Seven Amazing Things To Do (And One To Avoid) In Bali

Heavy with incense, the hot tropical air of Bali immediately hits you when you step off the plane. Suddenly the UK feels very far away and you're filled with a lust for adventure, magic and the unknown.

After long wanting to travel to the Indonesian outpost, my boyfriend and I finally booked a two-week trip and arrived in August.

The island has a lot to offer, so it can be hard to decide how to spend your time (possibly the definition of a first world problem...).

Here are five things that I did that you must do if you get to visit the beautiful little island... Plus, one very big mistake to avoid...

1. Snorkel and dive

We started off on the east coast of Bali, in the small town of Amed.

Here islanders and tourists alike zip around the winding roads on mopeds. The culture feels authentically Balinese, but the vibe is definitely one of beach-bum.

The sandy beaches are speckled with black sand that glitters in the sun. Yoga spots, casual eateries and a couple of bars are dotted throughout.

It was to become one of my favourite parts of the trip.

We stuck with snorkelling but with a number of wrecks to choose from, the area is somewhat of a Mecca for dive enthusiasts.

Reefs are accessible from the beach, or you can pay around £20 for a short boat trip, where a local will take you to the best spot to find colourful fish darting around their rocky waterworld.

In the evening we watched the sunset in one of the many picturesque coastal spots. Try the Imbuh Dine and Relax – where the views are superb and the drinks go down easy.

We stayed at the Griya Villas and Spa, a collection of small individual villas. It's pricey (expect to pay £200-£300 night for two people) but this little slice of heaven instantly switches you into holiday mode, after a long journey from London.

Our one-bedroom villa featured an outdoor bathroom and its own small infinity pool. Utter bliss.

If you’re looking for somewhere special – and are willing to splash out – this is most definitely worth your hard-earned cash.

2. Climb a mountain

After Amed we headed west, stopping off en-route to climb Mount Agung, the highest peak on the island – a truly amazing experience.

The trek is a must for anyone that likes to get active on their travels. But make no mistake, with the summit reaching 3,000ft, the climb is far from easy. The walk begins under the cloak of darkness at about 1am. The two of us set off with a light strapped to our heads trailing a small man of about 60, who couldn’t speak a word of English.

Within two minutes, I was out of breath; the path is steep and mostly comprised of slippery rocks and stones. In parts, you will literally have to climb on all fours to get up - and this continues for four hours.

But above the clouds turning off our torches to stop for a break was alone worth the hardship. The sky was filled with stars, at the brightest i’ve ever seen in my life.

You arrive at the summit as dawn breaks and the sky is fills with streaks of orange and yellow. It’s freezing but in the distance you can see Lombok and below you the fluffy clouds.

After a few pictures and a cup of steaming Balinese sugar-loaded coffee, the three hour descent is as tough as the climb up, but you have monkeys and the views to keep you going.

3. Get away from it all

Our next stop was at Village Above The Clouds, a small eco resort in the middle of the Balinese mountains, which overlooks nearby rice paddy fields.

It's run by the lovely Josep, who only employs people from the local village and siphons some of the profits go toward a ‘freedom school’, which runs after-school classes for the local children, teaching extra-curricular activities such as English and yoga. Guests can attend a class or even run one if they contact Josep in advance. 

As guests it felt as though we were the only tourists for miles around and we were fully immersed in the local culture.

From the resort you can hike the local area, but we chose to rent bikes and followed a guide through the UNESCO listed Jatiluwih rice fields.

It was pouring with rain but the lush green landscape was breathtaking and locals remained cheery, shouting hello as we rode past.

We had a pit-stop at the local hot springs before a ride back to the hotel.

4. Chase waterfalls

From Village Above The Clouds, we explored further afield by renting a motorcycle. The village is close to three of Bali’s largest lakes, which serve up a picturesque setting for photos, picnics and sunbathing.

We passed by on the way to Munduk, a large village home to a spectacular waterfall. You have to pay a small fee to view it, but it’s undoubtedly worth it.

Alternatively, you can set off on a hike from Munduk and discover an abundance of waterfalls that are located throughout the area.

On the return we stopped to feed the monkeys that line the road with a banana or two.

5. Walk through rice paddies

We were due to spend three days in Ubud - the town made famous by the book and movie Eat, Pray, Love - but the stay was cut to one day (more on that later), though we found this to be more than enough.

The centre was jam-packed with tourists, shops selling tat, and restaurants producing bad food. It felt like quite a shock to the system, after a relatively tranquil Balinese experience we'd had so far.

However, the rice paddies on the outskirts are stunning and the town's worth a visit for this reason alone - though you can easily get your rice paddy fix at the aforementioned Jatiluwih.

We also went for two beautiful walks that looped off the main street and through the surrounding ricefields. There are a few good cafes en route that offer good food and fully utlise the stunning backdrops - we enjoyed both the Karsa Kafe and Sari Organik.

The monkey temple in the centre is worth doing if you're in town, where you can hand out bananas to the cheeky critters.

And there are a number of ultra luxurious hotels on to stay in Ubud, but with its amazing swimming pool and setting the Hanging Gardens was top of our list.

6. Pamper yourself

After Ubud, we continued to hit the tourist hotspots with a stay in Seminyak – Bali’s chic centre on the south coast. I’d been strongly forewarned to avoid Kuta, just down the road and apparently completely spoiled by tourist excess.

The streets of Seminyak itself are traffic-logged, so it’s worth renting a motorcycle if you want to get out and about.

Alternatively, spend time wandering the streets, soaking up the buzz and visiting one of the many funky boutiques, bars and restaurants.

A visit to Bali isn’t complete without a stop at one of the many excellent value spas and Seminyak is the perfect place to do this. I picked up a manicure for approximately £8 and full body massage for another £10 from Bodyworks.

A pampering session is also the perfect way to break up a relaxed day at beach. With the busy centre just behind, I was surprised at just how relaxed and quiet the sandy strip felt – but then it is huge and stretches for miles.

We were in need of some r’n’r at this point, so did little but sunbathe and relax. But this part of the island is a notable surfing spot and a good place for beginners to pick up lessons, if you're tempted.

We ended each day with a cocktail in hand watching the sunset over Seminyak, and Ku-De-Ta beach bar made the job easy.

7. Wallow in crystal clear waters

After Seminyak, it was time to finish the holiday and we chose to do it in pure unadulterated luxury. With this objective in mind, Karma Kandara is suitably glamourous and filled with beautiful people.

As such, prices are expensive, think around £400 a night, but it’s possible to find discounts and deals, as we did through Luxenomad, which lowered it to around £350.

All you need is a good magazine, as you lounge on the private beach with chilled tunes in the background. The water is crystal clear and at low tide you can paddle board or canoe.

The resort’s restaurant makes the most of the idyllic views and the food was among some of the best we ate on the island.

It’s a resort where we felt fairly isolated from the rest of the island, so we were happy that we hadn’t booked to stay longer than a couple of days – but those two days were the height of beach indulgence and the perfect way to wrap up our Balinese experience.

And the one thing not to do...

My dream holiday actually started as a bit of a nightmare. The downside of Bali is that takes a long time to get to – there are no direct flights from London – so expect to be travelling for a good 20 hours.

And when I finally arrived at immigration, I was, ahem, turned away.

Yes, as there were less than five months left before my passport expired and you need six to qualify for the visa obtained on arrival, they weren't letting me in.

I couldn't believe Thai Airways had checked my passport several times over the past 20 hours but hadn't noticed that I wouldn't be allowing in to Bali. But I know, I know, it's my fault for not checking.

Regardless, it resulted in me flying back to London, picking up a new passport and flying back out again – expensive, time consuming,  and as you can imagine a considerable dampener on a once in a lifetime holiday.

Thanks are due to British Airways and Cathay Pacific for stepping in when Thai Airways' customer service utterly let me down.

But now you know, so learn from my mistake and don’t be put off from visiting this exquisite country.

Finally, before leaving, get yourself on instagram and follow these accounts: @girlguidetobali @thebalibible @balilocal @balibucketlist. They all post the best photos from travellers on the island, which aids planning and will get you suitably excited about the holiday ahead.