Bali: A 10-Day Self-Guided Adventure Review
This is a candid review of our 10-day self-guided trip to Bali, completely planned by us without any tour operators.
Bali, truly a gem blessed by nature. While the main roads are decent, smaller paths can be narrow and winding, reminiscent of Vietnamese village lanes. The food tends to be spicy and salty. Generally, dining and getting around seemed a bit pricier than our previous travels in Vietnam and Thailand.
Accommodation
Bali offers a wide array of lodging options. We booked our stays through Airbnb, Agoda, and Booking.com.
Upon arriving, we realized a small mistake: not thoroughly checking the map before booking. This resulted in our accommodation being quite far from the places we wanted to explore.
Our tip for you is to first pinpoint the areas you're most interested in visiting. Then, identify the attractions within those areas. Finally, search for homestays or hotels nearby on Google Maps, specifying the area name for maximum convenience.
Since it was just the two of us, our average accommodation cost came out to about 500,000 IDR per night. However, you can easily find decent mid-range hotels for around 250,000 to 300,000 IDR.
We booked our rooms several months in advance, and our total accommodation expenses for the trip were just under 5 million IDR.
Flights
We booked our flights four months before our departure, flying with Scoot Airline. Booking early meant we snagged a fantastic deal!
Our round-trip tickets cost only 4.6 million IDR. The seats were spacious, and the flight departed right on schedule. Just two months later, when we checked again, the prices had jumped to 7 million IDR. It truly pays to book as early as possible!
Food and Drink
Balinese food is generally quite salty and spicy. The local fare often revolves around chicken and beef. Duck tasted a bit gamey compared to what we're used to in Vietnam, so after about four days, we were craving fresh vegetables desperately.
This led us to explore other cuisines. We tried Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican, and Indian restaurants. Overall, these were more to our taste than traditional Indonesian dishes.
A standout was a Vietnamese restaurant called Bun & Bo, which served dishes that felt even more authentic than some we've had in Hanoi. It's also quite popular in Bali.
For local flavors, you can find affordable meals at warungs, costing around 50,000 to 70,000 IDR per serving.
We tended to gravitate towards tourist-oriented restaurants, which were considerably pricier, often costing around 800,000 IDR per meal. Interestingly, after exploring international options, we found we could eat very well for less. For instance, a delicious and filling meal at a high-end international restaurant could be had for 250,000 to 400,000 IDR for two people, offering much better value than some local spots catering to tourists.
Our estimated food and drink expenses for the 10 days hovered around 17 million IDR. This is a rough estimate, as most meals exceeded 450,000 IDR. We did find some great value, like a sushi meal for 350,000 IDR, Korean food for 250,000 IDR, and Mexican for a similar price for both of us – these felt like excellent value for money.
Transportation
Bali's traffic, especially in Ubud, can get congested. However, most drivers adhere to traffic laws and stay in their lanes, making it generally easy to navigate.
A crucial point to remember is that traffic drives on the left. You'll need to constantly remind yourself to stay left to avoid accidents, as locals tend to drive quite fast.
To save money, we rented a scooter for about 150,000 to 200,000 IDR per day. Even if your riding skills aren't top-notch, you might find yourself gaining confidence, as my boyfriend, who's not an experienced rider, managed to cruise around quite well by the end of our trip.
Our total spent on transportation, including scooter rentals and occasional taxis around Ubud and other areas, was approximately 3 million IDR.
Tourist Destinations
1. Kuta
We spent two days in Kuta. However, we found ourselves doing more eating than shopping, and unfortunately, we experienced some extreme overcharging.
Our key takeaway for market shopping: always bargain down to one-third or even one-fourth of the initial price. At one point, we saw a pair of sandals priced at 700,000 IDR (about 1.2 million Vietnamese Dong). Even after offering 180,000 IDR, they were willing to sell! Looking back, we feel we overpaid for many items. Don't just double your offer; aim for triple!
In Kuta, we mainly focused on dining, so we don't have much else to review from this area.
2. Ubud
Getting from Kuta to Ubud can cost around 600,000 IDR if you opt for a full-day taxi package that allows you to explore freely. We used Grab for 300,000 IDR and then rented a scooter for independent exploration, which was more cost-effective.
Ubud is famous for its swings, waterfalls, and ATV rides. However, the online prices for the swings were one thing, but the actual ticket price was triple that (400,000 IDR per person)! Given that we just wanted a few photos, we decided it wasn't worth the cost and opted for ziplining and visiting rice terraces instead.
Ubud boasts numerous waterfalls. We visited Kanto Lampo, which, contrary to photos, was quite small. Disappointed by the crowds and lack of enjoyment, we sought out a much more beautiful local waterfall just 3km away. The entrance fee was a mere 30,000 IDR, and we shared the tranquil space with only about ten locals. It was a fantastic spot for relaxing and taking photos. Unfortunately, we can't recall the name.
No trip to Ubud is complete without visiting the art market. We managed to score some great clothing and souvenirs by consistently bargaining down to one-third of the initial price. Remember, bargaining is key!
3. Uluwatu
This region is renowned for its stunningly blue beaches, and they truly lived up to their reputation.
We anticipated a peaceful two-day stay here, but our curiosity led us 20km to the Kutuh area to see the road nestled between two cliffs. By chance, we stumbled upon Pandawa Beach, which had very few tourists. We spent the afternoon kayaking for just 70,000 IDR.
4. Nusa Penida: The Trip's Highlight
Our time in Nusa Penida was undeniably the highlight of this entire trip.
- We booked a round-trip ferry for 500,000 IDR. While many reviews rave about Nusa Penida, few mention the seasickness. Even being generally healthy, the one-hour ferry ride left me feeling nauseous and quite unwell. My partner mentioned that local boats might take 2-3 hours but are often a much smoother ride.
- Another point to consider: be wary of taxi driver tour offers. Before our trip, we received quotes ranging from 3.5 million, 2 million, to 1.5 million IDR for tours that only included transportation. However, upon arriving at our homestay, we discovered that a full-day tour arranged at the accommodation cost only 700,000 IDR, significantly cheaper than what we were initially offered. This tour covered four spots and included transportation for the entire day, concluding with snorkeling for an additional 200,000 IDR.
- Our entire 3-day stay in Nusa Penida cost approximately 1 million IDR for accommodation, 1.2 million IDR for transportation, plus laundry at the homestay, and around 3 million IDR for food and drinks, totaling just over 5 million Vietnamese Dong.
10-Day Cost Breakdown (for 2 people)
- Accommodation: ~5,000,000 IDR
- Food and Drink: ~17,000,000 IDR
- Transportation: ~3,000,000 IDR
- Attractions & Activities: ~5,000,000 IDR
- Flights: 4,600,000 IDR
- "Silly mistakes" expenses: ~3,000,000 IDR
Total: Approximately 20,000,000 IDR per person for 10 days.
We wish you a trip with fewer "silly mistakes" than ours!^^
Credit: Thùy Linh
