Top 15 Places to Check Out in Bali

Bali has many wonderful places and is filled with places to see and things to do. Its renowned worldwide for its wide variety of five star luxury resorts where you can live like a King on an island for a week or even a month if your budget allows.

Bali is also well renowned for its mountains, temples, beaches and of course it’s party scene, however its main claim to fame are its resorts and luxury hotels. You can find the beach that is perfect for you, ranging from private beach resorts, to pristine natural white sand beaches, to crowded party beaches. Here is our introduction to the top 15 places you have to check out while you’re in Bali.

How to pick the right place to go?

The first question many first time travellers to Bali will face is: “What should I do? And “Where should I go?” The answer as cliche as it may sound is: “It all depends on you!” Let’s dig deeper into the question by looking at the personality of the traveller. The first and easiest classification is the type of traveller you are. Are you travelling with your partner? Are you looking for a quiet romantic time or are you looking for the best party beach? Are you travelling solo and want a place where it’s easy to meet people and socialize?

With so many things to do and see and eat, this choice can be a very difficult one. But it shouldn’t be. Budget Air has developed a simple guide to help you decide. Before we dive deeper into which islands to visit, keep in mind these three important factors: dress code, ambience and weather.

The worst enemy of a perfect island getaway is rain. Plan your trip around the rainy seasons, so you don’t end up having to stay indoors during your holiday. Rainy season in Bali is usually between October to April. You also should check the news regarding volcanoes so your flight is not delayed or grounded.

Next, while you’re on your island getaway, you’ll be wanting to dress according to the place you’ll be visiting. If you’re visiting a temple, then you need to cover your shoulders and ankles and avoid any skin-baring clothes. If you’re visiting a club, then you’ll be required to wear shoes and be dressed to impress. If you’re on a beach, then a swimsuit or bikini is perfect to get a tan.

Lastly, we’re assuming you want a variety of experiences in Bali. As such, pick a few places based on the ambience you’re looking for. You can choose a romantic place for dinner before going to a noisy club with live music blaring and then a scenic place for supper or snacks.

Top Places to Eat

We’ll start off our guide with the most popular places to eat in Bali. One of its most popular attractions is of course its wide food and beverage options. Since Bali is mostly Hindu, its common to find pork and duck on the menu, and as such, the most popular dish unique to Bali, is its suckling pig or babi guling as its known and cripsy duck or bebek goreng and the final one is barbecued pork ribs.

The most popular place to eat Babi Guling is at Babi Guling Ibu Oka. This diner is only open for lunch and you’ll have to arrive early so you get to try it before it’s all sold out. They have English menus and caters to tourists from all over the world who travel to Ubud to try the suckling pig
and rice sets. You’ll get to add on skin, sausage and even blood cakes and vegetables to complement the suckling pig and rice. The pig is roasted fresh over a spitfire and this helps to improve the smoky flavor of the crispy skin and the blood sausage is tasty and full of flavour.

The best place to eat crispy duck or Bebek Goreng is at Warung Eropa, located in the lively Seminyak area, off the Petitenget main street. Here the crispy duck is offered with a variety of chilli known as sambal and vegetables on the side and the full menu of beverages to go with your food. Even the desserts are well-acclaimed here. The duck is moist, juicy and crispy at the same time and you won’t find another place that does it the same way.

The final must-try in Bali is the barbecued pork ribs and the best place to try this is at Hog Wild with Chef Bruno. This fabulous diner pairs the delicious smoky taste of pork ribs with its brutal martinis that is sure to make you feel like you’re about to have a great night! Its a great place for sunset drinks or the pre-game before heading to another place to party. The food is complemented by a comfortable interior and the wonderful service on offer.

Sunset drinks

With so many choices of where to watch the sunset, it’s hard to choose the best one, so Budget Air has a few to suggest!

The first is the best for couples on honeymoon: Jimbaran Bay. Grab a delicious seafood dinner and a beer in hand while you watch the sun go down. Cafe Menega has a wonderful seafood set paired with vegetables and rice with the freshly caught and grilled seafood like prawn, lobster, squid and fish.

If cocktails and a infinity pool overlooking the sea is more your scene, then visit the Lawn at Canggu. It's an absolutely perfect ambience to see the sun go down here. Here you can dine and sit on picnic mats under large umbrellas and listen to live music while you bask in the remaining bits of sunlight.

If you prefer watching surfers do their stunts to keep you entertained while you wait for the sun to set, then you can head to Echo Beach. This spot is further away from the Kuta or Double Six area, so it’s better if you want some peace and quiet while you reflect on the day you spent.

Another popular spot, is the newly opened Artotel Sanur Beach Club. There’s a lovely rooftop where you can watch the sunset and enjoy a yummy dinner with a custom cocktail. You can even take a dip in the pool if you wish to cool off after dinner.
If nature is more your thing, then head to Tanah Lot to see the sunset in all of its natural goodness. You can watch from Melasti Beach if you wish to see a waterfall in the backdrop of the sun setting that is perfect for photography lovers or head to the Tanah Lot Temple if you wish to see the ancient architecture on display.

Another cultural spot to see the sunset is Uluwatu, which is also a must-see in Bali in itself for its religious significance. There’s also a Kecek dance on display that uses the natural backdrop as its background for the performance. As the sun sets, the monkey king sets fire to a castle, igniting a flame of orange that complements the colour of the sky. Be careful of the monkeys as they are known to snatch belongings of tourists.

Rounding up this list, is the colorful beach bar, La Plancha of Double Six Beach. Combining one of Bali’s best beaches, with unique Spanish tapas and cocktails, La Plancha is a feast for the senses and is a great spot to people-watch while you wait for the sun to set in Paradise. You’ll be entertained by a DJ spinning the latest tropical house mixes over the blaring audio system.

Cocktail Bars

The most famous cocktail bar is Potato Head Beach Club, known the world over for its unique design and decor and its custom bespoke cocktails are complemented with local glassware. All over this cocktail bar, you’ll find many instagram worthy spots and you’ll find the music getting you in the mood to party.

If you’re looking for something quieter, then head to Ku De Ta, which offers pristine views of the ocean. Dress to impress here as many celebrities hang out here, so you’ll be in fashionable company all night long.

If single malt whisky appeals more to you, then check out the speakeasy of the town, Single Malt located on top of Ize Hotel in the upmarket Seminyak area. Furnished with dark leathery sofas, they offer tasting flights so you can try their different whiskies on offer.

Ending our list is the Woo Bar at W Hotel, which is known for being a luxury cocktail bar. Woo Bar boasts a romantic atmosphere and a great place to chill by the seaside and even offers sisha to relax the night away.

Clubs

Sky Dome Super Club is the name to remember if you want to experience the best Bali has to offer to party-goers. This is the spot where international DJs play at when they come to Bali, and is known for awesome laser light displays and a pumping audio system with a rooftop lounge serving food and beer upstairs.

Mirror Bali Lounge and Club is located on Seminyak’s Petitenget stretch, and is designed like a Gothic Cathedral, with stained glass and mirrors and high ceilings that complement its state of the art light and laser system that is sure to get you in the mood to dance. Its music appeals to lovers of deep house and hip-hop.

Another club, popular with the hip locals and ravers from all over the world is Pyramid Club Bali. Offering an eclectic mix of house, techno and rave EDM, the club is booming all night long with partygoers from everywhere and is open till 6am in the morning when the sun rises to greet you.

List of top 15 places:

Ibu Oka
Warung Eropa
Hog Wild with Chef Bruno
Jimbaran Bay
Lawn at Canggu
Artotel Sanur
Tanah Lot Temple
Uluwatu Temple
La Plancha
Potato Head
Ku De Ta
Woo Bar
Sky Dome
Mirror Club
Pyramid Club