For some, an all-inclusive resort where relaxation is the name of the game sounds like the perfect getaway after the wedding. For others, a bit more adventure and sightseeing is necessary. If you want to fit in some adventure and culture, while still having time to relax on a white-sand beach, this Bali honeymoon guide is for you.
Both Jon and I knew we’d get antsy after just a few days at the beach. We’re both adventurers at heart, and travel has played a huge role in our relationship. We’ve been lucky enough to travel all over Europe while living in Amsterdam. When it came time to plan our honeymoon, we wanted to go somewhere that would be a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. Bali had been on our bucket list for while. In fact, we were ready to finally go when the pandemic hit in 2020. After some research, we realized a Bali honeymoon would deliver on everything we wanted.
While it’s popular to use a travel agent to plan honeymoons, I love planning travel, so I decided to plan our honeymoon myself. In the end, we had the perfect mix, and I couldn’t be happier with how our trip turned out.
Keep reading for the ultimate Bali honeymoon guide!
Xx, Kelsey
BALI HONEYMOON GUIDE
WHEN WE WENT
Jon and I chose to travel over the Christmas and New Years holidays for a couple of reasons. We knew we’d use less PTO with the holiday closures and days stretching into 2024. We also liked that it gave us some breathing room after the wedding but wasn’t so far off that we no longer felt like newlyweds riding the high from the wedding.
Despite being smack in the middle of rainy season, Christmas and New Years are some of the most popular times to visit Bali. That meant most hotels ended up being full and traffic was abysmal. We planned far enough in advance that we didn’t have issues with booking, but it’s worth noting if you’re planning a trip during that time. We stayed in less popular areas, so thankfully it never felt wildly crowded. I imagine Canggu and Seminyak are very busy during New Years, since people go there to party.
Luckily, we didn’t have many issues with rainy season. It usually meant a rain shower in the afternoon, and otherwise sunny days. Our beach hotel told us it usually rains the first week of January, but we have four days of straight sun. Granted, temps were in the high 80s with 90% humidity, so that’s something to keep in mind!
HOW WE GOT THERE
The travel to Bali is the one big downside of selecting this honeymoon destination. From New York, we flew to Singapore, which is actually the longest flight in the world at 18.5 hours. Because of this, we decided to do two days in Singapore before hopping over to Bali. Singapore Air does free stopovers which makes it really easy to see two destinations in one. From Singapore, the flight was only 2.5 hours on their partner airline, Scoot.
Once we got to Bali, I have to tell you the traffic was AWFUL. What should have taken about an hour to get us to our hotel ended up taking 2.5 hours. We were there during high season, so it might be better other times of year. Although I’ve heard from friends that it was awful for them during other times of the year, too.
WHERE WE STAYED
A Bali honeymoon guide wouldn’t be complete without suggestions on which areas to visit. I did a lot of research into the various areas and felt like we made some really good choices.
We decided to spend the first four days of our Bali honeymoon in Ubud. Ubud is the cultural center of Bali. It’s in the center of the island and has a rainforest vibe. This location is the best for getting to all the popular activities on the island – waterfalls, temples, rice terraces, etc. We made this our base for the adventure portion of the trip.
Our hotel was absolutely incredible, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. We stayed at COMO Uma Ubud, which I found on Condé Nast Traveler. The hotel was located just 10 mins drive from central downtown. It felt like an oasis in the jungle, but stepping off the property, there were stores and restaurants right there. The space is stunning, with a gorgeous infinity pool taking center stage. We booked a suite with a private pool, which was perfect for a luxurious honeymoon experience. Service was impeccable, and the food was so good!
HOW WE GOT AROUND
We booked majority of our transportation either through our hotels or through the app, Grab. Our hotels provided the transportation to and from the airport. While the hotel prices are steeper than Grab, they’re still pretty affordable, and worth the comfort for the longer rides. Bali traffic is notoriously bad, and exponentially more so during high season. It took us 2.5 hours to get from the airport to our hotel (should have been just over an hour), so we were glad to be in the comfortable hotel van.
For bigger day trips, we had a driver as part of our tours, so we didn’t have to worry about getting to and from the sights. While I’ve had friends book drivers separately and have great experiences, we went with the easiest route by booking tours through our hotel.
Many people also rent scooters, which is the fastest way to get around because you can zip between cars. While we love renting a scooter (we rented one on our minimoon in Sicily!), we didn’t want to deal with the high-stress roads on our honeymoon. I also think you have to have an international drivers license, which neither of us had before the trip. Apps like Grab and GoJek have an option to book a scooter if zipping around on the back of someone else’s bike sounds good to you!
WHERE WE ATE & DRANK
COMO Uma Ubud – I’m not usually one to eat a lot of meals at my hotel. Usually I’d rather leave to explore new places. But let me tell you that the food at our hotel was incredible. The full breakfast buffet was included in our room rate, so we started every morning with smoothie bowls, omelettes, and fresh juices. We also ate a lot of lunches and a few dinners at the hotel because the food was so good and convenient after long, hot days of tours. I particularly loved the gado-gado salad and Indonesian street food dinner. And don’t even get me started on their cocktails!
Nusantara – This was our favorite meal during our Bali honeymoon! Another restaurant by the Locavore group was recommended to me, but didn’t have availability. We ended up really loving this spot because they did elevated Indonesian food that still felt really authentic. The cocktails were also delicious. Reservations are hard to come by, so make one early!
Night Rooster – The same group owns this bar. I had it saved on my maps, and we ended up stumbling in when we got caught in one of Bali’s massive downpours. Really creative cocktails using local ingredients. The interior feels pretty Dutch, and it turns out that one half of the Locavore group is a Dutchie!
Honey & Smoke – We had dinner one night at this Australian restaurant. Food was definitely delicious, and they had some good wines. Jon and I really enjoyed the authentic Indonesian food the best while in Bali, but this is a good option to switch things up.
Hujan Locale – We had a reservation at this restaurant but ended up canceling because we had to move some tours around due to the weather. I’ve heard really good things, so I had to still include it in my Bali honeymoon guide!
WHAT WE DID
Ubud was what we considered our “adventure” portion of the trip, so we wanted to do as many local things as possible. There are so many cool things to do from visiting temples to hiking volcanos or waterfalls, so it’s absolutely worth booking tours to explore the area.
Sebatu Water Purification – We did a Hindu water purification ceremony at a local waterfall, which was an amazing, spiritual experience. We did a series of prayers with an offering to the gods and then were purified under a few waterfalls. It was honestly my favorite thing we did on the trip and the number one recommendation on my Bali honeymoon guide. We had originally asked to go to the popular Pura Tirta Empul, which we’d seen all over the internet, but our guide recommended Sebatu instead. The lines are apparently insane at the bigger temple, sometimes taking FOUR HOURS to go through all the fountains. Our experience was so much more authentic and totally worth it.
Keliki Art School – On our way back to the resort, our guide took us to the local Keliki art school in the village called Wayan Gama. Keliki painting is taught to young kids in the village to help preserve the local tradition. The paintings are incredibly detailed, and we got to learn about the various Hindu stories and legends that are popular in the art. We purchased a painting for our home and were so happy we got to experience the school.
Vintage Car Tour – It’s popular in Bali to book a vintage car to drive through the countryside with the top down. We booked this car on our second day to take us around the countryside and visit temples and waterfalls. I would normally have preferred doing a biking tour or something more active, but it ended up being a great choice because it’s SO HOT being active. It was a really great way to see the local villages and scenery.
Ulu Petanu Waterfall – On our car tour, we stopped at this waterfall to explore and swim. It was a beautiful spot with a stone path and bridge leading to an epic waterfall. There were a few small hiking paths surrounding the waterfall but nothing that went too far.
Luwak Coffee Plantation – I didn’t know anything about Luwak coffee until we visited this plantation. Apparently, luwak are a mammal in Bali that eat coffee berries and poop them out. I know, I was disgusted too. But once I learned more about it, it’s not terribly unhygienic. The luwak have a nack for picking out the best coffee beans, and the coffee is some of the most expensive in the world. We tried a whole tasting of different coffees and teas, including the luwak coffee which actually tasted really good!
Tanah Lot – We had plans to see this temple on the sea at sunset, but unfortunately ended up canceling. The night we booked ended up being really rainy. Our guide also suggested we’d end up spending more time in the car due to traffic than was worth it. I still want to see this temple, so someday we’ll have to go back!
Ubud Art Market – This was something that so many online guides recommend, and I have to say it was so underwhelming. I was expecting a market full of unique crafts and artworks. While there were some, a lot of the market was cheap clothing and toys. We ended up being so happy we bought our Keliki painting the previous day instead.
Rice Terrace Walk – The rice terraces are everywhere in Bali. Tegalalang Rice Terrace is super popular for tour groups, but we ended up visiting some local terraces on a morning walk that our hotel hosted. It was a very intimate experience, and we were able to learn so much about the process for planting and harvesting rice. We also learned about a lot of local flora and fauna used in Indonesian cooking.
Massages – Balinese spas are literally everywhere in Bali and offer massages for as little as $15 USD, so they definitely make it into my Bali honeymoon guide. We had a free massage at our hotel through our booking, and ended up doing two different treatments there. Massages at your hotel will definitely cost more than a separate spa, but we were on our honeymoon so we were focused on ease and luxuriousness. The prices are still much lower than the US. The first full day I did a two hour treatment with dry brushing, a salt scrub, shower, and 60 minute massage. It was literally the most luxe spa experience I’ve ever had.
Pool time – Our hotel was so incredibly beautiful that we actually spent a good amount of time at the pool. It’s so hot in Bali that it was worth it to lounge around, dip in the water, and order refreshing drinks. We also booked the private pool villa, so we spent some time hanging there too when we wanted privacy.
Saraswati Temple – We swung by this temple early our last morning in Ubud. It’s right in the center of town, so I imagine it gets pretty crowded. At 8am there was only one other couple there. One of the things I didn’t realize about the temples in Bali is that you can’t go inside them unless it’s a holiday when they’re open to the public. This temple was great because it had gardens and pools out front that you could explore.
THINGS TO KNOW WHEN VISITING BALI
Cash is king – Most places are going to prefer cash, although you can pay by card at hotels and bigger restaurants. It’s helpful to be sure you have cash on hand at all times.
It’s freaking hot – I’m not just talking temperature hot. Humidity is near 90%, so you’ll be sweating no matter what you do. Pack extra t-shirts and underwear, or plan to do laundry.
It’s really affordable – Overall, prices in Bali are really great for Americans. Of course, depending where you stay, you can still spend a lot of money on a hotel. Generally we found that the cost of food, drinks, tours, etc was very reasonable.
Expect bugs – Especially in the Ubud jungles. Many hotels have disclaimers you have to agree to. In the jungle they can’t help bugs or lizards sneaking into your room, so be prepared. Mosquitos are also rampant. I’m a magnet for them and had 12 bites at one point, even while wearing bug spray 24/7.
It feels pretty safe – I read horror stories before our trip about people getting robbed in Bali. Probably because we were staying at nicer resorts, we didn’t feel unsafe at all. That being said, I couldn’t write a Bali honeymoon guide and not mention it. It’s a third world country, so I recommend leaving items like your engagement ring and designer bags at home. Other areas may be more risky, but Ubud and Jimbaran Bay felt fine to us. I’ve heard you have to be careful about cross body bags on scooters – people will pull you off by the strap. We didn’t scooter, though, so that wasn’t an issue for us.
Cover up for temples – Visiting temples will require you to cover your shoulders and knees. Even if you’re covered, you’ll be asked to wear a sarong out of respect. So keep that in mind when packing. You can rent a sarong for a few cents when you visit the temples, so no need to get your own unless you want one.
IS UBUD WORTH IT?
Absolutely! Ubud was Jon and my favorite part of our trip and the number one place I’d recommend visiting in Bali. Stay at a nice resort with a good pool, and you’ll have the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation.
Jon and I also spent four days at the beach in Jimbaran Bay, so keep an eye out for that Bali honeymoon guide soon!
