Stories from Bali
Long-form writing on the island and its edges — beach towns, temple culture, day trips and the practicalities of travel in Bali.
More stories
Bali Belly: What Actually Causes It, and How to Avoid It
Bali Coffee Plantations: Tourist Trap or Genuinely Worth a Stop?
Bali's Monkey Forests: What to Actually Know Before You Go
Bali's Plastic Problem and the Beach Cleanups Fighting It
Bali in the Rainy Season: An Honest Review, Not a Sales Pitch
Bali Temple Scams and Donations: What's Real and What Isn't
Bali's Tourist Tax: What It Actually Covers
Bali Yoga Teacher Training: The Reality Behind the Instagram Version
Choosing a Bali Cooking Class: What Actually Separates a Good One
Digital Nomads in Canggu: What It's Actually Like
Diving with Mola Mola in Bali: When and Where to Actually See Them
East Bali Is the Bali That Most Visitors Miss Entirely
Getting Cash in Bali: ATMs, Card Payments, and Real-World Habits
The Gili Islands Without the Party: A Quieter Way to See Them
How Much Does a Week in Bali Actually Cost?
How to Dress for a Balinese Temple, Without Overthinking It
Ijen Blue Fire: Is the Overnight Trek Actually Worth It?
Is Bali's Overtourism Problem Real, or Overstated?
Komodo Dragons: What You Actually See on a Visit to the Park
Nusa Penida in One Day: Is It Actually Too Much to Pack In?
Renting a Villa in Bali: What the Listing Photos Don't Show
Scooter Accidents in Bali: The Honest Risk Picture
Sunset Spots in Bali, Ranked Honestly Rather Than by Hype
Surf Lessons in Bali: What to Actually Expect Before You Book
The Lempuyang Reflection Photo: How It's Actually Done
The Truth About Bali's Instagram Spots
What Nyepi Is Actually Like If You're Caught in Bali
Why Bali Traffic Is So Bad, and How to Actually Plan Around It
Why Your Bali Sunrise Trek Actually Starts at 2am
Good to know about the Bali blog
The blog is where Bali Escape steps back from strict planning logistics and covers the questions that shape how a trip actually feels, written with the same honest, no-fluff approach as the rest of the site. It opens with the broad orientation pieces — things to know before visiting Bali, and a direct look at whether Bali is expensive, which stays qualitative rather than inventing specific rupiah figures: backpacker travel using guesthouses and warung food is genuinely achievable on a modest budget, mid-range comfort with private villas and the occasional driver costs several times more, and luxury travel has no real ceiling.
A dedicated Bali vs Lombok comparison helps travellers choosing between the two, or deciding whether to do both, weigh up the practical differences rather than relying on vague impressions. Safety and etiquette get serious treatment: a solo female travel guide covers what Bali actually offers, alongside standard urban caution at night in nightlife-heavy areas like Kuta and Canggu, and scooter safety given how many visitor accidents involve rented bikes; a Balinese etiquette piece covers everyday habits worth learning, such as never touching someone's head, using the right hand for giving and receiving, dressing modestly away from the beach, and the sarong required at every temple.
Food and culture pieces make up a large share of the blog: a Bali food guide to warung staples like babi guling and nasi campur, a deep dive into Ubud's café and coffee-shop scene, a piece on the canang sari offerings seen everywhere and what they actually mean, and a Balinese ceremony guide covering what visitors might witness and how to behave around one respectfully.
A best-time-to-visit piece pulls together the seasonal picture in one place: the dry season from roughly April to October as the most reliable weather with the biggest crowds, especially July, August and New Year, and the rainy season from November to March as quieter and cheaper with short but heavy afternoon downpours rather than constant rain. None of the blog content replaces the destination or guide pages — it's meant to be read for context and reassurance before or during a trip, answering the softer questions a strict itinerary or logistics guide doesn't cover.
Frequently asked questions about the Bali blog
Is Bali an expensive destination to visit?
It depends on your travel style. Backpacker travel using guesthouses and warung food is achievable on a modest daily budget, mid-range comfort with private villas and occasional drivers costs several times more, and luxury travel, especially in Uluwatu or Ubud's high-end villa scene, has no real ceiling.
Is Bali safe for solo female travellers?
Bali is a common solo female travel destination and generally regarded as manageable with ordinary precautions. Standard urban caution applies at night in nightlife-heavy areas like Kuta and Canggu, and scooter accidents are a more realistic risk than crime for most visitors — the blog's solo female travel guide covers this in more detail.
What are common etiquette mistakes visitors make in Bali?
Touching someone's head, even a child's, is considered disrespectful, as is using the left hand alone to give or receive something. Dressing modestly away from the beach, covering shoulders and knees at temples with the required sarong, and being quiet and respectful around an active ceremony all matter more than most visitors expect.
When is the best time to visit Bali according to the blog?
The dry season, roughly April to October, is generally the most reliable weather window, though July, August and the New Year period bring the biggest crowds and highest prices. The rainy season, November to March, is quieter and cheaper, with short afternoon downpours rather than all-day rain.
How does Bali compare to Lombok for a first-time visitor?
The blog's Bali vs Lombok piece weighs up practical differences — infrastructure, crowd levels, nightlife and cost — rather than declaring one superior. Many travellers do both on the same trip via the fast boat crossing, using Bali for infrastructure and Lombok for a quieter, less developed pace.