Bali

Tripoto
11th Oct 2017

Well… as plain and simple the heading might sound, Bali was far from being simple. This vibrant place offers you some of the best experiences at a price which no other tourist destination could match. While you will be dealing with thousands of Indonesian Rupiah, you would be amused how less it would pinch your wallet.

Photo of Bali 1/1 by Anup Merkap

It all started when we had to decide on a trip with less than 2 weeks in hand. It was brave of us to start looking for international destination and plan the whole trip around it. Fortunately Bali was always on our bucket list and so we decided to give it a go. The fact that there was no visa requirement for Indians was like a cherry on the pie.

Here goes our day by day itinerary which some of you might find useful —

Day 1:

Day 1

We landed in Bali post lunch time. We had booked a hotel in Kuta/ Legian area known for its beach and amazing nightlife. After the tiring journey, we kept the rest of the day light. We strolled around the beach followed by some quick shopping. We ended the day getting drunk and relishing on some local cuisine like Nasi Goreng & Mie Goreng.

Photo of Kuta Beach, Legian, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

You will obviously need to get your currency exchanged. Avoid doing it at the airport, that is where you get the worst conversion rate but be aware there are many thugs (we almost got cheated from a small shop giving unbelievable exchange rate). If the rate looks too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Stick to authorized centers and don’t forget to count your money before you leave the shop.

Day 2:

Post a sumptuous breakfast, we checked out from the hotel to proceed towards the cultural capital of Bali — Ubud. We however had planned most of our day trying to cover the coveted tourist attractions. I would recommend to pre book your cab although you might find local vendors offering you the same.

We covered the following places –

Tanah Lot Temple

Day 2
Photo of Tanah Lot Temple, Jalan Tanah Lot, Beraban, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Taman Ayun Temple

Photo of Taman Ayun Temple, Jalan Ayodya, Mengwi, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap
Photo of Taman Ayun Temple, Jalan Ayodya, Mengwi, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Goa Gajah Temple

Photo of Goa Gajah, Bedulu, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Holy Spring Temple

Photo of Tirta Empul Temple, Sanding, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Lunch at Kintamani Volcano

Photo of Kintamani Volcano Tour, Batubulan, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Tegalalang rice terrace farming

Photo of Tegallalang, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

This was when we went back to the plush resort we had booked. You could either book an amazing resort in Ubud or book one of those private pool villas, which is extremely affordable.

Day 3:

This was day reserved to go around Ubud and experience the culture in its raw form. We tried visiting some museums and shopping places. It’s a place where you could get incredible massages, again quite affordable.

That day we mostly covered –

Agung Rai Museum

Day 3
Photo of Agung Rai Museum of Art, Jalan Raya Pengosekan Ubud, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Tegenungan waterfall

Photo of Tegenungan Waterfall, Jalan Ir. Sutami, Kemenuh, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Bali Zoo

Photo of Bali Zoo, Singapadu, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Monkey Forest (we were too scandalized to go in, but its apparently a must visit)

You could also book a slot for their local dance performance (we didn’t, however if you are interested, you could see that in Jimbaran)

Day 4:

It was time for us to check out of the resort. We had booked a scooter during our stay in Ubud and we had some time before we gave that off.

Photo of Bali by Anup Merkap

We decided to go to the near by beaches. We went to the Komune beach, which to our surprise was a black sand beach and was spectacular.

Day 4
Photo of Komune, Jalan Professor Doktor Ida Bagus Mantra, Ketewel, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Another attraction we had to miss (because of the constant active volcano threat) was Mount Agung. And the Pura Besakih temple at its foothill. You might want to check out the volcano threat before you plan your journey to Bali.

On our way back to Kuta/ Legian area, we decided to book an Uber. Uber is not allowed in most of the tourist spots, and so you we had to take the hotel’s help to get our cab issue sorted.

While we were stationed at Kuta, we decided to cover Nusa Dua and Jimbaran area. The drive from Kuta to Nusa Dua was breath taking. We went to the Nusa Dua area first, where there were packs of secret beaches. We came across one such treasured beach called the Gunung Payung beach. It was almost deserted and so beautiful that you would not mind spending couple of hours there.

Photo of Gunung Payung, North Bengkulu Regency, Bengkulu, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

We then headed towards the Uluwantu temple on our hired bike. The view of the convergence of the stunning ocean line with the faraway skyline was to die for. No wonder it was one of the tourists’ favorite spot for watching sunset.

Photo of Uluwatu Temple, Pecatu, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap
Photo of Uluwatu Temple, Pecatu, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap
Photo of Uluwatu Temple, Pecatu, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

We were of course too tired for any other site seeing, but if you have time and a day to spare, the sea food in Jimbaran and the traditional folk dance can definitely be on your list.

After reaching the hotel and having taken a refreshing plunge in the pool, we were all charged up to spend the rest of the night pub hopping in the streets of Kuta.

Photo of Bali by Anup Merkap

The party scene there was so lively and vibrant that you wouldn’t be able to help yourself from going crazy.

Photo of Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap
Photo of Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap
Photo of Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Day 5:

We had just a day left before we called the journey an end. With just one day in hand and thousands of option left to explore, we were really spoilt for choices.

The top two contenders in the list was either to take a cruise to the fun filled Nusa Lambonga to get wild with the water sports activities or go to one of the best water park of asia — Waterbom. We chose the latter, as we had done something similar to Nusa Lambonga in Mauritius. Had we got an additional day, this would definitely have been our choice.

Waterbom, as expected was crazy. The day went by in a jiffy. With numerous waterslides and rides, it was so thrilling, that it has left us pang for the adrenaline rush that we witnessed.

Day 5
Photo of Waterbom Bali, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap
Photo of Waterbom Bali, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

Right opposite to Waterbom was the Discovery shopping mall, where you could do some shopping and pick some souvenirs for your friends and family. Right behind the mall with the lovely Kuta beach. We spent hours taking photographs with the setting sun and walking by the beach. There was a mild music playing in the background which added a soulful touch to our last day in Bali.

Photo of Discovery Shopping Mall, Jalan Kartika Plaza, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap
Photo of Discovery Shopping Mall, Jalan Kartika Plaza, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

We walked our way back to our hotel where we broke into some amazing local delicacies.

Day 6:

With heavy heart and loads of fun filled memories, it was time to bid Bali a farewell with promises to unite again.

Day 6
Photo of Sulis Beach Hotel & Spa, Jalan Wana Segara, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia by Anup Merkap

At the end we stood wondering all the beauty we saw in one place. We were definitely happy, but our wallets were happier. Where else would you manage to visit a country with less than 2 weeks of planning, yet ending up with a budget trip.

To all you people who are contemplating whether to go or not, think no more and just let Bali happen to you.

Frequent searches leading to this page:-

Bali honeymoon package cost from India, Bali honeymoon packages with private pool, 4 days 3 nights Bali honeymoon package, best places to visit in Bali Indonesia for honeymoon