I have a confession to make… I really didn’t want to go to Bali. There, I said it.
It was our first time, and I had heard ALL the stories. Bali belly. Dodgy food. Getting sick. Crowds. Tourists. Traffic. And generally enough negative things to make me think, Why exactly would I want to go there?
So, when we finally decided to give it a go, we played it safe. Seven nights. Seven nights was plenty, we thought. If we hated it, at least we’d only booked a week.
We also decided to try something completely new for us and booked through Luxury Escapes. We chose an all-inclusive package at the InterContinental Bali Resort in Jimbaran. Seven nights, all meals, cocktails, high teas and drinks throughout the day.
Our package was around $3,800, which included the upgrade to a Club Room. And honestly? I’m so glad we did.
The Club benefits were fabulous. We had access to the Club Lounge, an adults-only pool, separate accommodation area, all-day drinks and nibbles, cocktail hour and high tea. It just added that extra little bit of luxury.
The InterContinental Jimbaran was absolutely beautiful. It had a traditional Balinese feel rather than looking like a generic modern resort, with stunning gardens, beautiful buildings and a long stretch of beach right in front.
But one of my favourite places quickly became the Sunset Bar & Restaurant. Right on the beach, it was the perfect spot for a cocktail as the sun went down. The food and menu had a great selection too, so it became one of those places where we’d happily sit, eat, drink and watch the world go by.
And those sunsets, honestly, Jimbaran has some of the most incredible sunsets I’ve ever seen, and we all know I love my sunsets.
A sunset beach walk is also an absolute must. There is something about walking along the beach, watching the locals, listening to the water and soaking up the atmosphere that makes you slow down.
And then there was the adults-only pool. I LOVED it. No screaming kids. And before anyone gets offended, I have nothing against children. I just really enjoyed having a few hours of peace and quiet, lounging on my sunbed by the sea with absolutely nothing I needed to do.
Well… apart from ring my butler’s bell. Yes, you read that correctly. It sounds rather wanky, I completely get that, but it was wonderful and Ketut, he deserves a massive shoutout. He was incredible.
I’m not going to lie… I could get very used to this lifestyle and it was the holiday we wanted. It wasn’t a full-on, travel holiday, it was a relaxing, de-stress holiday, which we both needed. If we were there longer we would have explored more, but this trip was all about relaxing.
But do you know what surprised me most about Bali? The people. They were genuinely wonderful. Warm, friendly, helpful and so incredibly welcoming.
I found myself thinking, Why on earth was I so worried about coming here?
Somewhere between the cocktails, the sunsets, the massages and the beach walks, something happened… I fell in love with Bali.
We also spent a day in Nusa Dua, which was lovely. It’s more touristy than Jimbaran, with plenty of shops, restaurants and things to see, but it was definitely worth exploring.
Jimbaran itself is quieter and more traditional than some of the other tourist areas, and I actually loved that. There isn’t a huge amount of shopping around the resort, although there is a Starbucks, pharmacy, supermarket and plenty of massage shops.
And speaking of massages. An hour-long massage for around $18. Eighteen dollars! And they are bloody good.
Getting around is also incredibly easy. You can hire a driver for very little money, and Grab, basically Bali’s version of Uber is easy to use.
Everyone seems to use WhatsApp too, so make sure you’ve got it downloaded.
And learn a few local words. Even just making the effort is appreciated.
Selamat pagi – good morning
Terima kasih – thank you
Sama-sama – you’re welcome
Apa kabar? – how are you?
Bagus! – great / good
Sampai jumpa – see you again
And, as with travelling anywhere, I believe it is so important to be respectful of the local culture. Bali has such a beautiful culture and traditions, and taking the time to understand and respect them makes the experience even more special.
Now, what to wear? Keep it loose, light, cool and comfortable. I took light dresses, slides and a massive hat, because I’m now the woman who travels with a hat large enough to shade an entire family.
We went during the dry season, which I would definitely recommend.
And here’s the funny thing. We went for seven nights because we weren’t sure we’d like it.
Next time? We’re definitely staying longer. I went to Bali expecting to spend seven days wondering when I could come home. Instead, I spent seven days wondering why I hadn’t come sooner.
The Intercontinental Jimbaran was beautifulBali surprised me. And sometimes, especially as we get older, it’s good to surprise ourselves too.
So, if you’ve been listening to all the negative stories about Bali and thinking, It’s probably not for me… Maybe don’t write it off just yet. I’m very glad I didn’t.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely.
And yes… I’ll be back for that watermelon juice, a sunset cocktail and $18 massage and for the people, they are beautiful.
Tipping is not expected at all, but the locals do not earn much, so tipping is a lovely thing to do. We tipped, and when we did, they were so surprised, grateful and happy, and a little taken aback. Our first Grab driver told us that we had already paid via the Grab App, we said yes, but this is for you. We gave him $200,000 Bali dollars, which is $20 and he cried. $20 is nothing for us, but everything for them. I purposely took cash out when I arrived for this reason, to give as tips. The massage lady I gave the same amount to just before the massage ended, so she could keep it. The massage only cost me $18, but at home that would have cost me easily over $200. An extra $20 for her was nothing, and she had been working all day, so all up $38 for a massage is a bargain, and I would rather my money go to local businesses and local people.
Bali is Bali, it’s unique, it’s not Australia, NZ, UK or wherever you come from. Don’t get frustrated with how different it is, that’s why you travel, to experience other cultures, and things will be different. The roads are busy, things are done differently, local celebrations may stop the town for half a day (which we loved), things may look different, but that’s the joy of travel.
I’m so glad this community encouraged me to go. I’m already booking my next trip.
#50sowhat #Bali #BaliTravel #MidlifeTravel #TravelInYour50s #Jimbaran #LuxuryEscapes #InterContinentalBali #MidlifeAdventures