Bali is always a good idea right? Just a short hop of 2.5 hours from Singapore, it offers all sorts of fun and activities to all types of tourists. Bali itself is 8 times as big as Singapore, so it makes for an excellent getaway to experience new stuff. From chilling in your resort villa to learning more about its culture and temples, to beach clubs with spinning music to coffee plantation tours, there are all kinds of itineraries to suit your taste and travelling style. This was my first post-Covid trip to Bali and needless to say, it felt like I was in paradise everyday.

Nusa Dua

30 minutes from Denpasar airport, Nusa Dua is a peninsula in Southern Bali. Located at the Nusa Dua beach is the Waterblow, a natural occurrence where a giant splash of seawater “blows” up like a whale’s spout as waves hit the rock. The new Waterblow is now a ticketed attraction, so expect to pay Rp50,000. In the past, people could visit for free and stand on the sharp rocks to catch a glimpse of this phenomenon, but for safety reasons, the place now has barricades to prevent people from going onto the rocks.

Jimbaran Beach

Bali is known for her gorgeous beaches, but many, such as the Jimbaran Beach, are heavily commercialised. Formerly renown as a humble fishing village, Jimbaran has capitalized on its spectacular coastline location and has transformed into one of Bali’s favourite spots for popular seafood restaurants, pristine beaches and unique shopping destinations. There is a traditional pura gate serving as an entrance to the beach area.

Tanah Lot temple

Next, we move to Tabanan Regency. Take note that the traffic here is quite bad, especially when passing through Canggu. To many people, Tanah Lot epitomizes the romantic island of Bali. Tanah Lot means Land in The Sea, a perfectly fit name for its unique offshore settings. The silhouette of Pura Tanah Lot is one of the most popular iconic features of Bali.

We went in the afternoon, around 2.30pm which was low tide. The site was crowded with tourists and we could walk across to the small island. However, climbing up the steps to the temple is forbidden for tourists and is reserved for the local Hindus. In Balinese mythology, Dang Hyang Nirartha was known as a man of mighty supernatural power. So he moves the whole rock island to the sea, builds a temple and named it Tanah Lot. The whole Beraban village were astounded and later join to follow he believes. 

Ubud

Gianyar regency is the epitome of eat-pray-love in Bali. Ubud is most well-known by international travelers as the greenest part of Bali because it has a lot of tourist attractions with green features, such as lush forests, ridge walks, and rice terraces. From temples to rice fields, Ubud is the place to be in the heart of Bali, to experience local traditions and culture, alongside hipster cafes and bars vying for the tourist dollar.

The Campuhan Ridge Walk is arguably the best known Ubud trek and with good reason. The sparse crowds and the aesthetically rich vistas remind one of why people from around the world come to Bali. The trail starts at the historical origin of Ubud, the confluence (or Campuhan) of the Wos Rivers. This was my second time walking the ridge and I still enjoyed it. Some people were flying a drone to get the best aerial image of the area.

Next, we went to search for the famous Bali swing that is appearing everywhere on social media. There are many swings in Bali, especially in Ubud. However, you definitely should not miss this one particular swing with the “LOVE BALI” sign at the entrance of the rice fields. It might not look that challenging, but you can’t deny its extremely cute design. We went to Aloha Ubud Swing at first, but with a hefty price tag of $40 per person and additional charges for costume rental, we felt that it was not worth the price.

Tegallalang Rice Fields is situated in a valley that offers extraordinarily scenic lookouts over the terraces and surrounding green landscape. Along with the ones in the villages of Pejeng and Campuhan, Tegallalang Rice Fields form the three most stunning-looking terraced landscapes in Ubud region. At Tegallalang, we managed to find a cheaper swing option that was equally exhilarating. The staff took professional photos us and even guided us on how to pose. This swing was $10 per person and he even gave us a discount ($15 for two). We definitely had fun swinging over the rice fields and having our pictures taken.

Since it has been listed in UNESCO World Heritage site, this place has gained popularity among international travelers. Nevertheless, it is still a great place to wind down and ease your mind as it offers a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. We had a chance to try the Bali swing overlooking the rice terraces. The first place (Aloha Ubud Swing) that we went to was charging US$40 for photoshoot at 9 different locations on their set. It was a small area and the 9 places are various setups for taking photos against a backdrop.

Tukad Cepung waterfalls

For those seeking out more nature and scenery, do check out Tukad Cepung waterfalls. Bali is home to almost a hundred over waterfalls and during my previous trips, I had already checked out quite a few. This one was new for me. After paying the entrance fees, we walked down a few flights of steps before reaching the famous waterfall.

This is a really hidden waterfall, once you go in and enter the cave you would find the waterfall and wait patiently for your turn to take photos. In the morning there is a divine light from above making the scene more aesthetic. For people taking too many shots, especially for Instagram, those queueing in line would start to get annoyed and rush you to finish taking your photos. Since we arrived when it was drizzling a little, the waterfall did not look as majestic as it was supposed to be.

Besakih Temple

Rising majestically on the western slopes of Mount Agung, and referred to as the Mother Temple of Hindu Bali, is Pura Besakih, or the Besakih temple, covering a vast area that offers breathtaking mountain scenery surrounding this beautiful and artistic temple complex. Facing Mt. Agung’s highest peak, believed to be the abode of the gods, and located at an altitude of 900 meters, Pura Besakih is built in the village of Besakih, in the eastern part of Bali. 

During our visit, there was a flurry of activities with many pilgrims header to the top of the temple. They took part in prayer sessions and rituals. Apparently, it was to commemorate an important cremation.

However, it was raining when we visited the temple. We could not see Mount Agung in the background sadly. During a full moon, Balinese and pilgrims throng to the temple. During the festival of Odalan, the temple is most elaborately decorated. Odalan is celebrated on every 210th day. Thankfully, our ticket included a guide who explained the various segments of the temple and its functions to us.

Piramid spa

Address: Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai No.16B, Jimbaran, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361

After walking around for the whole day, it was time to pamper ourselves with a spa treatment. They have 23 private spa rooms, complete with bathtub, shower, and changing room. It is perfect for couples! We had a relaxing time here and after that we rushed off to the airport to catch our flight.

Savaya Beach Club

Jl. Belimbing Sari, Banjar Tambiyak, Pecatu, Uluwatu, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80364

Savaya is nestled between the wild paradise of the jungle and soaring limestone cliffs upon a breathtaking natural wonder 100 meters above the Indian Ocean. While the view is nice, we felt treated like second class citizens because we did not have minimum spending for the day bed. We were relegated to the far corner, covered with shrubs and facing the ocean. The sound of the DJ spinning music reverberated throughout the outdoor club. There were some people in the pool with their cocktails in hand. When it started drizzling, we were then allowed to move to the indoor lounge area. The food was not the most fantastic, and the drinks were quite pricey. Only come here for the atmosphere and the view, but that’s about it. When we were leaving, there was a taxi mafia trying to block us from going into our Gojek pickup but in the end we managed to get out safely.

Finns Beach Club

Address: Jl. Pantai Berawa No.99, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361

No. 1 beach club in Bali? I would definitely recommend you to go to Finns! Whether you’re a local expat residing in Bali or a tourist looking to explore outside of the Seminyak area, Finn’s Beach Club is definitely worth a visit.

The striking bamboo structure was specifically designed to allow every guest a guaranteed ocean view. We had such a fun time dancing the night away.

Finns Beach Club offers a piece of paradise with the choice of: 4 pools, 9 bars (including 2 swim up pool bars), 5 restaurants, daily DJs, live vocalists and stunning sunsets – at the most well known beach in Bali – Canggu. Finns Beach Club offers it all across 170m of absolute ocean front.

They have three restaurants to choose from – Mumbai Kitchen, Sushi Bar and Bondi Cafe, which can be ordered from the general menu. Before 8pm, we also spam ordered the Happy Hour drinks, with 1-for-1 cocktails and other alcoholic drinks. We also met with other colleagues at Finns and definitely spent an amazing evening here. The music by the DJ was not the best, but it was the company that mattered.

That’s my Bali guide for you. Other places that I have been to were covered in my other posts, so check them out!