Amazing Things We Did On Holiday In Bali

We had spent a few months planning our trip to Bali and Indonesia blissfully unaware that the Covid-19 virus which was ramping up on the other side of the world would inevitably touch our lives and put an end to overseas travel for quite some time. We had some knowledge that something was coming but we were unaware of the severity of the pandemic.

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Click here for Table of Contents

1. Accommodation
   1. The Kayon Resort
   2. Sapodilla Ubud
   3. Ashanti Villas
   4. Hostels
   5. Gopalan Hotel
   6. Puri Artha Hotel
   7. Flora Apartments
2. Food
3. Things We Did in Bali
   1. Kuta
   2. Mesari Beach
   3. Lempuyang Temple
   4. Ubud Traditional Market
   5. Ubud Monkey Forest
   6. Flower Bath Experience
   7. Saraswati Temple/Lotus Pond
   8. Besakih Temple
   9. Ubud Palace
   10. The Kecak Dance
   11. Uluwatu Temple
   12. Tegalalanh Rice Terraces
   13. Jungle Swing
   14. Jati Luwih Rice Fields
   15. Taman Ayun Mengwi Temple
   16. Ulundanulake Temple
   17. Tahah Lot Temple on the Sea
   18. Tegenungan Waterfall
   19. Penglipuran Traditional Village
   20. Kintamani Volcano View
4. Things We Did in Yogyakarta
   1. Borobudur Temple
   2. Prambanan Hindu Temple
   3. Yogyakarta
   4. Ramayana Resto and Dance Programme
   5. Ullen Sentalu
   6. Berksi Cliff

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Bali seemed like the perfect place to visit right after the Xmas hype, a well earned relaxing, interesting and fun holiday… and it was!

Bali with its restaurants, beaches, markets, temples and mountains was lovely. Jogjakarta was fascinating, particularly the sunrise tour of Borabadur and our visit to the Prambanan Hindu Temple… stunning!

It made a perfect holiday and we loved the beautiful relaxed atmosphere, the friendly people and the sheer variety of things to see and do… each day was a surprise!

So in January 2020 we packed our bags and headed to Bali.

Getting there is easy and the close proximity to NZ means it is relatively affordable. We flew Emirates from Auckland to Bali and most days were spent on tour with a private driver and van. We also flew from Bali to Yogyakarta and here we toured with another driver and van.

This was a great way to see all the sights because we could spend more time at the places that were of particular interest and the drivers/guides were flexible and accommodating.

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Accommodation

There is a huge amount of accommodation for all budgets… everywhere, so looking for a bed to suit should not be too difficult.

The Kayon Resort

If you’re looking for a touch of luxury in Bali the Kayon Resort is a great choice. It’s in Ubud is set in peaceful gardens with a pool and a lovely little chapel. The rooms are air-conditioned and elegant, with marble bathrooms, private terraces, and beautiful views of the Petanu River and surrounding jungle.

Sapodilla Ubud

Sapodilla Ubud is conveniently located within a 10-minute walk of Agung Rai Museum of Art and Wayang Kulit. This hotel features a restaurant, an outdoor pool, and concierge services!

Ashanti Villas

On arrival in Bali we stayed at the beautiful Ashanti Villas in Ubud. We loved the traditional décor, the private pool and yummy breakfast brought to our villa each morning. The hosts were helpful, warm and friendly, they made us feel well taken care of.

Hostels

If you’re traveling on a budget, there are lots of budget and hostel options in Ubud.

Gopalan Hotel

In Yogyakarta we stayed at the Gopalan Hotel which is near the Borobudur Temple. This hotel has rustic charm with friendly staff and good food but the most stunning feature was the location in amongst the rice paddy fields with beautiful views.

Puri Artha Hotel

We also stayed at Puri Artha Hotel which is located in the city only 20 mins from the airport. The traditional architecture, lawns and pool provided a feeling of luxury and charm. From here we were able to explore the surrounding restaurants and markets and get a real feel for local life here.

Flora Apartments

On our return to Bali we stayed at Flora Apartments in Seminyak. This is a modern block of apartments that gave us the freedom to buy food in and do some simple cooking. Also laundry :)

Our tour was running late on the day that we arrived so we missed the meetup with the agent who of course had the key. It was early evening but already dark plus the entry to the apartment was via a dark narrow driveway. Oh dear. How lucky that the driver came to our rescue and was able to contact the agent and search out a secret key located somewhere around the building. We slept well that night!

To round off our trip we wanted to stay at the beach so we choose a beach resort at Kuta Beach for our last few days. Unfortunately our hotel was poor but this stay did give us a little time to relax, drink cocktails on the beach, watch the sunset, dine out and visit the market.

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Food

We certainly enjoyed the local food. There are many, many restaurants, clubs and bars. We loved to explore the small streets and back alleyways for the most delicious and authentic Balinese food and we were not disappointed, there was a great selection.

Bali’s traditional dishes such as nasi goreng, mee goreng, satay, noodles and rendang are delicious and we could not get enough of the varied and diverse flavours.

Alternatively, Bali’s western style cuisine can be found in the many cafes located all around the town.

Bali is also home to a diverse range of incredible vegan/vegetarian options. I have heard Bali described as the holy grail for delicious and nutritious plant-based meals. From smoothie bowls to gourmet salads, to vegan pizza to coconut ice cream.

Part of the joy of travel here is searching out the best restaurants but to be honest they were all good, so good that we had trouble deciding where to eat next… the options seemed endless.

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Things We Did in Bali

Before our Bali trip, we checked out the 10 Best Viewpoints in Bali. It was good reading before we arrived and helped us plan some scenic stops.

Nisha had already planned most of the places she wanted to visit, but this list gave us a few extra ideas.

It’s definitely worth a look so you don’t miss any special views.

Kuta

Kuta is a beautiful beach, buzzing with energy and packed with visitors from all over the world. You’ll see people swimming, surfing, soaking up the sun, shopping for souvenirs, or relaxing at one of the many open-air cafes and restaurants. There’s no doubt that when you’re in Kuta, you know you’re on holiday.

However, we found it a bit too crowded and overly touristy for our taste. Many of the restaurants were geared towards Western visitors, offering European food, burgers, and pizzas — which we didn’t need. We were in Indonesia and wanted to enjoy proper local food!

We also noticed that the area was quite littered in places, especially around the busy beachfront. It felt like it had lost some of its natural charm due to the constant stream of tourism. While Kuta might be a great starting point for first-time visitors or partygoers, we preferred quieter spots that gave us more of a feel for authentic Bali.

Mesari Beach

Grab a bean bag at La Plancha Bar, settle in under one of the colourful beach umbrellas, and soak up the atmosphere. It’s a great spot right on the sand at Seminyak Beach, where you can order cocktails and tasty snacks while you watch the sun go down in true Bali style. The sunset really is magnificent — fiery skies over the ocean, with music playing in the background and a fun holiday vibe all around.

It’s definitely a bit of magic… but also very commercial. The place gets packed, especially in the late afternoon, and prices are on the higher side. While it’s worth experiencing once for the colourful setting and lively mood, it didn’t feel very ‘local’ to us — more like a beach bar designed with tourists in mind.

Lempuyang Temple

Locally known as Pura Luhur Lempuyang is one of Bali’s oldest and most highly regarded temples. It is also believed to predate the majority of Hindu temples on the island. The entire landscape looks very picturesque from this temple gate. The gate is also known to the western world as “The Gates of Heaven”. The location is in the eastern part of of Bali within the highlands of Mount Lempuyang, which is cool, 1,775m above sea level.

We lined up for the mandatory photo standing within the gates, it seemed the thing to do… during the wait we watched and applauded as a young man got down on one knee and proposed, very romantic.

Ubud Traditional Market

This was fascinating and great for bargaining. I loved the hand woven baskets also the lovely macramé wall hangings.

This bustling market was absolutely fascinating and a great place to practise your bargaining skills. I especially loved the beautiful handwoven baskets and the intricate macramé wall hangings — so much creativity and craftsmanship on display.

One of the highlights here was when Basker gave bargaining a go using Bahasa Malaysia. The locals burst into laughter, clearly entertained — and maybe a little puzzled — by his enthusiastic efforts! While he was mostly understood, I suspect he wasn’t quite using the right phrases for the Balinese setting. Still, it led to some wonderful, light-hearted exchanges and gave us a few cheerful memories to carry home.

Ubud Monkey Forest

This famous forest is home to hundreds of monkeys. But be careful because they are always looking for food and can be aggressive to tourists. It was great fun particularly when a monkey came and sat on someone’s shoulder. My best tip if you are not keen on getting up close and personal is to keep a good distance from the monkeys and don’t make eye contact. However, we loved the cooling walk among the forest watching these cheeky little creatures.

Flower Bath Experience

If you’re after a bit of indulgence in Bali, the flower bath at Kaveri Spa at The Udaya Resort in Ubud is a real treat. Often credited as the place that kicked off the flower bath trend in Bali, it’s beautifully done and perfect if you want to unwind or mark a special occasion. The bath itself is filled with colourful, patterned petals — you can even choose your design — and the setting is very peaceful.

We booked this as a Christmas gift for Nisha, and she absolutely loved it. The whole experience felt relaxing and luxurious, and it was a memorable highlight of the trip. We weren’t staying at the resort, but the spa welcomes outside guests too. It’s popular, so it’s a good idea to book ahead.

Saraswati Temple/Lotus Pond

Also known as the Ubud Water Palace, Pura Taman Saraswati is a beautifully preserved Hindu temple in the heart of Ubud. It’s dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, literature, and the arts — a peaceful place with deep cultural meaning. The temple is surrounded by a stunning water garden, with lotus flowers blooming everywhere you look. It’s a lovely spot to pause and take in the calm beauty.

It also happened to be right next door to a Starbucks, which felt like a welcome relief. I wasn’t feeling the best that day — hot, tired, and with a slightly upset tummy — so sitting down with a cool drink and something light in the shade was just what I needed. A peaceful break with a lovely view of the lotus pond… not a bad way to recharge in the middle of a warm Bali day.

Besakih Temple

Known as the Mother Temple, Besakih is a temple complex that is the largest, most important and most sacred of the Hindu religion in Bali. It is a large complex of 23 temples over 6 terraces and was beautiful to wander around. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity to go into the temples to pray which was disappointing.

Ubud Palace

A tranquil walk around the complex to enjoy the traditional architecture.

The Kecak Dance

The dance is staged in the open-air setting on a cliff, by Uluwatu temple. As we watched the sun slowly dropped into the sea and we were treated to a beautiful sunset. It was hot, take a sun umbrella.

The Kecak dance tells the story of Ramayana wherein prince Rama’s wife, Sita, is abducted by the ogre Rahwana. The show was a great bit of fun.

Uluwatu Temple

This is home of the famous waves in Bali. From the cliff tops the views are beautiful, just incredible natural beauty.

Bali is more than Seminyak and Ubud. Get off the beaten track and venture to the north of the island. You’ll find fewer crowds, remote temples and plenty of beautiful waterfalls to explore.

Tegalalanh Rice Terraces

The Tegallalang rice terraces provides a scenic outlook that spreads down and away to the far side of the valley. The high roadside location is cool and breezy and it’s a well-known spot for stunning photos.

Jungle Swing

It’s in this beautiful rice field setting that you’ll find the Jungle Swing – a must-do for many visitors to Bali and one of those iconic, Instagram-worthy experiences. My daughter Nisha chose the Terrace River Pool Swing, which soars out over the landscape with breathtaking views below. She absolutely loved it and said it was one of the most unique and memorable moments of our trip.

We ended up spending most of the morning here, wandering around the area, exploring the little paths, and soaking up the peaceful surroundings while we waited for her turn. There’s a lot to see and it was quite entertaining just watching others take their turn on the swings. When Nisha’s time finally came, she looked absolutely lovely up there — floating above the green fields with the wind in her hair. A beautiful memory and well worth the wait.

Jati Luwih Rice Fields

The Jatiluwih rice terraces are most famous for their dramatic and exotic landscapes. The cool highlands and the breathtaking scenery of this area makes it a stunning place to visit.

Taman Ayun Mengwi Temple

Taman Ayun literally translates as ‘beautiful garden’ and is generally regarded as one of the most attractive temples of Bali. The Taman Ayun temple is situated in a beautiful park with trees and ponds.

Ulundanulake Temple

The Pura Ulun Danu Beratan temple is a famous old Hindu lake temple on the scenic Lake Bratan in Bedugul, north Bali. This is a beautiful and tranquil place to visit and take the most picturesque photos.

Tahah Lot Temple on the Sea

A Balinese temple (pura) perched high on the rock, facing the open ocean with the crashing waves below.

Tegenungan Waterfall

This waterfall is widely thought of as the best waterfall with clean cool water for a refreshing swim. It’s an easy walk up through an interesting array of shops and stalls and the view from the top makes it all worthwhile.

Penglipuran Traditional Village

One of the most placid, clean, and serene villages throughout the whole nation, and one of the three cleanest in the whole world. It is untouchable by modernization (you can’t even park your vehicles inside!), the village’s atmosphere surrounded by immaculate gardens.

It was slightly voyeuristic to wander around the village but the local people smiled, invited us into their homes and made us feel welcome. It was interesting and a sheer delight.

Kintamani Volcano View

We didn’t spend a lot of time here but it was worth a stop at the look out just for the breathtaking view.

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Things We Did in Yogyakarta

Borobudur Temple

This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is a UNESCO site and is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m². Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO’s help in the 1970s.

We joined a sunrise tour and were treated to the most spectacular views in a quiet environment surrounded by just a handful of people, a truly memorable experience that was the highlight of our trip!

The experience of walking to the looming complex in the pitch dark with the sound of far off prayers being chanted in a low pitch was esoterical and enigmatic to say the least. As the sun rose the structures were revealed slowly and we could only look in complete awe.

Prambanan Hindu Temple

Built in the 10th century, a UNESCO site, this is the largest temple compound dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia. Rising above the centre of the last of these concentric squares are three temples decorated with reliefs illustrating the epic of the Ramayana, dedicated to the three great Hindu divinities (Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma) and three temples dedicated to the animals who serve them.

We visited here on the same day as our visit to Borabadur and it was almost as if nothing could top that… then it did!

It was the most graceful and beautiful Hindu temple we had ever experienced. It was the second greatest highlight of our whole tour. We only spent the afternoon here but could have stayed for ages immersed in the sacred feel of the huge complex and enjoying the peacefulness. We explored as many of the structures as possible in the time we had available and felt privileged to be here.

Yogyakarta

The city is bustling and thronging with business, cafes, markets and shops. It is a great place to explore museums, art galleries, restaurants and local markets. We wandered out each night and it felt like we were away from the tourist route and right in amongst real Indonesian life. Traffic was chaotic because of course, the population density of this city is one of the highest in the Indonesia.

Ramayana Resto and Dance Programme

Beautiful atmospheric Indonesian cultural ballet performance with images of the Borabadur Temple as a backdrop.

Ullen Sentalu

Javanese culture and art museum located in Kaliurang highland, Yogyakarta

Berksi Cliff

Beautiful outlook for a spectacular sunset.

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From rice fields to beach sunsets, busy markets to quiet temples — we loved every moment. Hope this gives you a few ideas for your own adventure! 🌴☀️ – ♡ Janet