Bali Travel Diary:
Our First Vlog

Bali has been on our travel wishlist for years now, and we are beyond happy we finally made it there. Bali is the most famous of the thousands of islands in the Indonesian archipelago . The busy island of over 4 million residents has been a hotspot for tourists during the past years – now I understand why. Going to Bali is a never-ending adventure with an activity to suit every soul!

There are countless amazing videos and vlogs about Bali out there that brought Patrick and me into the right vibe before we went on holidays. We loved watching them so much, so we thought we’d do things a little different this time and created our first travel vlog.

More and more, I’m falling in love with moving images, because they have the ability to catch the mood of a place like nothing else can. We’ve had the best time filming this vlog and we hope you enjoy watching it, too.

Once a year, go someplace
you’ve never been before.

Dalai Lama

I received so many questions from you guys while we were in Bali – so I know it’s a destination that seems to be on your radar, too. I’ve gathered all your questions (and also recommendations!) and will make sure to share them all in the following blogposts. It honestly just was too much information and content to put into one single post.

I hope the vlog gives you a good first impression of Bali (if you’ve not been before) or brings back your own holiday memories if you’ve already visited. To start it off, I wanted to share some of our personal Bali insights with you and equip you with all the things you should know before booking your next vacay in Bali – which we highly recommend you to do!

Good to know before going to Bali:

• Being so close to the equator, Bali is warm year-round. But there’s quite a disparity between its two seasons – wet and dry. Dry season is from May to October and you can expect warm temperatures, blue sky days and lovely cool breezes in the evenings.
• Don’t expect the days during dry season to be as long as in Europe in summer: In July, sunrise is around 06:15 and sunset will take place around 18:30
• Mind the “Canang Sari“: (read: “chanang sari“) It’s one of the daily offerings made by Balinese Hindus to thank the Hindu Gods. Every day, those little palm leaf baskets are placed on small shrines in houses and on the ground. Watch your step!
• There are countless cute dogs on the streets: Pay attention when riding a scooter, sometimes they love to sleep in the middle of the street.
• The Balinese currency is called Rupiah. 1€ = approx. 15.000 RP
  You can pay by credit card almost everywhere, but it’s good to have some cash in your pocket. ATMs can be found almost everywhere.
• Bali has the Austrian / German power plug.
• Learn a few local words: Whilst the vast majority speaks enough English to communicate with you, even being able to say ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, and ‘please’ will be really appreciated here. One of my favorites: “Selamat pagi” means “good morning”.
• Balinese people are very friendly.
• Bali is the place for cheap massages: A one hour full body massage costs around 100.000 to 150.000 RP. To put that in perspective – that’s a full hour of bliss starting from around 6€.

• Bring mosquito spray.
• Be prepared for crazy traffic: Even out of rush hour, just a few kilometers of driving will take much longer than expected.
• Rent your own scooter – but use with caution: Rental starts from 3€ a day, but make sure you have travel insurance! Side note: Wearing a helmet is not mandatory, but highly recommended.
• Download Go-Jek: Like several places in the world, Bali has banned Uber. So, locals have turned to another app called ‘Go-Jek’. With it, you can do all sorts of things such as ordering shopping and courier services, but most often it’s used for hailing a taxi or moto-taxi.
• Bali has super strict drug laws: Indonesia is a country where getting caught smuggling is tantamount to a death sentence. So just don’t do it.
• Drones are allowed almost everywhere.
• Don’t be afraid to barter: Besides fancy boutiques, restaurants and convenience stores – the first price you’re quoted is rarely the actual price, so don’t be afraid to negotiate.
• Bali is much more than its reputation: Whilst there is no denying that some places of the island are hugely affected by mass tourism, it is absolutely possible to still find hidden beaches, quiet resorts and peaceful hikes – just do your research first!
• Be aware of added tax in bars & restaurants: All bars and restaurants must charge an additional 21% on their food and drink prices by law. Whilst some add this in to the menu price, others will include small print stating it will be added to the bill. This is completely legit, but it’s definitely something to be aware of as it will add to your bill at the end of the meal.
• You can tip, but it’s not expected: Tipping is completely up to the customer in Bali. If you were given particularly good service then a tip won’t be refused, but it won’t be expected either. However, some upscale restaurants will automatically add a service charge to your bill.
• Welcome to vegan heaven! Bali literally has a restaurant to cater to every taste – and that includes vegans. In fact, especially Canguu is buzzing with organic, raw, health, veggie and vegan restaurants.
• Last but not least: Don’t drink tap water! 😉

Shop The Bali Vibe: