August, surprisingly, is not the best month to travel in many parts of the world. Europe is burning, South East Asia is rained out as is all of India. Central Asia looks inviting…someday! We armchair travelled across two continents and many countries to settle onto a Bali holiday. It was not on our first bucket list. Perhaps not even first on our second list…
Yet Bali is the whole bouquet! If exotic orient with top notes of touristy kitsch, full bodied middle notes of rich culture swirling atop notes of towering volcanoes, wild cliffs and aquamarine waters sounds divine, then Bali should be on your wish list. Atleast ten days are needed for a leisurely sampling of all that this island in the Indonesian archipelago offers. We had a week there and I am ready for seconds and this time I know what to repeat and what to skip….and August is High season in Bali!
Top Notes
1. Accommodation should be central so you can walk and explore.
2.Traffic can be a nightmare! Factor in time and distances while planning activities and visits across the island. Use scooter taxis to get around town and for across the island, use cars. You can hire a two-wheeler also.
3.There are more temples than people in Bali. Pick and choose which ones to visit. The inner sanctums are not open to outsiders in any temple.
4.Eat at the warungs to get authentic local cuisine and nice ambience at a more reasonable rate.
5.For shopping, brush up your maths (the zeros are mind boggling) and your haggling skills. (it is expected!)
6.Pick up a local SIM so you have data.
7.We divided our time between Ubud, Gili Trawangan, Kuta and Nusa Dua.
Middle Notes
Unparalleled Ubud
Day 1
After a hearty breakfast at the guesthouse/hotel walk to the Ubud Palace. Soak in the atmosphere, the morning flower offerings dotting the pavements, the quirky shops enroute. The palace is a small affair. Pick up the tickets for the evening dance programme from there.
Walk to the Saraswati Temple. Take pictures of the lotus pond and the intricate doorways.
Browse through the Art Market, a street market adjoining the Saraswati temple.
Grab lunch and a Bintang at a warung.
Depending on your capacity for shopping head to the Ubud Art Market in front of the palace or head back to your room for a short post beer nap.
Attend the dance performance at the palace.
Enjoy dinner at a warung or a restaurant nearby.
Pro Tip- To grab a ‘good seat’ for the performance reach the palace early.
Day 2-
Start early for Pura Tirtha Empul and Besakih temples.
Stop enroute to sample Luwak coffee, varieties of local teas and coffees. Experience the famous Bali Swing.
Visit the Tegallalang Terrace Rice Fields. (They also have some tea tasting and swings but it is not the same experience.)
Carry on to Tirtha Empul Temple. If you want to take a ‘purifying’ dip keep an hour extra. There is a long line.
Lunch at La Montagne Coffee with a stunning view of Mt Agung.
Visit Besakih at the base of Mt Agung.
Have dinner and get a foot massage back in Ubud.
Pro Tip-
Skip Tegallalang and stop enroute at the amazing workshops making cane and wood artefacts.
Islands Ahoy!
Day 4
Check out after an early breakfast and head to Padangbai.
Catch a fast boat to Gili Trawangan. It takes an hour and a half but the waiting at the pier can be just as long!
Reach Gili T by lunch. Check in and change into your beachwear.
Hire snorkelling equipment and head into the water or just relax on the beach.
Evening dinner has to be at the Night Market!
Pro tip- If you are interested in diving stay for an additional day. If you don’t have time, Nusa Lembongan might be a better option.
Beach Yourself
Day 5
Head back to Bali on a fast boat. It island hops and returns via Gili Meno and Lombok so it takes 3 hours.
It takes two hours from Padangbai to Kuta.
After checking into your place, head for the beach to catch the sunset and then hit the nightspots.
Day 6
Take a morning walk on the beach and watch the early surfers.
Book a surfing lesson or just lounge under a beach umbrella with a book and a beer. Grab a takeaway from one of the marts and have lunch on the beach OR head to one of the beach clubs. Finns and Potato Head are some good options.
In the evening head to Krishna Bali or Agung Bali for souvenir and trinket shopping.
The back lanes are also lined with shops and massage parlours.
Fancy Finish
Day 7
After a morning run on the beachfront followed by a cooling dip in the hotel pool and hearty breakfast check out and head to a nice villa with a pool.
Check in and just chill OR for some water sports head to Nusa Dua.
Select your activities and book a package. Think flyfishing, banana boat ride, parasailing etc.
In the evening head to Uluwatu temple to catch the sunset and the Kecak dance performance.
End the evening with a grilled seafood feast on the Jimbaran beach while being serenaded by musicians.
Pro Tip- Book the tickets in advance for the sunset Kecak show as they get sold out and reach the temple early to grab good seats. One might get last minute tickets for the 7o’clock show.
Day 8
Spend a few leisurely hours in your fancy Airbnb till it is time to check out and head to the airport for your flight. Say bye bye to Bali with a heavy heart.
Pro Tip-
Stock up on breakfast beforehand if your Airbnb does not provide it. There might not be a mart nearby.
Bottom Notes
Accommodation
One is spoilt for choice of hotels, guest houses to independent villas to choose from in Bali. We got good deals on Agoda. Stay close to your areas of interest or you will be spending more time in a taxi than anywhere else.
Places to Eat
Ubud- Sun Sun Warung for authentic local cuisine in a traditional setting is a must try.
Gili T- The Night Market cannot be missed!
Kuta- The pulled pork burger at Crumbs & Coaster was delicious!
Jimbaran- Choose your seafood at any of the restaurants lining the beach and it gets served with a basket of rice and vegetables, if you want.
Shopping
Essentials- Indomart, Alphamart, are all over. Make your own tea, coffee, instant noodles, grab ready to eat meals etc and find chilled Bintang in K Mart.
Souvenirs- Krishna and Agung Bali are big shops with very reasonable prices.
Getting Around
Taxi- Grab and Gojeck are local taxi apps. You can hire taxis for 8 hours for about Rs4000. We had Mr Putu driving us around and he doubled as a guide too. Phone no-6287861755884
Ferry- We booked a fast boat roundtrip through Adi Gili online for Rs13500 for 3 people which included a private pick up and drop. The waiting at the pier seems to takes forever and there is a nominal port tax.
Activities-
Temples- All have an entrance fee which includes the mandatory sarong. At Besakih the ticket includes a ride up from the entrance to the temple complex in a golf cart and a guide.
Coffee Tasting-Uma Pakel Agro Tourism. The entry is free but the Luwak coffee tasting costs Rs500 approx.
Snorkelling- Hire snorkelling gear in Gili T for about Rs300 per day.
Surfing Lesson- An hour will cost Rs1000 approx.
Water Sports- Price depends on the package of different activities but one must haggle. For Flyfish and Parasailing we spent about Rs8,500 for 3 people.
With this itinerary you are all set for a week of sun, sand, sarong tripping to temples and shopping!