Guide to Travelling Bali in 2 Weeks
This guide to travelling Bali is a beginner’s intro on what to see, do and eat when visiting this beautiful island. Sadly, it’s over Westernised these days and reminds me of an Australian’s version of Ibiza, but there are plenty of untapped spots to still enjoy.
Guide to travelling Bali
For my 2017 summer holiday, my then-boyfriend and I headed for two weeks in sunny Bali. Me being me; my lead time was spent researching and planning as much of the trip as I could.
With my newfound wealth of information, personal experience of visiting and gathering tips from other travellers, here’s my beginner’s guide to travelling Bali in 2 weeks, to aid anyone else thinking of visiting this beautiful island.
Seminyak
Picked up from Denpasar airport by our recommended friend, Made (pronounced mad-ay) we headed to Seminyak; a beach resort on the southwestern side of the island, 25 minutes from the airport. It’s the perfect place for beach clubs, sleek bars and even a touch of surfing too.
Being too early to check into our hotel, Made took us to Finns Beach, a popular beach club, for some breakfast, beers and ocean views. It was a great way to start the holiday!
We then made our way to Bali Ayu Hotel and Villas, where we stayed for three nights. I’d highly recommend it for the fact it’s in a great central location. The price (£15pp per night) includes pool access, air conditioning and breakfast.
After a chilled afternoon by the pool recovering from our travels, we headed out for dinner. Just around the corner, we discovered Waroeng Bonita, a cute little restaurant with colourful outside lights and yummy food, which is what this guide to travelling Bali is all about.
Bali has some wonderful cuisine, but my personal favourite was the simplest of dishes, Nasi Goreng. It literally translates as “fried rice” in Indonesian and is a must-try dish. It’s fragrant, spicy and is lovingly topped with a fried egg. If you fancy changing it up a bit, opt for Mie Goreng, which is the noodle counterpart.
Potato Head Beach Club
We spent the entirety of the next day at Potato Head Beach Club. It’s a MUST when visiting Seminyak and that’s exactly why it’s in this guide to travelling Bali. For a minimum spend of 500k IDR (roughly £28), you can nab yourselves a day bed (literally a double bed) for a max of 4 people and spend all day lounging. It’s the perfect jet lag cure! Although the beach club doesn’t open until 10am, I’d advise getting there at 9am to secure yourselves a bed.
Once you’ve put your name down and chosen your bed, you can leave the club to grab a coffee while you wait for your day to begin. Make sure you’re back by 10:15 at the very latest.
With stunning views across the infinity pool, palm trees for shade and cocktails till you drop, you’ll never want to leave!
Kuta
We headed south of Seminyak to Kuta to join some friends for evening drinks. If you do find yourselves in Kuta or fancy a night out there, go to the Sky Garden. It’s 115k IDR (less than £6) all you can eat and drink from 17:00-21:00, which will certainly set you up for the night.
Vi Ai Pi, situated next door, hosts an open mic night on Saturdays. And combined with overconfident Australians, who are up for anything, make for a hilarious evening.
An evening in Seminyak
We didn’t see much of the next day as it was a late evening but ventured out for dinner. For those romantics out there, I would recommend a sunset stroll along the sand towards an idyllic dinner spot of beanbags on the beach and live music. As we wandered down the beach, we could see it wasn’t the niche restaurant experience I’d thought. Every restaurant along the sand had copies of this “original idea”. La Plancha and Capil Beach are to name some and well worth the experience.
Next on your must list is Motel Mexicola. With giant coconut cocktails and music to get your hips moving, this is certainly the fluorescent pink place to go! And if you find yourself wanting to dance until dawn, you should then move on to La Favela.
Whilst waiting for Made the next morning, before heading to Ubud, we sat in Revolver for a smooth ice coffee – definitely worth a little visit for any coffee lover. And if you ever fancy ice cream, head to Gelato Shack for a multitude of creamy flavours.
Ubud
On our journey to Ubud (about an hour and a half’s drive north), Made took us to a Luwak coffee plantation. A fascinating experience learning about how this expensive coffee is made, despite our unsure expectations of being just off the side of the road.
It involves the civet cat which only eats the ripest beans and then excretes them. Now, this sounds disgusting but this coffee bean, in fact, has three layers to it, with only the first shell coming apart from the bean. Its distinctive taste and smooth texture is a result of its roasting and finely ground. We then tasted a selection of teas and coffees that had been grown right there.
Our accommodation for Ubud was taken from a recommendation by my sister, who had visited the previous year. We stayed in an Air BnB hosted by an Indonesian man, Ketut, and his family. Roughly a 40-minute walk into the centre of town, it was an incredibly tranquil place to stay. Particularly in comparison to the craziness of the centre.
Sekumpul waterfall
Some friends were also in Ubud at the same time and invited us on an adventure. They hired a driver for the day through their hotel and told us to be ready for 8am.
The 2-hour drive north towards the Sekumpul waterfall was a great way to see the vast greenery of the island. We arrived mid-morning in the hope the waterfall was empty.
The only issue with this exploring Sekumpal was getting down to it. In particular the 300 odd steps we had to descend. Which in turn meant 300 odd steps to climb up again in the midday heat.
To say we were sweating was an understatement, but it was well worth it. It’s a stunning scene and a less popular option compared to other waterfalls closer to Ubud.
On our way back to Ubud, we stopped off at some hot springs. For 40k IDR (£2), we spent a couple of hours bathing in the warm, holy, natural water. This resulted in a nap most of the way home.
Our last stop of the day was the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, just in time for sunset. We didn’t explore far but enjoyed taking in the beauty of the landscape. This was aided by going to the nearest bar, Gong Jatiluwih, for a Bintang and a slice of apple pie.
Unfortunately, an illness of heatstroke and dehydration halted our trip. This sadly left my then-boyfriend bedridden for a couple of days. When he recovered, we ventured into town for our final afternoon in Ubud.
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
If you’re an animal lover, like me, then the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a must in this guide to travelling to Bali. But beware, although these creatures look adorable; they’re feisty, aggressive and cannot be trusted!
I would advise wearing a money belt to keep your valuables safe but take nothing else! They will grab anything they can get their hands on, including your water bottle. We had to throw ours away in the end, unfortunately.
You can buy food within the forest to feed the monkeys. But I’d advise against it if you don’t want to be harassed by them. The multitude of monkeys in a forest so close to the centre of Ubud feels like a huge juxtaposition. It’s also a wonderful, albeit nerve-racking experience when one decides to use your head as a table to eat from. This happened to me when I bent down to take a photo.
Situated south of the town centre and costing 40k IDR (£2), the Forest is open from 08:30 till 18:00. I would advise going either early in the morning or later before close to avoid the rush of people.
We spent the evening having massages, arranged by Ketut, and then went for dinner at a delicious pizzeria. FuzionCafé is worth the visit for a taste of Europe.
Other recommendations for Ubud
For a night out in Ubud, word is CP Lounge (live music from 22:00-00:00) and Café Pomegranate are worth a visit. Or if a daytime sesh is more your thing – make your way to Jungle Fish. Think of it as a jungle version of a beach club.
Gili T
Visiting any of the Gili Islands is a must in this guide to travelling Bali and next on our journey was Gili Trawangan, the party island.
Made drove us across the island to the port of Padang Bai where we got the hour-long ferry ride (£30). We sat on the rooftop enjoying the sun and sea views with our friends and a wealth of backpackers.
Where to stay on Gili T
Arriving on the hot sand and scrambling for our luggage, we made the 10-minute walk to our hotel. We stayed at Gili White Bamboo Resort and I would definitely recommend a stay here. However, upon reflection, I would opt for a hostel, for cheapness and meeting other travellers.
If you fancy a more plush experience of Gili T, our friends stayed at Les Villas Ottalia. With a private pool and divine double bed, it was like your own personal oasis.
Some other friends stayed at Gili Castle – the party hostel. We went there every evening for dinner, beer pong and joss shots (Vodka and Extra Joss energy powder). It’s the place to go to start your night! This tends to be followed by Lava, a local bar. Then, the night specific bar/club, which the whole island heads to.
We also found the perfect pizza place to sort out our drunken munchies. Francesco’s Pizza, because who doesn’t love pizza after a night out?
During the days we recovered, chilled on the beach and reenacted the volleyball scene from Top Gun.
Snorkelling
We even did a spot of snorkelling, arranged through our hotel. However, there are plenty of hotspots with people selling snorkelling trips of the Gili Islands.
If you do venture into the open water, I would be wary of seasickness. Even on the calmest of days, the rocking is enough to send you dizzy – and bring lots of suncream!
The burn was real – my shoulders were so bad, I couldn’t carry my backpack the next day. This resulted in my then-boyfriend carrying both our bags. You may think this was a clever ploy, but trust me it was not worth the pain! However, it was for the underwater scenery. The reef was mind-blowing with its vast array of colours and species to look at, including turtles!
In total, we spent four days on Gili T, which I would say is plenty. It’s a small island and takes only an hour to walk the circumference. There are no vehicles on the island so walking, cycling or horse-drawn cart are the only modes of transport. Gili Meno or Gili Air are worth exploring if you prefer a much quieter and more romantic vibe.
Uluwatu
Situated on the western side of Bali, south of Denpasar, we intended to spend our last 2 days in Uluwatu. Unfortunately, our trip was cut short and we headed back to England after Gili T.
There’s great surfing available on the western side, but it suits more intermediate levelled surfers. Saturdays are best for beach parties and Single Fin is the best place for clifftop sunset views. If you prefer a more cultural night, head to the Uluwatu Temple. Every evening at 6pm, the traditional Kecak dance is performed – You’ll want to get there early though as it’s very popular.
Other tips to help your trip
Peak season is July and August, along with main holidays such as Christmas/New Year and Easter. If possible, avoid these times as it’s crazy busy and prices soar! The best time to visit is April through till June and September.
Alcohol is relatively cheap in Bali. Your best and cheapest option is to get your hands on a Bintang. It’s the perfect refreshing sunset drink (or beer pong filler).
Bali is a strong practising Hindu country, with daily sacrifices laid out on the pavement. Each element of the sacrifice is a different offering to their gods. You must not step on or over them whilst the incense is still burning.
And there you have it, a beginner’s guide to travelling Bali in 2 weeks. Hopefully, this inspires you to explore this beautiful island.
For more travel tips and adventures head to my travel section. Or stay inspired with wanderlust imagery, follow my travel insta @ellielwilliams_
Els x
