Bali has always been a dream! After watching countless videos and images on Instagram, we finally booked a flight for a holiday to the Land of the Gods. VietJet offers cheap flights to Bali and since we booked in advance, our return flights cost Rs.30000 pp only. While we were extremely excited for the trip, our main concern was if five days will be enough to explore Bali so we wanted to get the best out of our time there.  

Bali offers visa on arrival to Indian travellers but one can easily get the e-visa by applying online on its official website to save time and would cost you around Rs.2,680* for a duration of 30 days. Finally, the day came and we were filled with nervous anticipation. The landing itself at the Denpasar international airport is a treat to the eyes so make sure you have a window seat if you want to capture a video.   

We stayed in Kuta at the Bintang Bali Resort just a stone-throw away from the Kuta beach and 15 minutes’ drive from the airport. This beach-front property boasts comfortable air-conditioned rooms overlooking tropical gardens, an outdoor pool, on-site restaurants, spa & health club as well as free Wi-Fi. The hotel also offers a lavish buffet breakfast every morning from 7 am to 10 am.  There are also numerous Indian restaurants near the hotel serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items where you can enjoy a nice meal if you’re having difficulty adjusting to Balinese food.   

Bali is much more than what you see on Instagram! While it certainly is breathtakingly beautiful, there is so much to do and explore in terms of rich cultural experiences in the country which we barely get to witness because of our limited time. Here’s the 5-day itinerary we followed and a few suggestions I would like to make for an unforgettable holiday in Bali.  

Day 1 – Arrival in Bali  

We arrived at the Denpasar international airport in the evening where our local driver was already waiting for us for a transfer to our hotel in Kuta. It was a leisure day so there wasn’t any activity planned. We took the time to exchange our US dollar to IDR – it’s better to carry US dollars which get a better exchange rate rather than INR. Also, dollar is accepted widely here but you will still need to carry IDR if you want to shop at local markets. Debit and credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and Amex are also accepted. However, banks generally charge extra 3% on every card swipe so make sure to find out about the rules of your bank before using these cards internationally.    

Day 2 - Watersports in Nusa Dua, Melasti Beach & Uluwatu Temple   

After a sumptuous buffet breakfast at the hotel, we drove to Nusa Dua, an upscale beach resort destination in southern part of Bali popular for its numerous watersports. I tried my hand at parasailing, jetskiing and banana boatride each of which will cost between $10 to $20 – my personal favourite is jetskiing that had me screaming on the top of my lungs! Don’t forget to carry an extra pair of clothes as you will be getting wet in the ocean while indulging in these watersports. Afterward, we had lunch at a nice little restaurant popular for its Balinese food. I ordered chicken satay which to be honest seemed bland to my Indian taste palette but I would definitely recommend trying local cuisine when you’re here.  

Next, we moved to Uluwatu Temple enroute stopping briefly at the beautiful Melasti Beach popular for its long stretch of white sands and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Since it is a private beach, there is an entrance fee of 10,000 IDR that must be paid at the ticketing booth when you arrive. However, the drive, the stunning views and the impressive limestone cliffs are definitely worth the visit! There is also a black traditional Hindu gate to click photos.   

Later, we drove to Uluwatu Temple locally known as Pura Luhur Uluwatu and perched on top of a steep cliff. Its prime location is the most impressive thing about this temple, adding a majestic beauty to it with clear blue skies above and the ocean waves lapping against the cliffs at the foothills. Luhur literally means “something of divine origin” and it is one of the six most important temples in Bali. Enjoy the views from the two vantage points in northern and southern part of the area and remember to stay away from the monkeys who grab attractive things such as caps and sunglasses. Also, avoid carrying any food items. Uluwatu Temple entrance fee is around 30000 IDR and one must wear a sarong and a sash while visiting the temple but it's included in the fee.   

Day 3 - Coffee Plantation, Kintamani Viewpoint, Rice Terraces & Bali Swing, Ubud Market  

Our day started with a visit to a coffee plantation to get a glimpse of the traditional coffee preparation process and taste some delicious coffee and different types of tea. Bali is famous for its Luwak coffee, world’s most expensive coffee produced from coffee beans that have been partially digested by the Indonesian palm civet and then excreted. Yes, it sounds gross but the outer layer of the coffee beans is removed during processing and completely cleaned before being roasted. So, if you’re a coffee lover and would like to try, this is probably the best place to do so!  

Kintamani was the next attraction in our itinerary over 2 hours away from Kuta, super popular for its sunrise hikes to an active volcano of Mount Batur and the nearby crater lake. However, because of lack of time, we only visited the Mount Batur viewpoint, had a lavish traditional lunch and clicked lot of pictures. The drive to Kintamani with its fresh mountain air, orange farms and beautiful scenery is worth visiting so make sure to include it in your must-do things in Bali.   

I was really excited about the rice terraces and Bali swing after seeing it countless times in my Instagram feed. While Tegallalang Rice Terrace is the most famous, we visited Alas Harum around 20 minutes from Central Ubud that offers many activities and numerous unique spots for photo ops such as a private terrace view, glass floor, bird nests, a dancing bridge and the big gorilla faced cave. There are three different swing levels; if you’re not afraid of the heights, try the highest level for the most thrills. You can also shop for souvenirs at the Ubud local market famous for its rattan basket bags, dream catchers and wooden handicrafts.  

Day 4 – Day Trip to Nusa Penida  

The day started early with a drive to Sanur Beach Harbour to board speedboat to Nusa Penida that takes over 30 minutes from the harbour. The first boat leaves from Sanur at 7:30 am and the last one departs at 5:20 pm from Nusa Penida and would cost around IDR 150.000. Remember to wear slippers or shoes you won’t mind getting wet as these fast boats do not use the pier which means you will be walking in knee-deep water to deboard the boat. Our trip included a visit to Broken Beach, Angel Billabong Kelinking Beach, and Crystal Bay.  Nusa Penida is completely different from Bali; it is lesser developed with fewer beach clubs, restaurants and hotels but has some of the most amazing scenery you’d ever witness. If you have time, plan to spend at least 3 days here to explore every bit of this pretty island. Unfortunately, we didn’t so we opted for the day trip and were able to discover just the western part of the island.

Day 5 - Departure  

On our last day, we decided to just chill at the hotel, visited the nearby Kuta beach in the morning and later made our way to the airport. Looking back, we may not have covered all the top attractions during our limited time on the island and probably missed some of the most famous ones but it was definitely a memorable trip, something I would always cherish. Will I go back again? Perhaps… but then there is an entire world waiting to be unravelled!

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