Wanting to travel in style but on a budget? you have come to the right place! These are my personal tips and tricks on how to have a fun vacation and while rocking some cute outfits fit for the weather and activities.

My GOLDEN RULE in all of my travels is to ‘research about the place prior to your travel dates’ (Do not just wing it otherwise, you may find yourself wasting half a day’s worth of your trip and might miss out on the best activities you could have done if you just did a bit of research on the first place).

First thing you have to know is that Bali is an island and a province of Indonesia. Its capital is Denpasar which is at the southern part of the island and is where Ngurah Rai International Airport is located. The island is famous for its rich Balinese culture and surfing activities.

1.     Accommodation

Every time I have a trip coming up. Aside from researching about the place, the first thing that I check are the airfares. What I usually do is check out cheapflights.com or traveloka.com, then compare the airfare prices to the main airline website and book my flight. Bali roundtrip flights from Manila (MNL-DPS; DPS-MNL), can cost around 8,000 pesos. There are 3 flights per day and the travel time takes about 3 hrs. and 55 min.

Bali has a great range of accommodation from hotels to Airbnb villas depending on what activities you wish to do. When I went to Bali, I stayed at Nusa Dua Marriott Gardens, it was not the cheapest hotel out there, but you can use Marriott rewards to avail discounts (Room Rate: Average of 8,000 pesos/ night).

Book the cheapest flight if you are on a tight budget and book ahead! You just might catch a promo fare. And look for hotels or Airbnbs that offer either great view, service, or accessibility. You can also opt for ‘very cheap’ hotels or villas but it might not be as comfortable, or the area might not be as great.           

Another tip: Look for a hotel that has a lot of instagrammable views!

Before going to Bali, you have to know what sort of activities you want to do in the island so that you can book your hotel or Airbnb villa near the places you want to go.

I actually did not stay in this Airbnb, but I found this on Aspyn Ovard’s blog and youtube channel and I thought the place was amazing. If you are looking for an Instagram-worthy villa, then I think this will be perfect for you. (click here to view this villa)

2.     Day Tour

For your day tour, again much better to plan ahead. I recommend that instead of taking a taxi where you have to pay every single ride, rent a car for a day, don’t worry guys, driver is included. A 14-seater van can cost around 1,400,000 rupiah rented for the whole day (remember to give your driver a tip). I promise you that this can save you tons of money and it can also save you from stress from searching for taxis every time you have to transfer places.

 Start early with the day tour to maximize your car rental and so that you can visit more places during the day.

Places I have visited in Bali that I also recommend you visit:

1.     Kuta Beach (around 30 - 45 min away from Nusa Dua)

famous place for surfing

2.     Balangan Beach (around 30 min away from Nusa Dua)

also a popular place for surfing, much bigger waves than in Kuta; also a popular spot for wedding shoots

3.     Uluwatu Temple (around 45 min away from Nusa Dua)

you can watch a cultural Balinese show and the perfect sunset

4.     Bali Batuan Temple (around an 1hr and 30 min away from Nusa Dua)

a place to see the architecture, history, and culture of Bali

5.     Uma Pakel Bali Swing (around 2hrs away from Nusa Dua)

you can see how they make luwak coffee and experience the giant swing that hangs on two trees and swings you over a cliff (must try!)

6.     Ubud Market (around 2hrs from Nusa Dua)

a shop ‘til you drop place in Ubud, famous place to shop and bargain for wood and metal handicrafts, batik shirts and rattan bags.

3.     Shopping

Bali is also famous for its craftsmanship and an ideal venue for shoppers (like me!). It offers a wide range of quality products at reasonable prices. If you like Balinese wood and metal handicratfs, batik shirts and those instagrammable Bali bags, then Bali is the place for you!

Here are some tips you should remember to have a smooth shopping experience that will make your trip ‘hassle-free’.

1.     Remember that only ‘large stores’ or hotels accept credit cards for payment, so make sure to have enough “rupiahs” when shopping.

It is just less of a hassle when you have enough money before shopping than having to look for money changers midday because you run out.

2.     Try to shop in the morning or late afternoon. The Bali sun will drain all of your energy making you feel more tired than shopping in late afternoons or on cloudy days.

I also do not recommend that you go on a shopping on a rainy day.

3.     Bargain. Bargain. Bargain.

Wouldn’t it be more satisfying to purchase products half of its original price? I mean, that would be such a steal. But remember that not all stores accept bargaining.

4.     Outfits

When I went to Bali last May-June 2018, the weather was quite hot. So, for those travelling on those dates, remember to bring lightweight clothes and you can also bring extra clothes and swimwear.

Top – flowy tops, tank tops, loose shirts

Bottoms – shorts, skirts, maxi skirts

Shoes – flip flops, thongs, anything that is comfortable to walk on an uneven pavement or sand

Yes, wearing heels or wedges can make you look better and taller in photos but if you want to still feel your legs at the end of the day, I suggest you wear those heels just on photoshoots… or just leave them at home.

Swimwear – you can wear your bikinis, but if you want to go surfing, I recommend that your wear rash guards

And that is how you travel-in-style: Bali edition! I hope this blog helped you choose your hotel or choose your OOTDs! Don’t worry guys, we can conquer Bali together.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to message me on Instagram or leave a comment down below.