the sunrise and run around the island as the shops are just starting to open.
After the run, we took a cycle stroll to have lunch and explore the island.
Some of the best dining options are towards the harbour, but given the size of the island, that would still mean its barely 2km away from wherever on the island you are.
We took it a notch higher as things got intense in the foam party at Mad Monkey during the sunset. As foam blew over the pool, we were accompanied by drinks, bunch of folks playing volleyball and beer pong, while every few minutes we had couple of people diving at the deep end of the pool.
The beaches away from the harbour, closer to Mad Monkey, were rocky with corals and rocks. So, put away your swimming plans on this side of the island and instead witness the sunset from the white sand beach.
Thereās a full moon party which happens at a couple of resorts, keep an eye on the dates.
Places to Eat
- Regina Pizzeria - https://maps.app.goo.gl/gNJyw1BZewXXyaVm7
- Banyan Tree - https://maps.app.goo.gl/QZe9raxp22K2VYZJ8
- Mexi Koko - https://maps.app.goo.gl/TyTcpVZ7w1dadzEM7
- Mad Monkey - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jc7ji1cQSccGctJo7
Ubud
Day 1
It was a long journey of almost 4 hours travelling from Gili T to Padang Bai port, and another 1.5 hour to travel from Padang Bai to Ubud.
We left for Ulandanu Temple that evening, itās a couple of hours ride from Ubud Palace area.
It was an incredible ride as the clouds descended, showering intermittently to drench us wet and make us shiver in the cold as we ascended in height as well.
This also meant, it was almost dark by the time we reached Ulandanu Temple. Still we managed to capture something.
Despite the odd time, the temple complex didnāt seem to be worth a long drive and visit.
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Almost 6 days into the trip, our taste buds were craving a taste of India. We devoured bunch of rotis and paneer curry after what felt like a week of Italian and Indonesian cuisine.
Day 2
We stepped out to ATV ride in the morning. I gloriously failed at the task and relegated myself to sitting behind the guide who was handling it like pro. It was a fun experience through caves, river, rice fields and hill curves. I would suggest booking it here through Klook, atleast a day before.
We later headed to Tegenungan Waterfall. Itās a nice waterfall that can be part of your itinerary.
We rushed towards the popular Celing Rice terrace, specifically to visit the Crettya Restaurant overlooking the rice terrace. Only to realise it would need advanced booking to avoid hours of waiting, that is if you are willing to spend the super expensive prices. We went to another resort nearby, Kabana, to indulge in lunch, sitting by the pool amidst the jungle.
We discovered this performance group at Ubud Palace depicting various mythological and local stories through dance and music. If you want a glimpse of their culture, and ignite curiosity into the overlap of Balinese and Indian Hinduism, this is a great one to visit. Itās a 1.5 hour show.
Every day thereās a different show, including some familiar stories like that of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
At this point, we were kind of done with Italian / Indonesian cuisines and decided to go to another Indian Restaurant.
We returned to rice terrace on the next day morning to capture the terrace and Bali Swing.
Itās a Photo Op at the end of the day, but the photos are pretty, especially the ones with the swing.
As I was joking, rice fields are pretty much home to me coming from Andhra Pradesh. My mom would pretty likely be disappointed if I told I spent some Rs 500 to get a photo near rice field š
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Places to Eat
- Punjab Grill - https://maps.app.goo.gl/pUPyReXu8qHw5e587
- Queenās - https://maps.app.goo.gl/d8mBqdiN2PoY543b7
- Kabana - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ep1kLYkwZXN9D57P6
Caangu / Seminyak
As we reached this stretch of the trip, we were exhausted and decided to lay back and relax by the beaches.
In the evening, we stepped out for a shopping trip along Seminyak Square (which is mall, but nearby you have nice stores)
We bought bunch of souvenirs.
There are lot of beach clubs and pubs you can consider in these areas - Old Manās, Finns, Motel Mexicola. They would need advanced booking.
Places to Eat
Other Places to Consider
There are bunch of places that we couldnāt accommodate or skipped for some reason. Compiling them for your reference and consideration
Area | Place | Comment |
Central Bali | Cultural Park | |
Central Bali | Tanah Lot | |
Central Bali | Kuta Shops | |
Ubud | Ubud Art Galleries / Musuems | |
Ubud | Leke Leke Falls | Considered too crowded as opposed to Tegunungan |
East Bali | Tirth Ganga Temple | A photo op, but a nice temple, probably better than Ulundanu
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pf6JBFaU4Z2WTToP8 |
East Bali | Lahangan Sweet | Pretty view for sunsets
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zamaT8DBQn3Wo3uC8 |
East Bali | Lempuyang Temple (the gates reflection photo) | Super crowded
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WRLmq1sQ8NTtjJzM7 |
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