The more I wrote about traveling to Bali, the more I realized I should probably do a few separate posts. We spent one full day in Seminyak, a full day and a half in Uluwatu, and two full days in Ubud. There were still a few places we didn’t get to see, but we squeezed in a lot for only being in Bali for 6 nights.
Our reasoning behind starting in Seminyak was party first, relax later. We heard that Uluwatu and Ubud were more relaxing and Seminyak was where we would drink the most.
That didn’t necessarily mean we drank MORE in Seminyak, but maybe more aggressively – think throwing back shots vs sipping glasses of wine.
We flew in/out of DPS Airport (Ngurah Rai International Airport). The first hotel we stayed at (in Seminyak) offered a pick up service for a small charge, so we had someone waiting for us upon arrival. I would definitely go this route – it made things so much easier.
To get around Bali, we either walked or took taxis since there aren’t really any good ride sharing services (there was one, but it was pretty unreliable and took forever to actually find someone).
more on Seminyak, Uluwatu, and Ubud.
Seminyak:
We spent one full day in Seminyak + the following morning. From there, we got a taxi from Seminyak to Uluwatu, which was about an hour. That included a stop at the Kuta Beach entry gate on the way, which was pretty cool.
My top to-dos are:
»Drinks @ FINN’S BEACH CLUB: This spot is like a Vegas pool party, but on the beach/overlooking the ocean in Bali.
»Watch the Sunset @ LA PLANCHA: This spot made it to my top favorite spots I’ve been to EVER. Imagine lounging on a beanbag chair overlooking the ocean/sunset, surrounded by a beach full of people and colorful umbrellas. Throw in a cold glass of wine and speakers playing old dance hits, and you’ve got the best vibes. I totally would’ve stayed there all night.
Uluwatu:
Uluwatu is your quintessential surfer/beach town. Since the majority of our “to dos” were check out beaches + bars, I was the most relaxed during this part of the trip. I’m not a surfer by any means, but this is definitely the spot to go for that in Bali. We spent one full day/two nights in Uluwatu and then headed to Ubud, which was about a 90 minute ride. We arranged a car with our hotel.
My top to-dos are:
»Eat @ ULU CLIFFHOUSE: This was an amazing spot to grab a drink and watch the sunset. Since we went during the week, it wasn’t as crowded. There is couch-like seating overlooking the ocean, amazing food + a DJ playing in the background. I never wanted to leave. We came for drinks/dinner, but they also have a fun brunch/pool situation on the weekends.
»Get Drinks + Watch the Sunset @ SINGLE FIN: Single Fin is probably one of the most popular spots in Uluwatu (as I could tell by the dozens and dozens of motorbikes parked outside when you arrive). It’s a multi-story bar/restaurant with seating on a first come-first serve basis. It felt like I was watching the sunset on the edge of the world.
Ubud:
Bali Swing, Yoga Barn, Rice Paddies, monkeys, and green backdrops. Ubud has a lot of Bali’s must sees. We were here for 2 full days + 3 nights and probably could’ve squeezed in a lot more if it wasn’t for the rain + us underestimating how tired we would be after climbing Mt Batur on 4 hours of sleep (poor planning). Ubud is more of a jungle/rainforest vibe VS the beachy vibes of Seminyak + Uluwatu.
My top to-dos are:
»Climb MT BATUR: Our second day in Ubud started with a 2am wake up call to hike Mt Batur, an active volcano. Even though I wasn’t the most excited to get up that early to hike 2 hours UP an active volcano, watching the sunrise from the top was pretty rewarding and made for some great pics.
»Swing Through the Jungle on the BALI SWING: Before getting here, I didn’t realize there are a number of other swings + activities to do. You pay $35 USD and have access for however long you want. If you’re trying to take a ton of pictures, I would recommend getting there right when it opens to avoid a rush. We went on a Thursday and it was PACKED with everyone trying to get the best picture. Understandably so considering you’re literally swinging through the jungle.
»Get Drinks @ THE FOUR SEASONS: We heard the Four Seasons hotel was breathtaking, so we headed the for a drink before dinner. Since we didn’t have $600/night to ball out, this was the next best thing. Honestly, do whatever you can to make it here and walk around. It was amazing.
»Eat @ SAYAN HOUSE: This was one of my favorite restaurants of the trip. It has kind of a backyard vibe…if your backyard overlooks the jungle and has delicious food. We got Sushi, Fish Tacos Prawns and Korean Tacos. I also added some house made Kombucha to my vodka and it was delicious.
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