Think Goa, Go Bali.

That’s how I landed up holidaying in Bali!

Double six beach, Seminyak, Bali.

There’s absolutely no reason to doubt why Goa is India’s favourite most tourist destination, and being a Goan girl raised in Mumbai, trust me I know the ‘Goa, never get’s old!’ feeling.

But, what if I told you; You could enjoy a luxurious Goa experience, plus turquoise waters, baby blue skies, lush paddy fields, breathtaking sunsets, awe worthy architecture, all under 60K?

Changed your mind? Read on my friend… 🙂

If you’ve followed me on Instagram/ Facebook you would have known of my trip to Bali this July 2016. Considering I was going to pay for my holiday, it was REALLY important to stick to the budget! To my surprise, all it took was 3 months of advance planning, and we had Bali on a Budget!

Did we go via a travel agent? No! Here’s how we planned it.

Today’s blog should help you get the Bali Basics right!

Weather

There’s never a bad time to visit Bali, but it is best visited during the summers. Apparently, April to September is the dry season while October to March is considered as the wet season.

But with global warming, who can predict tropical weather anymore? We were welcomed with heavy showers on the first two days in Bali and were blessed with sunny days there on!

Flights

Skyscanner.com is everything!

Believe it or not, this is the only thing that’s going to pinch your pocket. Yes, even a low-cost airline will cost you anything from INR 25K and above. We traveled with Malindo Air transiting via Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Besides a delayed flight on our return (due to the generous Mumbai monsoons), we had no complaints!

Tip: If you agree a little alcohol hurt no one, pick your booze while in transit! Bali could burn your pocket if you prefer anything other than Beer. 

Visa

Bali loves India! It’s Free Visa entry & Visa on Arrival.

Extra money for Bintang! (Local Beer)

Touchdown Bali! A little drama at Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Hotels

Expect to get unbelievable villas, hotels and resorts at unbelievably low prices! You can book a 3 star hotel for as low as INR 3K a night, with breakfast!

We stayed at 4 different hotels/resorts.

Starting with ‘Bali Ayu‘ in Seminyak

Private villas, outdoor bathrooms, calming pool-side and yummy breakfast! We love you Bali Ayu!!!

‘Ohana Hotel‘ in Kuta,

Just chilling in this gorgeous pool in the heart of Kuta!

‘U Tube Hotel‘ in Uluwatu,

Chilling by the pool with our Bintangs at midnight, while watching countless stars was the best memory of this place.

And lastly ‘De Sapphire Cliff Villa‘ in Uluwatu

The breathtaking view of this resort made the last morning in Bali, the most memorable one. If there’s anything we regret, we wish we stayed longer here.

Tip: We chose booking.com, but do look up airbnb.com. Also, keep an eye for last-minute cancellations. You might just get that suite you wanted for peanuts!

Travel

Traveling within Bali is just like Goa! Taxis will cost a fortune, bikes wont.

You can rent a bike for as low as INR 250 a day. Your Indian driving license will work just fine so don’t worry about that.  A Taxi will cost you anywhere from 500 and above, one way.

Traffic can be bad in Bali at times, but with a bike you could wade through it.

Grinning away on our two-wheeler. Conroy managed to pose for this one without getting us killed. LOL!

Tip: Should you need a taxi, I’d suggest booking one via your hotel. Also, wearing helmets for both persons is mandatory in Bali. 

Food & Drinks

Bali can boast about having some of the finest restaurants! You could find the best of Italian, Mexican, Continental, European, Asian and Balinese cuisine of course.

A full course meal besides the sea, paddy field or even on a cliff will cost you an approx. of INR 700 per person.

Bali’s famous beer BINTANG will be one of the best beers you’ve tried this far. It’s cheap and don’t be surprised if it’s all you’re sipping on the whole time. 1 pint is an approx. of INR 80 – 100.

One of the finest meals we ate in Bali was at Nook, Seminyak. Glad we found this place on Instagram on one of our #Bali stalking sessions. What an experience!

I will leave my favourite ‘Places to eat in Bali’ for another blog post. Trust me, it deserves one to itself.

Tip: Most local restaurants go by the title ‘Warung’ before their name. This practice was started to help tourists indicate the local ones. The cost of Bintang differs from area to area, we found them to be the cheapest in Uluwatu.

Currency

When in Bali, you pay in millions!

Just kidding, the exchange rate is pretty amusing; 1 INR = 195 IDR.

Tip: Beware of suspiciously good deals at local money exchange shops, stick to the authorized money exchanges to avoid being cheated.

That’s it for now! I know it’s been rather lengthy, but I hope I’ve left a little part of you wanting to visit beautiful Bali!

Cheers!

Iona