Bali On A Budget
Want to discover Bali without ending up broke? It’s SO possible! You can have the best time of your life and stay at really nice places without spending a fortune.
If you are anything like me and prefer the laid back travel style, I got u covered! I don’t go to big all -in resorts or super expensive restaurants. Instead I like staying at homestays (local family owned accommodations) or little cosy hotels and spend my time in a bikini & flip flops.
Don’t get me wrong, of course I enjoy occasional luxury (fancy spa, villa with private pool etc) and you can still do this with a small budget. It’s just all about making smart choices
You can travel solo with a budget of 50 euro/day (well at least that’s my experience). This would include all meals, transportation, and accomodation. You can even make it cheaper by sleeping in a hostel. These days, a lot of hostels offer private rooms too, in case you don’t like sharing a room with 20 strangers.
TRAVEL & BUDGET TIPS
AGODA
On this website/app you can find really good last minute deals (sometimes 60%!) on accomodations and hotels (even the fancy ones).
FREE UPGRADE
If you are travelling outside the high season, ask if it’s possible to get a (free) upgrade in your hotel. Sometimes when the place is not fully booked and the receptionist is in a good mood, you might get an upgrade for free. Always be polite when asking of course.
GOJECK
When you don’t drive a scooter like me or when you just need a taxi: install the app Gojeck. You can compare it to Uber: get really cheap taxi’s to take you anywhere.
TRANSPORTATION FOR 3 EURO/DAY
Most people use a scooter to get around in Bali. You can already rent one as from 50.000 Rupiah a day. The rule is: the price gets cheaper a day when you rent a scooter for a longer period of time.
You will pay between 200.000 and 250.000 Rupiah for a week.
Filling up your scooter is also super cheap: you’ll pay around 7000 Rupiah / liter petrol.
TIP: Never give your passport to the place you rent your scooter from, they should be fine with a copy of your passport!
In most stores they won’t ask you to show your international driving licence, however I would strongly reccoment to bring one anyway. This comes in handy when you would be in an accident (insurance etc..)
TIP: I can’t stress this enough…PLEASE WEAR A HELMET!!! There have been so many fatal scooter accidents lately.
CHEAP THRILLS
Are you sometimes dreaming of what it would be like to stay at the pool of a fancy hotel? Would you like to enjoy the facilities of a luxurious hotel but your budget doesn’t allow you to stay there for the night?
It’s possible…! A lot of really nice places will give you the opportunities to enjoy their facilities and public spaces for a small entrance fee or sometimes even for free!. Small investment for high return! Please comment below if you would like to discover my go-to places!
GO LOCAL
I know Bali and especially Canggu is full of really cool and hip spots to eat, but you most likely always will pay more than when you would eat at a Warung (local family-owned restaurant). You’ll pay between 25000 (1,5 euro) and 50000 (3 euro) for a really yummy Nasi Goreng.
TRAVEL DURING LOW OR MID SEASON
The most expensive months to go to Bali are July and August. I would avoid going there during these months. Everything is just more expensive and more crowded.
My favorite months to go are May, June and September. The weather is super nice (no wet season) and it’s less crowded. Wet season starts in November untill March more or less.
GO WHERE THE CROWDS ARE NOT
This makes sense …leave ‘the places to be’ behind you and go explore the less touristic parts of Bali (North Bali, Central Bali and East Bali. You will get a more authentic experience and pay less. WIN-WIN!
Check my blog post “ 5 places to discover away from the big crowds”
