Bali - Tropical Therapy

Bali is your affordable paradise. Can't head to the Caribbean islands? Fly to Bali. It's cheaper, and you'll enjoy the luxury of shorter flights. And if you're travelling for less than 15 days, you (Indian passport holder) don't need a visa. See, it's a vacation already. Apart from the much-talked about beach life, Bali has so much more to offer if you're up for it.

A couple of us took off to Seminyak for 6 days and spent about 45,000 INR, including flight and stay. We stayed in the most amazing Airbnb, you can find a ton of those fancy blue pool-green surroundings villas for a decent amount.

The currency is Indonesian Rupiah, 1 INR = 191.5 rupiah (as of January 2020). They have a bunch of places around at convenient intervals where you can exchange money.

However, Bali has been extremely American-ized. I had to really hunt for a local restaurant like my friends try to find the song with just a tune in their heads. It's great, but if you're looking for local stuff to see and do, hurry up, it's close to extinction. While I've heard Gili islands are a must visit, we didn't have the chance to go there.

Where to stay:

We stayed in Seminyak, near Jalan Laksamana road - extremely walkable from the food, the shopping, the massages and the parties.

For the parties

• Mexicola

10/10 food, music and cocktails. And most importantly, spacious.

• Potato Head Beach Club

If you are a bunch of people, getting a day bed here makes sense and is worth it. I couldn't say the same about the food.

• La Favela

Overstated, and a little too crowded.

• Mirror Lounge

Great music.

For the food

Warung is the local term for small stand or shop, any local restaurant will be called warung something.

• Sisterfields

• JacksonLily's

• Warung Mina Petitenget

• Bebek Joni

This was a local restaurant our driver recommended on our way back from Ubud, the food was amazing. (You know that because I made the effort to write a sentence here.)

For the adrenalin

• Kanto Lampo Waterfall

This was in Ubud, a stunning waterfall. Not for the faint-hearted or weak calf muscles. The water is freezing for some of us who are not subject to inhumane temperatures as way of our unlucky geography. You'll have to wait in line, in the freezing cold water, to have your pictures clicked. And then you have to wait once you're up there, pray you don't slip and fall as the locals give you various poses and cues as they click your pictures. But my God, it is worth it. Unlike that boy you're hoping will comment on this picture when you post it on instagram.

You don't come down from that waterfall as the same person climbing it. It's something.

Truth be told, I'd come back to Bali for longer, but to different places, because I know there are still corners that haven't been touched by tourists.