Bali: Budget Travel, Chaos and First Impressions
We arrived in Bali on a budget flight from Perth, determined to keep our Bali trip as light and affordable as possible. Everything we needed for five weeks of backpacking and island adventures was squeezed into a 7kg hand luggage allowance—a challenge that required stuffing every pocket and wearing far too many layers.
The moment we stepped into the arrivals hall, the humid Bali heat hit us like a wall. After navigating the visa-on-arrival process and collecting our thoughts, our next task was figuring out how to get from Bali airport to our accommodation.
We decided to use Grab, Southeast Asia’s answer to Uber, which connects travellers with everything from scooters and mopeds to minivans and even luxury cars. Booking through the app was easy, and we were sent a photo of the pickup point. Finding our driver, however, was another story.
Outside Ngurah Rai International Airport, the arrivals area was pure chaos — a blur of suitcases, shouting drivers, and the ever-present offers of “Taxi, taxi!”. After several sweaty minutes of searching for the Grab Lounge and trying to locate our driver, the booking was cancelled. Tired, overheated, and surrounded by determined taxi hawkers, we finally gave in and negotiated a fare with one of them.
It wasn’t the smoothest start to our Bali adventure, but it was a fitting welcome to the organised chaos that makes travelling in Southeast Asia so unforgettable.
On wards to Sanur
Once in the taxi, we set off for our first hotel in Sanur, just under an hour northeast of Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport. We’d hurried through the airport, fully aware that check-in closed at midnight, and our ETA was cutting it fine — five minutes to spare. Every second counted.
As with most of our travels, we’d used Booking.com to find and secure our accommodation. It’s not always the cheapest option, nor does it guarantee the widest range, but we’ve learned how to work the system — and their customer service has saved us more than once. (See our [Booking.com Survival Guide] for tips.)
To our relief, the journey went smoothly. We pulled up at the hotel just before the clock struck twelve and were instantly impressed. The lobby was bright and welcoming, and the entrance surprisingly elegant — far exceeding our modest expectations. With a nightly budget of under £30 for both of us, we weren’t expecting much more than a bed and a fan. (See our [Budget Breakdown Page] for how we manage it.)
Check-in was quick and effortless, and our room turned out to be spacious, spotless, and well-equipped, even if it did require a bit of a climb to the third floor. On the way, we passed a serene courtyard pool, softly lit under the night sky. The sight of sun loungers lined up by the water had us instantly dreaming of a lazy morning ahead — the perfect reward after a long day of travel.
