With gas prices sky-rocketing to an all-time high these days, and food costs and foreclosure rates on the rise, where can the budget traveler escape to explore the great outdoors while still expanding one’s cultural horizons and lavishing in star-style treatment? The answer is Bali. From its eclectic array of restaurants and spas, to an incomparable plethora of shops and surf spots, Bali is the Shangri-La for those hardworking souls who want a little more bang for their buck in a world where simple fun and relaxation is becoming increasingly hard to come by. Located just eight degrees south of the equator, situated between the Indonesian islands of Java and Lombok, Bali, much like Hawaii, maintains an average year-round temperature of a balmy 85 degrees. The menagerie of colorful flowered offerings littering the sidewalks in front of each establishment are a subtle reminder to visitors that this is a place where religion and culture are deeply intertwined, and a strong reverence for nature still emanates throughout daily life. Compared to Indonesia’s Muslim majority, Bali’s population is 93% Hindu, and a certain level of cultural unrest is still prevalent nearly half a decade after the suicide bombings of 2002 and 2005, when over 200 locals and tourists alike were killed or injured. While enjoying the native hospitality and normally tranquil surroundings, always remember to travel smart and keep your wits about you. Because of the long flight, a plane ticket can be a little costly, so try booking your vacation far in advance. Shopping online may also help you find the lowest fares. Bali’s peak tourist seasons are mid-December through mid-January, and July through late September, so avoiding these high traffic times can also help keep you within budget. April through June is a good time to travel. With the beginning of the Balinese dry season, you will have just missed the torrential monsoons, and hotel rates should still be reasonable. From here, with a little planning and a quick brush-up on your haggling skills, you can ditch your financial worries at the airport. There are a wide range of accommodations available on this beautiful island. Your hotel standards, how you prioritize your activities, and when you travel will determine where you stay and how much you shell out. Luckily, the exchange rate in Bali is about 9,000Rp to the dollar, so if you’re a surfer whose only requirement is running water, clean sheets, and convenient southwest swell accessibility, you can find standard accommodations in Kuta, (Bali’s premiere surf spot near the southern tip of the island) for under $20 a night. (Remember, standard usually means two single beds, so travel with a buddy and you cut your costs in half!) The Satriya, on Poppies Lane in Kuta, hosts a friendly staff who are more than happy to slash their rates for return customers. Starting at $40 a night, you can wake up to a complimentary hot breakfast after a warm shower and a sound sleep in your comfortably quaint, air-conditioned room. They also have their own drivers on site (ask for Putu) to save you the trouble of being solicited by taxi drivers on the street. Local drivers know the island as well as any tour guide, and you can work out your own schedule and prices with them for much cheaper than an organized tour (around $30 a day… if you’re feeling generous!) If you crave more modern accommodations, the clean lines of the cubist-style Mercure Hotel might be just what you’re looking for. With its rooftop swimming pool overlooking Kuta Beach, $90 a night is a steal for this hotel’s prime location.
While the store-cluttered streets of Kuta and Legion are great for their bargain shopping, four a.m. clubs and continuous surf breaks, those who crave a break from the endless throngs of buzzing mopeds and drunken bar-hoppers can visit the quieter country setting of Ubud. Set back against the island’s gently sloping highlands, about 12 miles northeast of Kuta, Ubud is host to a wide variety of day spas, ethnic restaurants, clothing boutiques, and some of the best art galleries and jewelry shops in all of Bali. Best known for their silver and wood-work, traditional hand-paintings, and batik art, locals sell their unique pieces right out of the backs of their homes which dot each street like pickets in a fence. Yet hardly so much as a few tiled steps separates you from this very open and inviting genre of artists and store-owners whose biggest fascination seems to be you, where you’re from, and why you’re so interested in their culture.
Whereas certain shops have set prices (you can usually tell by how formally the store is laid out), most of the smaller venues are not only open to bargaining, but actually invite it. Not just to promote the sale, however, but as taxi driver Rai put it, “… [simply] as a way to entertain!” Though villages like Mas and Celuk are famous for their wood furniture and silver and gold work, the showrooms they feature are often more expensive and not as open to negotiating cost. You can find equally beautiful pieces around central Ubud, which stretches from the sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in the southwest corner, to the Pasar Seni (Art Market) in the north. If you stick to the private venues (and to your guns), you can find a lot of clothing, artwork, and even jewelry for under $10. Hint: A good rule to remember when trying to talk a merchant down is to make your starting price no more than half of what you’re actually willing to pay—or one fourth of what he or she is asking. That way, you can comfortably come up in price, meeting the merchant halfway without feeling like you’re being taken. However, don’t be afraid to shop around! Chances are, if you cannot agree on a price you can easily find a similar product just down the street. Feeling hungry? Shopping isn’t the only way to get a great deal on a quality product. While taking great care to drink only BOTTLED WATER during your stay in Bali, make sure you don’t miss out on the delicious fresh fruit mélanges, like the lychee-mint or chocolate-avocado smoothies served exclusively at Dragonfly on Jl Dewi Sita, in Central Ubud. A couple of those, plus their famous Edamame dumplings, Thai pumpkin and ginger soup, and prawn salad will still only run you about $25…including tip! That’s a three course meal! Who says you can’t live large AND eat healthy? For those on a strict budget (or on a diet!) it’s quite easy to feel satiated on single course meals and $10 a day, as many hotels include breakfast in their overall rates. Ubud Village Hotel and Resort not only serves breakfast with a full omelet bar included in their rates, but $80 a night also gets you your own private courtyard patio and outdoor marble bathroom, complete with separate shower and Jacuzzi-style tub! Return guests, during the off season, may ask for the reduced rate of a mere $65 a night! After a hard day of delectable dishes and conspicuous consumption, what could be better than a rejuvenating spa treatment? Whether your preference is a moisturizing cucumber and honey facial, or a full body massage with herbal scrub followed by a flower bath overlooking surrounding rice paddies, you can have it all, plus a replenishing banana hair mask, for a total of around $35 dollars. Lavish in a different treatment each day, or spoil yourself with the whole package all at once. Because most tourist areas in Bali feature an abundance of spas, all with competitive rates, take the time to shop around until you find one with the relaxing environment that suits your needs. Some spas are open-air spaces where you can watch rice farmers at work in the fields while soaking in a tub filled with native flowers. Others are more of an intimate, indoor atmosphere, for those who require absolute privacy to escape. Verona Spa on Jl Monkey Forest in Ubud is highly recommended for those who want to take in the breathtaking natural scenery of the outdoors while being pampered. No prudes allowed! Can’t bear to tear yourself away from the gentle ocean breeze? You can even request massages or manicures from soliciting individuals right on the beach in seaside villages such as Kuta, or the gated resort community of Nusa Dua. Soak up the sun while using your still nicely padded wallet as a pillow. Treatments on the beach are price negotiable, and can go for as little $7 an hour for a massage, and $3 for a manicure/pedicure!
There are many other outdoor activities in and around Bali that cost little or no money, depending upon whether or not you bring your own equipment. Rafting along the Sungai Ayung River is a popular attraction and can range anywhere from $30-$70 per trip, depending on the length of the tour and which company you choose to go with. Sobek is a reputable company, and a two-hour adventure with lunch to follow will run you about $68. While it will cost you around $100 to check your own surfboard on a plane, it’s only $25 a day to rent one, and you can even take it off-island to neighboring Nusa Lembongan, home of world famous surf breaks such as Playground, Lacerations, and Shipwreck. This tiny, rural island of seaweed farmers is growing in popularity for its beachside bungalow community. Here, snorkel tours will also rent out equipment, but the fit isn’t guaranteed, and it’s just as easy to pack your own (and probably more hygienic) if you already have it. You can wheel-and-deal on “tour” prices (usually this consists of a tiny wooden boat captained by one of the locals), but $5 will generally get you the prime snorkeling spots. Tired after a long day of water sports? Stay the night in your own three bedroom cottage at Lembongan Island Beach Villas, complete with full kitchen, living room, patio and your own private pool for a paltry $140 during the off-season. Split three ways, that’s under $47 per person! Meanwhile, back on Bali, there are numerous small hikes between villages, through rice terraces, to sites like the Gitgit Waterfalls, the relief carvings at Yeh Pulu, or the sunset stroll along the ocean’s edge to Pura Tanah Lot, Bali’s most photographed temple, which costs absolutely nothing at all. Be sure to bring your camera—for an island whose treasures are so economically accessible, Bali certainly remains rich in its natural splendor and cultural inheritance.
-Alicia Yamachika
