In this post I will list my top tips when travelling to Bali that I will come in handy.
Taxi
It is recommended to only use the blue coloured taxis, which belong to a Taxi company called Blue Bird.
TIP: Make sure the driver turns on the meter before entering as this will ensure you will be charged the proper fee and not the tourist price. It should cost you around $1AUD for every kilometre travelled.
Changing money
Do not be tempted by street vendors advertising exchange rate prices that seem too good to be true. I spoke with people who mentioned some of the bad experiences they had with these types of vendors.
I left Australia with $500 in Australian cash and $100 in US dollars (to pay for the $25US entry visa and the exist visa). For all other spending money, I went to a reputable place called BMC to safely and quickly change the money I needed.
TIP: Some people don’t like carrying money and because I was in Bali for a short time I thought this option was best for me. However, I wouldn’t recommend it if you are away for a longer period of time.
Food
Be careful with street food. If you have never eaten street food before I recommend to be away from street food. I saw some vendors with chicken cooked out in the open with flies hovering all over it. No thank you.
TIP: If you want to try some traditional Balinese food, there are plenty of Balinese style restaurants. Simply ask your hotel or resort for recommendations of restaurants near by that serve Balinese food.
Drugs
DO NOT under any circumstances accept drugs offered to you by people from the street. I was told that some of the men who come up to you offering drugs can be under cover cops. We were offered all sorts of things including Viagra, Marijuana, Valium and Ice every single day we walked in the streets.
Tour guides
We preferred to organise a tour guide directly from our hotel as they only worked with people they trusted. The tour guide we booked through the hotel was amazing. He was the coolest tour guide I came across and was super funny and so happy to share his knowledge of the place. His name was Roby and if you are in Bali next do not hesitate to email him directly wayanrobyparwantoroby@yahoo.com
Accommodation
Villas – We visited some very luxurious villas in Seminyak. One of the most memorable villa was called the W Retreat with a starting price of around $500 per night.
The entrance to this villa was like no other. It was a long driveway decorated with water features and lush green bamboo stalks. That was enough to impress, but as soon as you drive up, you are blown away by the open floor plan to this villa.
When we visit Bali next, we will definitely spend a couple of nights at this place simply for the experience.
Hotels/resorts – Beside luxurious villas, there were plenty of very good 4 star hotels and resorts. One of the best resort style hotels we stayed at and that was right in the centre of Seminyak was the Amadea Resort and Villas. We will not go into too much detail as you can read up on what we had to say about our experience of this resort here.
Don’t forget to check out my other Bali related blog posts below:
– How to prepare for a Bali trip
– My Bali tour guide name Robby
– A must see hair spa in Bali
– My favourite spa in Bali
