BALI TIPS

This is how you are never in Bali and then you are four times in Bali within two years. It happened to me more or less by accident. First because my love was there and I missed him so much that I flew to him, and then because my daughter lives in Australia and Bali is a super convenient meeting place for both of us.

It's not a punishment, you know. And I hope you don't think I'm a spoiled brat, but to be very honest, there are really nicer destinations if you want sun, sea, and culture. Bali is extremely busy, the beaches are quite dirty, and in many places the sea is too wild to swim in. For the same money (and less flying), I would always choose Sri Lanka myself. Or Goa. Or if you want to be in the Indonesian Archipelago: Lombok or the Komodo Islands. But since you want to go to Bali at least once in your life, here are my Bali tips.

Shopping in Seminyak

Absolutely do not sleep in Seminyak or Kuta, because you will go CRAZY. Everywhere is crowded, honking, scooters, exhaust fumes; really not nice. But what is great are the many shops here. Here you can find that super cute bag for little money or a nice bikini (I bought two for less than 30 euros). My favorites are Uma & Leopold and Magali Pascal (both on Jalan Raya Seminyak). Go here for one day, shop until you drop, and never come back.

The beaches of Uluwatu

Uluwatu is located on the southern side of Bali. Here you will find that relaxed vibe you are looking for and the beaches from the holiday brochures: white sand, azure blue sea. Nice are Padang Padang and Bingin. If you rent a scooter and drive around a bit, you can discover quite a few ‘secret’ beaches. I have stayed twice at Bali Green Hills, a really nice and not expensive accommodation run by a very lovely Balinese family. Say hi to Ketut and Bond from Marion and Chris when you are there. Tip: Eat at Bukit Cafe Bali, which is around the corner from Bali Green Hills. Great food and all kinds of exciting fresh juices. A Rambutan-lime-mint juice, anyone?

Surfing and yoga in Canggu

Old-Amayzer Jet from Nieuwkerk tipped me The Chillhouse (thechillhouse.com). Here you can enjoy being alone and immerse yourself in healthy food and yoga. Canggu is located above Seminyak, which is of course very convenient if you want to go down for the shopping expedition. Expect great health food cafes here, such as Betelnut, Avocado, and my personal favorite: Nalu Bowls. The beach here is grayish and quite dirty, but there are nice beach bars and you can surf here – just like everywhere on the southwest coast.

The north coast

This is a completely different world than the busy south. Expect unspoiled nature, authentic villages, volcanoes, and dolphins. You don't have sandy beaches here (think: pebbles), but you can swim very nicely here. The sea is calm and clean. I once stayed in this villa by the sea and it was absolutely amazing! We stepped straight from our little house into the sea and had a coral reef right at our doorstep where we could snorkel. Expect it to be a three to four hour drive from Bali's airport.