Bali, the name itself brings to mind the pristine beaches with their added dash of privacy, the ever expanding Indian Ocean and volcanic mountains that look like giants out of a fairytale. Of course, this Indonesian island-city has been on the radar of the budget Indian travellers to go international for decades now, but not so recently, it has also emerged as a very coveted honeymoon destination. With its beautiful endowed natural elements like caves and coves and mountains and beaches, luxury resorts and spas, and adult cruises to complement, there isn’t a better destination than Bali for an Asian honeymoon. So if you are ready to book Bali, here’s our little travel guide to help you navigate tourism in Bali.

The best way to reach Bali is to fly from India to Indonesia. There are other ways however that you can also use to explore this island city.

By Air:

You can easily take a flight from major Indian cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata or Bangalore to Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, which is also known as Denpasar International Airport. It is located in South Bali and you can easily get a taxi outside the airport to take you to your desired destination. Most flights will have a stopover at Kuala Lumpur while some ply directly too.

By Road & Sea:

Bali is an island, so it is impossible to reach this city by road or rail from anywhere in the world. Flights and water transport are the only options. However, a combination of road and sea can be used. If you travel by road to the Indonesian capital Jakarta, then you will be able to take the ferry from there to Bali. Word of caution, the ferry is immensely tiring as it takes around 23 hours. However, Bali is a great stop for many luxury Indian Ocean cruises and falls on the popular route of Sumatra-Java-Singapore.

Getting Around:

Local transport in Bali is very well placed and developed. You get frequent and cheap taxis (Bali Taxis/ Blue Bird) to ferry you from place to place, there are tourist shuttles which are cheap but not very comfortable, local buses that are very well connected, and the South East Asian alternative for Uber - 'Grab' for app-based taxis. Gojek is an app to call a motorcycle taxi and comes very handy for solo travellers. You can also rent bicycles or mopeds to explore the island city with your partner.

Bali has two main seasons, the dry season and the wet season. Both are good for the activities they offer and you would have to make trade-offs depending on what you wish to do there.

Dry Season (April-October) :

This is the ultimate high season and the best time to visit Bali. With very less rain, low humidity and mild temperatures, you can do everything here - from sunbathing to parasailing, hiking to snorkelling. This is also a very expensive time, especially the time from April to September, when holidayers and honeymooners throng Bali like bees to nectar. 

Wet Season (November-March) :

November onwards the rainy season sets in, and Bali is wrapped in rains, thunder storms and fast winds. The rain is not as bad as the humidity that just makes a relaxed holiday unbearable. You can, however, avail some amazing discounts and truly slashed rates on everything from food to accommodation to car rentals. For honeymooning couples seeking some peace and privacy to romance, this is a good season too.

When in Bali for your honeymoon, ensure to not create tight schedules and rigid itineraries. This is your time to relax and enjoy together, cancel plans at the last minute and make new ones at just the cusp of everything else. So even though this is a list of things to do in Bali for honeymooners, we suggest you keep your holiday free flowing, and pursue each activity at your own leisure. 

Watch Sunsets:

What could be more romantic than seeing the sun go down over breathtaking sceneries of Bali? Take the hand of your partner, walk up to one of the stunning places like the Tanah Lot Temple or the beach of Nusa Dua, and chill with drinks and some appetisers. The Tanah Lot Temple is a great place to explore by late afternoon and sit by for the sunset. Its rich Balinese mythology, the beauty of its structure and the coast, all add up to make your day charming.

Stroll across Rice Terraces:

Among its many natural endowments, Bali is also famous for its pristine steps of rice terraces, carved in the side of quaint lush mountains. In the region of Ubud, you and your beloved will stumble upon the Tagallalang rice terraces that make for amazing backdrop for photographs and help you savour your conversations as you stroll hand in hand across.

Swing on the Bali Swing:

Well, if you are on Instagram then you surely didn’t miss those gorgeous couple photos, of people swinging on the famous Bali swing. Situated in the Tegallalang rice terrace area, this swing provides a terrific optical illusion and positions you on the top of the world with your loved one. Do not miss this experience.

Splash together in a Waterpark:

What honeymoon will be complete without a little childish fun? Ditch the intense romance and stolen touches to go all out at the Waterbom Bali, Asia’s largest waterpark where you can openly enjoy with your partner, throw each other in the water down slides, splash the hell out of a pool and enjoy rides like little children. 

Conquer a Volcano Together:

That’s a nice story to tell your grandkids some day, that granny and grandpa trudged up a volcano in their hay-days. Mount Batur and Mount Agung in Bali are very famous active volcanoes, surrounded by a lake named Caldera. You must enrol to go hiking up one of these at dawn, and test your strengths as a couple on strenuous physical activities. There are springs on the way, rolls of landscapes, and a promising sunrise when you reach up. 

Visit the Gates of Heaven:

The Lempuyang Temple’s Gates of Heaven have been a very famous tourist site, renowned for its scenery that make for perfect photographs. Go up here to renew your vows, or just to hold hands and look out of the gates of ‘heaven’ together; see the world end and begin all at the same time. Right at your feet. 

Let your hair down at the Beaches:

Oh yes, we saved the best for the last. Bali’s beaches are famous for their beauty, ample offerings of water sports and great food. From Kuta to Seminyak to Legian, these beaches are literally party paradises. If you want to go for some quiet, leisurely ones then head to Jimbaran or Sanur Beach. You can surf, swim, relax with a beer or catch on a power nap together. The shores of Bali are mesmerising whatever you do.

Indonesian food, like any other form of Southeast Asian cuisine, has a generous use of coconut, garlic, chilly and meat. Some of Indonesia’s best recipes that you must try in Bali include Bebek betutu (stuffed duck), lawar (meat curry), spring rolls, nasi campur and gado-gado. For couples out there, go for romantic beach dinners, tree-house dinners and picnic lunches instead of the usual eat-in-a-hotel fare.

Of course, your trip would be incomplete without some basic souvenir shopping, especially since this is your honeymoon. Seminyak Square is the best market place to go for buying some great stuff like bags, clothes, shoes, homeware and decoration items, coconut shell jewellery and other local fare. You can buy Balinese coffee and chocolates for loved ones back home and pick up some cute things like bikinis, swim trunks, silver jewellery, sarongs and hats as souvenirs for yourself. If you want to spend some more, then there is also Mother of Pearl jewellery and items that Bali is famous for.