Everything you need to know to plan a Perfect Trip to Bali

A luscious spread of green paddy fields stretched far into the horizon, palm trees swaying with the wind, and a smoothie bowl with all the tropical fruits that you could savour. Add to that the sprinkles of trendy beach clubs and cafes, idyllic sunsets and impressive infinity pools. I could just go on and on. Bali is a living postcard. An ultimate fantasy land you have been dreaming about for so long.

But wait a moment, is it all so hunky dory? Can you just wake up one day, decide to pack your bags and set off to Bali and expect an ultimate seamless fairytale experience?

The answer is a resounding “NO”.

You need to have a certain level of planning and a certain degree of know-how to derive the best experience out of your pleasure trip. So grab a pen and paper, pour yourself some hot coffee before you gorge on the details jam packed with necessary information.

Choose your Month

We have a common mantra to visit every place in the shoulder season for best experience and it always seems to work in our favour. July and August, is the peak tourist season in Bali and you would find every nook and corner of every alley swarming with tourists and influencers. Not the thing you would wish for on a relaxing holiday.

So we suggest, April, May , September and October months for Bali Travel.

Flight Bookings

Book your flights atleast two months in advance for a reasonable rate. A few trivia before booking your flight

• Kolkata is nearest to Bali from India and hence the cheapest and fastest source (starting point).
• There is no direct flight to Bali from India. You will have to change planes either in Kualumpur or Bangkok.
• You can opt for flights with or without check in baggage (15 kg). The difference in price is phenomenal (Above Rs 30,000 with 15 kg baggage and 7 kg Hand Baggage, only Rs 13,500 for 7 kg Carry on Baggage). However, you are allowed a cabin baggage of 7 kg in each case.

We opted for Cabin Baggage only (7 kg). Our Trekking Bags (60L and 50L) weighed less than a kilo and we carefully curated our individual carry on baggage below 6 kg for an additional cusion. If you want to check out/purchase such light weight back packs with enormous capacity, do check out the link below:

Light Weight Rucksack Store in Amazon

Visa on Arrival

Bali provides visa on arrival to Indians. You will have to shell out an equivalent of INR 3K per person as Visa Fees. The Visa can be purchased online but we decided to go the offline route. Surprisingly the offline process was seamless and did not take us more than 5 minutes.

Customs Declaration Form

Fill your Custom’s Declaration Form well ahead of your flight departure to Bali. This will save you several minutes line up time at Bali Customs Clearance and you can breeze your way to the Immigration. Just Fllash your QR Code to the Customs Officer and glide away.

The Link to Customs Declaration: https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/

International Sim Card

Do not buy a Sim Card from Indian Airport. We were thugged, rather mugged at Kolkata Airport. The Seller of Sim card created an urgency in our minds and sold us a Sim Card for INR 2000. Thankfully we took only one, for urgent communication with friends and family. Hotspot facility was disabled on the Sim. However, we purchased another one while commuting to our resort from Bali Airport. It cost us less than INR 400; the sim provided 8GB data for 30 days.

Telkomsel is one of the best Sims in Bali. Validity is either 7 days or 30 days. So purchase one as per your requirement.

Currency Conversion

Bali is one such location where Cash is King. Cards are accepted at a few places with a hefty additional transactional charge. So, carry a significant amount of your estimated expense in US Dollars. There is an exchange centre in every nook and cranny of Bali. The Airports would charge a bomb on currency exchange. So, just exchange a day’s worth of transportation and expenses at the airport and exchange the rest at an exchange centre near your resort/homestay. If you happen to run short of cash during your stay, you can use your International Debit Card to withdraw cash.

Electricity – Charger Pins & Adapters

The electricity in Bali runs 220V and uses a 2 pin socket with pin size different than that in India. Therefore, you can buy the adaptor before going to Bali but if in any case, you forgot to bring, you can easily buy there at a very cheap price.

Amazon link for buying Adapter for Bali: International Travel Adapters in Amazon

Mode of Transportation

If you are a good rider and have the accompaniment of a good navigator, you can rent a bike for your nearby travels. The roads may be hilly and might have some acute turns, so be warned. Take a scooty only if you are efficient and confident.  Bikes/Scooties are relatively cheaper and would cost you around Rs 400-500 per day.

However, for long distance transportation within the island, always hire a car with a driver.

It would cost you around Rs 2000-Rs 4000 per day depending on the distance and duration. If you are quoted a higher price, bargain!

Places to Go

Whether you are a beach sage or a mountain hermit, a coffee connoisseur or an avid fruit lover, an adventure enthusiast or a spiritual seeker, Bali has something for everybody. There are two places where you need to stay, Ubud (Central Bali) and Uluwatu (South Bali). Places in North Bali, West and East Bali are worth a day’s tour from Ubud. Ubud is the abode of spirituality, delectable cuisines and wellness retreats while Uluwatu is the Beach capital of this island country.

If however, you have more than a week’s time to explore Bali, do explore any one of its neighbouring islands – Nusa Penida, Gilli Islands (Lombok), Komodo Islands.

Instagram and Crowds Galore

Bali is quickly becoming a cluttered tourist trap. It might not show in our photographs, but this tiny blissful idyllic paradise is now swarmed with Instagram influencers whose only concern is a decent reel or a stunning content. The love for travel has taken a back seat. Hence it is getting harder and harder to get your perfect laid back holiday amidst the chaos. What was formerly a scenic and iconic place in nature, has turned into almost a weird, tacky theme park or something. But let’s just stop here and save the rant for another post.

Number of Days in Bali

If you ask us, a Week’s time is too tight a schedule to experience Bali in its entirety. We would suggest you to take out a minimum of 10 days for a relaxed Bali plus a nearby island exploration. We will have a separate blog intricately curated for a perfect 10 day Bali Itinerary.

What to Pack?

Bali has a tropical climate. So pack some long flowy bohemian dresses, pretty evening wears, sun-hats, beach wear, kimonos and sarongs, big sunglasses and comfy walking shoes . Add to it some sprinkles of boho-chic accessories like statement neckpieces, embroidered and feathered sling bags as well as funky boots embellished on the sides with beads. Most importantly, wear an SPF 50 or above sunscreen at all times.

We will provided a detailed blog on packing essentials and Boho Fashion in a separate blog.

Where to Eat?

Bali is a foodie’s paradise. The delightful Balinese Cuisine offers a mind blowing assortment of indulgences. The classic Balinese coffee, the Nasi Gorengs, Mie Gorengs, Satays and Sea Foods striking all the right notes in your taste buds, the Pinacoladas and classic Balinese Cocktails by the Ocean and the myriad of juicy colourful fruits served as a precursor to your complimentary breakfast, Bali just has it all.

Food is available at a much cheaper price in Bali. Many blogs would tell you to eat at Warungs (Street Side Shops or Ghoomtis). But we would advise that you go and eat at a proper Bohemian themed Restaurant that are found in abundance all throughout Bali. Warung food daily is a risk to your health and also mars the overall dining experience.

For Coffee, its just one word. Anomaly Coffee in Ubud.

A detailed blog of Where and What to Eat in Bali will be up soon.

Parting Thoughts

As for us, we just wanted to disconnect and resonate with our inner self these ten days. Hence we made ‘languor’ the defining characteristic of our trip. We were absolutely is a ‘no rush’ state.

We did encounter a few noisy touristy clamoured places but we could masquerade through them at will and find our own cosy haven.

Each and every point mentioned above is worthy of a detailed blog. And for my fellow shutterbugs, we will very soon come up with a list of most instagrammable places in Bali. So stay tuned.

Click the links below to read our experiences in Bali:

10 Most Instagram Worthy Places in Bali – CoffeeBreak Diaries

Curating the Best Spots for a 2-day Nusa Penida Exploration – CoffeeBreak Diaries

Ubud Bali – A Romantic Languorous Utopia – CoffeeBreak Diaries