Organize your holiday in Bali! We have collected for you useful tips and tourist reviews about restaurants and hotels in resorts, prices, excursions and beaches of the island.
In Bali, the lush greenery of the tropics is generously diluted with bright colors of exotic plants, ancient temples are harmoniously combined with modern houses, and long sandy beaches and nature reserves attract tourists. Before your trip, read the reviews of tourists about Bali, about the rest and life on the island in 2021.
Reviews of tourists about the rest in Bali
The main thing that the absolute majority of tourists note in their reviews about their holidays in Bali in 2019-2020 is the stunning beauty of the flora and fauna of the island. Everything here pleases: volcanoes and waterfalls, dense forests and bright plants, walking giant iguanas and nosy monkeys, elephants and giant bats. Even rice plantations amaze with their beauty, because it's not for nothing that artists from all over the world strive to the island for inspiration.
Here you can go surfing, snorkeling, rafting, ride elephants, visit the volcano, visit the botanical garden and the zoo, taste the famous luwak coffee (kopi luwak) and fresh seafood. Travelers are delighted with the sights of the island and sincerely regret that it is impossible to see everything in one trip.
Lovers of strong drinks have a somewhat hard time. Alcohol is expensive, and you still need to know where to buy it. There is also some lack of nightlife on the island, Bali is not Thailand, and in most places everything is closed at 10 pm. The exception is youth Kuta.
The peculiar driving style of the locals shocks travelers and discourages them from renting a car, however, there is always a taxi. Most taxi drivers will willingly take on the functions of a guide, the main thing is to come to an agreement. By the way, vacationers are ambiguous towards local residents. The friendliness of the Balinese seemed feigned to some, although most still consider them nice and helpful people. Communication is mainly in English.
A vacation with a child in Bali is quite possible, only you need to take into account the long flight and find a good hotel with a pool and slides, since swimming in the ocean with a child is not the best option. For children there are zoos, a dolphinarium and other entertainments, they will not be bored. It is recommended to take out insurance before traveling. Travel insurance →
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Hotel reviews
According to the reviews of holidaymakers, most of the hotels in Bali have a well-groomed area with ponds, pools and a park, but not everyone can provide their own beach, the sea can be with reefs or a rocky bottom. In this case, you have to use the city's free beaches or splash in the pool.
Unassuming tourists use guesthouses: rooms cost $ 10-15 per day, the price will depend on the resort, conditions and proximity to the beach. This option is suitable for those who do not stay in one place. However, the cost of hotel rooms is also acceptable: an excellent three-star hotel in Kuta on the coastline - about $ 65 per night with breakfast. But it's not a problem to find it for $ 20-25, especially if you book in advance or with a promotion on Roomguru - there you can often see great deals from hotels. It is quite easy to find a 2 * hotel for $ 15-20.
Good beaches and service at the Novotel Bali Benoa 4 * and Ayodya Resort Bali 5 * hotels in Nusa Dua, sometimes the sea disappoints: together with the tide, algae and debris are washed ashore.
The budget Pondok Sari 2 * in Kut has proven itself well: service and rooms are not bad, there are many inexpensive restaurants around. True, the city beach is far away - 20 minutes on foot, but you can take a taxi or rent a bike.
As a warning. At the same time, there are also negative reviews about hotels on the island of Bali. So, Palloma Hotel Kuta 3 * caused complaints from vacationers. The poor location of the hotel, there is not a single cafe or restaurant nearby, the number of rooms is weak, they are rarely cleaned, the pool with highly chlorinated water - all this upset the guests. And Bali Kuta Resort 4 * frankly shocked with rusty taps, the depressing state of the pool, lack of hot water and air conditioning in the room.
See also: How much does it cost to go to Bali?
Anton Ptushkin's film about Bali
The famous blogger and presenter understands what the phenomenon of the popularity of Bali is, talks about surfing, beaches and hotels. Take a look!
Restaurants and food prices on the island - 2021
In restaurants and cafes, you can taste Indonesian, Indian, Chinese and European cuisines. Local cuisine is seafood, rice with meat and vegetables, spicy soups and fresh juices.
In Jimbaran, the entire coastline is lined with tables while seafood is being prepared, vacationers are entertained with live music. The best responses were received by the restaurants Warung Santai, Paper Planes, Puri Bar. In Nusa Dua, Tropical Seafood & Grill received good responses, in Kuta Drink Drink Drink and The Pad Bar and Grill.
Food prices in Bali are generally not very high, but it is expensive to eat in tourist restaurants: it is better to look for places where locals eat. Lunch in a varung (small cafe) in 2021 costs from 25 thousand rupees per person (about $ 1.8) - as a rule, it is rice with meat or soup, a vegetarian dish will cost a little less. Vegetables and fruits in the markets are cheap and affordable - when buying, see how much the locals pay and bargain.
For more information on prices on the island and in other Southeast Asian countries, current for 2021, read here. You may also find the Indonesia pricing article helpful.
Spa in Bali
Spa treatments in Bali are well worth taking advantage of. As tourists write in their reviews, similar procedures in Thailand or Turkey are not even close. After the Balinese massage and flower baths, a feeling of rebirth appears, and stress and nervousness go far and for a long time. Decent spas are available in many hotels, so there is no need to go somewhere special for your portion of relaxation. If the hotel does not provide such services, salons are easy to find in resorts.
Reviews about excursions in Bali
There are a variety of excursions, travel agencies have high prices, so it is more profitable to hire a guide: for $ 50-80, you can ride the whole day. A budget option is to rent a bike and see everything for yourself.
Excursions in Bali with good reviews. The most popular among tourists are the Tanah Lot Temple, Titra Gangga Water Park, Ujung Water Palace, Git Git and Munduk Waterfalls, Monkey Forest and Rice Terraces in Ubud, Gunung Batur and Agung Gunung Volcanoes, Bratan Lake and Ulun Danu Temple, Abandoned Hotel, Safari Park. The most expensive entrance to Tanah Lot is 30 thousand rupees. Other attractions within 15-25 thousand, museums - 50 thousand. Learn about the best excursions in Bali.
Guided tours with poor reviews. Travelers do not recommend the island of turtles and ATV trips through the rice fields - there are more interesting places on the island.
There are also conflicting responses about tasting Luwak coffee, some found the taste fantastic, others ordinary. Obviously, only true gourmets can truly appreciate the taste of the drink.
Find out when is the best time to go to rest in Bali.
Bali beaches reviews
Reviews of tourists about the beaches of Bali are as follows: most of them are not very suitable for swimming. Here, first of all, it is good to practice water sports, for example, diving and surfing. There are many wild little beaches, "secret" places that are gradually becoming tourist attractions, such as the Pandava beach.
The golden beach of Kuta is often called one of the best, but travelers write that it is crowded and not too clean.Garbage is periodically cleaned up, but it quickly accumulates again. In addition, there is a rather high wave in Kuta.
Excellent Padang Padang beach near Uluwatu - with pleasant sand and a little wave (not always). The entrance is shallow, so you can swim with small children. In Nusa Dua and Sanur, the beaches are clean and comfortable, but at low tide the sea runs far away. According to reviews, the Pandava beach (on Bukit) is good in Bali, which was previously an unknown vacationer, and now it has changed - it has become civilized, but this has not lost its charm.
However, the beaches on the Gili Islands, located near Lombok, are considered the best, only you will have to get there by plane or by speedboat. Many tourists recommend leaving the noisy island for a few days for the sake of the paradise beaches of Gili - for a longer period, travelers believe, it is not worth going, as it is rather boring there, but this is a matter of taste.
New Year's Eve trip
The locals of Bali celebrate the New Year in March, so there are no festivities and fireworks on January 1 here. Most often, tourists celebrate at the hotel: they decorate a Christmas tree, prepare a New Year's banquet with an entertainment program. You can continue your holiday in a nightclub somewhere in Kuta.
The weather for the New Year, since the rainy season is here from December to March, is not happy: it is very humid, but hot, there are short-term tropical showers. The ocean is worried due to monsoons and it is not always possible to swim, but in between the rains the sun peeps out and you can sunbathe. It rains least in the north of the island. Read more about the weather in Bali in December and other winter months.
Reviews about life in Bali
Recently, it has become popular to go to the island for a few months. Being there for a long time, travelers noted the positive and negative aspects of such a life:
- It is difficult to find a place for calm swimming on the island - surfers like too strong waves, but absolutely not suitable for swimming. Swimming into the ocean is dangerous - underwater currents will drag you into the ocean, and there are no lifeguards on many beaches. Some of Bali's beaches have sharp rocks, and the water is often muddy and muddy.
- A deplorable fruit situation: the markets close at 9 am and are sold in supermarkets, but the choice is scarce. Get up early in the morning to stock up on provisions.
- According to reviews about Bali holidays and reports from travelers, prices on the island are growing from year to year, so the cheapness, which was written about a couple of years ago, can no longer be found. A small house can be rented for $ 300-360, the rent for a two-story house with a pool is $ 500-700, plus $ 50 utilities. If you try really hard, you can find a little cheaper. Better to rent a bike and drive around in search of a rental house.
- A portion of soup or meat with rice in local warungs will cost $ 1.5-2. Lunch in a Chinese restaurant is $ 3, in tourist restaurants the cost is 3-5 times higher.
- Milk, cheese, alcohol are expensive, and seafood, chicken, vegetables and fruits are cheap.
Despite the fact that reviews about Bali are rather contradictory, even the most inveterate skeptics recommend visiting the island at least once in order to appreciate its unique beauty for yourself.
You can share your opinion about the vacation in the comments - your experience will be useful to other travelers.
