Impressions of Bali

Since we arrived in Indonesia in November, we’ve fallen in love with this country. From the friendly islands of eastern Indonesia we moved on to the center. In between visa runs, we visited Bali a few times, staying on land and on our boat. Although our short stays are not enough to provide a definitive guide to the island, we developed impressions of Bali.

About Bali

Bali is one of the world’s most renowned vacation spots and has been called “Heaven on Earth.” We respectfully disagree. We found this paradise spoiled by overcrowding, traffic, and pollution. When we were there, it wasn’t even busy with tourists, as tourism has been down lately.

Much like Moorea versus Tahiti in French Polynesia, we prefer Lombok over Bali. Lombok is quieter and more relaxed. I know we’ve been spoiled, and after years of traveling we prefer uncrowded places. But our impressions of Bali also include some lovely places and experiences.

We visited the busiest part of Bali: near the airport and the popular tourist spots. When we were there, those were the most convenient places by boat. If I had the choice, I would visit more remote places, further from the noise and congestion.

Our first time in Bali, we spent a day and a night in a Kuta hotel before flying out to Western Australia. Later, we spent a week on anchor and a few days at a marina before continuing west.

We still have some good impressions of Bali, which follow.

Sculptures in Bali

Bali has natural beauty – beaches, waterfalls, and rice paddys. We also noted large and intricate sculptures dotting the landscape. Many of the artworks represent guardians and gods from the Hindu religion. They are at roundabouts, in parks, along beaches, and at temples.

garuda Wisnu kencana

After spotting the huge Garuda statue from afar, we had to visit. A relatively new addition to the landscape, it’s Indonesia’s tallest statue, bigger than the Statue of Liberty. No wonder I kept seeing it from afar! We walked around the massive grounds, containing lots of smaller statues, and went up to the viewing platform of the Garuda, which is Indonesia’s national symbol.

Hotels in Bali

As Australia’s top vacation destination, of course Bali has a huge selection of hotels and resorts. Couple that with how inexpensive Indonesia is, we found deals on hotels on either side of our trip to W.A. Probably the closest comparison to prices is Colombia, where value for money is huge. As a result, you can get a high end hotel for less than $100/night, and even lower if you forgo some amenities.

Additionally, many hotels have big pools and offer day passes. Some only require a purchase of drinks or a meal, and others have a minimal charge for entry to use the facilities for the day. With many beaches near the big tourist areas rough and full of rip tides and trash, relaxing in the pool in the hot weather is a necessity.

Impressions of Bali by Boat

We were disappointed in the anchorage options in Bali. If you want central location, safe, and clean, we didn’t find it. Instead, we opted for a mooring ball (safe and secure) in Serangan Harbor, which is located near the dump and smells like it. The locals have a monopoly on taxis out of the area, meaning inflated prices for rides. Otherwise, the company who manages the moorings is reliable and there’s some good warungs (casual outdoor restaurants) nearby.

Bali Sights

Aside from the Garuda and beaches, Bali offers art, temples, and beautiful vistas. There are a number of places to visit on Bali and its neighboring islands, for day trips or longer.

Day trip to nusa penida

While anchored in the smelly anchorage, we noted the proximity of the commercial dock. This dock features many tour boats to the nearby southern island of Nusa Penida. Located 25km off the east coast of Bali, we sailed past it several times. With no good places to anchor, our only opportunity was taking a tour.

The day tour to Nusa Penida started early in the morning and lasted a full day. In a fast boat, the trip is about an hour and can be rough. Several people on our boat got seasick on the way to the island, so be prepared and take meds if you go. Once we arrived it was much calmer and we snorkeled in three different spots.

I’m glad we went, but the snorkeling was only okay. We saw manta rays, but the visibility wasn’t great, and I often had to swipe away plastic bags, more common than seaweed in the water here.

On land, we were driven to Kelingking Beach, home to the famous T Rex cliff, and ate lunch at a restaurant overlooking the sea.

ubud

Ubud, in Bali, is known for culture and spirituality. It’s located in the centre of the island, about 40km north of the airport and a little closer to our boat. Most people spend a few nights or even a week in Ubud. Located in the uplands, it’s surrounded by rice paddys and rainforest, away from the busy beaches. We had a great driver and guide and explored Ubud and surroundings in one long day.

Our tour was fun and we saw a lot of Ubud, including the thousand year old Batuan temple, waterfalls, and more.

My favorite was the Barung dance at the Batubulan Temple. I expected some folk dancing but was impressed by the show! It had costumes, music, pantomime, and dancing, and was a treat to watch.

Eating in Bali

You won’t go hungry in Bali. Dining options range from affordable warungs offering Indonesian food, to Australian bars and restaurants, and some excellent fine dining. We recommend a couple of favorites if you go.

babi guling gung ninie

On one of our last days in Bali, we learned about this traditional dish, babi guling, pig roast. Umm, how did we almost miss this? If you visit Bali, you have to try it. It shouldn’t be difficult because there are lots of warungs serving this tasty and filling dish. We had a plate in which the pork was served many ways, including a soup, sausage, and crackling. I couldn’t eat it all but it’s one of our most memorable Balinese meals.

kayumanis

Set in a beautiful garden venue, Kayumanis is a high end restaurant serving traditional dishes from across the Indonesian archipelago. Our dinner was excellent. The hardest part was deciding what to order from the array of tasty choices. This was one of the best restaurants we’ve been to in Indonesia.

warung pan bobby

We liked this seafood warung so much we ate there twice. Warung Pan Bobby was conveniently located near our mooring, affordable, very popular with locals, and serves delicious seafood.

Bye-Bye, Bali

Thanks for reading about our impressions of Bali. They are trying to improve with roads and education about plastics, and I hope it helps. We only got to see a small portion of the island but it was memorable. Let us know what you recommend in Bali, or elsewhere in Indonesia, in the comments!