11 Bali Travel Tips for a Bali holiday

1.Seasonal and weather change actually makes little difference so any period of the year is a perfect time to visit Bali, although it’s useful to check out the public holidays in Indonesia. On the month of Ramadan - Muslim fasting period, Bali gets busy and crowded as locals from neigbouring cities, fill resorts up and prices for accomodations escalate.

2.Bali can be really cheap with superb value, especially for budget accommodation and budget flights. Do book in advance to get a great deal for your accomodation and flights. Air Asia is well-known to provide cheap flights to Bali if you book early in advance. Do search through all the online travel agents for the best hotel prices before you book your accomodation online. For example, you can compare the prices of Bali Hotels here - Cheapest Bali Hotel Rates & Reviews of Bali Hotels

3. If you’re planning to surf, do check out Bali Surfing Report. It has useful information on surf camps, cheap boat charters, and surfers package deals to remote beaches in Bali with great waves such as Nusa Lembongan.

4.Treat your tastebuds for something different and try eating in a warung (small traditional roadside eateries). Although they may look unhygiene, trust me, they are safe to eat. They are REALLY cheap, no-frills hangouts all serving unique and different foods. The food is often displayed in glass cabinets out in front. Grab a seat, make a selection and get the real flavour of Bali and Balinese food real cheap.

5.To understand Balinese culture and life, visit Murni’s in Ubud, which have everything regarding Bali and Balinese, from explanations of Balinese names to what one wears to a ceremony.

6.If you're staying in luxury hotels, do consider staying in a Homestay where native Balinese families host you. It'll really make your trip more enjoyable and eye-awakening.

7.A little knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia will definitely take you a long way. "Selamat pagi" - good morning -, "tolong" -help or please-, and terima kasih -thank you-, for starters. Also, try memorising, "way say" which means toilet, "mana" means where, and "gimana caranya" which refers to "how to". For a fun introduction to the language, check out Bahasa Indonesia in 7 Days.

8.The best way to see Bali and travel around is with your own transport. Get a map or GPS and drive, hire a guide driver or rent a Bike.

9.Getting tired of hawkers bugging you to buy something? Do you know that there is an invisible line on the beach of Kuta that hawkers are not allowed to cross? Be a lil' bit cheeky and park yourself closer to the sea. You won’t be hassled anymore.

10.Bargaining while shopping is a MUST. It is part of the whole shopping experience so don't be shy and BARGAIN. Get into the swing of things and test your "Bargaining Art". However don’t get too carried away until you've made a fool of yourself. If you do so, suddenly you'll find out that you've spent the past 10 minutes quibbling over 50 cents. Use your instincts and logic.

11.To really ensure that you enjoy your holiday, do read "Bali Travel Guide For First-Timers" which is really useful and essential.

Do comment if you have any ideas to contribute or if you have any questions.. Happy Bali-ing!


Anastasia Fiatmita - About the Author:
Anastasia Fiatmita was crowned Miss Bali 2003 and Miss Indonesia Tourism 2004. Born and bred in Bali, she now blogs regularly on Bali for tourists and travelers.
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