Bali Travel Guide 2023: Itinerary, Budget, Tips

It's been a minute since my last blog post. Okay, not a minute, but four years! This time, I'll be sharing many travel-related things on this blog and my socials, starting a Bali travel guide, my first out-of-country trip since the pandemic. 

A lot has happened since 2019. I graduated college, ended up in grad school, got a job, resigned from said job, wrote a LOT, took aerial arts classes, followed by even more workout classes, and just started living a life focused on what I wanted to do. 

That's why I'm here now because if you follow my Instagram, you'll notice how much I overshare about food and travel, with a bit of pole in between. Every ugly photo I took and sappy caption I made had me realize how much I missed blogging, and I always tell family and friends I'll come back to it one day... Why not now, right?

I traveled locally between 2021-2022 and decided to go out more in 2023, starting with Bali mostly because it was a destination I never thought I'd be able to visit. I saw it as some unreachable paradise thanks to Eat Pray Love, but after a ton of research and planning, I realized I was just young and broke back then, hahaha. Now, it's become my paradise because of the smorgasbord of things any traveler can do, especially for someone as energetic as I am. 

I'll be dividing this guide based on where to go, how to go around, my quick itinerary, budget, and links to the tours, accommodation, and car charters I got. 

Traveling to Bali from the Philippines

Traveling to Bali after the pandemic became a bit easier because there are only four major requirements:

• A passport valid for at least 6 months
• Boarding pass and proof of return flight
• Hotel booking confirmation (for immigration)
• eTravel QR code for PH departure and arrival

Filipinos do not need any visas to enter Indonesia, as long as you will stay for a maximum of 30 days (no extensions possible, I believe). Bali's travel requirements may change, so I recommend checking with your airline.

We flew from Metro Manila via Cebu Pacific. I mistakenly didn't wait for their piso sale which usually happens in November (11/11) and March (their anniversary). Even then, I got our tickets on sale with a base fare of 599 PHP (?), which amounted to 5,517 PHP per person, round trip. This does not include travel tax (1,620 PHP per person) and check-in luggage (2,420 PHP per 20kg luggage, round trip). 

I know Cebu Pacific receives flak for delays and cancellations, but for this trip, the entire process was smooth and without any delays. I chose a red-eye flight that left at 3:45AM on March 15, Wednesday, so the lines weren't as long. Immigration was smooth as well since I traveled with my mom and sister. 

We arrived at Ngurah Rai International Airport at around 8:00AM. It took less than an hour to go through immigration, get our luggage, and withdraw from an ATM, so we decided to stay at Starbucks and kill time before we could check into our villa. I booked us a Grab going to our villa, which cost about 1,000 PHP because it was pretty down south near Uluwatu.

Internet Connection

Since I juggle work and school, the internet is a must wherever I go. That's why I got a sim card delivered to our villa on the first day of our trip and just switched on my hotspot for my family to connect whenever needed. The only days the signal was inconsistent were when we were in Nusa Penida and during Nyepi day (because they switched off cellular data).

I got a sim card from Klook with 35 GB data good for 30 days, costing only 730 PHP. Since we only stayed for 15 days, 35 GB was more than enough for 3 people. We also had WiFi in all the villas we checked into, and there was no trouble with the internet connection as well. 

Getting Around Bali

It's possible to commute around Bali via bus, or you can rent a scooter (which I believe has been banned, or will be). Considering we were a group of 3, it was best to use Grab, Gojek, or book a private car charter.

Transportation Apps

Grab and Gojek are the major transportation apps available in Bali. I find Gojek to be a bit cheaper most times but it really depends on your location and timing, which is why I recommend having both apps to compare prices. Compared to the Philippines, Grab is cheaper and they are more generous when it comes to providing promo codes for both GrabCar and GrabFood. You can also book a motorbike if you're traveling solo, which is even cheaper!

Private Car Charters

I was looking at tours to make life easier since the itinerary would be taken care of. While it would have been less of a hassle, it also meant not being able to hold your time, being hurried at places you may want to stay longer in, and having to think about all the other people with you during the tour. There are some situations where a tour is great but in this case, I decided to go the DIY route except for certain tours like Nusa Penida or Mt. Batur.

It was more cost-effective to get a private car charter and pay for the entrance fees yourself. The car charter company and driver we had were amazing. I also timed our DIY tours on days when we had to move villas, so rather than booking a GrabCar separately, we toured around with our luggage and were dropped off at the next villa. 

Where to Stay in Bali

This Bali trip was for my mom's birthday, she wanted a private villa and to move to multiple places so we could experience a taste of different areas (Uluwatu, Denpasar, and Ubud). After comparing prices on Agoda, Booking.com, Klook, direct booking in hotels, and AirBnB, I saw that AirBnB was the most cost-effective with similar services anyway.

Here are the places we stayed at via Airbnb.

1. Nalin Villa Bali

We stayed here from March 15-20 and it was a nice start to the trip. This is a spacious 2-bedroom and 2-bathroom villa with an outdoor dining area, kitchen, and private pool. It also has a very spacious balcony, though it's difficult to stay outside at night with all the bugs, haha. That said, we enjoyed our stay and while there were a few bug issues, they weren't a huge deal. 

Take a 10-minute walk and you'll find a handful of restaurants and convenience stores. There's also a bar very near the villa if that's your style. 

2. Joglo Villa Bali

We stayed here from March 20-24. This might be a bit difficult to find as it's sort of inside a neighborhood, but it's walkable from various establishments and convenience stores. You'll still need to book a car to get to places, but the great thing about AirBnB is that they offer transportation services and match the price to the Grab app. 

The place itself is very nice, though compared to the two villas we booked, it was smaller (studio size, around 50 sqm). There is a shared pool and dining area, as well as an in-house restaurant and reception, so you get most of what you need. All these were important because our stay fell on the day of Nyepi, where everything would be closed, so we stayed by the pool with food and WiFi all day.

3. Shakti Villa, Ubud

We stayed here from March 24 to 29, It's my favorite villa among the three because you get a beautiful view of the rice fields and the whole place looks so modern and peaceful. The drive going to the house is a bit crazy, so I don't advise going here via motorbike, it's much better to have a car. 

It's a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom villa with an outdoor living area, kitchen, and private pool, and it's peaceful all day long. The Airbnb hosts are so nice, too! 

I booked way in advance, which helped a bit since usually, places would be booked weeks before your desired date. Since most of these Airbnb listings are unavailable, there are also other hotel accommodations I recommend in various places, ranging between 1,000-9,000 PHP/night for 2 people:

• The Sungu Resort & Spa, Ubud - A few minutes walk from Ubud Palace and all the markets, so it's a good place for its location and ambiance.
• Aloft Bali Kuta - Very near the Beachwalk Shopping Center and Kuta Beach, where I took my surfing classes.
• Grand Barong Resort is also very near both Beachwalk Shopping Center and Kuta Beach, which is good for those on a budget.
• Three Monkeys Villas - Near Uluwatu Beach with different types of villas to choose from at good prices.
• Origin Uluwatu - Luxury glamping vibe in Uluwatu, the beaches and tourist attractions are about 1-3 miles away. 
• Tijili Seminyak - A few minutes walk from Seminyak Beach with rooms at 3,000 PHP/night.
• Bali Nikosoma Boutique Beach Resort - For the solo backpacker on a budget, with shared dormitory rooms costing 400 PHP/night. It's a few minutes walk from Seminyak Beach. The hotel also offers private rooms.

I recommend booking in advance as well to avoid higher prices or the risk of not having a room. Plus, if you book via third-party sites, make sure you e-mail or privately message the hotel a few days before your stay to confirm your booking to avoid any potential issues. If you can call, then better. 

While direct booking is a surefire way to secure your accommodation without issues, there are instances I find it more affordable to book via third-party sites like Klook, or via Airbnb. When booking Klook, I save more thanks to using promo codes and the points I accumulate after booking various trips with them, haha. You can use my Klook code for 5% off on your Bali villa/hotel here: ISSAPANDAS

My Bali DIY Itinerary

There are so many things to do in Bali, from shopping to outdoor adventures. There's always something for everyone and the challenge was trying to create an itinerary that fit all of our unique wants and personalities (and giving my family rest days or they'll murder me). Here's my Bali itinerary from March 15-29:

March 15: Arrival

We spent the day napping after a red-eye flight, delivering food via GrabFood. Also spent this day working while my mom and sister were swimming, hahaha. I didn't include most timings, but you can click on links to the tours and activities I availed!

March 16: Nusa Penida Tour

We had to wake up at 5:30AM as we were being fetched for our Nusa Penida tour. We arrived at the port and took a short boat ride to the island, where we then took a van to go to various places. While Nusa Penida's a relatively small island, there's much to do here, which is why I suggest spending at least 2 days in the area! 

Prepare for a lot of time in your vehicle as you go from place to place, and if you easily get car sick, take your medication. It'll be a slightly bumpy ride with a lot of curves. We went to:

• Kelingking Beach
• Angel Billabong
• Broken Beach
• Crystal Bay Nusa Penida

We arrived back in Bali at around 5:30PM and decided to get dropped off at Mal Bali Galleria to roam around and buy stuff from the supermarket before we headed home. 

March 17: Rest Day

We spent our day at the villa, GrabFood saves the day as always!

March 18: Kuta Beach

We headed over to the Beachwalk Shopping Center for lunch and tried Burger King. Then, we walked around Kuta Beach until we found our surf instructors, who taught Inna and me for two hours. This was another affordable activity I booked through Klook here. Do note that there aren't any showers in Kuta Beach and the only shower there was saltwater, not freshwater. :)

Then, we headed to Lluvia Spa, a quick drive, for my mom's massage. While waiting, Inna and I walked to Starbucks Dewata for coffee and then had dinner at KFC.

 

March 19: Rest Day

Another rest day, though we went out to walk to Nourish for late lunch. Worth trying, I love all their food, and the vibe is so nice. We also bought a few toiletries at a nearby Circle K before heading home and packing, since it was our last night at the first villa.

March 20: East Bali Tour

Our DIY East Bali tour! Here's how it went:

• 6:30-9:30AM – Villa to Lempuyang Temple 
• 9:30-1:30PM – Lempuyang Temple 
• 1:30-2:30PM – Lunch near Lempuyang Temple 
• 2:30-2:50PM – On the way to Tirta Gangga Water Palace 
• 2:50-3:45PM – Stay at Tirta Gangga Water Palace 
• 3:45-4:45PM – Otw to Tukad Cepung 
• 4:45-6PM – Tukad Cepung Waterfall 
• 6-8PM – Otw Joglo Villas in Denpasar, our 2nd villa

Don't go to Lempuyang Temple unless you're sure to arrive at 6:30AM, or you'll be faced with a looooong line. We waited for 3 hours just for a photo, and it's also the one with the priciest entrance fee since you also had to pay for their bus to go up.

March 21: Mount Batur Hike

We only had a 2-3-hour nap before we got up at 12:30AM for our hike. We were fetched by a small bus and ended up at the jump-off, where we first had coffee and snacks. It was so cold, so my mom and sister decided to rent two jackets for 375 PHP. They didn't need it for long though, since it ended up being pretty hot after an hour or two of hiking.

The hike itself was fairly easy, though rocky and steep. Make sure you dress for the hike and wear the proper shoes! 

After the hike, we arrived back at our villa at around 12N, took a shower, and then a loooong nap. We went out at night to watch the Ogoh Ogoh Festival near our villa, which was pretty interesting.

March 22: Nyepi (Balinese Silent New Year)

Another rest day, this time celebrating Nyepi. We weren't allowed to go out, so we stayed by the pool area and played games, worked, ate a lot, and enjoyed the silence.

March 23: Legian and Kuta Beach

Of course, I HAD to take a pole class! I took a GrabBike to Ruang Tiang in Legian, where they have private pole classes at really affordable prices. After that, I headed back to Kuta Beach to enjoy a post-workout smoothie bowl (I love smoothie bowls), then to the waters for some surfing, this time booking directly from AAA School.

Afterward, I went back to the villa and we all went to Sindhu Beach to walk around and go window shopping. 

March 24: Move Villas

Another rest day, this time moving to a different villa around the Ubud area. We stayed here the entire day and swam because we just loved the villa!

March 25: Ubud

We went to Ubud to roam around the Ubud Market, after visiting the Saraswati Temple. There is so much to do and see here, and there are tons of stalls to shop for yourself or loved ones!

March 26: Cooking Class

I booked a cooking class through our Klook Bali Pass, which offered free pick-ups in our area. From there, we had a quick tour of their wet market and started cooking various Balinese dishes. Since it was my mom's birthday, we went back home and relaxed before heading back to Ubud for dinner at Milk and Madu, which was just as good as Nourish. 

March 27: ATV Ride

While my mom slept in, Inna and I left early in the morning for a 2-hour ATV ride (also booked through Klook) through a tunnel and waterfall. We went off-road and it was pretty fun, though make sure you wear sunscreen because the direct sunlight's going to suck, haha.

Afterward, we headed back to our villa and went to the Ubud Sayan Night Market, a 5-minute drive from where we were staying. 

March 28: Central and South Bali Tour

Another DIY tour, here's how it went:

• 8:30-9AM – On the way to Alas Harum 
• 9-12PM– Alas Harum
• 12-1PM – Lunch at the Kawi Resto 
• 1-1:30PM – On. the way to Tirta Empul 
• 1:30-3PM – Stayed at Tirta Empul (it was raining too hard to go out, so we ended up just buying souvenirs nearby)
• 3-5:30PM – On the way to Uluwatu Temple 
• 5:30-7PM – Uluwatu Temple and watched the Kecak fire dance
• 7-9PM – On the way back to our villa

I highly recommend just spending an entire morning to afternoon at Alas Harum, There's so much to see and I would have liked to enjoy lunch there instead, though Kawi Resto was just as lovely. To avoid long lines, I recommend booking your tickets in advance so you can just pick up your tickets and go straight in. 

March 29: Departure

I sprained my ankle at Alas Harum so I was limping when checking in. Fortunately, they gave me a wheelchair and the entire process was so smooth, all the way 'til we arrived in the Philippines.

My Bali Trip Budget

What's the damage? I won't be breaking down my budget to the T, but enough to get a gist of how much you can expect to spend for a 2-week trip good for 3 people. 

• Roundtrip flight (Manila-Bali): 16,550 PHP
• Travel tax: 4,860 PHP
• 1pc 20kg luggage, round trip: 2,420 PHP
• Travel insurance via BDO (Standard Insurance): 1,950 PHP
• AirBnBs: 34,000 PHP
• Nalin Bali Villa: 15,860 PHP
• Joglo Villa Bali: 4,470 PHP
• Shakti Villa: 13,770 PHP
• Pre-paid travel expenses via Klook: 25,960 PHP
• Klook Pass Bali: 16,672.50
• Nusa Penida Day Tour
• Mt. Batur Sunrise Trekking
• ATV Ride in Ubud for 2
• 90-minute Bali Spa Treatment in Denpasar for 1
• Cooking Class in Ubud
• Uluwatu Temple Kecack Fire & Dance Show: 1,341.10
• Alas Harum Entrance Fee: 496.10 
• Alas Harum Swing: 903.20
• Bali surfing for 2: 1,168.50
• Bali Private Car Charter #1 (North Bali): 2,854.80 PHP
• Bali Private Car Charter #2 (Central Bali): 1,861.70 PHP
• Sim Card: 662.10 PHP
• Allowance for food, souvenirs, tips, entrance fees, Grab/Gojek transportation, extra pole/surfing classes, ATM fees, and other miscellaneous expenses: 40,260 PHP
• Food: 15,000 PHP
• Entrance fees: 4,400 PHP
• Souvenirs/shopping: 15,000 PHP
• Grab/Gojek: 4,000 PHP
• Pole class: 1,100 PHP
• Surf class: 360 PHP
• ATM fees: 400 PHP

Total: 126,000 PHP, or 42,000 PHP/person

Not bad, considering almost every day was an adventure with lots of food and activities! There are a few things you can do to bring down the budget to around 20,000-30,000 PHP for a 2-week trip, such as adjusting the accommodation, taking motorbikes, choosing a few free tourist attractions, lessening the shopping, etc.

That said, all of what we did was very much worth it and I'm glad we got to hit as many awesome places, eat really good food, and do a lot of fun stuff despite some rain here and there. I also got to save substantially on things like Grab and Klook thanks to promo codes, souvenirs from hardcore negotiating, seat sales, and booking Airbnb in advance. When booking tours via Klook, don't forget to use my Klook code: ISSAPANDAS

Hopefully, this Bali travel guide helped you out! Feel free to share your own Bali travel tips, recommendations, and questions here. The next travel guide: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. :)