- Scuba diving:
This was by far my favorite activity during my time in Bali. Whether you’re certified or have never dived before, the scuba instructors are accommodating to all levels. The trip I did consisted of two dives in Tulamben: the Drop Off and the USS Liberty ship wreck. For those of you who have seen Finding Nemo, the Drop off is exactly like you would expect. Dropping over 60 meters, the massive cliff has an array of tropical fish. The second dive we did was a wreck of a World War II cargo ship called the USS Liberty. This 120-meter long ship lies only 30 meters from shore and is one of the most famous dive spots in Bali. We saw everything from cuttlefish to barracuda to a friendly sea turtle. These are not the only dives that were available. Some of the others included diving with massive manta rays and another was called shark point.
- Double 6 Road:
Located in Seminyak, Double 6 road is a great place to stroll around and shop. There are many small boutiques that are known to be very inexpensive. There are also many great restaurants to try the amazing Balinese food.
- Beanbag Bar:
Bali has some of the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen! The best place we found to enjoy them were at a beanbag bar with a nice refreshing, fruity drink in hand. Along the entire beach there were bars that rolled massive beanbags straight on to the beach. The best one we found was called La Plancha. With live music every night and the beautiful scenery, we stayed there talking for hours.
- Take a surf lesson :
Seminyak also has many different surf camps. Being beginners, we decided to do a lesson from the local Balinese. They had great attitudes and were very friendly and funny, they even had all of us standing on the perfectly crashing waves within the first 30 minutes.
- Visit Uluwatu :
Uluwatu temple is situated on top of the cliffs at the southern end of Bali. The majestic views are worth the day trip out there. WARNING: beware of the monkeys running around. They are notoriously known for stealing anything they can get their hands on: sunglasses, cellphones, and wallets. Down the street is a great place to watch pro surfers. There are also tide pools to wander in. Don’t forget to bring a camera; the scenery is breathtaking.
- Just relax on the beach :
Bali’s coastline has miles of beautiful beaches that stretch as far as you can see. It’s a great place to lounge around and the ocean is a perfect place to take a swim when the weather gets too hot!
- Yoga in Ubud :
Bali is known for it’s relaxing vibes and yoga is a perfect way to demonstrate it. Some of the people we met traveled all the way to Bali for the sole purpose of meditating. The Yoga Barn is a center dedicated to healing and renewal located in the heart of the town of Ubud. Most classes are drop in and have a wide range of yoga styles. I had never really done yoga before but even I really enjoyed relaxing and giving it a try!
- Mt Batur Sunrise Trek :
Before I go any further I want to warn that when we left from Ubud, it was a 2am pick up. 2am! With that being said, it was completely worth it! After the drive to the base of the volcano, we arrived to freshly made tea. The trek took a couple hours and all we could see was what was lit up by our flashlights and the glow of the flashlights of the groups ahead. We arrived just in time to the top to experience the gorgeous sunrise. We ate hard-boiled eggs that we cooked ourselves in the volcanic steam. We also enjoyed fruit, pastries and hot chocolate that warmed our bellies in the cold weather. The hike down was just as fun. We ran into more monkeys (if you haven’t realized yet, monkeys are everywhere!). We spent the rest of the day sleeping but the early alarm was well worth the views!
- Eat at Sari Organic :
Half of the fun was the 20 minute walk to the restaurant in Ubud. Surrounded by rice fields, we enjoyed the calm, quiet scenery. Along the way, we passed small stalls with handmade crafts and beautiful paintings. The restaurant itself had amazing organic food, all of the ingredients came from their local farm. We sat on cushions overlooking the rice paddies. On our way back, we stopped at a local spa and got facials that cost only $5!
- Infinity pools :
There are many different places you can go to swim in an infinity pool. Make sure to contact the place before you go because the first place we tried was only open to the hotel guests. With that being said, definitely go! We swam in a pool that water flowed over a ledge to a view of the luscious jungle. There was also a 300 stair trek down to a freezing, flowing river if you dare take a plunge!
