Bali one of the most well known backpacker and holiday destinations in South East Asia, and the most famous and well travelled island in Indonesia. With it’s fusion of strong Balinese Hindu religion, nomad hubs, luxury resorts and an abundance of budget hostels there’s something for everyone. It has grown incredibly in popularity in the recent decades and is regularly cliched as a classic spot for young people to go and ‘find themselves’ post uni or on a gap year. But it offers so much more than this. From stunning white sand beaches and surf culture, to yoga retreats and endless green jungle, to crazy parties just a few hours away from beautiful mountains.
I spent a month exploring Bali and it’s islands and would be keen to spend more time here again. The Balinese people, in general, are some of the most friendly people I have encountered and I felt totally safe here as a female backpacker. It’s a great introduction into the world of South East Asia as it offers an amazing hybrid of tradition and also Western comforts, so I think this being my first experience of Asia was a gentle ease into it. The key to enjoying Bali is getting out of Kuta as soon as possible and experience the true beauty of the region.
visas
First things first, you need to be allowed into the country. Brits as well as nationals from EU countries, Australia, US, NZ ect. can apply for a visa on arrival, costing 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah, which is valid for 30 days and can be extended. This is a simple process at the airport, you may just be waiting a while in the queue. Make sure your passport is not damaged and has at least 6 months validity as I have heard of people getting turned away because of this. You can also apply for an e-visa on the Indonesian immigration website directly if you want to avoid doing this at the airport but, I found it a straight forward enough process and wouldn’t bother doing it online.
As with many other countries, you may be asked for proof of onward travel so make sure you have a flight booked or reserved. I used onwardtravel.com to reserve plane tickets which is a great option if you are not sure how long you will be in the country and want to stay flexible.
when to go
May to September time have the best weather conditions in Bali so this is when many choose to travel. I would recommend maybe avoiding July and August if you want to miss the big crowds of the summer holidays in really touristy hotspots, but on the same note, I visited in mid-July and didn’t have too much of a problem. Tourism normally peaks in Summer, Easter and Christmas holidays for obvious reasons. May and September are great months to visit as it’s quieter but you still have the beautiful weather with fewer crowds.
A month is a good amount of time to explore the island and feel like you have experienced it all, but it’s equally an amazing place to settle for a longer time if you wanted to and many choose to spend multiple months here because of the affordable cost of living.
backpacker budget
Bali has always been known as a good budget destination, however it is not as affordable as it once was since tourism has boomed. There’s still lots of opportunity to save on accommodation and it definitely is still very budget friendly compared with the likes of Australia, hence so many Aussies being here to escape their winter.
You can easily get hostels for between 75,000 to 200,000 IDR, so generally under £10. Local food is super cheap, think under 25,000 IDR for a meal in a local restaurant. A cheap option is to eat in local warungs where you can pick from a variety of dishes served in front of you. Mie goreng and nasi goreng are simple and cheap dishes you can get anywhere. Western food is widely available and Australian style brunches and smoothie bowls are really popular. These however will be more like 125,000 IDR.
Where it’s the most easy to spend money is if you are partying in the likes of Seminyak and Canguu where drinks in bars can be pretty expensive. If you want to keep it cheap stick to local beers, Bintangs, and it will make a world of difference.
If you can stick to budget hostels and eating a nice mix of local and western food then I reckon you could do it on £1500 a month.
how to get around
The island of Bali is pretty small so getting taxis and tourist buses across can be easy and affordable. Download Grab and Gojek and these will be your best friends as with across all of sea. as with many other Asian destinations, using bikes to get around is really popular and bike hire is affordable. I’d say some of these islands make great spots to learn to ride as its quieter, and have more built up roads in some areas. My friend learnt to ride on Nusa Penida and this was definitely a great place to do so.
keep in mind
Religion is super important to the Balinese people and you will see tonnes of blessing dotted across the floor as you walk about. Be respectful of these and don’t step on them! Dress respectfully where you can, this is especially important when visiting religious sites.
A note on the dreaded ‘bali belly’. You probably already know not to drink the water here: it’s not safe to drink. I’d also recommend not brushing your teeth with it but that is up to your own judgement. With that being said, many are scared of the ice and worried to eat certain foods, but nowadays all the ice in your drinks in restaurants will be regulated, so please don’t suffer with luke warm drinks through your whole travels! If you’re not sure whether it is safe or not just check if the ice has a hole through the middle and you’ll know if it is purchased safe ice. Overall I think people are more scared than necessary. This applies for any country similar to this. I’m not saying you won’t get sick because there’s many different types of bacteria that our stomachs are simply not used to, but it doesn’t mean that the people in these countries are going to serve you uncooked food or ice that is dangerous!
my favourite things to do
watch the sunrise at mount batur
This is a really popular hike up an active volcano that involves getting up at 2am and hiking for a few hours to see the most insane views (if you get lucky with the weather like we did). You’ll need a tour guide to be allowed to do this and it often involves food, drinks and visit to local coffee plants. Make sure you bring layers: even if it’s hot, the top of a mountain before the sun has risen will be COLD.
visit the rice terraces in ubud
An iconic image of Bali. You can get a photo swinging through the terraces or just take a walk or drive through. There’s also obviously the famous Cretya Ubud infinity pool in the heart of the jungle.
uluwatu temple and kecak dance
A stunning temple on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. Here you can see heaps of monkeys and watch the traditional kecak fire dance, which is made even more special at sunset.
thrill seeking activities: atv driving, white water rafting
Why not get your adrenaline pumping by driving an ATV through the jungle. It’s pretty crazy but lots of fun. Similarly white water rafting is a crazy and popular activity.
surf, snorkel and scuba dive
Bali is famous for its surf culture, and being an island in the pacific is also home to lots of stunning sea life. An ocean lover paradise. So whatever your preference definitely make the most of it. You may want to join one of the many surf or scuba diving school there is to offer.
visit the islands of lombok
Indonesia has a lot more to it than just Bali. A good starting point of this is some of the islands off of Lombok like the Gili islands which are home to some of the most magnificent beaches in the world and easily accessible from Bali. You definitely don’t want to miss out on this experience.
Meg Goes Global 