Country breakdown

  • Canggu
  • Tanah Lot
  • Kuta
  • Ubud
  • Gili Trawangan
  • Gili Meno
  • Gili Air

Day 34 – August 7th

Throughout my travels in Southeast Asia, I made sure to take every opportunity to stop and have some time to myself. I managed to sleep in until about midday before heading to the airport for my 3 pm flight from Singapore to Bali. The flight was delayed, and when I arrived, I thought the airline had lost my luggage. It turned out the airport had mixed up the baggage claim area. After wasting a few hours searching for my belongings, I had to wait a bit longer for other members of my group to arrive before the taxi took us to the meeting point at Koa D’Surfer Hotel, led by TruTravels. By the time we arrived, it was pretty late, so we had a quick “get-to-know-you” session on the rooftop before the tour officially began in the morning.

Day 35 – August 8th

We spent the day visiting Tanah Lot and the Royal Temple of Taman Ayun. It was quite a distance from the hotel, so the day felt relaxed. By the time we returned, we enjoyed a sunset dinner on the beach in Canggu and Seminyak.

Bali // Tanah Lot // Canggu & Seminyak

During our visit to Tanah Lot Temple, I vaguely remember, in my sleepy haze, holding a 20-foot snake around my neck—all for a photo and some entertainment. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the best idea, and I wouldn’t do it again.

Day 36 – August 9th

This was the day I had been looking forward to the most on the trip—my 3-hour surf lesson on Kuta Beach. The day was perfect for it: sunshine, a few small clouds, and most importantly, perfect waves. Within those three hours, I managed to get the hang of it and only needed help from the instructors to catch the waves.

Bali // Kuta // Surfing

That evening we were taken to the renown Old Man’s Bar by the beach for the night.

Day 37 – August 10th

We made a move and headed North East towards Ubud. A much more relaxed area of Bali compared to the coast of Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu. Upon arrival, we went to Tegenungan Waterfall and spent the day there.

Bali //  Tegenungan Waterfall

Day 38 – August 11th

After breakfast, we headed to the local food markets to learn about and observe where all the fresh ingredients come from. We met the amazing local, Wayan, and his family at their home, where they taught us how to make some of Bali’s most famous dishes, as well as Canang Sari, the flower offerings made for the gods. In the afternoon, we visited Ubud’s Sacred Monkey Forest, where it’s believed that the hundreds of monkeys living there protect the ancient temples.

Ubud // Monkey forest

Day 39 – August 12th

This was a day that couldn’t be missed—the opportunity to climb Mount Batur. We woke up around 2 am to reach base camp by 3 am. After a quick breakfast for fuel, armed with a torch, we began the 1,700-meter climb in the dark to catch the sunrise at the peak. The views were incredible, and watching the sun break over the horizon was truly special. By the time we finished and hiked back down, the day was just beginning.

Ubud // Mount Batur

We had a quick turnaround after returning from the night hike, as we were whisked away to view the scenic rice terraces of Tegalalang. In the afternoon, we visited Kintamani for lunch, with a stunning view of Mount Batur, the active volcano we had just climbed.

Tegalalang Rice Terrace // Kintamani
Ubud // Kintamani

Day 40 – August 13th

Today, we headed east to the port and took the ferry to the Gili Islands. Gili T is unique in that it has no roads or motorized transport, only push bikes. The island is so small you could walk around it in a day—about 3 km in total. After arriving and having lunch at the hotel, we cycled around town as a group to watch the sunset. We ended the day with dinner in the north, surrounded by local drummers throwing a beach party.

Bali // Gili Islands

Day 41 – August 14th

We spent the day island-hopping on a boat trip around the three Gili Islands. We explored some of the best snorkeling spots around Gili Meno and Gili Air, where we saw stunning coral reefs, vibrant fish, turtles, and coral conservation projects.

Bali // Gili Islands

Day 42 – August 15th

Today, we explored the island on one of Gili’s only modes of transportation: the pushbike! We cycled around the island, discovering different beaches and local markets, while reflecting on the past 10 days with the group.

Having completed two group tours through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, along with some solo travel in Singapore and Thailand, I headed back from the Gili Islands to spend the last four days of the trip by myself on mainland Bali, in Kuta, before heading home on Day 47 – August 20th. These final days were a time of reflection on the entire two months spent in Southeast Asia—an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I would do it all again, and it was definitely worth the investment of both money and time.

The end.