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Top 22 Things to Do in Bali

Welcome back, Island Hoppers! Today, we’re coming to you from Bali, where we’re going to show you the 22 top things to do while visiting this island paradise.

Tirta Gangga Temple

Starting out here at Tirta Gangga Temple, there are many temples in Bali, and Tirta Gangga, in the northern part of the island, is certainly one of those places you might want to visit. With a large koi fish pond and many exquisite art pieces representing Balinese culture, you can hire a private guide to show you around or do a personalized tour all by yourself. The admission fee is around 50,000 Indonesian rupiah per person, which comes out to around 3.25 cents per person.

Monkey Forest in Ubud

Next up, we’ll head over towards Ubud to the Monkey Forest. The admission fee here is also 50,000 Indonesian rupiah per person, which comes out to 3.50, and 40,000 Indonesian rupiah per kid. The species of monkeys here are known as macaques. They are a bit feisty, so keep that in mind when getting too close. Sometimes they might consider that a threat or make you a target and steal your hat, water bottle, maybe even wallet or cell phone.

Beach Clubs

The next thing to do in Bali is visit beach clubs. Most of them are in Canggu, Seminyak, or Uluwatu. Some notable beach clubs to add to the list while visiting are Potato Head Beach Club, Atlas, and Finn’s Beach Club. Cover charges do vary depending on the beach club; you can look up online the exact cover charge. Some may be free, and some may charge.

Balinese Cuisine

After doing activities in Bali, you’re sure to want some amazing Balinese cuisine. The good news is they have a variety of different cuisines, not just local Balinese cuisine or even Indonesian cuisine. They have Asian fusion and even some Western food. One cuisine that stood out here was the amazing seafood. Here we had a feast which included crab, lobster, and white snapper. There is plenty of shellfish and prawns to go around.

Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Next up, we’re going to Tegallalang Rice Terrace. This is a really cool place that you’ll see many people taking pictures of swings overlooking the terraces. This is where they’re doing that Instagram stuff. Also, you can walk around the terraces all the way down into the gorge where there is a stream. You can see local rice farmers and even take pictures with them. This area here is very scenic. The admission fee is 15,000 Indonesian rupiah per person and 5,000 rupiah per car.

Tanah Lot Temple

Next up, we’re going to head to one of my favorite temples in all of Bali, Tanah Lot. This rock formation is a temple sitting just off the island of Bali. It’s famous because this is where a Hindu pilgrimage would take place right here at Pura Tanah Lot. In order to get to the actual temple, you need to cross a shallow waterway, which is actually from the sea. The entrance fee is around 60,000 Indonesian rupiah, which comes out to around 4.25. Also, consider the timing. I personally recommend sunset, but any time is a good time to visit Tanah Lot.

Shopping in Bali

Next up, we’re going to do some shopping in Bali. Whether you’re looking for clothes, sarongs, paintings, knickknacks, and souvenirs, hats, wind chimes, and other kinds of local art, you’ll find it here. Also, when you’re out here, you will notice there are many tattoo parlors. On top of the fact that Bali is not an expensive place to do shopping, as long as you’re skipping out on the malls where they have the high-end boutiques, if you go to these local vendors, you’re helping the locals who are also connected to the manufacturers in the villages. Just to give you an idea of the price range, for a shirt or something like a hat or some sunglasses, you can get those shirts for around five dollars per shirt, even cheaper in some cases.

Tegenungan Waterfall

Alright, now we’ll bounce back from some shopping and we’ll go to a waterfall, one of several on this list. This one is called Tegenungan Waterfall. As you can see, there is a day club with a pool overlooking the waterfall. Now, that is separate from the actual waterfall, and there is an entrance fee of 15,000 Indonesian rupiah, which comes out to about a dollar per person. If you have a car, expect to pay 5,000 Indonesian rupiah, which is around 50 cents. We were here in December, which is considered rainy season, so the waterfall had a significant amount of water coming down. But as you can see here, they do allow swimming, and they have kind of dammed it up to allow a little bit of a lagoon to be created. But when the water is rushing, please do be cautious, especially of flash floods.

Surfing

Now let’s head back to the beach and the ocean for one of the most popular things in Bali: surfing. If you have ever wanted to learn surfing, this is going to be one of the top five destinations on Earth to actually learn as a beginner. Now, if you are a big wave surfer, they also have some of the most impressive big waves down south by Uluwatu. Surf lessons can be as cheap as ten dollars per session per person. If you wanted more lessons, for example, three days, you will leave Bali knowing how to surf.

Tirta Empul Temple

Next up, we’re going to head to Tirta Empul Temple. Now, this is a water temple where many people go for what is considered a water blessing. It is a natural spring. There is a dress code, and you will want to comply with that dress code. It is a simple Balinese traditional common wrap or sarong around the lower part of the body. They do have lockers and sarongs for rent here on location. You can also come here and not do any of the water bathing, but it is 50,000 Indonesian rupiah per person, which is around three dollars and fifty cents.

Relax and Have a Beach Day

Another thing to do in Bali is simply relax and have a beach day. There are many different beaches on both sides of the island. Whether you want to relax at a beach in Kuta or Uluwatu, or go over to the other side of the island where Sanur is, or head north up the west part by Kuta or Seminyak or Canggu, there are so many different beaches that you can just simply hang out, relax, have some food, and just take care of your mind, body, and soul. This tends to be a free activity to just relax, although you may have to pay for an umbrella or more seating if you want that.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

Next up, we’re going to explore Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. This is actually an interesting place because it’s one of the tallest statues in the world. This statue here is actually much larger than the Statue of Liberty. The statue itself is one of the tallest in the world; it stands at over 121 meters tall and can actually accommodate around 70,000 people in the actual park itself. It was inaugurated and completed in September 2018, and there is a master plan for the actual cultural park which includes waterfalls in this futuristic but yet culturally unique place. There are times you can actually go inside the statue, but when we were here, it was closed.

Banyumala Twin Waterfalls

Next up, we’re going to head over to another beautiful waterfall. This was actually my favorite that I found: Banyumala Twin Waterfalls. This place was literally like FernGully right here in the middle of the jungle in Northern Bali. There are several waterfalls in this part of Bali in the north. There’s Sekumpul, there’s also the Gitgit Waterfall, and there’s Tibumana. So do some research on waterfalls and find the one that works for you, but I would say this one here was special just because of how it feels like you’re in this amazing garden that’s completely created by nature. There is about a 10 to 15-minute hike that is required; you cannot drive down here, so you will need to do some walking.

Hanging Out at a Resort

Next up, another thing to consider doing in Bali is just hanging out at a resort. This might cost you a bit more depending on the resort you pick, but the resorts I found can start at around 35 dollars per night for a bungalow right on the beach and then go as high as hundreds of dollars per night if you go with a chain hotel like Hyatt or Marriott or the Westin. It’s going to be more expensive than if you go for a local resort bungalow, and you can find those around pools right there on the beach for good prices. Hanging out there is going to include a bar at the pool, nice service, a restaurant, and all the stuff you could possibly want to just simply kick back and chill.

White Sand Beach

Next up, we’re going to head to a beach that I consider to be very special. It used to be largely unknown, but it is one of a kind. This beach is known for its white sand and big swells that come from Antarctica. It does face Antarctica, by the way. This beach here is also gaining popularity, where they’ve started to build restaurants and a boardwalk area. If you’re looking for a white sand beach that sits along the cliffs of the southern part of Uluwatu, then you’re going to want to come down here and spend a couple of hours just chilling out.

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple

Next up, we’re going to head north again to Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. This is one of the most commonly photographed temples that you will find in Bali’s photographs around the world. Even if you do a quick Google search, this is where people are taking those pictures. It sits at the base right there along Beratan Lake. The nearby volcano is known as Beratan or Catur. Essentially, at Ulun Danu, what you’re going to find is a botanical garden right here on the lake Beratan, and in the backdrop, you will see the volcano kind of hiding behind the clouds. Up here, you’re around 1200 meters high or almost 4,000 feet in elevation, so you’re pretty high up here. There is an admission cost, and it is around 50,000 Indonesian rupiah per person, again around three to four dollars.

Padang Padang Beach

Next up, we’re going to take you to a bit of a hidden gem. It’s called Padang Padang Beach, and this area right here is slightly less touristy than most of the other beaches around Kuta. It is small, but I did like coming here, and the walk down through this cave system is quite interesting. It’s a really popular place with surfers, though, so keep that in mind. Also, there is limited parking up on top of the hill, but I would recommend at least coming here during sunset. As you can see, the water has that translucent blue color to it. It’s a bit of an oasis down here, I would say.

Handara Gate

Now we are going to head back north again to a very popular Instagram spot. If you want your Instagram picture, a lot of people consider Handara Gate to be one of the best places. Although I will say it is really only good for taking a picture because you can’t go beyond the gate. The reason we put it on this list is because it is a popular place with people to take pictures, and I know some of you actually want to get that bucket list spot on the radar for your Instagram.

Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang

Next up, we’re going to head over to the largest volcano on Bali, which is near Mount Agung. We were here when Mount Agung was covered in rain and clouds, but this place is called Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang. You do have to take an extra taxi to get up here, so you have to get into a shuttle and drive up the mountain. Once you get there, you have to walk up again towards the temple. It is an impressive temple. I would like to come back here when it’s not raining.

Nusa Dua

Next up, we’re going to head to a very popular place with honeymooners but also people who are looking for the luxury experience on Bali called Nusa Dua. This is actually where they have the G20 Summit at the Westin here. Nusa Dua actually faces towards another very popular place in the Bali region called Nusa Penida. You can see right here, this is one of the best places for beaches. In case you’re wondering what Nusa means in Indonesian or Balinese language, it’s basically island. So anytime you see it called Nusa Penida or Nusa Dua, they’re just basically saying Island Penida or Island Dua.

Sunset Watching

As we continue to show you around Bali, I would like to remind you to check the description below and the other videos that we have posted on this channel about Bali and Southeast Asia. The next thing to do when you’re in Bali is find a great place to watch a sunset. Whether you’re in Canggu or Seminyak or Uluwatu, remember the sun sets in the west, so that’s the side of the island where you’re going to get that beautiful sunset. These sunsets are amazing. Even if you’re in Ubud or up in the high country, you will see these cotton candy skies with the sherbet-colored orange and pink and purple just really lighting up the sky out here in Bali.

Fire Show

Next up is going to be a fire show. Now, on Bali, there are multiple different shows that you can watch. In this case, this is a fire show that takes place in the evening time. They also have shows that take place in the morning or afternoon hours. If you come here, you will see a traditional dance and display of culture. There are other fire dances in Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Batu Bulan, Ubud, Taman Budaya, and Garuda Wisnu Kencana also has a fire dance. Typically, the price is going to be around 100,000 Indonesian rupiah. If this is the kind of thing you’re into, which is shows, then definitely take a look at one of these fire dances across the island.

On that note, guys, thank you so much for watching this episode of Island Hopper TV from Bali, Indonesia. If you guys enjoyed it, hit the like button and consider subscribing to this channel for more videos as we continue to show you around Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. Click on one of these other videos right here from Singapore or Bali.