If you haven’t been to Bali yet, I highly recommend you to go there. 

I was in Bali バリ in August and I promise you, you won’t be disappointed. There is so much to do and see on the island that you won’t regret your decision. Bali is made up of several towns with completely different vibes. The tropical hideaway succeeds to be an adventure paradise, a spiritual sanctuary, a family friendly getaway, as well as a foodie paradise. The warm local people complement beautiful landscapes with coastal cliffs, blue oceans, volcanic mountains, and green rice paddy fields. I was there for five days so I could visit three of these towns. As I am one of those people who like to do a lot on their vacation, I tried to squeeze in the maximum. However, as Bali is supposed to be a relaxed place, I didn’t feel rushed, even though I did a lot! To be honest, distances between the two attractions can be almost 2-3 hours by car sometimes, that is why I visited just the famous landmarks. Rest of my time was spent relaxing by the beach drinking coconut water or sipping on margaritas by the pool. Along with the abundant natural beauty, Bali offers excellent dining scene as well. You can’t get enough of Bali even if you spend months there! But as I have to work a 9 to 5 job for a living, this is what I did in my short and sweet vacation!

1. Relax in Nusa Dua

We started the first leg of our trip to Bali at Nusa-Dua which is an area with lots of resorts lined together. They all have their private beaches with bars. Nusa Dua is widely known as the upscale district of Bali and many of the high-end resorts are located here. Nusa Dua is gated and once inside you will find clearly see a very different and well-maintained resort area. In short, it is a posh world away from much of the island.

You should go to Nusa Dua if you are looking for a relaxing beach holiday and want to spend your days swimming and enjoying a cocktail at your resort’s private beach bar. If you don’t want to eat at your resort and need a break from the sea, head over to Bali Collection. We spent a lot of our time hanging out, eating and getting massages at Bali Collection, which an open-air shopping mall just five minutes from our hotel, Inaya Putri. Inaya is a beautiful Balinese style resort with swimming pools, a private beach and a beach bar with endless supplies of exotic cocktails and beautiful Instagrammable spots inside the resort. They have private villas as well if you want to spend your time in complete isolation yet still be close to the action.

 

2. Culture in Ubud

If you need a break from the sea, you can also head over to Ubud, known as the cultural playground of Bali. Ubud is famous for its temple, rice terraces, art markets, and Bali Swing. Located in the center of the island between lush rainforests frequented with monkeys, filled with gorgeous hidden temples, and lush green paddy fields. Ubud is a favorite among hippy-inclined travelers. It boasts of several yoga retreats, vegan dining options and a very spiritual environment different from the rest of the Bali. Bali swing is a beautiful jungle with 12 oversized swings with incredible panoramic views. Swings range from 12 meters to a whopping 78 metres and offer high-altitude fun for nostalgic adults. My itinerary included Bali swings,Tegalalang rice field and Bali Art Market. But as all these places were far from each other, our driver-guide-local contact in Bali took us to a place which was a rice terrace with a couple of swings and Instagram famous nests. After that he dropped us near the Art Market which was in the center of the town with a lot of artisan shops. If you are in Bali, don’t leave the island without getting a Bali bag! They are just everywhere and such a cool addition to a bag collection. I have three of them now!

Tegalalang rice field

Vivalahighstreet

3. Streets of Seminyak

If you want the need to be in a city, head to Seminyak, because that is where the party is! We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott at Seminyak for the last couple of days. The hotel is in the middle of Seminyak, next to all the cool eating and drinking places and less than a five-minute walk to the beach. They have a cool pool bar in the hotel which is totally worth spending a couple of hours, but if you still are interested in the beach, they have a shuttle that drops you at the beach and also picks you up in a couple of hours. We preferred to walk as there are so many cool eateries and massage places that lead to the beach which were worth checking out! In Seminyak it’s all about a good time with beach bars, brunch spots, and villas filling up the neighborhood. In the evenings and late nights, the area comes alive with music, go-go bars and tourists hopping from one bar to another. The beach at Seminyak is nothing special unless you are into surfing, but it is a good spot for watching a stunning sunset over some cold beer or coconut water sold by friendly shacks right on the beach. For very little money, you can rent a beach chair and umbrella. We had our hotel’s private area at the beach, nothing special but still served the purpose.

 

pool bars in bar

Vivalahighstreet

marriott seminyak bali

image via hotel website

4. Sunset at Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple is one of Bali’s nine key directional temples and definitely the most famous one! It is located on top of a steep cliff approximately 70 meters above sea level. Uluwatu temple is beautiful any time of the day, however, sunset is what it is famous for! Another reason to go there for sunset is to witness a gathering of people from various cultures to see the famous Kecak Dance. The Kecak Fire Dance is a dance performance in Bali where a group of 60 plus human vocals act as instruments to depict the story of Ramayana in the form of dance. The dance starts at 6pm at sunset on a cliff-top amphitheater at Uluwatu Temple. It is the perfect way to end your day in Bali, watching the sunset along with the colorful and interesting dance. Make sure to come at least an hour before sunset so you have enough time to witness the sun setting down in the ocean and not miss the Kechak dance. Beware of the monkeys at the temple who kind of appear out of nowhere especially when the sun comes down!

 5. Eat, Sleep and get a massage

Finally, don’t forget the purpose of your trip. I am sure you want to go to Bali to rejuvenate. If yes, Bali will not disappoint you. There are massage parlous in every nook and corner offering cheap massages. I am not a massage person, but I got a foot massage, full body Balinese massage and a full body deep tissue massage with a full body scrub! The massage places are professional, clean and aesthetic. After a busy day with all the things to do in Bali just relax with a Balinese massage. Massages in Bali are not only amazing but super affordable for around $5 – $10 for an hour. Most massage parlors offer several types of massages, facials, mani and pedi, so do give them a try. After a good massage, it is always a good idea to eat! Bali has so much to offer in terms of food, be it Indonesian, Western or even Indian food! Do not forget to eat chicken satay with peanut sauce. It is one of the best things to do in Bali and one you’ll find yourself doing it repeatedly. There are beautiful and Instagrammable cafes all over Bali serving amazing coffee and desserts. Also, there are not many sheesha places in Tokyo so I took full advantage of cheap sheesha in Bali. Nothing like enjoying a long island ice-tea with sheesha on the beach! Isn’t it? 

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