Bali/ Nusa Penida Islands

The land of magical beaches, secret waterfalls, lush mountains and the most beautiful people!

Bali has always been one of my favourite escape plans.

This place doesn’t just give you access to the most beautiful beaches but also to alluring volcanoes, mountains, lush jungles, secret caves and waterfalls.

What instantly makes Bali my favourite are the locals. With a huge smile on their faces, they are always more than willing to help.

The local currency used in Bali is Indonesian Rupiah which turns out to be quite a treat for us Indians! (Considering there aren’t many countries where we can feel rich!) Being a backpacker’s heaven, Bali isn’t as expensive and there is something for everyone to do.

Start your trip with Kuta , the central hub of Bali. It is filled with restaurants and local experiences that are light on the pocket. Go surfing on beaches like Seminyak and Sanur.

Another hotspot around is Ubud and is a must visit, the best shopping experience you can have. Even though it is a little crowded and tourist-y, you must at least spend a couple of days around here.

One more great thing about Bali is that it lets you experience the most beautiful villas for the cheapest rates! (Try the Lemon grass villa in Batu belig) All the houses are so tastefully done and sufficiently stocked with all essentials.

Bali is a RAGE scene for people who love to party. Just hop in a cab and run to Jln Legian in Kuta district. Go to the Engine room, Bounty, Sky garden, old man’s bar , Finns - Changu etc.; you just cannot return home before the AM.

After a hustling few days in the hub, if you want some peace and quiet, you must move towards the waterfalls and islands around. You can hire a bike and literally ride to any place you want, like small day trips.

There are waterfalls about 45 mins from the main city. I was particularly in awe of the Tukad Cepung waterfall, we found this after a small trek trough a cave and it was so so so beautiful.

After Kuta I moved towards Pecatu, it is a not-so-crowded locality with humongous villas, open spaces and quiet. It is better to have a taxi app handy while you’re in this area, because you won’t find a lot of bikes here and everything is located at a distance from each other. If you are in Pecatu, don’t skip Omnia bar, Potato head and Rock bar for the most banging sunsets and pool parties. And if you’re a fan of fine dining, you MUST visit Opia for amaaaaze food. (I still dream of that food sometimes!)

While you’re close to the city, you can also finish some overnight Volcano treks. I did the Mount Batur trek which is beyond phenomenal! You start trekking at about 2 AM and go up the volcano to witness the most beautiful sunrise sipping on a hot cup of coffee. After the trek down you can plonk your self in some beautiful - natural hot water springs around.

After a beautiful full week of shopping, water sports, beaches, volcanoes and parties, it is time to refresh yourselves with some Island hopping.

I started with Nusa Lembongan Islands. It is small so it is better to pre-book a place here (we stayed at this cute place called Cozy). Bikes are easily available and you can zoom off to the Dream beach and you MUST visit this spot called the ‘Devil’s Tears’.

Another 15 minutes ferry from Nusa Lembongan is this gorgeous island called Nusa Penida. Start your trip with Peguyangan Waterfalls- this hands down is the most epic waterfall I have ever seen, You trek down a mountain to discover this waterfalls forming small natural pools with a full view of the sea in front of you.

Another gem located here is the Kelingking beach, shaped like a dinosaur’s face, framed with towering steep cliffs and crystal clear water. You can also visit Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach and Dream beach,