Summary of My 5D/4N Bali Trip

Okay. For those that don't like to read long post of one topic. I'll summarize my 5D/4N Bali trip here.

Day 1: A Walk in Badung-Kumbasari Market

I checked in my baggage in KL Sentral. I am flying on MAS, so I can check-in my baggage in KL Sentral. Meet up with the Astro "MAS Saya Nak Cuti" crew and the winner of this for this episode, Juliana.

Ben, me, Aaron (Director), John, Kelvin and Juliana.

The flight took about 3 hours from KLIA to Denpasar Bali. Checked-in into my hotel Legian Paradiso at Jalan Legian No. 118, Kuta, Denpasar Bali. It's included in the MAS Tour Package. The stay comes with breakfast everyday at the hotel.

Took an hour of rest and then I engaged a freelance transport to Badung Market, Denpasar to meet up with the crew. Cost me RP 200,000 to and fro. Here in Badung Market you'll be able to see the local market. The locals will buy and sell food, fruits, flowers, meats and etc just like our local market. Here you'll be able to buy local produce and local street food. I found that most of the seller sells things for offering to the God in Bali.

I had Nasi Padang at a nearby restaurant before I go take a walk in the market.

Local selling local fruits.

An old woman selling things for offering to God.

While Badung Market sells fresh produce, Kumbasari is the art market in Denpasar where you'll see shops selling local Bali art works like wood crafting, rattan, stone crafting and etc. But if you have time, I recommend that you travel to Ubud where all the art workshops and factories are located.

It was almost dinner time when we finished exploring Badung Market and Kumbasari Art Market. I then hunt for street food in Badung Market. I had Bakso Mie Ayam, Liungpeng for dinner and packed Sate Ayam for supper.

My bowl of Bakso Mie Ayam (RP 5,000).

Day 2: What to do and not to do in Legian Beach?

On the second day I went to Legian Beach which is next to Kuta Beach. The beaches here are not safe for swimming but are very good for surfing. So, one of the activity that you can do here is to learn to surf.

Well, if you are already very good in surfing, you can just rent a surfing board and surfs away. If water activities is not your cup of tea, you can always go to the AJ Hackett Kuta, Bali near Legian Beach to do bungee jumping.

It's near the end of Legian Beach. Don't worry, it can be easily spotted. Just go towards the high platform and you'll find AJ Hackett next to Double Six Club.

I came here only I know there's so many type of bungee jump to choose from. The regular jump (USD $99), Tandem Jump (USD $185), Full Body Harness Jump (USD $135), and even Moto Madness (USD $225) where you jump with a motorcycle. In Bali, US Dollar is one of the currency they accept.

After some active sports, it will be a good idea to go for a massage at the nearby O-CE-N Bali by Outrigger.

Personally, I prefer Bali Spa in Legian Street, which is a bargain now that they are having 50% discount. Well, it was just my second day in Bali, so didn't really know the pricing. I then try to walk back to Legian Paradiso, and I got lost. Which is also a blessing in disguise because I hop on the a motorcylist and he brought me to eat nasi babi guling for dinner and then brought me back to hotel.

Day 3: Short trip to Ubud, Where Art & Food Meets

The motorcylist that too me to eat nasi babi guling on day 2 introduced his brother and we make a deal for a 4 hours tour to Ubud for RP 250,000. Ubud is about 45 KM from Kuta. It is a town full of many attraction because on the way from Denpasar to Ubud, you can have a choice to visit, Bali Zoo, Bali Bird Park, art workshops like batik factory, wood craft factory, silver jewelery factory, stone crafting factory and painting factory.

In Ubud, you can also find the three very popular eateries in Bali that was blogged by many bloggers. The Ibu Oka Babi Guling, Bebek Bengil and Bumbu Bali. If you can eat or are in a big group, I'll recommend that you try all three places. As for me, I was alone, so I only chose one. Guess which one?

I only have time to visit two attractions in Ubud, Bali. The Padangtegal Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Ubud Palace. You'll have to pay RP 20,000 for adult to enter the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. It's quite worth it because the sanctuary is quite big an you'll see a lot of Balinese traditional structure inside. There's many tall trees inside that gives you a sense of calmness, it's a good way to de-stress.

I won't recommend that you wear skirt to sacred monkey forest becaus some monkeys think it's food.

Ubud Place is in the center of Ubud where you'll see a lot of cars and motorcycle during peak hours such as lunch time. It is because Ibu Oka Babi Guling (HQ) and Bumbu Bali were just opposite. There's no entrance fee to visit the palace.

Most part of the palace are closed for visitation a few years ago because most tourist ignore the no photography warning in some part of the palace. So, now we can only visit the outer part of the palace where photography is allowed.

Every Saturday from 7.30 - 9.00 p.m. there's Legong Dance performance here. The fee is only RP 80,000.

On the way back to Denpasar. You can see many woman selling fresh farm produce such as corn, watermelon and ubi keladi. It's very cheap too. My driver bought two packets of corn for just RP 10, 000.

Day 4: The 3 KM Walk in Legian Street

On day 4, I decided not to travel far and just want to walk and not take any transport. So, I walk from Legian Paradiso, which is at one end of Jalan Legian (Legian Street) and walk to the other end of the street. A local told me that the street stretch about 3 KM from one end to the other.

Half way on Legian Street, I've reached the monument for the 1st Bali bombing where the names of the bombing victim were crafted on the wall. I felt kind of sad when I saw all those names.

I also did some shopping in a Quiksilver and Roxy shop along Jalan Legian. The shop is having 30% discount on selected Quiksilver T-shirt and 40% discount on selected Roxy items. I bought a Quiksilver T-shirt for myself and 3 Roxy T-shirts for my cousin sisters.

At the end of Jalan Legian, turn right into Jalan Pantai, walked about 15 minutes and you'll reach Kuta Beach. Oh, by the way, the whole Jalan Legian took me about 1 hour

There are a lot of food stall along Kuta Beach. You'll never get hungry.

Look out for the Hard Rock Hotel Bali too if you like to collect Hard Rock merchandise around the world.

I had my lunch near Kuta Beach and then I took a short cut through a pathway that's next to McDonald's Kuta and at the end of the pathway I reached Legian Street in the middle.

I went back to the hotel for short swim after I got wet from walking back in the rain.

After the swim, I went to Spa Bali at Jalan Legian No. 186, Kuta, Denpasar Bali (it's just 50m to the left of Legian Paradiso) for a 5 hours spa package. The package includes warm stone massage, body scrub, manicure & pedicure, foot reflexology, and flower bath. It was so relaxing and price is very reasonable too. It cost around RP 550,000 including tax. You'll won't be able to find this price in Malaysia for a 5 hours spa.

After my body scrub, I had yogurt covered my whole body and then dip in the flower bath.

I'm not totally naked lah.

I will recommend Bali Spa in Legian Street if you stay near Legian or Kuta. They are now having 50% discount on all services and spa packages. It's a one stop spa where you can do from heard to toe.


Day 5: Hello Kuala Lumpur, Goodbye Bali

Well, on the last day in Bali, I technically don't have time to go anywhere because my driver will be picking me up from Legian Paradiso at 10.30 am for the 12.50 pm flight back to Malaysia.

Checking-in our luggage.

Our flight home. MH 714.

Well, this is more like a survey trip for me as this is my first time to Bali. There are a lot more in Bali to explore such as diving in the USS Liberty Shipwreck, swimming with dolphin, sea temple, volcanoes, and a lot more. Honestly, 5 days and 4 nights is not enough. I will surely be back for more Bali experience when I have the chance. I still haven't try Bebek Bengil yet!!!

Important Tips:

1. Exchange Rupiah or USD as much as possible in Malaysia because the rate in Bali is not very good.

2. Don't splurge all your cash during your trip because you'll have to pay RP 150,000 airport tax during your flight home in the immigration. They only accept hard cold cash.

3. Advisable to book tour before you come to Bali so that you won't be overcharged.