Bali has been a byword for tropical paradise since Charlie Chaplin visited in the 1930s. It’s somewhere that offers all the magazine island cliches: world-class diving, metronomic surf breaks, viridian rice terraces and cliff-top temples, not to mention gorgeous spas and beach clubs.
Like many places, the destination has struggled with overtourism, yet Bali boasts a rich and unique culture, and is a gateway to Indonesia’s 17,000 or so other islands – two solid reasons seek out the island’s serene heart.
Travel restrictions and entry requirements
Entry requirements change often: check them on Welcome Back to Bali. As matters stand, adult travellers should bring paper proof of Covid vaccination (at least two doses) and fill in a customs form online or at the airport. UK and EU nationals need to buy a 30-day visa on arrival either at the airport or online; the cost is 500,000 IDR (£27). You can extend this once for a further 30 days.
Best time to go
Bali’s weather is best during the dry season, which coincides with the European summer and Australian winter, but this is a terrible time to visit. The island’s patchy infrastructure groans at the seams and it can take an hour for a taxi to exit the airport grounds. Shoulder seasons – April to May and September to October – are a better choice. Europeans often struggle with the humidity during the wet season peak in January and February.
Top regions and cities
Ubud
Ubud is Bali’s spiritual and cultural capital. Bali’s ongoing tension between sybaritic and spiritual is evident here: it’s home to both the island’s fanciest fine dining and its best vegan food. Between temples, yoga, arts classes, rice field walks and cycles, Ubud is a wonderful place to recharge, with some spectacular (and some expensive) retreats perched above the gorges north of town.
Find something to take home in Ubud’s markets
(Getty Images)
Seminyak
Seminyak sits between Kuta (incredibly popular with Australians) and Canggu (southeast Asia’s answer to Tulum) along Bali’s west coast. The beaches deliver thermonuclear Indian Ocean sunsets and some of the island’s kindest surf for beginners. The indie fashion boutiques and design stores make for great window shopping, while Eat Street (Petitenget) houses a world-class restaurant scene.
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