Welcome back to How to Travel Bali on a Budget Part Two. If you haven’t checked out part one yet, you can read it HERE first, to see recommendations for the areas in Bali of Ubud, Canggu, and Seminyak. Today, I will be talking about budget travel recommendations for Nusa Penida and Uluwatu areas. Mostly, some of the aspects of travel were the same for these areas as well, but I wanted to touch on a few differences and break down our budget recommendations of things to see in the different areas.
Transportation
After traveling around Bali for about a week, Ron and I decided that we wanted to check out the local island of Nusa Penida. We had heard some other travelers talking about this island, and the gorgeous waterfalls, and that was enough to pique our interest. By the way, talking to other travelers or locals is the best way to figure out fun things to do around the areas you are in or new recommendations. This is how we also learned how to get to the island of Nusa Penida. Since Grab taxi is so cheap, we took a taxi to the port of Sanur and booked a boat over to the island. The fast boat was only a few dollars and a recommendation from other travelers but the boat wasn’t the steadiest and I would be lying if I said we felt comfortable and safe during the ride. So maybe research your transportation company a little more before you book something. Once we arrived on the island we just walked to our host.
Nusa Penida was the one place in Bali where Ron and I decided to try our luck renting a scooter instead of trying to get a ride around the island. Our host offered his scooter to rent- which most hosts will do, especially if you talk to them about the option ahead of time. Rental was only a few dollars a day and we had free transportation around the island to get to all our bucket-list waterfalls. Again, I only recommend this if you are used to driving a motorcycle or a scooter. All of the roads were gravel, and it is very easy to wipe out on turns if you aren’t being extremely careful. Thankfully, there wasn’t much traffic on the roads we were venturing down and Ron was an expert on a bike.
Accommodations
Since there was only one hostel on Nusa Penida, we decided to splurge a little and book an Air BnB. That way it was almost like a little vacation while traveling being able to have a private room to ourselves. Which if you budget travel is a very big treat to have an ounce of privacy. Long story short, our first accommodation didn’t work out too well. You can read the story HERE about our Shitty accommodations- pun intended. Thankfully, a new host saved us, picked us up on a scooter, and hauled us a few miles away to the other side of the island. At around $20 a night, we were stretching our budget, but it was well worth it. Breakfast was also included which took away an extra expense for the day and helped with the budget.
I desperately Wish I could remember the name of the Air BnB we stayed at in Nusa Penida, but that is a detail that fell through the cracks. Fortunately, if you search the site, there are a TON of options, even for around as low as $10 per night.
For our Uluwatu stay, we booked SR Hostel, which was a party hostel that offered a free nightly buffet dinner! Again, for only a few dollars we had free accommodations AND free dinner. The only downside to this hostel was at the time we were there, it was a nesting ground for hatching mosquitos which ate me alive, but honestly, it’s hard to run from the mosquito population while in Bali.
Food
Food expenses weren’t much different in Nusa Penida and Uluwatu. We stuck to our regular budget of around $3 at the most for meals, splurging on some market munchie food, and being treated to free breakfasts in Nusa Penida and free dinner while in Uluwatu.
Attractions
Waterfalls/Hikes: As I mentioned before, the ultimate free attraction for me is waterfalls or I guess anything water or mountain-related- let’s just categorize that all together because it all steals my heart. The main hikes/ waterfalls and scenery I would recommend on Nusa Penida are Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach, Kelingking Beach, and Seganing Falls. If you checked out the post I linked earlier, I go a little more in-depth with some pictures about these destinations. But the best thing about all of them is that they were free! Well, all except gas and the scooter rental which according to girl math, doesn’t count.
Massages: What makes you feel more like you are sitting in the lap of luxury than receiving a full body massage surrounded by calming aromas of essential oils and mood-enhancing lighting? Bali is known for its luxuriously cheap massages. Throw a stone and you will find a massage parlor. We paid around $20 for a 90-minute massage, which is a steal compared to the States! If you travel with a little bit higher of a budget, you can treat yourself to a massage or beauty treatment a day which would be the way to go if you want to splurge!
Temples: There is no shortage of temples in Bali. For a full spiritual experience, you have to check out a few of the temples. Some of them you can get in for free but others you have to pay or make a donation. There were a few temples we visited around the island, in towns that I don’t remember the name of. Either way, if step outside you are bound to walk by a temple that you should stop in and visit!
The one temple I do recommend specifically is Uluwatu Temple, for the Kacek Fire Dance. To gain entry to the temple it is only around $3, but if you want to see the Kacek Fire Dance, the fee is around $9-$10, but well worth the experience and the views for the gorgeous sunset.
Beaches: Sometimes you try to be as frugal as possible, and visit a beach because beaches are free right? Wrong. While in Uluwatu, we ordered a cab for around $3 to visit Pandawa Beach, only to go through a toll booth and pay 35,000 rupiah to get in. This only breaks down to $2 American, but for that price, we could have each bought lunch on the beach! When you are budget traveling, sometimes every cent counts. As important as it is to stick to the budget, one thing I have learned over the years of budget traveling is that even if you are desperately trying to save your budget, it is also important not to let it stress you out.
Looking back, was $2 for a beach visit enough to break us? No. But at the time, it was enough to give me a minor panic attack and cause a few tears. In retrospect, this was absolutely ridiculous, but I still understand where “in the moment Cally” was coming from. Now I realize, that some things are just out of your control and sometimes you have to roll with the punches. Like the time we got a $75 ticket for driving a scooter without a license- but that’s another story!
But if you want more beach recommendations, Padang Padang Beach was also another beautiful beach that was truly free to visit. That is, except for the colorful $2 sarong I purchased! Can’t go wrong with a beautiful $2 souvenir that works as a beach cover-up!
In the end, we had the time of our lives living in Bali for almost a month and have been dying to go back. By no means, is this an exhaustive list of things to do or see but just a few budget suggestions of some of our personal favorites. Just remember that if you are going to travel anywhere, be kind, be patient, and be open to experiencing new ways of life!