I recently spent ten fantastic days in Bali – a virtual paradise known for its many temples, beautiful tropical beaches, great surf, coral reefs, majestic mountains, lush rice terraces, blue lakes, and traditional culture. This peaceful island, which is part of Indonesia, has plenty to offer, including hundreds of diverse Hindu temples, fantastic museums, beautiful natural scenery, modern cities, quaint villages, delicious food and friendly warm people. Bali is also famous as a center for conscious, healthy living, with more yoga shalas, spas and retreat centers per capita than anywhere else on the planet.
Bali is one of the 38 provinces of Indonesia, which is comprised of several of the country’s 17,000 islands. A unique aspect of Bali is that it is the only Hindu-majority province in Indonesia, evident from the thousands of temples throughout the province.
In 2021, during the height of the COVID pandemic, I came across a promotion advertised on Travelzoo, that included ten nights at luxury hotels in Bali, five at the Sofitel Dusa Nua on the Bukit Peninsula, and five at the Viceroy Bali in Ubud. The special included breakfast and dinner each night, as well as transfers between the hotels, and the airport. During the pandemic, tourism suffered greatly in Bali. More recently, tourism has rebounded and this island of the Gods is as popular as ever. An overview of each area is provided in the following separate posts.
Bali – Four Days in Bali’s Stunning Bukit Peninsula
Bali – Five Days in Ubud, the Beautiful Cultural Capital of Bali
How to Tour Bali
The U.S. State Department still recommends caution when traveling to Indonesia due to threats of terrorism and natural disasters. However, the areas with the greatest threats do not include Bali. The Indonesian Parliament recently revised its criminal code which goes into effect January 2026. This includes penalties for defamation, blasphemy, cohabitation, and sex outside of marriage. However, it is unclear how Indonesian authorities will implement the revised criminal code, and messaging from the central government and leaders in Bali have noted that tourists should not be concerned. Much of Indonesia’s economy, and especially in Bali, is highly dependent on tourism.
Traveling within Indonesia can be done either with a tour group, or independently. Unlike other places where I’ve used a tour group, such as in Egypt, I felt perfectly safe traveling throughout Bali on my own, using local drivers, taxis and tour guides. Hotels can be booked online via Booking.com.
When to Visit
Bali’s dry season is between April and October, when the average high temperature reaches 88 degrees and the skies are clear. While it is less humid than the wet season, the island can be humid throughout the year. The dry season is also the peak travel period, when hotel rates are higher and the crowds bigger. Between July and August, high winds bring out kite flyers. The wet season lasts between November and March, and the high temperature averages 81 degrees. During this period, the skies are more overcast and rain downpours are common between December and February. During the wet season, the waves are stronger. Many people prefer this period as hotel rates can be less expensive and there are less crowds.
Entry & Exit Requirements
American visitors to Indonesia are required to have a valid passport with one or more blank pages, and a Visa. Electronic on-arrival Visas can be purchased for approximately $35 online prior to arrival. All tourist visas are valid for 30 days. In addition, visitors can fill out an online customs declaration form ahead of time. If not completed prior to arrival, visitors will need to wait in line to fill out the customs form at the airport in Densapar.
Getting Around
It cannot be stressed enough how congested the streets are in many areas of Bali, especially around Densapar, and the major tourist areas of Seminyak, Kuta and Ubud. First time visitors will be amazed by the number of motorbikes, cars and buses all competing for the same space. Most people tend to get around by motorbike, including both locals and many tourists. While the amount of traffic is staggering, people seem to make it work, and you are unlikely to see any accidents, or people exhibiting road rage. However, it is important to anticipate travel times when getting around. I recommend using google maps ahead of time, to route your trip and travel time.
Many tourists rent motorbikes to get around, and rental facilities can be found throughout the island. Motorbikes are popular because of their maneuverability and ease of getting around cars. There are two shared transport providers in Bali, including Grab and Gojek. Both services can be rented through an online or phone app. We used Grab motorbikes for trips generally less than an hour. If you are traveling in a group, each person will need to have the phone app, and reserve at the same time. The driver will provide the passenger a helmet. Both Grab and Gojek also provide car share services, which may be more feasible for larger groups, and longer distances. In general, the motorbike share is less expensive than a car share, especially when fewer people are riding.
We also used hired drivers for day trips on a few occasions, that we arranged through our hotel concierge. We had prepared an itinerary ahead of time for different regions of Bali. The driver picked us up at the hotel, and we simply told them where we wanted to go throughout the day. For an 8-10 hour drive, the cost was approximately 1 million Rupiah (approximately $70), plus tip.
Finally, tours can be arranged through excursion companies such as Viator, which offers many different types of tours and itineraries throughout Bali. We used Viator to book a day trip to nearby Penida island, which included the ferry ride, a driver on the island, entry fees to attractions, snorkeling fee and lunch.
The People
The population of Bali is approximately 4.4 million people, and most of the population is concentrated in the capital of the province, Densapar, and other cities including Kuta, Ubud, and Seminyak, all located in the southern part of the island. The population of Bali is primary made up of Balinese, one of the many ethnic groups within Indonesia. The Balinese have a primarily Austronesian origin, arriving from Java over many centuries. Unlike most other regions of Indonesia, the Balinese primarily practice the Hindu religion, as evident by the thousands of temples found throughout the island, and the common site of offerings, known as Canang Sari everywhere. Walking around, you will see small offerings put out on the sidewalk, on walls, and shrines. These may include a small basket woven from palm or banana leaves, with flowers, oils, salt, money and cookies. The purpose of these offerings is to seek good spirits or gods for assistance, while appeasing the evil. Make sure to carefully avoid the offerings placed on the sidewalk.
The vast majority of Balinese are deeply spiritual and have a close relationship with nature. They believe in Agama Tirta, a holy-water religion, which is part of Hinduism. There are small groups that practice Sunni Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. The Balinese give high regard to their children and elders, as they believe they are closer to the gods. The Balinese practice unique forms of art, dance, music and architecture.
The people in Bali are extremely friendly and hospitable, and have a good natured disposition. The population generally speaks three languages, including Indonesian, Balinese and English. In addition, Bali has a large expat population comprised largely of Russians, Australians, Americans, British, Japanese and others.
Food / Drink
Bali has delicious food, with many common ingredients of cloves, lemongrass, coconut, curry, chili peppers, and cinnamon. Rice is a staple and accompanies the main dishes. Popular dishes include satay skewers (sate lilit) made of meat marinated in a blend of coconut, coconut milk and spices. Duck and seafood are also common, accompanied by rice or noodles and spicy sambal (chili sauce). Another tasty dish is Nasi Goreng, a Balinese fried rice. Babi Guling, or suckling pig, is another common dish.
Many of the Balinese style desserts are rice based, such as coconut rice pudding, rice flour dumplings, and black rice pudding. Others use bananas such banana fritters. One of my favorite desserts was the Dadar Gulung, rolled up green colored pancakes made of rice flour, pandan and coconut milk, and stuffed with grated coconut and sugar.
Most hotels also offer western style dishes. Hotel breakfast buffets include both western and Indonesian foods. In general, tap water should be avoided, however, some of the hotels filter the water. Hotels and tour bus operators will provide bottled water daily, which should also be used when brushing teeth. Food that is cooked is generally fine, but avoid street food, and raw food items such as lettuce, and fruits and vegetables that have been washed or not peeled.
Money and Tipping
The Indonesian currency, the Rupiah, is the primary method of payment, along with credit cards. US dollars are sometimes accepted due to the high amount of tourism on the island. Currency exchange stores are located at the airport and in the major tourist areas, such as Seminyak, Kuta and Ubud. As of October 2023, one Rupiah equaled .000063 US dollars. In general, divide the amount in Rupiah (IDR) by 15,000 to determine the US dollar amount. While tips are generally not expected, such as at restaurants, we did provide small tips for hotel porters and an approximate 10 percent tip for drivers and tour guides.
Souvenirs
Some of the best locally made items to buy include beautifully designed sarongs, silk batik cloths, Balinese traditional paintings and sketches, woodcarvings, ceramics, spices, and jewelry.
Coffee is another popular item, sold in packages containing whole bean or ground beans. A unique and very expensive coffee is Kopi Luwak, also known as civet coffee. Not for the sqeamish, tt contains partially digested coffee cherries which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civit, a small mammal.
Souvenir markets can be easily found in the tourist heavy towns, and adjacent many of the temples and other tourist spots. I found that the vendors in Bali were much less aggressive than I’ve seen in other places such as Egypt. Souvenirs can also be purchased in the main markets, and at stores.
