Good to know:

Costs

Compared to Europe, everything is a bit cheaper in Bali: food, accommodation, transportation and so on. However, Bali is definitely more expensive than many other places in Asia due to the tourism boom. Accommodation in particular is a little more expensive. You can even find accommodation in Bali for 800-1000€ per night! But you can also sleep somewhere for less than €10 a night. There is actually something for every price range. But you definitely get more for your money than in Europe!

You can eat very well and, above all, cheaply in Bali - at least if you eat traditional food in typical warungs Warungs are typical Indonesian bistros. You can eat traditional hot dishes and buy food and drinks here. For example, I ate a delicious nasi goreng for €1 at Warung Sunny in Uluwatu. But even outside of the traditional restaurants, you're better off compared to Western countries. Most dishes cost between €3 and €7.

Transportation with Grab, Gojek & co. is definitely cheaper than a cab at home. However, the prices here can sometimes add up. You should also bear in mind that you often have to pay a small entrance fee for many attractions, including beaches. This is usually only between 50ct and 4€. However, this can still add up. Tours such as the hike to Mount Batur or ferry trips are not necessarily cheap either. Therefore, always compare prices before booking to avoid being ripped off.

Getting around

If you want to get from A to B in Bali, it is easiest to rent your own scooter for short distances or book a scooter driver via the Grab or Gojek apps. For long distances, however, a car is probably the better (and safer) option. On Bali, you can also hire your own rental car. Yet, it is somewhat easier and probably more advisable in the traffic to book a driver. You can do this via the same apps or you can simply write Bege (@balitripwithbege). I got to know Bege via Instagram and always felt safe with him or one of his drivers. Bege is also just great as a person! We have become friends in such a short time. He always drove me reliably (and cheaply!) and even organized my trips (e.g. ferry ride to Gili Meno or the volcano hike at Mount Batur) at the best prices. Just tell him what offers you have found online or elsewhere and he will tell you honestly whether you can get it cheaper or not.

Food & drinks

From traditional Indonesian dishes to trendy cafés and restaurants, you'll find everything in Bali. You often pay significantly less than in Europe. In upscale restaurants, however, it can sometimes be more expensive. Vegetarian options are available almost everywhere, while vegans have to watch out for egg in their dishes in traditional restaurants. In trendy restaurants, however, it is no problem for vegans to find something tasty.

Most dishes are made with rice. Rice is to Bali what bread is to us Germans. Typical dishes are nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles), gado-gado (salad with peanut sauce), sate (meat skewers), tempeh (salty, fermented soy) or soto ayam (chicken soup with lemongrass). Often krupuk (chips made from crab flour) are served with the meal. I can recommend trying several of the traditional dishes (tempeh in particular was always great in Bali!). It's best to do this directly in the typical warungs. Then you'll save money and it usually tastes the best there.

As Bali is very touristy, you can get alcoholic drinks almost everywhere. These are only relatively expensive compared to the rest. If you drink alcohol, you should only stay away from home-brewed alcohol! There have been several serious cases of methanol poisoning among tourists. Maybe you should go for coffee instead. Because in Bali you find the famous Luwak coffee - the “cat poop coffee”, which must taste very good (unfortunately, I don't drink coffee myself, but my friends have confirmed it to me).

Culture

What makes Bali special is its unique culture. The island is the last Hindu province in Indonesia - the country with the largest Islamic population in the world. Despite the ever-growing commercialization of Bali, the people here are still in harmony with their religion. For example, you will see the artfully woven bast baskets with flowers, incense sticks and rice everywhere along the roadside, which are supposed to protect the houses from demons. The rituals and practices of the Balinese are by no means staged and you can really feel that here! I was simply thrilled to see how the Balinese continue to live their lives in their own way despite the hustle and bustle of the tourists and how they radiate a sense of calm that permeates the whole island.

There's just one thing you should bear in mind: different religions, different customs. For example, I arrived the day before “Nyepi”. It is the highest Hindu holiday in Bali, celebrating the new year according to the traditional Balinese moon phase calendar Saka. However, unlike us, the New Year is not celebrated with a big party, but with silence. On the “Day of Silence”, the Balinese fast and meditate and there is a curfew - even for tourists! Incidentally, flight operations are completely suspended on this day. Fortunately, I knew this beforehand and had booked a nice hotel for the time. Otherwise I would have had a bit of a problem.

Wellness

Another thing you can do very cheaply in Bali is spend time in a spa. You pay significantly less for a massage, eyelash lift or manicure than in Germany. So take advantage of this and treat yourself to a little time out. In Canggu, Kuta, Seminyak and Ubud in particular, you'll find a small spa or beauty salon on every corner. You can find a large selection in the Bali Spa Guide here.

By the way: If you like wellness, yoga and music, why not visit Bali during the BaliSpirit Festival? You can find out more here.

Shopping

Hardly anywhere else you can go shopping as good as in Bali, where you will find everything from tourist stores to expensive boutiques. In Kuta, in particular, you will come across cheap mass-produced goods that often sell (not very good) counterfeits of branded products. In Uluwatu, on the other hand, you will come across a few boutiques with high-quality products, while in Canggu, Seminyak and Ubud you will find a mixture of both. Yet, you find treasures and high-quality handicrafts at good prices best in villages that specialize in handicrafts and are less touristy.

My highlight in Bali, however, are the markets. It's best to find out if there is one near you. For example, there is a market every Sunday at the Hatch in Uluwatu and there are many different pop-up markets in Canggu. The permanent Love Anchor market in Canggu is also a good address.

Attention

Bali is considered a surfer's paradise because of its waves. But where the waves break well, the current is not without its drawbacks. You should therefore always bear in mind the sometimes strong undercurrent when swimming. Always pay attention to the flag on the beach. If it is red, it is better not to go in too deep.

Interesting to know

Balinese are generally organized in village communities. Each village has three temples: the original temple (pura puseh), which is dedicated to the creator Brahama, the village temple (pura desa), which is under the protection of Wishnu and is at the center of social life, and the mortuary temple (pura dalem), which is dedicated to Shiva, the god of destruction. Each inhabitant is assigned certain duties and they help each other. The center of life is the market, which is traditionally run by the women. Living together is regulated by customary law (adat). The council of all married men (banjar) decides on important issues.

90% of the Balinese are farmers (sudra). They have a precise order when it comes to the names of their children. First-born children are called Bayan or Putu, second-born children are called Made or Kader, third-born children are called Nyoman or Komang and the fourth child is called Ketut. The process starts all over again with the fifth child. To differentiate between men and women, men are called “I” and women are called “Ni” before the names.

According to Balinese belief, the soul only becomes free after the destruction of its physical shell. The dead are therefore cremated. However, as cremation costs a lot of money, the dead initially remain buried in cemeteries for years until their families have the money together. In the meantime, they are said to haunt the cemetery. Poorer families often get together and celebrate a mass burial. The ashes are then spread in a river or on the sea. The ceremony is more joyful than sad, as the Balinese see it as a positive event to release the soul of a loved one.