Hey everyone! As you may or may not know, I'm studying in Sydney, Australia, and for our spring break, I traveled and backpacked all over the beautiful island of Bali! Indonesia is a popular spot for the Aussies to travel because it's so close, so there is tons to do and lots to see. I'm going to tell you all the details on how I fell in love with Bali. First stop, Kuta!
Kuta Beach
What to do: Kuta is more of the party scene; where there is lots to do at night, but not a whole lot going on during the day. However, I would definitely recommend staying here for a few days. It's a cute little beach town that's pretty touristy, so there are lots of good restaurants and shopping, which I'll get into below. At night, definitely check out the infamous Sky Garden, there's all you can eat AND drink until 9pm every night for, like, $10 CAD!!! So major.
We felt like a Balinese facial was crucial to try during this trip, so we booked one at the Jamu Traditional Spa and it was the most elaborate and relaxing facial of my life. They used all natural ingredients and massaged all the tension-filled areas of your face, for a whole hour.
Where to stay: Because I was backpacking, we stayed in hostels the whole time. We stayed at the Kayun Downtown hostel. It was super nice with A/C, Internet, friendly staff and lots of social people!
Eats: I ate at a cafe near the hostel called Nebula, which had really good food and coffee. I got the smoothie bowl (YUM) and an iced latte and I was set for the day. They also have really fresh fruit which was amazing. For lunch, we ate at the Fat Chow; they serve REALLY good and fresh asian food. I would recommend the Asian Crispy Salad and the Oriental Burger (mouth is watering as I'm typing this out).
We felt like a Balinese facial was crucial to try during this trip, so we booked one at the Jamu Traditional Spa and it was the most elaborate and relaxing facial of my life. They used all natural ingredients and massaged all the tension-filled areas of your face, for a whole hour.
Where to stay: Because I was backpacking, we stayed in hostels the whole time. We stayed at the Kayun Downtown hostel. It was super nice with A/C, Internet, friendly staff and lots of social people!
Eats: I ate at a cafe near the hostel called Nebula, which had really good food and coffee. I got the smoothie bowl (YUM) and an iced latte and I was set for the day. They also have really fresh fruit which was amazing. For lunch, we ate at the Fat Chow; they serve REALLY good and fresh asian food. I would recommend the Asian Crispy Salad and the Oriental Burger (mouth is watering as I'm typing this out).
Seminyak
What to do: Seminyak is the cutest beach and surf town with really chill vibes! We loved it here, they have amazing food and shopping (check out Seminyak Square or the independently owned boutiques). It's quite "Australian-ized" so it's not hard to find nice restaurants, etc. Definitely check out Potato Head Beach Club or the W Hotel to chill and swim or watch the sunset in the evening!
Where to stay: Seminyak is filled with beautiful hotels, resorts, and villas that you can probably get for a cheap price. But, we stayed in the New Seminyak Capsule Hostel (or just Capsule, for short) which was really great! Clean rooms, A/C, Internet, good showers and really social! The staff are SUPER friendly and helpful during your stay and even when you leave. They helped us with getting around town, and then when it was time to leave Seminyak, they helped us get to the Gili Islands for a good price. 10/10!
Eats: Again, Seminyak is really touristy, making not hard to find good food that caters to all the travellers and vacationers. But, here are a few of my fave cafe and restaurants where the food was so good, I could've cried:
Eats: Again, Seminyak is really touristy, making not hard to find good food that caters to all the travellers and vacationers. But, here are a few of my fave cafe and restaurants where the food was so good, I could've cried:
- Cafe Organic (AMAZING smoothie bowls, definitely try one. And the "Smashed Avo" toast is a MUST... really chill atmosphere to accompany the great food)
- Cafe Moonlight (similar to Cafe Organic, but right beside Capsule Hostel and if you tell them you're staying there, you get 10% off!)
- Cafe Bali (we went for dinner and had Pad Thai and Indian Curry, but they have a massive menu...including the desserts!)
Gili T
What to do: Wherever you go to Gili T from, book a return ticket with a local tourist information desk or travel agent, it shouldn't cost you more than 500,000 IDR (which is roughly $50 CAD). Gili T is one of three Gili islands that are yours to explore! They are amazing islands and if you have the time, definitely check out all three. On Gili T, there are no cars or even real roads; you have to rent a bike or take a horse and buggy to get around, giving you the realest island life experience.
Snorkelling is also a MUST; there is clear, turquoise water that is beautiful up close and personal! We booked ours through our hostel, through Lucky Adventures (don't quote me on that name), and you snorkel around all three islands with a lunch break in the middle of the day. We saw 6 sea turtles that day, it was so surreal.
The nightlife is great: each night there will be a popular bar where the whole island will party! You just need to walk along the main strip and follow the music and the crowds.
Lastly, go to the western side of the island (i.e. Sunshine Beach) to watch the sunset and take Insta-worthy pictures at the infamous swing & hammock!
Snorkelling is also a MUST; there is clear, turquoise water that is beautiful up close and personal! We booked ours through our hostel, through Lucky Adventures (don't quote me on that name), and you snorkel around all three islands with a lunch break in the middle of the day. We saw 6 sea turtles that day, it was so surreal.
The nightlife is great: each night there will be a popular bar where the whole island will party! You just need to walk along the main strip and follow the music and the crowds.
Lastly, go to the western side of the island (i.e. Sunshine Beach) to watch the sunset and take Insta-worthy pictures at the infamous swing & hammock!
Where to stay: I stayed at La Boheme Sister, there are two La Boheme hostels on the island, both are popular. It was a decent hostel with an open concept and free pancakes at any time of the day (!!!!!). The most popular hostel is called the Castle Backpackers hostel, which gets pretty full so I'd call ahead before you go. Another option would be the Broken Compass hostel which is another popular one on the island!
Eats: We ate at Kayu Cafe both days we were there; they have really good, fresh food and a big menu. Another MUST is the Scallywags Fish Market which is famous on the island and has amazing seafood dishes! All of the restaurants and patios have really cool vibes that will make you want to sit and eat for hours. Also, along the beach/main strip there are tons of fruit stands that make fresh juices any flavour you like. There was nothing better than a cold island drink made with fresh, tropical fruit, let me tell you!
Eats: We ate at Kayu Cafe both days we were there; they have really good, fresh food and a big menu. Another MUST is the Scallywags Fish Market which is famous on the island and has amazing seafood dishes! All of the restaurants and patios have really cool vibes that will make you want to sit and eat for hours. Also, along the beach/main strip there are tons of fruit stands that make fresh juices any flavour you like. There was nothing better than a cold island drink made with fresh, tropical fruit, let me tell you!
Ubud
What to do: Ubud is jam packed with day-activities to do. To start, there was the Sacred Monkey Forest where you can walk through a monkey sanctuary and even feed the little guys! Be careful with holding loose items, as the monkeys tend to be sneaky and grab em. There's a water temple, a waterfall, and an active volcano that you can hike overnight and eat breakfast at the top during sunrise! I never got the chance to do this, but I've seen pictures and it looks nothing short of Heaven.
Eat Pray Love was filmed in this little spiritual town so obviously a yoga class is a must. We did a morning class at Yoga Barn and loved it; it was very relaxing and beginner yogi-friendly!
Where to stay: The most popular hostel to stay in Ubud is called In Da Lodge, but again, call early to see if they have availability. I stayed at The Friendly House, which was the best hostel of our trip. Really clean rooms and bathrooms, a kitchen, fast Internet and friendly staff. The only downfall to this hostel was that it was a bit farther to walk the main area. Other hostels that we heard were good are called Balibu and Nema Problema.
Eats: Like Seminyak, Ubud is very touristy so it's easy to find amazing food. We ate at a little place Buddha Bowl that featured amazing Asian food (everything from Balinese, Thai, and Vietnamese) and a whole vegetarian menu. I'd recommend any of their salads or spring rolls. But, real talk, their coffee and dessert are where it's at. Their iced lattes are crazy good with some Banana Fritters (deep fried bananas...omg) or sticky rice with coconut milk and mango (to die for) on the side.
We also ate at a great pizza joint called Bagus Pizza that surprisingly had amazing gourmet, thin crust pizzas! It's a nice change if you get tired of the spices and noodles! Definitely worth checking out.
Eat Pray Love was filmed in this little spiritual town so obviously a yoga class is a must. We did a morning class at Yoga Barn and loved it; it was very relaxing and beginner yogi-friendly!
Where to stay: The most popular hostel to stay in Ubud is called In Da Lodge, but again, call early to see if they have availability. I stayed at The Friendly House, which was the best hostel of our trip. Really clean rooms and bathrooms, a kitchen, fast Internet and friendly staff. The only downfall to this hostel was that it was a bit farther to walk the main area. Other hostels that we heard were good are called Balibu and Nema Problema.
Eats: Like Seminyak, Ubud is very touristy so it's easy to find amazing food. We ate at a little place Buddha Bowl that featured amazing Asian food (everything from Balinese, Thai, and Vietnamese) and a whole vegetarian menu. I'd recommend any of their salads or spring rolls. But, real talk, their coffee and dessert are where it's at. Their iced lattes are crazy good with some Banana Fritters (deep fried bananas...omg) or sticky rice with coconut milk and mango (to die for) on the side.
We also ate at a great pizza joint called Bagus Pizza that surprisingly had amazing gourmet, thin crust pizzas! It's a nice change if you get tired of the spices and noodles! Definitely worth checking out.
Overall, I LOVED Bali, and can't imagine anyone not enjoying it. If you stay or eat at any of the places I've mentioned, make sure to let me know how you liked it in the comments below!
Xo.
Xo.