Bali is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but budget-friendly once you get there. JJ Clarke shares his tips..
. Sunset in Bali. Photo: JJ Clarke JJ surfing in Bali Uluwatu Temple.
Photo: JJ Clarke Rice paddies in Ubud A couple in Bali. Photo: Matteo Colombo / Getty Uluwatu Temple in Bali. Photo: Andrey Danilovich / Getty Scooters in Canggu, Bali.
Photo: Agunng Parameswara / Getty When I stepped off the airplane, a rush of humidity hit me in the face. I felt a mix of excitement and the unknown. This was my first trip to Bali, and the Southeast Asian island would prove different from any destination I’ve ever visited, from culture to cost.
Here are my top tips to get the most out of your trip. The traffic situation is a wonderful chaos. Drivers don’t react to signage or red lights, but somehow, it all seems to work.
Masses of scooters move like a murmuration of birds at intersections - fluidly, unbothered by the helter-skelter situation. You’ll soon get used to the ‘Bali beep’, too. “In Bali, no one beeps in anger,” was something I heard often.
It’s a short, sharp sound - the rider lets their finger slip over the button, so a millisecond of a noise is emitted. It means: “I’m coming up on your inside”; or: “Watch out, I’m about to overtake”. Scooters in Canggu, Bali.
Photo: Agunng Parameswara / Getty Most hostels and hotels offer scooters that you can rent - most charge 100,000 Indonesian Rupiah (€5.70) per day. There are many ‘unofficial’ petrol statio.