Bali has always been a sought-after destination: the most famous tourist destination in Indonesia, among the favorite places for hippies in the 70s, has undergone many changes in the last 40 years, not all positive.
Separated from Java by the Bali Strait, it is a very large island (5,561 km²) with a population of four million inhabitants. And two million tourists every year. Mostly Australians, but there are nationalities from all over the world.
The capital, Denpasar, is busy and chaotic and little frequented by foreigners, who immediately seek refuge in the quieter and more poetic corners of the island.
What will you find in Bali? Beautiful kilometer-long beaches, some crowded, others quieter, waves strong enough to attract surfers from everywhere, excellent restaurants, a wild nightlife but also small hidden corners, the colorful rituals of the only Hindu island in all of Indonesia, the extreme naturalness of the inhabitants despite the tourists. The southern part of the island is the one with large tourist centers and crowded beaches, while the north is quieter. The advice is to explore the whole island, with a bit of time, each side has something unique.
Unfortunately, mass tourism has also worsened the island, which can no longer cope with the waste produced. Bali produces more plastic waste than Jakarta, the capital, which has more than twice its population. The race to build resorts doesn’t seem to stop either, a fact that will make the island even more unrecognizable in a few years; and finally, the infernal traffic, it can happen to be stuck for hours to move around.
To travel around the island, you can rent a car, discouraged by many given the insane traffic, or rely on locals and for more than acceptable sums, let them take you around. Lastly, and it seems to be the best solution – certainly the most used one – rent a scooter, an inexpensive means that allows you to move with great agility.
Our itinerary includes five days in Bali. We choose to stay at Canggu Beach (in the south) and use it as a base for daily excursions.
» How to get to Bali: you can reach Denpasar airport with low-cost flights, you can check here for offers.
What to do in Bali. It always depends on the weather, make a small plan as soon as you arrive, otherwise the risk is to just sunbathe and do nothing else, given the beauty and the infinite number of beaches. In order, here are some unique things to do in Bali:
- A day for the most famous and crowded beaches of Bali. Kuta, Seminyak, Legian. Stay away if you are intolerant to chaos, otherwise dive into days of sea, beaches, and encounters. Just after sunset, you can enjoy a cocktail in the beach bars that light up as soon as it gets dark.
- A day in Ubud. The center of art and craftsmanship of the whole island, former refuge of European artists, about a hundred kilometers from Kuta. Here too the risk is crowding, but a tour of the handicrafts will not displease you. Recommended for those who are curious about art and those looking for souvenirs to take home. Among other things, you can take a tour of ecological centers where local tea and Kopi Luwak, the typical coffee “produced with berries, ingested, partially digested, and defecated by the common palm civet.” It is a very precious product.
- A day in Jimbaran and Uluwatu. The first is a beach famous for its restaurants, where you can choose fresh fish that is cooked directly after your choice. A few kilometers away is the Hindu temple of Uluwatu, on a cliff with a fabulous view, where a representation from the Hindu sacred book takes place in the evening and where the monkeys are famous for stealing objects from tourists. So, if you go there, watch your back.
- A day at Lovina Beach. A very long beach with black sand, surrounded by palm trees and coconuts to the north of the island. The sea is crystal clear and it is said that dolphins can be easily spotted. It is a less crowded place with a more familiar atmosphere.
- The Tanah Lot temple. About thirty kilometers from Denpasar you find one of the most famous and spectacular sites in Bali. As the name suggests, the temple is located at the exact meeting point between land (Tanah) and sea (Lot). In fact, it is built on a rock in the middle of the waters of the Indian Ocean.
- A visit to Pura Besakih. The most imposing and most venerated complex in Bali, an area of three square kilometers that includes twenty-two temples, a place consecrated to the three highest deities of Hinduism.
- Climbing Mount Agung (3142 m.). An active volcano that dominates the eastern landscape of the island with its perfectly conical shape surmounted by a large crater. A place where the people of Bali believe the spirits of the ancestors reside, it is reachable in three or four hours of walking. Minimal physical preparation is required, the view once you arrive will reward you for your efforts.
- A day at Echo Beach. Between surfing and relaxation to enjoy the waves and be among the locals, in what is one of the most suggestive beaches and loved by the Balinese.
- An evening in Kuta. Only for true night lovers: you will find yourself in the midst of pure delirium, among crowds of tourists and locals in a unique whirlwind of music, alcohol, and somewhat suspicious attitudes (don’t be surprised if you find young Balinese flirting with older Western ladies/gentlemen). Many bars in a few streets, you will be spoiled for choice. For lovers of reggae and alternative places, I recommend the Apache bar (in the photo), fun guaranteed and free entry. In Kuta at night, there is absolutely nothing missing, beware of street offers of drugs, very severely punished in Indonesia. Only one substance is legal (and only in Bali) and that is magic mushrooms. Free sale of Magic mushrooms.
Where to stay in Bali. In Bali, you can find everything, from the mega five-star resorts that cost hundreds of dollars a day like the historic and crazy Grand Hyatt in Nusa Dua, to the super cheap hostel for 5$ a day. Obviously, we choose this solution, but there is really something for everyone. A couple of names: the Tandjung Sari Hotel and the Echoland B&B.