The Best Of Bali

Bali is a small island off the coast of Indonesia which is home to nearly 700,000 people. This small island with a land mass of only 2,200 square miles hosts more that 6.3 million annual visitors. Also known as ‘the land of the gods’, what is it about this little island that attracts so many visitors each year? To begin with, Bali is home to stunning natural beauty with forested volcanic mountains, white sandy beaches, colorful coral reefs and of course their iconic rice paddy fields.

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Did somebody say temples?

This beautiful island is home to over 10,000 temples. The most prominent of all their temples is the impressive Besakih Temple, this sacred temple is more than 1,000 years old. If temples and culture are really not your thing, don’t worry, the land of the gods is also known as the land of spas. Bali has one of the highest concentrations of spas anywhere in the world. This island is home to over 1,200 spas so this is the perfect place to plan a relaxing getaway. That combined with the infamous Balinese hospitality, you are bound to have a wonderful vacation. 

Considering the massive amount of visitors that Bali welcomes each year, a whopping 80% of Bali’s economy relies on tourism. This wondrous island is full of active volcanoes that you can climb, spectacular waterfall hikes and more. Bali is definitely a destination for the outdoor adventure lover. Bali has 2 seasons, Dry season which is April through to October and Wet season October to April. It is warm all year round with an average temperature of 79 °F.

Now Let’s Get Around For Some Unique Coffee

The best way to get around Bali is by hiring a scooter if you are brave enough to navigate the roads, otherwise the App ‘Grab’ offers private car rides around the island in a similar way Uber would in the States. You can also catch a Bemo, an open-air minibus or hire a bicycle. A top tip is to leave a little bit of food on your plate when you finish eating. This is a sign that you are full. It is considered rude to clear your whole plate, implying that you are still hungry. This is a fairly common practice across Asia.

Finally, Bali is home to the world’s most expensive cup of coffee. Kopi Luwak is an extremely rare coffee that is served in coffee shops across Bali. What makes it so rare is that it originates from Civet droppings. That’s right a Civet will consume the coffee beans and then pass it, that passed bean is then collected and processed to make Kopi Luwak, a US$50 cup of coffee.

Tripio tip: Do not drink the tap water and when you ask for drinks, request them to be without ice or you may end up getting the dreaded ‘Bali Belly’.

1.  Best Of Bali: Floating Temple 

Photo by Guillaume Marques on Unsplash

The floating temple in Bali is one of the most picturesque locations in the world. The Ulun Danu Beratan temple was built in 1663. It consists of a unique architectural blend of both Hindu and Buddhist design. Over the years, this gorgeous temple has gained the nickname of the ‘floating temple’. This is due to its location set high in the mountains, it appears to float between the lake and the clouds. Get your cameras out for this one! This amazing place will tick a lot of bucket lists. 

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2. Tegallalang Rice Terrace And Swing

Photo by Radoslav Bali on Unsplash

You cannot travel to Indonesia without visiting a rice terrace. Rice is the most consumed food in the world. It is a staple for more than 3.5 billion people, most of which are in Asia. The art of terrace farming is where steps are carved out of the landscape in order to gather water and create the ideal conditions for growing rice. The Tegallalang Rice Terrace is one of the most beautiful ones to visit. It not only houses the stunning rice terrace but also the notorious ‘Love Bali’ sign and a fun little swing to get a fabulous picture on!

3. Best Of Bali: Kelingking Beach And T-Rex Mountain Viewpoint

Photo by Shashank Acharya on Unsplash

This incredible natural land formation looks like a T-rex head, hence its name. There is a stunning beach called kelingking, however, it is treacherous to get to. I do not recommend attempting to climb down the corroded, worn and rotten bamboo trail unless weather conditions are good, you have great shoes on and you are an experienced hiker. The trail down to the beach takes about an hour and is extremely dangerous. People have fallen and lost their lives here. The drop is a sheer 500 feet! What I do recommend is taking a spectacular picture at the top where you can see the beautiful T-rex formation. Bali is full of fantastic beaches that are perfectly safe to get to, find them all on the Tripio app.

4. Best Of Bali: Mother Temple Besakih Temple

Photo by Andrey Bond on Unsplash

This gorgeous island is filled with temples, over 10,000 of them in fact. The Besakih temple has been dubbed as the ‘Mother Temple’. This huge complex consists of more than 86 shrines and smaller temples. This is an incredibly sacred place to the Balinese people with at least 70 celebrations taking place every year. It is set high in the mountains and offers a spectacular view over the island.  Exploring the whole site can easily take a day. This is a must-see and should be on everyone’s bucket list. 

5. Uluwatu Cliffside Temple

Photo by bckfwd on Unsplash

This list wouldn’t be called the ‘best of Bali’ if it did not feature at least a few of the amazing temples on this island. The Uluwatu temple is perched 230 feet above the sea below on the edge of a cliff. It is 1 of the 9 key directional temples on the island. A vacation on this gorgeous island wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Uluwatu. Where history meets adventure. 

6. Best Of Bali: Wash And Feed Elephants At Safari Lodge

Photo by Megan Soule on Unsplash

Elephant Safari Park Lodge Bali offers the incredible opportunity to bathe with, feed, scrub, ride and even go on a trek with the elephants! Mason elephant lodge is the first certified park in Asia. This means the elephants are looked after to a high-standard. You can tell that the staff here really love and care for the elephants, they have a life of riley.  But wait there’s more, this is called a safari park lodge which means that you can actually stay here. Mason has won several awards including Bali’s Most Unique Hotel, Best Luxury Lodge in Asia and Best Luxury Eco Safari Lodge in the World. Now that is an achievement. This is definitely my personal number 1! Create your own custom top 10 on the Tripio app by selecting your personal preferences. In my personal opinion, this is the best thing to do in the whole country.

7. Best Of Bali: Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest

Photo by Mathis Jrdl on Unsplash

I love a bit of adventure on my vacation, especially adventures that involve wild animals! I will always add an activity to my custom itinerary that features animals. The Sacred Monkey Forest which is also known as the Ubud Monkey Forest, is a nature reserve filled with sacred temples and you guessed it, hundreds of macaque monkeys. As tempting as it may be, do not feed the monkeys, instead admire them and capture them on camera. These monkeys are friendly and used to humans. As always when wild animals are involved, proceed with caution and never deliberately provoke an animal. This should definitely be on everyone’s top 10 list.

8. See A Traditional Balinese Show 

Photo by Agto Nugroho on Unsplash

One of the best things about traveling around the world is getting to experience different cultures. The Devdan Show is the most brilliant stage show on the island. It will take you on an exciting, cultural journey through a unique blend of traditional and modern dance with amazing music. This performance is a must-see for anyone who is vacationing on this gorgeous island. Culture lovers, add this to your custom itinerary now on the Tripio app. 

9. Pura Lempuyang Gates And Temple

Photo by Road Trip with Raj on Unsplash

If you have ever followed the Instagram account of an influencer who has been to Bali then chances are they have a photo here at Pura Lempuyang Luhur Gates and Temple. These gates are known as the ‘gates of heaven’, the temple complex that these gates are a part of are situated more than 5,800 feet above sea level. This complex consists of 7 temples offering a magnificent view over the Mount Agung volcano. Be warned if you desperately want that famous photograph, you will have to wait in line…….it is worth it for that once in a lifetime photograph!

10. The Notorious Bali Swing

Photo by Christopher Alvarenga on Unsplash

Speaking of Instagram worthy photographs, this is the big one! This swing is the most popular swing in Indonesia. This park is not only home to ‘the swing’ but they also have ‘hanging nests’ scattered throughout the park! Conveniently located only 20 minutes from the center of Ubud. This is one of the best things you can do on the island. 

Bonus: Dig Into Delicious Balinese Cuisine

Photo by Shibupavizha George on Unsplash

Now for some bonus content, one of my personal favorite things about traveling around the world is getting to experience different cultures and trying out their local cuisine. Balinese food is wholesome, infused with herbs and usually centered around rice. Their national dish is Nasi Goreng which directly translates to fried rice. One of the top 10 eateries on the island is Warung Eropa. They are famous for their prized, award-winning Crispy Duck. A great vacation is filled with great food so be sure to access all the best restaurants in the palm of your hand by downloading the Tripio app now. 

Bonus: Relax At One Of Their Traditional Spas

Photo by Tienko Dima on Unsplash

You cannot visit the land of the gods without going to some temples and the same goes for the land of the spas. Now Bali is known as both so once you visit a temple, head over for a relaxing spa treatment. There are more than 1,200 spas on this small island to choose from so this is the perfect place to plan a relaxing getaway. One of the best spas on the island is the Ubud Traditional spa. The Ubud Traditional Spa is like heaven on earth. Choose between an array of unique massages like a rice farmer massage, reflexology or traditional Balinese. The staff are friendly and professional. They use natural products and are situated in a calming and relaxed atmosphere. What a perfect addition to any vacation itinerary. 

I hope you have enjoyed the best of Bali, until next time, stay safe and keep adding to that travel bucket list.

Feeling hungry, check out our blog on: 10 Unique Restaurants Around The World

or looking for some adventure? Check out: Discover Cebu: An Outdoor Adventure Paradise

or how about Best Of Bermuda

-Gemma Winchester, Tripio Guru

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