Bali Bucket List
Take a deep breath. Bali invites us to think about time and what we sacrifice to the ticking of the seconds and the hands on the clock. We sacrifice it willingly, yet resentfully too. We say, “We have no time!” so readily when time is just a human contrivance after all, and we wither and sigh because that meeting ran over time and what will we ever do with the extra time today? Time demands sacrifices but time cannot sacrifice; time only takes, it can never give. However, we can learn to give of ourselves to time....
Why Bali belongs on your bucket list
It's a tiny town, not ten city blocks from side to side, but it's the kind of place where your neighbors knock on your door with still-warm pumpkin pie, where folks leave their kids at your house because “Little Jimmy had a piano lesson in ten minutes and I damn near killed him last week,” where that nice Mr. Goldstein down the street slips a twenty in your mailbox when you shovel his walk. EIF. M. FORSTER WAS WRONG. “Salad bowl,” my ass. America is a melting pot, now and forever.
When to go
The best time to visit Bali really depends on what you are coming for. If it’s just to escape the cold, we’ll be waiting for you in January and February. The rest of Europe or the U.S. or wherever the hell else is too cold, so you have to come then hahaha the cold losers! If you want to see Bali exactly as that postcard-perfect image you had in your head looks, come in May, June, and September. If you’re on a tight budget, come in February. If you’re a surfer, that fits right with the states, come in between April and October. If you want culture, come in April, July or December though good luck as there will be hordes coming even those months. Our personal favorites, the wildcards, are October and November – that’s when the villa we booked is at snap deal prices and even with a spoonful of helpings of isolation thrown on the plate.
Must-visit places in Bali
Tanah Lot Temple
Definitely one of the most photographed places in the world, the temple almost looks like it’s floating when the tide is high, and it’s about 6,000 times older than Poseidon. While it’s not as popular as Mykonos or Athens 7,800 miles away, the city’s beaches will get packed with legions of tourists. They’ll arrive on boats an hour before sunset, in time for that kajillion-dollar view of the ancient temple in front of the setting sun. Cafes on the cliffs also offer that view, minus the slippery rocks and with a cold Bintang in your hand.
Uluwatu Temple
Located high on a cliff on the southwestern tip of the Bukit Peninsula, perched above the crashing Indian Ocean waves, this temple is blessed with a location as dramatic as they come. Inside a 350-year-old temple, hosts vie fire with the dance and the endless ocean this is the dance of sunset from the very edge of the cliff. With nothing but ocean behind the performers, it is an experience you’ll never forget. Monkeys are notorious Kleptomaniacs with no sense of subtlety some. It’s Sunglasses food and water bottles anything loose, nail clippers. Don’t miss the incredible surf break directly below the temple, one of the best in Bali, and the cliff-side cafes serving fresh-off-the-boats fish.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
These rice terraces look their beautiful best as the sun rises. The light shimmers off the myriad levels of water-filled terraces, each a different hue of green or gold. The best way to experience the rice paddies is to wander on foot between them. Take off those shoes and get your feet wet. Several guided walks are also available and will provide you with some understanding of how the rice fields function. There are coffee shops in every village at the top to fuel up on caffeine in the morning.
Sacred Monkey Forest
Picture yourself surrounded by old, tall green trees, some of the tallest trees in the world, exotic birds flying overhead, their calls mixing with the crashing waves and the sounds of the tiny streams running through the valley. Humidity strikes you as soon as you step out of the car, and you are instantly soaked. This is a rainforest from the beginning of time itself, and you can feel its oldness and majesty all around you, in the towering trees, and the twisted roots you walk past. Monkeys run wild and in strong family groups, and you feel their eyes on you as they watch you progress down the path. Be careful, they are known to snatch anything loose you are carrying. The forest is massive and you can easily get off by yourself if you keep hiking past the popular sites.
Tirta Empul
Bali and its visitors have been cleansing themselves of impurities through the melukat ceremony for over one thousand years, using the spiritual waters of sacred fountains. If you approach this with sincerity instead of just being a tourist, it can be quite a powerful emotional experience. Don't be shy about participating. Wear a sarong (which will be provided for you), listen for instructions, and walk through the fountains in the correct order.
Seminyak
Seminyak is the Beverly Hills of Bali. It has the fancy beach clubs, shopping, and restaurants that you’d find in somewhere like Melbourne or LA. If you want to enjoy a sunset drink, Potato Head Beach Club is the place to do it. Get there midafternoon if you want to rent a bed, they fill up quickly! The best restaurants on the island are conveniently lined up in a row on Jalan Laksmana (Eat Street). But despite all of this, you’ll find flower offerings sprinkled all over the streets and traffic will come to a standstill as people march across the roads in ceremonies. Bali constantly reminds you to take notice.
Canggu
Canggu is where you will find people with a penchant for surfing and a rather bohemian lifestyle. Over here, you will also find a myriad of cafes that double up as co-working spaces. Among the numerous surf spots in Bali, if you find Echo Beach calling out to you, head to Canggu. This spot is relatively less crowded and hence is said to be best for surfers at an intermediate level. Rice paddies in relentless rows are another sight that adds natural beauty to Canggu. Lastly, the music combined with the pool party at Finns Beach Club is sensational.
Lempuyang Temple
Yes, we've all seen that impossible-seeming photos circulating on social media. But, guess what? They aren't quite as impossible as you'd expect either. The dividing wall exists only in your Instagram feed and this image snapped on an iPhone but with no funny business and no fear of being cleaved from head to toe should your traipse through it. Still, the half gate optical illusion (however you want to portray it) is one of the most intriguing shots of Bali's Lempuyang Temple.
Nusa Penida
Only a 45-minute fast boat ride away from Bali and you might as well be on Mars. Kelingking Beach, or T-Rex cliff as you probably know it, has been the beach blowing up everyone's Instagram feeds but cry-to-sleep-in-your-sleep manta ray snorkeling at Manta Point is just as good. Swear. Angel's Billabong is a natural infinity pool perched right on the edge of a cliff and looks exactly like the kind of thing you'd see in Lord of the Rings. The pot-holed, extremely steep roads are not for the faint-hearted so just bite the bullet and hire a driver. Don't even try to drive them yourself. A day trip is enough to cover all the highlights but stay one night and you'll also get to experience the raw, otherworldly vibes of the island. It's what you hit for but what you'll remember forever.
Padang Padang Beach
You'll exit the passage between the cliffs and find a tiny beach made of white sand, with limestone caves and jungle on either side. This beach is rumored to have been one of the film locations in Eat Pray Love. It's stunning, postcard-perfect beautiful. Nice for a swim, good for beginner surfers. And small. Be here after breakfast, and you'll have to fight for a spot in the water. Wanna practice your sun salutations in the sand? Start your day in downward dog. Climb a strangely fortified stairwell through a cave in the rock face to reach hippie heaven and cold Bintangs. Sit on your cushion and watch the sea spray. What more could you ask for?
Bali insider tips
- Scooter rental: Rent a scooter for 50,000-75,000 IDR per day. It's the most convenient way to explore the island in your own time. Always wear a helmet. Make sure you have an international driving permit with you. Be prepared for driving defensively, you will not understand how the locals drive for the first three days. If you don't feel confident driving a scooter, hire a driver for the day (400,000-600,000 IDR). No worries.
- Temple dress code: You need to wear a sarong and sash to enter any temple. While most temples will provide them for you, it is better to carry your own as it will save you time waiting in line at the rental. Just pack it in your bag.
- Offerings: Those small palm-leaf trays containing flowers (canang sari) which you commonly notice on the sidewalk? Yes, they are holy. Just avoid stepping on them. Don’t try to move them. And don’t haphazardly push them out of your way. Walk past them. Every time.
- Bargaining: Initial prices are often set 3-5 times higher than the actual value. You haggle that down to 70%, and they quote up to meet halfway at 30%. Everyone knows it. No one's upset about it.
- Cash: Smaller local stores and warungs do not accept credit cards. While ATMs are scattered all over the tourist areas, they are not so common once you get off the beaten track in Bali. Also, try to keep some small change on you. Asking to change a 100,000 IDR note at a tiny local warung will make you feel embarrassed and the shop owner annoyed.
Save your Bali bucket list
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