Bali Travel guide
Getting around
Don't get a driver, get a scooter. A lot of people told me to get a driver for my whole trip and I'm so glad I didn't listen. I hate having people waiting on me or waiting on people. Personal preference but this is my guide so take it with a grain of salt as these are my personal opinions. When I travel I want to feel free. Getting a scooter gives you FREEDOM. If you don't feel comfortable driving the scooter id recommend downloading Gojek or Grab. Gojek and Grab are the equivalent to Uber but you are riding on the back of the driver's scooter. On nights I didn't want to ride my own scooter I got Gojeks. They are around $.50 to $1 per ride. If you are taking longer trips with your bags they also have cars you request for on the app. Another cool thing about the app is they do food delivery like uber eats. If you're traveling for a while there will be nights you just don't want to leave your spot and you can gojek yourself some bomb food right to your airbnb or hotel.
The water bottles along the sides of the road full of blue and green stuff is gas. Stop wherever to fill up your scooter! They'll do it for you. Just make sure you have cash
Packing
Basically bring nothing and shop there. I didn't believe anyone when they told me this and I wish I had. I hardly wore anything I brought besides my yoga clothes. The shopping in Bali is amazing, extremely affordable, and all of my favorite pieces i own were the items i bought while there. Save yourself the space in your suitcase. Bring a duffle and suitcase. There are certain places you may go where you dont want your big bag but just a couple things and all homestays and hotels will usually hold your big bag for a couple days while you just bring your duffle to the hard to reach spots.
Yoga mat
No need to bring your own mat, every studio already has mats laid out and they are good quality. I have an attachment to my mat, so I brought it anyway but it was kind of a pain. Save yourself from shleping it everywhere you go.
Ubud
I stayed right outside of the city center on the rice terraces and loved it. If I didn't have a scooter, it would have been a pain in the ass. I’d highly recommend having a scooter here. The traffic is chaotic, but it works and you are capable, just be careful. Ask the place you are staying and they will get one for you. Having a scooter makes all the waterfalls, hikes, yoga studios and restaurants easy to get to. Ubud is the most chaotic place I went to in all of Bali. Ubud IS the feminine: chaotic, yet peaceful, wet, sticky, dark, light, heavy, beautiful, wild, and so alive. The energy in Ubud holds you as it brings up every emotion and anything you haven't faced. I noticed this and i had a lot of people tell this to me as well. Its a strong energy there. The weather here is chaotic and comes in spurts. I had someone tell me they don't check the weather app because it's never right and no one ever knows what will happen next. It'll pour rain for 5 minutes then be sunny then rain again. I like to think of the weather patterns here as emotions that cant be controlled but need to be surrendered to. Surrender to it. You can't plan around the weather here, if you try you'll be disappointed. The more you embrace its chaos the more beautiful it becomes.
Ubud tips
The massages are the cheapest in Ubud and amazing. I got one everyday. They are about $5-$6 for an hour. Also when you go into any of the massage places they do hair masks that are amazing! None of the places in Bali have conditioner in the shower so i went to get a hair mask every week to keep my hair healthy and soft! They also blow it out for you if you want which is nice.
By the monkey forest is the best place to stay thats central, the best area to walk around, and the best restaurants
Get a robe but not the first one you see. Ubud is the freaking robe capital! Almost every shop has the most beautiful silk robes. I thought theyd be all around bali, and they arent. So get your robe while in ubud.
The iconic bali swing pic is in ubud. There's a couple swing spots over rice terraces. It’s a scene, and one of the more expensive activities. You show up, and there is a whole dress rental area where you rent a ball gown flowy dress and an optional flower crown. There are about 9 swing photo ops. For each one you want to do you get in line and they have a photographer directing you and taking your photo which you get at the end. I wanted mine on my own camera so I could get the RAW size files for editing and they were happy to help by doing that as well. It feels like bridgerton in the jungle and is probably one of the funniest things ive ever experienced.
There are a TON of amazing spiritual workshops everyday in Ubud, take full advantage. Look at Yoga Barn, and Radiantly alives websites to plan into your time there. They are really powerful. The workshops and knowledge thats so available to just soak up was my favorite part of Ubud. I could stay there for months just learning and taking different courses.
Linked the places I stayed in Ubud
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21358704?source_impression_id=p3_1689186615_yf%2BAN0BVwvxhZhi9
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/41213343?source_impression_id=p3_1689186660_K2gAd2GOK0HFdvEH
Ubud Food
Zest: Dont walk, run! Best meal i had the entire time i was in Bali. It is a cafe and restaurant. All vegan and gluten free. The flavor combos, textures, quality, atmosphere, its unparalleled. I went here for dinner and lunch. Also a great place to pull out your laptop and work or journal. They have so many tarot decks as well if you want to give yourself a couple readings.
Suka espresso: A great place to work and get a yummy healthy breakfast, or lunch. Great smoothies but lets be real, everyplace in Bali has iconic smoothies.
Batu Bara: This steak house is incredible. They bring out all the cuts and cook infront of you! The desserts and appetizers were also amazing. This spot is a little more upscale and a little pricey but still way cheaper than in the US. Worth it if youre craving meat and a glass of red wine.
Clear Cafe: The vibes here are immaculate. There's a pole you can slide from one level to the next. The food is all local and pescatarian. They also have a great raw menu if that's your ish.
Yoga studios
Yoga Barn: its a compound! You have to go here. There are a variety of classes every hour, multiple studios, a shop, a spa, and a cafe! Everything at Yoga Barn is more expensive but its worth the experience. They also have amazing ecstatic dance twice a week and workshops throughout the day. You could really spend a entire day or week here and not get bored. It has it all.
Radiantly Alive: Great yoga classes, 3 yoga decks, and a cafe. I loved the classes here. Also tons of great workshops daily.
Canggu
Canggu is the most livable place, a foodie haven, great shopping, fun bars and clubs, surf, a ton of great gyms and yoga studios, and beaches. The energy here is light, fun, and playful. If you want to get your lashes or hair done, Canggu is full of great spots as well! I would say the beaches aren't the prettiest but the vibes are immaculate. There is always something going on in Canggu. The streets here are wider and easier to navigate. Canggu has central areas and more of a multi neighborhood vibe. Most people that move to Bali end up living in Canggu so it's full of expaths from Australia and Russia. The few times I landed back in Canggu I felt like it was really easy to just do all the things I wanted to do for myself like workout, find good food, meet people, shop, go out to socialize and find good working coffee shops. The crowd here is also a little younger and people are looking to party.
Places I stayed
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/615400138292531744?source_impression_id=p3_1689190663_zgXCDA0nOGVJNOyd
Canggu tips
There are 2 rivers that run through the city making it so to get to someplace that looks close you have to go pretty far out of the way over the channel. Would not recommend walking.
Surf lessons are all around and these are really great waves for beginners
If you want fine line tattoos Canggu is full of places that specialize in this
The gyms here are NYC prices on day or week passes but so worth it for the facilities and social interactions with other people that are into fitness and wellness. People are really friendly
The food is so incredible and theres a surplus of incredible restaurants so plan your meals and make reservations. Canggu is the only place i went in Bali where a lot of the good restaurants you need a reservation which you can make on their website.
Food
Shelter: Mediterranean food thats extremely unique and flavorful. Every dish looks beautiful and makes my taste buds very happy. They season everything perfectly and the way each dish complements each other was phenomenal. You really cant go wrong with any dish. Best ambiance of any place i went for dinner. I would recommend this place for a special occasion as it is higher end. I ordered 8 dishes on the menu and stayed for a couple hours soaking it in. Make sure to make reservations the day before as it does fill up. Great cocktails as well! A little on the other side of town from the main area as well.
Yuki: Beachfront modern Japanese restaurant that is on the pricier side. The cocktails here are out of this world! Id highly recommend trying the Off to Tokyo drink that is savory and delicious. The sushi is extremely fresh! Everything I had here was top notch. You can also lay on daybeds while you eat which is a vibe.
Almas: This tapa bar will have your mouth watering. Spanish tapas in a intimate setting with a romantic ambiance. Food is amazing! We got a couple dishes and my favorite was the FILETE AL CHIMICURRI.
Penny Lane: Very aesthetic with a variety of dishes. I got the Gnocchi and it was really good. Their Espresso martini is also fuego. This is right in the shopping main area.
Breakfast/lunch Cafes
Kynd: All vegan really photogenic spot! The food is good, the smoothies are incredible and layered, they also serve ceremonial cacao with a cute little card and its a vibe. Get the infused water! Really great cookies as well. This place is all pink and white and they make sure all their dishes look right off of IG.
Canngu Superfoods: A variety of healthy options as well as a salad bar where you can create your own salad or bowl. I wasnt a fan of the smoothie i got here but everything else was good.
Avocado Factory: Delicious breakfast! Everything has avocado on it or in it.
Gyms and Yoga
The Body Factory: This is an influencer hub that you may of heard about before. Thats why they charge so much, its really been hyped up. However, the real hype about this place is the recovery area. The gym has all the equipment you need, there are classes, its clean, and has showers. I was taken back by the price for a day or week pass which was more than the cost of my airbnb for the night. The hype is over the recovery area which is out of this world. It has multiple cold plunges, hot tubs, mid temp pools, a huge sauna, a cafe, and a pool area. Its a social scene and everyone is connecting which is really awesome. You could easily spend an entire day here.
Obsidian: A little less expensive and has all the equipment you need!
The practice: This studio has a strong community feel with a lot of cool kundalini, yin, breathwork, and slower hatha style classes.
Radiantly alive: This yoga deck is above a cowork space so it is a little harder to find. Its right next to Body Factory. The studio is on the top floor and overlooks canggu in a epic bamboo roof structure.
Bars and Clubs
Finns: This place honestly feels like a vegas pool party if thats your vibe, this is your place. Its right on the beach, theres a gift shop when you walk in, multiple djs, daybeds in the pool, bars you swim up to, and lots of hang and dancing areas. Id recommend if youre going to go here to go for sunset, thats the peak time for a good time. The crowd here is young 20’s.
Old Mans: Go here on Wednesday nights! That's when it's the most fun and packed. It's right on the beach, the DJ when I was there was really good and everyone's dancing. Drinks are cheap as well! This is more of a dive bar vibe.
Uluwatu
This dreamy peninsula has some of the most beautiful beaches ive ever seen, great surf, chill cafes, epic sunsets, good yoga and a lot of really attractive people everyplace you look. There are a lot of surfers here and at times i felt like i was in Australia or southern california. Uluwatu is also more expensive then anyplace else in Bali due to its iconic beaches and waves. The monkeys here are by the beach and a little more aggressive then other monkeys i encountered so hold onto your items and dont eat food around them.
Uluwatu Tips
Uluwatu is a big area thats really spread out without a central walking area so having a scooter is essential here. I tried to walk someplace one day and 5 people stopped me asking if i was okay and needed a ride. There arent sidewalks and its windy roads so get a gojek or scooter.
Surf here! Its the spot
A lot of the beaches are at the bottom of cliffs so there are alot of stairs and youll get in great shape.
If you stay at any of the beachfront places, ask for help with your bags, or leave your bags someplace else and just bring a backpack. Watching people carry bags up and down those steep stairs is very impressive.
There is a thing at a lot of places in Uluwatu where they have a no screen policy so if you plan on working ask before you sit down unless its a cafe.
Bingin beach is my favorite area to stay
Stay close to the beach, its worth it
Uluwatu is quite and calm
Places I stayed
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/26905826?source_impression_id=p3_1689193956_MXHkJj6mvXQ2dJOb
https://dreamseasurfcamp.com/bali/
My favorite beaches
Dreamland: I love this beach because its easy to get to (no stairs), beautiful, great waves, white sand, clear water, areas where its easy to get in and swim without getting smashed by waves, and there are women going around that will give you massages on the beach. If you want one make sure you stay by the chairs that are for purchase. The chairs are 100,000IDR and worth it if youre spending the whole day, if you want to just bring something to lay on its free but make sure youre by the chairs cause thats where the massage people walk around.
Padang Padang: This beautiful beach is smaller and has sea stacks and coves which are really beautiful. This is a really good beach for photos. There are a lot of monkeys at this beach
Bingin: Bingin beach is down a big flight of 178 stairs (i counted). Staying on this cliff is iconic and if you can find an airbnb id highly recommend. My favorite place i stayed my entire trip was here and ill link it above. There are a couple restaurants and bars along the beach. Kellys warung is really yummy. The actual beach is rock and reef without much sand but its nice because there are wade pools you can swim in easily and no waves right on the shore.
Food
Alchemy: I went here everyday for almost 3 weeks. This place is vegan and i cant rave about it enough. Its a spacious open air area with couches and tables great for working. You have to get the pizza, its gluten free and vegan, probably the best vegan cheez ive ever had. Also the smoothies here were my favorite of the whole trip! The menu is vast. There is also a huge selection of desserts! And a wellness shop with lots of healthy items like nut butters, seeds, and other healthy kitchen essentials and snacks.
Drifter: This old school surf cafe and shop gives major 70s energy. There is a great book shop inside with a great selection. The eating area is outside in the back. This is also a really chill spot to journal or work. I mainly got breakfast things here that were all good but they have a full menu.
Gooseberry: This lingerie company has a steakhouse and hotel in Uluwatu that is pretty well known. The pool is beautiful. It is very posh. I would recommend wearing something nice when going here. Its on the pricier end for Bali but still reasonable. The food was great! The actual boutique i was underwhelmed with as it was only 2 racks. This is one of those no laptop spots after 11am so dont plan on working here.
Ours: Great dinner! Menu had a lot of variety and was really fresh.
Nourish: There are a couple of these around uluwatu. Super laid back and the food is bomb. Good spot for lunch.
The Cashew Tree: I loved everything I ate here. It's a scene on Wednesday nights with live music. They also have a ton of vegan ice cream options! Good breakfast or lunch spot.
Kellys Warung: If you stay at bingin beach and dont want to go up and down the stairs unnecessarily this place is really yummy! They only take cash.
Mana: Great breakfast or dinner spot overlooking the ocean.
Bars and clubs
Single finns: Best spot for sunset! On Sundays this is the spot, theres live music, drinks, and good food!
Savaya: This is CLUB. Its outdoors overlooking the ocean. Savaya is really modern, clean, expensive, and a lot of big name artists perform here. During the day its a pool party vibe and at night people change into nicer attire. The food and cocktails here are honestly amazing, and on the pricer end. The vibes here are rich party techno people.
Ulu Cliff house: I love this venue. Its overlooking the ocean, multiple bars, a stage, and really laid back vibes. Its a bit of a walk in from the street. A great place for sunset as well! The crowd here is indie Australian surfer vibes. A lot of great artists perform here as well. If you can, I'd recommend seeing a show here.
Gym and yoga
The space: I love this yoga studio. It is indoor, glass doors, bamboo structures, and there's also a cafe. The schedule is full of yoga, workshops, and community events, and networking opportunities. If you can go to one of the Kundalini activations or community kirtans. There's a really cute clothing shop right by the check in area as well.
Bambuu Gym: This is the gym i went to while in Ulu. It is right in Bingin beach so was the closest to where i was staying. There are group lifting classes during the day. The actual equipment area is pretty limited and there arent locker rooms so you carry your things around with you. But it is aethetic and gets the job done.
Muscle beach gym: I loved this gym because it has everything you need and multiple lifting, cardio, and stretch rooms. However its kind of inland and out of the way. They do a 2 days for the cost of 1 for your first time which is nice.
Bali Training Center: Great hitt and group fitness classes! Everyone seems to goes here. Classes are extremely challenging. Its the first spot youll hear about when you look up fitness in Uluwatu