“Gods! Perfume! Demons! I'm all yours, ”we mentally scream, barely seeing the approaching heart-shaped piece of land from the plane's window: the plane is landing. The mystical island of "Thousands of Temples" ... Bali Airport is easy to recognize by the surfboards on the luggage conveyors and such a native aroma of incense in the gift baskets on the way to Duty Free. All invites you to try on yourself this mysterious energy of a far from simple ancient island.

For some, Bali is a paradise on Earth, embodying all ideas about an easy life, full of affordable pleasures for every taste: beach parties, three hundred and sixty-five days of summer, downshifting, traveling along blinding coasts, volcanoes, rice terraces ... For others - a place for spiritual practices, yoga, tantra, meditation. A cleansing and reloading point in the spirit of “Eat. Pray. Love. " For others, these are the best surf spots all year round and unforgettable diving. Everyone comes to Bali with different expectations and budget, but no one leaves the same way.

Even having become one of the most popular resorts in the world, Bali does not lose its exoticism and strong connection with the traditions of ancient Hindus who landed here before our era.

For me, Bali is a second home. And I would like to tell about this.

Upon arrival, you will be greeted by crowds of taxi drivers eager to take you anywhere in Bali. All of them expect an Asian-soul-thrilling trade (a matter of honor). Get ready that the price initially set can be safely reduced by three times, and at the same time everyone will remain happy with the deal. Unfortunately, the well-known online taxi services (Uber, GoJek, Grab taxi) do not operate on the territory of the airport, they are not allowed to enter here. Therefore, you can book your trip directly with the driver or at the taxi service ticket office.

By bus

If you really want to save a lot, you can get on a Sarbajita bus from Jakarta (or from another large city in Java or Lombok) and spend about 24 hours on the road for only 25 USD.

You can choose the comfort of the VIP-class "a, business, executive or economy; of course, the entire cabin is air-conditioned and modern. Tickets are bought at local tourist shops. If you are traveling in economy class, it is better to be light, because sometimes there is no luggage compartment That being said, be prepared for your neighbors to smoke nonstop and play guitar all the way.This is the Asian fun of hour-long journeys on the narrow roads of Java, so famous for its frenzied traffic.

You can find such buses at any international station and happily get to Bus terminal Ubung Denpasar, the administrative center of Bali, from where you can easily take a taxi to the hotel.

By car

Traveling by car is a great adventurous solution. It can be transported by ferry to the port of Gilimanuk in northwest Bali for a modest tax of about 15 USD. This is how we traveled great in East Java on a little karimun.

By ferry

Even if you choose to travel by bus, part of the journey will have to be done by ferry, and this is a real tourist life hack. Dedication to travelers.

Java has the port of Ketapang (this is where we need it), close to which there is a bus station and a railway station, which has connections with Probolinggo (for Bromo), Jojyakarta, Malang, Bandung, as well as the capital of the country. Ferries from this port to Bali run every 15 minutes, and the journey takes just over half an hour.

I hasten to warn you: ferries and boats in Indonesia have not built a solid reputation, and if you have already entered this slippery hitchhiker trek, get ready for crowded and often dirty cabins and ... new captains.

Nevertheless, the road to the port of Gilimanuk in Bali has many bonuses, ranging from the price (about 7 USD) to the ability to transport mopeds and bicycles for a small surcharge. The port of Gilimanuk in northern Bali is not famous for its spectacular sights, so you can catch a local taxi and go to your hotel.

Visa

A visa to Bali is a topic of discussion and hot discussion on the forums of freelancers, tour operators and independent travelers. However, everything is simple.

If you have serious plans for a one-way trip, then before leaving you should take care of a tourist or social visa, which will be valid for 6 months. The difference is that for a social visa at the Indonesian Consulate in Moscow, you will need a letter from a sponsor, an Indonesian citizen, and presumably your beloved friend inviting you to visit your homeland. In Bali, such “friends” are easily found for a small fee of 15 USD in special visa agencies for expats. Tourist visas, according to the innovation, can now also be extended if the same agencies are already in place to help with a sponsorship letter.

There are also simpler ways to obtain a visa: a free stamp upon arrival at the airport, and the country is open for you for the next 30 days. And if the plans are a little longer, you can pay 35 USD and stay on the island for 60 days, extending the visa after 1 month of stay.

I, like many people living on the island, choose a social visa, flying every 6 months from the country to the city where there is an Indonesian embassy, ​​combining a pleasant trip with useful necessity. During these three days, you can enjoy the city of the future Singapore or take a cruise around the islands around Kota Kinabalu, you can walk along the streets of Georgetown in Penang or look at the city from the high-rise buildings of Kuala Lumpur.

Clue:

Bali - the time is now

Difference in hours:

Moscow - 5

Kazan - 5

Samara - 4

Yekaterinburg - 3

Novosibirsk - 1

Vladivostok 2

When is the season. When is the best time to go

Bali - monthly weather

Clue:

Bali - monthly weather

Conditional areas. Descriptions and features

On the question of where it is better to live in Bali, how many people, there are so many opinions, and from each one you can hear completely opposite responses about the same place. At each stage of my stay on the island, I chose different areas to live in. In Bali, you can rent an apartment or book a hotel room or a whole bungalow. After reviewing my recommendations and deciding on a place, you can search for a convenient option for you or at.

• You don't know anything about Bali but want to hang out, drink Bintang and catch your first wave? your choice. It is never boring here: active nightlife, shops, surf schools - every meter is adapted for tourists.
• Do you love fashionable restaurants, beach clubs, atmospheric cafes, glamorous society and are you looking forward to your vacation? And that is what the island has to offer. Seminyak. However, be prepared that neither Kuta nor Seminyak will find that very spirit of Eat. Pray. Love, the locals cleverly changed it to Eat. Pay. Leave.
• Are you looking for a balance between fun and enjoying your rice terraces and already know how to surf? Then you will fall in love with Canga and its surroundings - Petitengen, Umalas, Kerobokan. Just like in Kuta and Seminyak, life is in full swing here, but in a completely different rhythm. Black volcanic sand beaches, mid-level surf spots, houses with rice terraces outside the window, supermarkets, breakfasts in hipster cafes ... But the most important thing that makes Canggu special is the people: designers, freelance artists, musicians. This is why Chang is dear to me, it is so easy to find like-minded people here.
• Or maybe you are an experienced surfer or just love beautiful beaches. Then only the Bukit Peninsula. Many years ago, this small island grew up with mangrove forests in Bali, and still has its own microclimate. For real waves people come to Padang-Padang, Uluwatu, Dreamland, Bingin, Green Bowl, Balangan ... Each of the fifteen beaches of the peninsula is no more than 15 minutes away by scooter. 15 minutes and every day you can enjoy the rocky shores, white sand, turquoise ocean, fantastic sunsets.
• The best places for families with young children are, and Jimbaran. Here are the most peaceful beaches and comfortable infrastructure. known as one big resort. Our compatriots very often choose this area for an all-inclusive holiday. By the way, you can compare offers and prices for such a vacation.
• Are you a diver? Then heading east: to Karangasem and Amed. We come to these places with a group of friends to snorkel and dive to the bottom (there are Russian dive schools). These are new edges on the tourist map of Bali. Bali Aga live here - indigenous Balinese, who reverently observe the traditions of "Agama Hindu Dharma" from time immemorial. Villages untouched by modern civilization. There is no need to stay here for long, the road calls to continue the journey north to Singaraja, an even more secluded area where time has stood still. At dawn, here in Lovina, you can see pink dolphins swimming in flocks near the coast.
• Did the spiritual path and the search for enlightenment lead you to Bali? Then you are in the heart of the island, in. Retreats, yoga and meditation studios, health centers, restaurants pleasing the eye of nutritionists ... And, of course, the air saturated with art. Probably the soul of Bali is here somewhere. No wonder they say on the island that it is located in a "place of power."

Major attractions. What to see

The incomprehensibility of the island is that even long-livers, expats and Indonesians, never cease to discover more and more new places and secret spots. Even famous landscapes appear in different colors every time.

Centuries ago, the ancient islanders created an inexplicable culture, endowed every corner of the island with magic, and we still solve their riddles ...

Top 5

If you are in Bali, you should definitely find time on your must-have list for:

Beaches. Which is better

Black volcanic sand ... garbage shores ... three-meter waves ... If this is not why you came to Bali, then you are here:

Temples. Which are worth visiting

The island of a thousand temples of unique architecture, once born under the influence of Hinduism, animism and mushroom culture ... Just as it is impossible to visit everything, so it is impossible to miss the most magical of them:

• Pura Tirta Empul. One of the most sacred places in Bali. According to legend, the god Indra struck the ground and opened the source of immortality. Today there are baths for ablutions. Each of the 15 fountains has its own name and special ritual purpose: spiritual cleansing, cleansing from evil, antidote, etc. It is located in the center of the island, in the Tempaxiring district.
• Pura Luhur Lempuyang. A fabulous celestial temple. Lovers climb 1,700 steps to cement their union high above the ground. The name of this temple is translated as "dizziness", and, indeed, the head can be turned not only by an agonizing rise, but also by the insane happiness of contemplating beauty.
• Pura Goa Lawah. At sunset, you can watch a monstrously beautiful sight: flocks of bats fly out of the caves. According to legend, the dragon Basuki also lives in the cave. Many also come here to cleanse themselves on a nearby beach after the cremation of the dead.
• Pura Tanah Lot. A water temple known for its spectacular sunset views. Built on a rock in the middle of the sea, Tanah Lot is cut off from the land at high tide and is so attractive to visitors. By the way, you can read a note about him on our website.
• Pura Luhur Uluwatu. The waves of the Indian Ocean wash over the coastline as you stand on a cliff. This is Uluwatu, famous for its pre-sunset kecak dances, mischievous monkeys, gardens and viewing platforms with an overview of the entire Bukit Peninsula.

It is very important to come to the temple with your knees covered. This is not only a requirement of the banjars standing at the entrance, but also a tribute to the people who host you. “Open legs are unclean,” say the Balinese.

The cost of tickets usually does not exceed 30,000 IDR (less than 2 USD), and often it is simply proposed to make a voluntary donation to maintain the temple.

Tanakh Lot

Food. What to try

Although Indonesians are proud of their national cuisine, frankly speaking, it is not for gastronomic pleasure that you should come to Indonesia. However, undoubtedly, there is something to pamper yourself with.

As in all Asian countries, almost no dish here is complete without rice. Local residents always touchingly ask me what I had breakfast, lunch, dinner. And they are sincerely surprised not to hear about rice. For them, a dish without it is not food. Nasi campur, Nasi goreng, Nasi ayam, Nasi uduk - have you already guessed how “Nasi” is translated?

In addition, there is a huge abundance of seafood and fish markets. Restaurants for vegans, vegetarians, raw foodists, meat eaters ... and "tasty food". The main thing is not to go into the dubious type of varunga - things more terrible than monosodium glutamate can be encountered.

The abundance of fruits here pleasantly pleases the Russian eye: bananas, papaya, mangosteen, mangoes, pink apples, sirsak, rambutans, dragon fruit, snack fruit are simply the happiness of raw foodists. More information about fruits can be found in other articles. Here I just want to note that it is worth being careful with the choice, chemicals have reached this country, so if you are not used to it, you can get poisoned with sweet, mouth-watering, fragrant watermelon.

Safety. What to watch out for

The main rule: don't swim behind the buoys. Both figuratively and literally.

• Ocean. This is an omnipotent element that takes away not only surfers and sailors, but also just swimmers who, inadvertently, went too far and could not get out of the abyss of the sucking current. Tourists die every year. For this reason, you should only swim until sunset and in places marked with flags, where lifeguards can see you.
• Tales. The entourage of high-speed driving, freedom given by the touch of the wind, the whistle of wheels on night roads ... It is not worth neglecting a helmet. Even if you are confident in your own dexterity, no one guarantees the ability of others. Girls should not ride alone in the dark if they do not want to be thrown off the bike because of the European wallet. Distressed workers from Java and Lombok arrive on the island. You should not provoke them with naked bodies and iPhones casually sticking out of their pockets.
• Alcohol. In dubious establishments, cocktails can be mixed with drugs, from which reason and memory are lost. The victims find themselves beaten the next day in their ransacked villa.
• Payment cards. You should be very careful when choosing a terminal for withdrawing cash. Some terminals of popular tourist spots have built-in readers. This was also the case in minimarkets. Today you have withdrawn money at Eco Beach, and tomorrow somewhere in Lombok in a five-star hotel, the card will instantly be reset to zero. The police will, of course, listen to you and allow you to fill out an application, but as soon as you close the door, they humbly state among themselves: "karma."

Bali should not be branded as a den of criminals, it is a very peaceful island for those who are careful in their actions.

Things to do

I have mentioned the numerous possibilities of surfing, diving and beach recreation in other sections.

Taxi. What features are there

In Bali we use mobile services which are very cheap but not allowed everywhere. In some areas, the Banjar (village council) bans these taxis and even blocks online apps to fight competition.

Transport rental

Renting a scooter costs about 50 USD per month, renting a car for about 150-200 USD. Getting around, of course, is easier on a scooter: the island is more and more crowded with transport, which causes traffic jams. Finding a local landlord is not difficult, the main thing is to have an international driver's license, which the police on the road will ask you one day. If earlier it was possible to pay off with a tiny fine (starting from 4 USD), now any bribes are excluded: police officers simply take the documents for transport until the owner buys them out. You can look for international companies that provide a car rental service in Bali and get acquainted with the cost, for example,.

To avoid misunderstandings when handing over the bike at the end of the contract, it is important to take photographs so that you are not credited with unnecessary damage to the transport.

* Take care of yourself on the road!

Four passengers is not the limit

Ah, Bali - Bali! The island is a fairy tale ... The island is a dream ... But since the beginning of August 2017, the tourist flow here has turned from fat into a very narrow one. Especially until early November. And the reason for this is the Agung volcano and its probable eruption.

Agung is a volcano that stands here on the island and occasionally tickles the nerves of all locals and tourists alike. The last time the Agung volcano tickled them to people was about 54 years ago, and now it began to wake up again in August 2017. And this is not just a volcano for a second. It's a super volcano! And this means that if he shies away - it will not seem a little!

Who and what will not seem enough, how to behave on the island, if it still starts to erupt? And in general: is it dangerous to vacation in Bali in 2017-2018? In today's article first-hand - from an employee of our editorial office, who has been there for a month and is not going to leave yet. 🙂

By the way, if you want to visit one of the volcanoes of Bali, then you can do it. - approx. edition.

Volcano Agung in Bali

The Agung volcano is translated from the Indonesian language as “big”. And it was near (only 50 km.) From this dangerous colossus that we settled exactly 1.5 months ago. While still in Russia, we already heard that a large dangerous mountain began to wake up and could begin to erupt at any moment. When we found out about this, tickets had already been bought, and we decided not to change our plans, despite the danger.

In addition, this is not the first time we are on the island and have already managed to make ourselves several Russian friends who live here permanently. They told us that the danger exists only directly for people who are near the volcano. This means that the situation is very local. The worst that can happen is that the airport will be closed. But even in this case, you can get here from the capital of Indonesia - Jakarta by water.

In general, after weighing all the pros and cons, we realized that we would go. The last few days before departure, we feverishly followed the news from the media, realizing that journalists are forced to exaggerate everything. Today, news about Agunga still keeps many Russians on their toes. But! Everything in order ...

Volcano Agung woke up

Agung is awake! Like a bolt from the blue, this news has exploded on the Internet and on the radio since August 2017. Personally, it still surprises me - how did this information not get into the TV ?! It is thanks to this that my mother still does not know anything about this and lives quietly in the Arctic Circle, unaware of the danger that wanders 50 km from her beloved daughter. 🙂 But on the radio and on the Internet, journalists painted a very sad picture ...

What they say today the volcano Agung woke up and if that - will not spare anyone! Someone, of course, was insanely happy: “Otherwise it’s too good for all those who travel to Bali! Let them suffer too, bastards! :-) ”Others were wildly scared and handed over their tickets, others decided to rest in a safer place, the fourth - like such thugs like us, packed their bags and drove off at their own peril and risk. And what, in fact, was the risk?

And here's what:

• could close the airport, and for a long time. You would have to fool around with tickets, look for a way through the ferry from Jakarta - and this whole adventure is not very comfortable and very long.
• the volcano can still really jump out at any moment, and for sure no one guarantees anything. Well, that is, not only those who are in the affected area will have hard times. The airport will be closed, there will be problems with the supply of food on the island, volcanic ash will fall on your head for some time ... Real Silent Hill (who knows, he understands). :)
• and to a heap: through the water from the volcano, poisonous substances can spread throughout the island, and it may well spill on the heads of locals and tourists - poisonous rain ... And then everyone will be in trouble! Not only to the inhabitants of the mountains ...

“Beauty” ... Isn't that so ?!

At least - this is how the situation was described in the media. Yes, the media, of course, love to embellish everything, but damn it ... After all, no one gives a guarantee that everything will be wrong at all! 🙂 We understood that.

But upon arrival on the island we were greeted by a smiling Balinese who assured us that there was no danger. That Agung changed his mind about erupting and again decided to fall asleep ... And like there is no real threat to tourists, and then in 63rd just no one really had any cars or motorcycles - so people got into a situation in which many died ... They just didn’t fully believe that it would explode and, as a result, didn’t have time to leave the affected zone in time ... Something like that!

He finally reassured us with the words that his family now lives 4 km away. from the epicenter and you shouldn't worry at all!

We were, of course, encouraged by this - to be blunt. But doubts still remained ... Then we decided to go straight to the affected area and see the handsome man with our own eyes! So, the Agung volcano and the latest events in Bali - through the eyes of eyewitnesses :).

Latest news about Agung by early November

News about Agung in the beginning of November in the network has already died down. The latter were dated mid-October. Just at this time, the young man and I went there. We waited out the full moon, as the volcanologists were afraid that the greatest risk of an explosion was right on the full moon, got on the bike and drove off.

The locals told us that the best view of the mountain is from the neighboring super-volcano - Batur. Which, by the way, for the common good has long been sleeping soundly. He is many times bigger than Agung. And if Batur explodes, then the whole island can accidentally really go under water ... But the current informational occasion is Agung in Bali today.

Journey to Active Agung

The news about the Agung volcano in Bali, as I said, did not stop us from going straight to the affected area - that is, 9 km. from his vent. On the way to meet the "scarecrow" of a million tourists, we met:

1. Luxurious tangerine grove with fresh tangerines.

2. Stunning views of the neighboring mountains from the Batur volcano.

3. Bush! Oh Gods, this bright bush.

As always: super - beautiful road to the place and amazing views along the way. We took a lot of pictures, filmed and moved directly to Agung.

UPD from 28.11: Eruption of Mount Agung

And it would seem that everyone has already relaxed, but Agung still made an eruption! Honestly, when I just sat down to write this article, the locals were already saying in unison that everything - there would be no eruption. And take it and start!

On November 21, just after we met my boyfriend's mother, who came to visit us from Russia, Agung began to erupt. Just like ordered! 🙂 But I hasten to calm all those suffering from blood and sensations: nothing terrible is happening yet.

The volcano stands and soars little by little. This is the steam eruption of Agung. The only moment that really annoys tourists and locals is a small flood. Due to the huge amount of hot evaporation on the island, such a large-scale tropical downpour was poured on the island that it is said that even slippers swam along the way! 🙂

Why do they say? Because we ourselves are not in Bali now, but nearby on the Gili Islands. And today we saw even a small tornado over Bali from the island of Gili - Air. I hope that in a couple of days before our arrival, this whole apocalypse will end and we can safely move to Thailand! 🙂

Agung in Bali today

Agung's activity in August - September 2017 forced many local residents to strain in a serious way. They regularly prayed to the local spirits to put the dangerous mountain back to sleep. They arranged lavish ceremonies in their temples. And it looks like their collective intention is paying off. Volcano Agung - erupts only by steam. The ceremonies themselves are held in such temples:

The eruption of Agung in Bali really does not cause serious damage to the island, just by some miracle!

Probably that is why for 3 km. to the affected area, when we went to the volcano in October, some Balinese women stopped us, glued rice to our foreheads, lit our bike, put some kind of wooden beads on my neck, twisted, whispered something and let me go with God farther! 🙂

Probably that is why for 3 km. Before the affected area, some Balinese women stopped us, glued rice to our foreheads, lit up our bike, put some wooden beads around my neck, twisted, whispered something and let us continue with God! 🙂

It didn’t seem to have much calmed us, of course, but it became somehow easier ... Both in our souls and in our pockets ... So, as the priestesses of the island of dreams, of course, carried out the procedure for clearing karma, well, not for free. To clean karma now costs about 400 rubles for our money. Well, you must admit - life is more expensive! 🙂

The eruption of Mount Agung in 1963

On the way to the Agung volcano, my faithful and I, of course, once again discussed the history of the 63rd year, when people really suffered (several hundred). Did they really pray to their Gods to the very end near the vent, hoping that he would change his mind ?! Getting acquainted with the local mentality, we more and more come to the conclusion that - yes. And so it was. The local people honor their land, their home, their very place of birth. And they don't care if even this place is in such a dangerous zone.

The possible eruption of Agung in Bali does not prevent them from living ordinary life. The one that their ancestors lived. Here is an inscription that right now we are in the zone of destruction or exclusion, as it is also called:

But people who continue to fall asleep and wake up here ... Take their children to school, work, have breakfast, lunch and dinner ... Life goes on:

To this day, there is a forum about Agung in Bali, where people discuss whether it will explode or not. Many members of the VKontakte island community also raise this topic. But lately, the majority have agreed that the danger has passed ...

But, you know, when you stand so close to the mountain ... The sensations are simply unimaginable ...

I would have gone further, right there to the foot, but my young man turned out to be wiser and more prudent, however, as always :). We drove by, and for dessert a beautiful beach was waiting for us, which is also located in the exclusion zone. His name is Virgin Beach. Here he is - handsome ...

They say that the sand here used to be completely white. But after the eruption of Agung in 1968, it mixed with volcanic lava and became like this - with black blotches. But this is also great ... Soon I will write a great review of all the beaches of the island and, perhaps, give him the honorable first place in the top of my heart :).

And here is a view of the Agung volcano from the entrance to the beach - Virgin Beach:

Conclusions about Agung in 2017

Agung on the map of the paradise island of Bali is a thorn in the head of many tourists ... This dangerous neighbor does not let all residents from Karangasem to Ubud sleep, he makes everyone remember and understand very well: life is just a journey, and we: guests are on this earth ... No matter how important we may seem to ourselves such a large volcano, how Agung can drastically intervene in the fate of everyone and disrupt that “hard” tomorrow, cross out all our plans, smash all ideas, dreams and hopes to shreds ...

So far, he just stands and releases powerful steam columns upward, but no one could guarantee that the eruption of Agung would stop there ... Anything could happen! Any time…

Perhaps that is why the inhabitants of the island are closest to the life of Buddhists and all the enlightened ones. The main wisdom tells us: “the past has passed, the future has not yet come, there is only - here and now ...” And not a single force of the world guarantees to any of us that we will live in this world for at least a minute ... That is why, Balinese rejoice! They smile every day. They smile even during the funeral of their relatives. Yes, they do not just smile, but sing and dance! 🙂

But somehow I completely went into philosophy ... Back to the facts:

Volcano agung- the steam is erupting right now. So far, nothing serious is happening, but no one gives any guarantees.

18.02.2019 Alexey Glazunov

More than a hundred articles have been written about Bali in our blog - for us it is one of the most beloved places on Earth, and this is partly why most of these articles reveal the island from a positive side.

Meanwhile, we periodically receive comments and messages in a personal that Bali is not nearly as perfect as we portray it.

It so happened that we concentrate more on positive things (often even unconsciously), so many disadvantages fall out of sight. It’s much easier to live like that, but for bloggers it’s not a very good quality, so from time to time we still try to be more objective and look closely at the minuses too (there are plenty of them here too).

Bali is an island with character, it is quite contrasting, there are many different conjectures and stereotypes about it, and unlike the almost ideal Thailand, which almost everyone loves, after Bali, some tourists spit and swear that they will not be here anymore. The other part, despite not all the disadvantages, considers it ideal and falls in love with the island irrevocably!

With this article, we decided to put everything in its place and talk about the pros and cons of Bali.

Cons of Bali

Traffic and driving style. For us, this is perhaps the most significant minus - on the roads, especially in the southern part of the island, chaos is happening here.

A cocktail of an incredible number of motorbikes, narrow roads and a crazy driving style result in traffic jams and turn the movement from point A to point B into a real torture. ⠀

At the same time, sometimes it is worth turning aside onto a secondary street and immediately the traffic disappears instantly.

Mediocre beaches. We have said this many times and will say it again, Bali is not for a beach holiday. There are no "bounty" beaches and most of them are either shallow, or big waves, or there is no infrastructure, or very crowded. There are exceptions, but there are not many of them, and it is not a fact that it will be possible to settle right next to them. ⠀

High humidity. The humidity level here rarely drops below 80%, so the heat on the island is rather difficult to endure. In addition to this - long-drying things, mold on your favorite clothes and lenses. ⠀

Dangerous sun. Sun exposure during the day is tantamount to suicide. Skin, especially unaccustomed to the sun, burns instantly and can burn several times during the vacation. ⠀

Rain season. Unlike most resorts around the world, winter is not the season here. Hot, humid and a lot of rain. Moreover, the rains are quite long, so if you go to Bali to celebrate the New Year, be prepared for the fact that you may have to ride a bike ankle-deep in the water.

And also, the rainy season is very dirty beaches and a lot of garbage on the ocean shore. ⠀

Expensive seafood. Surprisingly, despite the fact that Bali is surrounded on all sides by water, seafood is quite expensive here. ⠀

At the same time, it is worth driving away from the coast and they disappear, almost completely.

Lack of public transport. If you are used to using buses, trains, tuk-tuk, jeepney, songteo and other public vehicles, then here you will be disappointed, there is nothing like it, and it will be very difficult here without your own transport (or using a taxi). ⠀

Taxi mafia. Taxis here, at the same time, are quite expensive by Asian standards, and besides, local taxi drivers are actively fighting with cheap Uber and Grab, up to the use of physical force, which significantly reduces their number and makes life difficult for visitors.

Growing crime situation. Recently, attacks on tourists have become more frequent - they rip off handbags and chains, snatch phones, push them off bikes, and climb into houses and villas. It is worth noting that this mainly occurs at night and in the south of Bali. ⠀

Tasty local cuisine. Dishes prepared in warungs (local cafes) are often heavily fried, fatty and spicy. In tourist places, this is easier, but it is worth driving a little to the side, and the menu will only offer two dishes - mi goreng and nasi goreng (fried noodles and fried rice).

There are literally a couple of dishes that we like, but in general, the cuisine here is not very expressive and few people like it, except for the Balinese themselves. ⠀

High prices in restaurants. If you focus on the average level, then the cost of cafes and restaurants here will be higher than in the same Thailand.

If you are used to good restaurants, then you will hardly notice the difference,

and if you want to eat cheap, then see the previous point. ⠀

Bank card fraud. In Bali, cases of skimming are very common, when, some time after you have withdrawn money from an ATM, additional debits are made from the card. You need to choose an ATM very carefully so as not to become a victim of scammers. ⠀

Calculation. In small shops, they may incorrectly give change or break through excess goods. In the exchanger, you can easily see professional tricks with money, which look impressive, but are not cheap.

We have heard about this many times, but have never come across it, perhaps because most often we shop in large supermarkets, do not change currency and rarely visit the criminal south of the island. ⠀

High level of corruption. The police often deliberately arrange round-ups in order to shake the treasured dollars from tourists.

However, if everything is in order with your documents, you are not violating anything, then most likely there will be no problems.

Slow internet. In general, the situation is noticeably improving, many places where fiber is laid and the speed becomes stable (we have 10 Mbit / s at home), but often it is still quite unhurried on the island.

Dirt and debris. Despite the fact that the Balinese themselves are very clean, neat and tidy,

the roads and beaches, especially during the rainy season, can be quite muddy.

Either the point is in the visiting Indonesians from other islands, or in their culture, which, accustomed to organic waste, did not have time to convert to a huge amount of plastic and other inorganic waste.

Active and varied fauna. This is not exactly a minus, but rather a common enough point for Asia.

There is a huge number of all those who fly, crawl and jump - insects, frogs, lizards, geckos, snakes, scorpions, etc. in the overwhelming majority they are not dangerous, but from habit they can, at least, annoy. There are also quite a few stray dogs here, which, again, are usually not aggressive, but like to bark and jump out onto the road in front of the bike.

Cataclysms. Bali is located in an earthquake-prone region, therefore it periodically shakes it. Earthquakes are usually not strong and do not happen very often, but anything can happen. There are also several volcanoes here, in particular the active Batur. It does not represent a serious danger, but for example, in the early 2000s, there was a small outflow of ash, which reached 300 meters in height.

Lack of sidewalks. In some places they are found, but in general, it is better not to rely on them. Even where they are, they can be stuffed with bikes, half-broken, etc. As a result, it is quite difficult to defile here in a long dress with heels, as well as to walk with a stroller if you are traveling with a small child. Locals here, in general, rarely travel on foot - they get on a bike whenever possible, even if you need to travel 100 meters.

A large number of tourists. Especially Chinese, and every year there are more and more of them. Popular attractions (such as the Tanah Lot or Uluwatu temples) are simply overcrowded during the day. Life hack for the non-lazy - come early in the morning, to the opening, then there is a chance to walk almost alone.

Restaurant taxes. Most cafes and restaurants here do not include taxes and service charges, as a rule, it is 15-21%. Judging by the fact that in some establishments the amount is already included, there is no single rule or law on this matter, so this can be considered a trick of the owners in order to make the price visually lower. Tax information is usually listed at the bottom of the menu, but it also happens (infrequently) that it is reported after the fact.

Paid parking. Quite often, near beaches or attractions, locals charge money for parking. Most often they give out a ticket, but it happens that they just collect it. The cost is small, usually $ 0.15-0.4 for a bike and about $ 1 for a car, but many people really don't like it, so let's write it down =)

There is no direct flight. Well, one more disadvantage is that it is quite long and difficult to get to Bali. There are no direct flights, from Moscow, as a rule, they fly with two connections, and if you do not live in the capital, then add one more. Sometimes you can pick up a flight with one stop, but it will be significantly more expensive.

Pros of Bali

Large selection of vegetables and tropical fruits especially in August / September and also in winter.

Dragonfruits, grapes, mangosteen, vanis, marquises, durians, vanis, rambutans, longans - all this can be found in Bali during certain seasons,

and pineapples, papayas, bananas, watermelons, herring, tangerines, strawberries, young coconuts grow here all year round.

Stunning nature. There is an ocean and volcanoes here

rocks and mountain lakes, jungles, rice terraces and waterfalls -

such a variety on one island is difficult to find anywhere else.

The nature here is not only diverse, but also very photogenic,

a real paradise for photographers

and lovers of beautiful views.

Picturesque ocean. Despite the fact that we included beach vacations in the minus section, the ocean itself is very impressive, especially if you look at it from the side.

A large number of tourist attractions. There is diving, snorkeling, rafting,

safari park, elephant park, avkapark, bird park, cultural park, etc.

Surfing. It should be highlighted as a separate item, as it is really cool here. There are waves all the year round, there are a lot of spots, both for beginners and professionals - it's not for nothing that a huge number of Australians who know a lot about surfing come here for surfing. And besides, all this is very cheap here.

And there are also many surf schools with Russian and Russian speaking instructors, so the language barrier will not become an obstacle between you and the ocean.

A huge number of attractions. In Bali, there is no question of what to do with your time,

rather, on the contrary - "how to cram all this into your short vacation."

Compactness. All the joys of life from the previous two points are located on a relatively small area, the distance from the southernmost point to the northernmost point is ~ 120 km.

Unique culture and religion. Daily religious rituals and offerings in themselves already delight many, and there are also many bright holidays (Nyepi, Galungan, Kuningan), impressive cremations,

and a thousand more different ceremonies,

when local people in their outfits bring offerings to gods and demons -

it all looks mesmerizing.

The friendly local population. Balinese are very friendly, responsive and, in our opinion, smile much more than the same Thais from the "land of smiles". Sure, in tourist epicenters, you are likely to be seen as a source of income, but a little aside, they are really cool and sincere.

Wonderful architecture. Carved windows, doors, facades near houses, beautiful temples in picturesque places, stylish cafes and restaurants -

Balinese hands grow from where they need to be, they are quite hardworking and this immediately catches the eye, literally as soon as you descend from the plane.

Wide range of accommodations. Here you can easily rent a simple room in a guesthouse for $ 15, and rent a luxurious villa for several hundred dollars a day.

There are no problems with both daily and long term rentals.

A civilized contingent of Russian tourists. Due to the significant distance and a small number of "all inclusive", the audience here, for the most part, is quite decent. Although anything can happen, of course =)

Good selection of cafes and restaurants. Despite the fact that we recorded the local food as a minus, it is difficult to die of hunger in Bali - here you can find almost any cuisine,

all kinds of directions and specializations,

including organic, vegetarian, etc.

Many restaurants are very stylish

atmospheric,

or just with a cool look.

Good selection of yoga schools. Many people go to Bali (and especially to Ubud) in order to join yoga and everything is really good here - there are many schools, studios and private teachers,

both with classical directions, and with more sophisticated ones - for example, roll and release, yoga on a rope x, acro yoga, etc.

Bali is a distant alluring island. It is so mysterious and amazing that tourists are not embarrassed by either expensive plane tickets or 12-19 hour air travel. Getting to Bali, it is as if you are plunging into a completely different world, forgetting about your usual life. But what you shouldn't forget is about time. Here it is completely different. Let's find out what time the Balinese live?

Bali time zone

If you look at the map, you can see that Bali is the central link in the chain of Indonesian islands. The archipelago itself has three time zones.

Bali is based on Indonesian Central Time "CIT". This time zone is "UTC + 8". It used to be called Balinese Standardized Time "BST".

The border between the central and western time zones is a conditional line to the north between Java and Bali, "running" through the island. Kalimantan.

Do the hands of the clock move to Bali?

No, in Bali both winter and summer - the time is the same. This is very useful when calculating hourly differences. Fortunately, in this regard, Russia is not burdened with anything, except for the abundance of time zones. The capital of the Russian Federation is located in the "UTC +4" time zone.

Consequently, the time in Bali is 4 hours ahead of Moscow time.

Time difference between Bali and some cities of Russia:

Between Bali and Irkutsk - minus 1 hour;

Between Bali and Krasnoyarsk - 0 hours;

Between Bali and Novosibirsk / Omsk / Tomsk - plus 1 hour;

Between Bali and Yekaterinburg - plus 2 hours;

Between Bali and Moscow / Saint Petersburg / Krasnodar / Samara- plus 4 hours;

Between Bali and Baltic / Kaliningrad - plus 5 hours.

The situation with the Agung volcano in Bali and is it safe now on the island?

The situation with the Agung volcano in Bali and is it safe now on the island?

Believe it or not, I am grateful to the eruption of Mount Agung for clearing the island! It has become so deserted, atmospheric, hellish traffic jams on narrow roads have disappeared, hotels and car rentals have dropped dramatically. For example, in the east of Bali, in the Amed area, we lived next to the sea in a villa with a pool for 12 euros with breakfast for two. The photo shows a view from the terrace of our Bayu Cottages overlooking the volcano. Maybe the Balinese themselves, in their pursuit of money, will remember the spiritual, the most important thing, since Agung sent them such a pause. Now is the time to feel the pulsation of the island, its atmosphere, as in the pre-tourist era.

I was here exactly a year ago, in December 2016 - there were a lot of tourists, although it seemed like an off-season due to periodic rains ... In tourist places there is a riotous lifestyle, money flows like a river, discos and revelry until the morning. In 2017, the picture changed dramatically ... I have been on the island since November 30, and for two weeks it seemed to have died out ... The media did their job - exaggerated the danger as best they could, lied about the evacuation of tourists, that everyone here was covered with ash, and soon it will be covered with lava 🌋


Departing from Montenegro to Bali, I knew that the plane to Denpasar would be canceled due to ash, as the wind was blowing towards the airport. During the flight to Jakarta aboard the Turkish, I learned that it was finally being opened. It was a sign over 0 everything will be fine! The next morning we landed on a paradise island under drops of rain.


Do you know why I didn't believe the media? Since I myself live in tourist Montenegro, I am tired of their lies ... For example, because of joining NATO, Montenegrins have fallen out of love with Russians, show hostility, that they will soon introduce visas and it is not clear what will happen to their real estate. Nothing has changed at all! The brain must be turned on, and not watch the TV, or read me, I immediately write a post on all relevant topics. The second theme for the summer of 2017 is fires in Montenegro. Allegedly, the whole country is on fire, tourists have been evacuated, it is dangerous to rest, as the Russian media said. Can you imagine what kind of question and panic from tourists I endured every day? Yes, the Lustica peninsula really burned for 2 months from 40-degree heat and winds, as well as in some places the Bara district and the northern regions. But not the country's resorts after all!


Therefore, my reaction to the panic of friends before our flight to Bali was - from laughter to nerves. All 17 days that I have been here and will be 13 more, the air is clean, I did not fall asleep with ashes, the sea and ocean are warm, food and accommodation are cheap. The volcano shows no more aggressive eruptions. And what will happen to him next - only Agung knows. Who is interested in the topic of volcanoes in Indonesia, namely they created the country and there are about a hundred active here, it is worth reading Mikhail Tsygankov, here. And even a volcanologist will not tell you if everything has started to decline or vice versa. For example, at night there was an earthquake off the ocean coast and in West Java - 7.3 and 6.9 according to Richter. This is a neighboring huge island, not comparable to Bali. Our Agung volcano reacted a little and there were even minor earthquakes in the evening, but I did not feel it, although I live in the area. You can see a ring of fire with volcanoes and tremors. Photo of Agung at sunset alien, our days, after the eruptions in November, part of the top broke off and fell into the crater

I advise you to relax and live a normal life like the Balinese do.


Fishing, rice, mango and rambutan harvest

If you are going to the New Year holidays in Bali, do not know whether to fly or return tickets - I would fly. By the way, in recent days I saw a sharp increase in tourists in Ubud, which means that the panic has passed. The Indonesian government assures that it is safe to vacation in Bali now, especially in the south of the country, where the main resorts and large hotels are, and the distance from Agung is at least 70 km.


Only local residents were evacuated for 12 km, having built tent camps. It is near the mountainous village of Besakih, which has been evacuated. I took a photo the other day


On the map - the northeast of Bali and the area around the volcano, which is now in the danger zone, where the red color - people were evacuated. I rested in the south in Canggu, in Ubud in the center of the island (they are not on the map), then - to the right of the yellow color, now - to the left. Indeed, there are abandoned villages, the feeling of Balinese Chernobyl, but this is temporary, and this is not a region of mass tourism, why should you worry?

Where the danger zone is in Bali, there are signs. But the entry is free


We went to a similar place - to the Besakih temple at a height of 1 km on the south side of Agung - to the most important and largest in Bali. This magical place, wrapped in gray clouds, greeted us with a downpour. But we calmly leave the comfort zone, having fun everywhere. The atmosphere here is indescribable, you can feel a prayerful place, although I am not a fan of other people's religious buildings, but Besakih made an impression


By the way, in the last eruptions of Agung in 1963-1964, the temple remained intact and lava passed a few meters from the buildings. The Balinese considered it a miracle! And when visiting any temples, men and women need to wear a sarong, you can buy it everywhere. Alternatively, tie the pareo around your waist.


Since this is an evacuation zone, there were only a few people there - and those locals trying to make money by renting an umbrella, selling coffee, water, and even extorting an entrance fee, although they were not ticket holders 😉 But we are callous, we don’t respect extortionists ... Feel the atmosphere of the place on the video

By the way, now the entrance to Besakih is really free, so do not fall for the provocations of the locals, and this is the only temple open for believers of any caste, of any social background.

The second temple overlooking the volcano is Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang. It is part of the huge Pura Lempuyang temple, if you wish, you can walk from the lower temple to the upper one in the jungle and more than 1700 steps (the path is described) are included in the canonical 6 of the most important temples in Bali. I advise you to come here early in the morning, we were at 7, as we lived next to the Lipah beach. And then clouds envelop the volcano ...


The split gates of Chandi Bentar symbolize the balance of forces in the universe, nature, life 🙏🌍 One half is good, the other is evil, they are the founders of the energy of the Universe 🗺 We did not walk on the multi-level temple, there was no time. And this shot was not easy for us - persistent guys were waiting at the parking lot, who extorted donation without offering a ticket in exchange, tried to physically not let us in, ruining the whole impression of the spiritual place and the Balinese😐 They threatened us with the police, chased, pulled my hands, but Andrey's broad back quickly put the impudent back in place 😂 Despite a momentary scandal, we quickly found this gate and this scoundrel did not touch the car either. I believe that the donation should be brought to the temple itself, and not to the vymagals on the corner 🙏 At 7 in the morning there were already several tourists, the girl even painted the gate of the temple, everyone took pictures of her notebook with the real Chandi Bentaryu in the background. The Agung volcano from here opens up in all its splendor, and it's not at all scary to look at it or be close, even when it spits a little 🌋

By the way, if a house in Bali is built according to local feng shui, then the bed in the bedroom will definitely have a headboard towards Agung. True, in our hotels it was not like this everywhere ... Only now, when writing a post in a fishing village in the north of the island ✌Thus, at night, among all correctly sleeping people, the effect of group meditation is created 😇 That is, even those who do not even suspect about it meditate So at night, the general field of the island is cleared, your aura, and also the vibration rises - again, the islands and your personal.

To me, Agung with a slight smoke from above seems to be a bewitching sight. For the first time I lived with a view of a volcano, all the more frightening the whole world. One interesting fact - the Balinese believe that the Agung volcano is female ⠀

Bali insurance - which one is better

If this is your first time flying to the island, the question will undoubtedly arise - Is insurance compulsory in Bali? Of course, no one will check her at the airport, health is your personal responsibility. But with a sharp change in climate, malaise may occur, an allergy to some foods may appear, do not forget that there is completely different water and food, which means indigestion. I have been to Bali twice with friends, and everyone suffered from this problem ... Indonesia is a country with natural disasters, volcanoes erupt from time to time, and we got to this historical moment. If you want to travel around Bali by bike, remember that there is terrible traffic on the roads, left-hand traffic and non-observance of traffic rules. But the biggest danger is Dengue fever, you can play it safe by constantly protecting yourself from mosquito bites, but during the rainy season they can bite where you don't expect - in a restaurant or in a spa.

I would recommend buying insurance in Bali from a company. Their assistance in Russia is Mondial, the most reliable company in the insurance sector, headquartered in Paris; it was recently renamed Allianz Global Assistance. This is the only assistance with the “AA” rating of Standard & Poor’s, it is he who will save you on the island in insured events, as well as pay for your treatment. You can check the price of insurance in Bali in this form by entering the flight dates and the country Indonesia.

During 1 month of rest in Bali, our friend twice went to the Ubud hospital - either she fell off the bike, then her dog bit her 😫 Medicine in Bali is at a good level, they give all the medicines, write instructions for use, take it free of charge (at the expense of the insurance company).

Video of the erupting volcano Agung in Bali

Its height is 3142 m, and when it erupted at the end of November, the height of ash and smoke was 4 km above it. I will show you a couple of amateur videos from Russian guys who caught a spectacle

Someone even decided to go to the crater of the volcano, watch the video, it is dated December 13. Many who live on the island, and not on the other side of the TV screen, believe that the eruption of Agung is a beautiful, mysterious and terrifying event at the same time. To be honest, I really enjoy being in Bali at a historical moment and I do not feel anxiety or danger. Only the sea, sun, fruits, travel! What I wish for you too!

Plane ticket Moscow - Bali, price

The very peak of the season in Bali is summer and New Year's holidays, then the price of air tickets is the highest. It is best to rest here in spring and autumn - there is little rain, there are fewer tourists than usual. As you can see from the prices for air tickets to Bali, the prices are also lower at this time.

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