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About Almost Landing: Bali

Hi… we are Mandy and Chris, Bali lovers and life dreamers. If you’re here then you’re either a Bali lover too or about to become one ;)

Almost Landing Bali is an online travel guide and blog. We love Bali and wanted to create a place travellers could come to get the best insider tips and plan the best Bali trip.

We want Almost Landing Bali to be your inspiration, your trip planner, your friend who’s been there, and we wanted to help you cut through the overload of information that’s online. Most importantly, we want  you to have an authentic, fun and unforgettable Bali holiday.

Start planning your Bali holiday today…

Why Almost Landing?

When you are ‘Almost Landing’ at your destination it’s such an exciting time. Heart beating. Not knowing what you are going to step off into. Possibilities await.

In life too, we have not ‘Landed’. We are never finished or done. There is always more to experience, to learn, to see, to discover.

About Mandy & Chris

One Month In Bali

We are a couple from Australia, who have spent so much time in Bali it feels like our second home.

Two things happened simultaneously. We began to fall in love with Bali, at the same time as we were discovering online entrepreneurship. Then one day, swimming in Bali, we decided the two would go together perfectly… and Almost Landing Bali was created.

We love to travel to explore, to taste the food and to experience new things. We love travelling light, and now do most of our travel carry-on only (including four years of full-time travel). 

We absolutely love Bali, but we also travel to other places that we love. You can find our other travel adventures on AlmostLanding.com

Say hello…   Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Pinterest

Happy travels,

Mandy + Chris xo

 

33 Comments

  1. Hi there!
    I loved reading your blog and so impressed with what you guys have accomplished! You have mastered doing what you love as a mean to living!
    My husband and I along with another couple are going to Bali in July. We are looking to stay in Seminyak in an Airbnb. We have narrowed down to a couple of places but wanted to get your thoughts. We are big foodies and definitely like luxury. We are looking at Villa Satu at Villa Nest or the Riveria Balinese.

    Do you have a preference of location and style?

    Look forward to hearing from you!

    1. Hi thanks for your comment, it means a lot :) hope your planning is going well. We could only find Villa Satu, and that looks fabulous. We have stayed near that location before and although not right on the beach, it is walkable. If you have any more info about the other option, let us know. Otherwise, Villa Satu looks great. Hope you all have a great time in Bali!

  2. Hi!
    Your blog is a huge help because I’ve never travelled to Bali and I’m going in about 2 weeks with 2 friends. We are from syd, Australia too and are going for 8 nights. How much in AU dollars worth of money would get us by individually? We don’t have food included in our accommodation and haven’t paid for any tours yet. Are tours pricey? And where is the best place to arrange some?
    Thanks :)
    Cat

    1. Hi Cat so happy it’s been helpful, thanks for your comment :) How much to spend in Bali is such a hard one. Your trip can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. What I mean is meals at a local warung may be $2 but dinner and drinks at a fancy restaurant may cost you same as a fancy restaurant at home (and everything in-between) and same with everything you can eat/drink/and do in Bali. What type of tours would you be doing? When it comes to things like cooking classes, bike rides and some private drivers (when you want to see/do many places (1/2 day or full day) you can book online in advance, and I probably would for peace of mind. If it was more of you decide the day before you want to visit a few places then you can even book that from your hotel if it came to it. Either way, if you have some specific tours in mind most will have their prices online if you wanted an idea of price. Hope this helps and you all will have a great time in Bali!

  3. Hi Guys, firstly amazing blog :) found this very helpful. I am planning a trip to Thailand/Indonesia in 2019 (a long time away but I love to plan). I am thinking a total of 3 weeks, where I want to stay in Phuket for 7-10 nights (as a base and visit phi phi, maybe krabi etc) and then wanted to travel to Bali for 7 nights. Firstly is this enough time for our first visit? secondly how easy is it to get to and from Lombok from Bali, as I was thinking of maybe staying there for a couple of nights before we head back to Phuket for the flight home. I know travelling you are ment to just go with the flow and not plan to much, but I cannot seem to help myself, I want to know where I am going and how long for and whats to offer etc. Any advise with regards to Bali would be so great guys. Thanks so much :) x

    1. Hi Tash, Thanks for your comment :) Your trip is sounding like a fun one! 7 nights in Bali is great but will depend on what you wanted to do. Bali is bigger than it may appear. If you only had a few places/areas you wanted to see/stay then a week is perfect. I would say less is more when planning how to spend that week. To get to Lombok you would need to either fly or get a boat. This may be a bit too busy! Doable if you have your mind set on there but considering you only have a week in Indonesia and there are so many amazing places to see and stay in Bali itself, I would start with planning what you wanted to do on Bali and if you have time then re-consider Lombok. Wishing you some happy planning and trip ahead :) Let us know if you have any other questions, Chris and Mandy

  4. Hi to both of you.. great reading your blog and info.. we wish to travel bali along with our 2 year old kid.. how will be november month to travel.. planning to stay in nusa dua.. how is it. is the local, food and travelling cheap can we do it on our own or should be book full package and come. should we carry local currency or USD. any precaution as we are with our small kid. or anything which u feel to guide us. pls do

    1. Hi Ravi! Thanks for your comments :) We treat Bali as a year round destination. Even in ‘wet’ season you still have some hot, nice days too. Nusa Dua will be a great base with a kid and a relaxed area. There are less cheap local food options in Nusa Dua than other areas in Bali, but one worth mentioning is near-by Bumbu Bali. It a good value for money and one of the best examples of Balinese and Indonesian Cuisine in a restaurant environment. For more food picks for Nusa Dua see our article: https://almostlanding-bali.com/where-to-eat-in-nusa-dua-bali/
      With currency, carry Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Some prices will be quoted in US$ but can always pay in IDR. You can definitely do it all on your own, but it may be easier with a kid to book a private driver or some tours in advance. You may pay a little more but it will give you peace of mind. If you need a private driver recommendation we like using Bali Made: https://almostlanding-bali.com/discover-a-different-side-to-bali-with-your-bali-private-driver/
      If you have any other questions, please ask :) Have a great trip!

  5. Hello!!

    Nice and interesting blog on Bali. Will be traveling to Bali from 5 days starting 9/26. Any serious precautionary measure to be considered now ? I am little bit worried on the case of travel warning issued for Mt. Agung. I am planning to visit Ubud, Kuta and Seminyak. Are these places safe enough?

    1. Hi Anand,
      Hope you are still excited for your trip tomorrow! As far as we can find in our research, Ubud, Kuta and Seminyak are all far enough away to not be in danger of an eruption of Mt. Agung. Bali officials statement says as long as you are outside of the safety zone of at this stage 12km you are safe. The main issue you may face will be if there is an eruption, how you will get home. Volcanic ash can cause chaos at the airports. To be sure before you go, get in contact with your travel insurance provider to see what they cover. If not make sure you have room in the budget if you have to change flight plans/hang around longer than your planned to stay.
      The only thing which may reach your area is ash if the volcano erupts, so perhaps bring a face mask if volcanic ash is detected in an area you are in, otherwise I’m sure you can get one there. Hopefully, the volcano does not erupt and you have a great trip! If you have any other Bali questions, please let us know :) Mandy and Chris

  6. My self and wife is planning to visit Bali either Mid January or Mid March 2017. We both are around the age of 60’s. We would like to stay in a decent hotel, like to have sea food, would like to visit temple, treditions, garden, farms, shopping, Indonesian cookery and enjoy natural beauty etc. We may stay 5 – 6 days in Bali. This is our first time visit to Bali

    Which place is ideal to stay. Whether it is ideal to divide the stay in two location or one location. We would like to have relaxed vacation. We are fresh ocean catch sea food lovers and natural beauty lovers.

    1. Hi Raj,

      So excited for your first time to Bali :) I would think 2 places might be a good choice. Perhaps Ubud and Jimbaran. Ubud has many traditional temples, some big some small, a great local traditional market and a great place to stay. There are some nice walks in Ubud too which shows some nice nature.

      https://almostlanding-bali.com/walks-in-ubud/

      If you are after a nice hotel and nature, staying slightly out of Ubud village may be better. We love both Padma Ubud and Alila Ubud for a relaxing stay. The Padma has a great local bike ride and Alila does a great local feel rice field walk. Both are set amongst nature.

      https://almostlanding-bali.com/padma-resort-ubud-our-jungle-paradise/

      https://almostlanding-bali.com/our-stay-at-alila-ubud/

      We have some other of our picks in our Ubud accommodation article on the blog.

      https://almostlanding-bali.com/ubud-accommodation-guide-where-to-stay-in-ubud/

      Jimbaran is another great place for a relaxing stay. It has a local seafood market you can see in full action early morning, and along the beach are some great casual places to eat fresh seafood on the beach.

      https://almostlanding-bali.com/jimbaran-seafood-eat/

      There are a few great places to stay here too.

      https://almostlanding-bali.com/where-to-stay-in-jimbaran/

      We love Intercontinental Resort and Four Seasons for Jimbaran Beach. Le Meridian is a great option too. From Jimbaran, you can easily visit Uluwatu temple (watch out for thieving monkeys!) and some great Bukit Peninsula beaches. You can still head to Seminyak and other areas for shopping and food if you need more variety. Cuca Flavour is a great restaurant pick in Jimbaran.

      Cooking Classes:
      Ubud: Lobong Cooking Class
      Jimbaran: Not in Jimbaran but Bumbu Bali Cooking Class is an amazing pick and close-by (they will pick up too).

      If you do decide on one place you can always do day trips to other parts. Whichever option seems to suit you and your wife better. Wish you both an amazing trip and let us know if you have any other questions :)

  7. Hi , we are planning to go to Bali next June to celebrate my 50th , it will be myself and my husband , our 20 year old daughter and her partner and our 16 year old son , looking to keep the children busy so that we can have a few relaxing days but also would like to see and experience Bali , would love a hotel with a balcony over looking the ocean , thinking maybe 3 locations as hubbie doesn’t want to keep moving ?.

    1. Hi Lesley, that sounds amazing, happy 50th for next June :) How long are you going for? That would help decide how many locations you would choose. For 3 locations, perhaps Seminyak, Ubud and Jimbaran would be good. Seminyak has excellent food options, great sunset and shops. Ubud will give you more culture and you can do as little or as much as you want from here. And Jimbaran is more relaxing to end your holiday and from here you can explore Uluwatu and Bukit Peninsula beaches. Let us know what you decide and we can give you some hotel ideas or have a look here…
      Seminyak: https://almostlanding-bali.com/seminyak-accommodation-guide-stay-seminyak/
      Ubud: https://almostlanding-bali.com/ubud-accommodation-guide-where-to-stay-in-ubud/
      Jimbaran: https://almostlanding-bali.com/where-to-stay-in-jimbaran/

    1. Hi Kathrin, just letting you know we replied to your other comment :) With accommodation, what did you mean exactly by student accommodation. There are definitely some great cheap options, or where you more referring to hostel like options?

  8. Hey Mandy and Chris!

    I really enjoy yours guys blog! Its awesome to hear the of the wonderful experiences.

    My fiance and I are planning our Honeymoon to Bali March 7 to the 23rd in 2018. We will be travelling for a total of 3 days since we are located in Edmonton, Alberta but that leaves us with 2 weeks to explore. Our main thing was to soak up Bali and do most of our exploring there but we were also wanting to travel to Gili islands, Lombok and potentially see Komodo as well. Do you have any suggestions for must see’s for a romantic getaway or even travel suggestions to get to some of the other islands? Any kind of suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks guys and keep up the great work!

    1. Hi Jared
      Nice to meet you, hope the honeymoon planning is going well :) We would love to visit Komodo too, its on our list! The snorkelling there is meant to be pretty good too. We have not done this ourselves. We have used Blue Water Express to get to/from Bali/Gili’s and as far as Bali fast boats go we like them. Just be careful with how many islands/places you pick. With 2 weeks you do not want to be spending every other day in a boat/plane/car. Uluwatu has some stunning accomodation great for a honeymoon.
      https://almostlanding-bali.com/where-to-stay-in-uluwatu/
      Hope you have an amazing honeymoon :)

  9. Hi Mandy and Chris!
    Amazing blog. I am reading it again and again all the time. I am planning to visit Bali this December. But I am not sure about the weather. How does it look like? Is it literally raining all day? Will we have a chance to catch up a little sun? And sightseeing? Most of Bali activities are outdoors.

    1. Hi Monika, thanks so much :) December is in the Wet season, but that doesn’t mean it will rain all day. From our experience, there will be heavy downpours that last shorter periods, and then the sun will come back out. It can really vary though, so it’s hard to give you an exact answer. But we have loved our time in Bali in the wet season and been able to do a lot :) When it rains, it’s a great chance to get a massage ;)

  10. Hi Mandy and Chris,

    My partner and I are going to Bali this March for 7 days and I was just wondering if you could share some tips on where to stay and what activities we should do. I am trying to build an itinerary but I am having a hard time. We are runners and would like to squeeze in some running activity as well though we don’t have any idea where to. We would also love to experience the beaches, visit the temples and do some shopping. We really want to immerse ourselves with the Balinese culture.

    Thanks in advance! :)

    1. Hi Lala,
      I would suggest 3 or 4 days in Seminyak and 3 or 4 days in Ubud. Seminyak will give you shopping and beaches whilst Ubud will give you scenery and temples. From Seminyak you could also do a day trip to Uluwatu to some nicer beaches like Bingin beach.
      As for running, it’s a tough one in Bali as the footpaths and roads have sudden holes! I would suggest along the beach in Seminyak and perhaps the Campuhan Ridge in Ubud (see more about it here: https://almostlanding-bali.com/how-to-get-to-the-campuhan-ridge-walk-ubud/)
      Have a great time in Bali :)

  11. Hi Mandy & Chris ,

    My partner and i are traveling to Bali in 6 weeks (December time) and i just wanted to get your opinion on what places to visit, how long for, and in what order.
    we want to see Seminyak, Ubud, Uluwatu and possible the Gili Islands.

    We are going for 9 nights (10 full days) as our flight home is 1am.
    I wanted to know how we go about getting to the gili islands and if we should just leave that part to the end of the trip in case the weather is bad for boat rides etc as i don’t want to book accommodation and have to cancel.

    Thank you !! (:

    1. Hi Jessica,
      How exciting! Going to all those places is a lot for 9 nights/10 days. It can be done, but you will be rushed. If you are flying out of Denpasar airport, I maybe wouldn’t leave Gili Islands til last in case there are any delays in getting back to Bali for your flight.
      You can get to the Gili islands two main ways, by speed boat or by flying to Lombok, taxi to the harbour and 10-minute speed boat to Gili. Either way will take about half a day to get there and half a day to get back.
      As for the order, I’d try and be close to the airport on your last day, just in case of traffic delays. You could start with Seminyak, Ubud then Gili Islands, then end in Uluwatu/Jimbaran area, or reverse that, either would work. As for the number of days, I wouldn’t go to any for less than 2 days, it just depends on your interests where you would want to spend the most time. Considering it takes half a day to get to the Gili Islands, I’d probably say at least 3 days there. But I’d consider dropping a place from your list if you don’t want to be rushed.
      Have a great trip :)

  12. Hi Mandy and Chris,
    My husband and i are thinking of going to Bali at the end of December. All the tourist websites say it is rainy season. I was wondering how true is that considering it is an island near the equator. Are the rains all day enough to ruin a trip or are they just like island rains?

    Thanks
    Jasmine

    1. Hi Jasmine,

      It is wet season in December, but that doesn’t mean it will rain all day/every day. We’ve been to Bali in both the wet and dry seasons, and have enjoyed every trip.

      The temperature is nice all year round, the wet season has more rainfall, but usually it is in short heavy bursts. If it rains for an hour, the rest of the day could be fine. I find Bali is still great in the wet season, and there’s never any guarantee of the weather. Our last trip to Bali was in the dry season, we went for a month and at least a week had days where it was raining (which was a little out of the norm I think).

      In my opinion, you can still have a great time in Bali in the wet season. If it rains, it’s probably a good time to go and get a massage and then the rain might be over by the time you’ve finished :)

      One thing to consider is that Bali has a peak season after Christmas and up to about the 6th of January. If you want to go then, I would book sooner rather than later, and prices may be higher.

      Hope that helps, let us know if you have any other questions.

  13. Really enjoying your blog, really informative. We’ve never been to Bali and are heading there September 11 from San Diego, CA. This volcanic ash has us concerned…if the flights let us in, what is the air quality like for swimming, sunning, biking, snorkeling, etc. We’re scheduled to be there for 2 weeks, but would reschedule our “bucket list” trip if need be. Thoughts?

    1. Hi Jo Ann and Jim,
      As far as I’m aware the flights are back on, which means the volcanic ash cloud has moved from the flight path. The actual volcano erupting isn’t on the island of Bali itself, and if the ash cloud has moved out of the flight path, I’d imagine the air quality would be fine for swimming, biking etc.
      As you’re not coming to Bali until September hopefully there will be no more issues between now and then.
      We flew to Bali last year and our flight got turned around due to a volcanic ash cloud, we flew out to Bali again the next day, and we would never have known when we were in Bali, there were no signs of anything and it didn’t affect our holiday at all. I can’t speak for every situation, only the one we went through.
      I’m not sure what will happen between now and September, but as it stands right now, I wouldn’t worry too much.
      But you need to do what you feel comfortable with.
      Hopefully, this helps in some way, let us know if you have any other questions about it :)

  14. Hi to you both!

    What an amazingly wonderful blog – absolute gem! My family recently moved out to Singapore and i am taking my boyfriend out in October to visit and we decided to do some Asia exploring whilst we are out there and Bali was top on our list. We haven’t booked flights yet, but are hoping to do about 6 nights and looking at your one week itinerary we love the look of doing both Ubud and Seminyak. We would never have thought to do such a thing, so just wanted to say thank you so very much for being our Bali teachers :)

    Emily and Mark

  15. Hi there! Im planning a solo trip to Bali from 27 July(ETA evening) – 2 Aug(ETD morning). I should be staying with my friend in Kuta so accommodation is settled. As this is my first time to Bali, I would love to explore more beyond Kuta yet not too exhaustive also so as not to overcrowd my itiniearary. Maybe you could advise on a ideal itiniearary so I can maximize this trip to the fullest. Your help would be greatly appreciated, just as your blog has already done. Thank you and hope to hear from you guys soon!

    1. Thanks Shine! So it sounds like you will really only have 5 full days. Its a tough one because I’d normally recommend staying in 2 different locations in Bali to get a real feel for it, as day trips only touch the surface. But as you only have 5 days, you want to have time to explore too.
      Here are two options:
      1. Stay in Kuta and do short trips to surrounding areas (and possibly a full day trip) OR
      2. Stay 3 nights in Kuta and 2 nights in Ubud for example.
      If you decide to break your time up between two places, Ubud is a great choice, but it also depends what your priorities and interests are.
      I’d say if you want to stay the entire time in Kuta, then here are some options for seeing other things: a day trip to Ubud or Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, dinners and shopping in Seminyak, seafood dinner on the beach in Jimbaran, a day trip to the beaches around Uluwatu (eg. Padang Padang or Bingin or a beach club like Finns Beach Club).
      In the end, it comes back to your priorities. Staying in one location for 5 days will be more relaxing if you don’t spend all your time going to other locations, staying in 2 locations will allow you to see more of Bali but also add driving time.
      If you have any other questions let us know :)

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