Planning your trip to Bali

There are different schools of thought on how you should plan your trip to Bali. Some people have an itemized itinerary, others simply let the adventure happen. A friend of mine who has organized tours for people before, told me that ideally you should aim for 1 big event per day, with plenty of free time thrown in. Tour companies, at least the better ones, have figured out that more than a couple of hours in a vehicle per day is not ideal, at least not as part of the ‘fun stuff’. You should also allow your guests plenty of free time, as relaxing, enjoying food and the accommodation is part of a good trip.

With that in mind, a week-long trip to Bali you organize yourself, might go as follows.

Day 1 – Enjoy Kuta Beach, by finding a shady spot next to a drink seller, chatting with the guys offering surfboards and enjoying the warm breeze. When the vendors stop bugging you, it will start to be fun and you might get the courage to go splashing around with a rental board (at high tide only). Rest of the day is free to enjoy the warungs, shops and bars.

Day 2 – Candi Dasa
Drive from Kuta to Candi Dasa. Today’s big event is visiting the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, just west of Candi Dasa and takes just a hour or so to visit once you’re there. The western section of Tenganan, which is accessed via the same road off of the main road, followed by a left turn is a less touristy area, which also makes the special Geringsing cloth. The rest of the day can be spent enjoying your hotel pool, the sections of white sand beach or checking out what Candi Dasa has to offer.

Day 3 – Amed
Just over an hour’s drive from Candi Dasa, Amed offers a perfect place for relaxation. Black sand beaches are lined with local fishing boats and you will see a real village type of environment. The big activity today is visiting Tirtaganga, which is on the way to Amed. You can enjoy a relaxing swim in the fresh water Royal pool. The surrounding scenery is stunning, so take your time. Back in Amed you might enjoy a nice seafood lunch next to the pool, an afternoon nap or a stroll through a local village.

Day 4 – Amed
Waking up in Amed and realizing you don’t have to go anywhere today is a dream in itself. The big event today is diving on the wreck of USS Liberty in Tulamben. Just 20 minutes north, you can arrange your dive, or snorkel, from one of the local dive operators. Rest of the day can be spent enjoying the local serenity and beauty of Amed.

Day 5 – Lovina
Lovina is a 2 hour drive from Amed and the big event today is visiting the waterfall at Gitgit. Lovina has accommodation for all budgets and a cool restaurant / bar / nightclub, the Volcano which goes till late.

Day 6 – Ubud
A 3 hour drive from Lovina, Ubud a joy to behold. Equipped with home stays, villas, hotels and resorts, you can find what ever suits your style. Today’s big event is a cooking class at Casa Luna. If cooking isn’t your deal, visit the Neka art museum in Campuhan, the finest collection of Balinese artwork. Make sure you stop at Naughty Nuri’s across the street for one of their lethal Martinis. The afternoon can be spent wandering Ubud’s streets, taking a slow cruise trough the scenery, or enjoying an afternoon tea (in my case arak madu) at Cafe Lotus.

Day 7 – Kuta
Just 90 minutes from Ubud, Kuta is a handy last stop, before heading for the airport, 2 miles away. Big event for today is shopping for gifts. That includes gifts for yourself. If you like DVD’s, you can get 70 for free, if you buy 100, price 10,000rp each. Surf-wear, handcrafts and clothing will now be more familiar to you, now that you have been in Bali for a week and understand the pricing a little better. Maybe a sunset drink at Blue Ocean Beach, followed by an extended dinner is on order. Seminyak might be a place for those who like the party scene, as Double Six goes from midnight to 6am.

With transport you can be adventurous. With a relaxed attitude you can enjoy the simple things as well as the big stuff.