Bali Top Tips

So you're off to Bali you lucky thing!

Here's a few things you should know just to make your trip that little bit better -

• Timings - Ok, so the people of Indonesia are never on time. Ever. Your boat will be late, your taxi will be late, your dinner will be late ... See a recurring theme? You can either let it wind you up (all day every day) or you can just relax and roll with it. There's nothing you can do about it & you'll get there eventually, hopefully.

• Boats - Trust me when I say you don't have to book in advance. We booked our boat transfers between the islands from the UK & were charged and an absolute fortune. Boats between the islands are ten a penny and you can get really cheap prices when you are there.

• Luggage - With a mix of holiday makers and back packers you'll see mountains of suitcases next to mountains of back packs. We had some huge wheely suitcases which were fine in Bali but tricky on the islands. For the boat transfers you get on the boat from the beach, and through the sea so having a backpack would have been MUCH easier than a pink suitcase on wheels.

• Cash - There are loads of cash points in Bali & we found this the easiest way of having money over there. You do get charged £3 a transaction and most cash points only allow you to take £50 out at a time. So if you can get a card which doesn't charge you, get one! Also, some of the machines give you the money first & your card a little delay later - don't forget it!

• Getting around - by far the cheapest and quickest way around Bali & Lombok is to hire a scooter. Be aware that the roads are chaotic and most of them are very bumpy. We weren't brave enough for a scooter so settled for taxis instead. Bluebird taxis (light blue and the drivers wear a floral blue shirt) were the cheapest by a long way, they ran on a meter rather than agreeing a set price. You'll spend the first few days worrying that it's a real taxi and whether it's safe or not; after that you'll jump in a car with anyone who has a little bit of paper saying 'taxi'. We didn't have any problems on any of our journeys and never found it tricky to get to where we needed to go.

• Tax - In all bars and restaurants the menu prices will not be what you pay - they have a government tax and service charge added to your final bill. This ranged between 15-21% of your final bill. Annoying but unavoidable.

• How much? - We went out there we had no idea how much things were and how much was too much. Obviously prices vary massively from place to place but as an average let me give you an idea:

• Nasi Goreng - 50k (£3)

• Pizza - 65k (£3.80)

• Fruit juice - 20k (£1.20)

• Coke - 20k (£1.20)

• Small Bintang - 25k (£1.50)

• A glass of local wine - 65k (£3.80)

• A glass of imported wine - 90k (£5.50)

• Cocktail - 80k (£4.50)

• What to pack -

• Flip flops & trainers - if you're trekking a volcano you'll need your trainers, everything else will be managed in a trusty pair of flip flops. In some shops and cafes you are asked to take your shoes off so it's much easier to kick off your havianas or birkinstocks than to untie your swanky gladiators.

• A torch - sunsets at around 6:30 in Bali which means your evenings are dark very quickly. If you stay on the Gili Islands you'll need a torch to get back to your accommodation, especially if you're staying in the centre of the island.

• A sarong - perfect for lying on the beach or covering up if you've had too much sun & nice and light too for carrying around.

• Bug spray - some areas are worse than others (Ubud is midge heaven) so cover yourself head to toe in bug spray to avoid those horrendous itchy bites.

• Cotton jumpsuits/dresses - trust me, you don't need to pack shed loads of clothes. With it being our honeymoon I packed beautiful dresses and skirts for them to be left in the suitcase while I put my trusty jumpsuit on I picked up from Ubud art market. The shopping in Bali is fabulous so pack less and take more home!

• Swimwear - you'll obviously need a bikini or two ... or 7.

• A day trip bag - whatever is the easiest for you carry when you pop from island to island.

• A camera - well you've got to document your entire trip on Instagram haven't you?

• A spare card - take a debit card for another account with you and keep it safe with your passport. If yours gets lost then you'll be able to jump online, transfer your funds & use your other card without worry or panic.

• Toiletries - don't worry if you forget anything, the supermarkets stock everything you need (from the girl who forgot toothpaste, a hairbrush and tampons - I know.)

• A kimono/scarf - if you're heading into the temples you'll be required to cover your shoulders.

You're in for the trip of a lifetime & if you have ANY questions just comment below or whizz me a message on Instagram & I'll do my best to answer!

Happy travels!

Jess x