Hello,
Welcome to November 3rd Week.
This week we will give the list Things To Do In Bali special for NOVEMBER SERIES,
according to Discover Your Indonesia.
Hope you like, enjoy and find inspiration.
Though Indonesia is not only Bali (Bali is part, an island and a province, of Indonesia. It’s not like Bali is a country and Indonesia is another one…), but can’t be denied that for first timers to Indonesia, Bali is always on the list. Even if it’s for just two days.
Deciding on what to do or see in Bali can be a bit frustrating. Easy tips: specify clearly what you like most and how much time you have in Bali. If you organise yourself well you can do a lot in one week.
After an article about things to do in Jakarta and things to do in Yogyakarta, now I want to share with you about things to do in Bali. I hope a compilation about things to do in Bali will be useful for first timers. Bali island, the area you can explore is extensive, around 2,232 sq miles (5,780 km²). In fact, there is more to Bali than just the main island. You can even explore places like Lembongan Island, which is one of those must visit destinations that I managed to tick off my bucket list. So happy about it and Lembongan is awesome! Feel free to check out my articles on Nusa Lembongan here, here and here.
So here they are in no particular order, things to do and see in Bali. I’ve done most of it by myself and had a lovely helping hand from other fellow Indonesian blogger for no. 11. Check out what activities that I personally recommend to you as a first timer in Bali.
1. Visit Pura Ulun Danu – Tabanan
Super touristy? Yup.. no doubt about it. Though this place is one of the most touristy places in Bali, and probably one of the most photographed spots in Bali, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan is a very beautiful place to visit. However it doesn’t take long to explore. You can wander around the complex of Pura Ulun Danu Beratan in less than 10 minutes if you want to be quick, but a more peaceful stroll is a better way to enjoy the templest grounds.
Ticket for the entrance is Rp. 10,000 per person. You can explore Pura Beratan area, the lake and of course the temple in the middle of the lake Beratan. Don’t be surprised when you see a Buddhist temple in the complex.
2. Diving in Tulamben
There are so many places to dive in Bali. One place that was quite special for me, and I think is a great dive site to check out, is Tulamben. The most special thing about Tulamben is you can see a shipwreck that is only 10-15 meters away from the beach. If you don’t want to go diving you can always snorkel and do a bit of free diving.
Though Tulamben is famous for its shipwreck site and the big fish (plus one giant barracuda), if you dive deeper than 25 meters, you can see a decent amount of macro creatures especially nudibranchs. Other dive spot that is also worth visiting is Nusa Penida where at certain times, you can (potentially) dive with Mola-Mola/ocean sunfish. Manta point in Nusa Penida is also an awesome dive spot! You can dive with lots of manta rays.
3. Climb mount Batur (or/and mount Agung)
You can climb two mountains in Bali; mount Batur and mount Agung. People usually hike the mountains just before dawn so you can see the sunrise from the peak. Yup.. Bali isn’t always about beaches! Though I never climbed mount Agung, from reading some sources online, it appears to be more challenging to climb than mount Batur. I considered the climb up mount Batur to be relatively easy – medium trekking.
I started trekking from Mount Batur basecamp around 3.30 am or 4 am and reached the summit around sunrise time. The view on the way up is amazing. If you fancy to do some exercise and hike a mountain during your holiday, check this post for full guidance that I’ve written for Indohoy.com on preparing your Mount Batur hiking. This article, by travelfish, on climbing Mount Agung is also useful.
4. Visit and wander the Tegalalang rice terrace
So many rice fields in Bali, well.. I should revise my statement. So many rice fields in Indonesia. That is true! One of the most beautiful rice fields that I ever saw are the rice terraces at Tegalalang. You can easily spot the Tagelalang rice terrace if you are travelling from Ubud to Kintamani area. It is located on the right side of the road.
There are several cafes and restaurants (and also stores) where you can have a seat, relax and enjoy the view accompanied by a cup of tea or coffee. You can also walk around the rice terraces if you feel like it.
5. Do an organic food / drinks hopping in Ubud
Do you do yoga? Of course you probably have Ubud on your list of places to visit in Bali. Btw feel free to check here for things you can do in Ubud. Do you have a healthy lifestyle and love organic food? Two of my favourite places to eat in Ubud until now are KAFE and Alchemy. The reason is simple; both restaurants offer tasty food and great service and all at a fair price. Check here if you want to know the ultimate list of Organic Vegetarian Restaurants in Ubud by Ivana of Nomad is Beautiful.
Out of all the organic vegetarian restaurants you can find around Ubud, I would also like to highlight Seniman cafe. You should definitely check it out if you happen to visit Ubud. I love Seniman cafe for their coffee and their creativity in almost everything. Pay attention to the way they serve the coffee at your table and the funky rocking chairs.
6. Swimming with Manta in Manta point, Nusa Penida
Despite the fact I got super seasick while swimming at Manta Point in Nusa Dua (I probably puked more than five times, yes yuck!), swim with manta rays was a great experience. Manta rays swim very bold and gently. They weren’t affected by the currents at all. Sadly, besides swimming with the manta rays, I also swam with a lot of plastics debris.
Speaking with some locals in Lembongan I learnt that the plastics around manta point is pushed their by the currents (the plastic originates from the Bali mainland). That is one of the reasons that we should reduce the amount of plastics that we are using.
7. Shopping!
You name it, accessories, clothes, art pieces, even furniture, you can get it! There are many stores in Bali, especially around Kuta, Legian and Seminyak. My favourite place to do some window shopping (and eventually shopping too!) is Ubud. You’ll find a lot of shops along Hanoman and Monkey Forest road, Ubud. There are also several furniture workshops and stores in and around Ubud. They are mostly created from vintage or recycled materials.
Speaking about accessories, I would like to mention to you Jewel Rocks. This shop is an Indonesian brand that produces beautiful jewelry, perhaps not your style, which is definitely my style. The pieces of jewellery Jewel Rocks produces are unique, funky and simple at the same time (can I also say a bit hippie like). Find Jewel Rocks at Petitenget No.1 A, North Kuta. And no… I don’t have relation with this store, but I just love the design and the spirit behind it.
Oh guys, Poppies Lane are perhaps the best place to get your Bintang t-shirts if that is what you are after!
8. Visit waterfall – I like Sekumpul
There are so many waterfalls in Bali. One of the most famous and pretty is Gitgit waterfall, but I have never been there so I’ll not go on talking about it. Sekumpul waterfall near Sudaji village at north part of Bali is a pretty waterfall though. It is not actually a waterfall, but several waterfalls. I think it might be more than 3 waterfalls all cascading over the edge of a cliff into a deep valley.
Trekking to Sekumpul waterfall isn’t that hard and perhaps you need one hour in total. The view around the waterfalls is really pleasant, which totally made it a very enjoyable trek. If only I brought extra clothes, I would definitely have taken a dip in the pool which where the water falls.
9. Visit Tirta Gangga the water palace – Karangasem.
Tirta Gangga is probably my favourite place to spend the day in Bali. I always think that there is something special about this place. Not sure if it is the water, the koi fishes, the plants/garden, the sculptures or a combination of everything really. Tirta Gangga water palace is just a very peaceful and serene place to relax. You’ll love it! Oh, and you can swim there too.
10. Take a bath at a hot spring
Though soaking in a hot spring in a tropical country might not sound a very exciting thing to do, taking a bath at Banjar Hot Spring in Singaraja is a great experience. Besides the fact it feels so amazing to have your back massaged by the hot water flows, it is also interesting to see locals enjoying the hot spring. While some of them play in the water, others actually pray.
11. Eat at nice restaurants! So many of them!
There are so many nice restaurants in Bali. Way too many! It is like every week a new one pops up. This is especially the case around Seminyak. Realizing that I am quite bad at trying new restaurants/cafes, I tend to stick to one resto/cafe if I like them.
12. Mangrove tour on Lembongan island
The mangrove tour, or exploring the mangrove forest with a traditional boat in Lembongan Island, is one of the great experiences that I had in Bali. I never thought that exploring a mangrove forest can be so peaceful. The water was silent, still, the boat moved slowly and the green mangroves surrounded us.
The mangrove tour ends in the open sea, but no worries the water still remain calm. I do imagine that perhaps you can customize the boat with some kind of flat stage where people can sit in a lotus position and meditate. Inner peace!
13. Do a lot of water sports!
Bali has a lot of beaches (well surrounded by beaches for sure!) There are so many water sports that you can do while you’re on the island. Yes A LOT! Canoeing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, fishing, jet skiing, canyoning, kayaking, rafting, surfing, kite surfing, or even stand up paddle surfing! I just tried that last one, and it wasn’t easy. One full day doing various kind of watersports can be such an enjoyable day!
14. Go explore Nusa Ceningan and stay there for one day (or more if you want to!)
Nusa Ceningan is a small island off of the mainland that can be reached from Nusa Lembongan by crossing a small bridge. A lot of people say that not much happens on Nusa Ceningan and people only go there for the Blue Lagoon cliff jump.
From my super short visit to Nusa Ceningan, I managed to soak in the chilled and relaxed atmosphere of Bali. I toured the Blue Lagoon and the seaweed farm, which was great, and met lots of friendly locals. I also discovered Le Pirate beach club, a super nice place to stay in Ceningan.
15. Enjoy sunset by the beach(s)
I shouldn’t say much about this. Sunset by the beach is super romantic and definitely you shouldn’t miss the chance. Stroll around, jog, sit on the sand or the bean bags at a beach club, it really doesn’t matter. I promise you’re guaranteed to enjoy yourself.
Or sunrise? 🙂
About the Author
Firsta
A proud Indonesian who loves adventure, nature and everything fluffy in between. She likes to explore places, meet new people and improve her photography skills.
Things To Do In Bali Collection :
Things To Do In Bali
Things To Do In Bali Part 2
Things To Do In Bali Part 3
Things To Do In Bali Part 4
Things To Do In Bali Week 1
Things To Do In Bali Week 2
Things To Do In Bali November Series
Things To Do In Bali November Series 2
See You Next Week…
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