The Bali I Keep Coming Back To
Some places you visit once and immediately understand why people keep going back. Bali did that to me. Within days of arriving, I'd already started a list of places I needed to return to — the ones I'd tell friends about, the ones that felt like discoveries rather than destinations.
This isn't a guide. There's no day-by-day itinerary, no "don't miss the rice terraces" advice. You can Google that. This is where I actually went, what I'd do again, and the spots most people never find.
The Beach Club Situation
La Brisa
La Brisa is where I go when I want that specific Bali golden hour — bare feet in the sand, something cold in my hand, nowhere else to be. It's in Canggu, which means you'll share it with the crowd, but grab a daybed on the left side facing the water and you're in your own world.
The whole place is built from reclaimed wood and old fishing boats. It feels like someone's very cool beach house that happens to serve excellent cocktails.
When to go: Late afternoon. Arrive around 4pm, stay for sunset. What to book: Daybed on the ocean side. The ones further back have a different energy. What I order: The poke bowl. The spicy margarita. Always.
Savaya
Savaya is for when you want chaos — the good kind. This is Uluwatu's cliff-edge party palace, with international DJs, a crowd that flew in specifically for this, and that view that makes you understand why people lose their minds over Bali.
When the lineup is right and you're in the mood to dance until the sun comes up with strangers who'll feel like friends by morning, there's genuinely nothing else like it.
The infinity pool hangs over the Indian Ocean. It's ridiculous. It's also exactly as good as it looks in every photo you've seen.
When to go: Check the DJ schedule. Some weekends are better than others. The vibe: Party. Don't come here for a quiet afternoon. What to know: It gets busy. Book a table or daybed in advance for the big nights.
El Kabron
El Kabron is the view. That's it. That's why you go.
Greek-Mediterranean food, white-on-white everything, perched on those Uluwatu cliffs with the kind of panorama that makes you stop mid-sentence. It feels like Mykonos if Mykonos had better weather and fewer crowds.
This is the spot for long lunches. The kind where you order too much, drink rosé in the afternoon, and completely lose track of time watching the waves crash below. Book the table on the edge if you can — the one that feels like you're floating.
They do daily sunset parties with DJs and live entertainment (saxophonists, violinists, the occasional live band), and while the vibe can get quite lively in the evenings, lunch gives you the full experience without the party atmosphere. Fair warning: when the music gets going, it's loud — this is a beach club first, quiet dining experience second.
When to go: Lunch, always. The light is better and you get the full view without the party crowds. What to book: Edge table. Ask specifically. What I order: The mezze spread to start. Whatever fish they recommend that day. Evening note: If you're into the party vibe, the sunset sessions are actually quite fun. Just don't expect intimate conversation.
Potato Head
I have to mention Potato Head because it's an institution and I genuinely love it. Yes, everyone goes. Yes, it's famous. But there's a reason — the design is incredible, the sustainability focus is real, and it's still one of the best spots in Seminyak to watch the sunset.
The beach club is just part of it. There's a whole complex now with restaurants, bars, and the hotel. I usually pop in for an afternoon rather than making it a whole day thing.
The move: Arrive mid-afternoon, swim, have a drink, leave before it gets too crowded at sunset. Unless you want the crowd energy — then stay.
Where I Actually Stay
The Udaya Resort & Spa — Ubud
The Udaya is my Ubud pick. It's not the flashiest name, but it has everything I want — jungle and valley views, beautiful rooms, a spa that actually knows what they're doing, and that peaceful Ubud energy without being too far from everything.
The staff remembers you. The restaurant is genuinely good. The pool looks out over lush greenery and valley views — the kind that make you want to spend your entire afternoon there with a book you probably won't read.
Book: A villa with a private pool if you can. Worth it. Don't miss: Their spa. The Balinese massage is perfect. The setting: Surrounded by rice terraces and tropical forest, about 5 minutes from central Ubud but it feels like another world.
Munduk Moding Plantation — The One No One Talks About
This is my Bali secret, and I'm only sharing it because it deserves to be known.
Munduk Moding Plantation sits in the mountains of North Bali, surrounded by coffee plantations, jungle, and the kind of silence that makes you realise how loud your normal life is. No one goes to Munduk. That's the point.
The resort itself is stunning — infinity pools that look out over the valley, villas scattered through the hillside, and the most peaceful atmosphere I've found anywhere in Bali. But it's what's around it that makes it special.
The waterfalls: There's a trekking guide at the resort who will take you to waterfalls that aren't in any guidebook. We're talking proper jungle hiking, ending at pools where you're the only person there. I won't name them because that defeats the purpose — ask when you arrive.
The twin lakes: Tamblingan and Buyan. You can see them from the resort on a clear morning. Take a boat out. It's the Bali that existed before everyone arrived.
The coffee: This is coffee plantation country. The morning ritual of drinking fresh Balinese coffee while looking at where it was grown is the kind of simple luxury that stays with you.
When to go: Spend 2-3 nights here minimum. It takes a day just to decompress. The drive: About 3 hours from Ubud. Worth every minute. What to do: Nothing. Then waterfall trekking. Then nothing again.
Capella Ubud
For when you want jungle luxury that feels like an adventure. Capella is tented camp meets five-star hotel, set on a former rice plantation along the Wos River.
Each "tent" is actually a proper suite with copper bathtubs, four-poster beds, and your own private deck overlooking the jungle. It's theatrical in the best way — like you're playing explorer but with incredible thread counts.
The restaurant is exceptional, and there's a whole experience culture here: cooking classes, temple visits, art tours. It's for when you want Ubud to feel like an expedition.
Book: A tent with river view. The sound of the water is everything.
Six Senses Uluwatu
When you want to be spoiled properly. Six Senses is the Uluwatu option for when budget isn't the primary concern and you want everything to be perfect.
Every villa has a private infinity pool overlooking the ocean. The spa is world-class. The sustainability focus is genuine (they were doing this before it was marketing). And the cliff-edge setting means you wake up to that view every single morning.
This is where you go when you need to fully switch off. No decisions, no planning, just being taken care of by people who are very good at their jobs.
What I love: The spa journey. Book an afternoon and let them guide you. The restaurant: Rocka has incredible sunsets and the food is better than it needs to be.
Where I Eat (That Isn't a Beach Club)
Il Salotto — Canggu
My Italian spot. Il Salotto is where I go when I need pasta and want it to be perfect. It's a tiny place, always busy, and the homemade pasta is genuinely as good as what I've had in Italy.
No reservations for small parties, so get there early or be prepared to wait. Worth it.
La Baracca — Canggu
Another Italian, I know. But La Baracca has a different vibe — more rustic, great wine list, and a pizza oven that does what a pizza oven should do.
Good for groups, good for dates, good for when you want comfort food done well.
Locavore — Ubud
The fine dining experience when you want to go all in. Locavore is one of Asia's best restaurants, and they've earned it. Hyper-local ingredients, creative techniques, and the kind of tasting menu that makes you pay attention.
Book well in advance. It's a proper evening out.
The Bali I Skip
Since I'm being honest about where I go, here's what I'd skip:
Tegallalang Rice Terraces: Beautiful, yes. But overrun with swing-related Instagram operations. If you want rice terrace photos, Sidemen or Munduk are better.
Tanah Lot Temple: Too crowded, too commercial. Uluwatu Temple has a better setting and better vibe for sunset.
Kuta: Just... no. Unless you're 19 and want that experience, which is valid, but it's not my Bali.
The famous swings: You know the ones. They're tourist traps charging $35 for a photo op. The scenery is nice but you can see the same views elsewhere without the queue.
How I'd Do It
Here's roughly how I'd structure a Bali trip:
First few nights: Ubud area. The Udaya or somewhere similar. Decompress, adjust, remember how to breathe. Maybe Locavore one night if you're feeling fancy.
Middle: Either Munduk (if you need peace) or straight to Uluwatu (if you need ocean). If you have time, both. Munduk first, then coast.
Last stretch: Uluwatu. Beach clubs, cliff views, ending on a high. La Brisa for a Canggu afternoon if you're craving it.
The constant: Never over-schedule. One thing in the morning, one thing in the afternoon, leave room for the things you discover. Bali rewards wandering.
What I Actually Pack
The useful stuff:
- Reef-safe sunscreen — You're going in the water. Be responsible about it.
- Something to cover up at temples — Sarong works. You can buy them there too.
- Comfortable sandals — You'll walk more than you think.
- A light layer — Munduk gets cool at night. Ubud can be breezy.
- Less than you think you need — Bali is casual. Very casual.
Why Bali Stays With You
Some places you visit once and immediately understand why people keep going back. Bali is like that. Not the Bali of the guidebooks and the tourist buses and the Instagram swings. The other one — the one where you find your spots, your rhythms, and your favourite seat at La Brisa.
That's the Bali worth knowing.
Have questions? I'm always happy to help. Find me on Instagram — I actually respond to DMs about this stuff.
— Teona x