Bali is a top travel destination for global travelers, and we can see why. With fantastic food, many people speaking English, great culture, and plenty of things to do – this island has a lot to offer tourists. We decided to spend the majority of our time here relaxing along with some sightseeing.
How We Got There and Around
Steve and I flew from Darwin on a direct flight on JetStar. We had chosen to leave from Darwin because it was really cheap to fly into Bali, less than $100 USD per ticket.
Once landing, we made a big traveler mistake. It was almost 1AM when we landed, and the international airport was a bit chaotic. Once we got in the arrival area, people ask “Do you want a taxi”, we kept saying no. One man in particular followed Steve into the bathroom and by the time I exited it seemed like a deal was arranged. I think in the end, our tiredness and his relentlessness wore on our patience and we gave in. Here is why it was a mistake. When we got into his car, he said the minimum price was $100,000 IDR ($7.50 USD) for airport fees, and where we were going would cost $300,000 IDR ($22 USD). We were only going a few kilometers to an airport hotel for the night and the drive lasted only 5 minutes. Steve negotiated down to $100,000 IDR ($7.50 USD) which was still a gross overpayment. Metered Taxis in Bali, Blue Bird Taxis, has a minimum payment of $30,000 IDR ($2.25 USD), and are extremely fair. This airport guy overcharged us by $70,000 Rupiah ($5.25 USD). In fact, the next day we took a metered taxi to our AirBnB which was about a 30-minute drive and it only cost us $75,000 IDR ($5.50 USD). Lesson learned here – no matter how tired you at, or persistent the fake taxis are – stick with your plan and go for a metered taxi!
Once in Bali, we took Blue Bird taxi everywhere. They even have an app to hail a cab to your exact spot. Here is the tricky thing we learned quickly. Blue Bird Taxi drives blue cars, and they are the only metered taxi in Bali. There are several imitators, driving blue cabs, and even has a bird somewhere on their car, to make it seem like the they are the real deal. We got into one of these taxis and realized quickly it was not a legitimate one, and we had to negotiate the rate to return home. From that point on, we would utilize the Blue Bird App to hail the correct cabs.
We also rented a scooter for the week which we used to get around town and to visit Ubud. Bali must have millions of scooters, everyone seems to own one. It was a bit intimidating at first, because it seems like traffic laws are rarely enforced, but somehow it’s organized chaos. It is probably safer to be on a scooter than a pedestrian in some areas, as many scooter drivers will drive on the sidewalk during traffic times. We decided to rent one scooter, with Steve driving. Of course he loved it, while I was a bit scared (especially when we followed the locals onto the sidewalks). Overall, it was by far the easiest way to get around, other than Taxi.
During our time there, we didn’t notice any public transportation. Although we saw busses, most were related to tours around the island. I think most people rely on their scooter for transportation, as we even saw families of 3 and more all riding on one.
Where We Stayed
On our first night, we checked into an airport hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, because we got in so late at night. The room was comfortable, and we especially loved the generous breakfast buffet the next morning.
During our week we stayed in an AirBnB villa in the North Kuta area. Many of our friends told us not to stay in this area, and I can see why. It is extremely touristy. We stayed more in a residential area, and still felt it was touristy. So, why did we stay there, well check it out. It was everything we wanted for a relaxing week, including privacy. We have no regrets in staying here. We did end up going to check out the tourist area in nearby Double Six Beach, and found the beach to be a bit gross, plus the drinks and food pretty expensive compared to the area our villa was in, so I can understand why people don’t care for that area.
Our Favorite Foods
We love to try new foods and Bali was a great place to sample such good food. It seems the local specialty is Satay (meat skewers with a peanut type sauce). Of course each restaurant has their own take on it. We also love that a fried egg is served with rice practically with every meal. I have decided that might become my simple dinner night at home. You can’t have good food without trying the local beer – Bintang. Served in a big bottle, we enjoyed the cheap beer every night.
What We Did
Like I mentioned above, we did a whole lot of nothing. By that, I mean, waking up late, swimming in our private pool, napping, reading, laying in the sun, and catching up with friends and family. It was just what we needed to feel recharged again. That being said, we did manage a few sightseeing items in Ubud:
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary – This site has three Hindu Temples, and free roaming long-tailed macaque monkeys. We paid a small fee ($50,000 IDR less than $4 USD) to enter, well worth it. Parts of the temples are closed, only open for those in proper Balinese attire to pray. The main attraction of course is the monkeys. The minute you walk in you are greeted by dozens of monkeys. We had been warned to not bring food in, and put your sunglasses (or anything they can grab and run off with) away. When I opened by bag to pull out sunscreen, a nearby monkey heard the zipper and ran over and sat on my head to peek inside my bag. While walking around, they will hop on people to hitch a ride. One little guy hugged my ankle, trying to play with my shoelaces. They do sell bananas for visitors to feed the monkeys, but it looked like the monkeys get plenty fed, and the idea didn’t appeal to us. Both the temples and the monkeys made this a memorable experience.
Ubud Art Market – We walked through the famous Art Market (have you seen Eat Pray Love?). I learned here that Steve really enjoys haggling for the right price, and finds it as a sport. I don’t quite enjoy that part, but nonetheless, we bought some fun pants, and some beer cozies. We couldn’t believe how pact the art market was, and how much goods they sell.
Ubud Palace – This palace was right next to the Art Market, so we checked it out. It was once the residence to the royal family of Ubud. It was packed with tourists, dogs, and cats.
Goa Gajah – The name translates to Elephant Cave, although, no elephants can be found here. Structures here have both Hindu and Buddhist relics. We spent an hour or so here and enjoyed it very much.
Taman Ayun Temple – This was our last temple of the day before the rain started. This temple was huge compared to Goa Gajah, and very impressive. During our walk there, they were playing bells and drums, preparing for a ceremony. Once the rain started, we wanted to get out as quickly possible.
What’s Next
Flores Island, Indonesia
