Bali is a beautiful small island in the Malay Archipelago, south of Singapore. Formally it is a part of Indonesia, but in reality, it is an Instagrammable place.
Where is Bali on the map?
To find Bali on the map, you need to find the Indian Ocean, and then - it's the eastern part. See the large islands: Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra? Look below and closer to the East. Here it is, Bali. From Bali on the map to Australia, it is very close. In reality, there is just over 1200 km (from Nusa Dua to Derby, King's Bay), can you imagine? If simultaneously with a trip to Bali to make an Australian visa, you can also visit Australia. Of course, to swim long, it is the sea. But the plane to Melbourne is only 2.5 hours. So Bali is almost the edge of the earth. Bali is the only tourist island in Indonesia. It is a genuinely paradisiacal place, which can not be said about not tourist neighbouring islands. 85% of Bali residents are Hindus. Special Hindus. Their religion - a complex alloy of Hinduism, paganism, fragments of the mystical teachings of the ruling, native legends, and elements of Buddhism. To Shiva, Rama and Synthia they treat so warmly and in a thoughtful way as if these guys still live in palaces Ubud or somewhere in the mountains. A complicated religious and cultural cocktail resulted in a peaceful, smiling, radiant population. They are such cuties that you immediately forget that just some 150 years ago Malay pirates were deservedly considered the most ferocious and bloodthirsty in the world. By the way, a little east of the pirates is still pirates now. Until the 80s of the 20th century, there were no tourists in Bali. There were a few hippie communes in Kut and a couple of artists' villages - that's probably it. But in 1978, the governor of Bali drew the attention of the Indonesian government to the unique, rich, and distinctive culture of the island and this region began to develop. Today Bali welcomes more than 6 500 000 tourists a year, and this number continues to grow.
When is the best time to travel to Bali?
All the year-round. Formally there are two seasons: dry (June - October) and humid (November - May). The peak of the rainy season falls in January and February. But this is not what it looks like; it doesn't rain all day long. The rainy season means that at night there will be a thunderstorm and tropical rainfall for 1-2 hours. Sometimes it happens during the day: a real waterfall falls from the sky, the water in the mangroves rises, and water flows through the streets. Tropical rainfall is something special. It's also very dramatic, formidable, and eerie to watch a storm gather over the ocean. Clouds, lightning, thunder, high waves - all this creates an exceptional mood, a feeling of great strength of the elements. If you are lucky, you can see and photograph the funnels of small tornados over the ocean. It looks impressive, but there is no danger, you don't have to worry. So the question is: when the season in Bali is not something to worry about. Another excellent detail: there is no dres's code in Bali. Put on whatever you want. Girls will be interested in buying local clothes, they are lovely, absolutely natural, and cost a penny everywhere except Nusa Dua and Labuda tourist stores. There you can also find cool sandals made of snake leather and very unusual bags, including stunning a la "English Doctor" handbags made of cobra leather. What is the best photo spots in Bali? It's hard to start somewhere; there are many unique places. Hold 12 Instagrammable places in Bali.
1. Rice terraces Tegallang and Jatiluvih
To take a photo in Bali against the background of rice terraces is a must for any traveller. The emerald greenery of the rice terraces looks stunning everywhere, and Bali is no exception. The most liked Instagram photos will be just excellent! And if you have already bought yourself some native clothing or jewellery, your photos will look like a photo from a National Geographic Traveler report. It is one of the most popular Instagrammable places in Bali. Rice in Bali is grown and eaten, so there are enough terraces there, and you can easily make a stop on the way to Tanya Lot, waterfalls, or volcanoes. For fans of eco and agritourism, there are small hotel complexes, consisting of several huts, standing right among the plantations. This is an exciting experience, but for the amateur, Bali is primarily the oceans, surfing, fantastic nature, and ancient monuments. But if you have visited the idea to make a cool photo set "we live in the jungle", you can see such a hotel for a couple of days. It will be almost a real life in the jungle, icy and delicious Bali food and fantastic night with fireflies, sounds of the forest and other amazing things. Those who like "full immersion" can take a master class in rice cultivation and climb terraces on the knee in the mud. These hotels are relatively clean, safe and unusual. Where can I take a photo in Bali? Of course, here! A great unpackaged idea. For everyone else who prefers the coast, you can take a photo against the terrace on the way. Along the route, there are many cafes and restaurants, of course, with a veranda and a fantastic view. The food there is so much to eat, tourists stop only to have a Bali café (coffee in Balinese), to relax and enjoy the spectacle. Everywhere in Bali, you can take dishes with rice or even just white rice, where it is cooked extremely tasty. And, of course, pineapple juice. There are a lot of beggars, so the guide, who will drive them away from you (sorry), you will have to be very helpful. Let me remind you once again: the best guides in the British travel agencies, roaming guides have a rather vague idea of what service is, they play in a completely different league. And the prices are the same everywhere.
2. Waterfalls
The most Instagrammable places in Bali - Waterfalls. Oh, these are the real stars of Instagram. You can say for sure: if a person has been to an island, he will want to take a photo of Bali by the waterfall.
In total, there are about 130 waterfalls on the island. But we will not do anything. We need beautiful most liked Instagram photos. And we also need to go not 4 hours, and we would prefer to do without special trekking shoes (we do not have them) and not to climb the mountain trail for 3 hours. So keep the five coolest places, where there is a trail, and the steps and the road to the waterfall itself (to get close enough).
A giant waterfall is something, I tell you. People do not treat them in vain in a unique way, make select platforms for meditation and viewing platforms. You will see for yourself.
Visiting the waterfalls and trekking to them - one of the tourist attractions, you must buy a ticket. Prices vary, but they will not ruin you. For jumping and swimming in the lagoon, you will need a guide and a special permit, which you can get right on the spot. The focus will show you where to jump from and can even take a photo of your epic jump.
If you are in Bali in the dry season, choose the giant waterfalls. They do not run out of water.
Sekumpul Waterfall: Among the Instagrammable sites in Bali, this waterfall stands firmly in the top three. First, it is beautiful. Secondly, it is easily accessible.
There is a ladder, and around the real jungle: ferns and giant trees twisted by vines. There are several viewing platforms, each of which is perfect for the photo.
Bring your swimsuits and trunks. In the lagoon you can swim and, of course, take a photo of happy people who came to the edge of the world and bathed in a waterfall.
Waterfall Sambangan: It is not a single waterfall, but a whole complex, including Along-Aling. Along Aling is a real star of Instagram because it fits perfectly with our idea of what a waterfall is shown in films about pirates and adventure.
It has a turquoise lagoon where you can jump from the top of the waterfall. If you know how to jump in the water from the rocks at all, then do it, it's safe, and your guide will provide you with backup. For jumping and swimming, you need a special ticket that includes a rescue guide.
Waterfall Kanto Lampo: It is very close to Ubud in the gorge and is very good for photosets: the waterfalls down the stone steps and you will have excellent shots in the sparkling sun spray. The sunsets in the gorge around 10 to 14 hours, and then you can go to Ubud's restaurants and shops.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall: This place is for lovers of mysticism. It is located in a deep canyon and with the right lighting, your photos will look as if you are in a fairy tale at some source of eternal youth. The light falls from above, like in the Mexican senates, it is beautiful.
The descent is not tricky, but slippery, be careful. There are almost no people there, and you do not need tickets yet.
Git-Git Waterfall: It is known as the most Instagrammable waterfall in Bali. The path to it lies through the coffee plantations, where you can see how one of the most expensive coffee varieties in the world is produced, "Kopi Luwak", drink a glass of Balinese coffee on the plantation and even buy a couple of kilos with you. This is a good purchase: in your home country, wherever you live, this coffee variety will cost at least 20 times more than there.
You can swim in the lagoon of a waterfall, and you can take a photo at one of the observation sites. You can't swim in pairs in the lagoon: a local legend says that if you break this melting pot, the couple will quarrel and break up.
3. Volcanoes of Bali
The next most popular Instagrammable places in Bali are volcanoes. There are two ways to take photos of Bali by volcanoes. If you want a photo as "I am a traveller", you should make a track on Batur and meet the sunrise there. If you're from the guild "I'm travelling in an elegant dress, take me to a place with a good view, I'll take a photo and put it in an Instagram", there are such places to visit in Bali too.
Batur volcano: Not the highest point in Bali, the height of the volcano 1717 m. But it is an active volcano with four craters and the most popular Instagrammable place in Bali. Climbing to the top is a trendy track among tourists. It is called this adventure to meet the rising of the top of the volcano.
This is not a massive climb, available to any healthy person. Usually, the ascent begins in darkness, and then they meet the sunrise, take Instagram pictures and enjoy the spectacle. As a reward, you get a photo of a "volcano conqueror" with a stunning view and a "happy and satisfied" face.
This trip can be combined with a visit to the complex Pura Ulun Danu Batur and the day will surely pass not in vain.
Agung Volcano: It is the highest mountain in Bali; its height is 3142 m. Not so high to catch the "miner" (mountain sickness begins at an altitude of 3500 m), but enough to change your mind on the way and climb further on one will.
We were climbing the amateur. You will need equipment: boots, sticks and a small backpack for water and other useful items. Honestly: in the Himalayas, such a challenge is logical and understandable, but here ... in general, on the amateur. Of the pluses - this is the Great Mountain of the island and the view of Batur, for example, from there is impressive. We have already talked about the disadvantages.
4. Kintamani
Where to take a photo in Bali with the Volcanoes, but without a heavy track? But you can go the other way - go by car to Kintamani and have lunch with a view of the volcanoes. For those who are not a fan of trekking, this is a great option. There are several viewing platforms, all of them are located in magnificent places, and the verandas of some restaurants hang over the abyss so spectacularly that the taste of local food is no longer paying attention. If you are lucky and have good visibility, you have a chance to take a photo on the background of all three peaks: Batura, Abang, and Aguanga. To be more likely to be lucky, it is better to come to this place in the morning, as clouds run into the afternoon. Shrines and temples Instagrammable places of Bali, known throughout the world, are, of course, shrines and temples. Where to take a photo in Bali against the background of ancient cultural monuments?
5. Pura Tanah Lot
This is a place to come to a couple of hours before sunset. The way there by the standards of the island is not close, but if you take a private guide-driver, you will not get bored on the way too: there will be rice terraces, and funny cabbage patch under the palm trees, and peasants going for a plough in one loincloth. There will be a million fruit stalls, where pineapples and durians lie next to banal carrots. Everything goes for $1, from a vast pineapple (or 2-3, as you turn it off) or a bundle of bananas to a cabbage patch. You can choose. Tana Lot stands on a natural stone platform near the shore. It is surrounded by black sand and the emerald Indian Ocean. There are high waves, and surfers love this place—the sunset sky bursts with surrealistic colours. You can't find the best shots. To the temple at low tide, you can walk along a narrow stone path. If you are not afraid of water snakes, which live in abundance at the foot of the temple, then do it for sure! They do not bite; they sway in the water and look at you. This makes a genuinely hypnotic impression! If you want to take a spectacular photo of Bali, then this place is perfect! Snakes don't mind posing with you at all. The primary public there are religious pilgrims. There are not many people with a European appearance; you will feel like a real traveller and discoverer.
6. Ulun Danu Temple and Lake Bratan
The ideal time to come there is, of course, the sunrise. You can get mystical Instagram pictures against the background of the mist over the serene lake and the outlines of the temple, passing in the gentle light of dawn. The temple of Pura Ulun Danu Beratan is one of the most famous symbols of Bali in the world. It is a water temple and is dedicated to the lake goddess. In addition to the main water temple, there are many cute and exciting Instagrammable places in the vast park complex. You can also take pictures with flying dogs and other animals from the local jungle.
7. Pura Taman Ayun
Pura Taman Ayun is one of the best places to visit in Bali. Another water complex with a huge park and a cascade of ponds, planted with flowering lotuses. This complex was the main temple in Mengvi kingdom. If you dress up locally in sarong and kebaya, you may take luxurious ethno-style photos. Holiday kebayas - something like fitting caftan with ¾ sleeves, handmade lace and luxurious embroidery - look simply stunning on any figure. You can find European sizes in tourist zones and Ubud's shops. Local clothes suit almost everyone; they are natural, pleasant, and comfortable. And when you return home, this suit will remind you about your trip.
8. Temple of Pura Luhur Uluwatu
And another, immortalized by millions of photos, is the shrine of Bali. Fantastic, picturesque place - Pura Luhur Uluwatu is located at an altitude of 70 meters on a cliff above the ocean, and around it another Monkey Forest. Local monkeys are not as good as in Ubud, so it is better to leave them alone. But the view, especially at sunset, is above any praise. At some distance, there are several suitable viewing platforms, from which you can take Instagram photos against the backdrop of the whole spectacular panorama.
9. Ubud is the cultural capital of Bali
This is, of course, loudly spoken. Ubud is a small city in the centre of the island; its population is only 75,000 people. There are many galleries, all kinds of workshops, and a million shops, cafes, restaurants, and other obligatory attributes of the tourist industry. Ubud lives on money from selling all sorts of handicrafts to tourists: from carved boxes of sandalwood to giant park statues of Buddha, which for some reason the Japanese love to buy. Javanese dolls, hand-embroidered linen kebaya and sarongas, baroque pearls, precious aromatic oil, cobra leather bags, and sandals - in Ubud you will find everything you have in Bali and Indonesia in general. Hand labour in Bali is cheap and even taking into account the "tourist" margin. All these Bali wonders are not expensive. Remember the movie "Eat. Pray. Love."? The part where Julia Roberts sometimes learned to be silent was filmed in Ubud. Thanks to the film, mini-hotels began to develop among rice fields (we already talked about them).
10. In Ubud, there is another beautiful place - the Monkey Forest
It is not the only Monkey Forrest in Bali, but in this particular place, according to local guides, the most glorious and kind monkeys. They can, of course, steal something from you, they are monkeys. But in general, they have their own business, and you will be interested in them only if you buy them a bunch of bananas from the local carriers. Monkeys are not afraid of people at all, it is hilarious to take bananas from your hands with their feet, and you will get wonderful Instagram photos. And of course, because of its location - at the intersection of all roads in Bali - Ubud is the right place to take a break, have a bite to eat or walk through the stores and stores.
11. Beaches and Ocean
Where to take a photo in Bali in the type of "ocean at sunset"? Pantai Indus beach will suit you. This wonderful place is located in the Sanur area. It has everything: white sand, Instagrammable curves of the coast, clear water and unique cafe Warung Pantai Indah with really excellent seafood. In general, Bali is not the world centre of gastronomic tourism. You will not be disappointed anywhere with rice, fruit and pineapple juice. As for the rest of the dishes in the tourist places, very often the owners are limited to one thing: for example, a restaurant can have a good, Instagrammable view, the cuisine is so so, and chairs in general strange. This cafe is not that case. There are at least three stunning advantages: tasty and very fresh food, spectacular view and huge portions. The restaurant itself, of course, is not Michelin star, but why do you need silverware on the edge of the world?
12. Nusa Lembongan Island
Nusa Lembongan Island is another place where you can take most liked Instagram photos in Bali. This island is one of the best photo spots in Bali. It is a tiny island with dazzling white sand and incredibly pure azure blue water. It is a real "blue lagoon" from the movie of the same name. In addition to bathing and photography on it, you can dive with a mask or dive. There are stunningly massive sea stars and in general, very turbulent marine life. Since Lembongan has to be specially floated, there are not many people there, and you can look for beautiful shells and coral debris. Bali is part of the so-called coral triangle, and there is excellent diving. Well, how? Are you not tired? But there is also a source of eternal youth, turtle beach, royal palace, statues of ancient people (scientists do not yet have an opinion on the period in which they were made), safari park, surfing, Balinese dancing, Rastaman disco and bars Kuta, Komodo Dragon Island. One trip is not enough for you, so before you go, think about where you want to take Instagram pictures in Bali and what type of rest you like. And make a travel plan.
