What You Need to Know before Visiting Bali (for beginner)

How to deal with things in Bali for your first visit. 

First time visiting a foreign place often give a feeling of nervous, even if you are used to travel around the world. This time, I’d like to share several tips that might be useful for you if you are coming to Bali for the first time.

How to go to Bali

If you want to go to Bali from your home country, the best way to go there must be by airplane. However, if you depart from the other cities in Indonesia, you can choose other transportation such as bus or ship. Nevertheless, going to Bali by airplane is still more recommended.

It is better to book a flight ticket much earlier because you may get the cheapest price. Be sure you choose the comfortable airways if your country is very far from Bali. Be ready to time and weather difference.

The best time to go to Bali

Bali is always interesting, anytime all year. But, if you have specific purpose visiting this island, for example you want to enjoy the beach, then, it is better you come around April to September where Bali has its dry season.

Pay attention to high season or peak season period too. The period around June to August and November to January is high season and peak season so any price regarding hotel and flight will be very high around this period. Besides, you have to be ready to find a busy and noisy Bali around that time due to many tourists there.

Where to Stay

It depends on which part of Bali you want to visit. If you want to see Kuta Beach, you can book any lodging services available in this city. Many types of hotel available to suit your budget here, ranges from cheap guest house until luxurious five star hotels.

If you want to stay at more luxurious hotel which provides more privacy, you can try to stay at hotel villas in Seminyak area. Many famous hotel villas are available in the city.

If you like more quiet area, you can choose to stay at the other places such as Jimbaran, Ubud, Sanur or Nusa Dua. While Jimbaran, Sanur and Nusa Dua provide hotels nearby the beach, Ubud offers fresh natural environment with mountain and rice fields. Ubud is quieter so it is very suitable for those who want to spend quality time far from the urban life.

You can also try to stay at the hotels in eastern Bali. The areas such as Candidasa in Karangasem regency is well-known for its beautiful tranquil beach. Many cheap and expensive hotels are available in this area. Or, you can also try to stay in Nusa Lembongan, which is now very famous for its beautiful beaches.

Where to Eat in Bali

As the top destination in the world, Bali sure has a lot of culinary spots. It is up to you to have fine dining or street foods. Every kind of foods are available in the island.

However, if you are Muslim or vegetarian, be careful to eat at the restaurants here. Before ordering, it is better to ask the staff whether they provide halal foods. 

Respect the local tradition

Just like the saying, when in Rome do as the Romans do, so when you visit Bali you are supposed to behave like the local residents too. At least you should respect their belief and tradition. Be careful to not step on ‘sesaji’ (thing like offerings used for religious tradition that is usually put nearby the entrance of a building/hotel/temple/shop). If you accidentally step on it, you should directly say sorry to the owner.

Some places may also ask the visitors to dress in certain way like forbidding any visitors wearing shorts or mini skirt. In this kind of situation, you should obey the rule and use cloth to cover your body or it is better to dress finely.

Also, do not randomly take picture on those who are praying with flash cameras as such behavior will disturb them and considered inappropriate.

(C) All pictures belong to their respected owners. 

5 Tips to Avoid Booking Mistakes

Booking hotel online is easy, but ensuring everything is all fine requires more effort.

Have you ever experienced to be charged for additional extra bed while you had been so sure you did not exceed the maximum occupancy? Have you ever been charged for additional service charge while you think it is compliment service from the hotel? Or, you have arrived at the hotel, but finding your reservation was not in their system? Well, if you answer is yes and you do not want to experience the same in the future, or, if you never experience that and certainly you do not want that happen to you, then, I suggest you read these tips to avoid any booking mistakes below.

      1.      Find more information about your destination

If you visit an area for the first time, you should spend more time to search any important information regarding the area. For example, if you are going to visit Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia, you should know what Seminyak is like. Find about the weather forecast, tourist attractions, tradition, hotel, restaurants, medical facilities and transportation.

      2.      Find the most suitable flight and hotel type

After collecting some basic information about the area you are going to visit, you can go searching for suitable flight and hotel. Usually, many online travel agents provide travel package where you can conveniently book a complete package that includes flight and hotel.

To get the most suitable package, you should consider your decision based on your budget, hotel’s location, people who are going to travel with you (if you are going to travel with other people) and the length of your stay. Package that includes hotel villa, for example, is a good choice to make if you are going to travel with your family or a group of friends.

      3.      Directly contact the hotel

I recommend you to directly contact the reservation staff of the hotel you are interested in. They may have special offer that they do not publish online. Or, if you travel with little children, the disabled or the elders, I reckon you ask them in detail about the hotel’s facility and safety. For example, if you are going to book a hotel villa with private pool, do not forget to ask whether they provide pool fence for more safety of your little children. You may also ask the depth of the pool, the bathroom’s feature, the living room and the bedroom.

     4.      Read carefully and thoroughly

Read condition and terms of any travel package carefully before deciding to book it. Once you are sure everything is right, then, you can make the reservation.

After getting the booking confirmation, be sure to read it thoroughly. Check about any term and condition applied in it. And, should you find difference or something not in place, feel free to contact the hotel or your travel agent.

Pay attention to room policy, amendment and cancellation policy. In the room policy, usually the hotel states about the maximum occupancy of each room and additional charge should any guest exceeds the maximum occupancy. There is also option in adding extra bed here.

As for the amendment and cancellation policy, it usually depends on your booking type and season. If your booking is non-refundable type, any amendment or cancellation may result to cancellation fee. The amount of the cancellation fee varies based on the hotel policy. Since this point if crucial, be sure you get it well.

      5.      Re-confirm your booking to the hotel before your arrival

When it is close to arrival, like three or four days prior to your check-in date, it is better for you to directly contact the hotel again. You can just mail them to inform about your arrival and if you need airport transfer, for example, they may be able to pick you up freely. This kind of confirmation is also very useful to ensure you have room ready for you in the hotel. Although you have already booked via travel agent and everything seems to have been well arranged, sometimes due to high traffic or system error, your booking may not be recorded in their system and this will make you do not get room ready on your check-in. Never let this occurrence happens to you by re-confirming your booking before your arrival.