5D4N Bali In Less Than RM1000 / SGD340 – Summary Itinerary & Cost Breakdown

Bali is no stranger to travellers. It will surely come across everyone’s mind when talking about Indonesia. In fact, it was named world’s top destination in TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award in March 2017.

Bali is an island and province of Indonesia with the biggest Hindu population. Though Indonesia a Muslim-populated country, Bali is home to its Hindu minority. More than 80% of the population adhere to Balinese Hinduism.

Bali

And did you know that Bali is not just one island but also includes three other smaller islands? The three islands are Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan.


Best Time To Visit Bali

Generally, Bali is good to visit all year round. There are generally 2 seasons – dry and wet. Dry season from April to September is the peak season due to its low humidity and minimal rainfall. The downside however is that hotels get booked out fast, hence booking in advance is recommended. During wet season from October to March, there are abrupt moody downpours but these typically last for several hours before clearing into hot and humid day. The perks are great deals for accommodation and the island is less crowded.

Best Time for Diving: April to June (good), September to November (best)
Best Time for Surfing: During the dry season for western beaches (best) or during the wet season for eastern beaches (less impressive)

Dry season is a good time for surfing

Getting in to Bali

Flight. Flight is the only way to get into Bali if you are out of Indonesia. The one and only airport is the Ngurah Rai International Airport, located near Denpasar and Kuta. Domestically, you can also fly to Bali from Jakarta, Surabaya, Lombok, Medan, Bandung and Yogyakarta.

SpeedBoat. Another alternative way to travel to Bali is by taking a speedboat from Lombok. These boats will arrive at either Sanur or Padang Bai. The journey normally takes only about 1-1.5 hours.

Ferry. There are also public ferries from Lombok to Padang Bai, Bali which takes 3 to 4 hours.

Bus. There are direct bus services to Bali from all major cities on Java and Lombok that link with ferries for sea crossings. These are cheap and easy, but slow.



Getting around Bali

These are the most common mode of transportation in Bali, although you could also get around with Perama bus and Kura Kura bus:

Taxi. By far, the best known and most reliable taxi company is Blue Bird.  They are painted sky blue with a white top light. The cars are modern and the drivers well-informed with a decent level of English-language ability. They are all metered, but due to the traffic, the taxis may refuse to use the meter in traffic jams, and you need to negotiate a price.

Grab. Grab is widely available in Bali, but similar to how it was back in Malaysia years ago, grab drivers often get harassed by taxi drivers or other supirs (Indonesian word for driver). They are seen as a threat to their existing business, so if you need to book a grab ride, be sure to tell taxi drivers who approached you that your friend is picking you up. We booked two grab rides during our trip and both rides were way cheaper than normal taxi rides.

Car rental with a driver. This is the most popular mode of transport for most tourists, especially those in a big group. Using a rental car with a driver is certainly cheaper than taxis and far more efficient than using other public transportation. The drivers are usually English-speaking and they can also act as informal tourist guides recommending good destinations and restaurants. Price varies between RP500,000 to 600,000 per day, including petrol and parking fees. We rented a car with driver for only one day throughout our 5 days trip for RP 500,000. Do contact our driver, Joe for more information - Facebook:  Bali Driver & Tour Organizer | Whatsapp / Wechat: +62 813-3741-2185

Self-drive car, motorbike or scooter. Renting a scooter is a wonderful way to see the island, but only for those with good riding skill as the road condition in certain areas are pretty terrible and there is lack of formal traffic rules. We rented motorbikes for 3 days in Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Ubud. They cost us RP70,000 to 100,000 a day, with Nusa Lembongan’s price being the highest. This is the second most popular mode of transport in Bali, especially for solo travellers and small group of 2 to 4 people. Alternatively, you can also rent a car.

One popular way of getting around Bali is riding a scooter

Sample itinerary

Although it is our first time in Bali, we were drawn to the three Nusa Islands and weren’t so interested in Tanah Lot and Uluwatu. We therefore, spent the first 2 and half day in Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida. For the last two nights, we were based in Ubud, with side trips to Mount Batur and Bedugul.

Here’s our itinerary for your reference:

①Day 1 – (Denpasar) Ngurah Rai International Airport > (Sanur) Sanur Port > (Nusa Lembongan) Mushroom Beach

🔽From airport to Sanur

Our flight reached Bali at 1.30pm, so with only half a day left, we decided to make use of it to travel to Nusa Lembongan. We book a grab ride from the airport to Sanur which costs us RP 91,000 (RM 25.63 / SGD 8.67). The ride took approximately 40 mins and a taxi ride from the airport is normally around RP 150,000 to RP 200,000.

Getting a local simcard from the airport

Tip: You can easily get a local simcard from the airport. The popular ones are Telkomsel and XL and after comparing both prices I went for XL which comes with 8Gb for RP 250,000. RP 250,000 is definitely a rip-off and you can get it cheaper elsewhere, but I caved in since I needed to book a ride and get to Nusa Lembongan. My flight time was also changed from morning to afternoon hence shortening my time in Bali. However, you may avoid this if you follow this detailed guide from a contributor in TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/ShowTopic-g294226-i7220-k9622152-o50-Prepaid_sim_card-Bali.html


🔽From Sanur to Nusa Lembongan 

Once at Sanur, there are plenty of boat operators to Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida. We went around and managed to get one-way ticket to Nusa Lembongan for RP 200,000 per person. A return ticket is usually cheaper, but we will be coming back to Bali from Nusa Penida instead, and the boat operators who service both routes are usually different.

Sanur Beach

Tip: Almost all hotels on Nusa Lembongan, Ceningan or Penisa can help to arrange speed boat for you which usually comes with airport shuttle service or pick up from your hotel in Bali. The price is not expensive and actually quite competitive. Plus, you skip the hassle of having to book a grab ride and look around Sanur for a good bargain. The hotel we booked collaborates with a boat operator with departure time of 11am, 3pm and 5pm respectively. Knowing we couldn’t make it for the 3pm boat and 5pm would be too late, we figured we could just try our luck at Sanur and get one which departs for 4pm. However, for those of you who have ample of time on hand, this arrangement via your hotel could be quite handy.

Boat ride from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan

☞For a detailed guide on how to get to Nusa Lembongan, read: A Complete Guide To Planning Your Trip To Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida


🔽Arrival, check-in and sunset dinner

Our scheduled boat ride was 4pm but was delayed until 4.30pm. The ride took about 30 minutes and we reached Mushroom Beach of Nusa Lembongan a little past 5pm. The hotel we booked is located at Junggutbatu beach instead, but luckily our boat ticket comes with shuttle service which dropped us directly at our hotel (that’s around 10 minutes away!)

Tip: Always check with the boat operator on which beach they will be stopping at as each boat operators is different. Alternatively, engaging one via your hotel might be a better choice. You will probably pay just a little bit more.

A dip in the swimming pool with a sunset view

We did reach our hotel before sunset and even managed to get a nice dip in the swimming pool overlooking the sunset. But before that, renting a scooter and booking a snorkelling trip is our utmost priority. The hotel charges RP 70,000 per 12 hours for scooter rental which doesn’t suit our plan, but we managed to get one from a nearby shop run by Mr. Ketut, who charged us RP 100,000 for 24 hours. I was pretty sure it was a rip-off but sadly every place around the area quoted us the same and all claimed that it is a peak-season price. I did some homework before the trip and read that it costs only RP 60,000 to RP 70,000 for 24 hours. Did the price hike up that much in a couple of months? We reluctantly agreed to the price after failing to bargain for a lower price and went for a seafood dinner at Ware Ware Restaurant, before calling it a day.

Dinner at Ware Ware

Tip: There are plenty of restaurants at Junggutbatu beach with a nice view. One of the famous one is The Deck Café & Bar. We passed by, saw the menu and walked away, simple because it’s more like a bar than a restaurant. Besides, prices are quite steep with 21% tax.

🏡Lodging: Bungalow No. 7(RP 350,000 / RM99 / SGD33)

First night's accomodation - Bungalow No 7

Tip: You can also book a snorkelling trip with your hotel. We didn’t get the snorkelling trip as Terry didn’t want to rush off to Nusa Penida after the snorkelling trip the next day without seeing the attractions on Nusa Lembongan. But I do think it’s worth doing, as a snorkelling trip in Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida is where you get to get up close and personal with manta rays. A 4-hour snorkelling trip to 3 locations (Crystal Bay, Manta Point and Mangrove Point) only costs RP 200,000 per person. I should have pestered Terry for that. *Sobs*

Snorkelling trips

②Day 2 – (Nusa Lembongan) Panorama Viewpoint > Devil’s Tear > Dream Beach > (Nusa Ceningan) Blue Lagoon > Mahana Point > Le Pirate Beach Club > Song Tepo Beach Swing > Yellow Bridge > (Nusa Penida) Kelingking Beach

Nusa Lembongan

🔽Panorama Viewpoint

We were supposed to start off early and be at Panorama Viewpoint for sunrise, but we overslept and was only there after the sun has risen. The view here is nothing to shout about but it’s on the way from Junggutbatu Beach to Devil’s Tear, so we stopped by for the view and photos. If there’s anything you need to skip on Nusa Lembongan, this is it.

Panorama Point

☞More on: Panorama Point : A Bird’s Eye View of Jungut Batu Beach



🔽Devil’s Tear and Dream Beach

The main highlighted of Nusa Lembongan is none other than this tide pool, located just 10 minutes ride away from Junggut Batu beach. I’d recommend coming here as early as possible to beat the tourist crowd who normally comes in around 9am. We were there by 7 in the morning and practically had the whole place to ourselves. Alternatively, it is also an ideal place for sunset as it faces west.

Devil's Tear

☞More on: Devil’s Tear: The Menacing Wave of The Indian Ocean

Dream Beach on the other hand is on the left of Devil’s Tear, and you can see it from a cliff just a few dozen meters away from Devil’s Tear. You can also ride to the beach in less than 5 minutes.

Dream Beach

☞More on: Dream Beach : The Bay of Dazzling Beauty


🔽Extra: Water Blow Huts

We were trying to navigate our way to Dream Beach from Devil’s Tear and saw this beautiful looking resort. Curious, we walked into the resort and was awed by the beautiful looking huts and the view it overlooks. We spent some time at this place marvelling at the view of Dream Beach and even contemplated having breakfast there, just for the view. However, not wanting to get our butt stuck too long on Nusa Lembongan, we decided to head over to Nusa Ceningan as planned.

Water Blow Huts

☞More on: Water Blow Huts : Romantic Beachfront Hotel on Dream Beach


Nusa Ceningan

Nusa Ceningan is the smallest of the three islands, and you can get there by crossing the iconic Yellow Bridge from Nusa Lembongan.

🔽Blue Lagoon and Mahana Point

Since we were squeezing two islands in one day (in fact, it was actually half a day), next stop from Dream Beach is the Blue Lagoon. It’s about half an hour away from Devil’s Tear and Dream Beach, where you will pass by the connecting Yellow Bridge. Here in Blue Lagoon, the sea water is in the beautiful shade of turquoise colour. It’s the most turquoise sea I’ve seen in Bali, or perhaps the most turquoise I’ve seen my whole life.

Blue Lagoon

☞More on: Blue Lagoon: The Bluest Sea Water I Have Ever Seen

A short ride away from Blue Lagoon is Mahana Point, a popular surfing spot thanks to its strong wave. There are also 10m and a 5m diving board for you to do cliff jumping, and a ladder to climb back up safely. The big 10m jump costs RP 50,000 and the small jump costs RP 25,000 respectively. Surfers can also rent surfboards for about RP 70,000 which can be used at the break just off the bar. We stopped by for a short while to see some surfers in action although sadly no one was doing the cliff jumping during our time there.

Mahana Point

☞More on: Mahana Point: Cliff Jumping 10m Into The Sea If You Dare


🔽Extra: Le Pirate Beach Club

Though breakfast is provided by our hotel, we did not have them that morning as they were served 7am to 10am. Wrong timing! But with so many cafes, warungs and restaurant in both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, you’ll be spoilt by choices. Of all places, we chose Le Pirate Beach Club, which was conveniently located along the strip of beach on the way back to Yellow Bridge. This place is a hotel-cum-restaurant and is so chic and instagrammable, I couldn’t help but take photos after photos while waiting for our food to be served. Sadly, the food was below average. Prices are also charged an additional tax of 15%.

Le Pirate Beach Club

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🔽Song Tepo Beach Swing

On our way back to the hotel to check out, we noticed that the tide has ebbed, revealing a nice sandy beach along the coast facing Nusa Lembongan. The plenty of swings we saw on our way to the Blue Lagoon earlier were partially submerged in the sea water and the beach was not accessible. However, it was completely different now and we could finally hit the beach. We figured we still have time and decided to play a little on the beach. It was still early in the morning, and there was no crowd at all.

Song Tepo Beach Swing

☞More on: Song Tepo Beach: Picturesque Swing on Shallow Beach


🔽Yellow Bridge

After checking out from the hotel, Terry dropped me at the Yellow Bridge where we were supposed to take a speed boat to Nusa Penida. To save money, I was dropped at the Yellow Bridge with our backpacks while he returned our rented scooter to Mr. Ketut, then took an ojek (motor taxi) to Yellow Bridge, which costs RP 50,000 per head. The Yellow Bridge is an attraction itself in Nusa Lembongan / Ceningan and you wouldn’t be able to miss it.

Yellow Bridge

Tip: To avoid the same mistake as us, you may consider booking a hotel near the Yellow Bridge, so that hiring and returning scooter can be done somewhere within walking distance from the Yellow Bridge. Alternatively, you may request the boat operator to drop you at the Yellow Bridge upon your arrival instead of dropping you to your hotel. This way, you can rent the scooter at the Yellow Bridge. However, this is only applicable to those who are going to Nusa Penida next as the boarding harbour for boat heading back to Sanur would either be at Junggut Batu beach or Mushroom Beach. Alternatively, if you join a snorkelling tour, you may also ask to be dropped at Nusa Penida after the trip as 2 out of 3 snorkelling points are off the coast of Nusa Penida – Manta Point and Crystal Bay.

Wide enough for scooters and pedestrian only

☞More on: Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan – Yellow Bridge: The Bridge of Love


🔽From Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Penida

The only way to get to Nusa Penida from Nusa Lembongan is by taking the speed boat from Yellow Bridge. The boat usually departs every 30 minutes and there are so far two boat operators on the beach. After asking about the price, the operator company which is located right on the beach charged a cheaper price (which is also fixed and non-negotiable) of RP 60,000 per person as opposed to the operator at the Yellow Bridge (I was quoted RP 75,000). The boat ride is only about 15 minutes away and you will be dropped off at Toya Pakeh harbour.

Boat ride from Yellow Bridge to Nusa Penida

☞For a detailed guide on how to get to Nusa Penida, read: A Complete Guide To Planning Your Trip To Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida




Nusa Penida

🔽Arrival, scooter rental and check-in

We took the 12.30pm boat from Nusa Lembongan and reached Toya Pakeh beach around 12.45pm. Once there, we came across locals who offered scooter renting and boat service back to Sanur. The scooter here is slightly cheaper than those on Nusa Lembongan at RP 80,000 per day. We then ride to our hotel, checked in, freshen up and head out to Kelingking Beach.

Scooter rental in Toya Pakeh

Tip: Nusa Penida is a very big island, and all the attractions are scattered all over the island. Unless you are staying near Toya Pakeh beach, it is recommended to rent a scooter right upon arrival which you can be used immediately. You can also rent scooter from your hotel, but as in our case, the one we booked happened to be located about 15 minutes away from Toya Pakeh beach, so it is only wise to rent it at the harbour.


🔽Kelingking Beach

If there’s a signature attraction to every island, this is the one for Nusa Penida. The photo of this T-rex shaped cliff at the southwestern coast of Nusa Penida has gone viral on the internet in recent years, driving tourists here from Nusa Lembongan and Bali. You can’t say you have been to Nusa Penida if you did not visit Kelingking Beach. It’s simply a must! In fact, it’s probably somewhere you would want to allocate more time to.

Kelingking Beach

We reached Kelingking Beach around 3pm and it took us half an hour to get down to the beach via the steep ladder. The hike up is another 20 minutes. Adding in the time spent on the beach for a dip, you’ll easily spend 3 hours here. As it faces west, it is also an ideal place for sunset. There’s no entrance fee but a parking fee of RP 5,000 applies.

Be sure to hike down

Tip: You should try to cover Kelingking Beach together with Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong in the same day. If time permits, add on Banah Cliff to your itinerary for sunset. Unfortunately, Terry losts his spectacles in Kelingking Beach and we had to ride back to our hotel before the sky turned completely dark, therefore keeping Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong for the next day and scrapping off the attractions on the east (Atuh Beach, Thousand Islands, Suwehan Beach *sobs*). What about Crystal Bay you ask? I’ll say save your ride. There’s nothing there!

Pristine beach at the bottom of the cliff

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🔽Dinner and rest

We managed to get back to our hotel in one piece although Terry had problem riding the scooter without his spectacles. To ease his burden since I do not know how to ride one, we had our dinner at Artrolling Bistro which is within walking distance from our hotel.

🏡Lodging: Nusa Garden Bungalow (RP 306,285 / RM86 / SGD29)

Nusa Garden Bungalow

③Day 3 – (Nusa Penida) Broken Beach + Angel’s Billabong > Crystal Bay > (Sanur) Sanur Port > (Ubud) Hotel

Tip: My initial plan was to have Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong covered together with Kelingking Beach the day before, leaving only Atuh Beach, Thousand Islands and Suwehan Beach to be covered on the remaining half day we had before heading back to Bali. However, since Terry lost his specs and we were forced to retreat back to our hotel, we had yet to cover Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong. We ended up scrapping off the three attractions on the east since they too far away. However, if you have time, I would strongly recommend that you cover them or alternatively, add another day and further include Peguyangan Waterfall and Seganing Waterfalls.

Eastern attractions of Nusa Penida

Other locations worth visiting if you have time

🔽Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong

Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong is located just right to each other, and they are to be done together. From Toya Pakeh area, it is approximately 40 minutes away and though it looked near Kelingking Beach, it is actually 40 minutes ride away. Again, no entrance fee is imposed but parking fee of RP 10,000 will be charged. However, we were lucky to have gone away with it since there were no one around to collect them from us as we were there before the crowd swarm in.

Broken Beach

The Broken Beach is a circular cliff with an arched tunnel that allows the crashing ocean to flow in, making a natural pool within. There is no way to access the beach inside, and cliff jumping is also not allowed, so don’t even try attempting it as you won’t be able to find your way up, not to mention that it’s extremely dangerous. For now, it is just a viewpoint.

Angel's Billabong

After taking your instagrammable shots at Broken Beach, head over to Angel’s Billabong, an incredible rock formation overlooking the Indian ocean, which is just 5 minutes away on foot. Unlike Broken Beach, Angel’s Billabong is actually accessible, and you can go all the way down to the naturally formed infinity pool for a dip. There’s even staircase in place, but this had however collapsed during our visit. As a result, we had to climb down slowly by grabbing firmly to the rock.

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🔽Crystal Bay – skippable

Since we are not going to the east of Nusa Penida, we had ample of time left before heading back to our hotel and decided to drop by Crystal Bay. However, upon reaching here, we found it to be a disappointment. The beach is small and there was nothing impressive in particular. The parking fee is RP2,000 and to use to the toilet you’ll be charged RP5,000. We wanted to have breakfast there, but nothing caught our interest, so we headed back to our hotel, where we had breakfast at the nearby Singabu Bungalow before leaving for Bali.

Crystal Bay

Tip: Instead of Crystal Bay, head over to Banah Cliff which seems much more interesting in my opinion. Or, as I mentioned above, cover the western spots – Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong (plus Banah Cliff if you have time) in one day and leave the second day for the eastern ones – Atuh Beach, Thousand Islands (with nearby Rumah Pohon Molenteng) and Suwehan Beach. And if you have another day, you can cover the two waterfalls – Seganing Waterfalls and Peguyangan Waterfalls.

☞More on: Crystal Bay : Snorkelling Paradise For Underwater World Lover


🔽Back to Bali main island

It’s another 40 minutes ride back to the hotel from Crystal Bay, and after checking out and lunch, we rode back to Toya Pakeh Beach to find the scooter owner. We had previously reserved two tickets to Sanur at 1.30pm for RP 150,000 per person and a free drop off to the harbour was provided. From there, it’s a 40 minutes journey back to Sanur.

☞For a detailed guide on how to get back to Sanur, read: A Complete Guide To Planning Your Trip To Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida


🔽From Sanur to Ubud

The distance from Sanur to Ubud is longer than that from Ngurah Rai airport and the grab ride costs us RP 123,000, but it was still much cheaper than a taxi ride. The entire journey took about one and a half hour due to traffic congestion. As a result, we were only able to reach our hotel by 4pm. The check in process also took a while, and by the time we managed to get a scooter, it was already past 5 in the evening, hence a little too late to explore much of Ubud, especially with Terry having lost his spectacles. We rented a scooter through our hotel for RP 70,000 per day but paid only RP 100,000 for two days. This is half the price of what we rented in Nusa Lembongan!

Scooter is the best way to see Ubud

Tip: Given the circumstances, it may be more worthwhile to spend more time at Nusa Penida, to tackle the remaining three eastern spots and to take the 5pm boat to Sanur instead. What we didn’t foresee was the time it took us to get to Ubud (the cars are all driving at the speed of 50 to 60km per hour in Bali), ultimately wasted half a day. Our initial idea of seeing a bit of Ubud doesn’t quite work out.


🔽Dinner at Naughty’s Nuri

The pork ribs at Naughty’s Nuri is definitely in the list of every Bali’s first timer, including mine. Though there are Naughty’s Nuri branches in Malaysia and Singapore, I hadn’t tried them, so this original warung in Ubud was my first. It certainly didn’t disappoint, though the price is not cheap (though still cheaper than Malaysia and Singapore). With our tummy filled satisfyingly, we returned to the hotel for an early rest as we were going to hike Mount Batur the next morning.

Naughty Nuri

🏡Lodging: Nirwa Ubud Karma (RP 960,000 / RM270 / SGD91 for two nights)

Nirwa Ubud Karma

④Day 4 – Mount Batur Sunrise Hiking Tour > (Ubud) Tirta Empul > Tegallalang Rice Terrace > Pura Taman Saraswati > Ubud Main Street

🔽Mount Batur Sunrise Hike

We booked our hike through our hotel owner, Mr. Made for RP 350,000 per pax, for a sharing tour. This is a fixed price through our hotel and no further negotiation can be done. However, this is also the cheapest I’ve come across according to the research I made before coming to Bali. The tour includes mountain guide, permit, pick up and drop off from the hotel, a bottle of mineral water, and breakfast before the hike as well as breakfast at the peak of the mountain. We were picked up at 2am and reached the foot of the mountain at 3.30am. The hike starts at 4am and we reached the peak around 6am, ready for sunrise.

Mount Batur

Tip: Most hotels and homestays in Bali would be able to help you make a booking for any kind of tour, even helping you get a driver if you don’t already have one. Otherwise, there are also tour companies all over Bali. In Ubud, you can easily find them along the main street, but they do come in different pricing, so make sure to bargain. We found out that a guy who were in our tour were charged RP 600,000 for the hike. Oops!

Mount Batur sunrise

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🔽Tirta Empul

We returned to our hotel at Ubud by 10.30am and after cleaning up, we had our late breakfast provided by our hotel, before riding the scooter out. It was a rainy day, but we still managed to cover Tirta Empul. Possibly the holiest temple in Bali, local pilgrims come here for purification ritual under the 30 water spouts that feed the two pools. The ride from Ubud main street is approximately 30 minutes, and you will be likely to spend about 30 minutes there as well, making this a 1.5 hour round trip from Ubud town. Parking fee is RP 2,000 while entrance fee is RP15,000 per person.

Tirta Empul

Tip: If you have time, I would strongly suggest combining the trip to Tirta Empul with another temple, the Gunung Kawi temple which is just a stone’s throw away. There’s also another Goa Gajah temple which isn’t too far away. As we spent half of the day hiking, we didn’t have to luxury to cover too many places, and hence left Tirta Empul and proceeded to Tegallalang Rice Terrace.

Tirta Empul

☞More on: Tirta Empul - Possibly The Holiest Temple In Bali


🔽Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Rice paddies are everywhere in Ubud. But the most photographed one had to be Tegallalang Rice Terrace. We were there during the weekend (Saturday) and the place was full of tourists. It’s tough not to be photobombed considering the number of crowd. The recently added swings which gone viral on Facebook and Instagram is also attracting more visitors. Entrance is free, but certain fees or donation is expected to step on some farmers’ land. The swings are also chargeable.

Tegallalang Rice Terrace

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🔽Babi Guling for late lunch

We had Babi Guling Ibu Oka for late lunch simply because it’s the only place nearby which is still serving babi guling at that hour. Besides, it was raining, and we really didn’t want to ride out in the rain. Luckily the rain stops when we were to head out to Pura Taman Saraswati.

The not very nice Babi Guling Ibu Oka

Tip: We had wanted to try another local warung – Babi Guling Gung Cung. However, we were too late as the place closes by 3pm. Our advice is to be there before 12pm. Don’t even bother to try Ibu Oka. Definitely isn’t worth the price – RP 77,000 for a plate of babi guling rice?


🔽Pura Taman Saraswati 

Entrance to Pura Saraswati is free and that was part of the reason why it made it to my itinerary, besides being conveniently located along Ubud main street. The most notable feature of the water temple is its lotus pond and water garden, marking the outer area. We were probably in the wrong season as there is only one single lotus blooming during our visit. Be prepared to spend as little as 10 to 20 minutes there as the compound is quite small.

Pura Taman Saraswati

Tip: There are plenty of places to be combined together with this temple. Starbucks is just located at the front entrance of the temple, and there’s even an adjoining café called Lotus Café. Otherwise, Ubud Palace is just along the same street although the similar structure deterred me from visiting. On every Thursday, there are also kecak dance performance in Pura Taman Saraswati. Not visiting on a Thursday? Fret not, as there are plenty of other dance performances all over Ubud town every single day. You would be spoilt with choices!

Other performances in town

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🔽Ubud Main Street

After our short visit to Pura Taman Saraswati, we strolled along Ubud Main Street where the market is also located. There were plenty of restaurants, ice cream galores and cafes along the street but we settled at this place called Seniman Coffee, since Terry is a coffee fanatic. As for me, desserts anytime, please!

Seniman Coffee

🔽Bebek Tepi Sawah – next time perhaps!

We initially planned to have our dinner at Bebek Tepi Sawah, but unfortunately it rained heavily, and I was feeling sick. Not wanting to let get drenched in the rain, Terry decided to bring me back to the hotel, and all we had for dinner that night was PopMie (instant noodles). We ended up hitting the bed super early that night due to me falling sick.

Tip: Other dining options in Ubud which you should try besides Naughty’s Nuri and Bebek Tepi Sawah is Sari Organik, a restaurant located in the middle of a paddy field serving Balinese cuisine. In fact, it was near our hotel (within walking distance). Too bad, I was feeling too sick to even remember this option.

🏡Lodging: Nirwa Ubud Karma (RP 960,000 / RM270 / SGD91 for two nights)

Nirwa Ubud Karma

⑤Day 5 – (Bedugul) Pura Ulun Danu Beratan > Banyu Wana Amertha Waterfalls > Wanagiri Hidden Hills > Handara Golf Resort > (Denpasar) Krisna Oleh-Oleh Khas Bali > Ngurah Rai International Airport 

🔽Hiring a driver

Our last day in Bali is the only day we hired a driver to bring us around. After 4 days of riding scooter, we wanted to have a day to sit back and relax without having to worry about getting lost or being late for our flight. After all, we wanted to make a day trip to Bedugul which is about 2 hours away from Ubud. Through friend’s recommendation, I contact Joe a week before our trip and got a good price of only RP 500,000 (Full day, half day = RP 350,000). This includes petrol and parking fee. Do contact our driver, Joe for more information - Facebook:  Bali Driver & Tour Organizer | Whatsapp / Wechat: +62 813-3741-2185


🔽Pura Ulun Danu Beratan

Our first stop for the day was Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, one of the most famous temple in Bali. Depicted on the RP 50,000 Rupiah note, the entrance to this place is also ironically RP 50,000 per person. This temple is also dubbed Bali temple on the lake because it looks like it is floating when the Bratan lake water rises. You can also rent a pedal boat or canoe for RP 100,000 and RP 200,000.

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan

Tip: Do reach early before 10am as the temple is usually crowded in the late morning and in the afternoon. Located conveniently in between Ubud and Lovina, this can be done as a pit-stop while travelling between Ubud and Lovina. We didn’t go to Lovina despite the fact that I was eyeing for the dolphin, but it can be done on the same day. You should start your day with dolphin watching at Lovina which would see you departing from Ubud before dawn. Once you are done with the dolphin, stop by Pura Ulun Danu Beratan on the way back to Ubud (or Kuta / Seminyak, depending on where you are based)

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan

☞More on: Pura Ulun Danu Beratan - The Jewel of North Bali


🔽Banyu Wana Amertha Waterfalls

One of the reason why I’d skipped the two waterfalls at Nusa Penida was because of this set of waterfalls near Pura Ulun Danu Beratan. Located just about 30 minutes away is a set of four waterfalls and I had my eyes set on the second one – Bhuana Sari Waterfalls. The hike down to the waterfalls are not difficult (see how I managed to get down there with a long maxi dress and slippers?) and would only take you less than 10 minutes for each of them. It was not largely known prior to our visit, but I can see that it’ll get more popular in no time. Entrance fee was RP 20,000 per person, and parking fee is charged separately. We spent around one hour plus in the waterfalls in total.

Bhuana Sari Waterfalls

Tip: There are plenty of waterfalls in the north, and if you are not too keen on Banyu Wana Amertha, there are other waterfalls nearby – Banyumala Waterfalls, Sekumpul Waterfalls, Git Git Waterfalls, to name a few. If you have time, perhaps you can even dedicate one whole day into waterfall hunting?

Twin Waterfalls

☞More on: Banyu Wana Amertha - Easy Hike To Four Secret Waterfalls of North Bali 


🔽Wanagiri Hidden Hills

Taking inspiration from the original Bali Swing in Ubud, the savvy locals in Wanagiri decided to build similar swings and platforms around Wanagiri lookout, which serves as both the vantage points over Lake Tambingan and Lake Buyan, and Instagram-worthy photo booths. The proximity from Pura Ulun Danu Beratan and the waterfalls certainly help boost the popularity of this place, which was only opened somewhere mid 2017.

Wanagiri Hidden Hills

Tip: There are several operators in the area, and each charged different fee. We went to Wanagiri Hidden Hills which is RP 40,000 for four lookouts – bird nest, swing, bamboo platform and tree platform. Their staffs will even help you to snap photos, so rest assure that your photos will turn our great as they know the angle best.

Sarang Burung (aka Bird's Nest)

☞More on: Wanagiri Hidden Hills - Instagrammable Bird’s Nest and Love Swing With The View of Lake Buyan


🔽Handara Golf & Resort Bali Gate

We ended our Bali trip with a signature Bali gate photo at the entrance of Handara Golf & Resort. Taking a photo with a Bali Gate has become a must-do thing in Bali, with many travellers going as far as Pura Lempuyang for the insta-worthy shot. Although I originally wanted to visit Pura Lempuyang as well, I had to scrap it off my plan as we were short of time. In the end I chose Handara Golf & Resort since we were heading to Pura Ulun Danu Beratan anyway. As for Pura Lempuyang? I’ll keep that for next visit when I will also add in Mount Agung hike into my itinerary.

Handara Golf & Resort

Tip: The gate is near Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, so you can do it right after your temple visit before proceeding to the waterfalls and Wanagiri Hidden Hills. We put it at the end of our itinerary as we wanted to head to the waterfalls first to beat the crowd. Doesn’t it also feel better to end our trip with a beautiful Bali Gate to seal our romantic getaway?

☞More on: Handara Gate - That Iconic Balinese Gate That Took Instagram By Storm


🔽Flight home

We had our lunch at De Danau at 3pm, then drove to Ngurah Rai International Airport to catch our 9.20pm flight back to Malaysia. We stopped by Krisna Oleh-Oleh Khas Bali which is 5 minutes away from the airport for our last-minute souvenir shopping. Before we board our flight home, we had dinner at Warung Made in the airport, for our one last Balinese meal before saying goodbye to Bali.

Tip: The journey to Denpasar took roughly three hours, so we didn’t stop anyway along the way. If you are not rushing to the airport, you may consider slotting in Jatiluwih Rice Terrace on your way back to Ubud (or wherever you are based).


Cost breakdown (for 2 pax)

Exchange rate: 
SGD 1 : RP 10,500 | RM1 : RP 3550 | SGD 1 : RM 2.96

☞Accommodation (4 nights):                   RP 1,616,285 / RM 455.29 / SGD 153.93

☞Speed boat to Nusa islands:                 RP 820,000 / RM230.99 / SGD 78.10

☞Car rental and driver (1 day):               RP 500,000 / RM 140.85 / SGD 47.62

☞Ojek and grabcar:                                  RP 264,000 / RM 74.37 / SGD 25.14

☞Scooter rental and petrol (3 days):      RP 288,000 / RM 81.13 / SGD 27.43

☞Scooter parking:                                     RP 9,000 / RM 2.54 / SGD 0.86

☞Attractions/Donation/Toilet:                RP 1,006,000 / RM 283.38 / SGD 95.81

☞Meals:                                                      RP 2,252,100 / RM 634.39 / SGD 214.49

☞Simcard:                                                  RP 250,000 / RM 70.42 / SGD 23.81

Total excluding flight and souvenirs for 2 persons:   RP 7,005,385 / RM 1,973.35 / SGD 667.18

Total, excluding flight and souvenirs for 1 person:    RP 3,502,693 / RM 986.67 / SGD 333.59

Terry’s flight (KL – Bali – KL return ticket):    RM 248 / SGD 84

Catherine’s flight (SG – Bali – KL – SG):         RM 350 / SGD 117 (three trips, purchased separately)

Our trip isn’t a budget one, but we ended up spending as little as RM 1000 (excluding flight and souvenirs) which took me by surprise, since we splurged a lot on meals. I guess that had to do with us going around with scooter instead of hiring a driver. Besides, we spent more time in Nusa Islands than Ubud, and the attractions there are all free of admission fee, with just a small fee for parking. However, this is offset by the price of the return speed boat which costs approximately RP 400k – 500k.

If you are coming in a big group, travelling with elderly and children or simply can’t ride a scooter, hiring a driver is your best option to go around Bali. Be prepared to budget RP 500-600k per car per day. With that said, you can try to bargain for a good deal if you are hiring the driver for several days. Our driver for the last day of our trip, Joe is a pretty nice guy. Do contact our driver, Joe for more information - Facebook:  Bali Driver & Tour Organizer | Whatsapp / Wechat: +62 813-3741-2185


Epilogue

There’s so much to see and do in Bali and it’s a travel destination suited for anyone. No matter what kind of a traveller you are, be it a beach lover, a hiker, an adventurous backpacker, a romantic couple on a honeymoon, a family with elderly and kids, a group of like-minded friends, a cultural fanatic, or just a solo traveller, there is always something for you tor fall in love with Bali. It could be the pristine beaches, active volcanoes, stunning lakes, majestic waterfalls, ancient temples, instagrammable cafes, yummy-licious Balinese food, soothing massage, picturesque paddy fields, or perhaps the friendly locals you befriended.

After 5 days in Bali, I still feel I’ve only scratched the surface of this beautiful place. I knew 5 days aren’t enough to cover Bali when I was planning the itinerary and as much as I wanted to squeeze everything in, it’s just not possible. You just got to sacrifice some places and set your priorities. And my priority was the three Nusa Island, before they get commercialised and more expensive to visit. The price hike within several months is just insane there! As for the other places I’ve not covered? Well… I guess I’ll have to fly to Bali again for a second visit. Anyone keen to sponsor my flight ticket? *Grin*