Bali is always a good idea. It’s the perfect blend of luxurious relaxation, adventure with beach, bush and mountains, all of which makes it an ideal destination for reunions with friends and family!!
We’ve been to Bali twice for holidays with friends and cannot recommend it highly enough. So, if you’re planning a holiday with friends or family we’ve done the hard work for you.
Stay
Seminyak is great for large groups with a wide array of villas with 3,4 even 5 bedrooms so everyone can stay together and spend idle afternoons lazing by the private pool that most villas have. We’ve tried this and this villa. Both were great and had breakfast included. I must admit, Ayu’s breakfast left much to be desired but Bali dream villas had a really great spread each morning. Both the villas had great staff, always willing to help with a smile and are within walking distance to great restaurants, bars and shopping.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDcJ2aJIzSr/?taken-by=nimsb
See and do
Mount Batur: The best part about Bali is that it’s so diverse that it offers something for everyone. If you’re up for a bit of adventure and trekking, try the sunrise trek to Mount Batur, an active volcano in the Kintamani district. It’s a 3am pick up and a 2-3 hour trek up and you’d need to be moderately fit to get to the top, but the views are well worth it. Not into climbing summits! No dramas, there are beautiful,warm, healing hot springs at the foot of the volcano. Take a relaxing swim in the warm waters overlooking the mountains, while sipping cocktails and even get a massage. Nothing better to relax your senses and get onto Bali time!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDZLhM9ozbZ/?taken-by=nimsb
Ubud: Get your eat, pray, love moment in Ubud. Full of paddy fields, temples and beautiful stores selling Balinese wares, Ubud is a day in itself. We even tried river rafting in Ubud and while it wasn’t the most exciting rafting experience, if you’re with family and friends, it’s a great time splashing each other, going through a few rapids and just enjoying the beautiful rainforests.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDfHqxYKuzr/?taken-by=jen7en
Temples: The Balinese are deeply spiritual and all around you, there is a real sense of that spirituality. There are a number of beautiful temples that you can visit, including Tanah Lot, Uluwatu temple and Goa Gajah. They’re not all close together so plan your visit so you can visit a temple based on where you are.
Canguu: By far, one of our favourite experiences in Bali has been going to Canguu. It was a far way away from Seminyak and since it’s closer to the airport than Seminyak, we went to this part of the island on our last day. Most flights to Australia leave from Bali at night, so it gave us the entire day to explore another part of Bali. We spent most of our time at Finn’s beach club, which was amazing! Private beach, snorkel, kayak, paddle boards, music, food, cocktails, deck chairs and blue seas as far as the eye can see. We discovered that there are a fair few similar beach clubs in Canguu but this is the only one we could try. I would recommend getting there early – before noon, especially if you’re in a large group, since they’re very popular and book out quickly. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDg3z9Qqu9G/?taken-by=jen7en
Jimabaran bay: If you can, I would strongly suggest spending a day or two living in a resort here. Unspoilt views, massages, cocktails by the pool and pure unadulterated bliss. And while you’re there, try Rock Bar at the Ayana Resort. It opens at 3pm but people line up around 2pm. As the name suggests, the bar is built into the rocks that jut out into the ocean and Jimbaran Bay. The result is a stunning location, where you feel like you’re hanging off the cliffs, into the vast blue ocean. The winds get pretty strong and as we learned, when it rains, you’re soaked within seconds since there’s no cover at all, but I would not substitute the experience for anything else.
Relax in Seminyak: Filled with bars, restaurants, clubs and stores, Seminyak really is the ideal place to set up home base in Bali. You can explore the island in the day and walk to a new bar/s each evening, with the group or on your own. When you’re in a group of friends or family, you can take an evening off to do your own thing or hang out with everyone or even a combination of both and living in Seminyak, so close to so many options really lets you do that.
Eat and drink
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDpeVY0qu76/?taken-by=jen7en
Naughty Nuri aka Wild Hog: Get their ribs! They are insanely good and an absolute crowd pleaser. The rest of the menu is pretty fantastic as well, as are their cocktails.
Potato Head: Sunset cocktails, lazy swims and a relaxed vibe. What’s not to love! I’d recommend getting there early to avoid disappointment.
Woo Bar, W Hotel: Another great spot to watch the sunset. The music is really great and the cocktails are delicious.
Fat Turtle: We love trying the local cuisine, but it’s always nice to start the day with something familiar. This cafe was a short walk away from our accommodation and had great coffee, pancakes and sandwiches.
Motel Mexicola: This is a great group place with big booths, cocktails and mexican food. Get some drinks and food and prepare to party the night away.
La Lucciola: Overlooking the paddy fields, with a modern fusion menu, this was one of our favourite lunch spots.
Nasi Goreng: It’s pretty hard to find a bad Nasi Goreng in Bali. Try the local warungs for authentic flavours.
Suckling pig: There are a number of places that serve a great suckling pig in Bali. I’d definitely recommend an early lunch so you don’t miss out.
Top tips
- Stay close to restaurants and bars. On our first trip, we realised how much traffic there is in Bali and short distances can take a long while to get to. If you’re comfortable riding a bike (cycle or the little vespas), you can get around quickly. But driving takes a long time so stay where you’re likely to spend a lot of time.
- Be very specific with your requests on tours or organised activities with operators. The balinese are lovely people, but since English isn’t the first language, there’s room for miscommunication. On our first trip, we thought we were going to the hot springs, but our driver took us to a view of the volcano from afar and it was too late to get to the springs and we had to take a whole other day to explore Kintamani.
- You’re in Asia, drive a bargain! Remember the first price you’re offered is a conversation starter. Especially when you’re in a group, people will be willing to give you discounts if you have a conversation with them.
- Take bio digestive pills. We wanted to have a great time on our holiday and not worry about getting sick because of something we ate or drank. A blog I read a long time ago recommended Blackmores bio digestive pills, you take one each day and it kept our tummies strong.
- Beware of tourist traps. This ties in with driving a hard bargain and confirming what you’re paying for. For instance, some people in our group wanted to dive and others wanted to snorkel and with very little research, we tried an operator. The water was full of plastic and pieces of bread floating around, we barely saw any sea life and we got ‘Turtle Island’ included in the price, which turned out to be a farm, where the water was filthy and we felt sorry for the Turtles. Always ask questions, do as much research as possible and ensure you understand what you’re paying for.
Sample itinerary
This is a combination of both our trips. We were with a group of 5 the first time and 11 the second time around, so there’s a fair bit of room for group and alone time.
Day 1: Arrive late afternoon. Lazy dip in private pool followed by drinks and dinner at Potato Head Beach Club
Day 2: Drive to Kintamani to visit hot springs. Stop in at coffee plantation, art and silver shops and the view of the volcano. Get to Toya Devasaya mid afternoon and spend the rest of the day in the hot springs. Dinner and drinks at Mexicola.
Day 3: River rafting in Ubud. Suckling pig and some shopping in Ubud. Get a massage and visit the temple if time permits
Day 4: Mount Batur trek (optional). Relaxed day in Seminyak. Breakfast at Fat Turtle, chill by the pool. Sunset cocktails at W bar and dinner at a local warung
Day 5: Spend the day in Uluwatu at Finn’s beach club or spend the day in Jimbaran Bay at Ayana.
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