Bali Travel Itinerary
Introduction
24 hours of flying time to lead into a group trip with strangers. A bit of a wild card, but it was the best of times. We celebrated my friend’s 28th birthday, creating core memories with a dynamic we had no idea would overly exceed our expectations of our time together.
This trip re-highlighted what a great group can bring in terms of elevating a vacation. This was my first group trip since 2021.
We stayed in Ubud but spent so much time in our off-brand Sprinter going to all of our itinerary items that the birthday girl beautifully listed for the group.
Lots to say as I learned so much on this trip to pass along to you. This blog is going to get you to hop on that day-long commitment of traveling to visit the incredible Bali.
“This trip made me believe in successful group trips again. Best time there!”
Villa Jehanne - Airbnb
Our Bali villa became our sanctuary for our week-long stay. Going in with 10 people, I wondered how we’d divide the rooms. This villa was built perfectly for group stays with pairs. There were six equally-sized rooms, each with its own bathroom, except for two rooms that shared a bathroom. Additionally, there was a bathroom attached to the kitchen and living room building. The rectangular premises were centered around a large pool with lounging chairs. Each room had its own exceptional A/C, large beds, and spacious storage.
One major thing to note with this Airbnb is that the property is on an isolated one-way road. By one-way, I mean barely only one car can pass at a time. There were many times we had to pull into a driveway, reverse, and pull to the very edge to let another car pass or vice versa. Because we had a private driver for our group activities, we didn’t have a problem with drivers being surprised by this obstacle. The few times we used GoJek, their version of Uber, the arrival time would be increased because of the one-way road or drivers would ask people in the group to walk to them.
The host staff were great. They visited to check in, scheduled daily clean-ups of the rooms, and even surprised the birthday girl with cake and a card on her birthday.
There were additional add-ons available through the host, such as hour long at home massages for $15 , flower baths, and a private chef to cook us breakfast.
We ended up having group breakfast twice in the villa. It was $10 each. It was a traditional American breakfast with eggs, bacon, fruit, pancakes, potatoes, and French toast. We loved our cook, and she took a liking to us as well. The staff made our stay extra special to match the villa vibes.
Overall Rating: 5/5
Finn’s Beach Club
Located in the more populated Canggu, we headed towards the water for this beach club. We were welcomed with disco head dancers and free colorful shots in an endless open club with daybeds and chairs, pools, and an ocean view. We made the mistake of not booking a daybed for our large group. After some searching along the edge of the club, we found a section that had plenty of high tables for us all to sit together. The food selection was endless, with menus featuring different cuisines: Mexican, Italian, Japanese, and Indian were a few I remember. I personally only had fries, but from the group’s feedback, they had no negative reviews. The drink menu was also extensive. My favorite was the Watermelon Crush (something along those lines). I also had a frozen margarita, which wasn’t my favorite, and a French 75. The bar service was quick and accepted cards. I appreciated the different vibes of Finn’s: sunning out on a daybed, hookah sessions on the shaded deck, or eating at the tables. What did surprise me was that the establishment was kid-friendly. After eating and drinking, we went down to the beach area, which is open to the public. There was a volleyball game being played, dogs running around, vendors walking up to sell their products, and we caught the beautiful sunset. Overall, not the best music and place for a last-minute reservation, but the company was great as we all got a better opportunity to talk and get acquainted.
Overall Rating: 3/5
Happy Swing Bali
At Happy Swing Bali, the entire experience was quite a production, starting with selecting the package you wanted. There were two options, and we chose the most basic one, which included most of the photo ops. Next, we picked out the color of our dress. These were huge gowns made of fabric that the staff tailored to your body.
The dresses are reused, and thankfully, we arrived early enough that they hadn't been overly used for the day. It's important to note that the dresses aren't washed between uses, so arriving early is advisable if you want a fresher dress.
Some people mentioned that their dresses smelled and were uncomfortable. So, if you go early, you can ask for or look for dresses that haven't been used yet.
We moved through the activities one by one, which were essentially photo ops with different types of swings and structures. The day was beautiful, and the photos turned out great.
The swing was fun, but there was also the concern of getting the right angles for the photos. Everyone was taking photos of everyone else, which was nice for getting different perspectives. There were also a few swings where you could pair up and sit with other people.
Overall, it was a great time, though it could be exhausting and hot. Once we changed back into our own clothes, it felt refreshing. I recommend bringing items to touch up with, such as deodorant, hairspray, and deodorant wipes.
Overall Rating: 3.8/5
Holy Springs of Tirta Empul
This educational and culturally rich experience was enhanced by a guide we opted to upgrade to rather than walking around without the informative aspect. I enjoyed exploring the premises with its different structures, landscapes, and visual features. After we prayed and gave our offering, which brought tears to my eyes, we changed into our borrowed fabric coverings to enter the water baths. Our guide informed us of the proper way to receive the holy water.
There is a large market as you exit with clothes, souvenirs, and home decor.
Special Note: the borrowed fabric dress and dressing room do have a smell so prepared for that. I’d recommend coming earlier to avoid the smell of used wet fabric.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Pangkon Bali Rumah Makan & Agrotorism
While we waited for our scheduled tour of the Holy Water Temple, our driver took us to this outdoor restaurant. It had an open concept with eco-friendly elements, surrounded by rice fields and featuring a pond in the middle of the restaurant. We loved our food. I got chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce, egg rolls, crispy mushrooms, and a delicious fresh juice with my selection of dragon fruit, mango, and watermelon. Do take into account that this is a restaurant catered to tourists.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Akasa Sunset Dinner
To celebrate Nancy’s birthday, we had a sunset dinner at a beautiful high-end resort two hours away from the villa. To give you an idea of the luxury, the toilet seats were automatically heated and had a fan option to change the temperature. We had to preselect our order to total $115 USD per person, which was the minimum charge. Not sure if it was because we were a large group, but we thought pre-ordering weeks in advance was a bit off. Once we arrived, we felt the luxurious vibes from start to finish with the décor, architecture, staff, and the gorgeous sun-kissed view overlooking the beach.
Oddly, Nancy’s camera wasn’t allowed to be used while we were in the restaurant. Since we had ordered way in advance, it was a friendly reminder of what we ordered back in Chicago without really knowing what each dish looked like. I liked my dishes and especially loved the spicy tuna tartare with crispy potatoes, truffle mashed potatoes, and matcha ice cream. The drinks were okay. Across food and beverages, the presentation was impeccable. My biggest critique would be that the service was extremely slow for a non-busy night. We ended up being at the restaurant for over three hours. We loved the DJ who graciously played in the background. The views, presentation, celebratory atmosphere, and bonded company made this a great family dinner with the crew.
Overall Rating: 4/5
ShiShi
This was rated one of the top clubs in Bali... and I don’t know why. On Friday night, when we arrived around 11 PM, there was a cover charge for the men, but ladies got in for free. The place was lively and full of foreigners from all over. The first floor is more of a lounge with hookah and drinks. A few of us got the Matcha Spicy Margarita, and it received solid great reviews.
We went upstairs to the club floor, which unfortunately smelled like body odor in parts of the establishment. Once we got up, we noticed there were plenty of people vibing. However, it wasn’t our vibe. The music was heavy on Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, and tunes you’d play for a Kidz Bop reunion. We tried hard to make the most of the situation, and just being in great company made it better. However, we definitely didn’t stay long.
The staff was incredible. We spoke to the manager, and she was receptive to our feedback and wanted to make it up to us. And let’s not forget about the yummy drink.
Overall Experience: 1/5
Kanto Lampo Waterfall
This beautiful, popular Bali waterfall has a unique water course, as the rock structure creates mini falls. Entrance is 20,000 IDR, which is a little over $1 USD. There is a 5-minute slope walk down to the waterfall.
We arrived at the entrance around 3 PM. There were two lines to take photos in front of the structures. By the time I took my pictures at the main waterfall, it was 4:30 PM. You spend most of your time waiting in line for your turn. There are Balinese amateur photographers who do cool spins and pose direction, like I’ve seen online, waiting to take everyone’s photo. It is tip-based, so bring cash. I will say the photos and videos didn’t turn out as well as imagined because of the lighting and contrast. As a group, we changed our settings to lower the contrast on our phones, which made a huge difference. If I only had the pictures that the photographers took, I would have been disappointed, as the water contrast and lighting weren’t flattering.
If I could have brought a nice camera and didn’t have to wait in line, this would have been more fun. The long line and having to fight for your turn at times, combined with the cold water in the shade, took away from the nature experience. Just like the Happy Swing, this is more of a photo experience hub than anything.
If I were to do this again, I’d go super early, get my pictures on a camera that auto-fixes contrast, and enjoy admiring the waterfall structure and area more. Also, bring water shoes!
Overall Experience: 3/5
Cretya Beach Club
If I could recommend one thing the highest on my Bali list, it’s experiencing the Cretya floating breakfast. So peaceful, fulfilling, and magical to have this beach club view in almost complete isolation. Watching the sun peak through while admiring the colorful dishes the staff created was a dream.
It was 750,000 IDR, less than $50 for two people. The package includes early access to the property, a full massive floating breakfast meal with two nonalcoholic drinks, and a reserved seating section for when the space is open to the public.
Being able to take photos unobstructed, having incredible food, and just experiencing the peace here has truly become a core memory of mine. Please book this as soon as you can because each day they only allow four guests. I was extremely lucky and was able to book the last spot the day before. You have to go to their website, and communication for me was through WhatsApp. If you really want to elevate your experience, we saw a couple who hired a photographer with a drone to capture the morning.
For regular entrance, I believe the cost is 70,000 IDR. I loved this place so much that I went twice. The first day I went, it was during a busy time. But the club is so huge that it doesn’t feel overly crowded or overstimulating. I would recommend opting for some type of seating as that was limited. They do have cubbies to store your items. The food selection is vast and very good.
Overall Experience: 6/5
Ivy Cafe
Ivy Cafe is connected to a hostel in downtown Ubud. It's a very tourist-centered spot with a clean, coworking-friendly vibe. The space is quite fluid with the hostel, offering a view of the pool. You can choose to sit indoors or outdoors, with shaded outdoor seating available.
The menu is excellent, featuring great options with visuals and pictures, which I really appreciated. I ended up getting a power fruit bowl and a mocktail on the side. Unfortunately, I got sick immediately after eating my bowl. However, my friend had the exact same thing and didn’t get sick, so it might have just been a reaction to my stomach.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at Ivy Cafe. Despite my experience with the food, it was possibly a one-off scenario. I did like the atmosphere and the offerings.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Ulamam Eco Luxury Retreat
For our last day in Bali, we decided to have a spa day, especially since we had an early checkout. This worked out perfectly because the spa had shower amenities, allowing us to relax right before our flight. We went to Ulamam Eco Luxury Retreat, which was about an hour and a half from our villa in Ubud. We had to pre-book our services.
We opted for the flower bath and the day pass, which gave us access to the spa with a cold plunge pool, a heated pool, a sauna, and a steam room (though the steam room was out of service during our visit).
Keep in mind that the area is in a very secluded town, making it difficult to find an ATM. It’s less touristy, so English isn't widely spoken, which led to a few language barriers. However, the retreat and staff itself is very tourist-friendly.
The property is amazing, grand, and true to its eco-friendly name. The architecture is made of natural materials, and the staff is really kind. It wasn’t crowded when we went, which added to the calm and serene atmosphere—a beautiful way to wind down the day. We also chose this location because it was just 30 minutes from the airport, making our departure easy.
Our experience started with a flower bath in a small room overlooking a mini waterfall during sunset, accompanied by some tea. After the bath, we rinsed off (though getting the flowers off was a bit tricky), and then we headed to the spa area. We enjoyed the sauna, the heated pool, and some relaxing time. The staff was very helpful, storing our luggage at the front desk and providing lockers for our personal items.
The retreat has plenty of seating areas, including comfy couches and rope-seated hammocks. There’s also a stream running through the property, adding to the serene environment.
Overall, I really liked Ulamam Eco Luxury Retreat. It is on the pricier side, but it was a fantastic experience to unwind and relax before our flight home.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Bali Tips
1. Bring Cash to Exchange: Many places or individuals only take cash, and some ATMs may not work or be out of service. For one week, I took out $200 for our rides, massages, souvenirs, and entrances.
2. Prepare for Schedule Changes: Be prepared for possible same-day changes. Traffic can be affected by festivals, ceremonies, or rituals. Check with Airbnb hosts about any special occasions.
3. Water Safety: Avoid drinking tap water. Always have bottled water in your room and carry it throughout the day. Consider taking charcoal pills and/or probiotics to avoid getting sick from food and water. I brought Florastor Probiotics for Digestive & Immune Health.
4. Comfort for Long Flights: Give yourself grace for long flights. Upgrade your seat or bring airplane essentials like a travel pillow, blanket, and a water bottle to refill during your trip. Check your luggage policy and be prepared.
5. Price Awareness: More so for grocery items, convert prices to avoid surprises. Some items are imported and can be expensive. Don’t assume everything is more affordable.
6. On the Go Personal Care Items: Bring deodorant, hairspray, and other items to touch up throughout the day. Bali can be hot and humid.
7. Learn Basic Phrases: Knowing basic phrases like "Hello," "Thank you," and "You're welcome" is helpful. Each island in Indonesia may have its own language. In Balinese, "thank you" is said as "Suksma" (pronounced sook-smah)
8. Snacks for the Trip: Carry snacks for your flight and in between experiences.
9. Photo Opportunities: For popular photo spots, go early. Lighting changes the outcome of photos, play around with contrast and angles.
10. Local Apps and SIM Cards: Download the GoJek app for transportation and the SIM card application for mobile data. I used HolaFly but there are plenty of options out there. Believe mine was a 7 day unlimited for $29 and the service was great. Be aware that your phone number may change.
11. Pre-book at Beach Clubs: Pre-book beds and other amenities at beach clubs. It enhances the experience and is often affordable. Look at videos and reviews to help you decide which options to purchase.
