We have been planning our trip to Bali for a long time. Two years ago a dear friend of mine was going on a solo trip to Bali to find herself. We joined her to help her find her way the first couple of weeks around. Well, that was the idea. The unfortunate case of events happened that my passport was expiring within 6 months so we were not allowed to enter Indonesia. This nightmare has been haunting me for years. But fears need to be conquered so that’s why we decided to give Bali another chance.
As we are staying in Kuta but also want to travel and explore the island you can easily find drivers to take you all over Bali. As all drivers are local, they can help you find the hidden gems on your way. Recommendations from friends and family are best but you can find many tours online. We found our drivers on Tripadvisor. Just check the reviews.
On top of our bucketlist is meeting elephants. We found an elephant sanctuary in Ubud where we could not only meet elephants but also wash and brush them. Dreams came true that day. Look at those shiny manes.
After a series of narrow roads we found a perfect lunch spot on the lake side with an astonishing view on the volcano Mount Batur. Bear in mind that this volcano is still active and the last eruption was only two years ago.
When you are visiting Bali you cannot leave without visiting the rice terraces. The rice fields are part of Bali’s ancient rice growing culture. The emerald rice fields will exhaust your ability to describe the word green and are a must on your trip to Bali. We finished our hiking trip with the Insta famous jungle swing.
The Balinese Hindu Temple Pura Lempuyang is one of the most popular and sacred temples on the island. The Gate of Heaven (Pura Lempuyang) has recently become famous due to countless photos posted on Instagram.
If you want to have the same photograph taken, bear in mind that the queue for taking your photograph can take up to 2 hours. Make sure you arrive at the temple at 8am so there is no tourist to be found yet and you will have the temple to yourself.
Tirta Gangga literally means water from the Ganges. Strictly, the name refers to the water palace built here in 1946 by the King of Karangasem. Today it is one of the hotspots to visit when in Bali. The palace is absolutely stunning but overcrowded by tourists. We bought fish food to feed the fish but they kindly declined our offer for a snack. These fish are severly overweight due the all the tourists that feed them to take their perfect photograph to claim Insta fame.
The blue lagoon is the best place to go snorkelling. Local fishermen took us to the best spot in the Indian ocean on a traditional boat. Cheap and lovely experience. So many fish in different shapes and colours. It is an absolute dream to explore the coral and pretending to be mermaids.
Picture a desert island, fringed by a white sand beach and coconut palms, sitting in a turquoise sea: Virgin beach is a vision of paradise. And luckily still a hidden gem in East Bali.
One of the most popular sights in Bali is Tanah Lot. It’s the most visited and photographed temple but it has the authenticity of a stage set. Especially overly crowded with tourists and vendors around the overhyped sunsets. So the best time to visit is before noon and after you can watch the sunset from one of the many beachbars.
When traveling to Indonesia you must to try Kopi Luwak coffee (a.k.a. Cat poop coffee) at least once. Visiting a coffee and tea plantation is a must for all coffee and tea lovers. We had a hard time picking our favourites.
You will be haunted for hours after you see a Kecak performance. The sounds of dozens of men chanting and singing more than an hour is bewitching and mesmerising. The movements of de dancers seem impossibly robotic and rigidly controlled.
Bali is more than a place. It’s a mood, it’s magical. It’s a tropical state of mind and we never want to leave.