It’s almost difficult to believe, but we’re now into the final quarter of 2015! Looking at my calendar, I now have fewer than 60 working days left for this year. Wow! I’m very pleased with what I have achieved so far this year, and I hope 2015 has been very good for you guys as well.
Life lately. My mother and I went to Bali, Indonesia a week ago for our first mother-daughter out of country travel. Yipee! Late July of this year, I miraculously booked cheap round trip tickets to Bali for only 4,125.68 pesos each. Really. I did not expect it to be this cheap because whenever I look for flights to Bali, the lowest fare I can find is priced at 8,000 pesos. So when I tried to book a specific date and saw that “2 seats left at this fare!” from Cebu Pacific’s website, I immediately purchased it. Book tickets now, think later. Haha.
To be honest, I don’t really have any idea if Bali is a cheap or expensive travel destination. Bahala na, as I always say whenever I go through adrenaline-pumping process of booking tickets during seat sales. It turns out, Bali is actually a cheap destination! I wanted to sing, “I think the universe is on my side. Heaven and Earth have finally aligned. Days are good and that’s the way it should be…” Haha! Anyhow, here’s a run down of our main travel costs during our time in Bali to help you price up how much you might be spending during 5-day trip in this amazing part of South East Asia.
You may view the detailed expense breakdown right here(in Indonesian Rupiah) IDR to PHP conversion were all rounded off and based on today’s date October 17, 2015
Disclaimer: This budget can be achieved if you have at least one travel companion. Only the basic expenses will be included in the total calculation (airfare, tours and entrance fees, accommodation, transfers, food expenses, travel tax, etc.) Other personal expenses such as souvenirs, shopping, and the likes are not included. Also, please note currency and cost fluctuate depending on season and exchange rates. Information was correct at the time of writing.
Now if you plan to do an eat, pray, love inspired trip to Bali, read on…
Airfare Airfare is often the biggest chunk of any travel budget, but you can plan accordingly by comparing fares well in advance. Cebu Pacific offers direct flights to Bali so always be on the look out for seat sales. Do not wait for Piso Sale because it’s not being offered anymore. If I am not mistaken, the promo I got last July is all-in PHP 1,999 (one way).
Accommodation There are heaps of guest houses and budget hotels to choose from in Bali. It’s important to choose the right town, however. Choose Ubud, if you would like to channel your inner Julia Roberts lol. Seriously, I love Ubud! ^_^ If you like partying and shopping, choose Kuta, Legian and Seminyak. Homestay is also excellent choice if you would like a first hand experience of Balinese culture.
Where to Stay in Bali? Hotel Terrace At Kuta Jl. Benesari no. 2, Kuta 80361, Indonesia Check Rates and Availability
Our accommodation in Ubud for two nights is Sri Bungalows Ubud which costs PHP 2,812.74. In Kuta, we stayed for two nights at Kuta Lagoon Resort and Pool Villas which costs PHP 3,273.10. Both includes free breakfast and were booked thru Agoda.com.
Transportation
Rarely do I recommend splurging on a rental car, but in the case of Bali, we had limited options. According to Yoga, our driver/tour guide, public transport is not really that great in Bali. DIY travel can be very challenging. Metered taxis are common in South Bali (Kuta, Legian and Seminyak) but not in Ubud. If you know how to operate a motorbike, then that’s the cheapest way to travel. You may also ride a bike but that’s gonna require some serious effort.
Tours and Entrance Fees
There are heaps of attractions to see and activities to do in Bali – all depending on what interest you and how much cash you have to splash. Check out my detailed budget breakdown to see the entrance fees to some attractions. Also, since we can’t go on a motorbike, we decided to avail full day tours from Bali Made Tour. I highly recommend them! They replied to all my queries and assigned a great driver to us, Yoga.
Here are their tour services prices:
Halfday trip up to 5hours IDR 500.000/car Fullday trip up to 10 hours IDR 650.000/car Extra hours IDR 50.000/hour
Included in all tour prices are:
English speaking driver Meals for driver & Guide up to 6 seat vehicle with petrol Parking fees Toll fees
Not included in the tour prices are:
Your meals All other personal expenses All entrance fees
Food
Traveling to a foreign country is always exciting and going on a gastronomic adventure is almost always a must. It will be disrespectful to go to Bali without sampling Balinese cuisine. Average meals would cost around IDR 30,000 (PHP 102). A really good plater may range between IDR 50,000 to 70,000. Cheapest Balinese food we found are usually served in Warungs (small family-owned restaurants).
So, there you have it! With PHP 15,000, you can definitely enjoy Bali! And trust me, you don’t have to eat cup noodles just to achieve this. Bali is really a cheap travel destination ^_^
