When deciding on Bali the choices were difficult. We had never been and we couldn’t choose between Ubud and Canggu. We picked Canggu because it has a more kick-back vibe and is close to the beach.

I love traveling and some of my favorite places are tropical. If I can wear a bathing suit I’m happy. What drew us to Bali was the beautiful scenery, beach, villas, and affordability.

Tickets from Los Angeles to Bali were expensive. When researching how to get to Bali we looked at different options. We found the most cost-effective way to get to Bali was to take a flight to Taipei, Taiwan. Stay a few days there and then grab a flight to Bali, Indonesia. This was the route that saved us the most money. We found this combination by using google flights to mix and match. The flight from Taiwan to Bali was about 5 hours.

We went in Mid-October. The weather was still nice and we enjoyed a lot of beach time. I found the people in Canggu to be friendly. We saw a lot of Australian tourists but not as many Americans. A lot of people spoke English though it’s a good idea to get a few phrases down.

If you like to drink while you're on vacation. Get duty free booze from the airport before you board your flight to Bali. Going into Bali you're allowed one liter of duty-free alcohol per person. This will save you money as hard liquor is an expensive commodity in Bali due to excise and import taxes.

How much money to take to Bali?

I ordered Indonesian Rupiah from the bank before going on my trip. This is my preferred method but you can exchange money once you get there through the airport ATM or a bank.

I enjoy getting my money ahead of time to get familiar with it and to have some cash as soon as I land. One less thing to worry about. On my flight back I talked to a girl that said the Airport ATM ate her debit card. Another reason I like to have money when I land.

If you order from your bank make sure you get a mix of big bills and small bills. I took 300 USD in Indonesian Rupiah. This lasted the majority of the trip. I was able to use my credit card a few places towards the end - beach clubs and restaurants. At restaurants, it’s best to ask before you dine if they take a credit card. Most places aside from the beach club will charge you a 3% transaction fee on credit cards. That’s even if your credit card is “transaction free.”

Meals and massages were affordable. Most expenses went to beach clubs, excursions, and our driver.

How to use your phone in Bali?

I didn’t have a sim card in Bali. The 7-11s I went to didn’t have one or sold out in my area. Get a sim card from the airport or have your driver bring you one when they pick you up. Our driver offered to us, I wish we had got one through them.

If you don’t have a sim card, I found most establishments had Wifi. The big beach clubs had annoying Wifi that you had to sign in with an email to use. But other places had normal Wifi. Make sure that you have Wifi in your villa or hotel before you book.

How to get from the airport to your hotel in Bali?

When you’re leaving the airport in Bali a lot of people will ask you about transportation. It's overwhelming. To make life easier and avoid the chaos hire a driver ahead of time. We used a driver to pick us up from the airport and drop us off. It was 18 USD to take us from the airport to our villa.

This was worth it, you walk outside the airport and someone is holding a sign with your name on it. You follow them and then take a passenger van with your group to your villa. The drive from the airport to our villa in Canggu took 1 hour and 45 minutes. The traffic can be slow in Bali so be aware of that when booking your ride back to the airport. You don't want to miss your flight!

Where to stay in Bali?

Hands down the best accommodation in Bali is booking a private villa. It sounds intimidating but it’s affordable, luxurious and more bang for your buck. We booked our villa through Airbnb for a group of 5 people. The cost was around 1,000 USD Total. Everyone got their own bedroom and bathroom. The villa also came with a pool, kitchen and cleaning staff. It was safe and walking distance to the beach.

Tips for booking Villas

Make sure you examine all the photos. Sometimes what you see isn’t what you get so make sure the reviews say that it looks like the photos.
The reviews are good and no one had any extreme problems.
If the villa looks “outdoorsy” and you’re not down with bugs and geckos try to find villas that have a more modern design. As in, no straw roofs or eco-consciousness.
Must have Wifi and A/C
Location. Is it close to where you want to be? Bali isn't a walking place. But our villa was walking distance to the beach which was nice since we didn't have scooters.

How to get around Bali?

I’m used to walking when traveling. Leaving my hotel or Airbnb and exploring. Bali isn’t known as a walking place. There is no public transportation - no buses or trains. That's why you see people renting scooters so much on YouTube travel videos.

There are different modes of transportation that you can use in Canggu Bali:

Scooters: Most people that travel to Bali for an extended time will rent scooters. We weren’t there long enough to experience this but if I go again I will. If you're scared to rent scooters know that there are back roads you can travel that avoid busy streets.

Gojek: This is equal to their Uber. Using it you can get rides on scooters or in cars. Usually, the cars are passenger vans. The rides are pretty cheap even if you have to haggle a bit. And you will have to haggle.

Taxies: In the more tourist areas you can find taxi stands where you can request a taxi. These are set prices so they’re a safe option for you to grab. Plus if you go to a real taxi stand you’ll see the prices on the board.

Driver: You can rent a driver before you trip. They can be your driver all day or to pick you up and drop you off at the airport. I recommend this if you have a full day of excursions. We had a driver for one day from 7 am - 8 pm for $72. The prices will depend on where you want them to take you. Our driver was great and I would book with her again next time I go.

Information for our driver that we used to take us to the airport and for long day excursions:

Name: Yung

WhatsApp +62 811 5997 995

For the most part during our trip, we used a combination of Gojek, Taxis and a driver. Next time I visit Bali I will brave it and rent a scooter.

What are Fun Things to Do in Bali?

Rice Terraces

To make the best of the Rice Terraces you need to get there early. We woke up were out of our villa by 7 am. We had a driver take us to the Rice Terraces so that we could check it out and get some Instagram worthy shots. When you go to the rice terraces take some cash with you as there are different “donation” checkpoints. The first donation checkpoint is as soon as you walk for 1.50 USD each person. The second is near the top for 1.50 USD for the entire group.

There are swings in a lot of places in the Rice Terraces. I recommend walking to the top for the best one. You have to pay for each swing station so pick the one that is best for you. You can negotiate the price of going on the swings. Make sure that you haggle it down a bit before getting on the swing. If you’re there earlier this works better because there are not a lot of people waiting to get on the swings.

Our swing experience was great and we enjoyed it. We paid 18 USD total for 5 people.

When walking the Rice Terraces you can walk the back terraces which lead back to the main street. This is less crowded than going back the way you came.

Luwak Coffee Plantation Tasting

What’s going to Bali if you don’t try some Luwak coffee? One of the swing guides from the Rice Terraces was nice enough to walk us to the Luwak Coffee Plantation. You can do a tour of the plantation or opt to do a tasting. We did the tasting which is free. We learned about Luwak coffee and got to try a variety of coffees and teas. We even met a Luwak!

The Luwak coffee cost 4.30 USD.

Bali Pertiwi Rafting Adventure - White Water Rafting

If you do nothing else while you’re in Bali do White Water Rafting. Hands down one of my favorite experiences on this trip. We went late afternoon which was fun and meant that the sun wasn’t beaming down on us. It also meant fewer other rafts on the river. You need to take a bathing suit, water shoes, and water. You can wear flip flops if you don’t have water shoes.

The guide drives you in an open trunk to a spot 10 minutes away. Then you do a quick hike down some stairs. While we were hiking down to the river we saw some wild monkeys.

The white water rafting experience was fun. We got stuck on a rock 5 minutes in and lost a paddle. The tide was low so it wasn’t as crazy as if you go in December. I thought it was still pretty cool. The ride was 2 hours but it went by fast. Halfway through there was a small waterfall that we could jump off the raft and play under. Then at the halfway point, you can buy Bintang beer and water. The cost is a bit higher but you have to support the fact that they carried the beer and water there.

When the rafting is over you go back to the compound for complimentary lunch. The food was vegetarian and all you can eat. It was some of the best-tasting food I had on the trip and safe to eat.

Cost: 20 - 25 USD per person

Note: If you go to their website it says it’s 70 USD/pp don’t book through there. If you book through TripAdvisor it’s cheaper. Also, book this on a day where you have a driver.

Lotus Massage

This was a Balinese massage parlor. It was very clean and reasonable. I got the signature combination which was a Balinese massage and facial. It was a great experience. It reminded me of a combination of Swedish massage with Thai. The girls get into the muscles.

It’s a small establishment. If you’re in a large group make appointments here ahead of time. The massage and facial combination will take about two hours. We tipped on the high-end but they will appreciate anything that you give them.

Cost: 18 USD

Starbucks Reserve

There is a Starbucks Reserve located in Bali. I didn’t know these were rare but this was the first one I’ve been to. It was the prettiest and largest Starbucks I’ve been too. It had different coffee bars, learning stations and real coffee plants around the premises. I got the Lavender Latte and bought a bottle that I use for water that says Bali on it and I love it.

Best Beach Clubs in Bali

Finn’s Beach Club

This day club was a blast and right on the beach. This was one of the best day clubs I’ve been to. Las Vegas used to be my favorite place for pool parties but it’s Bali now. Finn’s was a day club with direct access to the beach and many pools. We decided to get a daybed since we were in Bali and could splurge on the experience.

The process was seamless and they let you pick which daybed you’d like. We got one near the beachside so that we could enjoy the Sunset. This is a great location to be next to the beach and the pools. The cost of the daybed is a credit towards food and drinks. They also have a happy hour deal where it was buying one get one bottle free.

You can keep stuff at your table or rent a locker for a few dollars. We opted for a locker to store our gear. If you don't want to rent a daybed you can rent a towel for 3.50 USD.

Cost for the Daybed: 200 USD

The Lawn

This was another favorite beach club. We came here twice and enjoyed the sunset from here. We got a table and the cost went towards our food and drinks. They have a small pool. They have a security station to watch your stuff as you go to the beach to get in the water. A great highlight!

Cost for Daybed: 60 USD

Shopping in Canggu Bali

Love Anchor Bazaar

This is a shopping market that has trinkets, bags, artisanal items, and clothes. I scored a few deals here: two round bags and a large dream catcher. Which I haggled for. I found the haggling pleasant.

How to haggle at street markets?

When haggling I found the vendors pretty nice. Be friendly through the process and walk away if the price isn’t right. When they give you the initial price ask for a 50% -75% discount at the jump or a little under half. If you are buying more than one item or you combine with your friend ask if they can give you a deal.

Remember no matter what you pay it’s good to support these people and their economy. They are trying to make a living to feed their families.

Agung Bali

If you don't want to haggle but still want the souvenirs you see at the markets. Agung is great for last-minute souvenirs. It's on the way to the airport from Canggu so you can take some time to check it out before you go home. This has all the stuff you’ll find at the markets but at fixed prices. Great for last-minute gifts they have shirts, round straw bags, wooden bowls, Luwak coffee etc. I got a few here.

Where to Eat in Canggu?

XimmoR

This was a cute cafe and coffee shop that served an array of food. The aesthetic was clean and bright. It was an inviting atmosphere. I got the Salmon Benedict and yellow mix juice. It was all tasty. My brother got the french toast, Cappuccino, and a smoothie bowl.

Total Cost: 20 USD

Black Sand Brewery

We stumbled upon this Brewery on a walk around Canguu. It’s a huge place that has beer on tap. It’s a great place to grab a bit and enjoy some drinks with friends. A bit more pricey than grabbing a beer at the Circle K but still a lot of fun.

Cost: Craft Beer 6 USD | Bintang Beer 4 USD

Monsieur Spoon

Our driver recommended this. It’s a French bakery/coffee shop in Bali. It was very airy and pretty inside. If you go here get a croissant it’s what they specialize in. I got a cheese sandwich with one and it was divine.

Total Cost: 3.50 USD (Crossaint and Coffee)

Photo: Exterior Monsieur Spoon Canggu Bali

Human Bean Denpasar

We found this place towards the end of our trip on a walk to the beach. The food was tasty and the coffee concoctions were unique.

Total Cost 35.64 USD (for the entire group)

Warlok Canggu

This is located next door to Lotus. After you have a massage come here for lunch and smoothies. It’s run by a dedicated team that do everything from taking your order to make your food. They were so sweet and accomodating. I got a smoothie and seafood pasta. It was delicious and one of my favorite meals while in Bali.

Cost: 7 USD (Meal and Smoothie)