Travel & Exploration

Bali's most stunning beaches aren't the ones on Instagram. From Nyang Nyang's wild shipwreck shore to the natural rock pools at Tegal Wangi, here are five secret beaches worth the climb — with practical access guides and entry fees.

Rain trapped me in a warung with a bowl of soto ayam once, and it turned into one of my favourite Bali afternoons. Here are my go-to wet-season day plans, from spa sanctuaries to cooking classes and cosy cafes.

From the 4am scramble up Mount Batur to a free sunset stroll along Campuhan Ridge, here are the Bali hikes I send friends on — with real 2026 costs, guide rules and the best months to go.

Canggu is more than smoothie bowls and beach clubs. Here are the things to do in Canggu I actually send friends to: surf lessons, quiet sunsets, rice-field walks, Sunday markets and day trips within easy reach.

The eternal Bali or Thailand question, settled honestly: how they really compare on cost, beaches, culture, food and ease, and which one you should book first.

Bali barely does all-inclusive the way the Caribbean or Turkey do. Here is my honest take on the few resorts that come close, why the island works differently, and the villa-plus-chef alternative I usually book instead.

Where to stay in Umalas Bali: the quiet expat gem between Canggu and Seminyak, with villas, rental costs, cafes and who it suits.

An honest, first-hand comparison of Bali and the Maldives for honeymooners, weighing up cost, beaches, romance and getting there from the UK.

The most common Bali scams in 2026 and how to sidestep each one, from money-changer tricks to fake taxis and rental deposit traps.

An honest, first-hand beginner's guide to learning to surf in Bali — the gentle sandy-bottom beaches, real lesson and board-hire prices, when the swell behaves, and the reef etiquette nobody warns you about.

The honest 2026 comparison of scootering versus hiring a private driver in Bali — real prices in IDR, the licence and helmet rules that actually get enforced now, and how I decide which to use day to day.

The 2026 entry fee, opening hours, three 14th-century temples, and honest macaque safety advice for Monkey Forest Ubud — from years of lived Bali experience.

An honest, been-there guide to using Grab and Gojek in Bali in 2026 - how the apps compare, where pickups are informally banned, and how airport transfers actually work.

Everything I've learned the hard way about money in Bali — rupiah notes, ATM limits and the new Mandiri fee, the money-changer sleight-of-hand to dodge, sensible 2026 tipping, and what things actually cost in IDR.

The best waterfalls in Bali, from easy Ubud stops to the epic Sekumpul trek — with verified 2026 entry fees, difficulty and how to visit each one.

Everything I wish I'd known before my first Mount Batur sunrise trek — 2026 prices, the HPPGB guide rule, start times, kit and the honest bits about crowds and cloud.

From the All Indonesia digital arrival card to proof-of-funds spot checks and the IDR 150,000 tourist levy, here is exactly what changed at Bali immigration in 2026 — and how to clear it without the stress.

My honest, first-hand guide to renting a scooter in Bali in 2026 — the licence rules, the police crackdown, real prices and how to stay safe.

The Bali tourist levy explained — how to pay the IDR 150,000 Love Bali tax online, dodge the scam sites, who's exempt, and what happens if you skip it.

The exact 7-day Bali itinerary I'd plan for a first-timer — south coast, Ubud, Nusa Penida and the Bukit — with real travel times, 2026 costs and a no-car version.

Where to actually swim, surf, watch the sunset and find quiet sand in Bali — an honest, first-hand guide to the island's best beaches, with real fees and safety notes.

Temples, a volcano sunrise, rice terraces, surf, reefs and island day trips — an honest overview of the best things to do in Bali, with real 2026 prices and where to go deeper.

Real 2026 numbers for a cheap Bali holiday — guesthouse rates, warung meals, scooter hire and temple fees, with a daily budget band in IDR and GBP from years living here.

When to go to Bali, month by month — an honest guide to the dry and wet seasons, the crowd-free sweet spots, Nyepi 2027 and the cheapest months to travel.

There are no non-stop flights to Bali from the UK, so every route runs through a hub. Here are the real routes, honest journey times and how I actually find a decent fare.

The calm reef beaches, the kid attractions worth the money, villa versus resort, and how I actually get around Bali with children in tow — from someone who lives here.

The hidden waterfalls near Ubud worth a morning of your holiday: real entrance fees, honest travel times, the ones to skip, and how to plan a relaxed day trip.

An honest, practical guide for LGBTQ+ travellers to Bali in 2026 — how safe it really is, the legal and cultural context, the Seminyak scene, gay-friendly places to stay, and the everyday tips that make for a relaxed, welcome trip.

An honest, calm guide to rabies in Bali — how serious the 2026 surge really is, exactly what to do in the minutes and hours after a dog or monkey bite, where to get treatment, and how to make sure it never comes to that.

First-hand notes on slow-travelling east Bali — Amed's USAT Liberty wreck, the Sidemen rice valleys and Tirta Gangga, with real fees and drive times.

An honest, first-hand look at Bali holiday packages — what they include, when they actually save you money versus booking it yourself, and the red flags that should make you walk away.

What expats actually eat in Bali, what it costs by area, and the honest monthly food budget breakdown for long-term stays in 2026.

Everything you need before you land at Ngurah Rai — visa on arrival, immigration queues, baggage rules, SIM cards, money and getting into Bali without the stress.

My honest, lived-in take on travelling Bali alone — where to base yourself, how safe it really is (including female solo), how to meet people, and the scams worth knowing before you land.

The honest version of a Nusa Penida day trip from Bali — fast-boat times and prices from Sanur, what Kelingking and Diamond Beach actually demand of you, the 2025 cashless e-ticket changes, and the timing trick that gets you photos without a hundred strangers in them.

My honest guide to the best things to do in Ubud — Monkey Forest, Tegallalang, the free Campuhan Ridge Walk, Saraswati Temple and the art market, with current 2026 prices.

An honest, first-hand guide to the best eSIM and SIM cards for Bali in 2026, with real IDR prices, network coverage and the IMEI rule that trips people up.

There’s a particular kind of Bali neighbourhood story that repeats itself. A quiet fishing village or rice-field hamlet gets discovered by a handful of surfers and artists. Coffee

Bali has been calling people in for years. The warmth, the culture, the cost of living — and increasingly, the property market. More people than ever are considering buying in Bali

Exploring the Island on Two Wheels

From the USAT Liberty wreck at Tulamben to the manta rays off Nusa Penida, an honest guide to the best snorkelling and diving in Bali — the top spots, what you'll actually see, rough costs in IDR, and the best season to be in the water.

Bali's quietest green corners — hidden gardens and peaceful nature escapes well away from the tourist crowds, and how to find them.

There is a particular form of love that involves watching something change and not being able to stop it. Parents feel it. People who grew up in neighbourhoods that have gentrified

The Kecak Fire Dance is Bali’s most famous performance—50-70 men chanting rhythmically whilst dancers enact the Ramayana story with dramatic movement and acrobatic leaps over fire.

If you’ve visited Bali in the past few years, you’re familiar with the layered arrival admin: the e-VOA application before departure, the customs declaration form on the plane, the

I’d been visiting Bali for a few years before I learned anything beyond “terima kasih”. I was managing fine — most people in tourist areas speak some English, and polite gestures g

I nearly skipped Nusa Penida. It sounded like a long day, the boat crossing had a reputation for being rough, and I’d heard the roads were genuinely difficult by scooter. Then some

If you’ve spent any time in Bali recently, you know exactly what I mean when I say the island is changing. The Instagram-ready spots that once felt like discovery now feel like a q

Moving to Bali without experiencing its dance tradition feels incomplete. Dance isn’t performance here—it’s spirituality. It’s daily devotion. It’s how Balinese people honour their

A friend of mine spent months dreaming about a specific treatment at one of Bali’s best-known medi spas. She’d watched the videos on TikTok, saved the posts on Instagram, shown me

I stepped off the plane at Denpasar on a sweltering Tuesday in 2024, fully convinced I’d just landed in paradise. My Instagram feed had done the work for years—endless rice paddies

The question arrives with remarkable consistency, from remarkable variety of people. Family members ask it during video calls, tentative and careful. Old colleagues ask it when we

I’ll be honest with you from the start: scooters are how Bali moves. Every local uses one. Most long-term expats ride one. The freedom of pulling out of your villa on a warm mornin

My first trip to Bali was almost entirely based on things I’d seen on Instagram. A specific temple with a specific light at a specific time of year. A rice terrace that looked good

Discover Bali, the Island of the Gods, a place of extraordinary beauty, rich culture, and endless adventures. From golden beaches and dramatic cliffs to verdant rice terraces and a

Part 1 of 6: Discovering the Real Bali

Part4 of 6: Traditional Healing and Spiritual Practices

Part 2 of 6: Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfulness in Ubud

Part 1 of 6: Why Bali is the Wellness Reset You've Been Craving

Part 4 of 4: Beach Workouts, Jungle Gyms, and Everything In Between

Part 1 of 4: Welcome to Canggu's CrossFit Scene