I’ve wanted to visit since the Pinterest days. Rice fields, temples, waterfalls; exactly my kind of place. But you hear more negative reviews now, about how busy and over-run Bali is. So it was good to finally see it for myself.
I was staying in Ubud, a little town that shot to fame after the Eat, Pray, Love book. It’s well known for its yoga focus, and hippy vibes. I felt instantly at home there. Especially in my villa, with its own private pool surrounded by tropical foliage. It was all dark teak and rattan, an outdoor kitchen and sliding doors so you could step straight from bed into your pool.
I’d spend every morning swimming there, listening to the birds. And loved it in the evening too, swimming under the stars. And I loved Ubud itself. The coconut trees and rice fields (even one just outside my villa), and cute places to get coffee or lunch. Riding motorbikes barefoot and looking at fireflies at dusk, over the moonlit paddies. Prayer chants from the temples, the smell of sandalwood and incense everywhere. Frangipani flowers, floating on the pool. It was these moments, that stuck with me the most.
Yes, I did do some touristy stuff. The famous swing, over the rice terraces. A hike to a waterfall, a coffee plantation tour. But I’ll never forget the little girl who sat next to me, looking at my tattoos and letting me play with her lizard, as her mum made me a fresh meal from scratch, the sun setting over the paddies. Or getting a pedicure in someone’s upstairs attic room, under a lone lightbulb, mosquitoes and lizards chirping, as an old timer looked on from his evening tv show.
I don’t know, the place got under my skin. Not to mention you can just spend your days strolling from one rice field to another, stopping for iced coffees in aesthetic cafes, for a quarter of the price of back home. I guess I saw the draw; why some people never leave. I kind of wished I didn’t have to, either.
Practical Information
Getting there- Bali has an international airport reached from most places in Asia and the Middle East.
Where to stay- I loved my Airbnb villa. There’s many like it, especially in Ubud. You can stock up at the mini markets around the island.
What to do- Ubud is made for slow days. Stroll the rice fields, stop at one of the cafes. Definitely do the touristy loop of the waterfalls and temples, you can hire a driver for the day.
Getting around- Grab us the app for cheap rides and motorbikes. You can hire a driver for longer distances.
When to visit- Bali has a tropical climate, so expect humidity and showers all year around. Mostly though, the worst monsoons are in the autumn, I went in April and had hardly any rain.
