So you want to visit Bali but don’t know where to start. Well firstly, you will want to know when exactly you can travel and how many days you plan to stay. Then you can check with your local travel agent on flight times and best prices. At the same time you want to start thinking about your budget for a hotel. If you are flying from Australia, this is easy as there are flights to Bali every day from most major cities. If you are from Singapore, this is also very easy with Singapore Airlines flying to Bali 4 times a day, 7 days a week. Garuda and Jetstar also fly to Bali from Singapore. From other countries, check the link later in this post.

1. Decide on your dates of travel and how many days
2. Arrange your flights.
3. Choose your travel agent. Local or Destination?
4. Decide what kind of tour arrangement suits you best.
5. Decide which towns you want to see and what to do there.

6. Suggested Itinerary

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Step 1 : Decide on your dates of travel and how many days to spend in Bali.
This is important as in order to book a hotel room, you must have your check-in and check-out dates. Typically, travelers from around the region spend 3 to 4 days, but more is alright too ! If you want to see more than just the touristy towns and would like to visit the countryside, then anywhere from 5 to 8 days is good depending on how much you want to cover. You could see the main parts of Bali – South Bali, Ubud in 3 days but it would be a rush.  If you include activities such as diving which take the whole day, then you will of course need more time.  8 to 10 days would be ideal if you want to cover the main tourist areas on the island as well as visit some of the lesser known but still culturally interesting places.

Why is this important?
Without these, the hotel or travel agent cannot give you the room availability or quote you the correct price. If you travel during the “high season” which can start on 1st July, 15th July or 1st August and can end anytime between 31st August and 30th September, there is usually a high season surcharge. If you don’t provide your travel dates, you will always receive prices for the off peak season and may be surprised when you finally make your booking and find out that you have to pay UD$xx extra per night.

Step 2: Arrange your flight.
Now that you have your dates, you can contact your travel agent to find out what airline you can take. Here is a quick summary of airlines flying to Bali :

From USA and Europe : Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, British Airways/Qantas
From Australia : Jetstar, Garuda, Virgin Blue and other budget airlines
From Singapore : Singapore Airlines, Garuda, Jetstar => View flights from Singapore to Bali
From Korea : Korean Air, JAL
From Hong Kong : Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Express
From Bangkok : Thai Airways

For a list of airlines flying to Bali, click here.

Once you have checked that return flights are available, reserve your flight but don’t pay yet until you can check on hotel availability and make a room reservation, especially during peak months of August, Christmas week and New Year.  Either way, make sure you have reservations for both flight and room before you pay for anything. With budget airlines offering cheap fares over peak season, lots of people end up paying first for their air ticket and then forgetting that they’ve booked over Christmas when most hotels are fully booked. They end up having to stay in higher cost accommodation because they can’t get the budget rooms they were looking for. So you might get a budget flight, but the savings on your flight might go to paying for your room.

Step 3: Choose your travel agent
If you prefer a group tour, you might like to contact a Travel Agent in your home country but you can also deal directly with a Bali Travel Agency to get a better choice of hotels, prices and range of rooms.

A travel agency located in Bali can quickly make local calls to any hotel in Bali to check on availability. They will also have access to the latest offers or any special deals that agents in your home country most likely will not have. They can offer and recommend a wider range of rooms and many agents would have done site visits to the hotels they offer.

Apart from that, they can also alert you to possible disturbances if a hotel is doing repairs to their rooms and suggest an alternative. However, these hotels will usually lower their rates and you can get a good deal if you plan to be out the whole day and don’t mind the inconvenience of the dust or pool or restaurant being closed for example. But it wouldn’t be too good if you were planning your honeymoon and turned up to find that there was alot of noise much of the day and that you couldn’t use the swimming pool if it were undergoing repairs.

And most importantly, if you need assistance during your stay in Bali, they’ll be there to provide assistance and answer your call.

Step 4: What kind of touring arrangement ?
Once you have decided on a travel agent, you can let them know your needs. Tell them what kind of arrangements you would like. For the adventurous, you might prefer the “Free & Easy” route. If you are busy and don’t have the time, get a ready made package or if none of those suit you, ask for a customised tour package but you must let your Bali travel agent know your dates of travel and at least the level of hotel you would like and other requirements such as if you want to stay by the beach, in a less crowded area, go on cultural tours. The range of hotels is huge in Bali. Everything from homestyle Balinese bungalows with low cost rooms but nice friendly service, to ultra luxurious and private villa estates.

a) Free & Easy =>Purchase a package that includes:

• room
• daily breakfast
• airport transfers
• inter-hotel transfers

The rest is up to you. A free and easy package can also include car hire with an English speaking driver. You don’t want to drive in Bali unless you have done so before and are aware of the traffic conditions and driving rules there.  If you hire your own driver, remember to check that he has a license and insurance is included in your car hire. As long as someone has a car, drives his company car or has access to a friend’s or relative’s car, he could potentially be hired as a private driver. But it is up to you to make that decision and be prepared to take responsibility if anything does not turn out as planned. If you have been recommended a private driver by someone, there is nothing wrong with using his services. If you’d rather play safe and have peace of mind on your holiday, the best would be to arrange your car hire and driver through a car rental company or your travel agency.

b) Package Tour => A package tour would include :

• accommodation
• daily breakfast
• lunch or dinner may be included on some days
• return airport transfers
• inter-hotel transfers
• sightseeing tours or other adventure activities

In general, if you stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel, unless you are prepared to pay the prices, meals are going to cost you a fortune by the time you add the 21% taxes.  If you book directly with some luxury hotels, breakfast might not be included in the price you pay and it is hardly likely you’ll find a restaurant in town open at 7 am which leaves you no choice but to settle for breakfast in the hotel. This could cost up to US$80 for 2 the moment you sit down at that tempting breakfast buffet, so make sure you enjoy those croissants and savor everything down to that last drop of frothy cappuccino. With breakfast costing you more than some budget airline tickets, you might want to consider eating out for lunch and dinner. Mind you, the quality of food is outstanding at these luxury resorts and if you do eat at the hotel, you will most certainly have a good feast.

If you’re not sure where to eat,  either dine at restaurants recommended by friends or suggested in travel guides, or have your travel agency in Bali arrange reasonably priced meals for you. Travel agencies will take you to a proper restaurant that may cost a little more although it won’t be anything too extravagant unless you are planning for something special. You will definitely get a good meal and won’t have the headache of deciding which of the tens of restaurants to eat at and whether the food is going to be good or not.

c) Customised Tour => You’ll book this type of tour when you don’t want the headache of deciding where is the best place to go, eat and what hotel to stay at but have an idea of some of things you want to do. Simply give your agent the number of days of your stay, the level of hotel you want to stay in and if you do know, what kind of places you’d like to visit. Are you a shopaholic? Or do you want to enjoy a spa treatment that Bali is so famous for? A villa experience or a large scale resort with plenty of people and a beach front? What’s important to you? Get as much done in 24 hours, or lay on the beach and not be bothered by anyone? Tell us what you want. Must you stay in the latest best chic hotel or villa in Bali? Or do you prefer to a smaller hotel which might not have all the bells and whistles but where you’ll feel more like you are in Bali than in a big city hotel.

5. Which towns in Bali to visit?
There are 2 broad areas for tourists to visit when they come to Bali. There is South Bali and Ubud, known as the art and cultural center of Bali. These are the main areas for shopping and sightseeing.

Then there is East Bali (Candidasa, Manggis) and North Bali (Lovina, Pemuteran), but you would only go there if you are looking for something specific, such as a romantic stay in a luxury hotel surrounded by coutryside and beautiful ocean scenery,  or if you are going diving or if you simply want to relax on a quiet beach and spend most of your time in the hotel, or perhaps take a sightseeing tour to nearby areas. You have no intention to do alot of shopping or spend the night out in pubs and nightclubs as these would be quite a long way down in Kuta.  In general, you would be looking for a quiet time and you’re not bothered by the lack of fine dining, desginer boutiques and nightclubs in rural areas.

Here are some tips:
Stay in Kuta if you want to be very close to shops, restaurants and the beach. Hotels here range from budget to 4 star.

Stay in Seminyak, if you’ve got a higher budget and want a luxury villa experience. You want better food, more upmarket shopping and stylish entertainment. Most accommodations here are private villas with private pools and kitchens. The prices here range from US$200-500 per night.  Bear in mind that most of the villas are not beach front properties.  Some are close to restaurants but it won’t be like Kuta where the shops and restaurants are right outside your hotel.

See these areas on a Google Map.

Shopping, clubbing and beaches
Most tourists tend to visit towns in South Bali as this is where the beaches are and it is a good place all round for families. Bali International Airport is in South Bali, in the area of Tuban-South Kuta.  If you go north from Bali airport, you have Tuban, Kuta, Legian and Seminyak along the west.  Tuban, Legian and Seminyak are really extensions of Kuta Town and they are all joined together in one long stretch along the coast. So if you want to be next to the airport (5 minutes), you might choose Tuban.  Kuta, the center of all the activity is about 10 minutes from the airport. All the above towns are along the coast and close to shops and restaurants.

You would choose to stay in Kuta if you want to be in the main shopping and entertainment area, and close to Kuta beach.  Kuta is chaotic and crowded but it is vertainly a very conveninet place to stay in and has a wide range of accommodation for you to choose from. Do you want to do lots of shopping,  go to nightclubs or be near the beach?  If so, then you might consider the areas of Kuta, Tuban, Legian and Seminyak. As you go north of Kuta, to Legian and Seminyak, the shops get more posh and everything is more upmarket. You have fine dining restaurants, designer boutiques and in general higher cost accommodation. Most 3 -4 star hotels are concentrated in Kuta but book a few months in advance if you are traveling during holiday season. If you are looking for villas, then try Seminyak.

The Bukit – Nusa Dua, Tanjong Benoa & Jimbaran
The area south of Bali airport is known as the Bukit, or Southern Peninsular. This is where you will find pristine soft white sandy beaches and the most of Bali’s luxury 5 star hotels. Going south about 10 minutes from the airport is Jimbaran, then Pecatu which is a little known area but now has 1 hotel – the Best Western New Kuta Condotel. Nusa Dua is 10 km south east of Bali airport and about a 20 minute drive. it is in Nusa Dua where you will find many luxury 5 star international hotels such as Nikko Hotel, Westin, the new St. Regis . Further on, you will reach Tanjong Benoa which is the tip of Nusa Dua where there is a mix of hotels and villas.

What do you want?
Stay in Nusa Dua, Tanjong Benoa or Jimbaran if you want 5 star luxury and  beautiful white sandy beaches, yet not too far from the main shopping area of Kuta and a good range of restaurants and nightlife ?

Stay in the Kuta area (Tuban, Kuta) if you want the shops to be within walking distance, a good variety of restaurants, the beach. Or if you are a family traveling with young children, this is also a good base.

Stay in Ubud, if you want to visit more art galleries, temples, be closer to adventure activities, and see more cultural activities.

Stay in North Bali if you want a very relaxing holiday by the seaside or if you are planing a dive holiday.

Stay in East Bali if you want a less touristy part of Bali and are not too concerned about shopping, pubs and nightlife. Perhaps a honeymoon or romantic holiday in a rural area. If you are are looking for an exclusive luxury hotel with great ocean views and a quiet and less commercialised town area to explore, then this could be a place to visit.  You will also be close to Mount Agung and probably have good views of it from your hotel.

6. Suggested Itineraries

3D/2N Free & Easy Bali
Spend 3 nights in Kuta and take a sightseeing tour to Ubud or other area if you wish.  Choose a beach resort in Kuta or villa style accommodation in Seminyak.

5D/4N Best of Bali
Break your stay up to spend 2 nights in South Bali, and 3 nights in Ubud. Or 3 nights in South Bali and 2 nights in Ubud. Go on an elephant safari, a full day sightseeing tour of some cultural sights near Ubud, or white water raft down the Ayung River.

Do you have any questions ? Please contact us.

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