Continuing our trip to the east - as has been the theme of this trip - our next stop was the island of Bali. I had heard a lot about how beautiful Bali is, and to be honest, I was a bit skeptical, thinking that it might be a bit of a tourist trap. But when we arrived there, I was quick to admit I was wrong, and we stayed over 5 weeks there. Unlike many island destinations that are mostly about kicking back on the beach and relaxing, Bali has a lot more to offer, from a unique and inspiring culture, to lush mountains and waterfalls. For me, Bali can be summarized in a few words: waterfalls, beaches, rice fields, and spirituality. Any mention of Bali would be of course incomplete without mentioning the amazing Balinese people, who are kind, welcoming, and always smiling!

Overview of Bali

Bali, a province of Indonesia, is located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Bali is renowned for its stunning beaches, rich culture, and vibrant arts scene, attracting millions of visitors annually. The island’s diverse geography features volcanic mountains, lush rice terraces, and pristine beaches, including popular surfing spots.

Bali’s history is marked by a unique blend of Hinduism and local animist beliefs. Unlike its neighbors in the Indonesian archipelago, who largely converted to Islam, Bali remained predominantly Hindu due to its isolation and the resilience of its local culture. The Majapahit Empire, a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom based in Java, exerted influence over Bali in the 14th century, contributing to the spread of Hinduism on the island. Despite later encounters with Muslim sultanates, Bali maintained its Hindu identity through a series of cultural and religious revivals.

Bali’s emergence as a tourist hotspot can be traced back to the early 20th century when European artists and writers, drawn to the island’s exotic beauty and vibrant culture, began to visit and publicize its charms. The island’s popularity grew further in the mid-20th century with the development of tourism infrastructure and the promotion of Bali as a tropical paradise. Today, Bali offers a wide range of attractions including stunning beaches, lush rice terraces, intricate temples, and a vibrant arts scene, making it a sought-after destination for travelers from around the world.

We also visited Nusa Penida, which is a picturesque island located southeast of Bali, Indonesia, known for its rugged coastline, stunning cliffs, and crystal-clear waters. The island offers breathtaking views, especially from Kelingking Beach and the natural rock arch at Broken Beach. Nusa Penida is also a popular spot for diving and snorkeling, with vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life. Despite its growing popularity, Nusa Penida retains a more laid-back and untouched charm compared to Bali, making it a favorite destination for travelers seeking natural beauty and adventure.

Logistics of traveling in Bali

Getting to Bali from Java

Most people arrive in Bali via its international airport, which is located in the south of the island. However, since we were already in East Java, we decided to cross to Bali via a ferry. To do that, we first got back to Probolinggo, and hopped on a train to Ketapang. We had bought the ticket in advance through traveloka.com, as explained in my last post.

The ferry station is a few hundred meters away from the bus station, but given that we had some luggage, and a toddler along, we decided to take a Grab. But as it turned out, the area around the train station is considered “red zone”, where Grab/Gojek are not allowed. These lobbying taxi drivers make everything worse for everyone, and not one of them was there to give us a ride! Walking to the ferry station, although short, was a bit of an issue, as there were no side walks, so we had to walk on the street. This part was not fun.

After we got to the ferry station, we found out that the ticket is actually sold in a convenience store across the station. This was so odd, but anyhow, I bought the tickets for like $2 for the three of us (for some reason they needed our passports too). We hopped on the ferry, and after a slow crossing, we arrived in Gilimanuk in Bali, where our pre-arranged driver was awaiting us. It turned out there are no Grabs in West Bali, so we had to make sure we have a reliable transportation to our accommodation.

Getting to Nusa Penida from Bali

Nusa Penida is an island southeast of Bali, and it is a popular destination for its snorkeling/diving, and picturesque coastlines. The only way to get to Nusa Penida is via ferry in Bali from two different ports: Padangbai (and nearby Kusamba) and Sanur. Since we were staying in Amed Beach, it made sense to use Padangbai port. More importantly, there are two types of ferries: slow ferry and fast ferry. Slow ferries are much larger ferries that can transport cars and buses, and the route typically takes around 1-2 hours. Notably, slow ferries only operate from Padangbai port. Kusamba and Sanur only have fast ferries. Fast ferries are much smaller boats, but as the name implies, they go much faster, taking 40 minutes or so. It is also noteworthy that the fast boats are a bit pricier than the slow ferries ($10 vs $3 per person).

Since we had a good experience taking the slow ferry from Java to Bali, and 40 minutes vs 1.5hr wasn’t going to make much of a difference for us, we decided to take the slow ferry. Our hotel in Nusa Penida advised against it though, saying that they are often delayed. In the hindsight, we should have listened to him! Not only the ferry was 2 hours late (because a car had fallen off into the water while boarding another ferry, and they had to fish it out!), but also the whole experience of finding where to buy a ticket, and where to find the ferry, etc, was quite challenging. When we arrived at the port, there was no indication where to buy a ticket, and it was full of hustlers trying to make money off us. That was the most chaotic place I’ve seen in Bali. On the way back, we took the fast boat to Sanur, and it was on time, and no hassle.

Moving around in Bali and Nusa Penida

Getting around in Bali and Nusa Penida can be a bit tricky. While ride-sharing services like Grab are only available in certain areas like Ubud and Denpasar, even there, they face pushback from traditional taxi drivers, who have managed to keep them out of places like ports. Public transportation isn’t really a thing, so you’re left with a few other options to get around.

For most travelers, renting a scooter is the way to go. They’re easy to find and offer a lot of freedom, especially if you’re traveling solo or with a partner. But the roads, especially in Nusa Penida, can be narrow and in rough shape, and the locals tend to drive faster than you might expect. If you’re not confident on a motorbike, learning to ride one in Bali might not be the best idea. We decided to play it safe and skip the scooters altogether, though in a few occasions, we got a short ride on the back of scooters.

Another option is renting a car, either with or without a driver. But driving in Bali can be pretty wild, even for experienced drivers. So, unless you’re used to navigating these kinds of conditions, renting a car might not be the best idea either. Hiring a driver may be not as convenient, but it is certainly the safer option. Plus, you get the chance to chat with a local and learn about life in Bali! We paid anything from $10 for shorter rides, to $50 for full-day hires.

And just a heads up, walking around, even a short distance, isn’t really an option. There are NO sidewalks, so you’ll be sharing the road with scooters and cars. Even a short walk to a nearby restaurant can be a bit dicey! So, when you’re planning your adventures in Bali, make sure to think carefully about how you’ll get around.

Where we stayed in Bali

Most tourists arrive via Denpasar’s airport, which is at the southernmost part of Bali, and they end up spending some time around this area, like in Kuta, Canggu, Seminyak, etc. These are the most populated areas of Bali, along with Denpasar, and when I was researching Bali, I quickly realized that we need to be as far away from these areas as possible. The reason is that the traffic in these areas is pretty bad, and they are overly touristy. Even Ubud had a pretty bad traffic problem, but it was definitely worth a visit.

I think any visit Bali for a meaningful amount of time should be split between multiple places, as Bali is a sizable island, and it is best to be close to the places of interest. We stayed in six different places in Bali, and two in Nusa Penida.

West Bali was one of our favorite places as it was tranquil and not touristy, and we enjoyed the beach and did some snorkeling there.
Our next place was in Sambangan, close to the waterfalls, and amid a rice field. This was probably the best place we stayed in Bali, as it was not overly touristy, and we loved going through villages in this region, and seeing their day-to-day activities. Here, we saw many rituals and ceremonies as we were passing by car among the villages.
We then moved to Ubud, as although it was over-touristy and the traffic was pretty bad, but we still enjoyed our visit, because Ubud is full of beautiful architectures, and we got to see a royal cremation ceremony (more on that later).
After the congested Ubud, we spent a few nights in Sidemen, with an amazing view over Mt. Agung, the tallest volcano in Bali. While in Sidemen, we visited the mother of all Balinese temples, the Besakih Temple.
We then headed for Amed Beach, where we enjoyed some snorkeling, and some relaxing time at the beach. We could have done more snorkeling there, but the weather was not nice most of the time, so we decided to postpone it to our next destination.
From Amed, we went to Nusa Penida, and we stayed in two places in the north of the island, and a place close to Kelingking Beach. In the hindsight, we could have skipped the second location, and only visit it for the sunset. The north and west of Nusa Penida are best for snorkeling, and we had our best snorkeling experience over there.
We finished our Bali trip with a stay in a hotel in Jimbaran, close to the airport, from which we flew out. During our stay, we visited Uluwatu Temple, and attended a Kecak dance show.

Best Time to Travel

We have only visited Bali once, so I can’t really comment from experience, but from what I can see, the best time to visit Bali is during the shoulder season. The low season from November till March is the rainy season, and the high season is during the dry season in June, July and August, when it is winter in Australia, and you can imagine how crowded Bali gets. Shoulder season would see some rain, but not too much to ruin your trip, but you get a lot less crowds, hence prices are lower, and accommodations are not fully booked. One of the places we were staying was fully pre-booked for July, but we booked it a week in advance in April, and it still had rooms. So in a nutshell, it is best to visit Bali in April and May, or September and October.

Our Experience in Bali

As I said in the intro, for me, Bali can be summarized in a few words: waterfalls, beaches, rice fields, and spirituality, which for readability, I break it down into rituals and temples.

Waterfalls

Bali has so many waterfalls, especially in the north and center, that you cannot simply visit all of them. We were lucky to visit at the end of the rainy season, so the waterfalls were roaring. We visited at least a dozen waterfalls during our visit, among which I particularly liked Sekumpul, Gitgit, Golden Valley, Red Coral Munduk, and Tukad Cepung waterfalls. There were often a lot of steps to go down and back up to visit these waterfalls, but they were worth it. Our son is only 3 years old, but he was such a champ, and walked up and down many stairs on his own (while we held his hand, of course). I didn’t think he can do Sekumpul, as it had a lot of stairs, but I guess he is stronger than I think!

Due to the popularity of these waterfalls, you can expect to see many tourists there posing for photos, often in their swimsuits, mimicking certain photos on Instagram. These waterfalls get so crowded that there are often long lines for taking photos (especially around Ubud)! For me, this detracts from the whole experience of visiting these places and taking photos. One thing you can do to avoid the masses is of course to arrive there as early as possible, and avoid the most touristy ones altogether.

The other thing to know about visiting waterfalls in Bali is that you almost always have to pay a fee to visit, and sometimes they either force you to have a guide (like in Sekumpul), and charge a lot more, or allow certain activities like swimming/jumping/sliding if you hire a guide. I understand that they want to make money from tourism, but that seemed like they are trying to make a living off waterfalls. One of our drivers told us that in some places, people of the village get money off each visit. This is not the best way to earn tourism money, in my opinion. It makes people lazy, and reliant on income that they do not work towards. It’s much better to create jobs related to tourism, and let people work to provide services in order to earn money.

Beaches

Bali boasts numerous famous beaches, with many concentrated in the southern part of the island. Seeking to avoid the crowds, we explored the quieter beaches in the west (Pemuetran Beach) and east (Amed Beach). We enjoyed snorkeling near the shore, where we encountered a variety of colorful fish, despite the unfortunate sight of damaged coral reefs. On one occasion, I even had a brief encounter with a turtle, though it out-swam me! The water clarity was generally good, and we were relieved to find no jellyfish (unlike in Thailand). However, we couldn’t ignore the significant amount of trash both on the beaches and floating in the water, at times making it challenging to distinguish between natural marine life and debris. Indonesia has a big trash problem, and they have got to get their act together, and fix it.

Nusa Penida provided an exceptional snorkeling experience compared to other locations. During our visit, we did two snorkeling boat trips to marvel at stunning corals and the diverse array of fish. Nusa Penida is renowned for its manta ray diving, especially at the famous “Manta Point.” However, due to its location off the southern coast and the lengthy boat journey in rough waters, we opted out of this excursion. Instead, we ventured to “Manta Bay” in hopes of encountering some mantas, but unfortunately, we didn’t have any luck spotting them. A helpful tip: For an optimal snorkeling adventure, consider hiring a private boat to take you to one or two select areas (we particularly enjoyed SD Point), rather than joining shared boats that visit multiple spots and rush through the experience.

Rice Fields

Bali is well-known for its breathtaking rice fields, especially around Ubud. The Tegalalang Rice Terrace stands out as a must-see, famous for its stunning terraced landscapes. But rice fields are a common sight throughout Bali, particularly around Ubud, and they’re not just beautiful; they’re also deeply ingrained in Balinese culture and daily life. Taking a leisurely stroll through these fields offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the island’s natural beauty and learn about its rich agricultural heritage.

The Tegalalang rice terraces have gained popularity on social media platforms like Instagram, attracting many visitors seeking iconic photos with swings and infinity pools. However, if you prefer a quieter experience, there are several other less crowded rice terraces to explore.

In addition to Tegalalang, we explored rice fields in Sidemen and visited Mahagiri Resort, which offers stunning views of rice fields against the backdrop of Mount Agung. However, the most authentic rice field experience in Bali is arguably in Jatiluwih, home to the largest rice fields on the island. While we did visit Jatiluwih, it was unfortunately raining, so we didn’t get to explore it.

Rituals

One of the most captivating elements of Bali is its rich and distinct culture, deeply rooted in Balinese Hinduism. This religious influence is pervasive, shaping every facet of daily life on the island. Birth, death, and everything in between are marked by a multitude of ceremonies, both grand and intimate, highlighting the profound spiritual connection that defines Balinese society.

A fascinating daily ritual is presenting offerings at the temples, or even around the house. Every morning, before the hustle and bustle of the day begins, locals meticulously prepare small, intricate offerings known as “canang sari”. These offerings are made from woven palm leaves and are filled with flowers, rice, cookies, coffee, and more. They are placed at various spots around homes, shops, and temples as a symbol of gratitude to the gods for the beauty and abundance in their lives.

Celebrating birth and death is probably the most important part of Balinese rituals. Before a baby is born, and for two years after birth, there are certain (expensive) rituals to be held in certain time intervals in larger temples with a holy man.

Cremation ceremonies, called Ngaben, are a big deal in Bali. They’re all about sending off the soul of the deceased to the afterlife before it gets reincarnated. These ceremonies are a huge show of love and respect for the departed, a way to honor their life. But here’s the thing: they can be quite expensive! So, to make it work for everyone, they often do group cremations, which happen every few years, on an auspicious day determined by a holy man. They start by burying the body, and when the time’s right, they dig it up and get it ready for the big collective cremation. It’s a way to share the costs and bring the community together, blending spirituality with practicality in true Balinese style. We saw one of those ceremonies when crossing a village, and stopped to watch the processions.

Interestingly, Bali still has royal families (8 of them, if I’m not wrong), but they are symbolic, and do not hold any power. Nevertheless, they are super rich, so their cremation ceremony is on a whole new level! We were lucky to see the monumental cremation ceremony of the brother of the king of Ubud during our stay there.

Bali is home to several royal families, though they are largely symbolic and lack political power. Despite this, they are often quite wealthy, leading to lavish and extravagant cremation ceremonies. During our visit, we had the unique opportunity to witness the grand cremation ceremony of the brother of the king of Ubud. Months of preparation and intricate rituals preceded the cremation, involving the construction of a large hollow purple bull, and a slender, intricately designed cremation temple tower called “bade” which was almost 20 meters tall! The cremation procession was a spectacle to behold, with hundreds of participants dressed in traditional attire, accompanied by gamelan music and the rhythmic sounds of chanting. Needless to stay, thousands had gathered to watch the spectacle.

The ceremony started by placing the body on top of the tall tower temple and parading it along with the large bull statue some 1 km to a nearby temple. When the time came for cremation, they constructed a ramp between the top of the tower and the bull, and transported the body, wrapped in white cloth, along with offerings into the bull. Later, the family and friends paid their respects to the dead by placing offerings along with the body and said their goodbyes. Finally, they set the whole thing on fire. The fire was so large that it got way too hot where I was standing, some 20 meters away! The body, however, did not fully burn, so they had to bring a flamethrower to do the final job. Participating in this ancient and amazing ritual was certainly a highlight of our trip.

Temples

Bali is known as the Island of a Thousand Temples, but in actuality boasts far more temples than that! Each village features a minimum of three temples, while cities are dotted with temples at almost every turn. Even individual homes include at least one temple, often mirroring the grandeur of the house itself. These temples exhibit a unique Balinese architectural style, blending elements from Indian, Chinese, and Buddhist temples.

When visiting temples in Bali, it’s important for both men and women to wear a sarong, a rectangular cloth often provided at the temple’s entrance. Furthermore, women are not allowed to enter temples, even a house temple, during their period. This custom is upheld with varying degrees of strictness, sometimes leading to direct inquiries about a woman’s menstrual status, which is a bit weird!

Similar to India, Balinese temples also built like onions, i.e. with several layers. However, unlike India that temples are fully covered and are proper buildings, the Balinese temples are open air, and there is no closed space in them (almost). This was an interesting observation for me. One thing to note is that you can’t enter the inner sanctum of many temples, as it is designated for worship only. This is a good thing, as otherwise tourists would be flooding them while people are performing their rituals.

We visited many temples (in Balinese pura), but the most prominent ones were:

Pura Melanting: This was a colorful temple in west Bali with very few tourists, and was the first temple we visited in Bali.
Pura Ulun Danu Bretan: This was a very touristy temple with many instagram-oriented photo spots, but nevertheless it was worth a visit. It is located at the shore of a crater lake, and it makes for good photo opportunities.
Pura Kehen: This is an old and the second largest temple complex in Bali. It is definitely worth a visit, especially since it was devoid of tourists. We had the whole place to ourselves when we visited!
Pura Lempuyang: This is one place I regret going to. It is basically an Instagram temple. People go there to pose for photos in the middle of a gate with the backdrop of Mount Agung. When buying the tickets, they give you a number for the photo queue, which can take 2-4 hours, depending on the time of the day. That’s pretty much the only thing there. It’s the definition of a tourist trap! If I had known that this is all, I would have avoided this place altogether. Oh, and the reflection you see in those photos is fake: There is no pond there, and the reflection is from holding a smooth black stone slab under the camera. Enough said.
Pura Tirta Empul: This is also a very touristy temple, where people come to bathe in its holy springs. We didn’t do the line to bathe there, but it was still worth a visit.
Pura Uluwatu: This temple is located at the top of a cliff, which makes for a good backdrop in stunning sunset photos. It is also home to many wild monkeys that are notorious for aggression, and snatching phones, hats, glasses, and more to trade for food. We didn’t run into any problem with the monkeys, but we saw a tourist whose phone was snatched, and had to be recovered by the staff! Also, here you can watch Kecak Dance, which is a traditional Balinese dance that is performed mainly by men. It is known for its repetitive chanting of “cak” sounds and its dramatic storytelling, often depicting scenes from the Ramayana epic. The dance is accompanied by a circle of male performers who provide the vocal sounds, creating a hypnotic and rhythmic background to the performance. It was certainly worth attending, but there was a long queue to buy the tickets, and a longer mismanaged queue to get into the amphitheater, with many people cutting in the line, which resulted in congestion.
Pura Saraswati: This was a beautiful temple in center of Ubud, with lotus ponds. I don’t think it was worth a visit though, as most of the complex was closed off for tourists.
Pura Besakih: This is the mother of all temples in Bali, and is the most holy place for the Balinese. Every Balinese hindu - that’s close to 4 million people - must pay a pilgrimage visit to Besakih Temple in April. It gets incredibly crowded at that time, and should be avoided at all costs during that period. We visited Besakih after this period, and very few people were there. The temple complex is huge, and it is located at the foot of Mount Agung, which adds to its grandness. However, the entrance ticket was quite expensive for what it is. Bali surpassed my expectations, and it was certainly a highlight of our trip so far. Even after spending more than 5 weeks here, I can say for sure we will come back again, as it captured our heart with its beauty and rich culture. Our next destination is… Australia!

Interesting Facts about Bali

In Bali, you will invariably meet many people whose name is “Wayan”. It turns out that in Bali, naming traditions are quite unique. A Balinese person is traditionally named based on their birth order within a family. The firstborn is named Wayan, Putu, or Gede, the second-born is named Made or Kadek, the third is named Nyoman or Komang, and the fourth is named Ketut. After the fourth child, the cycle repeats! After we learned this, whenever someone introduced themselves as Made, for example, we quickly told them “oh so you’re the second child!”
At every T-junction in Bali, there is a large statue of a mythic hero. This is so unique to Bali.
Balinese gates, like the one in Pura Lempuyang, are unique to Bali, and are found everywhere. Temples have many gates, the boundary between two villages is marked by a gate, even some houses have Balinese gates. They are iconic parts of Balinese architecture.
Balinese food is much better than Javanese food, however, I still prefer Thai or Vietnamese cuisine. That’s my personal opinion, of course!
Ubud is famous for its Yoga retreats. Many people go there and stay in ashrams to learn/do Yoga.
Bali celebrates Nyepi, or the Day of Silence, in early March, where the entire island shuts down for a day of meditation and reflection. This unique tradition is observed by locals and tourists alike. No one is allowed to leave their houses, or make noises. Even airport shuts down, and except for few security forces, no one is allowed to be in the streets!
Bali is known for its coffee, including the famous Kopi Luwak, which is made from coffee beans that have been eaten and excreted by civet cats. Supposedly this gives the coffee a certain taste, but I was not able to tell it apart from normal coffee, but I’m not a coffee person.
Balinese people stick wet rice grains to their forehead, similar to an Indian tradition. It somehow sticks for some time, probably due to the high starch content.