5 great places to stay in Bali
As I mentioned in my previous posts, I recently went to a yoga and surf retreat in Bali. The retreat was in Uluwatu, on the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula. After the retreat, I set to explore the island, as well as a couple of smaller, lesser-known ones. Among the places I visited were Ubud, Nusa Lembongan, Seminyak and Jimbaran. Today, I’m recommending 5 places to stay in Bali and what to do and see there.
Uluwatu
The name Uluwatu comes from ‘ulu’, which means ‘land’s end’, and ‘watu’, which means ‘rock’. Uluwatu is home to the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple, built at the edge (‘ulu’) of a 70-meter-high rock (‘watu’). Dating to the 11th century, the temple is dedicated to Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the Supreme God of Indonesian Hinduism. Every evening, there are several traditional dance performances (known as kecak dance). The dance is based on the story of the Ramayana and takes place in an outdoor amphitheatre, overlooking the ocean. I went there during the sunset and it was simply magical. The temple is inhabited by monkeys, who are notorious for snatching visitors’ belongings. Luckily, they didn’t snatch anything from me.
Uluwatu is also famous for its world-class surfing spots. A beginner, rather than an accomplished surfer, I had daily lessons at the Padang Padang Beach. To get to the beach, you need to pay a small fee. Once you’re there, it is easy to locate the surf instructors. Although I’d booked my lessons through the hotel I stayed in, other surfers just walked in and booked theirs there and then.
Uluwatu is also home to many nice cafes, including outposts of Alchemy and Suka Espresso, ideal for working remotely or brunch respectively, as well as clubs, such as the Single Fin.
On my first day, I stayed at the Inn Possible, at Bingin Beach. I then moved to Uluwatu Surf Villas, where the retreat took place. I would recommend staying in Uluwatu for as long as you want to surf and/or relax.
Ubud
The inland town of Ubud is widely considered the Mecca of yoga. As such, Ubud is not short of yoga retreats and yoga centres. Of those, the Yoga Barn is probably the most famous yoga centre in Bali. Ubud is also home to many temples worth visiting, such as the Pura Gunung Lebah and the Pura Taman Saraswati, as well as the famous Monkey Forest (once again, I was lucky that the monkeys didn’t snatch anything from me). Close to Ubud, there are the Tegalalang rice terraces, the Tegenungan waterfall and the Pura Tirta Empul, a temple famous for its holy spring water, where the locals go for ritual purification. Foreigners can also take part in the ritual purification, but cannot enter parts of the temple.
To read more about activities and sights in and near Ubud, check out my recently published post ‘9 things to do and see in Ubud’. For more information about places to eat and drink, check out my post ‘10 (+1) places to eat in Ubud, Bali’.
I stayed in Ubud for 4 and a half days (5 nights), which allowed me plenty of time to do yoga, visit the main attractions, eat, drink and do a lot of shopping (there are lots of boutique shops, as well as street markets). I would recommend staying there for at least 3 days to visit the attractions mentioned above. The town is not short of hotels. I stayed at the Grand Sehati & Spa, which is a couple of minutes’ walk from the Monkey Forest and within walking distance from many of Ubud’s sights.
Seminyak
Seminyak is a tourist area on the west coast of Bali, nestled between the best-known Kuta (on the south) and Canggu (on the north). Sunsets are the best thing about Seminyak. The beachfront is lined with bars, where you can watch the sunset while relaxing in a colourful bean bag. Once the sun has set, local bands play live music. I had dinner at Mamasan, a high-end restaurant which I would highly recommend. It is the sister restaurant of Ubud’s Hujan Locale, where unfortunately I didn’t manage to go. For a main, I had the spiced and Arabic-influenced curry of lamb shoulder, with durian, peanuts, shallots and pumpkin. I chose it because of the durian, which was so subtle that I wouldn’t have identified it had I not known.
I stayed in Seminyak for 2 nights, at Lloyd’s Inn, where I had a floating breakfast in the pool (one of Bali’s must-dos).
Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is a small island located southeast of Bali. From the harbour town of Sanur, it is a 40-minute speedboat ride. Nusa Lembongan is very close to the much larger Nusa Penida and to the tiny Nusa Ceningan – the three islands are known together as the ‘Nusa Islands’. Although Nusa Lembongan is another surfing hotspot, I only went surfing there once. On my first full day there, I went on a small tour around the island. We first visited the mangrove on the northeast side of the island, went snorkelling off the coast, then drove to Dream Beach (next to the Devil’s Tears) and had lunch at the beachfront restaurant.
I stayed at Sunset Garden, within walking distance from both the Mushroom Bay and the Cloudland Bar, a great place to chill and watch the sunset.
A suspension bridge, known as the Yellow Bridge, connects Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan. However, instead of exploring the latter, I took a boat to Nusa Penida, famous for its many beaches and Instagrammable hotspots. A quarter of an hour later, the boat arrived at the harbour town of Toya Pakeh, which is the starting point for the tours of the island, as well as for snorkelling and diving boat trips. I stayed in a hotel in Toya Pakeh and this was my least favourite accommodation of the whole trip, but perhaps there are better hotels in other parts of the island.
Day trips to Nusa Penida
Although I am inclined to recommend against staying in Nusa Penida overnight (but staying in Nusa Lembongan instead), I would recommend visiting the island. Organised day trips depart from both Nusa Lembongan and Sanur. I would recommend visiting the east side of Nusa Penida separately from the west, as it is not feasible to see everything on the same day and get back to Nusa Lembongan (or Sanur). Nusa Penida lies 25 km from Bali and it takes about 40 minutes to get there.
On the southeast side of Nusa Penida, there’s Diamond Beach (about an hour and a half from Toya Pakeh). To descend to the beach, you need to be in a rather fit physical state and not have a fear of heights, as the steps are rather narrow (and at some point there are no steps, but rocks – fortunately, there’s also a rope). Right next to Diamond Beach, there’s Atuh Beach, which I only saw from the top of the cliff. Not far from Diamond Beach, there’s the Instagrammable tree house. The descent there is much easier than to the Diamond Beach.
On the west coast of the island, there is Kelingking Beach (about an hour and a half from Diamond Beach). I didn’t go all the way down to the beach, as I had to catch the boat to Sanur, but I was told that it is an easier descent compared to Diamond Beach. Other points of interest include the Broken Beach, the Angel Billabong and the Crystal Bay. Unfortunately, I did not manage to get to any of them, but I only caught a glimpse of the latter from the boat.
More activities in Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is also famous for the manta rays swimming off the west coast. It is best to see those if you dive, but it is also possible to see them even if you only snorkel. If you’re planning to dive, you will need to go on a preparatory class the day before (in which case you need to stay on the island), unless you’re a certified diver. Unfortunately, the sea was very turbulent when I visited, so I went on a snorkelling trip to another part of the island, where I was fortunate to see beautiful coral reefs, colourful fish and a sea turtle. I also caught a glimpse of the Broken Beach from the boat.
Jimbaran
On my last night, I stayed in Jimbaran, a coastal resort, also on the west coast of Bali (south of Kuta). It is located at the neck of the Bukit Peninsula, very close to the airport, which is why I decided to leave it for last. On the beach, there are lots of warungs (local restaurants) renowned for their fish and seafood. I dined at Menega, where I selected the unlucky lobster that would then be grilled and served to me and my friends.
Although Jimbaran is home to many five-star resorts, I preferred to stay at the Mutiara Jimbaran Boutique Villas.
Further reading
To better prepare for my trip to Bali, I used the Lonely Planet Pocket Bali.
Health information
To reduce the likelihood of experiencing the notorious ‘Bali belly’, I had the Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccines 1-2 weeks before my departure. A week before my departure, I started taking probiotics, which I continued during my stay in Bali. Whilst in Bali, I exercised caution and avoided drinking tap water, eating raw vegetables and buying food from street vendors. As a result, I was fortunate enough not to experience any gastrointestinal symptoms.
Alex
(the Traveling Psychiatrist)