Holiday rentals in Bali

Welcoming over two million visitors per year, Bali is Indonesia’s most popular tourist destination – and rightly so. From the idyllic island of Nusa Lembongan to the market stalls and nightclubs of Kuta, this tiny island is small on size, but big on variety. Most of the action is centred in Bali’s south, with many travellers now forgoing touristy Kuta for the chic surrounds of neighbouring Seminyak. Home to great restaurants, bars and boutiques, this is the spot to see and be seen. In Ubud, you’ll discover Bali’s physical and cultural heart, along with a whole bunch of cheeky monkeys at the aptly named monkey forest, while in Jimbaran Bay you can feast on seafood right on the beach. If fish doesn’t float your boat (boom tish), try some gado gado (salad with peanut sauce), nasi goreng (fried rice) or mie goreng (fried noodles) from a charming warung instead. More adventurous tourists might dare to try the delights from the many kaki limas, or food carts, including delicious sate. Whatever you order, be sure to wash it down with an ice cold Bintang or two. If you choose a self-catering Bali villa, you can also take advantage of the very affordable groceries at stores like Matahari.

When to go to Bali

Bali is paradise at any time of year. While October through to April is monsoon season, rain usually comes only in the afternoon or evening and passes very quickly. If you aren’t convinced, though, a Bali holiday between May and September is likely to be warm and dry.

How to get to and around Bali

Most tourists arrive in Bali via flights to Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar. Once on the island, it’s easy to explore the tourist hubs of southern Bali on foot, and for excursions further afield it’s inexpensive to hire a car with a driver. Many tourists also choose to hire motorbikes, although the roads can be chaotic and somewhat dangerous so this is probably best left to experience riders.

Where to stay in Bali

When choosing Bali accommodation, forget expensive, cookie cutter hotels and resorts – Bali villas are a tourist attraction unto themselves. Not only will you get more space, more freedom and more privacy for your rupiah, you’ll have a slice of serenity to retreat to when the heat and hawkers get too much. HouseTrip has a number of quality apartments and Bali villas to choose from, many available to book in as few as six clicks. Splurge a little and you can even book a villa with a private pool.