My 4 Day Trip to Bali

I have always seen travel channels feature this amazing island. A few months ago, my sister and I  finally decided to book a trip here. From the Philippines, I think i paid $400+ for the plane ticket and hotel stay through a travel website. The tours are separated, and i recommend looking at brochures/booklets from the airport for a suitable tour company for you.

 I picked a hotel in Kuta, Bali because it was the tourist destination of the island. If you prefer more quiet or more countryside, try looking at hotels in Ubud or Seminyak. Our hotel is located in the main street in Kuta named JL Legian where all the nightclubs, souvenir shops and restaurants are located. (wasn't able to take a photo because I didn't bring my phone whenever I walk in the streets)

On our first day, we visited the famous Uluwatu Temple.

During sunset every day, a group of dancers do what they call the Kecak Fire Dance here.  It's a Balinese dance where a group of half-naked guys chant "kecak" as actors portray a story of epic battle from the Ramayana (sanskrit poem).  My sister and I were very amused and really enjoyed the performance. I wasn't sure, but i think you have to pay to see this. Also, you have to wear sarong (fabric wrapped around the waist) when you enter the temples.

We ended our first day having a candlelight dinner at Jimbaran Beach where we had seafood which I wasn't a big fan of (sorry!), headed to the hotel and rested.

The next day, we wanted to see the real beauty of Bali so we visited Ubud, Bali which was regarded as the cultural center of the island. The drive to go here takes hours, and most tour companies provide you with a private driver that will drive you all around the island.

We did a waterfall hike to Tegenungan Falls. It was so beautiful. According to our driver, there are many waterfalls in this island to explore. Too bad, we were only able to go to one. After the hike, our driver drove us for lunch buffet at a restaurant overlooking Batur Volcano.

Then we went to the Monkey Forest in Ubud and played with  little monkeys. 

We then visited the temple that most Bali postcard feature: the Pura Tanah Lot. It is a temple that sits on a large offshore rock and has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. 

We didn't really get to have a closer photo because there were just too many tourists in the area. After that long day driving around the island, we had dinner in one of the restaurants at JL Legian in Kuta.

We spent the third day going to Nusa Dua Beach to try water sports. We  went rode a glass bottom boat, went snorkeling, and rode the famous FlyFish in Bali. It was a lot of fun. 

Our fourth and last day in Bali was spent relaxing in the hotel, buying souvenirs or pasalubongs for friends and family. There are a lot of souvenir shops in Bali, but the cheapest ones are usually found on the streets. :)

What to Try:

• Try their famous luwak coffee (very expensive to buy). It's a coffee fermented inside the stomach of the animal luwak (asian palm civet) and defecated and turned into coffee beans. 

• Try getting a spa treatment in Bali, it's very inexpensive and they really pamper you. Don't be surprised if you would have to be half naked during this experience. 

• Try holding a turtle in their Turtle Farm. It's illegal to do that here in America. (lol) 

SOME TIPS:

• AIRPORT: If you're a US Citizen or from any other countries that require visa to enter the country, prepare $35 for VISA ON ARRIVAL. Don't let anyone take your suitcase. There are trusted airport shuttle companies that can take you to your airport. OR call your hotel or book reservation beforehand for a pick-up at the airport.

• SHOPPING: Learn how to haggle when buying souvenirs, some guy tried to swindle us by selling us 3x more than the actual price. HECK NO! 

• SAFETY: Keep an eye on your belongings AT ALL TIMES. There are a lot of pick-pocket gangs especially in JL Legian/ tourist spots.  Never buy any drugs/ "mushrooms", unless you want to spend time in jail.

• FOOD: DONT DRINK BALI WATER. i repeat, don't ever drink tap water. Even brushing your teeth, use bottled water. 

• MONEY: When exchanging currencies, go to trusted banks instead of the ones in the streets, some of them are located in alleys and will try to trick you. We actually had our money exchanged at the airport. 

• TRAVEL: There's no easy way to travel around Bali except to get a private driver.  Most tour companies will provide you one. If you are to use public transportation, use blue cabs and make sure they turn on their meters. 

• WHEN TO VISIT: We went around May. May-September is the dry season and is the best time to  visit the country.

Overall, Bali is a very beautiful place to visit and learn about the Balinese culture.