Can’t BALI-eve how gorgeous this city is!
Bali, a romantic destination to some, a girls trip getaway to me! From its list of unending picturesque beaches, iconic volcanoes, captivating spiritual energy, terraced rice fields and exotic sunsets, it’s the perfect place for a dream vacation.
Going to Bali feels like going on a never-ending adventure – there is an activity for every individual. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie itching to jump off a cliff or slide down a waterfall, a zen human-being looking to do some yoga and meditation, or even an adventurer looking to be at one with the wilderness with some trekking, you name it, Bali’s got it.
Our journey to Bali started with a red-eye flight with China Airlines on Friday morning, shoutout to Premium Economy seats because I don’t think I can ever sit regular economy again. We arrived in Indonesia on Saturday. The thinking behind our trip was to do 4 days in Ubud to knock out the cultural and touristy things, then head on to Kuta to party and prune on the beaches/infinity pools for the last two days.
The best time to visit Bali is during the island dry season from May to September, you don’t have to worry about the rain ruining any outdoor activities. The only downside is that its the most popular time to go so flights were expensive AND finding a luxury villa we loved took forever as most were booked.
UBUD
Where to Stay: Ubud Nyuh Bali Resort & Spa
You haven’t experienced Bali until you’ve stayed at a luxury villa with a private pool, flower bath and floating breakfast. We stayed at the two-bedroom Pool Villa at Nyuh Bali Resort & Spa, and it was a dream. Every morning before we went out, we had a mini pool party with a side of floating breakfast. The hospitality was incredible and they offered a great discount to the resort spa.
What to Do:
One of the best ways we organized this trip was to do all of the touristy things in one day and then focus on the active tours on the other days. We hired a driver for the day (he played bangers!) and he knocked everything out for us in about 7 hours. Here’s all the places you have to visit:
Tegalalang Rice Plantation: The Tegalalang rice terraces and their sweeping panoramic views of countless layers of rice paddies makes for a perfect Bali exploration day.
Luwak Coffee Plantation: CAT POOP COFFEE. You heard that right, coffee beans have been digested by a Luwak (a type of weasel), then defecated and then the “processed” beans are collected to be cleaned and roasted for a cup of coffee. I know it sounds gross, but must give the local cup ‘o joe a try to become one with the Balinese. You also get a free “normal” coffee tasting with 14 different flavors – the vanilla coffee was bomb!
Traveler Game: When tasting the coffee, have one person close their eyes and feed them a random flavor so they can guess which coffee they are tasting.
Monkey Forest: A beautiful jungle filled with wild monkeys that will climb all over you for bananas – just make sure you follow the rules and don’t look them in the eyes!
Traveler Game: We learned about what kinds of monkeys were in the forest (infant, infant adult, adult male etc.) and started guessing what each monkey was.
Jungle Swing: An Instagrammer’s dream or a tourist trap? There’s about 12 swings and 9 nests in the jungle with an amazing view of the canyon and waterfall. The only part that sucks are the LINES, we spent about 2 hours there and got to do 2 swings and 1 nest, but we got our picture, and that’s all that matters, right? So if you’re all about the gram, definitely check this place out.
Aling Aling Waterfall Tour: This was the highlight of my Bali experience, we booked the tour through Como Bali Tour. Before the waterfall portion of the tour began, our tour guide took us to the Ulundanu Baratan Temple — sadly, this was the only temple we had time to go to, nonetheless, it was gorgeous. They are strict about dress code so make sure to bring a cover up or buy one there (we definitely got hustled with the price)!
The Aling Aling Waterfall is a idyllic waterfall complex consisting of 7 secret waterfalls. This tour involves some rock climbing and a mini hike to the Blue Lagoon where you do a super small cliff jump into the water. After a little bit of a trek, you arrive at the main waterfalls for water sports like waterfall sliding (SO FUN!) and cliff jumping (25 feet, 40 feet and 60 feet!).
Traveler Tip: Make sure to jump with your feet straight because the impact of the water when hitting your thighs can cause bruising and pain. Our girl, Nisha, got hurt pretty badly, so be careful.
Mt. Batur Sunrise Hike: Once in a lifetime opportunity, we booked this tour through Get Your Guide. The sunrise hike to this iconic, extremely-active volcano was insane – we got picked up at around 2:30 AM and began the hike at 4:00 AM. We reached the top of the mountain at 6:00 AM where we watched the orange and gold rays of the sun bursting from the clouds. It was incredible. The tour guide then cooked us eggs with the volcano’s steam – you actually got to put your hand in random areas of the volcano to feel the heat from the magma. The hike on the way up was pretty challenging, I wouldn’t recommend it to beginner hikers.
Traveler’s Tip: Wear long socks because rocks kept getting in my shoes and socks, bring a blanket or thick jacket for the summit because it is freezing, use sunglasses and a bandana so dust doesn’t get in your eyes and mouth.
Where to Eat:
Laughing Buddha: One of the liveliest spots to enjoy regular live bands that play jazz, rock, fusion, acoustic and world music. The live music paired with awesome drinks and delicious Thai food makes this one of my favorite places to eat in Ubud.
Taco Casa: You can’t help but crave Mexican food when in a foreign country, and Taco Casa did not disappoint! This hot spot is as close as it gets to authentic Mexican food.
Where to Party:
L.O.L. Lounge: A reggae bar with live musicians playing hits by Bob Marley and others – it’s super vibey and a great way to start the night and get some drinks in.
No Mas: Hands down our favorite bar. Think Top 40 hits, live DJ, lounge couches and hookahs.
KUTA
Where to Stay: Ini Vie Villa
Kuta is famous for it’s iconic beaches and nightlife scene – when I say we came here to party and get sunburnt, we aren’t kidding! We stayed at the one bedroom villa with private pool and jacuzzi at Ini Vie Villa in Kuta, this was an amazing location because it was only 20 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes from the famous beaches and clubs in Seminyak.
Where to Eat: KYND
KYND is a delicious 100% plan-based restaurant in Seminyak serving the freshest juices, salads and burgers. The entire venue is filled with motivational quotes and Instagram aesthetics that’ll spread good vibes and energy. Their cocktails are so unique and next door, they have an ice-cream shop that you must try!
Where to Party:
Omnia Bali: Speechless. An all-day party destination perched atop a cliff, 100 meters above the Indian Ocean with the largest infinity pool that spreads across the entire venue. It’s not your regular day club, it’s a bougie daytime leisure venue. We purchased bottles and a day bed near the infinity pool, and honestly, if you have the cash for it, it’s so worth it. It’s chump change compared to getting bottles in Vegas. Carve out a whole day to spend here because trust me, you’ll need it.
Potato Head Beach Club: Potato Head Beach Club is another vibey location that has three restaurants, three bars, an infinity pool and large lawn, overlooking the ocean. Highly recommend purchasing a day bed on the lawn, it was great just laying out there and having a place to keep our stuff. Unfortunately, you can’t reserve a bed ahead of time so I recommend getting their early as it was PACKED. We ate at the Pizza Garden restaurant, it was delicious!
Sky Garden Night Club: While we didn’t have time to check this one out, Sky Garden is one of the top clubs in Bali. There’s 7 floors of non-stop action, the DJ’s are bumping till the wee hours of the morning and the drinks are affordable. If you’re not too exhausted from all the day drinking, you must check this out.
Ayana Rock Bar: Another one we didn’t have time to check out, the Ayana Rock Bar perched atop distinctive rock formations along the sunset coast is one of the globe’s most popular sunset, cocktail and entertainment venues. You must arrive early to watch the sunsets, as the lines start forming around 4 pm.
OFFICIAL BALI VIDEO BELOW:
Hope you enjoyed our BALI GIRLS TRIP! Follow me on Instagram @nehaltenany and check out the my “Bali” highlights story for videos! VLOG COMING SOON! Next up, we’re off to Singapore, blog coming next week! Click the button below to get our whole itinerary 🙂
