10 things to do in Bali – with bonus saving tips

Indonesia Trips & Tricks

I was avoiding visiting Bali for decades, because chasing the crowds is just not my cup of tea. However, the island is known for its beautiful nature and is conveniently located near Java, which had been on my bucket list for a while. So, in September 2022 we combined a trip to Bali with the highlights of Java and thanks to the post-pandemic period we got quite lucky. In this post I will share top 10 things to do in Bali with tips and alternatives that will help you save money*. I’ll also write a few travel hacks to help you avoid crowds in popular places.

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East Java Trip – From Jakarta to Ijen

Asia Destinations Indonesia

Indonesia enchanted us 4 years ago, when we were one of the few tourists in Lombok just days after the then devastating earthquake. As soon as the pandemic situation calmed down, I started planning our new trip to Indonesia. Java was on my bucket list for a while so we decided to combine a trip to East Java with vacation in Bali. In this post I will tell you about our East Java trip from Jakarta to Ijen, including a 5-day itinerary. Day by day, I will take you from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, Bromo, Ijen and finally Banjuwangi, where we took a ferry to Bali.

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10 bad things about Bali you should know before you start packing

Asia Indonesia Trips & Tricks

Bali is the most famous Indonesian island when it comes to tourism. It is full waterfalls, rice paddies, temples and affordable villas with private pools. While popular with backpackers and digital nomads, it is also a desired destination for families and honeymooners. But is Bali really worth the hype? Are there any bad things about Bali you should know before you book your “dream vacation”?

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Resort Review: The Anvaya Beach Resort (Bali, Indonesia)

Hotel reviews Indonesia

Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, hence thousands of rooms and villas are available for different budget levels. There are only 2 relevant questions you should ask yourself before you book a hotel in Bali. First, where to stay in Bali in terms of logistics, travel plans and personal preferences. And second, how much money you are willing to spend for a perfect vacation. In this post I’ll write a review of the Anvaya Beach Resort, which is located in Kuta.

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Enchanting Lombok

Asia Destinations Indonesia

After a short business trip to Singapore in September, we decided to visit Lombok as a part of our late »summer vacation«. We were choosing between Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam but only Indonesia seemed to have stable weather conditions – last three are too wet and very humid in this period. Lombok seemed like a perfect alternative to its overcrowded neighbor Bali, and since it also has direct flights from Singapore, the choice was actually very easy. Only that three days later a series of deadly earthquakes began and I was scared to shit going there. It was around one month before our departure, so we started to follow the news intensively and hoped for the best. Lombok was […]

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Hotel review: Jeeva Santai Villas (Lombok, Indonesia)

Asia Hotel reviews Indonesia

After spending 4 amazing nights in Jeeva Beloam beach camp, we were excited to visit another member of “Jeeva” family in Lombok – Jeeva Santai villas in Mangsit. To be honest, I was hesitating with my reservation until the very last moment, deciding also between Qunci villas, Puri Mas resort, Katamaran hotel or Jeeva Klui villas, but my gut told me to go with Jeeva Santai. After the terrible Lombok earthquake some of these resorts were badly damaged, however Jeeva Santai villas managed to stay intact and safe. So once again I got a confirmation that I have to listen to my inner voice more often 😊 I pre-booked the villa online and you can get 15€ off your next booking […]

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5 things to see in Lombok

Asia Indonesia Trips & Tricks

Want to visit Bali but you are afraid you will end up on a crowded beach or taking a selfie in a rice field full of tourists? Then consider visiting less commercialized Lombok instead. It is just 2 hours’ ferry ride away from Bali. Or just fly in directly from Singapore, Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur. Lombok can offer you stunning beaches, very clean seas, lush green inland, lively waterfalls, friendly monkeys and an impressive Mt Rinjani – an active volcano with breathtaking views of the lake inside its crater. We visited Lombok in September, only a month after the terrible earthquakes, so a lot of places we wanted to see were closed or had limited access. Which was actually just […]

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