What are the attractions in Bali? What are some fun things to do in Bali?

Bali is close to the sea, and most of the tourist attractions are related to the sea. Bali’s specialty food includes roast suckling pig, roast duck meals, etc., all of which are pretty good food. Now Bali is visa-free for China, so you don’t have to worry about visa issues. It’s quite convenient to go there.

Traveling to Bali, here, I just want to watch the sunset in Jimbaran, the most beautiful sunset beach in the world, or run along the clean road after the fishermen finish their work in the morning, breathing the salty air, and stop to tease a crab or have a large plate of Indonesian fried rice when I’m hungry. Retain a relaxing vacation time. Travelers who love the sea will definitely be in the right place by choosing Bali. So what are the must-visit attractions in Bali that are the “closest to heaven”?

NO.1 Jimbaran Beach

Jimbaran Beach is one of the top ten most beautiful sunset beaches in the world. This beach is famous for its beautiful sunset and the special way fishermen work. Fortunately, commercial activities have not extinguished the original appearance of the small fishing village. Instead, the villagers use their unique enthusiasm and simplicity to make the entire beach very friendly. It’s a pleasure to run on the beach in the morning and evening. The fishermen here still use old and simple wooden boats to go out to sea. The beach at dusk, hand in hand, grow old together, is a beautiful promise under the Bali sunset.

NO.2 La Lucciola Beach

La Lucciola Beach is located in southern Bali. It’s considered a less crowded beach for Bali locals, but it has complete facilities and allows you to enjoy a quieter space. There are many Italian restaurants. If you want to go to the more famous ones, it’s best to make reservations in advance.

NO.3 Sanur Beach

Snorkeling and diving enthusiasts will definitely be familiar with this place. As one of the most famous beaches in Bali, the waters here are clean, and there are many coral reefs along the coast. It’s a major diving spot in southern Bali. Sanur Beach is quiet and leisurely during the day, and people are lazily sunbathing. At night, as the lights come on, the singing or dance music from the bars gradually fills every inch of the air. People chat comfortably, or just listen to a song quietly.

NO.4 Sacred Monkey Forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest Park is a nutmeg forest where the local Balinese macaques live. Balinese residents believe that monkeys are the subordinates of the monkey god Hanuman and should be worshipped as gods. Therefore, the monkeys here live carefree lives and are specially fed. There are vendors selling food for feeding nearby, so these clever little monkeys have gradually learned to snatch tourists’ glasses in exchange for food, or grab the hems of tourists wearing long skirts to demand food. If you don’t want to play mind games with them, just take off your glasses and put on pants~

I was fascinated by the little monkeys when I saw the Sacred Monkey Forest in the travel notes and strategies of the experts. I thought they were clever and cute, and Bali is my must-visit island. So when I decided to go this year, I had already searched for this attraction using the free travel artifact Dream Trip APP, and I had already planned the itinerary!

NO.5 Bali Waterbom

This very popular water park is located in the southern Kuta area, with a variety of water slides, swimming pools and playgrounds. The most exciting are the five 600-meter-long slides, allowing you to experience firsthand what “can’t stop” means… Tropical rainforest plants are planted along the 250-meter lazy river, so you can enjoy the pleasant scenery while relaxing. In short, the various water activities in the park are thrilling and exciting, and will definitely make you have a great time.

NO.6 Tanah Lot Temple

A lonely temple. Tanah Lot Temple is one of the most important sea temples in Bali, built in the 16th century. The temple sits on a huge rock by the sea. When the tide comes in, the rock is surrounded by seawater, and the entire temple is separated from the land, standing alone in the sea; only when the tide recedes does it connect with the land. Tanah Lot Temple at sunset is the best time to admire it. Under the yellow sunset, the waves fiercely beat the coast, stirring up thousands of waves, the scenery is spectacular.

NO.7 Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple is the most solemn and magnificent temple in Bali. It sits on a cliff edge on the edge of a plateau, 250 feet below the plateau is the turbulent Indian Ocean. Built in the 11th century, it was built entirely of hard granite. The sea temple is built on the cliff, facing the turbulent sea. Legend has it that a sailor on an ancient ship angered the sea god, who tossed the ship ashore, forming the cliff shaped like the bow of the ship. This is the end of the pilgrimage of the great priest Nirata, who finally escaped the shackles of his physical body in the home of Baruna, the sea god who guards the South China Sea, and entered Nirvana.

NO.8 Bali Safari and Marine Park

Just like the famous Night Safari in Singapore, Bali Safari and Marine Park can also be visited at night. You can ride in an iron cage and get close to animals like tigers and zebras. In the morning, you can observe the animals’ dawn in a transparent glass park car and enjoy the quiet time. When you eat in the restaurant here, you can hear the roar of lions~

NO.9 Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Bali is not just about beaches. In the Tegalalang area, there are famous rice terrace landscapes. Its unique feature is that coconut trees appear in the pastoral scenery, like exquisite bonsai. There are also many scenic restaurants and hotels here, where you can enjoy Indonesian cuisine while admiring the intoxicating terrace scenery. In addition, there are many terraces in Ubud, which is adjacent to Tegalalang, and almost every resort has a beautiful view.

In the summer of 2015, I was also sun-baked, and I was thinking about where to go and have fun. I suddenly heard that Bali officially started to exempt visas for Chinese tourists. Within a few days, I and my friends decided to go to Bali in July. Due to time and traffic inconvenience constraints, the simple few-day tour chose the standard tourist package of Jimbaran, Ubud, etc. as the destination. Of course, there are others. I also wanted to find out whether Bali’s so-called “first-rate hotels, second-rate beaches, and third-rate attractions” were really true. (Yes, it’s true.)

Due to the visa-free policy, the preparation work before departure has become much simpler. Bring island-specific equipment, mosquito repellent spray (recommended), and essential medicines. After setting the itinerary and confirming the chartered car, you can set off. It needs to be mentioned here that because Bali’s attractions are very scattered, coupled with the fact that local transportation is not very convenient, in order to prevent too much twists and turns on the road, I personally think that the best mode of transportation is to charter a car with a motorcycle. Charter a car for long-distance transfers, and use a motorcycle to get around nearby areas. Here, I highly recommend against driving on your own. The traffic road conditions in Bali are extremely poor. Extremely narrow roads, winding mountain roads, are not suitable for tourists unfamiliar with the environment to drive. Of course, traffic jams are also a headache. Whenever you get stuck halfway, seeing motorcycles driving past one after another, I and my friends would feel very upset.

To book a chartered car, you can use the almighty Taobao (thanks to Jack Ma). The price is not high, about 210-250 RMB. I chose the store “Lazy Cat Travel” at that time. The two chartered car drivers before and after were very friendly. I don’t know why, but they always bought some local fruits or snacks for me and my friends on the way. Regarding the network, I recommend buying a local phone card in advance. Compared to carrying a heavy WiFi-Egg and mobile charging package around, a phone card is definitely a better choice.

Here, I have to mention one of the chartered car brothers. Although he had only been to Bali for a short month and wasn’t very familiar with the place, he still took me and my friends around very diligently. He helped me recharge my phone card at a convenience store, carefully explained how to check the balance and traffic (dial *555#) step by step, and even coincidentally met me outside of the chartered car time, taking me and my friends to find the very famous but not recommended roast suckling pig rice (Bali Guling). The brother I met while chartering a car, for me, of course, is also part of the journey. In addition to happy moments on the journey, the hardships and disappointments encountered are also precious. I also want to remind everyone that because tipping is rampant in Bali, in addition to exchanging some Indonesian rupiah in advance, it’s best to prepare some change (10 yuan RMB or 2-5 Singapore dollars).

In order to control expenses, I and my friends booked AirAsia, a low-cost airline. The price is humane and the time period is also very reasonable. The outbound flight is from Singapore Changi at 12:15 and arrives at Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport at 14:55 (note that Bali has no time difference); the return flight is from Bali at 8:55 in the morning and arrives in Singapore at 11:45 Singapore time.

The hotel is handled by Booking. Due to the late booking time, most of the hotels have been booked. Adhering to the belief that we must stay in a villa, I and my friends also selected a few villas with a good price-performance ratio among the options. Of course, if you have enough time and budget, please be sure to book various first-class hotels. Lie down in this island suitable for vacation but not for tourism for three days and three nights, enjoy the moon, the sea, and the people. Ready to finish, let’s go.

DAY 1 Arrive at the airport, Jimbaran Beach (not recommended)

Around 3 pm local time, I and my friends arrived at Bali’s only international airport, Ngurah Rai International Airport, and went to the hotel in the enthusiasm of the pick-up brother. The first hotel we chose was called “Bali Baliku Beach Front Luxury Private Pool Villas”. In addition to the reasonable price (1800 RMB/2 nights), providing pick-up service was also one of my considerations. This villa hotel is just across a parking lot from Jimbaran Beach, about 10 kilometers from the airport. Apart from the slightly disappointing breakfast and slightly outdated facilities, I still highly recommend this hotel. It’s a villa-style hotel with a very high price-performance ratio, with service, charm, and high privacy. It’s suitable for couples or families traveling.

Of course, if you have a higher budget and can book in advance, I would recommend the nearby Four Seasons, Ayana or Kupukupu Jimbaran L’Occitane Hotel. The Four Seasons restaurant is located on the shore of Jimbaran Beach, a 6-7 minute walk along the beach. The food at this seaside restaurant is much better than the so-called barbecue in Jimbaran. Although Jimbaran Beach and the local seafood barbecue have some reputation, they are ultimately just that. Xunliao Bay in Huizhou can replace it. The seafood is fresh, but because it is not properly grilled, the whole thing is black as ink, and it’s not that delicious. At the same time, the seafood barbecue of a whole row of big stalls completely makes the beach smoky and stuffy. The only thing that brings comfort is the 1,000 rupiah corn on the cob on the beach. It’s really delicious. I don’t recommend Jimbaran Beach. If you want to enjoy Bali’s beaches, you can try going to Lovina or Tulamben in the east. However, because the journey is relatively far, I chose Jimbaran as the destination this time.

Here, I also want to mention a small incident that made my heart sink. When we were picked up at the airport, there was an older man standing next to the pick-up brother. He was very friendly and helped us carry our luggage (be careful). On the way to the parking lot, another older man joined in to help share the meager luggage. I was still wondering if these two older men were also hotel staff when they started asking me for tips, and even acted a little aggressively, demanding high tips. Later, after communicating with the hotel’s pick-up brother, I learned that there were many such older men at the airport who acted semi-forcefully and semi-aggressively, demanding to help carry luggage, and took advantage of the chaos of the pick-up to earn some money. He also felt very helpless. If you don’t want to spend this extra money, then you need to be careful at the airport.

DAY 2 SOGO Shopping (not recommended), Kuta Beach, Uluwatu Cliff (excellent)

After hearing that Bali is the outsourcing point for Levi’s and Polo, and that these brands are cheaper, I and my friends decided to check it out. The next day, I went shopping at the Kuta SOGO mall and went to a restaurant recommended by a friend, Made’s Warung, and Kuta Beach. At the entrance of the mall, I saw all kinds of older men greeting you in different languages, wanting to be your shopping guides. But after the incident at the airport, I and my friends were more cautious, so we didn’t have much communication with them. The prices of the so-called outsourced brands like Levi’s are indeed very cheap, about half the price you can buy a pair of Levi’s jeans. But after learning about it, I and my friends found out that the local area would actually be complained about for selling all kinds of fake products with labels, and even brand stores at the airport sell counterfeit goods. At that moment, we returned home dejectedly.

Seeing that it was still early for lunch, I detoured to Kuta Beach and went to Hard Rock to take a break. Kuta Beach is different from Jimbaran in that it’s more suitable for surfing. When you arrive at the beach, people will constantly come up to you to sell you skateboards or various items, and even after I repeatedly refused, they still wouldn’t leave. If you really want to enjoy surfing, Kuta Beach is definitely a good choice, but this strong commercial atmosphere makes people feel a little depressed and uncomfortable.

The only thing that comforted me in Kuta was Made’s Warung, a restaurant recommended by a friend, which is said to have been opened by a Chinese boss who married a local wife. This restaurant not only provides local cuisine, but also provides Chinese, Japanese, and other cuisines from around the world, and the taste is also quite good. It also allowed me, a peanut butter lover, to discover a local dish called GADO-GADO here. Peanut butter lovers can try it. My friend also highly recommends the various fried rice at this restaurant.

After comforting my stomach, I thought that Bali wasn’t that disappointing, but I didn’t expect the disappointment to end here, but to get worse. In the evening, I and my friends decided to take a local taxi to the Cliff of Love. I had learned about the serious overcharging phenomenon of local taxis and had also read many strategies, including the information provided by Sixteenban. I learned that “Bali taxis can be simply divided into five types, among which the light blue grey BaliTaxi has the best reputation. Such light blue taxis usually have “Blue Bird Group” written on the windshield and marked with a blue bird logo, so they are also called Blue Bird taxis. Blue Bird drivers are all very polite, will not charge extra on the spot, and most of them charge by meter.”

Therefore, I specially stopped a Blue Bird taxi, and after agreeing on the price with the driver, I and my friends were ready to set off for the Cliff of Love. However, however, I encountered unprecedented traffic jams on the mountain road. After driving for nearly two hours, I finally reached the top of the mountain. After getting off the car, I almost had my slippers snatched by the monkeys at the entrance. Fortunately, I, as an animal lover, don’t dislike various animals. I thought that if it was my friend who encountered this, my mood would immediately go down to the bottom. Here, I also remind everyone that when you go to the Cliff of Love, in addition to keeping your mobile phones, cameras, glasses, etc., it’s best not to wear skirts, slippers, etc. that are easily attacked by monkeys. At the same time, it’s best to go to the Cliff of Love off-peak. Go up the mountain early before dusk or use a motorcycle to go up the mountain, but the mountain road is a bit rugged, so please pay attention to riding safety.

After so many complaints, you might think that the Cliff of Love left a bad impression on me. In fact, the opposite is true. After seeing the indescribable beauty of the sunset at the Cliff of Love, I felt that all the disappointments of the day were compensated for. Because the weather was excellent that day, the feeling of seeing such a clear sunset really cannot be described with words. The sky that continuously changes color every second, paired with the roar of waves hitting the cliffs, also made me instantly understand why so many people choose Bali as their wedding location. The dance performance held at the Cliff of Love at dusk is also one of my recommendations. When you take your seat, you can be a little careful and move to the side where you can see the sunset. You can enjoy this national dance performance with the sunset as a backdrop.

The only regret of this trip is that I didn’t spend a night in Uluwatu, so I recommend the hotels in Uluwatu as well. Apart from the Bulgari Hotel where Heartthrob got married, I personally want to try a hotel called Blue Point, which has an infinity pool but a slightly lower price. The sunset view in Uluwatu is perfect if the weather is excellent, so in order to avoid regrets, staying one day and spending a night on the cliff is definitely worthwhile.

On the third day, I and my friends moved from Jimbaran to Ubud. With the idea of having stayed by the sea, we should stay in the fields next, I booked this field hotel “Anusara Luxury Villas”. Here, I began a chartered car journey of alternating surprises and scares.

Bali Must-See Practical Tips

1. Essentials: Sunglasses, umbrellas, sunscreen, swimwear, stomach medicine, anti-mosquito repellent, etc. Bali has strong ultraviolet rays, so please bring hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, and it’s best to drink plenty of water.

2. The raw water in Bali cannot be drunk directly. Please buy bottled water instead, and do not drink ice from vendors. Do not eat seafood raw.

3. Local tourist spots will all visit wood carving villages, silverware, batik centers, and local product stores. Although they are local art and specialties, if you want to buy them, please remember to haggle.

4. Most toilets in Bali do not have toilet paper. Remember to bring your own. Bali is located in the tropics and there are many mosquitoes and flies. Please bring mosquito repellent and insect bite ointment. Driving and walking in Bali are all on the left side, which is different from China. Please pay attention to following the rules.

5. Taxes: In Bali, there is a forced tax when you eat. Five-star hotels and restaurants are 21% tax, and ordinary restaurants are 15% tax.

6. Tips: Tips are generally required for dining and bed making locally. It’s usually 10,000 or 5,000 rupiah (7-3.5 yuan RMB).

7. Hotels: All hotels in Bali do not provide toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, slippers. Some hotels provide them, but they are not very clean. It’s strongly recommended to bring your own.