1. Tanah Lot
Tanah Lot is home to the pilgrimage temple Pura Tanah Lot. It is Bali’s most iconic temple for photography and general exoticism.
In the 16th-century a Hindu priest, Dang Hyang Nirartha saw the island’s beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him and bought him gifts. Sensing the place as a holy place, he told the fishermen to build a shrine on the rock to worship the Balinese sea gods.
Visit during the evening, an hour before sunsets to catch the amazing sunsets.
2. Lempuyang Temple
Credit: @bradflowerss
Lempuyang Temple is one of the highly regarded Balinese Hindu temples located in the slope of Mount Lempuyang in Karangasem.
With a simple trick photography trick, it has now become one of the trendiest places to visit. Visitors can expect a long queue of up to 4 hours.
3. Pura Ulun Danu Beratan
Surrounded by mountains, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan sits atop of a plateau in Lake Beratan. Built-in 1663, this temple worships the Balinese water, lake and river goddess Dewi Danu with offering ceremonies.
Lake Beratan is the important source of irrigation for rice fields and plantations across this area and is blessed with fertile soil ideal for vegetation.
4. Tampaksiring
Tampaksiring is home to the Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul, one of the most impressive ancient site in Bali. Discovered in AD 962, the holy spring water is believed to have magical powers.
Hundreds of devotees would visit this ancient place daily for ritual purification by cleansing their body with the gushing waterspouts in the bathing pool.
5. Tegalalang Rice Terrace
Tegalalang in Ubud is famous for its stunning view of paddy rice terrace on the slopes across the valley. With several cafes along the road, visitors can sip Balinese coffee or a meal while enjoying the scenic paddy terrace.
6. Taman Ayun Temple
Taman Ayun Temple is the royal temple of the Mengwi Kingdom built-in 1634 by Raja of Mengwi, I Gusti Agung Putu. The name literally translates to Beautiful Garden.
It is a special temple where ancestors of the Raja Dynasty of Mengwi and several Gods are worshipped.
7. Uluwatu temple
Uluwatu Temple is one of the 6 key guardian temples of Bali located on top of the steep cliff 70 meters above sea level overlooking the majestic Indian Ocean.
It is also home to many monkeys, do beware as some are trained to snatch tourists belongings and are forced to pay “the trainer” acting as good samaritan to retrieve back the snatched item. Recently the enforcement has stepped up to curb this scam however do be careful of our belongings.
8. Bali Swing
Credit: @twphotography._
In recent years, there are several Instagrammable places popping up across Bali. Visitors can pay an entrance fee for the photo spots.
9. Traditional Bali Dances
As Bali is one of the very few places in Indonesia to retain its Hinduism roots, they too inherited a variety of mesmerizing traditional dances which are dynamic and intensely expressive.
Some traditional dances such as Barong Dance, Kecak Dance and Legong Dance are not to be missed. We enjoyed Devdan Show which not only showcases Balinese dances but also various regions traditional dances in Indonesia.
10. Pristine Beaches
Getting out of Kuta Beach you might be rewarded with some of the best crystal clear turquoise sea and sandy beaches in Bali suitable for snorkelling or a nice swim with mother nature. Nothing beats relaxing by the beach during vacation!
11. Stay in a Private Villa
Apart from being known as a place with thousands of temples, Bali is also known as a place with thousand villas. Ranging from reasonable pricing to ultra-luxurious, there are many choices to choose.
Why Bali? Due to its high supply of villas available, it is one of the most affordable places to indulge in a villa.
Bali Must Eat Food
1. Crispy Duck
Crispy duck is a uniquely Balinese cuisine apart from the famous Babi Guling. The duck smaller in size is marinated for couple hours with mix spices allowing the flavours to penetrate through the duck. Then they boil the meat till tender and deep fry till crispy golden brown and pairs with sambal terasi, pickled onions and some vegetables.
Price: Around USD10 (RM40 / SGD15)
Where to Eat
- Bebek Tepi Sawah (Pic Above)
- Warung Jerami Seminyak
2. Babi Guling
Babi Guling or Roast Suckling Pig is one of Bali’s most iconic food, marinated with Turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir and chilli and stuff with other spices before roasting. Every part of the pig is fully utilized in the dish with crispy skin, tender meat, deep-fried intestine, smokey satay and even blood sausages.
During our 1st trip to Bali in 2008, we tasted the best Babi Guling from a street vendor in Kuta. Though this round we tasted were good but not as delicious as that.
Note: Forget bout Ibu Oka, it is so overrated that we won’t go back for few lifetimes. There are many other warungs offering much tastier Babi Guling at 1/3 of the price. One tip is to ask your driver to bring you to his favourite Babi Guling stall.
Price : USD3 to USD9 (RM10-RM35 / SGD4 – SGD12)
Where to Eat
- Pak Malen Seminyak
3. Pork Ribs
Though BBQ Pork Ribs does not originate from Bali, the Balinese somehow master and perfected the dish, succulent and fork-tender with the meat easily drop off the bone, drenched in their own secret homemade barbecue sauce.
Price: Around USD9 (RM36/ SGD12)
Where to Eat?
- Naughty Nuri’s Warung
- Hog & Wild
Bali Travel Guides
Bali is a large island with its attractions scattered around hence it is impossible to visit all attractions in 1 day.
Most tourists will require a driver cum tour guide when travelling in Bali. Before our trip, we asked our friends & readers to recommend us Bali tour guides and engaged them during the trip.
Normally a driver will charge for one day or half-day service and most of their vehicle could carry 6 passengers or more. With your own driver, you can decide where to visit, how long to spend in a place and which tourist trap to skip.
Our Bali Tour Guides
1. Dewa Bali Guide – https://www.facebook.com/dewa.ismyfriend
2. Billy Bali – https://www.facebook.com/billy.gede
3. Ciwa Dantha Bali – https://www.facebook.com/ciwa.dantha
4. Gede Arjun Bali – https://www.facebook.com/gede.arjunbali
All of them were professional and willing to go extra miles for guests, feel free to contact them if you are planning a Bali trip. Just inform them you are referred by TommyOoi.com, as we expect them to render the same service to all readers. (Note: We don’t earn any commission from them)
How many days in Bali?
We would recommend at least 5 to 7 days to allow sufficient exploration and a day or two for pure relaxation. It is also recommended to stay in different areas such as Seminyak, Nusa Dua and Ubud to experience their own uniqueness instead of just staying in Kuta throughout the whole trip.
Our Hotels in Bali
Below are some hotels we stayed during our Bali holidays, click on the links to read the full article of our experiences in each hotel.
1. Golden Tulip Devins Seminyak
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This brings back so many good memories! I loved my visit to Bali last year. During our 2 weeks stay in Bali we visited almost every corner of this magic island. Thanks for sharing your experience!