🧍‍♀️🌏 Solo female travel: Bali 🇮🇩

Ahoy! I'm Gina, and I've been with the HolidayPirates since the beginning of 2020. Before that, I spent 1.5 years travelling through ten different countries, including Bali. For me, Bali was the start of a 3-month trip through several Southeast Asian countries and was my first stop in this part of the world. So, I would like to share my experiences with you today.

Please note: This report is based only on my personal experience and may therefore of course differ from other people's experiences.

How long were you there?

I was in Bali for three weeks.

How safe did you feel there?

I felt very safe in Bali! I had a slightly unpleasant experience when I arrived, where my driver asked me if I would like to come home with him... I don't know if that was a hospitable gesture or meant something else. Either way, I didn't feel very comfortable with it, I politely declined, and then he didn't ask any further questions.

Apart from that, I always felt super safe for the entire three weeks and had no other unpleasant or threatening experiences. Even going out/walking around at night was easy, although I was with other people.

Would you recommend Bali as a remote work destination?

Absolutely! I didn't work there myself at the time, but I passed a few co-working spaces and also knew several people who had already worked from Bali. There are also accommodation options that combine co-working spaces.

Because food and drinks in Bali are so cheap, the island is also suitable for a longer stay.

Keep in mind that you'll need to apply for a B211a Business Visa to work remotely in Bali.

Would you also recommend Bali for first-time solo travellers?

Absolutely, yes! I found connections everywhere very quickly and saw/met many other women travelling alone. Bali is really an “easy” destination if you’re travelling solo for the first time.

As so many people there are travelling solo, you don't feel strange if you go out to eat alone etc., because you won't be the only one. If you want to get to know other people, hostels are a great place to start. I usually booked myself into smaller bedrooms (which are usually only for women) or stayed in the common areas - that's how you usually start a conversation!

How did you get around there?

Most people get around Bali on scooters as you can rent them for cheap everywhere. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, do what I did and use ride-sharing apps. In Bali there is Gojek and Grab, which are basically the same as Uber, but there is a special feature, you can also ride on scooters instead of cars! The advantage of the apps is that, just like with Uber, the fare is shown to you in advance and traffic jams etc. have no impact on the fare. However, it's important to note that in some regions of the island, ride-sharing apps are not allowed.

Blue Bird is an alternative.These are taxis that use a traditional taximeter, but can also be booked via an app. I also used this to get back and forth between different parts of Bali with luggage - it worked great. You can also book a driver (which you can find via Facebook groups) where you can book trips between different parts of the island over WhatsApp etc, this is a cool option as they will often take you to unique spots and attractions along the way and the price is so affordable. The drivers are incredibly friendly and hospitable.

What were you top things to do in Bali?

Mount Batur Sunrise Trekking: On this tour, you climb the volcano, Mount Batur, and admire the sunrise from the summit. We left in the middle of the night at 3am, it was really tiring climbing the volcano and hiking back down later - but it was more than worth it! The tour was my most beautiful experience in Bali 🌋

Ubud Yoga House: In this completely open yoga house you are surrounded by rice fields and nature. The teachers come from Indonesia/Bali and teach different types of yoga for all levels. The prices are affordable for Bali and the class I took was the best I've ever had 🧘‍♀️

Synergy Spa in Ubud: I had the best massage of my life at this spa! The staff are very friendly and the spa has an extremely relaxed atmosphere. Before the massage, I was given a small vitamin drink and was allowed to choose the oil I would like to be massaged with. A 1-hour Balinese massage cost me €4 💆🏻‍♀️

No Más Bar: Very cool bar with live music every day! When I was there, a Balinese rock cover band performed and played songs by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones etc. - it was really, really good 💃