Oh hey there, welcome back!

Let's talk Bali-to-go's. Often times, you'd hear people describe Bali as the 'beach paradise'. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for that, 100%, but after spending 5 days in this amazing place, I'd say Bali is more than just a beach paradise. Want to know why? 

Bali is a place for spiritual discovery (think - 'Eat Pray Love') and modern adventures. I'm sure you'd be familiar with the Potato Head Beach Club - a sanctuary that allows you to stare into the dreamy sea in the comforts of its luxurious couches and beach-side pool. We spent a good part of our afternoon lounging in the couch, easily hitting the minimum spend of 500k IDR with its refreshing cocktail selection and rather appetising food dishes. It's no wonder this place is a hot favourite amongst tourists.

Not wanting to only visit mainstream places, we went a little further to Nusa Dua (which is slightly lesser than an hour drive away from Seminyak) to visit the Nusa Dua Water Blow. This is essentially a spot where you can see the waves splash against the rock formations, creating a great water explosion. Since this isn't as hyped up as the other places, you can actually get quite a decent shot without having to push your way in or give everyone else death stares for some private space!


*Tip: Do make sure that you're going on a day where there's high tide to see the magic happen


But of course, there are plenty of land activities waiting to be explored as well.
Let's see. We attempted the Campuhan Ridge Walk that's located within Ubud. It offered a nice trek with varying landscapes throughout the walk, from rice terraces/fields to ridges that overlook the mountains. I would advise you to begin your trek from the rice field so that you can overwhelm your senses right off the bat. The view from the peak of the ridge really is the cherry on top ;)

Next up, we visited the Bali Marine and Safari Park for a little down time.
Can you think of anything else more relaxing than being in the presence of these animals? Not me!
The park is actually a little smaller than what the map would have you think. We opted for the Jungle Hopper package (we paid about SGD 66 per pax using the discounted website while it's originally SGD 84), which allowed us to 'hop' onto the safari tram for a nice, comfortable tour (because the tram is air conditioned - hooray!)

You'd find your day pretty packed with back-to-back animal shows, all the way till the afternoon time, so be sure to block your itinerary till at least 4PM if you'd like to fully explore this place (we started our visit from around 10AM).

In case you're wondering, we got our tickets online via the Voyagin website
(there's a 20% discount there - you're welcome)

As for the adventure-seekers out there, don't worry! I didn't forget about you ;)

Did you know that there is actually a hidden canyon tucked away in the Sukawati area?
Let me introduce you to the 'Hidden Canyon Beji Guwang'
 We felt like 'Dora, the Explorer' for a moment upon stepping into this scenic location because this is NOT your typical tourist venue, where you arrive to take a few snaps before departing about 30 seconds later. For this particular canyon, you actually have to work for your shot.

At the entrance (where we paid about 10K IDR), you'd find yourself being introduced to a 'tour guide'. To be honest, I thought it was quite unnecessary at first because I was sure that I could manage the walk on my own but boy, was I wrong.

Within 5 minutes of the journey, we found ourselves dangling off the walls and thrown in the midst of an impromptu rock-climbing session (and I meant it LITERALLY). Thank God for the guide for he was so skilled at this that he told us exactly where to place our limbs to navigate into the canyon.

We couldn't get many shots while dangling off the walls but I would urge for you to see for yourself!

Apart from the Spiderman action we had at the canyon, we also signed up for a Water Tubing session at the Ayung River in Ubud. If you're deciding between Water Rafting and Water Tubing, I'd suggest that you go for the Water Tubing instead. You get to experience the thrill of the rapids so much more when you're on a smaller float. I felt really safe the entire time because it was plain to see that the instructors are really skilled and experienced.

The package (which is 50 USD per pax) that we signed up for included pick-up from our villa and lunch as well, so it was really quite a deal in my opinion :)

The company we engaged with is the Bali Tubing Tour!



It was definitely a good choice to plan our itinerary around less well-known places with a few much-raved venues thrown in to spice things up. Also, this is by no means the ONLY places we went but I focused more on those that are not frequently mentioned since you can easily find the common 'Places-to-Go' on Google and everywhere else :)

That being said -

Congratulations! You made it till the end of the post!

As a 'reward', I'd add some personal tips for all of you out there who are thinking of visiting this beautiful place. I mean, even roses have thorns right?

General tips:

1. Watch out for the Blue Bird taxi: It's actually really difficult to spot them because almost all the cab companies have tried their best to mimic the Blue Bird visuals. You should see the words 'BLUE BIRD' on the windscreen if you'd like to be more assured that you don't get ripped off.

2. Take Google Maps' directions with a pinch of salt: This mainly applies to times when you want to explore the area by foot. We've had many instances where we walked right into a dead end even though we followed the map. Trust me, you DO NOT want to walk into a dead end when there are tons of dogs barking and growling at you whilst at night.

3. Unless you're Vin Diesel from Fast & Furious, try NOT to drive long distances in Bali: I think it's quite alright to drive/ride the bikes within regions (example: within Seminyak/Ubud) but I think it's best to hire a driver (we hired a car + driver for 3 days and it costs about 115 USD) if you'd like to explore different parts of Bali. Why, you ask?

A) A single lane can fit up to 3 vehicles at any point in time, as long as the drivers are able to maneuver around it
B) It's not easy to read the road signs, especially when most of them have been scrubbed off
C) If you decide to give it a go anyways, be mentally prepared/aware that honking is as good as saying 'hi', 'bye' and 'excuse me'. This sound will accompany you wherever you go.

If you found this post helpful, let me know! I would love to hear your feedback(s)!
If you're heading Bali soon, have fun (I know you will)! :)