10/12/2020
🧘♀️𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐢 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬🧘♀️
To be honest with you I knew almost nothing about Bali before I did my research 🗺
Sure, I’ve seen million pictures of this dream island, I knew that every proper Instagrammer had been there at least once and I saw Eat, Pray, Love, but that was it 🎬 If you are like me, I have some good news for you: this Bali travel guide for first timers is everything you’re gonna need! In this post I put together everything you need to know if you are travelling to Bali for the first time. So let's dive in 👌
🌟𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧🌟
Bali is located in the Indian ocean, it’s by far the most famous of the more than 17,000 islands of Indonesia. The island sits east of Java (the most populous island of the world) and west of Lombok. I know it seems like a tiny island on the map but actually Bali is pretty big: the distance is 145 km from west to east and 85 km from north to south. Apart from the main island, the Nusa Islands (Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida) also belong to Bali.
🌟𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧🌟
Bali is home to more than 4.2 million people. About 90% of the population are Balinese, the other ethnic groups are Javanese, Baliaga and Madurase.
🌟𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞🌟
The official language is Indonesian, but many people use the Balinese language in the everyday life. English is widely used as well due to the high level of tourism.
🌟𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧🌟
Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world, accounting for 13% of the world’s total Muslims. Bali is the only exception, as it is the only Hindu island on Indonesia. Actually this is not the standard Hindu religion, it’s rather a Balinese Hinduism: it’s kind of a mixture of local beliefs and Hindu influences.
Balinese people live in a magic world of people, spirits, gods and demons. There are over 20,000 temples in Bali and you can’t go anywhere without seeing countless offerings to the gods and spirits. They seriously believe in karma, that life is governed by a system of cause and effect, action and reaction. Their religion and culture is really interesting so try to learn about them as much as you can while you are there!
🌟𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲🌟
The official local currency in Bali is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR or Rp). The amounts in rupiah are usually very large because of all the zeros. 1 USD is like 15,000 Rp, while 1 POUND is around 16,150 Rp. Therefore the prices are often given with the thousands implied and left off of the end. So when someone says “one hundred”, they most likely mean 100,000 Rp (around 7 USD or 6 POUNDS).
🌟𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐢🌟
Bali is located a few degrees south of the equator, therefore it has a tropical climate all year around. It means that the weather is always hot and humid and there are only two main seasons: the dry season and the rainy season.
Generally the rainy season is between November and March but it can vary a bit from year to year. During this time it usually rains a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon so you can still have some rain-free hours during the day if you are lucky. Nevertheless I still wouldn’t recommend this period for travelling especially if you’re travelling to Bali for the first time.
Bali is always busy during holidays like Easter or Christmas. July and August are usually crowded too because of the national school holidays in Indonesia. So if you’re not a fan of mass tourism I would avoid these periods as well.
🌟𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭🌟
SOUTH BALI
The southern side of Bali is the most touristy area on the island. Denpasar (the capital city of Bali) is located here together with the Ngurah Rai International Airport. South Bali is packed with beautiful beaches, posh cafes, fancy restaurants and cool party places. Bali is famous for its sunsets as well and the southern part is one of the best areas to find the best sunsets in Bali ♥️
Best places to visit in South Bali: Uluwatu Temple, Tanah Lot, Nyangnyang Beach, Nusa Dua Beach, Kuta Beach, Cabina Bali.
CENTRAL BALI
The central area is the cultural heart of Bali and it is also the most picturesque side of the island. Central Bali is home to many beautiful temples, deep river gorges, unbelievably green rice terraces and gorgeous waterfalls.
Best places to visit in Central Bali: Ubud Monkey Forest, Campuhan Ridge Walk, Tegalalang rice terraces, Jatiluwih rice terraces, Pura Tirta Empul, Tegenungan waterfall, Tukad Cepung waterfall, Kanto Lampo waterfall.
EAST BALI
East Bali is dominated by the largest volcano in the island: Mount Agung. This is a very active volcano with constant eruptions, therefore it is not allowed to visit. But it’s little brother, Mount Batur (who is also an active volcano) is still safe and open for hiking. The nearby area is really beautiful and it is home to some of the island’s oldest villages.
Best places to visit in East Bali: Mount Agung, Mount Batur, Pura Luhur Lempuyang (Gate of Heaven), Tirta Gangga Royal Water Garden.
NORTH BALI
The northern side of Bali is really different from the rest of the island. The climate is more foggy and rainy, therefore you can see many cloudy lakes, misty mountains and lush jungle waterfalls.
Best places to visit in North Bali: Munduk Moding Plantation, Wanagiri Hidden Hill, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Banyumala twin waterfalls, Sekumpul Waterfall, Handara gate.
🌟I hope you enjoyed my guide to visiting Bali for the first time. If you have any questions and would like me to recommend accommodations let me know 🌟