Category: Indonesia

Solo trip is always tricky. From boarding flight to experiencing a new adventure, everything needs to be managed alone. Traveling alone to a place the most basic question that pops up in the head is; Is Bali Safe for a Solo Trip? Here is the solo travel guide to Bali.

I am traveling solo outside India since 2015 & the first thing I search on the internet is the safety of the place. Touchwood, I have not experienced anything alarming till date while traveling solo.

Bali is among the best cities in the world. Saying so it is also one of most beautiful one. I went on a 8 days trip to Bali alone & thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Solo Traveler Guide To Bali

Bali is, in general, a very safe place to be in. However, being cautious is one aspect that should be kept in the mind while traveling to any new city. The best places in Bali are Ubud, Seminyak, South Kuta. Most of the activities happen at these places only.

Things to be kept in mind

Commuting: I rented a bike & traveled by that. There is an option for booking a cab as well. But, it is recommended to check for prices. There have been some incidents where cab drivers asked for a higher amount than the billed amount. So, clarify rates before boarding the cab. Google maps work here so finding a route is simple.

Driving License: In case, of renting a bike. It is mandatory to have an international driving license. Traffic police can stop & ask you for the papers. It is recommended to carry papers with you. I was among the lucky ones. During my stay of 8 days, I was never stopped at any point of time. But, it is better to be prepared for any contingencies.

Site Seeing: An entry fee is charged at the entry of every destination. Hence, no need to pay anything extra. There is an option to hire a guide as well.

Clubs & Pubs: Clubs & pubs are very famous in South Kuta. However, extra caution must be maintained while entering such places. There are several cases of people getting duped in drugs. There are certain people who mix your drinks with drugs & charge for that. The charges for such drinks are insanely high. This is very common at few places, it is advisable to check the pubs & clubs authenticity before entering.

Other than this there is nothing alarming about the place. It is probably among the safest cities in the world.

Keep worries aside & visit this beautiful place. It will engrave some lifetime memories in your mind.

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“Fill your life with adventures & things, have stories to tell not stuff to show”

PS: For lonely planet guide: Lonely Planet Bali & Lombok

Bali is a small island in Indonesia. A pocket size island equipped with everything;  literary everything. From mountains to beaches, from jungles to waterfalls; this place is a heaven on the earth.Here is my first impression of Bali.

I am on a plane to Jakarta (capital of Indonesia). Feeling little nervous, this is my first trip of 12 days overseas, much longer than any of my previous trips. I am waiting in a queue to get my passport stamped. It is pretty boring to wait for long hours at Jakarta. Jakarta airport doesn’t have lots of shops so there are limited options to kill the time. Feeling bored I started talking to a fellow traveler about the Bali. Asked all about the place. Like where to go, how to go, what all to do etc etc, the conversation only escalated my excitement.

I boarded a flight to Bali & in another 2.5 Hours I was flying above the sea looking at an airport strip in the middle of the sea (which turns out to be Bali Airport). It is 8 pm & already dark outside. My phone is having some issue & I didn’t know where & how to reach my hostel.I enquired about the bus but the service which is not at all a good option. The only option left was booking a private cab which I did.  It took me nearly one hour to reach my destination.

Human Interaction:

Bali has a decent Hindu population. People are very helpful, even though not many speaks English, but it is manageable with even a little bit of English. It is not a perfect example of Human interaction, but few instances which put a smile on my face. So, I was traveling back from Nusa Penida, I still had 3 more days to explore Bali. Left with a handful sum of amount, I was sure of going back to Bali & spend few quite days over there. However, once I landed at the dockyard. A guy came to me & asked

“Do you want to go to Gilli islands?”

I wanted to but hadn’t had any huge sum to back that up. I said nervously “Yeah”.

He said, ” I can give you the BEST DEAL EVER“.

I said, ” How?”

He said,”I can give you discounts on speedboat ticket”

I said, “How much?”

He said,”For a to & fro ticket from Gilli Islands a price of IDR 450,000″

I said,”It’s too high I don’t have this amount with me, also I need to find a place to stay as I haven’t booked anything”

He said,”Oohh! common, you come here for the first time enjoy some nature.”

I said,”Give me the best offer”

He said,”Where are you from?”

I said,”India”

He said,”Oh wow great, I know India. There is a god name Ganesha. My name is also forodo. I follow Ganesha.”

I was surprised to see his knowledge about Indian culture & Bollywood stars like Shah Ruk Khan & Mr. Amitabh Bachan.

He continued,”Just because you are Indian, I will give you best offer please don’t reject this. A to & fro ticket at IDR 400,000″

I said,”Sure good enough.”

On average the price costs IDR 600,000 per person. However, I managed to get it under IDR 400,000. So, talk to people you may get surprised 😉

Infrastructure:

Bali is a touristic destination so it is constantly crowded with travelers. Roads are fantastic to drive on. Very well constructed & maintained by local people. The only issue is the internet. The best way to use internet is through sim card; buy a sim card & access the internet without any hassle the prices are the minimum. The architect is unique & different. Most of the buildings have dark outer surface. It is easy on eyes & also looks aesthetically beautiful. A unique gate in entries is worth gate crashing ;).

The architect is unique & different. Most of the buildings have a dark facade. It is easy on eyes & is aesthetically beautiful. A unique gate in entries is worth gate crashing ;). The vintage look of buildings provides an ancient experience. A place to enjoy your holidays.

Culture:

Bali has a decent Hindu population. So, from temples to rituals there are some similarities with Hindus. Balinese people are very helpful & tourist friendly. I didn’t encounter any issue while roaming solo in the city, even in the suburbs it was pretty safe. Ubud is one of the main places to enjoy Balinese culture. The place is very charming & beautiful. There are numbers of temples, dance shows, numerous heritage site to explore. Temples are among the major attractions in Bali. So, just explore ;).

Activities:

Bali is mix & match of various things. It is easy to experience water sports, adventure sports, sightseeing, trekking, jungle trails, temples, mountains etc all on the small island to Bali.

Some of the things not to be missed is scuba diving, snorkeling, mountain trekking are some of the activities that should not be missed while holidaying in Bali. Bali is also famous for its rice fields which are a big hit among the western travelers. It is unique & good for a one time visit. The rice fields are beautiful to watch. If you are not interested in any of the activities. South Kuta & Seminyak has some of the best places to party till late night in Bali.

Here is an account of my first impression of Bali. As they say “First time is always special”.

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Indonesia is one of the few countries which allow Indians a free visa. A place so much beautiful & entry is free is the cherry on the cake. Just book a ticket & explore this beautiful place. This is as simple as it sounds. Here is a guide to Indonesia visa for Indians.

I went from Thailand to Indonesia on my 2 weeks solo trip. It was hard to decide which place to chose in the budget. After searching for different countries, I chose Thailand & Indonesia & the main reason behind the same was the ease with which I can get the visa. Thailand offers visa on arrival for Indians & Indonesia offers a free visa. So, it was easy to shortlist these places. Also, these places are dirt cheap so expenses of items are not too high.

After boarding a flight from Pattaya. I landed in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia bit nervous reason being what if there were any last minute surprises. I stood in the line waiting for my turn to come. There was a counter for visa on arrival, to clear my doubts I cross checked with the representative. To my relief, he said just stand in line & get stamped.

Nervousness is always there be it. We are nervous about everything from standing in a queue to asking for a help. The best way I found out to calm the nerves is listening to music. Play some music to change the mindset. The tempo of songs can set up a mood.

I stood in a queue to waited for my turn. I handed over my passport. The guy asked me about the details of my stay & return. I replied with the answer. He checked my passport & stamped it in no time.

After collecting my passport, I went ahead with my plans.

So, as I mentioned the process is simple & hassle free. So, book your tickets & enjoy this place.

Have any doubts about the Indonesia visa process, you can contact me at [email protected]. I would be more than happy to help you.

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