BALI TRAVEL GUIDE - SOUTH
If you are looking for affordable or even romantic getaway, your best bet is definitely Bali. The peak season for bali is around July and August so if you don't want your photos to be repeatedly bombarded by photobombers, you may want to reconsider your travelling date.
I had been to Bali several times and it is always magical to me. Frankly speaking, I can never seem to get bored of this place. This island has always sent me in awe, awe by the nature and how spectacular it can be. There is no public transport in Bali so do check out discovercars.com below to compare for the cheapest rates available.
Brief introduction to Bali...
Bali is a part of Indonesia predominantly populated by Balinese and the only place where Muslims is considered minority. Most Balinese are Hindus and not Muslim, and that is why Bali is the only place in Indonesia you get to buy beer (YAY!!). It is difficult to differentiate them apart because they do not have any distinctive features or skin tone. Their first language is still Bahasa Melayu even though you can occasionally catch Balinese communicating in Balinese language.
TIP: Do bring your sunscreen as bali can be hot starting as early at 10am.
SOUTH BALI
South Bali is a more developed area of Bali and that being said, that is also the place where we see a lot tourists.
1. GWK Cultural Park
GWK is simply an acronym for Garuda Wisnu and Kencana, which also represent the various Hindu Gods. As the name suggest, not only will you be able to learn about the culture, you will also be able to enjoy a nice stroll in the park itself. The different God Statues are positioned quite some distance from each other. The good news here is that the park does provide e-scooter, bicycle or even shuttle service within the park at a small fee. Do check out their official site before you plan your journey as they have events occasionally.
If you do have some time, we recommend that you visit this park as you get the chance to watch their cultural dance and understand the roots of their belief. Afterall it's also something different aside from temples.
OPENS: 08:00 to 22:00 Daily
ENTRANCE FEE: IDR 125,000 for adult, IDR 100,000 for child
INSIDE GWK Statue: IDR 200,000 each person
2. Uluwatu Temple (Temple by the Cliff)
BEWARE OF THE MONKEYS HERE. We cannot stop emphasising how mischievous the monkeys here are. Keep a distance from the monkey or you may ended up having your phone and sunglasses snatched away. The locals also steer away from the monkeys as there are chances that they could be infected with rabies.
Monkey businesses aside, uluwatu temple is well-known for sunset watch. I had witnessed multiple beautiful sunsets for all the times I was there. Simultaneously, there is a Kecak Dance performance in the evening at 18:00 (6PM) and you are required to purchase the free-seating ticket to watch. Needless to say, visitors will begin to stream in in the evening so be there earlier to buy the tickets as well as to explore the place.
WARNING: At the elevated seating area, you may get carried away by the spectacular sunset view. *Sunset is our nemesis...* 😍😍
OPENS: 09:00 to 18:00 daily for visitor. 24 hours for Balinese prayers
ENTRANCE FEE: IDR 50,000 for adult, IDR 30,000 for child
Kecak Dance Ticket: IDR 100,000 per person
3. Taman Ayun Temple
Taman Ayun simply means Beautiful Garden. Upon arrival, you are welcomed by the ponds surrounding the garden. An entrance fee is payable for each visit. Visitors who are not in appropriate attire will be required to wear a sarong down from the waist to keep those flashy legs off sight. 👀😅
The king of district Mengwi used to live here as a Royal Palace. Perhaps with the passing of time everyone, including the king and the royalties, prefers the convenience of modern days. The king still do visit Taman Ayun occasionally for prayers or events which is restricted to tourists. Plan your visit in the morning as it gets more crowded as the day passes.
OPENS: 08:00 to 18:00 daily for visitor. 24 hours for Balinese prayers
ENTRANCE FEE: IDR 30,000 per person
4. Tanah Lot
What is Bali without Uluwatu Temple and Tanah Lot? I would say that you probably haven't fully experienced the wonders of Bali nature before.
Tanah Lot also means Floating Island and that is observed during the high tides. The sea had eroded the connecting land hence during the high tides, Tanah Lot temple looks like it is floating in the middle of the sea. If you are there in the afternoon you can actually cross over to the temple. The tide will begin to rise approaching the sunset and that is when the sea waves will start to flood the connecting road to the island. We recommend you be there before 6pm to explore the place.
There is also a cave in the area where you pay a small fee to see a snake that lived for 500 years. It is said to be the protector of the cave. The snake never grew in size and is believed that it is a mythical creature. There is a staff to watch over it so do not worry, and the size of the snake makes it far less intimidating.
OPENS: 07:00 to 19:00 daily
ENTRANCE FEE: IDR 60,000 for adult, IDR 30,000 for child
Suggested Bali Itinerary
Day 1:
- Lunch
- GWK Cultural Park
- Uluwatu Temple/Temple by the Cliff
- Dinner
Day 2:
- Taman Ayun Temple
- Lunch
- Jatiluwih Rice Terrace
- Tanah Lot
- Dinner
Do check out our recommended Bali food post here. It is a relative short list but hey, we only recommend what we believe is good.
ACCOMODATION RECOMMENDATION
BUDGET
Apart from great locality to Kuta beach, shopping, restaurants and convenience store in the vicinity, this hotel has a variety of both classic and quirky themes for their rooms. Staff are friendly, comfortable room and definitely value for money.
Average score 9.0/10 on Agoda.com
Friendly and helpful staff, clean and comfortable room with basic amenities in the walking vicinity. Great location and value for money. It is especially ideal for solo travellers and couple.
Average score of 8.7 on Agoda.com
AFFORDABLE
Located away from the hustle and bustle of the city and yet a short 5 mins walk to restaurants and amenities etc. Staff are friendly and they do provide shuttle services. Ideal for couples, group travellers, families or even business traveller as they have library/business area. Wide variety of breakfast options and facilities.
Average score 9.3/10 on Agoda.com
This is one of the highly sought after accomodation in Bali. What is more appealing than having a PRIVATE BEACH?! 24hours front desk also means convenient check in at any timing. Exceptional location close to Discovery mall and Airport. You can even dine at the Sands restaurant and watch the sunset concurrently.
Check out this exceptional place with an average score of 9.1/10 at Agoda.com
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