#1. Gado Gado

This is a uniquely Indonesian dish which is essentially a vegetable mixture covered in a peanut sauce. This is an incredibly common menu item from hawkers or stalls on the side of the road. While you can try this meal in Indonesian restaurants around the world, it is unique in Bali for its plethora of sauce. Not just a light dressing, the sauce covers and coats each single ingredient. The sauce is so common, in fact, that you can buy blocks of the paste in grocery stores and simply add hot water to make. Purchase a block as a souvenir to create your own Gado Gado when you return home!

#2. Godoh Gedang

You may not be able to tell what Godoh Gedang is until you take a bite. After that first taste, however, it’s impossible not to know that you’re eating a delicious fried banana. It is a very common snack sold by food vendors in Bali, as well as other Indonesian and Singaporean locations. This battered and then fried banana was introduced to the area in the 16th century by the Portuguese, and it has caught on to become almost a national dish. Try it covered with cinnamon sugar or fresh cream for a filling and sweet afternoon snack.

#3. Durian

Although you might not ever even consume this fruit while you are in Bali, you will most certainly smell it. Known as the “king of fruits,” durian has a powerful odour that is most often described by visitors as highly unpleasant. However, locals consider it a delicacy, and the potent fruit has been said to have a nutty or custardy flavour. Bali holiday packages that include local day tours often include a fresh market stop where you can purchase the fruit. Try it if you dare!

#4. Bubuh Injin

This is a traditional dessert from Bali, and is a rice porridge. What make it different from Western rice porridges is that it is made from a local black rice. Coconut milk is also a major ingredient, making the entire dish incredibly rich and creamy. This is certainly the most popular dessert dish among visitors to Bali, and if you have a sweet tooth you absolutely must try it.

#5. Suckling Pig

This is a must-try food for every visitor to Bali. Many tourist restaurants and hotels will offer a special night complete with a roasted suckling pig, but for a true Balinese experience try it in a local restaurant instead (and save quite a bit of money, while you’re at it). The pig roasts on a spit for around 5 hours, and then in carried into the restaurant. Act quickly, because it may be gone within the hour–locals flock to the best places to fill up early!

What’s your favorite Indonesian food?

Photo by: Kazue Asano

Here are three different itineraries we put together that include visiting Indonesia’s most popular destination. The cool thing about using this flight tool is that all the following trips are completely customizable. So even if you are not from the city of origin, it’s super quick and easy to register for a (free) account, login, change any cities and/or dates, click “search fares,” and get a new price.

This trip that circumnavigates the globe hits up Hong Kong, Bali, Australia, Fiji, and the States before returning to London.

This 8 stop RTW trip, which priced at right around $3,000 at the time of writing, visits SE Asia, China, Europe, and spends New Year’s Even in New York City before returning home.

Not all trips have to be year-long, RTW trips. This trip circles some of the hotspots in Southeast Asia in a little over a month.

Photo credits: chensiyuan

If you’re planning a trip to Southeast Asia, check out the following articles and resources from BootsnAll to help stay organized and make your trip planning a breeze:

• Our Southeast Asia Indie Travel Guide is the place to start for your planning needs. Lots of  great, practical information for traveling in the region, with lots of links to country and city information.
• Everything You Need to Know About Train Travel in Southeast Asia guides travelers through the process of rail travel in the region, a great way to get around most countries.
• If you’re going to be in Bali already, you may want to find out about Exploring Indonesia by Motorbike. Lot of great indie travel opportunities when you do it with your own wheels.
• Indonesia and Thailand aren’t the only places to go for great beach experiences. Nha Trang ― Vietnam’s Happiest Beach Town on $30 a Day is definitely worth a visit.
• Myanmar is open for business, and travelers are taking note. Get there now before tourism blows up. Indie Travel in Myanmar for $45 Per Day is a great place to start for planning your trip.
• Food is an important part of travel, and SE Asia is one of the best regions in the world to eat. Read 5 Dishes You Shouldn’t Leave Laos Without Trying to get a glimpse into Lao cuisine, an underrated destination for foodies.
• Travelers flock to SE Asia because it’s one of the best places in the world for budget travel. See how you can travel around Cambodia on $25 Per Day.

While Bali is definitely the most touristy part of Indonesia, there’s a reason for that. Unfortunately because of the popularity, there are those travelers who leave Bali off their list. Long-term, RTW travelers love to find new and off-the-beaten-path locations, and even if you are not the type who likes super touristy destinations, there are plenty of ways to experience the Indonesian culture in a place like Bali.

Our sister site over on BootsnAll has been putting together city guides that focus on long-term, RTW travel. They have been updating, revamping, and adding tips and advice for getting the most indie experience out of a trip to any city. If you are thinking about adding Bali to a RTW trip, then it’s a good idea to head on over to Boots and see what they have to say.

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Here is a list of mid-range and luxury hotels located either right on Kuta or Nusa Dusa beach or close to these beaches.

The Oasis Kuta

This 3-star hotel is located just 5 min walk from Kuta Beach and offers a lovely setting for your vacation. The modern rooms are located around the outdoor pool. The hotel also offers a spa and a restaurant. There’s free parking and wi-fi. All rooms have AC, TV and a minibar. Breakfast is included in the room price. Pets are not allowed in the hotel.
During November 2011, prices start at US$73 per standard double room per night.

Harris Resort Kuta Beach

This 4-star hotel is located right on Kuta Beach and offers free parking and wi-fi. The hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool, a spa and a fitness center. All rooms have TV, AC and minibar.

During November 2011, prices start at US$99.14 per room per night, excluding breakfast.

Kuta Seaview Boutique Resorts

This 4-star hotel is located right on Kuta Beach. It offers an outdoor pool and a spa. The Balinese-style rooms have balcony, TV, mini bar and tea/coffee makers.

During November 2011, prices start at US$109 per deluxe double room per night, including breakfast.

Aston Kuta Hotel and Residence

This 4-star hotel is located 165 ft from Kuta Beach and offers an outdoor pool, a fitness center and a spa. The hotel also provides free shuttles to Discovery Mall. All rooms have flat-screen TV and work desk. There’s free wi-fi in the lobby and restaurant. The room prices include the buffet breakfast.

During November 2011, prices start at US$110 per superior double room per night.

Kayumanis Nusa Dua Private Villa & Spa

This 5-star hotel is located on a private stretch of beach along Nusa Dusa. The hotel offers a private pool, a spa, free parking and free wi-fi. All villas feature fully equipped kitchenette, minibar and an open-air bath. Breakfast is included in the villa price.

During November 2011, prices start at US$554.18 per one-bedroom villa per night.

Novotel Bali Nusa Dua

This luxury hotel offers a private beach, a golf course, a fitness center, a pool and a massage center. All rooms have flat-screen TV, safe and ironing facilities.

During November 2011, prices start at US108.04 per deluxe twin room per night, excluding breakfast.

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This itinerary starts in Bali , explores some of its landmarks and the takes you to Lombok for a day. Then you’ll enjoy an active day on Kanawa Island before heading to the capital of Jakarta, from where you’ll fly back home.

Itinerary assumptions:

• fly into Denpasar (Bali)
• fly out of Jakarta
• use the public transport and limit the use of domestic flights
• stay in 2-3 star hotels

Day 1 Arrive in Bali

Arrive in Denpasar . Spend the rest of the day exploring at least one of the temples located in the city. Pura Maospahit is definitely a good choice. It’s an ancient temple, with history dating back to the 14th century. Much of it was destroyed during an earthquake but there are some original parts still standing. Enjoy some traditional food at dinner.

Day 2- 3 Bali

Travel to Ubud and check in at the hotel. On your first day, take a bus to Tegallalang area and enjoy the lovely scenery, with the rice terraces and the green hillsides. Come back to Ubud and explore the Monkey Forest. Then, in the evening, check out the Jimbaran Seafood stalls and make sure to enjoy some traditional Balinese foods.

On your second day here, take the morning bus to Kintamani area. Spend the day soaking up the atmosphere and the scenery. Mount Batur and Lake Batur are popular spots for the tourists but totally worth your time. Enjoy a relaxing evening.

>>read more about 3 Days in Bali: Itinerary Ideas

Day 4 Bali to Lombok

Before departing for Lombok, spend some time at the Badung Central Market, which is at its best in the morning. Buy some treats for the long journey ahead of you.
Board a bus from Denpasar to Padang Bai (1-2 hours, depending on the traffic). Now take the ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar (Lombok). The journey takes about 4 hours.
Spend the rest of the day soaking up the atmosphere and checking out the area.

>>read more about Getting from Bali to Lombok

Day 5 Lombok

In the morning, head to Tanjung A’an, a lovely area near Kuta Beach. It is famous for its sand which looks like pepper. Arrange with a guide (preferably someone recommend from the hotel or a travel agency) to take you to the 3 famous waterfalls located close to Lombok. The first one is on the slopes of Mount Rinjani, the second one is a further 1 hours walk and the 3rd one is the hardest to get to and requires some climbing experience. Spend the evening relaxing at the hotel.

Day 6 Lombok to Labuan Bajo via Bima (overland)

From Lombok, take the public bus to Bima. Then board the mini bus to Sape (about 2 hours travel time). Now board the ferry from Sape (Sumbawa Island) to Labuan Bajo (West Flores). This part of the journey takes about 8 hours.
Enjoy dinner and get a good night’s sleep.

Day 7 Day trip to Kanawa Island

Prepare for a day in the nature, burning some calories. It’s best to arrange with a local guide, preferably recommended by the hotel staff or a travel agency. Before leaving, don’t forget to pack some food for the day.

Kayak to the Kanawa Island (about 2 hours) and then walk up the hill for some lovely views of the area. It is also possible to snorkel here.

Day 8 Labuan Bajo to Jakarta by plane

Fly from Labuan Bajo to Jakarta. The flight time is 1h 35 min on Merpati. Please note that it’s not possible to book the flights on the very well known booking sites. You’ll have to do a bit of searching.

Now that you’ve arrived in the Big Durian, check in the hotel and start to explore this large city. There are plenty of museums to visit , including the National Museum which houses large collections of prehistoric, ethnographic and archaeological artifacts. Don’t miss “Monas”, Jakarta’s best known landmark.
You can also visit the Istiqlal Mosque, which is the biggest mosque in Southeast Asia.

>>read more about Cheap Flights to Jakarta

Day 9 -10 Jakarta

In the morning, explore the Pasar Baru, a market dating back to the Dutch colonial era. There are quite a lot of stores to check out and, with a bit of luck, you can find interesting and cheap things here. Then, for a unique shopping experience, stroll the Jalan Surabaya, which houses the open-air antique market.

Spend the rest of the day playing bowling and enjoying karaoke, which is one of the favorite ways to spend the time with friends. Or you can check out one of the many shopping malls.

Before heading to the airport for your flight back home, make sure to sample some of the street food.

Photo credits: Ulun Danu Temple in Bali , Kuta Beach , Kanawa Island , Jakarta antique

However, authentic Balinese food is rarely enjoyed by the tourists as it’s seldom served in hotels and restaurants. The staple daily food is rice, accompanied by vegetables and a small amount of fish or other meat. Of course, condiments are always used.

The food most tourists see as Indonesian food comes from Java. Here are some popular dishes from Indonesia, that you might get served in Bali.

•Ayam goreng – fried chicken, often served with rice and lalapan.

•Bakso – spicy meatball soup. This dish is influenced by the Chinese meatballs.

•Bakmi goreng – fried noodle, meat and vegetables.

•Botok daging sapi – spicy minced beef, tofu, tempeh and coconut milk.

•Bubur ayam – chicken porridge. Served at the pasar pagi (morning markets).

•Cap cay – mixed fried vegetables (originally a Chinese dish, similar to the Cantonese style).

•Es campur – fruits, gelatin, chocolate sauce, milk with shaved ice.

•Gado gado – steamed cabbage, bean sprouts, potato and other vegetables served with peanut sauce.

•Kangkung – water spinach (a popular, stringy vegetable).

•Krupuk – prawn crackers in a range of sizes, served with nasi campur.

•Lalapan – raw vegetables (green beans, cabbages, cucumbers, mint leaves) served with sambal. Accompanies ayam bakar and ikan bakar (grilled chicken and fish).

•Lontong – Steamed rice compressed into a roll, inside a banana leaf. Often served with sate ayam at street-side sate vendors.

•Lumpia – spring rolls containing diced carrot, bean sprouts and other items. Semarang Java is famous for lumpia.

•Nasi campur – the national dish. Means ‘mixed rice’ and is a portion of steamed rice with an assortment of meats, vegetables, tofu, tempeh and hot sambal.

•Nasi goreng – fried rice. The most common Indonesian food item served in tourist warungs and restaurants. Often served with a fried egg on top.

•Nasu putih – white rice. Other options include nasi kuning (yellow rice) and nasi merah (red rice).

•Pisang goreng – fried banana. Popular at local markets where you can get 4 small fried bananas for 1,000rp.

•Rijstaffel – rice table. The Dutch colonial version of how to serve Indonesian food. Many dishes with meats, fish and vegetables.

•Rujak – Indonesian fruit salad made from unripe papaya, apple and other fruits. Served with chili, salt and caramel.

•Rujak petis – fruit and vegetable salad with spicy peanut and shrimp sauce.

•Tahu goreng telur – an omelette with tofu.

•Sate – sometimes called ‘satay’. Small strips of meat cooked over charcoal. Javanese sate vendors sell sate ayam (chicken sate with peanut sauce) and sate kambing (goat sate). Balinese sate vendors often sell sate babi (pork sate with a deliciously tangy, spicy sauce), especially outside ceremonies. Generally a Balinese sate vendor will sell you 10 pieces for 5,000rp.

•Sayur bening – spinach and corn soup.

•Urap-urap / urap timum – vegetables in shaved coconut and chili. A Balinese dish which is a pleasant surprise when found in a warung.

The best ways to explore Indonesian food are to:
1) Visit a night market and try some things.
2) Have lunch at a warung popular with locals, pointing out items you’d like to try.
3) Stop at the road side for some sate or other local snack.

Photo credits: Ayam goreng , Bakso , Bakmi goreng , Bubur ayam , Cap cay , Es campur , Gado gado , Kangkung , Krupuk , Lalapan , Lumpia , Nasi campur , Nasi goreng , Pisang goreng , Satay , Sayur bening

Three days in Bali is not enough to experience what this place is about, but it gives you the time to see some of the highlights. We assume you’ll be staying in Ubud, a city popular among many types of travelers. The itinerary takes you to the famous Money Forest, some temples, the seafood stalls located right on the beach, the crafts villages, the volcano, the rice terraces and even to a Bali dance performance.

Day 1

After you land at Denpasar, take the regular public bus to Ubud. Tickets cost Rp 8,000 and the travel time is about an hour. However, this is a good choice if you arrive before 4 p.m. since most buses run until then. A more expensive option – ticket: Rp 50,000 – are the private buses which link the airport directly to Ubud and they run four times a day.

You can start exploring Bali with a visit to the Monkey Forest. This is a sacred forest inhabited by monkeys. Make sure to walk through the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal, a temple of the dead, as well. Don’t bring any food as you really don’t want the moneys to bite you.

In the late afternoon, go to the Jimbaran Seafood stalls. This a 3 km area of beach side cafes , in total about 40 places to eat. Make sure to try the seafood and don’t be afraid to taste the local delicacies.

Day 2

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel and then it’s time to do some shopping.

The road to Sanur passes through a series of crafts villages. Celuk is known for the silver jewelry, Mas for the wood carvings, Batuan for the paintings and Batubulan/Singakerta for the stone carvings. Either rent a car with driver or take the local bus and spend some time haggling for interesting souvenirs to take back home.

Get back to Ubud and eat lunch. Then, it’s time to see the Tegallalang area. It’s located just 15 min drive outside Ubud (so you can take the bus). The area is well known for the green terraced hillside, home to traditional rice paddies.

Come back to Ubud and attend a Balinese dance performance at the Palace Ubud. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. And it’s considered one of the best such shows. Tickets cost Rp80,000 (about US$10).

Day 3

Wake up early in order to catch a morning bus to Kintamani area. Here you can find Mount Batur – which is an active volcano – and Lake Batur. The scenery from the viewing point is worth the trip. This is a famous tourist place and it will get crowded. It’s best to arrive as early as possible. Plus, the most spectacular views are between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. especially when the weather is clear.

Get back to Ubud for lunch and then go to Gunung Kawi, the presumed burial complex of King Anak Wungsu and his many wives. Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes as the temple is reached after climbing 371 steps.

It’s time to travel back to the airport and catch your flight home.

Photo credits: Monkey forest , Tegallalang rice terrace , Mount Batur

Quick summary

The Bali to Jakarta route is served by plenty of low cost carriers which makes flying really affordable. Single tickets start at US$30 and you can get between the two places in about 1 ½ hours.
But many budget travelers choose to travel either by a combination of bus, ferry and train or by bus and ferry. It does cost less than flying but you’ll be traveling about 24 hours (if there aren’t any delays).

Flights from Bali (airport code: DPS) to Jakarta

Soekarno Hatta International Airport (CGK) is the main airport serving Jakarta and the island of Java. It is hub for Batavia Air, Cardig Air, Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia, Lion Air, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Republic Express Airlines, Sriwijaya Air and Wings Air.
Direct flights from Denpasar (Bali) to Jakarta are operated by Batavia Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia , Lion Air , Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Sriwijaya Air and Wings Air. The cheapest flights are offered by Indonesia AirAsia and start at US$60 one way. The flight time is 1h 40 min. Return flights start at US$125 per person, on the same airline.

Overland from Bali to Jakarta

You can use a mix of bus , ferry and train to get from Bali to Jakarta.
First you need to travel from Bali to Yogyakarta, Malang, or Surabaya. This can be done by bus and ferry.
Buses to Yogyakarta leave each evening from Ubung Terminal in Denpasar. It takes about 15 hours and the bus ticket also includes the ferry crossing (over Rp200,000 / US$23 per person).
Buses to Surabaya leave from the same terminal. The ticket includes the ferry crossing and the total travel time is 8 to 10 hours. Prices start around Rp150,000 / US$17.25 per person.

From Yogyakarta you can take the morning train to Jakarta. The price for the express train is around Rp300,000 / US$34.50 per person and the total travel time is 8-10 hours.
From Surabaya you can take the Express train to Jakarta, either during the day (departure at 8 a.m.) or during the night (departure at 8 p.m.). The total travel time is 10 h 30 min. The fare is about Rp200,000 / US$23 per person.

>>read more about The train from Jakarta to Yogyakarta

The alternative is to take the bus and ferry from Bali to Jakarta. Tickets can be bought from the travel agents in the town(s). Two companies operate on this route: Lorena and Pahala Kencana (buses depart Denpasar at 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.)
The total travel time is about 24 hours but the buses are clean and you are also offered two meals. Delays can and will occur (sometimes even up to 10 hours). The price is about US$30 per person.

Driving from Bali to Jakarta

It is possible to rent a car and drive from Bali to Jakarta, but you’ll also be taking the ferry. So make sure to consider the price for crossing with a vehicle. The total travel time is about 21 hours. For your safety, do consider taking some breaks along the way.

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Practically, there is only one way to get between Bali and Australia: by plane. Ideally, you should choose an airport located closest to Bali , rather than fly into a larger hub, which is too many hours (and too much money) away. The reason for this is that once you are in Australia, you can choose to travel by land to the destination.

Quick summary

There are two airports to choose between if you want to get to Australia fast and not spend too much on a ticket. The flight time to Darwin is about 3 h and the rates start at US$97. And the flight to Perth takes 3h 40 , with rates starting at US$127. Sure, these are rates valid for the end of the dry season in Bali and the start of spring in Australia.

Flights from Bali (airport code: DPS) to Australia

Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport (SYD) is a major hub for Qantas and a secondary hub for Virgin Australia and Jetstar Airways. It is the busiest airport in Australia. Direct flights from Denpasar (Bali) are operated by Garuda Indonesia, JetStar and Virgin Australia. Flights start at US$409 one way for an adult on JetStar. The flight time is 4h 45 min.

>>read more about Flights to Sydney

You can also fly from Bali into Brisbane Airport (BNE), which is also hub for Jetstar Airways, Qantas, Virgin Australia and Pacific Blue. Direct flights between the two airports are operated by JetStar, Strategic Airlines and Virgin Australia. The cheapest fare is offered by Virgin Australia and starts at US$459. The flight time is 5h 40 min.

>>read more about Flights to Brisbane

Perth Airport (PER) also receives fights from Bali. The airport is hub for Strategic Airlines, Alliance Airlines, Cobham, Network Aviation, Qantas, Skippers Aviation and Skywest Airlines. It is the fourth busiest airport in Australia. The direct flights from Bali to Perth are operated by Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia, JetStar Airways, Skywest Airlines and Virgin Australia. The cheapest tickets are offered by Indonesia AirAsia and they start at US$127 one way. The flight time is 3h 40 min.

>>read more about Flights to Perth

There is also the possibility to fly into Darwin Airport (DRW) , which although it’s not among the top five busiest airports in Australia, offers excellent rates for connections to/from Bali. Indonesia AirAsia and JetStar operate flights between Denpasar (Bali) and Darwin and the rates start from US$97 one way (on Indonesia AirAsia). The flight time is 2h 55 min. Generally speaking, the fares are comparable to those into Perth.

>>read more about Flights to Darwin

There are also direct flights from Bali to Melbourne Airport (MEL) and Adelaide (ADLS) but the fares are high (from US$446 one way on Virgin Australia, respectively from US$630 one way on the same airline).

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