From Nusa Penida, Ricefields, La Brisa Bali to Tirta Gangga Water Palace

Bali is an island of beauty and contrasts so you’ll have plenty to see and experience. It’s one of the most touristed islands and isn’t exactly an untouched paradise. Many call Bali the island of the Gods but in many places it seemed more like an instagram circus with people waiting hours to take the perfect shot for instagram.

While visiting Bali has become cliche, the island is beautiful, offers a varied landscape and it’s inexpensive

Here are Top 7 Things To Do in Bali
- Book a Hotel in Bali
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- SHOP Travel Tech & Capsule Wardrobes 

1. Lempuyang Temple 

Visit the gates of heaven at the Lempuyang temple which is located at mount Lempuyang, 600m above sea level. In Bali it’s known as one of the most highly regarded temples and every day tourists will come here and wait 3 to 4 hours to get the infamous picture I’m sure you’ve already seen on instagram. And this was low season, imagine the crowds when it’s july or august. And don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful sight but we were not going to waste 3-4 hours of our time waiting in line for a picture.

And tell me, would you wait 3-4 hours to get a beautiful shot for instagram? Let me know in the comments below

On the other side you can take beautiful shots as well at the bottom of the stairs without the masses of people in front waiting.

2. Tirta Gangga Water Palace

Tirta Gangga Water Palace is a maze of pools and fountains surrounded by mesmerizing gardens and stone cavings and statues. A holy, green oasis that highlights some of the gorgeous nature you can find in Bali.

The Tukad Cepung Waterfall is a beautiful hidden waterfall which shines straight through the gap in the trees.

The first few items we’ve visited we’re through a tour we booked on Airbnb experiences. We got a full tour visiting these highlights, entrance fees were included and our guide was also a photographer because it seems nowadays that’s a must in Bali.

Seeing this live instagram circus in Bali it made me wonder if social media doesn’t ruin tourism when it has blown out of proportion like this. People waiting hours for an instagram shot, risking their lives by sitting on the edge of cliffs and more.

3. Bali Rice Fields

Visiting the rice fields was a dream. So lush and a unique sight, it doesn’t surprise me this is one of the most visited places in Bali.

Here you can walk around, even go zip lining or swing on the bali swing or see a live show of another act of the instagram circus

Have you ever spotted those beautiful dresses on instagram? I’ve never gave it so much thought but apparently you can just rent them and the photographer to go with you can take glamorous shots in a green paradise with a glamorous dress.

4. Coffee Luwak

Do a coffee and tea tasting. At first I wasn’t sure about this bit of the tour but the short explanation was enlightening and the coffee and tea tasting was delicious! I’ve never tried so many different flavors and varieties of coffee and tea.

And don’t forget to try the most expensive coffee: Kopi Lewak A cup costs between 90 up to 450 EUR per 500 grams and therefore is called the caviar among the coffee types.

The animal Luwak produces this infamous coffee as the they eat and then digest the products that eventually ends up in your cup.

5. La Brisa Bali

After a fascinating and inspiring tour we went and chilled at La Brisa Bali. From the decor, the view or the laid back atmosphere, La Brisa Bali is the perfect place to end your day in Bali.

Bali is much bigger than most people think so don’t stop where you’re based as there are many islands around where you can venture of to. Such as Nusa Penida. This was another airbnb experience we booked. I’ll leave the links of both tours below so you can book them if visiting Bali.

6. Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is the biggest of the three Nusa Islands which are just off from mainland Bali. There are so many beautiful locations to see on Nusa Penida Island and having a guide made it so easy.

We were picked up at our hotel, brought to the boat that went to Nusa Penida and there another guide picked us up to continue the tour.

During the tour you’ll visit Kelingking Beach, Angels Billabong, Broken Beach and Crystal Bay.

The famous coastal cliffscape Kelingking ‘T-Rex’ didn’t disappoint. Witnessing this makes you feel so small in front of nature’s natural beauty. But at the same time be prepared for hoards of people waiting and standing just to get the perfect shot for instagram. Everybody loves a beautiful picture to capture a unique experience but in Bali it was simply too much. IF you’ve visited Bali before how did you experience the masses taking pics all over the place?

7. Finns

If you’re looking to party at a glamorous locations than Finns is the place to be. Have a drink, go for a swim or party all night long. The music and volume is upbeat so don’t come here if you want to relax as it has more of a party vibe going on. Even though I loved the spot and its location the service of our waiter was disappointing and rude.

Although Bali has many beautiful spots it’s also incredible dirty with so much plastic and trash everywhere. That’s why staying at a eco resort is important to preserve the island. We stayed at Frei Bali Echo Beach resort which was only 15 min walking from La Brisa Bali, one of the hotspots I mentioned before in this video. 

Bali Travel Hacks