We know of Bali as a beach haven, a place for rest, relaxation and a great tan. But few people know the hidden side of Bali, the places that will take your travel adventures to the next level. If you don’t experience the extraordinary, you’ll never know what you’ve been missing out.
With the help of TravelMadeDifferent.com – we decided to experience the land, sea and skies of Bali differently. TravelMadeDifferent allows you to easily find ideas for your next adventure. Just go to their website and start curating your favourite pictures in each city. And then armed with your new bucket list, begin exploring.
We’ve had the adventure of a lifetime discovering these 14 secret places in Bali. Here’s what we got up to!
On the tour, you’ll pass by Canggu Village (20 minutes north of Seminyak, halfway to Tanah Lot). En route to the beach, it was interesting to walk along modern roads, admiring the instagrammable villas with private pools and the good looking surfers in the area! Still, the highlight of our horse-riding episode was watching them waddle over the shallow streams of water – sooo adorable.
We were lucky, because a pod of dolphins swam directly towards our boat and frolicked merrily under the waves! Most of us have seen dolphins at aquariums or animal shows, but seeing them at ease and happy in their habitat was a whole new level of being one with nature.
Address: Lovina Beach, Buleleng Sub-District, Buleleng Regency, Bali 81152
Address: Lovina Beach, Buleleng Sub-District, Buleleng Regency, Bali 81152
On the back of these camels, the view was picturesque – much like a brief Middle-Eastern moment right here in Bali. We spotted so many photogenic places for potential wedding photo shoots along the way and even got a chance to stop for some refreshing and complimentary drinks by friendly locals.
Address: Jalan Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, Nusa Dua, Bali 80363, Indonesia
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets while sipping on El Kabron’s range of mocktails, cocktails and fresh fruit juice. Our favourite item on the menu was the Coca Tebia De Queso Manchego, Jamon Iberico Y Setas. Be sure to order that when you visit!
Address: Jl. Pantai Cemongkak, Pecatu, Kuta Sel., Bali 80571, Indonesia
Opening hours: 11.30am – 11.30pm, reservations highly recommended
Gitgit Waterfall is located on the north of the Southeast Asian island, not too far from Lovina and the old island capital Singaraja. We took a car ride up to the midpoint of Gitgit and walked for around 20 minutes to the waterfall.
Address: Jl. Raya Bedugul – Singaraja, Gitgit, Sukasada, Bali, Indonesia
Climbing three hours up Mt Batur was totally worth it – you’ll really feel that you’re on top of the world. What can we say about this majestic sight that could further convince you? Every hint of exhaustion was forgotten the moment we reached the peak and saw this magical landscape.
You’ll want to be prepared for the journey. Wear appropriate hiking gear, pack light and make sure your shoes have enough grip. It’s hot in Bali, but as you climb higher, the weather gets cold. Remember to bring along a sweater to cope with the change in temperature! Alternatively, you may rent sweaters and pants for around S$8 at the foot of the mountain and return them after your trek.
Address: Jl. Raya Penelokan, Kintamani, Batur Village, Bangli, Kintamani, Bali 80518
Coordinates: -8.765242,115.178768
A pool villa costs between $100-$300SGD per night. Shared between 8 people, you can have a fantastic stay for only $20-$40 per person per night. Check out our full guide to Bali pool villas
Here’s the villa we rented during our stay!
While we love to go cafe hopping, but there is nothing more authentic than doing as the locals do and going on a gastronomic journey of the best local food around. Bak So is a signature Indonesian dish similar to our pork intestine soup. Eat it with meat balls or mixed with intestines – it tastes great either way.
This humble dish was one of the highlights of our trip. We stumbled upon an inconspicuous eating area, Kuta Market, while exploring Kuta and had the chance to try these dishes. For the unbelievable price of $5, we enjoyed a full meal while sitting on mats by the roadside. With nary a tourist in sight, this was our favourite off-the-beaten-track experience.
Address: Jalan Blambangan, Kuta
One of our favourite cafes is La Favela, a fusion cafe with a cool, funky vibe. The people behind La Favela designed their cafe with Brazilian and Mediterranean elements in mind, creating an eclectic cultural feast for the eyes, complete with a miniature Christ the Redeemer statue.
Address: La Favela, Jl. Laksamana Oberoi 177X, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Opening hours: 11am – 3am
It really made us question why we’re sometimes so unhappy when we have so much. As a wave of appreciation for our lives back home washed over us, we felt truly grateful to be able to travel differently and see a different side to Bali. You learn a lot more about the local culture and more about yourself!
Address: Visit Balico Cycling for more information.
If great food with a view sounds like your kinda thing, Cafe Pomegranate in Central Ubud is right smack in the middle of a padi field – an excellent way to kill two birds with one stone.
Address: Cafe Pomegranate, Jl. Subak Sok Wayah
Opening hours: 9am – 9pm
Once the initial excitement wears off, you’re calm enough to take in your surroundings and then you realise how glorious everything looks from up high. As scary as it sounds, you’re in safe hands – a guide is strapped behind you for a tandem jump, and these experienced guides will take care of maneuvering the ride all the way while you take in the beautiful view in front of you and whip out your camera for breathtaking pictures for your instagram feed.
The price can get steep at around 100USD per person, but for a thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime experience, it’s worth it. For those prone to motion sickness, take some medication beforehand – getting nauseated in the midst of the ride can get quite bad. If you’re not a fan of heights, the guides can customize the experience according to your preferences. See? There’s no excuse to miss out on this!
Address: eOasia, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia
Eat, Pray, Love may have drawn millions of holiday-makers to Bali for years, yet much of the beautiful island remains unexplored. We had an adventure that truly was off the beaten track thanks to Travel Made Different – a website and community made up of travellers who share the love of finding hidden gems in the cities they visit.
If conventional itineraries don’t pique your interest anymore, the adventurer in you will delight in the alternatives this website has to offer. Bali has been a time of firsts for us – we threw ourselves off a cliff, cafe-hopped at the most unexpected locations and rode horses by the sea. Really, you just have to know where to look.
For more pictures of our trip, view the travel log we created here. If you’re planning your own trip, get inspired by the #TravelMadeDifferent community and create your own travel log on the website. Be a part of this growing pool of like-minded individuals by hashtagging your awesome travel pictures with #TravelMadeDifferent #<Country> – e.g #TravelMadeDifferent #Bali
Go forth and have the time of your life!
This post was brought to you by the TravelMadeDifferent.
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