When deciding where we wanted to honeymoon Elliot and I went through many different iterations. We started off with a Serengeti + Seychelles combo before remembering that our current professions are teacher + PhD student so that wasn’t in our budget. We moved onto the Amalfi Coast, but I’d already been there so it didn’t feel too special + while we could afford it, we couldn’t afford to book hotels, etc. that really felt worthy of what we wanted our honeymoon to be. So we started looking at places where the flights would be cheaper + we could spend more on accommodation—we kept it closer to home looking at Central America + Mexico, but while we definitely want to visit spots in both regions, it didn’t feel that special to us. Then one day when I was definitely not spending an inordinate amount of time at work on Google Flights, I found an incredible flight deal. $800 to Bali. It hit all of our requirements—somewhere we could relax, some adventure, luxury accommodations at an affordable price, + somewhere that felt exotic and once in a lifetime to us. We were sold!

when to visit

Peak season for Bali runs April - August when weather is more likely to be sunny + dry. Rainy season runs November - March with January being the month with the highest precipitation.

When planning a trip to Bali, it’s important to think about what is most important for you while there. If your main goal is to relax on the beach or by the pool, surf, etc. then you’ll want to stick to peak season, even though it will mean more expensive accommodations.

I wouldn’t say, however, that I would avoid Bali during rainy season if your main focus is off the beach. Bali has a lot to offer culturally and I still think it would be easy to fill your days with temples, rice paddy visits, etc.

Another thing to keep in mind when deciding when to go—they harvest their rice 3x a year. So you may see it when it is super lush or you may see it just after it’s been harvested. If there is ever anything that is a “must” for you on a trip we highly recommend doing some research to see if time of year effects being able to see it as you imagine!

getting there

There’s only one airport in Bali - Ngurah Rai located in Denpasar. Our flight path took us to Jakarta first + then it was a short 1.5 hour flight from Jakarta to Denpasar. From the airport, it took us ~15 minutes to get to Nusa Dua and would have been a similar distance if we went straight to Seminyak. On our way back to the airport, we were coming from Ubud + budgeted closer to 2 hours to get to Denpasar.

Bali is quite a popular cruise destination as well, so there’s definitely the possibility of visiting while doing a southeastern Asia cruise, as well.

getting around

The most popular mode of transportation is definitely a scooter—locals + tourists alike were zipping around. It’s the most affordable option (other than walking) + when traffic builds up (which is bound to happen since many roads are small + have no traffic lights) they save time weaving in between cars. We opted not to scooter since most places we could walk + when we couldn’t we were going to be drinking so a cab made more sense.

We arranged all transportation between airports + hotels through our hotels. This is definitely going to be a slightly more expensive option, but in the grand scheme of things was still more affordable than we were used to so we were okay with it.

Whenever we did need a cab we would call the front desk of our hotel to arrange it + then would get the Whatsapp number from the driver to schedule all future drives with them. We found once we reached out to them again we would get better rates on our drives since they knew we were using them for multiple trips.

Depending on where you are staying, walking is possible—but one of our drivers did joke that if someone is walking you know they’re a tourist. Seminyak was the easiest place for us to walk + get around. Because of where we were staying in Ubud, we were fine walking during the day but not at night because there were no sidewalks.

where to stay

I’d recommend coming for at least 10 days so that you can see multiple towns in Bali without ever feeling rushed. During our 10 days we did 3 different spots, but there are definitely other areas that I wanted to visit if we’d had time!

Nusa Dua -

We stayed here purely as a place to recuperate after 24 hours of travel + a 15 hour time change. It was our shortest stay at just 2 nights + we found that to be plenty. Nusa Dua does have some of the nicest beaches of Bali, but there are a lot of high end resorts there that made it feel more sterile to me than other areas we visited. Our resort had a lot of families (more than any other spot we stayed) + we also noticed that the majority of tourists here were from Indonesia or other Asian countries.

Where We Stayed: Merusaka Nusa Dua

Cost: We used Chase points to book 3 nights here (we booked the night before as well so we could check in as soon as we landed at 8AM). For 3 nights the total was $403.62 - we used 24,605 points + paid $96.05 out of pocket. This was for a Deluxe Room with Pool Access + breakfast included.

Review: The hotel had a great spa, wide variety in their breakfast buffet (seriously, I’ve never seen anything like this—it was overwhelming), beautiful rooms, beach access + multiple pools. Overall, it was well worth the money. It was a great spot to stay to adjust to the time change + fight off jet lag, but of all the places we stayed this was our least favorite. Since we were on honeymoon, we loved having more privacy + less families around for the next two spots we stayed.

Seminyak -

We spent 3 nights in Seminyak + the vibes were completely different! Seminyak felt much younger + has more of a nightlife scene, as well as a large expat community. It’s still on the beach, but there are plenty of restaurants, bars, + shops as well. This would be a great spot to stay if you were a solo traveler or a group of friends traveling together.

Where We Stayed: KoenoKoeni Villa

Cost: For 3 nights the total was $390.28 for a 1 bedroom Villa with Private Pool + breakfast included.

Review: I am not sure I will ever stay somewhere with as good of value. The villa was massive with a beautiful private pool, 4 showers (2 indoor + 2 outdoor), kitchen, living room, etc. The breakfast included so much - entree, cereal, coffee, tea, juice, fresh fruit, pastry selection, etc. It was off the main stretch of restaurants + bars in Seminyak, but we still found it walkable + walked to/from dinner each night with no problem. There is no main pool here, but with your own private pool there isn’t really a need for one. We absolutely loved spending our days lounging here + going into town for lunch or dinner. While breakfast here was good, I wouldn’t recommend doing your other meals here.

Ubud -

We spent 5 nights in Ubud + once again it was a completely different experience from where we’d come! Ubud is known as the cultural center + this is where we did the majority of our outings/activities. There’s a lot to do here, but it’s also beautiful to wake up to the canopy of trees each morning. Ubud felt like there were more couples + some families (not as many as Nusa Dua), but it also felt like it brought a slightly more bougie crowd. There were still plenty of solo travelers but they didn’t have the same feel as the ones in Seminyak (Seminyak felt more like students on a gap year/spring break vibe whereas Ubud felt more Eat Pray Love solo traveler vibe).

Where We Stayed: Amora Ubud Villa

Cost: We stayed in a Valley Pool Villa with breakfast included. I used a free hotels.com night that I had accumulated, so for the 5 nights we paid $580.22 total.

Review: This was hands down the best customer service out of any of the places we stayed, + the best food out of any of the hotels (+ honestly some of the best food in general on the trip). The setting is beautiful—most rooms have their own private pool, but there is also a main infinity pool overlooking the canopy. They only have a handful of rooms so it feels quite intimate + private. We did their private dining option which was not only incredible food, but also beautifully done. The spa here has their massage room open air overlooking the canopy which is one of the most stunning settings I could imagine. It’s off the main track of Ubud, but was right by the Campuhan Ridge Walk which we walked to get into town in about 20 minutes. There were still a number of restaurants, spas, etc. on our street as well.

other -

Sadly, we did have to get back home at some point, but if we return, or if we’d had more time here I would have loved to tack on a visit to one of the Gili Islands or to stay in Uluwatu.

where to eat + drink

Ling Lings (Seminyak)
- Fun twists on traditional Asian cuisine. We didn’t make a reservation so sat at the bar + ordered a number of bites. Our favorite was the pork bao bun slider, but the mac + cheese dumplings + cheeseburger spring rolls were also fairly good + fun. The overall vibe here was very playful with lots of large groups + a good atmosphere. This would be a great spot to stop into before going out for the night.
Revolver Espresso (Seminyak)
- Everyone + their mother has this spot on their Seminyak guide. The overall aesthetic is very cool, but it’s definitely a spot that has it’s instagram/blog reputation—there was essentially a bouncer at the door when we went in the morning for coffee. There are multiple locations + I’d say it’s worth visiting for a quick stop to people watch + enjoy a coffee. We didn’t try any food other than a pastry, but the food that did come out looked fairly good.

Potato Head (Seminyak)
- Probably my favorite meal in Seminyak—I tried a number of the cocktails (you know, for research purposes) + they were all excellent as was the poke bowl. They had an extensive menu that you could order to your daybed or you could sit in the restaurant/bar.

MoonLite Kitchen + Bar (Seminyak)
- You know we couldn’t have a list of restaurants without including at least 1 rooftop! We went here for sunset before dinner + while our appetizer left a lot to be desired + the drinks were only okay, the aesthetic, live music, + sunset into the ocean more than made up for it. I’d go here for drinks only at sunset!

Lacalita (Canggu)
- We sat at the bar here for drinks + queso before dinner + wish we could have stayed to enjoy dinner! Great atmosphere, cool art + decor, + the best frozen mango margarita of my life. It was SO smooth—I will dream of this. And as a self-proclaimed queso fan, the queso was different than what I was expecting but very flavorful + delicious.
Ji Restaurant (Canggu)
- Another rooftop, but we were here for dinner post sunset so couldn’t really see the water. It was packed + I would say has a good view for sunset if you’re there earlier. The sushi wasn’t anything to write home about though.
Amora Ubud Villas (Ubud)
- We ate multiple meals here + tried a lot of things on the menu + they were all delicious with great presentation + a beautiful view. If you’re staying in town + planning on doing the Campuhan Ridge Walk stop here at the end of the walk for breakfast + then continue down the road to Jungle Fish for a pool day.

Sayan House (Ubud)

Most dreamy dinner setting ever. Make your reservation for dinner earlier in the evening so you can watch the sunset. We had a prime table, but they also had a whole bar area that seemed like it was first come/first serve that would also be perfect for the views. The sashimi taco here is one I will dream about forever. All of the food here was 10/10 from the guacamole roll to the matcha cheesecake.

Donna (Ubud)
- We came here for tapas + drinks + it was our second best meal of the whole trip only to be beat by Sayan House. The ambiance is great - dark + atmospheric with live music, good drinks + lots of great bites. The croquetas de brasil were our favorite (we ordered seconds), as well as the burrata + prawn empanadas.
Jungle Fish (Ubud)
- Jungle Fish is located in the Chapung Sebali hotel + it’s all a vibe. We loved it so much we came back a second day in a row. It has a huge infinity pool with loungers in the pool, swinging daybeds, + lots of different seating options. If you aren’t using a daybed (I’d make a reservation if you want one) then there is no minimum spend. The poke bowl was refreshing + they have a number of drink + dining specials during the lunch time hours to make it more affordable.

Misses:

Almost every guide I read before visiting recommended Sea Circus in Seminyak. We went for lunch one day + I just could not recommend it. The tacos were some of the most dry + bland tacos I’ve ever had. The overall aesthetic is fun + colorful, but I wouldn’t get the tacos + would maybe just stop in for a drink.

Chandi in Seminyak had very high reviews, but the meat was also incredibly dry here. It had a more high end feel to it + there’s a chance we simply ordered wrong, but I wouldn’t return or recommend (but the cocktails were good)!

what to do

Potato Head Beach Club (Seminyak)
- If you’re doing any research on Seminyak, you’re bound to see Potato Head Beach Club. While there’s a hotel here, as well as a restaurant, I’d recommend going just for the day + reserving a daybed. There is a minimum spend, ~$60 as of July ‘22, but if you’re spending the day there it is easy to hit that between food + drinks for your group. Even better, the food + drinks are actually worth the money spent. There is a bar in the pool + the pool overlooks the ocean. If you don’t have a reservation get here close to opening.
Jungle Fish (Ubud)
- Not a beach club, because it is literally in the jungle, but the same concept. You do not need a reservation + there is not a minimum spend (unless you do a daybed). We opted to do the lounge seating, which consists of couches + a table so you’ll be more than comfortable. Compared to Potato Head, this has a very different feel—despite there being a DJ, we didn’t feel like it had a “party” atmosphere the way Potato Head seemed, + there overall seemed to be more of a feeling of…wealth. We loved it here so much we came back the next day!
Monkey Forest (Ubud)
- We had one day in Ubud that was raining on + off so decided to walk the Campuhan Ridge Walk into Ubud center. We ended up at the Monkey Forest + were warned that the monkeys may not be out since it had just rained, but we had no shortage of monkeys! This was fully worth spending an hour walking through, my only note is to please respect their rules that they have in place!
Kopi Luwak (Ubud)
- Bali is known for coffee that is literally made after it has…passed through…a civet (that’s an animal). We did a tour of a coffee plant that was obviously set up just for tourist suckers like us! We saw one of the civets, got to roast the beans + grind them, before sitting down for a tasting of 10+ different kinds of coffee! I’ll give them credit, all of that was totally free. We did pay ~$1 to taste the Luwak coffee + then purchased some coffee as gifts on the way out, but this could be a completely free activity if you wanted it to be.

Rice Paddy (Ubud)

At the top of my travel list has always been to visit a rice paddy. Initially I was planning on it to be in Vietnam, but I was glad to check it off in Bali. There was a small entry fee (~$5) and then we were able to walk along the paddy. The rice terrace that we visited had swings and a zip line, as well! We decided to zip line across the terrace + while I’d say it is overpriced, the view from above was certainly worth it. As mentioned above, the rice is harvested multiple times a year. If you are set on visiting at a time when the rice is full + lush, make sure to research that ahead of time!

Ubud Tour Day
- One of our days in Ubud we hired a private driver for ~$50 + he planned the day for us. This is very common—almost any driver will do this for you + they all have the same basic itinerary. Ours took us to a traditional dance/play (there were literal students here on a field trip), to a waterfall, rice paddy, kopi luwak, swings, + lunch. He had a number of different options + we opted out of some things. I personally would have opted out of the dance, but Elliot enjoyed it. I will say, looking back I wish I had been more vocal. I had done research on a specific waterfall that I wanted to visit that was less popular amongst tourists + I got nervous + didn’t speak up, so we ended up at a major tourist waterfall at peak visitor time which was what I had wanted to avoid. Because the drivers all have a set itinerary, I think they’re used to a specific type of tourist. If you’ve done research—speak up! The swings were beyond cringe tourist, but Elliot + I found them hilarious. We have more pictures than we’ll ever need together on a swing, but we had the best time just laughing at how outrageous it all is.

Spa

When we first landed at our hotel in Nusa Dua we did a complete 3 hour spa package. The price was ~$100/pp which while expensive for a Bali spa/activity, is unheard of coming from California. This was the best way to unwind after a long 24 hours of travel.
We also did a massage in Ubud at our hotel on our rainy day. You’ll certainly pay more doing spa services at your hotel vs. finding other spas, but for the ease of being at your hotel we found it worth the up charge. It was also infinitely cheaper than what we are used to stateside.

“bali”n on a budget

As mentioned above, we spent $800 per person on flights from SFO to Bali in July ‘22. This was considerably more affordable than what most flights were ($1,500+). How? We booked $700 flights from SFO to Jakarta with a layover in Tokyo. From there, we used a regional airline to book a >$100 flight from Jakarta to Bali.

We made sure to build in a buffer between our Jakarta and Bali flights as we did need to exit to pick up our bags + check back in/go through security, etc.

Doing this did not add any extra layovers to our travel than if we had spent $1,500+ booking a flight from SFO to Bali. At most it added ~1 extra hour that we added purely for our own peace of mind to make sure we made it through the connection okay once in Jakarata.

We are not people who will take crazy flight patterns just to save money on a flight. Just booking from SFO to Jakarta saved us almost $2,000—which we were then able to spend on accommodations with private pools (!!) which was more than worth it + we would 100% recommend.