Bali is a popular vacation destination for a reason! The place has a calming nature and has much to offer to travelers. For this edition, we will be exploring Ubud and Seminyak. Let’s begin with Ubud, Ubud is about two hours drive from the international airport. Ubud is a popular destination; the best way to get around is to rent a motorbike. Regarding places to stay, there are many options in Ubud. For my stay, I chose The Mansion Resort Hotel & Spa. This hotel offers villa-style rooms in a tropical lush landscape and not far from Ubud Center. Ubud Center is where you would find some of the best restaurants, coffee shops, bars, souvenirs, and places to rent motorbikes in Ubud.

There are several tourist attractions in and around Ubud. A very popular spot if you are into yoga is the Yoga Barn. But the Yoga Barn is not just for yogis, the place offers classes in dance and meditation. Even if you don’t want to do any of that, you can go there and relax and have lunch and grab a drink.

One of the most popular tourist spots in Ubud is the Monkey Forest Sanctuary. The Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a natural reserve temple complex with many monkeys everywhere. Hopefully, you aren’t afraid of monkeys because they can get up close and are known to take cell phones, so be careful.

Another popular attraction and a must-do if you aren’t afraid of heights is the Jungle Swing. The Jungle Swing is a huge swing that swings out over a deep valley of forest. But rest assured you will be fine because you are tightly buckled into the swing so you will not fall out. It is an exhilarating experience and a sense of freedom to swing so high and in such a big swing over the depths of a Balinese forest.

Bali is known for its many Hindu temples. Tirta Empul is a water temple with several holy springs that are believed to be blessed and could purify those who bathe in the water. You will see many people bathing in the springs, an enlightening cultural experience to witness. Rice fields surround Ubud and one of the biggest is the Rice Terraces.

There are many waterfalls around Ubud. One of the best ways to explore the waterfalls is to rent a motorbike and drive yourself. Riding a motorbike on the back roads of Ubud without all the traffic in Ubud Center is a different experience. In Ubud Center, there is a lot of traffic. But in the countryside surrounding Ubud there is less traffic, so you can enjoy the scenery and see how the locals live. But if that isn’t your preference, you can rent a private taxi or book the waterfall excursions through TripAdvisor. The waterfalls explored were Taman, Uma Anyar, Tibumana, Tukad, and Kanto Lampo.

You can always go on Tripadvisor and book all these excursions, but you will go with a group of people and pay more.  If you want to save money and be on your timetable, then you can hire a private driver who will pick you up from your accommodations and take you to these attractions in and around Ubud.  Wayan Bali Taxi (manggayan@yahoo.com) is a great taxi service that will pick you up from the airport, drive you to Ubud, and take you on any excursion you want to see in Bali. 

There are many good restaurants in Ubud Center. You can find Balinese, Indian, Italian, Mediterranean, and American, to name a few. There are several coffee shops. All these restaurants offer happy hour. One of the best restaurants in Ubud Center is Casa Luna which serves great Balinese food. Ubud is such a special place that it is so hard to even capture in words.

Seminyak is where the international airport is located and is about two hours from Ubud. Seminyak is a big city compared to Ubud. A very popular attraction in Seminyak is beach clubs. There are several to choose from. One of the oldest and probably the most popular of the beach clubs is the Potato Head Beach Club. These beach clubs are huge. They have pools, poolside bars, bars, and restaurants. The reason, I think these beach clubs are popular is because the beaches in Seminyak are nothing special. But if you are into surfing then you will love the beaches because of the big waves. Also renting a motorbike in Seminyak like in Ubud is a great option and very common for locals and tourists.

There are several popular beach destinations close to Seminyak. Balangan Beach is a forty-five-minute drive from Seminyak and is very popular. The beach in Balangan is nicer than the beaches in Seminyak. And the beaches here are also popular with surfers. The sunsets at Balangan Beach are beautiful. You can get fresh seafood on Balangan Beach at Lucky Fish Lounge. There are several other beaches in this area which are as popular. And you can stay in this area as an option if you don’t want to stay in Seminyak. There are many massage parlors in Bali. One of the best is Jari Menari in Seminyak, which slogan is Dancing Fingers and is rated Bali’s Best Massage.

Bali is such a special place. I am sure you will love exploring it and discovering new things, and the people are so friendly. After your visit, you will see why Bali is the most chill place on earth. And I am sure it will become one of your most favorite places as it has become mine.