Holiday Bali - travel guide for Bali

Bali is full of places for the nature lover with miles of sandy beaches that are famous among surfers, towering active volcanoes over 3,000 meters high, deep ravines, sacred caves, picturesque rice terraces, fast flowing rivers, pristine crater lakes, and lush tropical forests full of exotic wildlife. The most popular activity in Bali is water sports including swimming, banana boat rides, parasailing, snorkelling, water skiing, white water rafting, and scuba diving. Most hotels in Bali will arrange these activities for you. For those who aren't so keen on the water there are plenty of other things to see and do in Bali, including:

• Spa & Beauty Treatments: For those of you looking for a completely relaxed and divine vacation, then give yourself Bali's pamper treatment.
  
• Cruises: Bali offers you either day, dinner or island cruises. Each of these cruises in Bali will leave you enchanted for a long time.
  
• Submarine Safari: Fascinated by the sea-world, then this is a very good option for you. You won't be able to take your eyes of the beautiful underwater reefs and coral and the host of incredible marine creatures and colourful fishes including sharks.
  
• Sports & Adventures: If you're after sports or adventure sports in Bali, there's a lot to choose from. From playing golf, tennis or squash, paragliding, go cart racing, bungee jumping, horseback riding, lake and sea kayakking, jungle trekking to mountain cycling, you can try your hand at any or all of these. Some of the places that you can visit are Ayung River, Telaga Waja River, Umalas Stable, Adrenalin Park, AJ Hacket, Paintball, Sea Walker, and Sling Shot.
  
• Classes: If you have the inclination of learning Balinese music & dance or their cuisine, then there are classes held. There are even meditation classes for the spiritual ones.
  
• Bali Tours: There are regular tours held that will leave you mesmerised for days to come. Some of the magical tours are Kintamani Volcano Tour, The "Mother Temple" and East Bali Tour, Bedugul Tour, North Bali Tour, Monkey Forest & Tanah Lot Tour, and Handicraft Villages & Ubud Tour.
  
• Shopping in Bali: Bali is known for its antique and semi-antique furniture, delicately crafted gold and silver jewellery, masks, paintings, wood and stone carvings, and woven and dyed fabrics. The popular destinations for shopping are Geneva, Kuta Square and Kartika Discovery Mall.
  
• Balinese Drama & Dance: Most of these performances are held in the evening but there are some that are in the mornings also. Some of the events are Barong Dance, Legong Dance, Kecak Dance, Fire Dance, Ramayana Dance, and Wayang Kulit.
  

The nightlife in Bali begins only after midnight. There are many pubs and bars that you can visit to have a wonderful time. After a night's visit you will treasure your experiences for a lifetime.

• In Sanur & Nusa Dua: The popular places here are Borneo Pub, Trophy Pub, Jazz Grille, Kafe Wayang, and Janger that promises you a very lively evening full of fun.
  
• In the Kuta area: The well-known places worth visiting are Casablanca, Peanuts Discotheque, Bounty Ship, Paddy's Reloaded, Mama's, TJ's, Kori, Poco Loco, Nero Bali, Maccoroni Club, Made's Warung, HU'U Bar & Lounge, Hulu Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe, Center Stage, Jaya Pub, Santa Fee Bar & Grill, Spy Bar, Liquid, Q Bar, and Paparazzi Lounge.
  
• In Ubud: The places here are Putra Bar, Magic Bar, Jazz Cafe, Exile Bar, and Funky Monkey.

There are many hotels from cheap ones to 5-stars that you can choose from. You can take your pick from resorts, hotel villas or private villas for your accommodation. Some of the places where you can book your stay at are Bali Hilton, Grand Hyatt Bali, Grand Mirage, The Samaya, Inna Putri Bali, Nikko Bali Hotel, Bali Inter-Continental Resort, Four Seasons Resort, Ritz Carlton, Balihai Resort & Spa, Kuta Paradiso, Ramada Bintang Bali, Bali Padma Hotel, Hard Rock, Inna Kuta Beach, Jayakarta, Le Meridien, Royal Seminyak, The Oberoi, Inna Shindu Beach, and Kori Ubud Resort & Spa.

Getting to Bali from Australia is not a problem at all as there are a number of major airlines that have direct flights from Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to Bali.

Visa on Arrival (VoA) is a very convenient visa facility available to many countries including Australia. All you have to do is apply for a VoA for either seven or 30 days on arrival by air or by ship. You must ensure that your Australian passport is valid for at least six months from the date of your arrival and that you have sufficient funds for your stay in Bali.