As one of the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia, Bali is an unique, magical and magnificent place to visit. From beaches, dining, sacred places, ancient history to the friendly locals all have been packaged in Bali. That's why many people go to Bali and never leave. This kind of situation make Bali is less cheap place for traveler but that's not 100% true.
You still can find friendly-budget services such as accommodation, dining, transportation and more even in the most-well tourist spot in Bali. These essential Bali travel tips and advice below will help you to traveling to Bali for more friendly-budget, worry free, having a great trip and a once life-time experience.
Let's take a closer look to the essential Bali travel tips and advice for budget traveling!
Essential Bali Travel Tips and Advice
These essential Bali travel tips and advice below will help you to traveling to Bali for more friendly-budget, having a great trip, once life-time experience and worry free. Let's take a look!
1. Flight Ticket
Traveler can find a cheap flight to Bali from South East Asia. That’s make sense because South East Asia is the closest region to Bali.
Flights to Bali from the major South East Asia cities can be absolute cheap (eg flights from KL, Malaysia or Singapore). Be sure to check out current flight price online before deciding.
Spend a week in South East Asia cities, then continue to Bali with cheap flight. You can save more money plus get to see two country.
2. Scams
Be caution of various scams and keep your guard to ensure you and your money still safe. It’s better to find taxi to your hotel by walk outside the Ngurah Rai International Airport and save up to 50.000 IRD for the taxi.
It’s reasonable that the airport drivers keep their prices mutually high because there are probably some agreement around them with the airport or something else.
3. Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is important, but it's depend on you. If you have health issue, many clinics and several pharmacies (Apotek) can be found around your hotel, especially in Kuta with English speaking staff.
4. Light Pack
Light pack is the key to backpacking and travel on a friendly-budget. You don't want to miss out some great opportunities because you are being mess around by to much stuff. And of course it can save your money for not paying extra for over weight bag at the airport.
5. Try Learn Few Local Words
Try to learn a few of Indonesian words like "Selamat Pagi" (Good Morning), "Tolong Saya" (Help Me), "Terima Kasih" (Thank You) and said it with smile, ha..ha..(^^). Trust me, it will works and helps you for many situation while you travel Bali island on a friendly-budget.
6. Base and Location
Your base and location to stay has a major impact on room rate, transportation, activities, etc. North Bali has more cheap option for sleep and eat than south Bali like Legian and Kuta. If your vacation more than a month, this place is more budget-friendly option for your travel budget mission in Bali.
Even thought South Bali is bit expensive than North Bali, you can save on gasoline/petrol and transportation. There are many tourist spot that offer beautiful beach in South of Bali.
For a place to stay, there are a budget option (some cheap guesthouses operated by local) in Kuta, Legian, Nusa Dua, Sanur, Ubud, etc. The choice between North Bali and South Bali is depend on you.
7. Stay and Sleep
Accommodation is an important part of traveling where a traveler can save more money from their travel budget. More friendly room rates are available even in the most-well tourist spot such as Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud etc.
The best thing is to find accommodation yourself by walking and asking for the rate. It's may seem harder but you will save more money.
If you walk on Kuta you might get lucky around Poppies Lane or Jalan Kajeng in Ubud. The rooms were always clean, simple furniture,a private bathroom and and great Internet connection is everywhere.
Hostel with a communal kitchen is preferable. Use some utensils and cooking items. To save the budget in the long run, just make couple of meals at your hostel with your friends.
8. Eat and Snack Bars
To save the costs for breakfast, make sure your hotel provides one. Although most breakfasts are fairly simple, they will keep you going for most of the day.
Another option is walk out to find local "Warung" where Balinese eat themselves. Cheapest eating on Bali is through local warungs, or local style cafes. Eat locally will help your travel budget in balance.
You have to try the famous "Nasi Goreng" (fried rice) and "Mie Goreng" (noodle dishes) for IRD 10.000 ($1 USD). Or the local menu with grilled fish, plain rice and veggies for IDR 15.000 (less than $2 USD). There are also another menu like Nasi Campur for IRD 20.000 ($2 USD) and Babi Guling (Sukling Pig) for IRD 30.000 ($3 USD).
You can go searching for small, kitchen-outside of the local style cafe/restaurants. They offer good quality fresh local food (grilled fish, seafood, etc.) at low prices.
It will be good choice to bring some snack bars with you. With snack bars in hand traveler can save money for unnecessary snack during the day and use the money for other thing like souvenirs. So long as you don't choose to spend a lot of money on food, you will remain on budget.
9. Drinks
For drinks just bought it at Minimart, Alfamart, Indomaret, Circle K or other store. You can buy local beer "Bintang" for IRD 15.000 ($1.5 USD) and head to the beach for sunset.
Sit on the beach near the beach clubs, enjoy the seaside view, listening on music and do nothing. You can save more budget on alcoholic drinks instead of from bars or restaurant.
10. Get Around
Car rental. Rent a car by asking at hotel where you stay is a good option. The driver will drives you anywhere you want. You probably can contact the driver personally, so that the driver can get 100% of the dollar. If you ask the hotel to rent a car for you, the driver will share dollars with the hotel.
Taxi. The taxi rate is relatively cheap when you chose to use it. Ask the the taxi driver to use the meter if you don't want to haggling over a fare. Be sure you have a small denomination for the change. There are Transarbagita bus that offer you a cheap fare, but the time schedule can be unpredictable.
Scooter Rental. Another option to travel Bali Island is rent a scooter for only IRD 50.000 ($5 USD) and go everywhere you want. with the petrol IRD 7500 ($0.75 USD) per liter for more than 10 hour of riding give you more advantage. Make sure you have travel insurance before you go and always play with the rule on the road. Use helmet, international driver license and keep your eyes with policeman.
Walk. walking for the last option, good for your body, environment, and your travel budget. For a condition is really out of walking range, chose a taxi for flexibility, more comfortable and still reasonably priced.
11. Buy and Haggling Respectfully
Haggling and buy souvenirs wisely in Bali. For most situation you need to haggling to get the better price. If not, you will pay the items for the price twice time it's normal. You will know when the vendors has reached their limit price.
If you walk away and him/her don't chase after you, it's mean you haggling too low and they don't want to drop the price any lower. Their margin for the items aren't huge and they trying to make a living from this.
Don't be afraid! Just go and haggling somewhere else based that price information, and you will get the items you want. There are many vendors that sell the items with same variation. You just need to walk and haggling again with laugh and smile on face.
12. Activities
There are a number of activities or performances that have a little to no entrance fee here. Spend a whole day on the stunning beaches with natural mountain panoramas just for free.
Or get around to see the famous "rice terrace" and visit a Hindu temple. When entering Hindu Temple, related to government rules, you need to use a "sarong" and sash. Remember to bring it so you can save the budget for the charge.
You can watch the monkey on Sangeh Monkey Forest or a Buffalo Race in Negara, West of Bali. Another activities like Bali Art Festival, Bali Kite and "Ogoh-Ogoh" parade a day before Nyepi Day) offers you a rich life-time experience for free. Don't miss it while you are in Bali at the time!
Take a trip to Lembongan Island would be a great option to avoid the crowded and hectic situation. The island located right off the coast of Bali, separated by Badung Strait.
Lembongan is part of three islands include Penida Island and Ceningan Island. You have to see the famous of Dream Beach, Sandy Bay, Mushroom Beach, local activities, and more. This place is suitable for Diving and Snorkeling.
Nusa Lembongan is known as a tourist destination due to the activities of surfing and since long was a part of Bali surfing circuit.
13. Money Withdrawing
Just remember,you will charged with a high transaction fee to withdraw cash from International ATM's. Truth to be told, withdrawing money from ATM offers a better rate and service than any other option to avoid scams especially in Bali.
For the high transaction fee and unwanted charge, you can minimize it by making just a few huge withdrawals each time. Always keep an eye to your cash safety.
14. Little Advice
Please do not drink the water from the tap. It’s not clean. Just buy a water bottle from stores. Or buy water in gallon, it’s cheap compared to the bottled.
Please be respect the religion customs when the street is blocked off for temple ceremony or another ceremony because this is the part of the magical island of Bali.
Please do not pollute the Holy Hindu Temple, Beaches and any other sacred place and tourist spot with cigarette butts, used bottles, or any other trash. Please,just throw it on "trash box/ polybag" that has been provided in the tourist spot. If there is not, please keep the trash with you until you find the trash box somewhere else.
If you did this kind of thing, Balinese people will respect you a thousand fold. Balinese people love this kind character of traveler . It's reasonable, when you love your home, they (Balinese people) love their holy temples. That's simple!
15. Last But Not Least
Take your time to travel Bali island. Bali has something beauty, ethereal, magical and magnificent but you need to get around to find it. Once it hit your heart, you will miss Bali and find yourself back to Bali and traveling again and again.
You can still find a friendly-budget services in the most-well tourist spot in this paradise island. The essential Bali travel tips and advice will be useful for more budget friendly while traveling in Bali, having a great trip, once life-time experience and worry free. Bali has something beauty, ethereal, magical, and magnificent, use your heart to find it. Take your time to travel with Bali travel tips and advice, hopefully helpful and thank you!
Reference
- google.co.id
- wikipedia.org
- Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali
- Image : Original Collection
Searches on this site related to Bali Travel Tips And Advice:
1. Nusa Menjangan.
2. Nusa Ceningan.
3. Nusa Penida.
4. Nusa Lembongan.
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