Bali, Indonesia

Bali was my first stop on this trip through Indonesia. At the time, I travelled from Argentina — 36 hours, on my own. It was my first solo trip that far, my first time travelling alone all the way to Asia. People can say “wow, you’re going to Bali alone, that’s so far,” but honestly, if I hadn’t gone, I think about everything I would have missed — and it’s a lot. This is exactly where the magic started.

Time of Year I Visited

I went in August. It’s right in the heart of Bali’s dry season — sunny days, low humidity, perfect conditions for everything outdoors. I think it’s one of the best times to go.

Did I Feel Safe?

There’s a Hindu belief, especially strong in Bali, that if you do harm to someone — steal, commit a crime — you risk reincarnating as something lower in the next life, even an insect. It’s part of their concept of karma and reincarnation, and it shapes how people behave. There’s a real sense of safety that comes from that — people genuinely take care not to do wrong, partly because of this deep cultural and spiritual belief.

In general, I felt very comfortable the whole time. Kuta is the area where it gets a bit more chaotic — it has the highest concentration of petty theft on the island, mostly phone snatching by guys on motorbikes, plus the usual nightlife scams. Nothing violent, just worth being more alert there than you would in Ubud.

One funny thing about Bali — I felt like a celebrity. Everyone wanted to take photos with me. I imagine it was the blonde hair, but whatever the reason, it was quite the experience.

Where I Stayed

I stayed in Ubud, the jungle side of Bali, for 5 days at the start of the trip. It’s the area that actually gives you that real Bali feeling — if I had to recommend one place to stay, it’s Ubud, hands down. When I came back through Bali at the end before flying home, I spent two days in Kuta, closer to the airport. Kuta is more of a party zone — full of Australians, much more nightlife, not nearly as beautiful as Ubud. The sunsets there are stunning, but it’s also the one place where things get a bit more trashy, and where you need to be more careful.

Pancer House, Ubud: The host was incredibly kind — she took care of me like a mother would, made sure I had everything I needed. The room was beautiful, and the price was very affordable. The breakfasts were amazing, with sweets made from rice. I really loved this place.

Kutabex Beach Front Hotel, Kuta: Good hotel, well located. I chose it because it’s close to the airport — after Bali, the Gili Islands, and Labuan Bajo, I wanted something practical for the last stretch before flying home.

What’s Worth Doing

Bali obviously has beautiful beaches, but there’s so much more to it than that — rice terraces, and even up north you can go see dolphins. The great thing about Bali is that depending on how many days you have, there are endless options to choose from. Here are some of the things worth mentioning from what I did.

The rice terraces are unmissable — genuinely some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve seen, the kind of view that doesn’t look quite real.

One thing I’d recommend before starting your tours for the day: go see a Barong Dance. Balinese women dance out the story of the eternal battle between good and evil — Barong, a lion-like spirit, against Rangda, the demon queen. It’s usually performed in the morning, around 9:30am, so it works perfectly as a first activity before heading out for the day. Once you’ve seen it, you start understanding so much more of what you see and experience for the rest of the trip — it’s basically your crash course in Balinese culture and mythology.

Uluwatu Temple is also worth a separate visit. Go for sunset — it’s spectacular from up there, perched on the cliffside — and stay afterward for the Kecak show: a fire dance, performed by a chorus of men chanting in rhythm with no instruments around a blazing fire, telling the story from the Ramayana of Prince Rama and the battle of good versus evil. Completely different from the Barong Dance, and worth seeing both. One thing to watch out for: there are monkeys around the temple, and they will steal anything left loose — sunglasses, phones, caps, anything within reach.

There are two main monkey forests in Bali. Most people go to the Ubud Monkey Forest (Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary), with three sacred temples dating back to the 14th century. I went to the other one, Sangeh Monkey Forest — quieter, less touristy, with its own ancient temple inside the jungle. Same rules apply as with the monkeys at Uluwatu: keep an eye on your things.

Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave): A temple and cave complex from the 9th century, about 15 minutes from Ubud. The entrance is carved with a giant dramatic face — you literally walk into its mouth. Inside there are Hindu and Buddhist carvings, bathing pools, and jungle surroundings. A fascinating place, and easy to combine with other stops near Ubud.

I also tried Luwak Coffee at Lumbung Sari House of Luwak Coffee, a plantation in Ubud. Yes, it’s the coffee made from beans that have passed through an animal’s digestive system — basically poop coffee, even though technically it’s the Asian palm civet, a small cat-like creature, not a monkey like people assume. Whatever it is, it came out fantastically rich. They also have a whole range of other coffees and teas to buy there — my favourite was the Ginseng one, which I brought home in powder form.

I also did the Mount Batur volcano sunrise trek — they pick you up around 1am, and you climb starting around 2am to catch the sunrise. When you’re at the top, the clouds below make it feel like you’re floating above the sky. An experience you cannot miss. A guide is mandatory, no exceptions, but I made an arrangement and ended up going with the driver and his girlfriend, who were both locals, so the three of us climbed together like locals do. It was fantastic, genuinely unmissable.

I also went to Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak — a beach club with a beautiful sunset view, and the night gets a bit of a party going. A really nice spot to go.

This is just a slice of what Bali has to offer. The island has endless options — the more days you give it, the more it gives back.

My tip: talk to your driver about your itinerary — they can help you shape it, adjust it, and point you toward things you wouldn’t have found on your own. That’s exactly what I did, and it made all the difference.

Things to Know

You can’t show your legs inside Bali’s temples. Most temples have sarongs to rent at the entrance, but whether it’s free or has a small fee (usually 10,000-20,000 IDR) varies by temple. Easiest to just carry a light scarf or sarong of your own so you’re always ready, no matter where you end up.

Getting Around

You’ll be moving by motorbike or car — the distances are long, and there are motorbikes everywhere, so it’s a fairly chaotic flow of traffic to get used to, especially if it’s a new place for you. My recommendation is to hire a private driver rather than rent a motorbike yourself. Current rates run somewhere between $35 and $60 a day for the car, depending on the route and season. I’d leave around 8am and get back around 9pm.

How Long Did I Stay?

7 days total — 5 in Ubud at the start, and 2 in Kuta at the end before flying home. Ubud is where I’d spend as much time as possible.

Been to Bali solo? Share your experience using the review form below.i solo? Share your experience using the review form below.