The Ultimate Guide to Bali!

As I write this blog for all of you, I can’t help but type and then stop to admire the nature that surrounds me. It’s a beauty I’ve never seen before. There are random butterflies visiting all of the plants, one lizard looking for his breakfast just a few trees over, jungle sounds I’ve never heard before, little monkeys freely jumping from one tree to the next. All sounds joining together in what one might call a harmonious chorus, tucked away in the jungle part of Ubud.

Ubud is located in the uplands of the beautiful island of Bali. If I were to travel to Bali again, I would absolutely recommend staying here instead of popular cities such as Kuta and Denpasar. These destinations are beautiful, but only for a day trip. Ubud truly allowed all of us to take in the culture and peace of Bali. Each place I travel to, I try to learn something new. When I reflect on our trip in Bali thus far, one word describes their culture, and that is gratitude. If you’re looking to visit this beautiful destination one day, keep reading as I share with you my favorite places to stay, eat, and have fun!

Where to Stay in Bali

If you’re planning to visit Bali with a group or as a couple, I recommend reaching out to the Villa Manager for Manipura Estate. I’ve told so many of our friends to stay here, and each have come back with nothing but wonderful reviews! The gardens and landscape alone are absolutely beautiful and peaceful:

The manager of the estate is Putu Setiawan (iputusetiawan44@gmail.com), and he literally made us feel like family! The Manipura Estate is a private paradise with 4 large bedrooms inside of the house, and/or a private villa on the property, a huge infinity pool and a loving staff that takes care of your every need! Putu was kind enough to pick our group up from the airport, transport us to every restaurant and activity we have planned for the week. Ladies, if you’re looking to capture one of those dreamy photos on one of Bali’s famous swings, look no further, because this property has it’s own swing too from the second story of the mansion, overlooking the pool:

Another lovely feature of this property was the staff. Our plan is to stay here for a week and explore other parts of the island, but it’s hard to leave this sanctuary. Every morning we’re greeted with smiling loving faces, who are willing to pluck fresh coconuts for us in the morning, and arrange a lovely menu for breakfast at the table or out by the pool.

During our first evening, we connected to the house’s bluetooth speaker, and enjoyed a backyard poolside cookout, Bali style! We loved the food so much, another evening, Putu was kind enough to arrange a cooking class in our home so we could learn traditional Bali cooking techniques:

This was the first time I’ve ever roasted anything in a banana leaf instead of aluminum foil!

If you’re looking to relax and spend an entire day relaxing at the villa to soak in nature and the views, then I recommend booking an outdoor massage right on the property. The staff was prompt, and the experience was so peaceful!

Where to eat in Bali!

One of the best parts about venturing out to eat throughout Bali was the experience! Every place we visited, we had the opportunity to take in nature, the food was fresh, and everyone was so friendly! Here were some of our favorite places during our travels so far:

Bebek Bengil – (Such a vibe!)

The Bebek Bengil is beautiful property to visit, sitting in the middle of a lovely rice field. The staff here was very friendly, everything was clean and the food was so fresh! There were three things as far as atmosphere that stood out to me – You’re greeted with a rose basin if you wish to wash your hands here (how cute!), each dinner party feels very private and we enjoyed our own private outdoor eating tent, and there are so many beautiful places to take photos! They are known for their crispy duck, but I was not too crazy about the flavor. However, all of their chicken and seafood dishes were yummy and cooked to perfection! Must visit for lunch or dinner!

Warung Mina

The Warung Mina was also a beautiful charming place to visit, especially during the day. Each table has their own outdoor seating tent, and ours was surrounded by gold fish! The food here was excellent and fresh! The price point was very affordable as well. It was literally the perfect place to escape and take in nature while enjoying a good meal.

OOPS Restaurant & Bar

If you’re looking for a great lunch spot in Ubud to feel immersed in the city, I recommend visiting OOPS Restaurant and Bar. Our friend Putu took us here, and we enjoyed lunch on the front deck, facing the bustling streets of Ubud. Everything here was absolutely delicious! This location is also very close to the Ubud Art Market.

What to do in Bali:

Bali Swing:

Visiting the Bali Swings is such an experience! There are different heights of swings here, and adult birds nests! I recommend visiting early as the lines do become long the closer it is to lunch time. There were not a lot of good food options at this location, so I recommend grabbing something before or after your visit. I also love how friendly the staff was, and their willingness to take photos for us or the option to purchase professional digital shots that can be downloaded to our smartphones before leaving!

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

I never knew I wanted a pet monkey until after I visited the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary! The forest is peaceful and the trail is beautiful. There are so many monkeys here, you don’t even have to go looking for these cute and friendly little guys! They’re so used to humans, they will walk right up to you if you have food! I do not recommend wearing anything shiny or loose, such as sunglasses. These little buddies are smart and will snatch them right off of you! One thing I loved about visiting here is the fact that each monkey is living in its own natural habitat, instead of being locked up in a cage. This is the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Ubud:

Bali ATV & Quad Bike Adventure

When we originally booked this adventure, we thought we were going to enjoy a peaceful ride through Bali’s lush green rice fields, since this was on the booking description. We saw rice fields, but boy was this adventure so much more! The tour guide literally took us through rice fields, steep hills, little villages and a mud hole for the grand finale! If you own a GoPro, this is the time to make sure it’s charged and attached! This adventure was scary and exciting all at once! Ladies, do not make the same mistake I did and book this excursion dressed in a cute romper. You will be covered in mud by the end of it all, but it’s worth the ride and laughs! Tip: Wear water shoes or sneakers. You will be given a pair boots to change into.

Visit the Rice Fields

Rice Fields are every where in Bali! We learned from Putu that rice production is an essential part to Indonesia’s economy. Sometimes throughout our journey, we would ask our driver to stop, just so we could explore the various trails and take in the natural beauty! One of the most famous rice fields to visit are the Tegalalang rice fields in Ubud (see why you should stay in Ubud?!). The Tegalalang Rice Fields are the quintessential place to stop and take beautiful lush green photos for your memories. You can book a tour or travel here on your own.

Finns VIP Beach Club

Finns is located 2 hours south of Ubud in Seminyak. If you need a beach day with lux treatment, then Finns VIP Beach Club should be your pick! It’s a bit on the pricy side, but so worth the investment. If you’re going to visit here, I recommend renting a cabana for the day, arriving early for the best cabana location, ordering food and drinks, relaxing and enjoying the music from the all-day DJ. Finns literally has some of the best sunsets in Bali and cabanas are open until sunset. There’s also a nearby beach bar where you can relax by the pool and enjoy a nice drink. This will be on my revisit list for sure!

Luwak Coffee Tour

Kopi Luwak is the world’s most expensive coffee, mostly due to the production process. If you’re of the adventurous type and enjoy coffee, then I suggest you book a tour to learn about the Luwak coffee production process and enjoy various brews of this highly sought after coffee. Luwak coffee (also known as “cat poop” coffee) is produced when the Asian palm civet species ingests the coffee cherries and disposes of the coffee seeds, since they cannot digest the seeds. The acidity from their digestive process makes the coffee less acidic and more smooth. Worth a try for sure and makes an excellent gift to bring home to friends and family.

Visit the Iconic Handara Gate

If you’re looking for another place to take stunning photos, be sure to visit the Handara Golf Resort and take a photo in front of their iconic gates. This was only a 45 minute ride from central Ubud. There is another location to take amazing gate photos on the north side of the island near Pura Lempuyang. I was hesitant to take this journey however since the volcano near these gates were active.

Visit A Tailor – Anika Tailor

Italy and China are not the only places where you can have a custom made suit designed for the fellas and lovely dresses and business suits made for the ladies. Our friend Putu also took us to one of the best kept secrets in Bali – Anika Tailor. The fabrics and prints were absolutely beautiful in her boutique! We were able to have handmade tailored shirts and suits turned around in 24 hours! She also sold beautiful collections of real pearls! If you have time, be sure to treat yourself and pay her a visit!

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