Top 10 Things to do in Bali

Thinking of what to do and where to go in Bali can be overwhelming as you’re simply spoilt for choice. If I’m being honest it’s really difficult, maybe even impossible, to see all that Bali has to offer on a short trip.

I wasn’t able to do everything I wanted to do in Bali but I’m happy because it’s given me an excuse to return.

Here are 10 of the best things to do in Bali:

 1. Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Bali is known for its gloriously green and luxurious rice paddies. You can find lush greenery all over the rural parts of Bali, but Ubud is a popular destination for rice fields.

Tegallalang rice terrace is an iconic rice terrace situated in Tegallalang Village north of Ubud Bali.

This rice terrace was absolutely breath-taking. The views were unreal, just like you see in pictures. There are plenty of cafes for you to relax and basque in the glorious views.

You can also take a trek, swing on one of the many swings, or take a quad bike tour.

Tegallalang, Ubud

It’s best to get to the Tegallalang as early as possible as it gets really crowded with tourists by midday. We got there at opening time 7am and it was quiet and easy to trek around.

Wear walking shoes!!! Don’t be like me and wear flip flops. There are loads of puddles, stairs and insects. We came across a newt but were lucky enough not to encounter rice paddy snakes.

We paid nothing to enter Tegallalang but had to give donations to enter some parts of the terrace. The donation you give is up to you, but I wouldn’t give more than 50,000 IDR which I felt was a sufficient amount.

Tegallalang, Ubud

2. Bali Swing

Can you really visit Bali without visiting the famous Bali swing? Bali Swing is not only a great photo opportunity but is actually a really fun adrenaline rush.

Situated just outside of Ubud, Bali Swing has a series of jungle swings ranging from 10m to 78m above the ground – really high. The view is gorgeous and overlooks a river, waterfall and lush greenery.

The thrill of this swing is unforgettable and you should definitely give it a try if you’re not too afraid of heights! It was one of my best experiences in Bali.

Bali Swing, Ubud

There are also numerous hanging nests at the location if you really can’t face the swing.

Bali Swing, Ubud

Entrance to the swing is 35 dollars or the equivalence in Indonesian Rupiah. This includes access to all swings and nests, drinks and a Balinese buffet. For a few dollars more you can pay for professional pictures which they can send straight to your phone.

A word of advice, get there at 8, as soon as it opens! If you get caught at midday the queues are super long and the afternoon sun is very hot! You’ve been warned.

Nest @ Bali Swing, Ubud

3. Sunset Watching

The sunset in Bali are incredible. A beautiful mix of yellows, pinks and purples, they light up the skies.

I might be cheating with this being on the list as you’ll inevitably experience a sunset. However it makes such a difference finding a good sunset watching spot. Don’t sleep on the Balinese sunset.

Photography by me – Ayana Resort and Spa, Jimbaran

My personal recommendations for a sunset viewing would be:

  • Rock Bar at Ayana Resort and Spa, Jimbaran
  • Woo Bar, The W Hotel, Seminyak
  • Potato Head – Seminyak
  • Bonfire on the Beach, Sundays Beach Club, Uluwatu
  • Double-Six Sunset Rooftop Bar, Seminyak

There are so many sunset watching beach clubs and bars so do your research, but the above are famous for their views.

Rock Bar, Ayana Resort & Spa, Jimbaran

4. Cooking Class

Might sound boring to some but the cooking class I attended was some of the most fun I had. It was a real insight to Balinese culture and we made some damn good food. And if you know me, you know that I love food.

After researching, I decided to go with Paon Cooking Class Ubud and it was a great decision. The cooking school offers two classes; a morning class which you go to the market with them and select the produce, or an evening class without the market trip.

As our time in Ubud was short we went with the evening class. This was a perfect decision as we cooked in an open air kitchen overlooking the jungle. We finished cooking our meal just in time to eat under the purple sunset.

Paon Cooking Class, Ubud

Under the guidance of Paon’s Indonesian gourmet chef, we prepared an 8 course menu. This included chicken satay on bamboo sticks, mushroom broth soup, steamed tuna wrapped in banana leaves. Desert was boiled banana with palm sugar syrup.

We learnt Balinese techniques such as using a Bali Blender (pestle and mortar), grilling the satay on an open fire grill, and steaming the tuna wrapped in banana leaf.

Paon Cooking Class, Ubud

The food was incredible! So fresh and delicious. Definitely do your research but if in Ubud I highly recommend Paon.

The class cost 350,000 IDR (£18.50) and included pick up and drop off to your hotel in Ubud and a recipe booklet.

Paon Cooking Class, Ubud

5. Massages

You can’t come to Bali and not get a cheap massage! You can get 60 – 90 minute long massages for under $10.

Or, you can indulge in a luxury spa day – so worth it!

Fivelements, Ubud

You can find cheap massage parlours all over Bali and even on the beaches in some areas. I have listed some luxury spas that are worth visiting if you want to splash the cash:

  • So Spa, Nusa Dua
  • Lembah Spa, Viceroy Hotel Ubud
  • Fivelements, Ubud
  • Four Seasons, Ubud
  • Butter & Scrub Spa, Jimbaran
  • The Spa at the Edge, Uluwatu

There are too many beautiful spas to name. As my best friend would say ‘do your googles’ and you will find a spa that is perfect for you.

The Spa at The Edge, Uluwatu

6. Monkey Forest

I feel like a hypocrite telling you to go to the Monkey Forest when I was too chicken to do it.

I really enjoy encountering wild animals, however monkeys are not always my favourite. They can be very naughty and pesky and the monkeys in monkey forest are known to try and steal your bits and bobs and bite you!

I really wanted a calm and relaxing holiday for my first trip to Bali so monkey forest was well and truly crossed off my list! I will however visit on a future trip to Bali.

Monkey Forest is located in Ubud and is the sanctuary or natural habitat of Balinese long tailed Monkey a home to around 750 monkeys.

It’s a highly recommended experience by many.

Monkey Forest, Ubud

7. Snorkelling/Diving

The seas surrounding Bali are full of vibrant coral reef and buzzing sea life.

You can swim with Manta Rays in Nusa Dua at Manta Point. This is the only snorkelling point in Bali where Manta Rays are sighted frequently.

Shark Point in Serangan offers swimming with sharks. And Mangrove Point in Nusa Lembongan is great for snorkelling with a wide variety of fish.

Although it’s not Bali, I snorkelled in Gili Trawangan, Lombok. Turtle Point in Gili T was absolutely unreal. At one point I was swimming with 7 huge turtles. It was an experience of a lifetime.

Utilise the clear and brimming coral reefs of Bali.

Turtle Point, Gili Trawangan

 8. Floating Breakfast

Floating breakfast is just one of those things I associate with Bali. Once niche, floating breakfast is now very popular and is offered in a lot of resorts.

Ayana Spa and Resort, Jimbaran

A really relaxing and fun was to enjoy breakfast. You can enjoy this in the privacy of your own villa or in a hotel pool resort.

I enjoyed a floating breakfast during my stay at Ayana Resort and Spa, it was only available to guests of the Villa.

Kamandalu Resort in Ubud offers a floating breakfast for non-guests. See details on their website here.

Ayana Spa and Resort, Jimbaran

9. Chase Waterfalls

DO go chasing waterfalls! Bali is home to many gorgeous waterfalls. You can find them all over the island, so the good news is that you don’t have to travel far to find a waterfall in Bali.

Sekumpul Waterfall

A list of some of the best waterfalls in Bali:

  • Tegenungan, Ubud
  • Tibumana, Ubud
  • Tukad Cepung, Ubud
  • NungNung, NungNung Village
  • GitGit Waterfall, Singaraja
  • Sekumpul Waterfall, Buleleng

Tegenungan Waterfall

10. Volcanos

Bali is home to more than 139 Volcanos, most are active and can erupt at any time. Two volcanos that offer a guided trek are Mount Batur and Mount Agung.

Mount Batur is an easy trek and takes around two hours to reach the summit. You can then basque in the views of the Lake Batur and explore the rim of the crater.

Mount Agung is slightly more difficult and you’ll need to be in some kind of shape to climb. The Agung trek starts at 2.30am and takes between two and four hours to reach the summit.

The surrounding villages have hot volcanic springs that you can visit and and are said to be medicinal.

Mount Agung

I hope you find this useful. There are so many more activities that Bali has to offer.

Please feel free to comment with feedback or questions.

Roberta x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

Ayana Resort & Spa Bali

Ayana Resort & Spa Bali

Many years ago I saw a picture of the Ayana Resort which gave me my first urge to visit Bali. The resort looked idyllic and picturesque I just knew that I had to stay there.

The Villa

We decided to stay at the Villas and get the full experience of this resort. Our Villa was the One Bedroom Ocean View Pool Villa. It was practically a small house at 289 sqm. We had buggy service and a butler on call 24/7 we were given a “handy” mobile to contact him whenever we needed to be picked up on the resort in our buggy.

We had a garden terrace and private plunge pool with sunbeds and a Balinese bed, with access to the garden through the bedroom, or living room.

A spacious living room with sofa, premium bluetooth speaker system and 55-inch TV.

Picture from Ayana Website

In the bedroom, a walk in wardrobe and two poster beds and another 55-inch TV.

An enormous marble bathroom with double vanity sinks, a large bathtub with a flower petal bath. Indoor and outdoor showers and separate toilet.

It was amazing to wake up in the morning and hop straight into the sunbed for a quick 30 minutes of morning sun.

As amazing as the resort was it was soooo difficult to even leave villa. It had everything you needed and more.

Floating Breakfast

When I think of Bali I think of floating breakfasts. Being able to relax in the pool and eat snacks at the same time… a match made in heaven.

The Ayana Resort offers floating breakfast (for a price) exclusively to guests in the villa because of the private plunge pool. The breakfast has a lot of popularity and is another selling point of the hotel.

My friend and I enjoyed the floating breakfast, which was more of a brunch. Veuve Clicquot champagne and a variety of eggs Benedict, Florentine and eggs Royale.

Pools

Ayana Resort boasts of 12 pools! And they are all amazing in their own right. I didn’t get a chance to visit all 12 pools as the resort was so big and I had my favourite pools to chill by.

The staff would bring round free snacks to your sun loungers, my favourites were the frozen strawberry daiquiri shots, mini sliders, chicken satay and fruit kebabs. I love free things and I love snacks! It was so cute and thoughtful of the resort; always going the extra mile.

The pools that deserve a mention in my opinion are:

River Pool

This is the iconic Ayana pool, and the pool that most people, including myself, associate with the resort. It is made up of 3 pools, 1 is an overhanging infinity pool, a Jacuzzi. This pool really did live up to the expectations. The architecture is so well thought out, and the whole pool area looks like a slice of paradise.

The pool was generally quiet. There would be people taking pictures at different times and then it would become quiet again.

Ocean Beach Pool

Though a popular pool in the resort, it was very secluded and mostly quiet. This was by far my favourite pool. The view was insane and the Bali Beds around the pool were spacious and had sheer curtains for privacy.

I want to meet the designer of this pool and give them a personal handshake.

 

I’m not sure that I’ll be able to top watching the sunset from this pool. An uninterrupted view of an unadulterated pink sunset – it really couldn’t get any better.

Ariel view from Ayana website

Ayana Main Pool/Lower pool

The main pool is another beautiful infinity pool. I liked this pool as it had constant live music in the form of traditional Balinese Gamelan (gongs) and drums. The music was relaxing and therapeutic whilst in the pool or taking a dip in the Jacuzzi.

Restaurants

The resort has 19 restaurants and bars so it’s safe to say that you are spoilt for choice with dining options. Again, we weren’t able to dine at all 19 restaurants – and I’m not sure this would have been possible in 5 days. My faves are below:

Dava

Steak and Seafood restaurant. We had dinner here on the first night and they went the extra mile to celebrate my birthday. The staff came out singing with dessert and also gave me a birthday card signed by all.

The food was exceptional I literally have no complaints. I’m a big foodie, and I will let it be known if I didn’t enjoy my food.

Rock Bar

Rock bar is one of the most famous bars in Bali, known for It’s sunset view. The food speciality is Mediterranean and tapas.

As Villa guests we had access to the VIP Round Deck. Yet again the views were unparalleled with Rock Bar being 18 metres up on a cliff edge.

The food was nice but not spectacular, what it lacked was made up for in views. The drinks were fun and delicious.

The sunset view was magical, especially from the VIP round deck as it had a platform to take pictures with no obstructions.

I had no complaints about any of the food at the resort. It was all made to perfection whether room service or in a restaurant or bar. We sampled the al a carte breakfast and the buffet breakfast – both brilliant with great choice. The poolside bars served restaurant quality food which was perfect for poolside hunger.

Ice Cream at the Main Pool

Room service in the Villa

Breakfast Buffet

‘ICE & All Things Nice’ Dessert Shop

‘ICE & All Things Nice’ Dessert Shop

Spa

As a villa guest we received a complimentary massage in the spa. The spa itself was lovely and relaxing. The spa has full facilities, and an aqua-tonic massaging hydrotherapy pool.

Hydrotherapy Pool

Ayana Resort & Spa, Spa Room

Resort Grounds

The resort grounds were huge and consisted of 3 resorts in one; The Villas, Ayana and Jimbaran. You need to be transported by buggy/shuttle in order to get around the resort.

Every corner of the resort is beautiful, with mini rivers and pools filled with Koi Carp and Balinese beds in every corner.

Whilst walking around the resort I would stop just to take pictures every few seconds.

Activities

There are loads of activities on offer: Shopping, private cabanas, golf course, gym, spa, numerous bars, private beach (Kubu Beach) and tennis.

I’m sure you can tell that my experience at Ayana was a great one and well worth the money. The resort left me wanting nothing more, and every hotel I’ve visited since has not lived up to it yet. Really happy with my decision to stay in the villas and I would do it again!

Thank you for reading,

Please feel free to comment with feedback or any questions.

Roberta x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

Bali

Bali

Where do I begin? Honestly, Bali is currently my favourite holiday to date and my top destination. From the people, the culture, unreal sunsets, hotels and food. What more can you look for in a destination.

Before visiting Bali I read a lot of mixed reviews; some said that Bali is very overcrowded with tourists and has become a love/hate destination. I didn’t get those vibes at all. Perhaps it’s the areas I visited, but I can’t see how anyone could hate this gorgeous island.

Background

Bali is situated in Indonesia, Far-East Asia. Indonesia is an archipelago which comprises of 17,000 islands – insane right! Bali is known for its volcanic mountains, bright coral reefs, rice paddies and paradisic beaches.

My Trip

When I travel I get a lot of questions, mostly on Instagram, asking how I booked my trip.

For this trip I booked flights and hotels separately. I used Skyscanner.com for flights and flew with British Airways to Singapore. I stayed in Singapore for 3 days. My return flight was from Bali (Denpasar) to Singapore then Singapore direct to London.

Direct flights are usually more expensive than multiple flights, however I’m not a fan of stopovers unless necessary.

I stayed in 4 different hotels for the duration of my trip and used different websites for each, including direct websites and 3rd party.

Jimbaran

The first resort we stayed in was Ayana Resort and Spa.

One word; exceptional!

The Villas at Ayana completely took my breath away. This hotel was so intricately and thoughtfully designed and it was worth every single penny.

I had seen a picture of the Ayana resort many years ago and always said I wanted to stay there when visiting Bali. We decided to go all out and stay in the private Villas in order to get the full Ayana experience.

We stayed in Jimbaran for 5 days and had planned to leave the resort and explore Jimbaran, however we actually ended up spending almost every moment in the resort and I don’t regret a second of it. Ayana was a 10 out of 10 for me.

Read this post to find the ins and outs of my fabulous stay at Ayana.

Ocean Beach Pool @ Ayana Resort

Jimbaran facts:

Situated 20 minutes from the airport Jimbaran is a perfect mixture of luxury and authenticity.

Best for: Seafood – Sunsets – Luxury Resorts

What to do: Dinner on the beach – Visit close-by Uluwatu – Rooftop Bars for sunset – Visit the famous Jimbaran beaches – Go on a fishing trip

Ubud

Tegallalang, Ubud

I have mixed feelings about Ubud… whilst filled with gorgeous greenery and incredible sights, Ubud was a place I loved to visit but also loved to leave.

I did my research before my trip and I knew that Ubud looked so beautiful and unique, however I’m not a big fan of forest. I decided to stay in Ubud just overnight, and I was very happy with my decision.

There is a lot to do in Ubud! And if you want to complete all the activities that Ubud has to offer then you should stay no less than 3 days.

My two days spent in Ubud I managed to visit the famous Bali Swing, attend a cooking class, visit a Luwak coffee plantation, and visit the famous Tegallalang Rice Field. My friend and I decided not to visit Monkey Forest, because monkeys are pesky little animals and we were not in the mood to spar with them.

Ubud really is a one of a kind, fascinating destination. I do highly recommend that you visit when holidaying in Bali. Ubud is such a stark opposite to the beachy areas of Bali.

Bali Swing, Ubud

In a nest at Bali Swing, Ubud

Ubud facts:

The arts and crafts hub of Indonesia. Known for It’s gloriously green rice paddies and lush forestation.

Best for: Arts – Scenery – Tropical animals

What to do: Monkey Forest – Rice Fields – Coffee Plantation – Rooftop beach clubs – Waterfalls – Temples – Bali Swing – Cooking Class – White river rafting

Paon Cookery Class, Ubud

Lombok, Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan

About a month before my trip to Bali, the Gili Islands was hit with two massive earthquakes. Over 1000 Tourists were evacuated and locals suffered from extreme devastation.

With my hotel already booked and upcoming trip looming, I scanned the internet trying to find out how bad the situation was. It was bad. Hotels were in ruins and some were non contactable and the UK Foreign & Commomwealth Office (FCO) had advised against all travel to the Gili Islands.

Over the next few weeks I scanned TripAdvisor, and social media to keep updated on the situation in Gili. 95% of individuals advised against going to Gili but there were a handful of optimistic people. Their advice was that if your hotel was open you should try and make an effort to visit, and honestly thank God for these few optimistic people.

The locals had lost their businesses and homes and with tourism at a standstill there was no way for them to generate any revenue unless the tourists came back. As my hotel had reopened after a month of being shut, my friend and I made the decision to go ahead with our trip to Gili Trawangan and I’m so happy we did.

We stayed at the Pearl of Trawangan. This hotel did absolutely fabulous considering how soon after the earthquake we visited. We stayed in the standard Teak Cottage which was newly renovated. The hotel was clean and the staff went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable.

Pearl of Trawangan, Gili T

The Pearl of Trawangan is situated in the best location on Gili T. It is far enough away from the harbour and the main strip if you need the peace and quiet. At the same time it is a 3 minute bike ride from the hub if you want to be in the mix of things.

The hotel provided free bike rental with a bike lock, so it was very easy to get around the island.

The hotel’s restaurant ‘Pearl Lounge’ serves some of the best food on the island and their snickers flavoured ice cream was to die for!

Indonesian dish ‘Nasi Goreng’ at Pearl Lounge, Gili T

Gili T was a dream – gorgeous white beaches and endless turquoise seas.  I would have loved to visit it when was alive with tourists. It was quiet and solemn when we visited, there were a handful of tourists and the island was just beginning to get back on its feet. The locals were so appreciative of us and the other tourists and told us to spread the word!

We stayed in Gili for 4 days, this was enough but I would have loved to stay for longer.

In that time we island hopped to Gili Meno and Gili Air. We swam with turtles twice, once on Meno and once at turtle point on Gili T. We got massages, ate lovely food – including our favourite local Indonesian dish, Nasi Goreng. We had bike rides around the island, and watched a film on the beach.

Gili T was paradise and I would advise everyone to visit and get the Gili Islands back to what they used to be.

Hotel Ombak Sunset, Gili T

Gili Islands facts:

The 3 Gili Islands are situated off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia. Gili T is the biggest island, popular with travellers. There are no motorised vehicles allowed on the islands, meaning that you have to get around by bicycle or horse & cart.

Best for: coral reefs – sunsets – swimming with turtles

What to do: Movie night on the beach – shisha – sunset watching – massages – snorkelling – scuba diving – kayaking – watersports – island hopping – turtle point – night food market

Gili T

Seminyak

Woo Bar, The W Hotel Bali Seminyak

Seminyak was another must-visit for me. Seminyak is Bali’s most trendy and upscale beach resort area which is pretty much a bit of me.

We stayed in Seminyak for 4 days at the Four Points by Sheraton Seminyak in the Deluxe Room, pool view with balcony. The hotel was nice but nothing to write home about, a standard chain hotel. In hindsight we should have stayed in the W Hotel as we spent 3 out of 4 days there.

After an action packed time in Ubud and Gili T it was nice to unwind and relax in Seminyak. We knew that our time would be spent eating, getting massages and sunbathing by the beach – and we did just that.

Two oustanding eateries that I would recommend are Dough Darlings and Merah Putih.

Merah Putih is an Indonesian restaurant. Their food was top notch, affordable and the restaurant ambience was on point. I had the Nasi Goreng… again.

Merah Putih, Seminyak

Dough Darlings is an artisan doughnut bakery. The doughnuts were mouth water-ingly good. We visited several times, and bought 4 doughnuts on the way to the airport… greedy. I still wistfully dream about their doughnuts.

If you go, my personal recommendation is the dark chocolate, and the peanut butter with strawberry drizzle… yum!

Dough Darlings, Seminyak

Apart from eating good, we also had spa days and beach club days in Seminyak. We visited the popular Potato Head Beach club and I must admit that it was a let-down for me.

Potato Head was extremely busy and difficult to get good seating. The infinity pool was also a bit of a let down but in fairness the infinity pools at Ayana were a hard act to follow. We ended up leaving before the sunset and went back to our favourite haunt in Seminyak, The W Hotel.

The W Hotel had winning vibes, and being a beach front hotel the sunset view was dazzling. Advice, if you’re not a hotel guest, book in advance for good seating.

Seminyak was a perfect ending to the dream holiday. It’s also a 20 minute journey to the airport which ensured a smooth transition.

Seminyak facts:

Seminyak is a trendy hub of Bali; perfect for foodies and fashionistas. With luxury beach front resorts, spas new restaurants, and shops, there is always something to do.

Best for: luxury – food – relaxing

What to do: Beach clubs – Brunch – Spa – Clubs

Kynd Community, Seminyak

Bali was an amazing experience. I would absolutely return. The Island has so much to offer and is so versatile.

I hope you find this useful. Please feel free to comment with feedback o\r questions.

Roberta x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share: