r/bali

have you ever witnessed a real Barong ceremony in a village?

I don’t mean the tourist performances in Ubud palace or something, but a local ceremony where like the whole village is involved, people going into trance, jump around like monkeys or Barong or animal-like figures dancing and moving around

If so, where did you see it? Was it publicly accessible or were you invited through locals?

Hi everyone, I was stopped outside Double Six Beach by a friendly guy who asked us about our experience. He gave us a hotel voucher and mentioned a potential prize. One of us won a ticket for a trip to Europe, a new iPhone, or an Apple Watch. He said we’re guaranteed a prize and that we just need to attend an anniversary event at his hotel for 60 minutes. The prize will be revealed at the end. Does this sound too good to be true? Should we go there tomorrow or save our time?

Thanks.

Hi everyone! I’m not sure if anyone reads this, but after 2 weeks in Bali I thought I’d share a piece of my mind and recommend/warn people about what I’ve learned (English isn’t my first language, apologies)

Where I regret going:
- Batur Natural Hot Spring - The changing rooms are intersex, which was personally uncomfortable for me (I’m a woman); it feels like a tourist spot, a bit crowded and the hot springs are basically just pools you’d find in a hotel with hot water. I would’ve preferred it to be more “natural like”. You get a complimentary drink which is water or watered down juice, also a lot of mosquitos and flies.

- Besakih Temple - This one was really disappointing. The whole area is filled with markets and shops, people begging you to buy their snacks all the way to the top to the Temple. The temple itself is going under construction right now, so bear that in mind as well. It doesn’t feel as sacred as other temples I’ve been to, where once it’s required to wear a sarong there are no longer markets and shops. At the beginning I was tying my sarong, a woman came up and tied it for me then shoved the natural offering in my hands (I thought she was just kind and trying to help) - she wanted 300k. I said absolutely not and gave her 50k which is still plenty, I didn’t want to cause a scene. I unfortunately wouldn’t go there again, even though once you get to the top it is beautiful.

- Tegenungan Waterfall - You pay to enter the area (which is understandable) and when you’re going to the actual waterfall you have to pay AGAIN - what??? It is very pretty, but that’s weird in my opinion. It’s not the best waterfall and there are better ones.

- Hidden Canyon - This is more of a warning for people that are shorter and not fit - the whole journey takes around 2 hours in water, you have to swim and climb - but if you’re short like me - certain areas are so deep the water will be on your shoulder level (I’m 160cm). If you don’t enjoy physical activities, this one isn’t for you. Beware of the free meal they provide as well, it unfortunately upset my stomach for the next few days (Fried rice with an ice tea, im guessing it was the ice).

Places I definitely recommend:
- Uluwatu Temple - It’s SO gorgeous and worth it. There are also a lot of monkeys, so if you’re an animal lover like me, you’ll enjoy it. They aren’t aggressive, but you do need to take off flashy earrings as they can rip it out (from what our guide said) - we saw a pregnant monkey mama and babies! EDIT: They weren’t aggressive and active when I went there at around 4 PM, but still be wary and listen to your guide/be cautious

- Tukad Cepung Waterfall - Beautiful cave waterfall! It’s ethereal and I don’t know what else to say about it, it’s a must see!

- Batur Sunrise - Whether it’s through hiking or jeep it’s up to you, but the sunrise is absolutely gorgeous and the area surrounding it too! Even when the sun still hadn’t came out, I was still amazed by the view. Definitely worth waking up at 2 am for.

- Ulun Danu Beratan Temple - Gorgeous views and gorgeous temple.

There were also other places I went to, but these 4 are definitely the ones that are a must see! Anyways, that is all. I love Bali, but I definitely don’t miss the traffic and narrow roads. If anyone wants to ask me anything, let me know!

EDIT: Looking back at the pictures, I also enjoyed: Banyumala Waterfall, Tegallalang Rice Terrace and Tibumana Waterfall! I also stayed in Ubud, if anyone has questions regarding it

Hi everyone!

I’m from Spain and I’ve been offered a job teaching Spanish at a university in Denpasar. My other option is Jakarta, and I’m having a really hard time deciding.

At first I was completely sold on Bali, but then I started wondering what it’s actually like to live there long term, not just visit.

If everything goes well, I’d stay for a few years, so what matters most to me is building a life, making friends, having things to do outside work and feeling settled.

One thing I’m a bit worried about is that a lot of foreigners in Bali seem to come and go quite quickly. Is it easy to make genuine, long-term friendships, or does it feel like people are always leaving?

For those of you who live in Bali (especially around Denpasar), what’s everyday life really like? What do you love about it? And what are the downsides that nobody tells you before moving?

I’d love to hear your honest opinions. Thanks! 😊

A self introduced Arab,his “wife” and baby girl stopped us on sunset road.Asked about our country ,dropped car in the middle of the road to talk to us .Lady distracted me while guy spoke to friend who came with me .He insisted on seeing Indian note ,saw other note said he wants to see .Before I could scream or tell friend to stop ,Bro took our money to see the notes,Lost 200 dollars ,my friend cried once realised what happened.I had to convince it was a scam and bring it to the room .

I'm Canadian, and I was planning on topping up my GoPay with my Canadian bank account (I do not have Wise, etc.). I'm seeing mixed comments about that, as some say you cannot top up with international bank accounts. Although I haven't actually topped up my GoPay yet, I do see an option for Visa and Mastercard to top it up. Does anyone have experience with this? Thank you.

So, I’ve stayed at plenty of 5* and medium/high end hotels and resorts across Europe. For the most part, I’ve found the food served at hotels to be medium to good level, think 5-7 / 10 rating.

I’ve stayed in 4 different hotels/resorts of similar standard to those I’ve previously been to in Europe and the food at all of them has really blown me away, like excellent top quality restaurant level food that I’m not used to getting at hotels.

Is this just coincidence or perhaps is the expected standard for chefs in Bali much higher than normal?

I’m traveling to Bali for schoolies at the end of the year and looking into how much alcohol I can bring to Bali however every site says you need to be 21. Will customs actually care?

Reddit is officially accessible in Indonesia without a VPN, ending an 11-year restriction! The Ministry of Communication and Informatics (now Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs) lifted the block after previously enforcing it over content policy violations.

Historically, the platform was targeted under the government's Internet Sehat (Healthy Internet) initiative to filter out adult content. For over a decade, Indonesian users… particularly those in nearby regions like Bali or Jakarta- had to rely on alternative DNS configs or VPNs to access the site. This recent change opens up free browsing of global communities directly on local ISPs <3

Im going to bali, and I was wondering if water pipes legal, as I would love to bring some back home. If they are legal, where would I be able to get some unique water pipes, or water pipes in general.

DISCLAIMER: Not hiring or offering anything to anyone, I'm unemployed.

Hey guys,

I'm an Indonesian guy/citizen in my mid-20s and I'm considering moving to Bali for work.

I've spent most of my life overseas, so I'm honestly still trying to understand how the Indonesian job market/laws works. I'm native in both English and Indonesian, conversational in German, and currently learning Russian.

I was wondering if anyone here has worked (or is currently working) for Holywings Group or Atlas Beach Fest. Since I've seen job offer flyers from them on insta and visited their site

I'm mainly curious about things like:

-What's the work culture like?

-Is the pay fair for Bali?

-How are management and career progression?

-Would you recommend working there in general?

I'm also looking for jobs such as:

-Gym attendant

-Fitness or sports-related positions

-Beach club positions

-As another option, I'm also interested in door/security work for nightclubs, bars etc.

I'm a former amateur kickboxer, well-built, and comfortable working in customer-facing environments where fitness is an advantage.

Not looking to cause trouble 🫡🫡🫡

just trying to find work where my background could be useful.

If anyone knows the best way to apply (online, walk-in, HR contact, or recruitment events), I'd really appreciate any advice possible.

PS: I don't have LinkedIn and barely posts on social media (which I'm aware many Indonesian recruiters obsess over for some reason)

Thanks a lot in advance

Hello,

I’m on my second week in Bali, so far it’s been really enjoyable especially due to the wonderful, friendly people of this island.

I recently made my way to the coast in Amed and had some reservations about how clean the sea water would be. The path to the beach (Lipah) was covered with litter which I have come to expect in Bali but it was a bit worrying.

However, when I finally got to the beach I was pleasantly surprised how clean and blue the water was. It’s a bit annoying to be pestered by the local guys trying to sell you a snorkelling mask and sun bed but again, such is life here.

But just as I was thinking to myself how nice it was….my partner shrieked in horror. She pointed at the ocean and said to me “oh my god, is that a pig?”. I looked over and sure enough, right there in the surf was a dead baby piglet floating along just next to where a group of tourists were swimming.

Now one again I understand things are a bit different to what I’m used to in Europe but I don’t think it’s too much to ask not to swim next to a dead, rotting animal. So this has once again made me very uneasy about swimming in Amed and indeed staying here much longer.

In the words of the Clash, should I stay or should I go? I am tempted to move down the coast to Candidasa for a while instead….

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to find a cooling gel I bought in Bali a year ago. But I can't remember the name. It was recommended to me for sunburn. And it's the best gel for sunburn I ever had.

It came in a dark red tube with a silver or white writing. I don't think the text was English but I can't remember. It was from a pharmacy shop. The gel itself was clear / transparent and had a really nice cooling effect on the skin.

I know this isn't much information but maybe someone recognizes it. It might not have been a classic "after sun" lotion, just something locals recommended for my sunburn. Does anyone know what's the name of the product?

Bought a cheap, but nice acoustic in Java («Shakira» brand) for use while traveling, which apparently is impossible/ makes no sense to ship back home.

Is there somewhere/ some way I could sell it?

Fuck them off..

It’s been 4 years since I visited this place and there was only a couple here then. I love it here but those scooters are like a plague. They add another (un necessary) layer of chaos to the main strip.

Horses
Push bikes
Pedestrians
And now … beep fucking beep.

Use your legs ffs. Walk.. peddle (leave the horses alone. Just my opinion)This island can be circumnavigated by foot in what?? An hour.

Why?

And the danger. Fark me I was almost t-boned by one

Hate them. If you visit Gili T don’t hire them. It’s not what Gili T is about.

doezen of restaurants all within ubud + amed every single one of them had a different "government tax surcharge". Some as much as 20% some 16, some 11 some tax included and some no tax mentioned at all.

Why is that? It feels like each restaurant sets its own surcharge and just calls it tax.

We moved from Kuta to Panjer about six weeks ago, and we're still finding our feet.

Mie Gacoan is solid and consistently good, but I need a break from it.

So far I've found:

• Rumah Makan Minang Simpang Ampek – beef rendang
• SFC (Shella Fried Chicken Toko) – geprek

What else am I missing?

I'm looking for good local lunch spots around Jl. Tukad Pakerisan. Warungs, nasi campur, bakso, soto, mie ayam, babi guling... pretty much anything that's good value and worth becoming a regular at.

I'd much rather hear local favourites than Google/ChatGPT recommendations.