Bali, the island of gods, has always intrigued me. Being a native Indonesian, this trip was a fresh and honest experience. If you're short on time, you can find a quick summary at the bottom. But if you're curious about my week-long journey, come along!
For context, I didn't travel solo; I spent the week with three friends. We rented motorcycles for our transportation.
Day 1
Our journey began with a flight from Jakarta, which took about 2 hours. We landed in the afternoon and headed straight to dinner at Teba Cafe Jimbaran, a beachside restaurant. The food was average, but the ambiance was wonderful. Candlelit tables right by the beach made it a perfect spot for families and couples.
The total cost was around $40 + $4 tax, split among the four of us, making it approximately $11 each. A decent start to our Bali adventure.
After dinner, we checked into our Airbnb near the restaurant in Jimbaran, Badung Regency. We rented the place for two days, as we planned to explore North Bali the next day. The Airbnb matched the pictures perfectly.
(image airbnb)
Day 2
The next morning, we had a traditional Balinese breakfast called Nasi Lawar at Lawar Babi Guling Kayu Manis. It cost around $4 per person. While my friends enjoyed it, I found the pork and veggies cold and a bit fishy.
Our plan was to visit GWK (Garuda Wisnu Kencana) in the morning and watch the Kecak dance in Uluwatu in the afternoon. Unfortunately, GWK was closed for a religious ceremony, so we headed to Peninsula Island instead. The island was serene, with a mix of beach and greenery, and not crowded at all.
For lunch, we had Nasi Ayam Ibu Oki, a simple yet delicious dish of rice, chicken, and veggies, costing around $2.5 per person. The service was quick and the place was packed with people.
In the afternoon, we visited Uluwatu to watch the Kecak dance. The place was filled with monkeys, which occasionally snatched items from unsuspecting tourists. However, the stunning cliffside view and the sunset during the show were mesmerizing. The Kecak dance, a pantomime performance, was a bit confusing without prior knowledge of the story, but still enjoyable. Tickets were $20 per person, and I highly recommend it.
Dinner was at Wizzmie, a fast food place specializing in spicy noodles and dim sum. The main dish was average, but the side dishes were good, costing around $4 per person. After dinner, we returned to our Airbnb for the night.
Day 3
We left for Ubud on Day 3, a 2.5-hour journey from our Airbnb. The weather was unpredictable, alternating between rain and clear skies. For lunch, we had amazing pork ribs at Kayana, one of the best I've ever had, costing around $10 per person.
After that, we headed to our Airbnb, which turned out to be a charming place nestled in a village. There was no pollution, noise was minimal, and the air was refreshingly cool. It’s an ideal spot for a detox, especially if you’re used to the fast-paced city life. However, despite being in Ubud, it was actually an hour away from the center, near Kintamani.
We spent the evening exploring nearby and having a chat over a simple meal.
Day 4
Early in the morning, we visited Ulun Danu Temple in Kintamani, famously depicted on the old 5,000 Indonesian Rupiah note. The entrance fee was $3.5 per person. The site was quite crowded with locals attending a religious event, as well as other local and international tourists. The temple is beautifully set by a lake surrounded by hills. My friends and I rented a pedal-powered duck boat to explore the lake. It was enjoyable, though a bit scary since we weren't wearing life vests and didn't know the lake's depth.
Afterward, we had some pork noodles along the way and explored a bit of our village tourist destination. Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed for the next three days, but the area was still open for exploration. The village featured a river and rice fields. Locals informed us about a hidden café in the village that stays open until late at night.
So, after returning to our Airbnb to freshen up, we headed straight to the café. It truly was a hidden gem. To reach it, you have to enter through an empty lot that serves as a parking area, then walk through a building used for silver classes. We initially thought it would be a typical village café, but we were pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious, aesthetically pleasing, and affordable, costing only $5 per person. The restaurant is called Lad Tegal Coffee & Eatery.
Day 5
Because the café was so good, we went back there for breakfast the next day and tried different items from the menu. The café operates nearly 24 hours, opening early in the morning and closing late at night. This is the only place I gave a 5-star rating and detailed directions to. If we hadn't met the person at the closed restaurant, we would never have found it.
Afterward, we cleaned up and split into two groups. One friend went to visit relatives, while another friend and I headed to Kintamani to hike Mount Batur the following day. The scenery along the way was stunning, with a lake surrounded by hills, much like the view at the temple we visited earlier, but even larger.
After checking into our Airbnb, we had some instant noodles to tide us over until we could try a local dish called Mujair nyat-nyat, which is fish with special spices. To eat it, we had to go back to the hill where I took the first photo. It was a mistake to wear shorts, as we didn’t expect the temperature to be 19°C (66°F). Despite the chill, the view and the food were excellent, making it worthwhile. We enjoyed our meal while watching the sunset.
After dinner, we returned to our Airbnb to sleep and prepare for an early start the next morning.
Day 6
We woke up as early as possible at 2 AM, had some cup noodles, and got ready to head to Mount Batur at 2:30. It was freezing cold, but we were determined to go. It took about 30 minutes to get from our Airbnb to the starting point for the hike. There are two trails: a steep one that takes about an hour and a gentler one that takes around two hours. We opted for the steeper trail, thinking it would be quicker.
However, it ended up taking us 1.5 hours to reach the top. This was our first mountain hike, so we lacked experience and proper preparation. Fortunately, many others were hiking that day, so we just followed them. The higher we climbed, the thinner the oxygen became, which made us take frequent breaks.
When we finally reached the summit, it was still a bit dark, so we waited a bit longer. And wow, the view was absolutely stunning. You really have to be there to fully appreciate it—the gentle wind, the warmth of the sunrise on your face, the cold air, the sound of the grass, and the fresh morning smell. All the effort to reach the top was completely worth it.
After spending some time enjoying the sunrise, we headed back down and packed our things to return to Denpasar, specifically the Sanur area. On the way, we stopped at Kayana again for lunch because their pork ribs are exceptionally good. Once we arrived and freshened up at our Airbnb, it was already nighttime, so we went out for dinner at a ramen place near Sanur. The ramen was tasty with a light broth and cost $6 per person. The restaurant was quite comfortable too.
Day 7
The day before we left, we visited another island near Bali called Nusa Penida, which is often featured in Bali images online. We headed to the harbor early in the morning to catch a ferry, which took about an hour to get from Sanur Beach to Sampalan Beach. We rented bikes for $5 a day, a much cheaper option compared to the $20 per person for a guided tour.
Overall, the experience was disappointing for my friends and me. The roads were extremely narrow, barely fitting two cars, causing traffic when vehicles approached from opposite directions. The road conditions were also poor, with many potholes likely due to rain and lack of maintenance. Additionally, the weather was much hotter than in Bali.
The main attractions, which are probably the two primary beaches most tourists visit, were overcrowded and offered little to do besides taking photos. It wasn't enjoyable at all. While you can get some nice Instagram pictures, there's not much else. Here are some of the photos you're likely familiar with:
In the afternoon, we returned the bikes and went back to Sanur. We decided to have dinner at Sambal Bakar Mak Beng, a restaurant that has been around since 1941. It's located right by Sanur Beach, the same beach we came from. The waiting line was terrible, and we had to wait for 2 hours just to eat. The restaurant only offers two dishes: fried fish and fish soup, but they were incredibly good. While waiting, we thought the place was overrated and planned to give it a 1-star review on Google Maps. However, once we tasted the food, it was worth it. The food was warm, the soup had a light and well-balanced flavor, the fried fish was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the sambal was excellent. The meal cost us $6 per person.
After finishing our meal, we headed back to our Airbnb and went to sleep.
Day 8
On the last day, we spent the morning shopping for gifts at Krisna before heading straight to the airport. And that concluded our trip.
TL;DR
Bali for sure is a tourist destination both international and domestic. I will say Bali is Not overated for the moment. My tips the best time to vist Bali is on the weekdays and there is no national holiday in Indonesia. There are places that are still underated like hidden gem that placed far from main city (Ubud and Denpasar), but place like Nusa Peninda is just overated. Maybe just try to find something that not that popular on social media when you find it and not many people know it's feels good.