Happy Travel: Three Blissful Days in Tayrona Park, Colombia

Why Visit Colombia’s Tayrona Park?

This is where Colombian natives go to vacation. It’s a little stretch of tropical paradise along the Caribbean Ocean, filled with palm trees, white sand beaches, sunshine, and laid back attitudes. Within the park, there’s a ton of wildlife (monkeys!) and biodiversity, making the long trek to the famous beaches of El Cabo San Juan extremely worthwhile.

The beach at the end of the five mile, 90 degree, 90% humidity hike. Ahhh.

Come to Tayrona National Park area if you’re the adventurous type that wants to relax a bit. It’s not exactly easy to get to this part of Colombia, so it is best suited to the more adventurous backpack who is looking for a beachside getaway. It is a very backpacker friendly region, with plenty of hostel-like accommodations and other young, outgoing travelers.

To help orient, all the green is Tayrona Park. To the left is Santa Marta. To the right is Guachaca, where my mom & I stayed. 

Tayrona National Park Accommodations

A relaxation hut at the Playa Pikua Lodge in Tayrona. 

There are a couple of accommodation options for your stay in Tayrona Park.

• Hammock (within the park)
  • This might seem like a glamourous option, but I was told by many travelers that getting a full night’s rest in a hammock was almost impossible.
  • No AC & no guarantee your hammock has been cleaned this year (or ever)
  • Best for the most low maintenance or most adventurous of travelers
  • $4 per night
• Tent (within the park)
  • This seemed like the more comfortable option if you wanted to stay within the park.
  • However, you’d have to supply your own sleeping bag, which might be a challenge for some.
  • Both these and the hammocks are first come, first serve, so there is an element of stress to securing either.
  • $9 for two people per night

These are the tents inside Tayrona Park. Under the hut is where all of the hammocks are. Just the cold hard facts here people. 

• Hostel dorm room (outside the park)
  • Costeño Beach Surf Camp: $15
    • Super popular hostel recommended to me by multiple people
    • We hung out here a few times, as it neighbored our ecohab to the left
    • Very fun, young, party atmosphere
  • La Brisa Tranquila: $11
    • This hostel was to the right of our ecohab
    • We spent a lot of time here eating at the cafe, Charlie’s Bar
    • Also full of young backpackers, but had a more chill vibe than Costeno
• Eco hab (outside the park)
  • Playa Pikua Ecolodge: $84
  • This is where we stayed!
  • So, so cool, minimalist romance vibes, super private and right in between two hostels that have a vibrant traveler scene (noted above).
  • Would 100% recommend for a low-key travel duo (mother/daughter included!).

The view from inside our ecohab at Playa Pikua, looking out from under the mosquito net on the bed. 

Pro Tip: Something I didn't realize until halfway through booking my travel; there is only one accommodation provider within Tayrona Park proper. If you’d really like to sleep within the park, rather than just hike in and out for a day like we did, you will need to carry all of your overnight supplies into the park (which is a long & hot affair).

Getting There: Cartagena To Tayrona National Park

This was another tricky aspect of planning our stay in Tayrona: how the heck do we get there? The journey ended up being just about the funniest part of our entire trip.

Here's Mom and I on the public bus from Santa Marta to Tayrona. Not pictured: A family and their pet chick, Pollito (yes, a baby bird on a bus). 

It looked a little something like this:

• Early morning flight from Medellin to Cartagena ($50, 1 hour)
• Taxi to the mini-bus depot in Cartagena ($3, 10 minutes)
• Drive for about 4 hours to Santa Marta ($20, 4 hours)
• Stay the night at a hostel in Santa Marta to break up the travel ($50)
• Taxi to the public bus depot in Santa Marta ($2, 5 minutes)
• In broken Spanish, confirm with the bus driver that they will drop us off at the location indicated on my map
• Drive for about 1 hour to the dirt road of our eco hab ($4, 1 hour)
• Anxiously follow along via the offline satellite function on Google Maps, until the driver yells at us that it’s our stop
• Board moto-taxis (literally just dirt bikes driven by locals) waiting on the side of the road, ride for about a mile on the dirt road to the eco hab ($1, 10 minutes)

Just your friendly neighborhood mototaxi drivers! They really were quite friendly. And riding a mototaxi is a blast. 

Even with my mom, this was an anxiety inducing bit of travel. We encountered language barriers, dirty, cramped, & overly warm buses, and the need to trust foreign strangers with our lives and possessions.

But all of the foreign strangers came through. In a nutshell, that is what I love so much about traveling. You don't need to know a lot to get around, because there are kind, generous, and compassionate people all over the world ready to help you when you’re feeling lost, scared, or alone.

So for us, we used a combination of taxi, mini bus, public bus, and moto-taxi to get from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park. This was the most cost efficient (and, in my opinion, authentic) way to get to the park.

Total time from Cartagena to Tayrona: 5h 25m for transport,  6h 25m for transport + air travel.

Total cost from Cartagena To Tayrona: $30 for transport, $130 for transport + airfare + hotel.

Things To Do In Tayrona Park

The main event in Tayrona Park is to hike through the park to the famous picturesque beach of El Cabo San Juan. That’s what we did. There is another main trail called El Pueblito that you can read about here, but we walked the ten or so miles in and out to El Cabo San Juan. You can also get here by horseback, which we saw some people doing.

The picturesque El Cabo San Juan beach in Tayrona Park. 

This hike is a full day affair. We started our morning with a good breakfast at the hostel next to our ecohab. Then, we donned swimsuits, coverups, & tennis shoes - all comfortable enough that we could spend the whole day walking in. We packed a backpack with towels, food, water, money, sunglasses, sunscreen, & mosquito repellent. These are essential!

Next, we commissioned our moto-taxi friends to give us a ride over to the park entrance. To get into the park, you have to pay an entrance fee: $19 for non-Colombian adults, but only $3 if you’re under 25 and have a student card! Seems too good to be true, but I got away with it.

Pro Tip: Do not forget your passport when you go to enter Tayrona National Park. I do not know why, but they will not let you in without it.

Once you’re in the park, getting to the trailhead is kind of confusing. First, you’re expected to watch a short presentation on the park’s history and preservation. It’s in a small amphitheatre to the right side of the trail after you get your ticket. I’m not sure what happens if you dont attend this, but it seems like they’re keeping tabs on it.

Make sure to stop here for a little pre-hike presentation by the park rangers. 

After that, you’ll need to continue walking up the path. This is where it gets confusing, because you walk on a paved road until you reach a point at which a shuttle will take you the rest of the way to where the trail starts. I believe we paid a dollar or two for this shuttle ride. Definitely take the shuttle. Otherwise, you’re just wasting precious daylight.

From where the trail begins, there are maps and plenty of other travelers to guide you along the way. Prepare to sweat a lot and maybe dodge some monkey poo, as we encountered quite a few people who encountered some not-so-friendly primates.

It will all be worth it, I promise.

On the dusty, hot, sweaty trail to El Cabo San Juan, but absolutely loving it. 

On your other days in the region, you might:

• Get some sun on the beautiful white sand beaches
• Nap in a hammock
• Read a book and relax
• Meet other travelers at a hostel cafe
• Swim in the ocean (outside the park only)
• Enjoy no wifi or cell reception (!)

Favorite activity in Tayrona: napping in one of these bad boys. 

Happy Travel Tips For Tayrona Park

What to pack

In additional to whatever else you're packing for Colombia, you will want to make sure you have the following for your time in Tayrona:

• Cash (there are very few ATMs out here)
• Flashlight or small lamp
• Sunscreen
• Mosquito repellent
• Small bag lock
• Sunglasses
• Swimsuit
• Towel
• Backpack
• Book
• Tennis shoes

When to go

We went in October and it was absolutely blissful. Perfect temperature and amount of people in the park.

What else to read before

Three additional guides that were super helpful to me:

• More about the park: The Ultimate Guide to Tayrona National Park
• How to get there, what to pack: The Complete Guide to Tayrona
• Another female traveler’s experience: Your Ultimate Guide To Tayrona National Park, Colombia

You’re Ready For Tayrona!

There was so little information on the web about Tayrona Park when I went to plan this trip, yet I still managed to have an incredible and (mostly) painless experience during the three days that my mom and I were there.

The beachfront area of La Brisa Tranquila, where my mom and I hung out a lot. 

My hope is that with my the key learnings from my trip, yours will be all the more blissful and breathtaking, as this majestic corner of the world is intended to be. If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them in the comments below.

For more on Colombia, check out some of my other posts:

• Colombia: Quick & Dirty
• Colombia: Packing List
• Colombia: Ultimate Guide to Medellin
• Colombia: 2 Days in Bogota

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Two Weeks in Colombia: Quick & Dirty Itinerary

Flights

My mom and I flew roundtrip from San Francisco to Bogota for about $310 on United. No complaints. The trip was about 9 hours long. 

Itinerary 

Day 1: TRAVEL DAY

On day one, we arrived in Bogota near midnight and got a cab to our hostel.

Airport Cab Tip: In the terminal, search for the cab service counter. In this place you should give the address of where you are going, and the person at the counter will give you a paper with the information for the cab driver and the price you should pay for the trip. The price is $20,000 Colombian pesos (about USD$12). Dont pay more than the fare on the paper. Call your hostel if there is pushback. 

We stayed at Kozii Hostel D.C. It was a cute & cozy place, but a little out of the hustle and bustle. I'd recommend staying closer to Zona T or Zona Rosa. We paid $105 USD for three nights. 

A few notes about the city...Zona G, Zona Rosa, Chapinero, and Calle 70 are all considered safe. That was definitely our experience. You might not want to be around Calle 60, Carrera 7, or the Candalaria at night.

Day 2: BOGOTA

We used this day just to explore the city by foot. It was a Sunday, and museums are free in Colombia on Sundays, so we went to both The Gold Museum and The Botero Museum. Botero is a must, Gold you could skip.

We also explored the Candalaria, which was interesting and definitely safe enough in the daytime for two women, but probably the sketchiest part of Colombia we saw. 

Day 3: BOGOTA

Today was our day to visit the Monserrate, aka the mountain in the middle of Bogota. I cant recommend this experience enough, simply for the cable car ride experience and the views of the city. 

We followed this up with some exploring of the Zona T, a trendy area with shops, bars, and restaurants. This is Colombia trendy, not LA trendy. I think I would have liked to stay in this area. 

For our last hurray, we "went out" to the famous multi-level Andres. It's very Senor Frogs, but the Colombians are quite proud of it. Definitely check it out for the massive menu and fun drinks. I heard from friends that Theatron was a fun place to go out, too!

Day 4: MEDELLIN

We flew to Medellin around 4 pm. The one-way, one-hour flight was $50 each on Avianca. No complaints. 

Note that there are two airports in Medellin, one smaller inside the city and one larger one an hour outside. We flew into the farther, larger one and got a cab into the city. 

For housing, we stayed at the Poblado Park Hostel, which was about $100 for three nights. We loved the location, but disliked how young and noisy the crowd was. Hostels are a very different experience when you're traveling with your mom - shocker! 

Day 5: MEDELLIN

One of our favorite things we did in Colombia was the Real City Walking Tour in Medellin. You will see most of the biggest sites this way, it is free, and so informative and fun. 

Tour Tip: Allow about half a day and wear comfy shoes

After the tour, we rode the city's famous Metro Cable Cars up to Parque Arvi, which sits on top of the city. One hundred percent recommend the cable cars, but only halfway up. No need to go all the way to Parque Arvi, in my opinion. 

Other sites and activities recommended by friends. We only made it to the first two via our walking tour:

• Parque Lleras
• Plaza Botero
• Coffee Tours & Barista Workshop
• Toucan Cafe: http://bit.ly/245vhQg
• Biblioteca Espana
• Museo de Arte Moderno (MAMM)
• Café Pergamino
• Salsa dancing

And some restaurant recommendations from friends:

• Carmen: You can order ostrich here & apparently it's pretty good 
• Mondongos or Tres Tipicos: Traditional Colombian Food
• San Carbon: Good steak

Day 6: MEDELLIN

Escobar & The Rock Tour. Just do it. This was hands down our favorite day in Colombia. You will get:

• Transportation to & from
• Jeep 4x4 ride up to one of Pablo's "country homes"
• Lunch inside
• Tour of the property
• Boat ride to Guatape 
• Transportation to El Penon
• Sunset lookout 
• A bunch of foreign friends! 

We booked this tour through our hostel on the day we showed up, so no need to book in advance. I think it was about $40/person.

At night, we met our friends from the tour at the Happy Buddha Hostel for Ladies Night, then went out to a Colombian dance club. Latino pop is life. 

Day 7: SANTA MARTA

I had a raging hangover the next day and a 9 am flight to catch. WOULD NOT recommend. My mom literally just laughed at me.

We took a one-hour flight to Cartagena (CTG) on LAN for $51. From there, we took a tiny little Marsol bus from the outskirts of town to Santa Marta. The bus took four hours and cost $20 each. The bus system was really pretty archaic and a little sketchy-seeming, but we got to our destination in one piece with all of our luggage. 

We were only stopping over in Santa Marta on our way to Tayrona, but we had an amazing hostel called the Masaya. It was $47 for the night, but truly luxurious for a hostel. Totally recommend. 

Day 8: TAYRONA

In the morning, we took a public bus to Tayrona. It was a strange as it sounds. But $3.50 for a one hour trip is very economical, and again, we arrived intact. 

Getting to Tayrona Tip: The trick is to have your accommodations in Tayrona written down on a piece of paper, along with any instructions the owner can provide, in Spanish. Give this paper to the bus driver and preferably use what little Spanish you have to confirm he knows where to drop you. You can follow along on your iPhone GPS, because even without wifi, the satellites pick you up. Just make sure to pin your destination while in wifi! 

Our driver knew where we were going, since the Playa Pikua Ecolodge is right next to a very popular hostel. You recognize the stop by the motortaxi's waiting alongside the road. 

We loved our little ecolodge in Tayrona, after getting used to the open air nature of the place. It has very cool, minimalist, romantic vibes (hi mom). It's super private, with only three huts total, but located right between two hostels that have a vibrant traveler scene, so there are friends and food nearby. 

For three nights, we paid $252 total. 

Day 9: TAYRONA

Since it's a little tougher to stay inside the park, we opted for accomodations a few miles away. To actually get into Tayrona National Park, we grabbed a motortaxi to the entrance. 

Tayrona Tip: You MUST bring your passport to get in! Bonus points for your student ID, which will get you a discounted entrance fee. 

The park entrance fee in 2016 was $19 + $1 shuttle to where you begin walking. You can walk, motorcycle, or take a horse all the way through. 

It's about a 10-mile walk in and out, but in about 90 degree heat and 90% humidity. We wore super loose comfortable clothes & tennis shoes, stuffing food, water, money, swimsuits, & towels into our backpacks. Dont forget sunscreen! 

Day 10: TAYRONA

Finally, a day to rest. We had breakfast on our porch, then I did beach yoga at the hostel next door, fell asleep in a hammock reading my book, and tanned on the sand while meditating to a Tara Brach podcast.

A day of rest is essential for me when traveling for multiple weeks. This was truly my day to find the blue sky in Colombia. 

Day 11: CARTAGENA

Back to Cartagena! Playa Pikua booked us a shuttle back to Santa Marta for $3.50 each. From there, we got on a bus to Cartagena for $17 each.  We arrived in Cartagena after dark, so this was a full day of traveling. 

We stayed at El Viajero Hostel in Old Town Cartagena. We thought this was a great hostel for travelers. Note that the AC shuts off during the day, so you cant hang out in the rooms. Which is tough in Cartagena, where the humidity is always about 80-90%

For two nights, we paid $116 total. 

Some advice I recieved when picking a place to stay:

• Stay in Old Town or Getsemani
• Try for Baru
• Avoid Bocagrande

Day 12: CARTAGENA

We only had one full day in Cartagena regrettably. We started with a free walking tour through Old City, then wandered around on our own for the day. 

We ended the night at Cafe Havana, a famous Cuban music club with live salsa dancing. It was a blast, but neither of us could stay out very long. We were tired from our travels. 

I would have loved to have another day here to explore the nearby islands. I heard Playa Blanca and Rosaria Beach were lovely.

A couple other sites & activities to possibly check out: 

• Castillo de San Felipe
• Castle Federale
• Mud Volcano Bath

And a few restaurant recommendations I collected:

• Don Juan: Probably the best value meal we had in all of South America
• Alma: On the fancier side
• Cevicheria: If you like ceviche, this is the spot!
• Cafe Abacoba: Cool cafe
• Demente

Day 13: TRAVEL DAY

We flew home at 2 pm. We took a taxi from our hostel to the airport. Flights from Cartagena to San Francisco were about $421 per person, with a quick stop in Ft. Lauderdale. I slept the full six hours from Florida to California. 

Cost Breakdown:

• Transportation:
  • Estimate: $777
  • Actual: $833
• Housing:
  • Estimate: $240
  • Actual: $311
• Food:
  • Estimate: $180 (12 days x $15/day)
  • Actual: N/A
• Attractions:
  • Estimate: Idk, not that much!
  • Total: N/A
• Total:
  • Estimate: $1,197
  • Actual: ~$1,244

For the long & involved on each of the cities we visited, check out the full length post for each below: 

• Happy Travel: What To Do In Bogota, Colombia

• Happy Travel: The Ultimate Guide to Medellin, Colombia

• Happy Travel: Three Blissful Days in Tayrona Park, Colombia

• Happy Travel: A Brief Cartagena Travel Guide

• Bonus Extra: Happy Travel: Colombia Packing List 

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Bali Travel Guide: The Quick & Dirty 8-Day Itinerary

In This Guide

So you're going to Bali! Or maybe just considering it at this point. Either way, this guide breaks down exactly where to go in Bali and for how long. I briefly touch on how to get there, where to stay, best things to do, and what to eat & drink. At the end, you'll find some tips & best practices for a breezy, carefree trip. 

If you'd like to jump to any of the specific pages of the places I visited, here are a few quick links: 

• Kuta & Seminyak
• Ubud
• Mt. Batur & Amed
• Gili T
• Padang Bai
• Uluwatu

You can also find these linked throughout the below post. All of the fun stories and trials/tribulations can be found within the individual pages.

Sunrise on top of Mt. Batur. 

How To Get To Bali

From San Francisco (SFO) to Bali (DPS), Kevin flew Singapore Air, and I flew China Eastern. Let me just tell you, one is not like the other. Kevin was a huge fan of Singapore Air. I would not recommend China Eastern if it can be avoided. To be fair, that's what I get for booking one month in advance.

My roundtrip flights booked one month in advance were about $750, Kevin's booked six months in advance were about $600. 

In both directions, my flight included a 14 hour layover in Shanghai, which I took advantage of to explore the city! Definite silver lining of the China Eastern flight.  

The view from the Uluwatu Temple. 

My 8-Day Bali Itinerary

Day 1: TRAVEL DAY

Both Kevin & I leave LAX, albeit about 17 hours apart. In the air for about 24 hours each. 

Day 2: KUTA

Arrived in Shanghai at 6 am, took the train into the city, explored, returned to the airport, and boarded my flight for Bali by 6 pm. I arrived in Bali at midnight. 

Taxi Tip: There is only one taxi company at the airport: Ngurah Rai Airport Taxis. They charge on a ‘fixed price’ basis. Look out for drivers in their distinctive blue patterned shirts. Ask your hotel beforehand how much a fixed price from the airport should be and walk away from drivers who will not accept that price. 

I crashed at a little hostel in Kuta called H-Ostel. A female-only dorm bed was $11 USD, and the hostel was really cool! I wouldn't recommend staying in Kuta, but if you have to, this is not a bad option. 

Day 3: SEMINYAK

Kevin finally arrives! We meet up at our first real hotel, Amalfi Hotel. It's $32 USD a night, and easily one of the nicer places we stayed in. So pretty and a delicious free breakfast. Highly recommend.

Mr. Potato Head Beach Club for the day, W Hotel for sunset, random little restaurant for dinner, early bedtime.  

Day 4: UBUD

We took a 1.5-hour taxi to Ubud for about 300,000 rupiah. We'd booked a quaint, open-air cottage on Airbnb for our three days in Ubud, but upon arrival, realized we weren't exactly into the minimal travel thing. There was also all-day construction going on next door, so that didn't help. 

But check it out for yourself! Bata Bata Bungalow for $35 USD a night. 

Day 5: UBUD

We switched over to the Greenfield Hotel & Bungalows the next night. It was $85 a night, making it our housing splurge of the trip, but so incredibly worth it. 

This was our favorite place we stayed. It was an actual palace overlooking beautiful rice fields. Cannot recommend enough. Check out my Ubud post for photos! 

Prior to moving hotels, we did an 8:15 am – 1:30 pm Peon Cooking Class / Market Tour / Rice Terrace Viewing. It was only $26 USD per person and another high quality experience. The instructor is a hoot, and we made some nice tourist friends. 

In the afternoon, we explored the Sacred Monkey Forest. 

Day 6: UBUD

We woke up early, rented a motorbike from the hotel, and rode out to the famous rice field of Tegalalang. After, we rode over to a neighboring coffee plantation, Bali Pulina. We spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool and getting foot massages. 

Panoramic of the rice fields we toured prior to our cooking class. 

Day 7: AMED

Up at 2:30 am for our Bali Sunrise Tour of Mt. Batur! For $60 per person, we were picked up in Ubud, driven to Mt. Batur, lead on a two hour hike, then driven four hours to Amed. Again, crazy value. 

Hike Tip: If you’re going to do this, I highly recommend bringing hiking boots. Its short but strenuous, with lots of loose rocks on the way down. Also consider that it will be very chilly at the top before the sun rises, so you need a little more than shorts and a light jacket. Bring a backpack with snacks, water, toilet paper (!), extra socks, and a sweater. And dont forget your camera! 

After the hike, we stayed in the Anugerah Villas in Amed for $26/night. Definitely get the ocean view room and rent a motorbike here. 

Hotel Tip: I'd recommend booking on Agoda.com when traveling to Asia. I definitely saw the most options and best prices here vs. Expedia or Airbnb. 

Tickets Tip: We got an amazing deal on our Gili T speed ferry tickets through the hotel. We paid just 500K rupiah for two people roundtrip. Never book this online beforehand, as you're able to get way better prices in person from the hotel staff or locals. 

Day 8: GILI T

On Gili T, we stayed at a hostel called Gili Nyepi. This cost $35 a night and was definitely one of our more humble spots. It's really hot on the island and the AC was not great. We had a lovely little breakfast on our patio in the morning, though, which was nice. 

Spent the day drinking rum punch on the beach and the night trying to party but really just wanting bed. 

Day 9: PADANG BAI

In the morning, we got on a fast boat back to Bali, this time porting in Padang Bai. 

We stayed at Dewivilla Hotel for $38/night. Our main advice: maybe don’t stay in Padang Bai. Most people just travel straight through.

I think the main draw of the town is scuba-diving and the less trafficked, white sand beaches. But since we're less into that, we preferred Amed as our more "off the beaten track" town. 

Day 10: ULUWATU

From Dewivilla, we took a 2.5 hour taxi ride to Uluwatu. We negotiated this rate with a driver on the street, rather than through the hotel. 

Our stay in Uluwatu was incredible. We had our own private villa at Bali Blue Homestay for just $28/night. Great value and location. Rent a motorbike at the hotel and haggle for the price! 

Day 11: KUTA

On our final day, Kevin booked a hotel near the airport for us to hang out at before my flight at midnight that night. 

Day 12: TRAVEL DAY

Back to Shanghai for me for another 13 hours. I was thoroughly exhausted this time. Kevin left about 10 hours after me on his luxury flight -__-

Blue Lagoon Beach in Padang Bai. 

Quick City Guides

Kuta & Seminyak City Guide

Where to explore

• Poppies Lane (central)
• Turtle Conservation
• Tanah Lot

How to beach

• La Plancha beanbags
• La Laguna Canggu
• Potato Head Beach Club
• Beach Club Tip: Reserve a daybed in the morning, worth it if you stay all day and order food/drinks – they add up quick here to meet the 500k minimum

What to eat

Kuta //

• Warung Bali: cheap seafood & chinese
• Bamboo Corner: Nasi goreng

Seminyak //

• Franks Pizza: Seminyak
• La Lucciola: Seminyak
• Cafe Organic: great but I found a worm in my Earth Bowl so

Where to go out

Kuta // 

• Legian Street (bars/clubs)
• Shots on every floor of the Skygarden Lounge

Seminyak // 

• Potato Head
• La Plancha: watch the sunset
• La Favela: Friday night for partying

The ritzy W Hotel in Seminyak, Bali. 

Ubud City Guide

What to do in Ubud

• Visit coffee plantation: Bali Pulina Plantation was nice
• Visit Tegallalang rice fields
• Tip: Drive yourself via motorbike there, go early
• Gunung Kawi (water temple/waterfall)
• Bike down or do sunrise hike to Mount Batur
• Visit Goa Gajah “Elephant Cave”
• Take a cooking class (Paon Bali Cooking class: $26)
• Sacred Monkey Forest: $3/person
• YogaBarn & meditation classes
• Try to see a traditional healer!
• Endless massages

Where to go out in Ubud

• Cacao Ceremony
• Sound Medicine
• Kirtan
• No Mas (bar)

What to eat in Ubud

• Seeds of Life (raw food)
• Seniman (best coffee)
• Warung 9 (vegetarian buffet)
• Kafe Ubud
• Clear Cafe (microbiotic/raw)
• Alchemy Cafe
• Bali Buddha
• Clear
• Mama Mia
• Sopa
• Down to Earth (cool nighttime theater)
• Elephant (evening dinner, good for sunsets)
• Sari Organic (lunch out in rice fields)
• Dont eat sushi here..you will not be impressed

Tegalalang rice fields in Ubud. 

Amed City Guide

• Sunrise hike to Mount Batur or Agung (Bali Sunrise Tours)
• Visit Besakih Mother Temple
• Jemeluk Beach
• Life in Amed Yoga Shala
• Swasti Dewi Salon & Spa
• They had cats and a PUPPY when we were there! Highly recommend the full body massage here
• Sunset cliff-side dinner

Gili T City Guide

• H2O Yoga & Meditation
• 10:45 am Aqua Yoga: $7
• Go snorkeling
• Nighlight
• Live music
• Fire dancing

What To Eat On Gili T

• Local market
• Brown Bean’s! Try the rum punch
• Scallywags: Salad bar, BBQ seafood. We thought this was maybe not worth the money
• Check out the west side for peace and quiet and best place for sunset

Padang Bai City Guide

• Blue Lagoon Beach
• Topi Inn: Has a bunch of cool activities year round
• Snorkeling
• Padang Bai Yoga Bale
• Central Market
• Silayuki Temple
• Pura Desa Temple
• Babylon Bar
• Sunshine Bar: Live music every night!
• Green Spa at OK Divers Resort: Expensive 
• Tip: Just dont get the aloe vera massage in the back of a gift shop….not pleasant

Uluwatu City Guide

• Hang at Padang Padang Beach
• Visit Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park: Really cool sculptures with some nice views of the island
• Visit Uluwatu Temple: Historic and monkeys!
• Watch the Kecak Dance during sunset (6 pm): Highly recommend
• Go to Single Fin: Sunday live music and sunset. Check if they’re open before you go! Dont touch the monkey in the cage on your way there!

Happy Travel Tips

Bali Packing List! 

Find mine here.

Food in Bali

• Eat at the roadside cafes, known as Warungs
• Nasi & mie goreng! Fried rice or noodles. It's very good.
• Nasi Jinggo: serving of rice with a side option of chicken, beef or egg
• Bubur Ayam: porridge usually served with shredded chicken, coriander, shallots and an oily but utterly delicious dressing sauce. Then topped off with crispy prawn crackers and salted peanuts.

Drinks in Bali

• Buy a bottle or two of liquor Duty Free in the US. Alcohol in Bali is super expensive and really weak.
• Buy alcoholic drinks from the local Circle K or directly from a bottle shop
• Avoid drinking locally made spirits (like Arak) and premixed drinks
• Never drink water from the tap – it’s not clean! We got away with brushing our teeth at the nicer hotels though.

Bali Budget

• Total: $50 per day (not including alcohol)
• Food: $15-18 per day

What Next? 

I'm so excited for you. If you've made it this far down the page, you're headed to Bali -- I feel it in my bones! You are not going to regret it. It's impossible not to find your blue sky mind there; they've already made positive psychology a lifestyle on that little island.

I so hope this post was helpful to you! Either way, I'd love to know your thoughts via the simple survey below. If you feel so inclined to say more, don't hesitate to drop a comment below or on my Connect page. 

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