Bali 12-Day Itinerary Planning Insights
Adapted from a post by group member Lin Junhong
In early August, we took a 12-day trip to Bali. The journey was full of surprises and challenges. Here are some of my insights and feedback, hoping to be helpful for those planning a trip to Bali.
E-Visa
Since August to September is peak tourist season in Bali, the queues at the visa-on-arrival counter and customs usually take over 2-3 hours. Fortunately, we applied for an electronic visa (EVoA) in advance and used the automated gate, which made the entire immigration process very smooth. From getting off the plane to picking up our luggage and entering the arrival hall, it only took 7-8 minutes. I recommend applying for an e-visa if possible, as it saves a lot of time.
SIM Card
In Bali, we chose to buy a local SIM card. In Kuta and Uluwatu city areas, the SIM card supports 5G networks, while in more remote areas, it’s mainly 4G. Even on the islands, the network signal is generally sufficient for navigation, but in the coastal areas of Nusa Penida, the signal is poor and only gets better at certain tourist spots. However, this didn’t affect our overall itinerary.
Read more: [Essential for Bali Travel] How to Get a Bali Internet/SIM Card?
Shopping
Shopping in Bali requires some bargaining skills. Generally, you can start by offering half the listed price, and the final price is usually 30-40% of the original. Prices in Ubud are relatively better, and there’s more variety. The same items in Kuta can cost 2-3 times more than in Ubud. So, choosing where to shop is very important.
Read more: How to Bargain When Shopping in Bali? Shopping Tips
Transportation
Traffic in Bali can be summed up in one word: ‘congested.’ Since my friend had a short vacation, we packed our first five days quite tightly, spending a lot of time traveling between attractions. With our accommodation in Ubud, it took 2-3 hours by car to reach Uluwatu, Kuta, and Canggu. So, it’s best to choose accommodation close to the attractions to save travel time.
Editor’s note: Check out our ‘Bali Area Guide’ for the best tips!
Food
On this trip, we mainly ate at small local restaurants to enjoy more authentic dishes at reasonable prices. Most restaurants accept credit cards, even on the outlying islands. However, some places charge an extra 2.5% processing fee, and about 60-70% of restaurants add a 10-11% tax and a 7-10% service charge. We didn’t encounter any unexpected price hikes.
Read more: Should You Tip in Bali? How Much to Tip? Tipping Guide for Various Occasions in Bali
We visited the Atlas Beach Club, which claims to be the largest in all of Asia. By the way, if you tip the staff at a Beach Club or Day Club, they’ll take great care of you and even watch your bags.
(Video provided by Lin Junhong)
Nusa Penida Island
We booked our round-trip ferry tickets on Klook, which was very convenient. This time, we stayed on Penida for 4 days. In my opinion, only two spots on the island are worth visiting. One is Kelingking Beach—we hiked all the way down to the sand. The scenery was stunning, but the descent was a bit terrifying and took 45 minutes. Coming back up was faster, at 35 minutes.
(Video provided by Lin Junhong)
Editor’s Note: When you come here, ‘remember’ not to go into the sea! There have been several fatal accidents already.
The other spot is Tembeling Beach and Forest, which is less crowded and perfect for relaxing. However, the road to get there is rough, so you need to be extra careful. Diamond Beach is relatively average in comparison. Since Penida is a newly developed offshore island, the quality of accommodation and dining is not high, and prices are about twice as expensive as on the main island of Bali. Overall, our trip to Nusa Penida was still quite enjoyable.
Nusa Penida Travel Guide
- 🏝️ [Nusa Penida Attractions Guide
- 🍽️ [Nusa Penida Dining with a View Guide
- 🤿 [Nusa Penida Snorkeling Spots Guide
- 🏨 [Nusa Penida Accommodation Guide
The Most Unique Accommodation Recommendations of the Trip
We stayed in Ubud for 5 days, then spent 3 days relaxing in the mountains. I highly recommend a guesthouse called Aurora Cabins by Panoramika. It’s a highly-rated stay. The cabin sits at nearly 900m elevation, next to a coffee plantation and facing east—a perfect way to experience mountain life. The sunrise views from here are spectacular. In the distance, you can see Mount Agung, with Mount Batur to the left. The room is cozy, comfortable, and well-equipped. Truly special.
▶ Book Aurora Cabins by Panoramika
We also stayed 4 days on Nusa Penida. A bit of a complaint here: our Airbnb required us to bring our own towels and such, because the ones provided were too dirty, and the mattress wasn’t clean either. We endured it and then reported it to Airbnb, who issued a partial refund.
(Video provided by Lin Junhong)
Further Reading: Accommodation Recommendations on Nusa Penida: 13 Highly-Rated Stays from Luxury to Budget
Overall, Bali is a great place for slow living, rest, and creative work. Hope these insights help with your Bali trip! 🌴
Do you think Lin Junhong’s itinerary is exciting? Go ahead and plan your own Bali free-and-easy trip! Feel free to share your itinerary in the community too!
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