balI, Baby!

Live boldly | Be gentle | Speak kindly

Where do I begin? While planning my trip to Bangkok, I thought about visiting another country to maximize my vacation. I narrowed my choices to Singapore and Indonesia, but in the end, Bali was more enticing. During my research, I realized that Bali had a rich culture, alluring sites and that the US dollar went a long way, with an exchange rate of 1 USD to 13,600 Indonesian Rupiah. I took a 4.5 hour flight from Bangkok to Denpasari International Airport on Air Asia for $395 which included a checked bag, insurance and a meal. I visited from May 29 to June 1, 2019. Tip 1: Be sure to read baggage policies carefully so that you don’t end up spending a million dollars on bag fees. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

"Welcome to Bali, Dani!" was what I saw as I tried to identify my driver. Ivan patiently waited with a sign in hand for us to get through customs and immigration and then the adventure began! I found Ivan on Instagram @balidriver_ivan while looking for a driver and tour guide. What helped make the decision easier was that he took great pictures and was reasonably priced. It was a pleasure riding around Bali with Ivan for 3 days as he was punctual and very friendly, even after asking him how much further to our destination every 10 mins. Tip 2: Bali traffic is crazy! So be patient and be prepared to sit in it for hours to drive 2.5 miles..jk more like 15 miles but you get what I mean. For the entire trip, we paid Ivan a total of $120 to show us around the island which included transportation to and from the airport. Talk about a steal! I communicated with Ivan via WhatsApp and we were able to create a unique itinerary which made my trip unforgettable. 

Hey, it’s Ivan!

Spa Time

Day 1: 

A Celebration of Flowers

If you’ve visited any Bali travel Instagram page, you’ve probably seen pictures of ladies posing in a beautiful flower bath. This was definitely something I wanted to experience so I made the reservation and paid the deposit beforehand through email. The booking process was smooth and the employees I communicated with were pleasant and professional. After a long morning of traveling, the plan was to head straight to the spa for some relaxation. Before we started our journey, we stopped for a quick lunch at KFC. Yeah, whatever, I know what you’re thinking: she went all the way to Bali and she’s eating KFC. Hella basic but after a few days of eating noodles and rice in Bangkok, we were craving some good ol’ fried chicken and fries. Don’t get me wrong it definitely wasn't as good as Jamaican KFC but it stop ah gap! Plus they had a spicy sauce that was delish! 

After lunch, we traveled to Kaveri Spa at the Udaya Resort and Spa for our flower baths. Located approximately 2 hours away from the airport, in Ubud, the compound was absolutely stunning with lots of lush greenery. When I go back to Bali, I plan to spend a few nights there; definitely baecation vibes. *future bae if youre reading this, take notes!* For $33, you’re given the opportunity to choose the design you want from the pictures on their Instagram page, relax in the bath for 45 mins and the sweet employees also offer to take pictures. This flower bath newbie was not disappointed! Please check out their website to see the other services being offered including the traditional Balinese massages and facials. I know a lot of people rave about massages but I’m honestly not a fan. Maybe I just haven’t had a good one yet. 

lush.

Once we finished up at the spa, we headed to Kuta and checked into Vira Bali, a boutique hotel. It had beautifully decorated rooms, was in close proximity to the airport and included a very scrumptious breakfast with lots of variety (not that basic continental ish) for $142 per room for 3 nights. Value for your money for sure! I ordered mie goreng (Indonesian fried noodles) and watermelon juice from the hotel restaurant for dinner and went to bed pretty early since we had an early start the next morning. 

Adventure Time

Day 2:

Lempuyang Temple 

We started our journey at 6 am as we made our way to what is affectionately called The Gates of Heaven; trust me, it's just as whimsical as it sounds. It is one of Bali’s most famous and highly revered Hindu temples and to be honest, it’s a great photo op! Tip 3: You are required to cover your shoulders and everyone has to wear a sarong (available for rent through a donation at the entrance). We arrived at about 8 am and there was already a pretty long line to take pictures. The pictures were stunning and the view of the active Agung volcano in the distance was breathtaking. I’m still not convinced it was worth the drive and then the almost 2 hour wait. In hindsight, I thought about the other sites I could have visited instead; this is something to consider if you have time constraints. 

Agung volcano inna di background

Tirta Gangga Water Palace

We then made our way down to a beautiful maze of pools with koi and stepping stones, sculptures and fountains. With an entrance fee of only $3 and fish food for less than 50c, we were able to feed the fish, take pictures with a snake (additional fee) and wander around this picturesque location. "One for $15..I'll give u $20 for two”..my bargaining skills came in handy with the vendors selling straw bags surrounding the premises. I wasn’t about to drop a bag on 1 bag! No ma’am. I would say 1-1.5 hours here is a good amount of time to wander around, eat and do a little souvenir shopping!

🧡

always in my bag!

fearless.

Bali Swing 

The journey from Tirta Gangga to Bali Swing is about 2 hours, which was perfect for a nap to recover after the long morning I had. Bali Swing is located in Badung and has multiple swings, nests, sky-bed, a lunch buffet and drinks, all for $35. There is also an option to have photos taken with a professional camera which are transferred via USB for an additional $12. Y’all please spend that extra money and get some bomb pics! The photographers also tell you how to pose to make sure you get the perfect shot! Plan to spend about 2-3 hours here to swing, take pictures and eat lunch as there are usually lines. I would definitely recommend including this as a stop on your Bali vacay; it was exhilarating! I’m not gonna lie, one of the swings had me a little shook but whew chillay, I felt so alive! 

goodables!

Beach Time

Day 3: 

Nusa Penida Island 

We spent our last full day on Nusa Penida Island. From Kuta, we drove about 30 minutes to the Sanur harbor to catch our boat to the island. We arrived at the harbor with enough time to grab some snacks and water. While waiting, I noticed that my battery was getting low and of course your girl needed to be fully charged! Time must’ve gotten away because while charging my phone, my sister texted me to hurry back because the boat was about to leave. Now y’all know I’m not the most athletic but babyyy I got my Usain Bolt on and made a mad dash! Y’all know how hard it is to run in sand?! Thank God I made it on time and was able to finally catch my breath. After about 40 minutes we docked and our driver Ketut was waiting for us with a sign. Feeling like a real VIP...we hopped into the SUV and started our day’s adventure. We organized this trip through Ivan as well and paid $65 each for the ferry ride, lunch and a driver who showed us around the island. On the 1st half of the trip, we visited Diamond Beach and Kelingking Beach and then stopped for lunch. My favorite stop was Diamond Beach - it was absolutely stunning, the pictures do no justice! I wanted to make the trek to the bottom but it was too treacherous and since I have plans for my life, I opted not to! At the lunch spot, I ordered nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) and I discovered my love for Bintang Radler which is beer infused with lemon juice! We finished up our tour by visiting Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach that were within walking distance from each other. Tip 4: If you have time, I would recommend spending a night there so that you can spend more time at each site. The roads between the locations are very winding and bumpy and the driving can get very tiresome after a while. Also, grab some Dramamine over the counter for motion sickness...better safe than sorry boo!

Diamond Beach - loved this view

Kelingking Beach

so goodtttt

nasi goreng

I had an amazing time in Bali and I can't wait to return to see more of what the island has to offer. Some of the other locations I wanted to visit were the Monkey Sanctuary and the Tegallalang Rice Terrace and possibly do a surf class. I’m grateful I was able to scratch the surface during my 1st trip to Asia. The opportunity to have Ivan and Ketut as our personal tour guides show us around their country and have candid conversations about their families, religion and life in Bali was incredible. Not only was the trip extremely cost efficient, I also made many new memories that I will cherish forever. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to me with questions about Bali. 

Until the next journey…

deez nuts.

Broken Beach

my good sis!