Bali is the most popular destination in the Indonesian archipelago and thanks to Instagram now Bali has also become one of the most popular island destinations in the world. Its hard not to fall in love with this diverse tropical paradise which has so much to offer from beaches to volcanoes to culture and so much more. We split our week in Bali across 3 places on the island to get unique experiences for our holiday so Ill be sharing a quick recap of our trip highlights in this blog post.

 

PART 1 : BINGIN BEACH & ULUWATU

My absolute fave part of Bali is in the South! First up, we went to a quiet beach in the South of Bali called Bingin Beach. While Bali has tons of beautiful beaches with amazing beach clubs, shacks and bars, a lot of them can get really crowded and a bit too touristy to our liking. Personally both Anush and I love more secluded and quiter beaches and untouched Bingin could not have been a more perfect choice.

Where to stay in Bingin Beach / Uluwatu ?

• We stayed in a super cute surf accommodation called The Sun and Surf Stay. The airbnb is pretty basic – Simple, clean and comfortable and has a fantastic beachfront view that makes this such a dreamy accommodation. The best part of the room – a hammock and the bed facing the million dollar view ! Bingin is a surfers and beach lover’s paradise – you can surf, paddleboard or lounge around and enjoy the stunning views. It is also pretty conveniently located close to other popular beaches in the south like Padang Padang, Dreamland, etc. More in my blog post here.

Sun Surf Stay, Bingin Beach

• Looking for something a little more luxe? We toured The Ungasan Clifftop resort and absolutely loved it! Highly recommend this place.

Ungasan Clifftop resort

Things to do in Bingin Beach / Uluwatu :

• Beaches : Bingin beach, Padang Padang, Dreamland, Suluban beach etc

Suluban Beach

• Uluwatu temple
• Balangan viewpoint
• Chill at a beach club – Sundays Beach Club, Single Fin Bali, etc

Sunset at Sundays Beach Club

 

Fave eats in Bingin Beach / Uluwatu :

• Nalu Bowls at Single Fin for the best acai bowls

Nalu Bowls

• Sundays Beach Club
• Rock Bar
• Ulu Cliffhouse
• Bukit cafe, etc

 

PART 2 : UBUD

Ubud was a refreshing change of scenery from the blue beach to the lush green tropics. Ubud has a ton of touristy things to offer and is quite unlike the beachy South part of Bali. I have a travel guide specifically for Ubud in my blog post here.

Where to stay in Ubud ?

We stayed at the beautiful Wapa Di Ume. This was undoubtedly one of our favorite places we stayed at during our visit to Bali. Wapa is a serene slice of heaven set among the beautiful rice fields, which makes you feel so in tune with the tropical nature of this place. Read more in my blog post here.

Wapa Di Ume Ubud

Things to do in Ubud :

• Spend an afternoon in Ubud town
• Feed your tropical wanderlust at the Tegalalang Rice fields

• Visit the Pura Taman Saraswati

• Feed bananas to the monkeys at the Sacred Monkey Forest

• Try out some local Balinese coffee at Bali Pulina Plantation

• Pamper yourself to a traditional Balinese massage at a spa – loved our couples massage at Five elements Spa.

• Other places we couldn’t visit due to lack of time, which I highly recommend to add to your list  if you are ever going to Ubud are the Ubud Palace, Goa Gajah ancient caves and Tegenungan waterfall.

 

Fave eats in Ubud :

• Watercress cafe

Watercress cafe

• Mr Wayan at Wapa Di Ume

Mr Wayan

• Zest Ubud
• Sage Bali

 

PART 3 : SEMINYAK 

Our last stop in our Balinese vacay was the vibrant town of Seminyak. Seminyak is a fashionable haven for fantastic cafes, bars and shopping! I have never come across a place like this with such a high density of amazing eats and shopping all within the same area.

 

Where to stay in Seminyak ?

The number one criteria when we were looking for hotels in Seminyak was a clean comfortable hotel at a very convenient location. IZE Seminyak fit that bill so well! It is a 12-minute walk from Seminyak Beach and 3.5 km from the lively Legian Road. Anush and I were super excited to be able to walk to all our favorite hotspots in Seminyak. Read more in my blog post here. 

Fave places for shopping in Seminyak :

• BeachGold Bali : so glad I got to swing by the storefront of one of my fave brands from Bali called Beachgold Bali. It was literally a stone’s throw from our hotel! They produce beautiful resort wear that has soft flowing pieces, handcrafted prints and gorgeous beadwork utilizing traditional techniques unique to the island of Bali.
• Mister Zimi
• Magali Pascal
• Faithfull the Brand
• Auguste the Label
• Bali Boat Shed

Fave eats in Seminyak :

•  Sea Circus Bali : Awesome restaurant, cocktail bar and coffee den. Make sure to snap some pics of their colorful exterior! We went here for dinner and tried the burgers, shakes and a few other short eats – everything was amazeee.

•  Revolver Espresso : Fantastic coffee , yummy sandwiches and pastries in a retro chic looking cafe make this a must visit whether you love coffee or not.

•  Cafe Organic Bali : One of my absolute faves. Where do I even start. I think was snapping for a whole half hour before I got down to actually eat. This 100% vegetarian place offers yummy clean eats ranging from super foods, super smoothies, smoothie bowls to salads. Totally craving the Acai Coco bowl right about now!

•  Motel Mexicola : Popped over to this quirky super cool space for dinner + drinks and we loved it! The ideal place for a night out with friends. Absolutely loved their colorful and lively interiors.

•  Nalu Bowls : Although we didnt visit the one in Seminyak, we went to the one in Uluwatu, so this one’s a no brainer. Really really good smoothie bowls at an adorable looking shack. My fave was the Uluwatu bowl.

•  Watercress cafe : Here again we visited the one in Ubud, but there is also one in Seminyak. Yummylicious food, drinks and pastries to refuel you for all your touristy adventures. Anush said the burger he tried was one of the best he has ever had!
•  Sisterfields cafe : Another cute cafe in the heart of Seminyak. A favorite catch up spot for the island’s in-crowds and traveling foodies, Sisterfields serves an all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch menu alongside a wide range of coffees, cakes and pastries.

• The Spicy Coconut : This was high on my list but unfortunately we didn’t have the time to go to this cafe. It has been voted as one of the best places to eat in Bali and one glance at their insta will make you drool, make sure to add this to your list if you are ever visiting Bali.

Thanks for stopping by! xoxo

Jyo