I really feel that I had my very own Eat Pray Love experience in Bali and I wanted to share it with you.

These are traditional Hindi offerings that can be seen all throughout Bali-on sidewalks, outside temples or peoples homes. There are seven types of flowers and rice included in these offerings, and quite often they have an incense burning on top. The offerings lay in baskets made out of banana or coconut leaves. They are aesthetically beautiful.

Bali was my first taste of Asia and let me tell you I was NERVOUS. So nervous that I almost didn’t go!

Culture: 

When I think back on my time in Bali what I remember most are the people. I think that Balinese people may be the friendliest, most genuine and hospitable group of people I have ever met. I had locals offer to drive me places I needed to go, help me with my bags, I even celebrated the birthday of a local man with his family at their house. They have such a cheeky sense of humour and love to poke fun at the tourists. They are full of light and always smiling.

Uluwatu: 

My first stop in Bali was the small village of Uluwatu, on the south island of Bali. This is home to the famous Padang Padang Beach, where Eat Pray Love was filmed. About two hundred steps (filled with sneaky monkeys) lead down to a white sand beach. The Instagram famous Dreamland Beach is also located in Uluwatu, a surfer’s paradise. My memories from Uluwatu are strong because this is where I first learned how to drive an electric scooter-probably the most frightening experience in all of my travels (warning: they drive on the opposite side of the road).

Ubud: 

After Uluwatu I headed to Ubud; the lush, green yogi paradise. This is a place where traditional Balinese culture imbues every aspect of Ubud. I visited an amazing arts market my first day in Ubud where I browsed handmade goods like jewelry and clothing. Ubud is home to the most stunning temples. There are hundreds, if not thousands of sacred temples in Ubud so I really struggled with which temples to visit. I didn’t even know where to start. I recommend seeing Tirta Empul (as seen in Eat Pray Love), Goa Gajah and Genung Kawi. There was a very small entrance fee to visit these temples, which I felt was very worth it. Out of respect make sure that your arms and legs are covered before entering a temple. Sarongs are sold on every street corner in Bali-so do not worry if you were like me and didn’t come prepared with one!

Visiting the beautiful rice terraces is an absolute must in Ubud. I know that this is the touristy thing to do, but their beauty is undeniable. The landscape is so unlike anything that we have in Canada so I felt that this was a must. While you’re there, try rice wine! I tried one…or 10.

Have you ever wanted to try the most expensive coffee in the world? Bali is the place! Lukwak coffee, also known as cat poop coffee, is produced by coffee beans that have been digested by a cat like animal, the Indonesian Lukwak. Scared? Intrigued? If my memory serves me correctly, I paid approximately $5 Canadian for one cup of coffee. The taste was quite bitter with hints of caramel and nuts. I tried my Luwak coffee just outside of Ubud, however it is widely available across Bali.

Ubud is home to the sacred monkey forests, however I felt that I had seen my fill of monkeys roaming around so I passed on this. Everyone I spoke to that did visit the monkey forest loved it, most getting very adorable photos. Watch your belongings, they are extremely cheeky!

If you’re feeling like treating yourself, Ubud is known for its luxurious and affordable day spas. Many of them are outdoors with indescribable views. At the time I didn’t feel like I could justify spending the money on a spa day, however in hindsight I regret it deeply. I have heard from fellow travelers that Karsa Spa is the place to be.

Getting from A to B: 

Getting around Bali couldn’t have been easier. This is something I was really nervous about before arriving. I was under the assumption that I would get around via bus-not the case. Everyone gets around by scooter or taxi. Transportation is extremely economical. For example, I drove a scooter around for a week and spent less than $2 Canadian on fuel. Bali is extremely small so you won’t spend over two hours getting from destination to destination, even in the most horrific Bali traffic-which can be very bad.

Go Jek is a must for anyone heading to Bali! Go Jack operates just the same as Uber does, but at much much less the cost. Beware that Go Jek is banned in some cities in Bali, so I advise you ask a local if its best to go by licensed taxi, or Go Jek.

Food:

I don’t even know where to begin with the food in Bali. I still remember every meal I ate. Everything is fresh, bright, healthy, colourful and extremely affordable (also a vegans paradise). On average I paid $3 Canadian per meal. The “Bali Belly” is real! Trying tempe is a must (a fermented soy bean product similar to tofu). Add nasi goreng to your list too-an Indonesian fried rice. I’m still trying to figure out where in Toronto I can find nasi goreng! I could write an entire blog just on the smoothie bowls in Bali. Check out Green Guru in Canggu (see below). Pictured below you will see the Zoro bowl.

Island life: 

The Gili Islands, located off the coast of Lombok, are every beach lovers dream. There are three small islands-Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. Getting to the islands is an adventure in itself. Tourists load onto an extremely small boat that crosses the sea for about three hours. I had heard that if you’re nervous like I was, you’re best to sit at the front. I cannot even imagine what the back would have been like. Looking around, most people had their heads in their hands trying to keep their lunch down.

Gili Trawangan is known to be the party island, however I was there during Ramadan, their Muslim holiday, so things were fairly quiet. There are no cars on the islands, only horse and buggy (this was extremely cruel and inhumane), and bikes, bikes everywhere! I saw the most amazing sunsets every night in the Gili Islands, Bintang in my hand (if you’ve ever been to Bali you know what I’m talking about, if you have any plans of visiting Bali you will soon know what I’m talking about). I spent four days relaxing on this tiny island, however I probably could have spent a lifetime. The highlight of my time in the Gili’s was hands down swimming with a massive six-foot turtle. Unfortunately I don’t have a GoPro (yet), so all I have to document this moment are my memories.

Canggu:

Sadly, my last stop in Bali was Canggu (pronounced chang-ew). Before going to Canggu I had heard very conflicting opinions. I had heard it being compared to the Vegas of Indonesia, however I could not have disagreed with this more, and am thrilled about it! Canggu was the epitome of “cool”, for lack of a better term. It was extremely relaxing and had a very laid back vibe. Upon recommendation, I splurged (at $12 a night) and stayed at The Farm hostel. Hostel? More like hotel! It had beautiful gardens, two infinity pools and even a resident guard dog. It was a lovely way to end my trip in Bali. If you are interested in staying at The Farm, make sure to book well in advance! It sells out quickly as it is very well known. I must say that Canggu had the best food in Bali.

I spent a total of two weeks in Bali, which I did not feel was long enough. I would recommend three weeks to explore this beautiful island. I wanted to explore Komodo Island (requires flight), the Nusa Islands and northern Bali, however I didn’t have the time. Bali is a fantastic place for the budget traveler (although quite expensive to get there), but once you’re there it is extremely economical. Your money can stretch a long way. The Balinese people view Bali as heaven on earth, and a place where all people go to pass. I have to say I think I agree with this.