By sagnika sinha
Who doesn’t like to travel to a place that brings the sea, mountain and forests together? Added bonus, if you are an animal lover, there are a variety of wildlife, birds and flowers that will make visiting Bali one of your core memories. Furthermore, nature has filled Bali to the brim when it comes to beauty and exotic views! If you ask me, my overseas adventure travel plan to Bali, Indonesia was a perfect solo trip.
Starting from exploring the nightlife of different cities of Bali like Denpasar and Kuta, I went on to experience the beautiful waterfall, trek an active volcano, visit a temple right in the middle of the ocean and much more!
I went in 2019 on a solo travel so, there might be a difference between my expenditure then and now! I will try to provide you the updated rates on all tickets, charges and fees when visiting different places in Bali.
The ultimate paradise for adventure travelers, you get to see some of the best sunrises and sunsets in your life. So, lets get down to the itinerary and how I made plans to make my trip memorable.
Let’s go to Indonesia Alone: Overseas Adventure Travel!
I am not saying that you will experience the best of Bali, Indonesia only when you travel alone. You can share this beautiful experience with your parents, partner or friends! Yet, to do that, you need to know the ‘IT’ places in Bali to visit.
My flight arrived at Ngurah Rai International Airport and accordingly, I booked a taxi to Denpasar from the airport. It is the closest city and will take about 25 to 40 minutes depending on your hotel location! The cab ride will cost around $2.88 USD which is 46.333,7500 IDR.
I booked my hotel in Denpasar because apparently, it is one of the most obvious places for tourists to book their hotels and resorts. The capital city of Bali, Denpasar is one of the significant locations where tourists can travel to the best places on the Island.
Day 1: Nusa Dua
I used Grab, an application for everyday travel, thus, booking all cabs to the different locations I traveled everyday. It is one of the leading apps for other services such as financial services and deliveries and quite safe for solo travel for women.
Uluwatu Temple
First, I went to Uluwatu beach, an hour drive from Denpasar! Beach is the first place I wanted to go, afterall, Bali is known for its beautiful beaches. Afterall, the idea of overseas adventure travel does include me exploring the beaches of the world!
Traffic is a concern in Bali especially in peak hours, so plan accordingly. Once I reached the beach, I saw the Uluwatu temple perched high on the cliff, literally on the edge.
It is one of the most important temples in Bali, Indonesia so I decided to start with some blessings. After paying a fee of 30,000 IDR for adults, $1.84 USD, you get to experience traditional architecture along with carved statues.
Nusa Dua
Once done with the temple visit, I took a cab ride to Nusa Dua of about 20 minutes. A picture-perfect beach, Nusa Dua is well maintained with palm trees on one side while blue water spread far across. This was my second destination for my first day in Bali, Indonesia and totally free of cost.
Sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling are a few of the activities you can do! I also saw people do parasailing and flyboarding for adrenaline rush. So, what’s adventure? The waterblow resulting from the large waves of the India Ocean crashing against the cliffs shooting the water upward will give you an experience of a lifetime!
Get stunning pictures while you enjoy the waterblow while enjoying 240-degree views of the ocean from the cliffs! I saw my first sunset in Bali, while sitting at El Kabron, a restaurant quite close to the beach.
Kuta Night Life
I took a cab back to Kuta, a 30-minute ride to visit the Kuta Night Market. It is one of the most happening spots where I tried some of the most delicious local food, starting from Chinese dishes to local Indonesian food.
You can meet new people, if you are single, along with buying affordable shoes, clothes and souvenirs. I went to Bounty Discotheque to enjoy some live music along with enjoying my dinner with some delicious drinks! I came back to my hotel in Denpasar from Kuta taking a shuttle service that took about 30 minutes.
Day 2: Seminyak
Starting the day with a full breakfast of egg sandwich with sourdough bread and tea, I took a cab to Nyaman Gallery, Seminyak. I reached it in 50 minutes and became beautifully enthralled in the comfortable and cozy exhibition and art gallery.
Nyaman Gallery
It is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday and will charge you nothing to visit. You will see work by popular Indonesian and local artists exhibited all around the gallery. Starting from ceramics, photographs, paintings and sculptures, you will fall in love with its one-of-a-kind and unique collection.
Furthermore, I saw they were exhibiting hand-blown glass artifacts, dinnerware, crockery, drinkware and cutlery. There were tools and resources exhibiting how to create traditional clothing of Indonesia. I guess my overseas adventure travel was a success just by the amount of shopping I did!
Seminyak Beach
You can then just take a walk down to the Seminyak beach from the art gallery. I had decided to watch the beautiful sunset at the beach with a cool mango shake in hand!
People are totally going surfing on these waves, as I noticed there are several surf schools along the area. So, if you are an adventure-keen person, you know what you must do! I lounged the rest of my evening in and around the beach.
You can go visit the night market which starts at 6 p.m. with delicious Balinese dishes such as barbequed prawns, satay meats and fish. It is a market with all kinds of things, and I can promise, if you want cheap vacation ideas, this is the best place to be!
Day 3: Canggu
A 40 minutes drive to Canggu, I was planning to laze around in this nomadic and artsy village. With several yoga studios, I decided to try yoga in one of them and then had breakfast at one of the trendy cafes with delicious food.
There are a few beaches really close to Canggu and I decided to explore some! Berawa beach, a perfect place for surfing, caught my attention. I took a long walk on the beach recounting my days of adventure travel.
You can visit Magali Pascal and Mila the Label, selling chic designs mixing Indonesian designs with a global touch. If you have carried less clothing, this is your hint to go shopping at Canggu!
Tanah Lot Temple
I did the best for the last! A 30 minutes drive, Tanah Lot is a star attraction for tourists especially with its rock formation spank in the middle of the ocean, closer to the shore. At times, when the tide is really low, you can walk using land bridge!
The entry fee is $3.67 USD which is 60,000 IDR for adults and 30,000 IDR for children. I was waiting to catch the sunset, so I went on to explore the local food stalls along with picking some t-shirts and sarongs as souvenirs.
One of the most iconic temples, you catch the sea glowing like liquid gold. You cannot miss the Tanah Lot Kecah & Fire Dance at the temple after the sunset! I had one of the goosebump moments when I saw about 60 men wearing sarongs chanting a rythmic, “cak cak ke cak cak ke”!
A retelling of Ramayana, the dance shows the captivating moment of Sita’s abduction and the epic fight between Rama and Ravan! An iconic moment, the dance is a combination of fire rituals, tradition and drama with the Tanah Lot temple as the backdrop! You cannot miss this!
Day 4: Ubud
This day was full of adventure, especially when it comes to visiting a beautiful waterfall and visiting caves! After breakfast at the hotel, I got ready to sit back and finish the book I started on the flight, afterall it was an hour and twenty minutes’ drive by cab!
Tegenungan Waterfall
I reached the Tegenungan waterfall after an hour and 30 minutes, but it was worth it! After paying 20,000 IDR, which roughly calculates to $12.236008 USD, quite less compared to a lot of places, I got busy taking in the view.
The breathtaking place has several steps and at the bottom, the beautiful surprise waits for you. In between these steps, there are several places for your Instagram pictures, including fun props and swings.
Yes, it is a little crowded but there are several vantage points creating perfect views for you. There are facilities cafes, changing rooms and bathrooms so I got my bathroom break and got my salter caramel chocolate chips ice cream to walk down and closer to waterfall!
Goa Gajah Elephant Caves
A 20-minute ride from the waterfall, the Goa Gajah Elephant caves is an 11th century cave with the entrance looking like the mouth of a demon. You will take about an hour and a half to finish the tour.
As you explore, you find little trails around the caves with ancient carvings, waterfalls and sculptures surrounded by lush green forests and vegetation. If you are traveling with your family, you can totally make it a family road trip vacation!
Hidden Canyon Beji Guwang Trek
Took a cab of 40 minutes from the caves to this canyon, I am sharing with you one of the coolest adventures to do in Bali, Indonesia. I paid 200,000 IDR, which is approximately 10 USD per adult which includes lockers, drinking water, local guide and changing rooms!
One of the most beautiful but dangerous trek I have done in my life, especially with all the elements included! I don’t know swimming and yet here I was taking a trek across this hidden canyon which was overflowing with water at some places.
It is a secluded spot, so you must take a guide with you, especially if you do not know swimming and have no experience with treks. The water from Tegenungan waterfall thunders down this canyon and you have to swim, wade, walk and clamber across this canyon to reach to the top.
Even though they advertise chest-high water, trust me, it goes way beyond your head if you are somewhat 5 feet human. It was quite challenging for me, but it was one of the best experiences of my life as the guide helped me a lot, taking pictures in between.
You must take shoes that will be good in water, a dry bag, and a swimsuit! Do not wear any electronics or sunglasses, it will fall off while you are jumping like a monkey across the canyon! Apply sunscreen properly so that you do not get sunburned after you reach the top!
Let’s Keep Exploring!
With this itinerary, I can promise that you can save money along with enjoying the best that Bali, Indonesia has to give. From the ocean views to mountain cliffs, plenty of trees to exhibitions of local art, you will find yourself happy!
After writing this blog, I want to make another overseas adventure travel plan, not just to make memories but also to guide you. Simultaneously, you can stay at one of the Airbnbs or resorts that is in Ubud or Seminyak if you are looking for leisure and rest!
Let us know how much help this article with your plans to travel! Comment below if you want us to cover another part of Indonesia as a destination for travel!
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