2024 Bali Travel Guide

In my last blog post, I told you what to do in Bali, including which villas I stayed at, where I spent my most relaxing, scenic days and what wellness activities shouldn't be missed. But as I mentioned, after spending a total of one month in Bali last year, I not only got a good sense of what to do in Bali - more notably, I learned what not to do.

As much as I love Bali, there are definitely things that I wish I knew before visiting. This post isn't meant to discourage you, as Bali is truly one of my favorite places in the world. Rather, these tips are meant to make your trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible, especially if it's your first time traveling in Southeast Asia.

Part 2: What not to do in Bali

1. Don't: Stay at an Airbnb if you're scared of stray dogs

In January, my friends and I stayed in three different Airbnb villas, for one week at a time. Each villa was beautiful, including this first one we stayed at in Seminyak, which had a gorgeous pool and bathroom. Overall, the service in Bali is the best I've ever experienced in my travels. For each Airbnb, we had daily cleaning, laundry service and accommodating hosts who went above and beyond to help us get whatever we needed.

The only major downside to staying in an Airbnb is that they are often located in side streets and alleyways, and Bali is home to a lot of wandering stray dogs. Many dogs are usually harmless, but we came across a handful that were aggressive and came in packs. If you find yourself in this situation, remember to stay calm, walk away slowly or find a local to help. However, it's for this reason alone that I would recommend first-time visitors to stay in a resort, rather than an Airbnb.

2. Don't: Have unrealistic expectations of popular tourist destinations

At the top of my Bali bucket list was the Lempuyang Temple, better known as the Gate of Heaven. Bali is known as the Island of the Gods, and with locations like this, it's easy to see why. This sacred Hindu temple is located among lush hills and perfectly frames Mount Agung volcano, making it an increasingly popular destination for tourists over the last few years. As a photographer, I was determined to see and shoot it for myself. The journey to visit and to take photos there, however, was quite an unexpected experience.

We hired a private driver for the day, who advised us to start the day early. He picked us up at 4 a.m., as it takes 3 hours to drive from Seminyak to the eastern part of Bali, where the temple is located. When we arrived at 7 a.m., it was already packed, and busier than any photo spot I've ever visited. They even implemented a ticketing system for people who wanted to take photos, and were told that the queue could take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on the day. Since it was early in the morning, we were able to get breakfast and wander around the area, but I can only imagine how brutal the wait can be on a hot day. Another surprise I learned is that the reflection you often see in photos, like the one above, is actually an illusion, which the local photographer creates by using the reflection of a second phone.

So would I visit again? It was a beautiful sight to behold, and I'm happy to have visited this place once in my life, but I don't plan on going through this process again just for a photo. If you want to visit, I encourage you to go early, be prepared to wait and know what you're getting yourself into - in other words, make sure you're not expecting a solitary experience.

Another experience that visitors should be prepared for is the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, which is home to more than 1,200 Balinese long-tailed monkeys. They're free to come and go as they please, but tend to stay close, as the staff feed them three times a day. It was a treat to be able to watch these monkeys in their natural habitat, but do note that there are strict rules that visitors must follow, such as not looking them in the eyes, as that can be perceived as a sign of aggression. These creatures can be cheeky too, and are known to pickpocket visitors with loose items, so make sure to keep your belongings close at all times.

3. Don't: Only stick to avocado toast and smoothie bowls

One of my favorite parts about Bali is the access to healthy, delicious coffee and food at Australian-style cafes. As someone who tends to travel for food as the top priority, Bali was the first destination I visited in Asia where I didn't have a long list of local street food spots to try. As a result, I didn't experience much Indonesian cuisine during my first trip to Bali. For my second trip, I intentionally tried more Balinese restaurants and realized that I had been missing out.

One of the most well-known Indonesian dishes is nasi goreng, or Indonesian fried rice. My favorite is the version at Revolver, which comes with chili sambal, crackers, satay chicken and a perfectly fried egg. Another essential Indonesian dish to try is nasi campur, which we ordered at the lively restaurant, Made's Warung. This traditional dish consists of steamed rice, served with a variety of different curries, meats and vegetables.

My favorite meal from our trip was dinner at Nusantara by Locavore. This restaurant serves lesser-known, traditional Indonesian cuisine in a contemporary and creative way. The highlight of the night was the “ikan bakar kemiri,” which is giant trevally marinated with candlenuts, shallots, garlic, sweet soy sauce, coriander seeds, lemongrass and ginger - all grilled over an open wood fire. The dishes were so fresh and flavorful, we debated coming back for dinner the following night!

4. Don't: Travel by car when you can take a motorbike

There's no better feeling than taking in the natural scenery of Bali on the back of a motorbike. Luckily, it's also the cheapest and fastest way to get around the area, as bikers can easily weave in and out of traffic. You can order a motorbike through Grab or Gojek, which is similar to Uber. The cost of a 20-30 minute bike ride is only between $1 to $3USD so it's a great option, especially with the natural beauty of the scenery between Seminyak and Canggu.

Another big contributor to traffic in Bali is the many ceremonies that take place. Spirituality is a very present part of everyday life in Bali, and this comes with frequent ceremonies throughout the year. It's not uncommon for traffic to stop completely to let a large group of people walk by wearing extravagant, traditional clothing. It's fun to watch when it happens, and the refreshing part of it all is that no one is really that concerned. It's a slower way of life, which is something I've learned to appreciate while spending time in Bali. Just remember that Google Maps might not always provide an accurate ETA, so buffer in time for unexpected traffic if you're in a rush.

5. Don't: Drink tap water

Fun fact about traveling to Bali: up to 50% of visitors get Bali belly. “Bali belly” is a term used to describe a type of traveler's diarrhea that tourists tend to get while visiting. It's caused by consuming contaminated food or water and is common among visitors, because we're being exposed to new bacteria that our bodies are not familiar with. After successfully avoiding it for two weeks, my friend and I managed to get Bali belly our very last week and it was the worst kind of food poisoning symptoms I ever experienced. After days of not getting better, we finally called for support and reached out to Saline Bali. We got their Bali belly IV drip therapy package with home service, so the staff came to our villa for the one-hour treatment.

While it's impossible to completely dodge it, there are things that you can avoid to minimize the risk. Not drinking tap water is the obvious one, but also make sure that you're using filtered water to wash fruits and vegetables, and even to brush your teeth. As an extra precaution, I also avoided ordering salads at restaurants and opted for hot dishes instead. If you do end up getting it, I encourage you, from my personal experience, to explore treatments available in your area as soon as possible before your symptoms get worse and you suffer for days longer than you need to.

I hope these tips help prepare you for your trip to Bali, and make your journey as seamless as possible. Read my previous blog post to learn what to do in Bali and for more videos and clips from my trips to Bali, check out my Instagram Story Highlights.