Author: Olga

Hi all — welcome back for Part 2 of the Bali guide.

In Part 1 (see previous post), we covered entry requirements and hotels. In this second part, I’ll cover restaurants, activities, and spas. I’ve split everything by area because Bali is a very big island and traffic can be heavy, so I recommend exploring by region!

Restaurants:

Restaurants in Bali are very aesthetic and very affordable (especially compared to London/UK prices).

• Ubud

Hujan Local (more dinner vibes): delicious Indonesian food in a great location in the heart of Ubud. The LOW-COOKED BEEF RENDANG & NASI KUNING is definitely a must-try. The Balinese Coffee Affogato (small balls cooked with sugar, served with ice cream and coffee) was also absolutely delicious.

Watercress (perfect spot for brunch or a late lunch): their avocado toast (with pesto and seeds) is the best avocado toast I’ve ever had. The acai bowl and coffee are also delicious!

Tukies Coconut Shop: they have all kinds of coconut-based sweets, and you can see the coconuts in the shop. The coconut ice cream (with coconut flakes) was definitely worth it!

• Seminyak

Of all the places we went, Seminyak had the best restaurants in my opinion.

Dome: let’s start with the star of the show. The Dome is a beautiful restaurant in Potato Head, one of the most architecturally impressive hotels and clubs in Bali. It’s also a great excuse to go inside Potato Head without having to meet the minimum spend at the beach club.

The food was incredible and probably the best meal I’ve had in a long time (I’m Italian, so this is a big statement) — see pictures below. The wagyu tartare and the vanilla flan were the stars of the show. It’s definitely pricier than other restaurants in Bali (we spent £30 each without wine), but for the quality and location you’ll leave feeling like you underpaid.

Mama San Bali: it’s widely regarded as one of the best Asian restaurants in Bali, so I recommend booking in advance. The interior, inspired by 1920s Shanghai, features green banquette seating, dark timber walls, and elegant chandeliers, creating a sophisticated but warm atmosphere. The dim sum were stunning and homemade. I did not try any of the large plates because I was craving dim sum, but my sister tried the GRILLED INDONESIAN BABY SNAPPER and said it was mind-blowing.

Sisterfields: On our last evening in Seminyak, we wanted an easy, chilled dinner near the hotel, and Sisterfields was perfect. The lamb shawarma salad, the polenta fries, and the banoffee dessert were all fantastic. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something relaxed, affordable, and delicious.

• Uluwatu:

Kala Greek Neighborhood Grill: We went to Kala because I had a random craving for Greek food, and we had just arrived in Uluwatu. Kala had great reviews and was a 15-minute walk (6 minutes by cab) from our hotel. We went straight away and I couldn’t have been happier with the choice. We ordered half the menu. The best dishes were:

• halloumi tiropita
• paccheri pumpkin pasta and beef ribs paccheri pasta (I know — not very Greek, but it was delicious)
• feta flatbread

Papi Sapi: this restaurant is right opposite Kala, so if you’re not sure where to go, check both out.

Papi Sapi is a lovely meat restaurant where they showcase different cuts, and you can choose the cut you want, how you want it cooked, plus sides and sauces. It’s very well priced, the variety is huge, and the portions are generous.

For vegetarian friends, they also offer grilled cauliflower as an alternative, and it’s delicious.

Beach by ours: This is one of the most viral brunch spots in Bali. I can safely say it is worth it for the view and location (see below). The food is also very good, although it is a bit more expensive than other places. During the day, there is a minimum spend of 500K Indonesian rupiah per head if you want to sit in the first row. My sister and I got the second row with no minimum spend and got super lucky.

Milk and Madu: For our last lunch in Uluwatu, we wanted something quick and light, and Milk and Madu hit the spot. I got the MADU SALAD (with roasted pumpkin), which was extremely filling, fresh, and tasty. The flat white I got was also very, very good.

Best spas:

• Inka – Ubud

A colleague at work recommended Inka, and I cannot stress enough how amazing the massage and facial were.

My sister and I did the Inka Flow massage for 60 minutes, followed by an ultra-calming 90-minute facial (using Dermalogica products). Both were incredible, and we left feeling lighter and five years younger.

The service is also excellent. You are greeted with a small foot massage and wash, and at the end they offer small refreshments. Definitely worth checking out (I recommend booking in advance because they are always fully booked).

• Mello – Seminyak

After our amazing experience at Inka, we decided to do another massage in Bali, and Mello was literally two minutes away from our hotel. My sister and I did a 60-minute lymphatic massage and it was perfect. They did not apply too much pressure, which I personally prefer (sometimes you leave lymphatic massages in pain — that has definitely happened to me before). I’d recommend stopping by if you’re in Seminyak, although if I had to choose between the two, I would go back to Inka again and again.

Activities in Bali:

• Ubud:

In Ubud, we did the most exploring. In Uluwatu and Seminyak, we mostly wanted to relax.

We booked most experiences through GetYourGuide and chose options with transfers included. We thought it was a bit risky to rely on cabs everywhere, and it was easier to have everything organized.

First tour: We booked a private tour of the Tegalang Rice Terraces (the most famous), the Tirta Empul temple, the Kanto Lampo and Tukad Cepung waterfalls, and then visited a coffee plantation (where we tasted Balinese coffee). The rice terraces were beautiful, and the coffee plantation was interesting because we got to try so many different combinations.

Regarding the waterfalls, I was frankly disappointed. It was extremely crowded, the water was dirty, and people do not swim in it. It is basically a spot to take Instagram photos (if you are committed). I think you are better off exploring Bali’s beaches rather than going to the waterfalls.

I really liked the temple, but it was also very crowded and difficult to get around. Still, it was definitely worth visiting.

Second tour: We booked a jeep tour up Mount Batur, followed by a visit to the thermal baths.

A lot of people hike Mount Batur, but my sister and I did not feel like doing it because it might not have been safe in the dark and we did not pack the right shoes. In any case, pack warm clothes because you go around 3 or 4am and it is freezing, and you can end up waiting 2 to 3 hours for sunrise. That is what happened to us. We arrived to a packed spot where all the jeeps park and then waited two and a half hours to see the sunrise. The sunrise was beautiful, but the location was extremely crowded, and depending on where your jeep parks you might not get the best view.

After sunrise, we asked our driver to go straight to the thermal baths (a 10 to 15 minute drive). We arrived as soon as it opened (7am), which meant we had the baths almost to ourselves for a good hour, and it was absolutely beautiful. The thermal baths are on Lake Batur and overlook another famous mountain, so the scenery was breathtaking. We left around 8:30 or 9am as it became very crowded and less enjoyable. I definitely recommend going early.

• Seminyak

As I said before, in Seminyak we mostly relaxed, but we also did surfing lessons (at here).

The lesson was very good, and I also think Seminyak is one of the best places to learn because the waves are small, there are no sharks, and lessons are affordable. That said, after my lesson (and drinking plenty of ocean water), I realized surfing is not for me.

• Uluwatu

In Uluwatu we mainly explored beaches — here are the ones we visited:

• Bing Bing Beach
• Padang Padang Beach:

The beaches are beautiful, but do not expect the same setup as European beaches (with sun beds, etc.). They are lovely but a bit wild, and there are lots of monkeys. If you are scared of monkeys, I would not recommend going to either beach.

A good compromise to see Bing Bing Beach is to go via Beach by Ours (although you might still encounter monkeys on the way). Also note that cabs cannot drop you directly at Bing Bing Beach, so you will have to walk along narrow, steep roads to get there.

How to get around Bali:

Super easy: download Grab and take taxis everywhere. It is safe, simple, and affordable, and the wait is never long!

Hi all!

I just spent 10 days in Bali with my sister and absolutely loved it. I did a lot of research on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat, so I’m consolidating everything here — including a few things I wish I’d known beforehand!

This is Part 1 of the guide, covering how we flew there, what to do before you go, and our hotel stays.

Part 2 will cover our itinerary in Bali, restaurants, and spas.

If you have planned or are considering a trip to Bali you should definitely read this guide! Even if you are not considering a trip, after this guide you will definitely want to spend time there!

Getting to Bali from London

As I mentioned in my introductory post, I’m based in London. There’s no direct flight from London to Bali, which surprised me given how well connected London usually is!

We narrowed our options to two routes:

• London → Singapore → Bali We considered this to use a companion voucher for London–Singapore and then take a short regional flight to Bali (the Singapore–Bali leg is only about two hours and several airlines operate it!).
• London → Dubai → Bali We chose this because it was cheaper and faster. Emirates runs seven daily flights between London and Dubai, and two daily flights between Dubai and Bali, which made missed-connection risks lower and definitely appealing!

We ultimately flew Emirates to maximize our time in Bali rather than stopping in Singapore. Connections were smooth, and we weren’t affected by the Laki Laki volcano eruptions (flights to Singapore were canceled that same day).

Admin: What to Sort Before You Go

For EU or UK nationals, you’ll need:

• A passport with at least 6 months’ validity
• Visa on Arrival — about £25 per person
• Customs Declaration — free
• Health Declaration — free
• Bali Tourist Tax — roughly £8 per person

My experience:

• Visa: I tried applying online but couldn’t get to the payment page, which was stressful and overall I found the website quite laggy and difficult to navigate. On arrival, the Visa on Arrival process was very quick and easy with plenty of dedicated desks. You can pay by card or cash so do not worry if you do not have indonesian rupiahs with you!
• Declarations and tax: I recommend completing the customs declaration in advance, plus the health declaration and Bali tax. They didn’t check our Bali tax, but still worth doing. Watch out for scam websites — always use the official link!

Hotels

1) Padma, Ubud

We started with the first hotel in Ubud, in the center of the island, called Padma.

Why we chose it:

• Proximity to attractions. Most sights are around Ubud (such as the rice terraces and various temples) and we wanted a peaceful base for the first few days.
• Free airport pick-up, which was helpful since Ubud is about two hours from the airport.
• Free shuttle to Ubud town. There are four shuttles a day each way.
• Stunning setting. Fully immersed in jungle with beautiful views. The pool is large, heated, and open late, with attentive poolside service.
• Activities. Lots of complimentary options throughout the day. We did aerial yoga twice in a Bamboo Nest — highly recommend.
• Food. Excellent breakfast with fresh juices and a wide range of options (Indian, Indonesian — the nasi goreng is great — an egg station, and Italian), plus on-site restaurants if you want a quiet evening in.

Good to know:

• It’s very family-friendly. Expect more children, especially around the pool. It didn’t bother us, but worth noting if you’re seeking total quiet.

2) The Seminyak Beach Resort & Spa

We originally considered the Gili Islands, but the transfer is long (cab to Sanur plus a 90-minute fast boat) and the weather felt uncertain. Friends suggested Seminyak instead for a beach base and a taste of Bali’s party scene. Ditching the Gili Islands for Seminyak – best decision ever!

Why we chose it:

• Last-minute deal. Bali has many hotels, so it’s often easy to find great last-minute prices for five-star stays. Agoda is also good to check, but if you’re booking in advance, direct with the hotel can be cheaper.
• Beachfront. Infinity pool overlooking the beach with direct access — perfect for relaxed days.
• Central location. Everything we did in Seminyak was within a 15-minute walk.
• Free photo shoot.

Cons:

• At full price, it may not be worth it. Breakfast had limited options, and the restaurant is small. The rooms feel a bit dated.

3) Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort

This was a celebratory treat from my sister for my solicitor qualification. I had high expectations given the Anantara brand. While the location is breathtaking, parts of the experience were disappointing.

Highlights:

• Unbeatable views. The property sits on a cliff with full ocean vistas.
• Beautiful rooms and amazing pool!
• Great value for money!

Cons:

• Access. The approach is a long, narrow, unlit road. The main street with restaurants is a 10-minute walk, but at night you’ll likely need a cab.
• Service inconsistency. For example, the pool bar is on one side and staff rarely came to the opposite side, so we had to walk over to order. Also, open snack cans from previous guests sat outside our room for two days.
• Breakfast. Good food quality, but hot dishes are à la carte while cold items are buffet. This led to slow service and less variety in a single sitting. I waited 25 minutes for shakshuka and a matcha latte never arrived. Overall, it was our weakest breakfast in Bali.

Overall on Uluwatu:

• I still recommend visiting. The vibe is calm, the beaches are the best we saw in Bali, and the restaurants are excellent. It feels cozy and less developed than other areas, with plenty of accommodation options at different price points.

Welcome to WordPress! This is your first post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey.