10 tips you must know before making your way to Bali

Ahhh Bali. The island of sun, sand and sea. Most of us decide to head there for a holiday because of the chill out vibe and the mostly friendly locals that are almost agreeable to help in any way they can. Regardless of where you hail from, there are some things you need to know before embarking on your summer vacation here. Here are 10 tips you should prepare yourself for before heading for paradise.

Choose a hotel that is close to what you intend to do most of the time there
If you intend to spend most of your time at the beach, choose a hotel somewhere in Kuta that will gain you easy access to one. If you prefer to spend your time tasting the various food offers on the island, then choose a hotel somewhere in Seminyak. If you are thinking of sleeping through the daylight hours and only waking up when it’s dark to party yourself senseless, then stay somewhere in Legian. If you don’t know that the three places I have mentioned are locations on the island, then you better head back to the drawing board.

Don’t count on buying cheap clothing there. Make sure you bring enough summer wear and beach wear with you. If you are planning to party, bring party clothes.
Unlike Bangkok, you can’t find stores selling cheap clothing everywhere. So it’s best to bring your own clothes and swim wear, including an additional pair of flip flops, just in case.

Not all food stalls in Bali are up to your sanitary standards. Bring along enough medication just in case.
Make sure you bring along a medication box in the unfortunate event you fall sick from all the awesome food offerings there. In any case, if your condition requires a doctor, you can always get your hotel to call one to your hotel room. Remember to claim your insurance once you get back to your country.

Make sure your passport has at least 6 months to it.
You don’t want to get stuck at the airport before such a nice beach holiday. That definitely wouldn’t make for a good memory in your scrapbook.

Make sure you have done ample homework on where you want to go beforehand.
If you don’t speak Bahasa Indonesia, it might take a hat trick to ensure you get to the right places. Although most Balinese are helpful people, it does not mean you can let your guard down too.

Prepare yourself by asking those who are either natives of the island or travel there very often.
They are usually the best people to advise you on what to bring and what you can chill out on.

Make sure the dates you are planning to travel on do not clash with major nationwide events or rainy season there.
It won’t be very pleasant if you planned to chill by the beach with a cocktail and all you could do was hide in the hotel throughout the trip.

Bring enough cash!
Many places in Bali don’t accept credit cards so always be prepared with ample cash at all times.

Be very aware of your country’s visa status with Bali.
Singaporeans do not need to apply for a visa to travel there (lucky us!), but if you are from other parts of the world, do make sure you are sure about this part before departing. It’s never a good holiday experience to be stuck at the airport for hours on end because of your visa status.

Don’t go there with the misconception that you will be given preferential treatment as a foreigner.
The Balinese treat everyone the same so if you have made any traffic offenses and are required to pay a fine, then do it gracefully. Don’t go arguing with the authorities. You don’t want to get put behind bars while you are on holiday do you?

Once you have all these set in the right direction, it’s time for you to take that vacation of a lifetime! Picture yourself sitting by the beach sipping on a Pina Colada while taking in the views of everything around you. And while you are at it, you might want to grab a few Balinese snacks from the food stalls along the beach.

As they say in Indonesia, bersentai!

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