After a week- long research and some inspiration from a friend who recently visited Indonesia, I zeroed down Bali as my birthday destination for this year. Bali- the island of gods, it truly was an island of gods. Bali is predominantly a Hindu territory and you will find a temple in every household; Balinese people are indeed quite religious. Bali as a travel destination is beautiful, it has everything that you may want to include in your vacation including crystal clear beaches, culture, mountains, vast rice fields, beautiful lakes, adventure sports, beach clubs/ dancy clubs, sea food, amazing coffee and cheap alcohol. Not to forget the amazing people I met in Bali. People are so friendly and happy all the time that their faces are going to cheer you up. At every step you will find someone greeting you.
Another reason for choosing Bali is that it is an extremely safe destination for female solo travelers. It was also a convenient option because Indian tourists have Visa exemption if the stay is for less than 30 days. I took a 13-day trip inclusive of the travel days with long layovers. I DID NOT take any group package and I planned everything on my own which gave me a lot of flexibility to mend my schedule as per my convenience. It is easy to plan if you do some basic research. It will be interesting to note that this was my first international solo trip. I had to plan a lot but to do everything by yourself is an overwhelming feeling.
For 13 days, I did not want to compromise a lot on luxury but I had a set budget so I had to sacrifice wherever I could. The expenses that I incurred majorly included flights, hotels, food, activities and local conveyance. I covered almost every place and activity to do in Bali and the entire trip costed around INR 90,000/- for a solo traveler. This includes almost everything ranging from flights, insurance, stays, activities, local conveyance to food.
Flights- I chose AirAsia and saved a huge amount on flights by taking a long layover which also gave me an opportunity to cover Kuala Lumpur. The flights costed me around INR 27,000/- but you can get them in fare as low as INR 18,000/- I did not apply for a visa to enter Malaysia but if you want you can apply for an E-Visa. The process to apply for an E-Visa is extremely easy and it will cost you around INR 3000/-. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (“KLIA’) is huge and there are lots of things to pass time if you do not ant to go outside the airport. I personally did not want to go through all that immigration and customs formalities again, so I chose to stay in the transit area.
An important thing to note here is that you will be needing a visa for Malaysia for transit as well if you have different PNR for connecting flights, so if you want to skip the visa formalities book your flights with the same carrier in one- go.
Layover- I had a 15-hour long layover at KLIA 2 but it was easy to manage. You can eat, sleep, shop and repeat. There are massaging chairs to relax and duty free to shop. You can also chill for up-to 3 hours in Sama -Sama Express lounge if you have international Priority Pass. There is hardly any vegetarian food available at the airport, so if you are a vegetarian, I would recommend packing a good supply of food or you will have to adjust with whatever can be available at the airport.
Luggage- The highlight of my trip was excluding the check-in luggage. YES, it is possible to travel in 7 kgs for 13 days. It saved me around INR 8000/- and the NO- BAGGAGE feeling is overwhelming. I did some basic research about how to fit-in everything in just 7 kgs and I did fit in, without compromising on anything. You can buy mini version of some stuff if you are exceeding 7 kgs limit.
This is what I packed:
1. 7 light T-shirts.
2. 3 shorts and 1 tights.
3. 4 pair of undergarments
4. 30 ml of toiletries/ per item.
5. Basic medicines
6. Passport, charger and power bank
7. 1 pair of light slippers and a pair of crocs.
I wore the heaviest items at the airport which include Jeans, Jacket, a stole which later served as a mat at the beach, Phone and wallet.
Local Conveyance- I managed to get the contact numbers of a few local drivers from a friend. I had negotiated in advance with these drivers to get the best quote. I also took some group day packages from Klook , I will talk about that in detail as we move forward.
Once I got a bit familiar, I started using online taxi services like Grab taxi/ bike which are affordable.
Sim- I bought a sim from a local shop as it is much cheaper as compared to the shops at airport. I spent around INR 650/- to get 6 GB of data and 20 minutes of local calling which lasted fairly well during 11 days of stay. I chose Telkomsel and there was no time when I was out of network.
Now comes the most important part which is my itinerary. My flight lands late at night after almost 24 hrs of travel. My driver picks me up from the airport and charges around INR 500/-.
Legian Street- It was a perfect spot for me as it was between Kuta and Seminyak. The area is a bit touristy but I did not mind that as I got all the basic facilities you expect from an average hotel. I stayed for 5 nights 4 days at IBIS Legian Street which is a 4- star hotel and it had all the basic facilities. It costed me around INR 1400/- per night including breakfast.
Day 1- My driver picks me up from the hotel at around 10 am and we go to South Bali.
Destination 1- My first destination was Garuda Vishnu Park which was a mix of Balinese culture and pretty architecture. The entrance fees and transport inside the park costed me around INR 700/-. I personally felt that this park wasn’t worth spending this much so if you want you can skip this park and spend your time at one of the beaches in South Bali.
Destination 2- We then went to Pandawa Beach (entrance Fees- INR 100/-) where you will find huge statutes of Kunti and Pandawas. The beach was really pretty and has crystal clear water, I spent around 2 hours here. I took a canoe for INR 250/- and went kayaking which was an amazing experience.
Destination 3- My next destination was Padang Padang beach- entrance fees INR 75/-. This beach was different from Pandawa beach. Here you can just lie down and soak in the sun. It carried an amazing vibe to chill.
Destination 4- By 5 pm we reach Uluwatu temple and took a tour of it in about 20 minutes. The entrance fees is INR 250/-. The view of Uluwatu beach from the temple was breathtaking. If you are here, you should not be missing Kechak Fire- Sunset dance where you get to enjoy a sunset with breathtaking views and an amazing display of Balinese culture which recreates Sita Haran scene from Ramayana. This dance costed me another INR 500/-, apart from the entrance ticket.
Last Destination for the Day- On your way back you can choose to have dinner at Jimbaran beach if you are a Sea food lover or you can visit Rock Beach Bar which is the highlight of South Bali. I was a bit tired and happened to be a vegan too, so I chose to eat some Indian food on the way back to Legian.
For this entire 10- hour tour the driver charged around INR 2000/-.
Day 2- I took a group package from Klook which costed me around INR 1900/- for another 10- hour trip including Tanah Lot Temple, Ulundanu Beratan and Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. This package was all inclusive, so I did not have to take the pains of paying entry fee each time I visit a new destination.
Klook driver picked me up at around 9 am and I got lucky to be the only person in that tour, which gave me a flexibility to spend time at each location as per my own convenience. I driver was nice enough to stop at a chocolate factory for some time and I tried Bali Swing as well on the way. Additional benefit is that I got a free coffee tasting session here. The swing costed me around INR 750 /- but it was a good substitute to crowded and expensive original Bali Swing.
Destination 2- After a 15 minute of hilly drive, we reached Ulundanu Beratan. It was a beautiful Balinese temple on a lake side with some amazing mountain views.
Destination 3- Next destination was Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. These terraces include fairly easy trek ranging from 1- 3 hours whatever you choose. I chose to take the 1- hour long trek and it was extremely calm and peaceful walk with nature.
Destination 4- We managed to reach Tanah Lot Temple (the highlight of the day) by 4 pm. The temple offers a beautiful sight as it is made inside the sea. Note that if you do not like crowded place this place may not be for you but midst all the crowd I watched the beautiful sunset and smiled.
We left by 7pm and I had masala dosa for dinner on the way at an Indian restaurant which costed me around INR 500/-.
Day 3- This day was planned for East Bali. The pretty Lempungyang trip where you can click amazing photos. I was feeling exhausted by this day and I also found out that those pretty pictures are just some photography skills and nothing natural. Also, you will have to get up and 6 am and pay to driver around INR 3000/- for the trip along with hugely expensive entrance fees.
I planned to sleep till late and then by 2 PM I headed for Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak. I really liked the vibe and aura of this place and I sat there till sunset. A drink and a small meal costed around INR 1200/- After sunset I walked around to see Seminyak Market and headed to hotel to sleep as I had a long day planned ahead.
Day 4- I booked a package with Klook for West Nusa Peninda day trip. It costed me around INR 2200/- inclusive of lunch, entrance fees, local transport and ferry ride. I had to reach at the meeting point by 6.30 am. We then proceeded to Sanur Harbour and boarded a ferry which took 40 minutes to reach Peninda. Another Klook driver picked us up in Peninda and I shared the cab with 4 more people. Nusa Peninda's water feels so untouched and it has some breathtaking views. The sea here has crystal clear blue green water with all those picture spots you may have seen on Instagram.
We visited Klingking Beach, broken beach, Angel’s Billabong and Crystal beach. We gathered at the same location by 4 pm and reached harbor by 4.30. By 6.30 we reached the original meeting point. From there I booked a Grab to check out local Kuta market and to have my dinner to end my day.
Day 5- I checked out from the hotel and departed to Gili Trawangan which is a small island in Lombok. I had managed to get the number of a fast boat service and booked the transportation in advance. You can just drop a WhatsApp message to this boat company to book. I paid around INR 2500/- for a round trip inclusive of hotel pick up and drop along with the 2-way ferry ride for which you can pick up your return date and time. The travel time for ferry is 2 hours with another 2 hours to the port.
I had planned to stay in Gili T for 2 night 3 days. This island was the highlight of my trip. There are no motor vehicle and you will have to walk/ cycle or take a tangga. I had booked Laguna Beach Resort in Gili which was around 500 mtrs from the harbor but there are other good option too This place costed me INR 1700 per night. This property was located at the beach and had good food. It is closer to the centre but not too close to disturb your peace. After checking- in I rented a bicycle for 2 days which costed me around INR 200/- per day.
Cycling around this island was such a great feeling. I cycled for 2.5 kms to reach the sunset point. From the centre you can see only sunrise. The sunset point is very calm and peaceful and has lots of swings located inside the sea, a great photo point. I found an amazing beach café to see the sun setting which offered more than 10 shades of sky in an hour. While cycling back I came across a fancy place called Pearl beach Lounge which offered great view and amazing Italian food for a vegan. This day I sleep early because I had diving lesson scheduled for early morning.
Day 6- I decided to take a diving package from my hotel itself which costed me around INR 5500/- We started lessons at 9 am and went for the dive at around 1.30 am. The dive lasted for 40 minutes. This was my first dive and I was very scared but once you see that you are able to breathe inside the water you will ditch the fear. I came back to the hotel and left again to catch the sunset. On my way back to the hotel, I befriended 2 Indian guys and I later joined them for dinner and a kickass party in almost nil budget. This Indian dinner at Hotel Pesona costed me around INR 550/-
Additional Tip- If you do not want to take a dive, you can go for island hopping. Gili is a set of 3 islands- Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno, the other 2 are scarcely crowded. The boat ticket will cost you around INR 500/- from one island to another, you can try to bargain.
Day 7- I woke up early to catch a sunrise, had my breakfast and slept again. Caught a 2.30 pm boat and reached Ubud by 7.30 pm, had dinner and slept.
Ubud- I had booked a home-stay in Ubud called Tanah Semunjan. This place was on a quiet street, but it was quite lavish for a homestay. The family was extremely sweet and offered great breakfast for vegans too. I paid around INR 1200/- per night for this place including breakfast.
Day 8- I took a private day tour of Ubud and areas nearby. My driver picked me up at around 9 am and our first destination was Elephanta Cave. The entrance fees was somewhere around INR 250/- and this temple is not worth it. There is not much to see except a cave which can serve as a good photo point for your Instagram.
Destination 2- My next destination was Tukad Cepung waterfall which 1- 1/2 hour drive from Ubud. The entry fees was about INR 75/- and this waterfall is located inside caves which looked beautiful.
Destination 3- We then proceeded to Tirta Empul where you can take bath in holy water and every shower has some wellness belief assigned to it to treat a specific condition/ disease. You will have to wear a Sarong to take a bath in holy water. This whole thing costed me around INR 400/-. The day I visited happened to be Balinese festival and more than 500 people were taking a bath. Out of all the Balinese temple, I found this one most interesting.
Destination 4- Next we went to Tegalalang rice terraces. The entrance fees is for INR 75/- and for visiting a particular rice terrace you may have to pay some donation as each terrace is a private property. I would recommend skipping this if you been to Jatiluwih rice terraces.
Destination 5- By 5 PM, we proceeded for Tegenungan waterfall, around 25 minutes’ Drive from Ubud. This fall was beautiful with a number of rainbows at the base of this fall. The entrance fee was around INR 100/-.
Last Destination- I had planned to watch Lagong dance in Ubud Palace which happens after Sunset, but I could not catch it because some local festival was going on in the city. A good alternative was Barong Dance, but it starts at 9.30 am in the morning for a fee of around INR 500/-. I then decided to see the local market of Ubud and I could not believe how a market can be this peaceful. Ubud is the cultural hub of Bali so make sure to include it in your itinerary for at least 2 days. There are no beaches around, but it will give you a true Balinese feel. You can also go for Batique classes or see local people who deal in gold if you have some free time. Last but not the least, do not forget to take a Balinese Massage in Ubud.
For this entire day, I paid INR 2500/- to the driver.
Day 9- I woke up at 1.30 AM to go for Mount Batur Trek. I had read that it’s a tough trek but doable. I took a package from Klook which costed me around INR 2200/- After having a small breakfast you reach at the base of the trek by 4 am and start climbing with the group with some torches. There were around 300-400 people climbing together. The first half of the trek was fairly easy but then it got tougher after reaching midway. For a moderately active person like me who goes for running almost everyday, it was extremely difficult but with the help of lovely guide and people trekking along I managed to reach the top by 5.45 am. We watched sunrise and we were served light breakfast of boiled eggs and bread. I personally didn’t feel that the view was that great. In fact, Himalayas provide much better sunrise in India without any trek but you can take it if you are an adrenaline junkie.
At around 7.30 am we started climbing down and the way was very slippery. We reached the base at around 9.15 am. After reaching hotel I took some rest and left for Seminyak as my next 2 days were planned there.
Next Destination- On my way to Seminyak, I visited Bali Bird Park. You can choose between Bird Park, Safari Park and Bali Zoo depending upon your interest. Bird park was a good experience as there are almost 400 different varieties of birds, most of them are well trained and out of the cage. You can feed and interact with them. The ticket costed around INR 1500/- You need 3-4 hours for this place. They have ongoing shows after every 30 minutes. They also have Komodo Dragon fight show but make sure to align your visit with the schedule as it happens twice a week.
I checked into my hotel La Costa Central in Seminyak. My stay did not include breakfast and it was a very basic hotel, more like hostel. I paid around INR 850/- per night. Post which I took a Grab Bike to explore local Seminyak Market and to have dinner which marked the end of the day. For this entire pickup from Ubud and drop off to Seminyak including bali bird park trip the driver charged somewhere around INR 1500/-
Day 10- I chose to wake up late and go to a Beach Club in Canggu which was Finns Beach Club to keep this day light. If you still have some energy left, you can go to WaterBom- a waterpark in Kuta. It has amazing reviews and the ticket would cost you somewhere between INR 2000- 2500/- on Klook.
I reach Finns at around 4.30 PM, I had a drink and watched sunset. Post sunset I had dinner here which costed me around INR 700/-.
Now, was the time to say bye to beaches. I reached hotel by 8.30 PM and slept. My flight was scheduled early in the morning next day.
Day 11- I took a grab taxi to the Airport which charged INR 300/- At airport I spent rest of the money to buy some gifts for my folks in India.
This time I had a 9 hr long layover at KLIA2. I had access to free airport internet, so I called up my family and friends and shared my vacation story. It wasn’t that boring this time. :P
I reached India by 10.30 PM of the same day and the trip ends here.
Few years ago, I read a book which left a mark on me, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It was a story of a woman who traveled to 3 I’s. Italy, India and Indonesia. I was happy to strike out this one from my list. :D.
When we talk about Bali, people tend to think about Parties. Bali has good spots for Parties, it can also serve as a hot honeymoon destination, but it has a lot more things to offer. I am not a party person, but I never got bored during the entire trip.
Additional Tips:
1. Bargain a lot- You can try to slash the price of things you buy in the local market by 4 times. The economy is based on tourism, so locals quote quite high prices for everything.
2. Do not fall for driver scams- Take quote from 3-4 drivers and check prices on Grab app to get a comparable quote. Do not believe in the drivers you meet at Padang Bai Port while coming back from Gili, go for the bus ride which the Boat operator offered you in the all-inclusive ride to Gili.
3. Food- It is not an agricultural economy and people are not familiar with the distinction between veg and non veg food. If you do not eat eggs you will have to introduce yourself as vegan here and the food options will be limited. Indian food is a bit expensive, but you can choose to eat vegetarian version of Mie Goreng or Nasi Goreng i.e. fried noodles and fried rice. Do not forget to try out huge Nariyal pani here and it can range from INR 12/- to INR 200/- depending on the place you are having it. Queens’ Tandoor, Tiffin Bali, Aquaa, Spice Mantra, Pesona are few good options to have vegetarian food. You can check the location on Zomato, you may get few more vegetarian/ Indian options.
4. Insurance- I also took a travel insurance from Policy Bazaar which covered baggage loss, and medical expenses as well and it costed around INR 950/- It is advisable to spend a bit more to buy this insurance and cover your travel.
5. Safety- Bali is extremely safe for a female solo traveler. Also, your safety is in your own hands so follow your gut and do not take unnecessary risks when your hearts says no.
6. Hotels- I booked my hotels through Agoda as it guarantees cheapest price. I chose 'Pay at Hotel' for most of the properties to accommodate any last minute changes without having to compromise on booking guarantee.
So, what are you waiting for, start planning a trip to Bali? For more questions, you can connect with me over Instagram @priyam.ratnam.
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