Top 5 Places to stay in Bali, Indonesia
Bali is known for its surf, nightlife, cafes and beautiful destinations. Here are my top 5 places to stay while on the beautiful island of Bali.
5. Seminyak
Just 30-45 minutes from Bali’s international airport (DPS), is the bustling town of Seminyak, by far the most touristy town besides Kuta in Bali. You can find some of the best cafes, shopping and nightlife on the island here. Vegan? Love a good coffee? This is the perfect town for you. Really this speaks for most of the popular towns in Bali, you’ll find amazing coffee shops and cafes on every corner. The beaches are lined with restaurants and hotels, perfect for you to grab a drink and catch a picturesque seaside sunset. Looking to get a workout in? You’ll have a ton of options for fitness in Seminyak including yoga studios, crossfit gyms and much more.
If you stay in Seminyak, be sure to stop by one of the incredible beach clubs like Mrs. Sippys, Finn’s Beach Club or Potato Head. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the beaches or water here in Seminyak as they were both pretty dirty. This place is for a traveler looking to socialize, shop, eat some great food and party. It makes for a great homebase between your day trips to other parts of the island. But bear in mind when booking your stay here, Seminyak is the most touristy place on the island aside from Kuta, so if that doesn’t sound appealing, check out some of the next destinations!
TIP: Be mindful of the traffic here, it can get a bit chaotic. Police will absolutely stop you if you don’t have a helmet on so please wear one at all times. I’ve literally seen a cop standing in the middle of the street directing traffic, grab a tourist by his shirt while he was driving by.
Fave Cafes: Sisterfields, Revolver Espresso, KYND, The Coffee Library, more…
Fave Bars: KUDETA, La Favela, Motel Mexico, Mirror Lounge.
4.ubud
Known for its picturesque rice paddy fields, Ubud is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the larger towns like Seminyak. Love yoga? Ubud is also known for it’s world renowned yoga retreats for all levels, beginner, pros and most even offer teacher training courses. Ubud is a mellow town, so don’t expect anything crazy in terms of nightlife. However if you’re looking to socialize and grab a couple drinks, there are still choices for bars near the soccer field located at the north side of Jalan Monkey Forest. CP Lounge is a popular hangout with hookah, occasional live music, pool tables, and a dance floor with DJ. Like I said though, most people are coming to Ubud to relax and take in the sights. Be sure to check out monkey forest, the rice paddy fields and the waterfalls near by.
Shopping: If you’re looking for a bit of shopping, make sure to check out The Ubud Market! Tons of shopping with little boutique stalls selling all kinds of clothes and trinkets. Pro tip, always bargain! They’ll start their prices high, you can usually get them down a least a 1/4 if not 1/2 the original price offer. Also, check out the stalls in the back of the market. They’re usually willing to sell things to you cheaper than the front stalls as they don’t get as much foot traffic in the back.
Traffic: Traffic in Ubud just as chaotic as the other cities, especially during rush hour in the late afternoon. If you are renting your own bike, please stay safe and aware as usual. If you are using public transportation like GRAB, there has been issues with the mafia and local taxi’s all over the island. If the GRAB drivers ask you to meet them down the road a bit from the hotel this is completely normal, they are worried they’ll be seen by a local taxi which could get them in trouble.
Monkeys: Be wary of these little nuggets… First off some of these monkeys are trained to rob tourist… YES you read that right, just like the movies. Hold your things close to your body and always be aware of your surroundings. Monkeys may attempt to climb on you, just keep you cool. You freak out, they freak out haha.
3.Uluwatu
A surfers paradise, Ulutwau is a stunning cliffside town filled with luxury accommodation, great cafes and what Uluwatu is known for most, it’s SURF! This surf town is located on the most southern tip of the island, about a 30-45 minutes from Denpasar International Airport. People visit from all across the world to enjoy the world class surf this side of the island has to offer. If you’re looking to scope out some of the pro surfers, check out the popular surf break at Suluban Beach. You’ll walk down a cliff past a ton of warungs and surf shops till you get to the bottom to a very unique beach. Once you get to the bottom of the cliff, you’ll turn left and walk through a cave that’s about ankle deep in water so be sure to do this during low tide! When you arrive on the other side, lay down a towel or chair, slap on that reef safe sunscreen, sit back and watch the surfers rip some waves.
Be aware when planning your trip to Uluwatu that this is a small, quiet town. Surfers come to surf all day, loungers come to relax all day and honeymooners come to soak up the sun and be pampered. If you are itching for a bit of a party, check out the cliffside Omnia day club! They usually have a schedule with an incredible lineup of guest DJ’s that perform throughout the month and daily themed nights throughout the week. Here you’ll get the Vegas style, luxury club experience with options for bottle service, a full food menu, and a stunning infinity pool on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean.
2.Amed
Looking to scuba dive or freedive during your trip to Bali? About 3 hours drive north east of Denpasar Airport is a town called Amed, known for their incredible dive site. They have a stunning Japanese shipwreck as well as plenty of lively reefs where you can find an array of fish, blue spotted rays and much more. If you venture a few minutes outside of town, my favorite cafe Blue Earth Village has incredible views, delicious food and perfect tables to lounge for families and solo travelers alike. I’m not gonna lie, I ate here almost everyday because I loved the food so much and the views of Mount Agung and the coastline were the perfect way to end each day.
The town closes down pretty early, due to this being a dive town which means divers are there to wake up at the break of dawn to get prepped for their dive courses. I personally don’t scuba dive YET haha, but I actually got my freediving certification here in Amed at Fusion Freedive. Definitely check them out if you’re interesting in learning how to freedive, they were incredible cater to all levels. Yanli was my instructor and she was absolutely amazing, can’t wait to go back and dive with her and everyone at Fusion Freedive again! Interested in hearing more about my time with Fusion Freedive? Checkout my blog to learn more.
Snorkel/Dive Spots:
Jemeluk Bay snorkeling - Is home to the underwater pretty cool underwater temple! I was able to see an array of fish during my visit as well as beautiful blue spotted rays and coral.
Lipah Beach snorkel spot - This is a super shallow snorkeling area with a thriving underwater world of reef and fish!
Kembali Beach Bungalows Reef - The best snorkeling spot on the island, find turtles, healthy reef and tons of fish. The water us usually calm with little to no current to okay for kids and beginners!
Selang Beach in front of Selang Resort - Probably the most unknown snorkel spots which means less crowding when you’re trying to explore!
Japanese Amed shipwreck - For experienced swimmers, you’ll have to swim a ways out off the rocky beach. The wreck is pretty shallow which allows great water clarity during great weather. I’ve been a few times and my last visit there, the water was filled with trash, unfortunately pollution in Bali is a very real thing. Luckily a month after my visit in 2019 they banned all single used plastics!
1. Canggu
Ohhhh man, one of my favorite home bases away from home. I always find myself coming back to this town, it has a special place in my heart. Canggu is THE destinations for expats and influencers to call home. Theres something about the combination of great food, surf, people and nightlife that makes this place incredible. You’ll meet people from all walks of life throughout the town. Although Canggu is still a very busy town, it’s less touristy than the neighboring town Seminyak, but just enough commotion to feel like you’re in a semi cultured/westernized limbo land.
From yoga retreats, crossfit gyms, cafes on every corner, shopping galore, great surf, incredible nightlife, beautiful rice field and even a waterpark, there is something for everyone! This place is perfect for solo travelers, groups, couples and families alike! I chose Canggu as my #1 as it has the perfect balance of everything for me. One super upside to Canggu and Bali in general, is the cheap accommodation. Like I’m talking $25 for a beautiful villa to yourself with a pool.
During my last visit to Canggu I decided to treat myself to The Chillhouse Yoga & Surf Retreat, for a bit of a detox and self love. The Chillhouse was the perfect place to reset and enjoy some me time. The cost per night is totally work the price for what you get. The rooms are amazing with beautiful patios, lush outdoor showers, and massive comfortable beds. Not only that, but the price also includes 3 vegetarian meals a day as well as daily yoga. Nervous about going alone? No worries, they have a facebook group that they add you to after you book, so you can get to know the people that will be there during you stay. I met a ton of solo travelers, couples and groups during my stay at The Chillhouse.
If a retreat isn’t for you, definitely scan airbnb for some amazing deals on private villas with a wide ranges of prices! If you’re looking to live the hostel life, Canggu has some seriously incredible options so be sure to checkout Hostelworld to compare some options. The most popular hostel is Farm House, so be sure to book in advance as it usually sells out! Hostels are great for solo travelers as you will get to meet so many incredible like minded people who are usually solo traveling as well, I’ve met so many lifelong friends through hostels. So I would definitely recommend checking out some of the hostels here in Canggu or anywhere you are traveling, if you are adventuring on your own!
Fitness: Odyssey, Wanderlust Crossfit, The Chillhouse Yoga & Surf Retreat
Cafes: Crate Cafe, Motion Cafe, Cafe Vida, Nude, Beetlenut Cafe.
Nightlife: Check out my blog on the spots to be every night of the week in Canggu!