Why This Island Should Be Your Next Escape

With its cool tropical breezes, affordable housing and food, and inviting waves for swimming and surfing, Bali has become a beacon for digital nomads worldwide. Its unique blend of natural beauty, from vibrant hills and beautiful valleys to rice fields, spectacular ocean views, and modern amenities, has made it a poster child for the nomadic lifestyle.

But does that place truly exist, or is it a marketing fabrication worthy of a Mad Men or Instagram campaign?

Having spent a significant amount of time on the island ourselves, we can attest to its charm. While we didn't manage to explore every corner, the places we did visit left us yearning for more. We're already planning our return.

Let’s delve into why this small island garners such rave reviews.

The Beautiful Land

This is one place where you do not want to drive—anything. Yes, there are stunning views and lots to explore, but, unless you have a lot of patience and skill, driving is not for the meek! In a land with almost as many motorbikes as people (3.9 million bikes registered in 2018 vs a population of 4.3 million), to see them riding along carrying ladders, entire families of four, sacks of every shape and size, blocks, trees, and who knows what else… well, it is fun to watch, but intimidating to drive in.

But let’s set that aside since finding taxis and drivers through a choice of Uber-style apps like Grab and GO-JEK makes it eminently affordable. Like our favorite driver, Eddie said, “save your life, not your money!” and we used him several times to travel from Ubud, where we stayed for a month, to the city of Amed, about 2.5 hours driving time, plus several times to (our favorite city) Sanur, which was an hour south.

Amed beach is located on the eastern side of Bali. |©iStock/joakimbkk

Our ride to Amed Beach, on the northern coast, took us through villages that were nothing more than a few dozen buildings and food stores, but we got delivered to a hotel room with one of the most outrageous views I have ever seen, as our room directly looked onto the large (dormant) volcano called Mount Agung, which was a mere nine miles away. At 3,031 meters (9,944 feet), the sleeping giant was last active in 2019, but Indonesia has had the largest number of active eruptions in the world over the past 75 years, with 58 since 1950. Worldwide, Indonesia ties Russia with 117 volcanoes on their soil, beaten only by Japan and, surprisingly, the US.

At 2,230 sq miles in area, you could theoretically drive around the island in about half a day, but in practicality, that is unlikely. Regardless, driving around the island would be a fantastic experience, and finding a driver to do that could be easily done.

The Magnificent Water

Bali's beaches beckon for relaxation.|©iStock/joakimbkk

Ah, the beaches of Bali! They are world-renowned, along with the surfing, and both are very real. Some beaches, like Seminyak and Jimbaran, are known for their nightlife, while others, like Sanur and Nusa Dua, are more sedate and family-friendly. Canggu is a hip spot for surfing and people-watching, and Uluwatu is the place to go for impressive cliffs.

Where we went up north, Amed, diving and snorkeling rule. While we are not divers, the snorkeling, even a few hundred feet from the shoreline, was superb, and nearby Lovina Beach is a dolphin watchers’ number one destination.

In addition to the popular "Top lists" of must-visit places and beaches, there are numerous hidden gems waiting to be explored by those who have the time and inclination for adventure. These places are not typically featured in any travel guides but can be discovered every day by curious and adventurous travelers.

The Delicious Food

Nasi Campur is a popular Indonesian dish of rice (nasi putih) with a variety of colorful side dishes.|©iStock/MielPhotos2008

Food in Asia can be a tricky thing, and almost every country there has its own version of “street food.” While Bangkok and Thailand are usually at the top of “best” street food lists, Bali has a wonderful selection of normal, i.e., not street food, eateries. They do offer what Westerners might call “weird or unusual” menu items, but overall, they are not too exotic.

As full-time travelers who spend anywhere from a few days to a few months in each location, finding new and delicious places to eat can be challenging. In the seven weeks we stayed in Bali, we found several places that we had to repeat, but surprisingly, we found new and delicious places every few days! During our time there, we had just a few meals that were not stellar, and that is quite a feat.

Oh, and the prices were killer!

We were able to enjoy a dinner for two, usually sharing a beer or glass of wine, for less than $12. Speaking of, let’s talk money…

The Affordability Factor

Ubud is known for being the spiritual and cultural heart of Bali. |©iStock/mahos

People always say, “XX is NOT as cheap as it used to be,” and they are usually right. As different places get more visibility and become more popular, that tends to drive up prices. Bali is no exception.

We heard many share how cheap things were just a few years ago, but even so, things are still pretty damn affordable.

We stayed in Ubud, the town considered to be the historical and cultural capital of the island, and it seems to be just one of the party spots. But we had a spacious one-bedroom unit with a large bath and balcony, with a forest of plumeria right outside our front door. Each morning, our hostess, Yani, would bring up our breakfast, which consisted of either an omelet, fried or hard-boiled eggs, or crepes (pancakes). The second tray had delicious coffee, plus a selection of fruit and a fresh mango smoothie. Our monthly rent was $480.

We stayed at several different lodgings over our time there, and almost all hit our sweet spot of $20 per night. Of the few that were over $20, they were offset by some in the teens.

So, they hit the mark when it comes to cheap lodging, taxis, clothing, and jewelry, but not with booze! Whether it is driven by taxation or the Indonesian government’s religious attitude towards alcohol, hard liquor was crazy expensive. Beer and wine were reasonable—relatively speaking—but when we looked for a bottle of Malibu Coconut Rum, one of our few guilty alcoholic pleasures, we balked at a price of $57 for a bottle. To overcome that, almost all the restaurants had two-for-one happy hour specials, but after trying a few samples, we decided that enjoying a straight bottle of beer was preferred over watered-down mixed drinks.

The Nearby Islands

The Gili Islands are popular for their stunning beaches and world-class diving.|©iStock/WhitcombeRD

In a nation with 17,000 islands, with about one-third occupied, the sheer numbers do not accurately represent proximity or accessibility, but on Bali, heavenly islands are just a short ferry ride away. Before we traveled there, we inquired of many veterans and residents of Bali, and the same islands kept coming up: The three Gili Islands, Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, and Lombok, which are all close to each other. We visited Lembongan for ten days and grudgingly had to pull ourselves away!

At $14 per night, our small hotel of just four rooms (and a pool) was a five-minute walk to our then-fave coffee shop, countless restaurants, and a great beach area called Mushroom Bay. It is not a walkable island, but scooters are the norm on the islands, and for about $7 per day, we did not need to fear for our lives!

Within ten minutes, we could be lounging at the dreamily named Dream Beach, and within another 20 minutes, cross over a single-lane bridge and find ourselves on Ceningan Island and an amazing shore called Secret Point Beach. We went there twice, including one time shortly after dawn, so we could walk hundreds of feet out to the low-tide ocean. For those who don’t enjoy the sand between their toes, most of the beachfront lodgings offered day passes, and we took advantage of that twice. For about $2.50 each, we had access to food, two pools, bathrooms, and shade, for an entire afternoon.

From Lembongan, we took a short twenty-minute ferry ride to Nusa Penida and, over just one day’s tour, got our minds blown several times! Kelingking Beach is at the top of many “best of” attractions, and it was one of ours, too. Along with Angel’s Billabong, these two waterfront features were indescribable. From the top of a 400-meter-long path at Kelingking, you can see a small slice of sand down below surrounded by the folds of two cliff faces. A small sliver of land juts out, and the beach folds around both sides in the most amazing photogenic way.

Meanwhile, Angel’s Billabong demonstrated the power of the ocean as the huge waves crashed onto a cliff face and went straight vertical dozens of feet, then cascaded back down to the ocean. Some of the excess water found a nice flat spot to settle on, and that created a beautiful nature-made bathtub, just inviting us all to jump in.

But getting around Penida can be an effort since the roads are, well, they’re shit! Narrow, rutted, filled with tour buses and scooters constantly coming at you.

And it’s worth every jolting second.

The Spiritual Vibe

Pura Bratan sits on the shores of Lake Bratan in the Bedugul mountains.|©iStock/Circle Creative Studio

Bali is unique in that the major religion is Hindu, rather than Moslem, Christian, or Catholic, like the majority of Indonesia. Each morning, we gingerly walked down the street, sidestepping the multitude of prayer offerings in front of every driveway, home, and business.

Within virtually every block is a shrine or prayer temple. Even amongst the road chaos and noise, the spiritual vibe was pervasive and never did I see anyone exhibit road rage or show any signs of anger. This brings me to the biggest reason to visit Bali, and that is because of…

…The People

Along with the Spiritual Vibe is the natural disposition of the people. When we asked about the prayer offerings being costly for many who have little, we were told, “Even though we may not have a lot, we believe that if we offer our gifts to God, He will repay us in abundance.” When we gave a merchant their first dollar of the day, they would use that bill to kiss all their other products to grant them good luck. How cool is that?

Since we have traveled to 40+ countries over the past five years, we have dealt with our share of tourists and tourist traps, along with vendors and merchants trying to capitalize on us/them. We had our share of “taxi! taxi!” yelled at us, and of course, the merchants hawked their wares, but they were all so sweet about it that it made the experience worthwhile. English was spoken everywhere, and that helped make us feel all the more comfortable.

The Best of Both Worlds?

There are places in this world that are overhyped and, in many cases, played out. Even with as much play as Bali gets, I think it has a lot to offer. My wife and I have been fully nomadic since 2019, and Bali was number 42 on our list of places we’ve stayed. It is now firmly placed in our favorite Top Three, along with Croatia and Romania, and that is elite company, indeed!