Whether you are looking for a romantic destination for your honeymoon, or are simply escaping the UK for your yearly vacation to the sunshine, Bali is a great choice. With over 10,000 temples, the island is a spiritual place which emits a certain serenity that can’t help but be embraced by visitors. It’s no surprise that this feeling and culture attracts upmarket travellers who are looking for their own slice of relaxation; luckily Bali has this by the bucket load.
If you are convinced that Bali is the ideal destination for your upcoming trip, you will want to know how to make the most of your time there. Read on to discover some helpful tips and tricks so you know where to stay and what to do.
Where is Bali?
Bali is both an island and a province in Indonesia. From the UK a flight to Bali would take approximately 12 hours and 40 minutes to Singapore and then 2 hours and 30 minutes for the last leg. Many flights do go via Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, or you can choose to stop over in Bangkok or Doha instead. The time difference is GMT +8 hours which gives you a good indication about how far away it is from everyday life in the UK!
Practical travel advice
As a British citizen, you would need to obtain a visa on arrival in to Bali. These cost approximately £15 for a stay of up to 30 days, but it is a good idea to check the current price before you travel. It is also worth noting that your passport must be valid for at least six months upon arrival in order to be allowed access into the country. When you arrive you will be able to speak English in tourist locations despite the official language being Bahasa Indonesian, so don’t worry too much about the communication barriers. When it comes to currency, you’ll be using Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) so find out some more details about the exchange rate by searching online.
Where to stay
There are plenty of 5 star resorts in Bali that will cater to your every want and need. Yet perhaps known as the most hip of the resorts, Seminyak offers guests everything from a gorgeous beach to boutique hotels and shops. This might be the ideal spot for you if you are looking to while away the daylight hours sunbathing before hitting the trendy clubs in the evening. When you have 5 star resorts on hand, you can also expect there to be some pretty amazing spas to try out, so see if you can find somewhere that appeals to your craving for relaxation.
What to do
Eating a meal turns into a culinary adventure in Bali as you will be able to try everything from Thai, Indonesian and East Javanese. There are some delicious ingredients favoured here such as lobster, suckling pig, banana flowers, palm hearts and glass noodles. When you aren’t scoffing down some local cuisine, make sure to try snorkelling, diving or surfing for a bit of calorie burning. Of course, you might also want to check out the temples and shrines mentioned previously as they are both beautiful and breath-taking.