Hello TFCians I am trying to bring another trip report of my recently concluded Bali Trip which was heavily sponsored by points and miles earned during the Magnus era.
Flights Booking
I had booked an economy ticket using Singapore Airlines from New Delhi to Denpasar Airport since my dates weren't flexible and Business Saver weren't available on my dates. In return, my ticket was done in Business Class using SQ only. I redeemed 40,000 KrisFlyer miles for the onward journey and 86000 KrisFlyer miles for the return journey with around 10K in taxes for two people.
Day 0 New Delhi to Denpasar (Novotel Airport Hotel)
I had a morning flight from New Delhi to Changi International and luxury airport transfers with priority check-ins were all taken care of by my Axis Reserve card.
After having a light breakfast and tea in the Encalm Lounge, we boarded our flight. The food quality and service were both exceptional as expected from the SQ. Since there was messaging wifi on-board it didn't feel like a long flight, after a long layover in Changi in which we explored the vast airport we finally reached Denpasar International Airport around 12 midnight. After doing the on-arrival visa formalities we finally checked into Novotel Airport Hotel which is bang on the airport only. I paid 5536Rs for the visa for 2 people, including some surcharge for a credit card.
I also purchased a local sim for my data needs from Axiata which cost me Rs 1357 for 18GB data and 30 days validity which was way more than required. For my Indian Sim, I had already activated IR so that I could get all my OTPs and calling.
Day 1 Legian Beach (Pullman Bali Legian Beach)
I checked out from Novotel Bali Airport Hotel and settled my bill of around 8500 which included ala-carte dinner and complimentary breakfast using 4000 ALL Accor points and the rest using my card. Since there was an inhouse ATM hence I used my NIYO DCB Prepaid Card to get some Rupiahs!
For the first day I had planned to explore the Kuta area hence I booked a cab using GoJek. In Bali Grab and GoJek are the two most popular online ride-hailing apps. After walking to the pickup point we were now roaming the cities of the design capital of the world. We checked in at Pullman Bali Legian Beach which was booked using my Accor Stay Plus night. Being an Accor Silver I was given two welcome drink vouchers for every check-in we did since the room was not ready we had our lunch along with drinks till then.
After a long rest, we enjoyed our evening at the famous Beach Walk Mall and had our dinner at a local Indian Restaurant called Punjab Grill and I will ask everyone to please avoid it at all costs. And if you have the patience to endure the traffic then an evening at Tanah Lot Temple can also be a perfect start to your trip.
Day 2 Central Ubud (Westin Ubud)
After a quick swim in the infinity pool, it was time for a grand breakfast! Although a stay plus stay doesn't include complimentary breakfast, the hotel staff had made it complimentary for us due to the delayed check-in we had got the previous day. I just paid around Rs835 in cash for the lunch we had last afternoon! Wondering why such a meagre bill! Well as an Accor Plus Member courtesy of Axis Reserve, I am entitled to 50% off on all my meals at any Accor restaurant.
Bali is best enjoyed with a self-drive scooter but since the traffic is a nightmare we decided to take a private cab for all the days. So I booked a cab for all the days from Mr Wayan Adi (+62 812-3810-3577) he can be contacted on WhatsApp. He is a damn punctual, young, jovial and honest guy who will take you to all the places you want in Bali. You can surely depend on him! To give you a rough idea a 10-hour cab per day costs around 4000-5000 INR a day and this will prove to be much cheaper than Klook or Get Your Guide any day.
Firstly we started our day with Alas Harum which is a coffee plantation in a jungle setting and houses the swings, ziplines and tours. After purchasing entry tickets and exploring we had a quick lunch in the in-house cafe called Cretya.
After this, we went to the famous Tirta Empul temple where one can participate in a purification ritual as per Balinese Hinduism. Finally, in the evening, we went to Penglipuran Village which is an ideal Balinese Village and looks straight out of a set of a Sanjay Bhansali Movie.
Finally, we checked in to Westin Ubud and the staff gave us a grand Balinese-style welcome with a local welcome drink. I had booked a Garden View room but was given an upgrade to a pool view room. The room was quite fantastic. For Dinner, I ordered some Indian Starters online using Grab since there was no Indian restaurant in Westin.
View attachment IMG_2106.MOV
Day 3 Western Ubud (Elements by Westin Ubud)
Early morning we went to the pool and it was the most beautiful pool out of all the stays we had in Bali. The pool is totally in a natural setting and also has an open-air jacuzzi which was a mindblowing experience. I paid 31000 Marriott Bonvoy Points transferred from my AMEX account for one night since I had booked really very close to the stay date else earlier it was going for 25K Points a night.
Since I don't hold any status with Marriott there was no breakfast in our package and since we hadn't had a soulful meal till now after landing in Bali we went to a nearby Indian restaurant by the name of Natti's which is located inside an exotic resort named as Kenran Resort and is located in Ubud.
After this, we started our western Ubud Tour and covered Ulan Danu Beratan Temple which is the most famous temple attraction in Bali and is literally a temple situated in heaven.
After this, we went to Wanagiri Hidden Hills which is basically a selfie spot with enchanting valley views and different photo setups.
On the maps, we had already zeroed in on our lunch spot which was further some km ahead. Finally, we reached a place called The Botanist which was an urban cafe amidst the jungle and I can say that this was the day when we got lucky when it came to food since we hadn't had a bad meal since morning!
After this, we went to Handara gate which is basically a beautiful entry gate to a golf course and has become such a major tourist attraction that you need to pay even just to click pictures there. Finally, we had dinner in the Elements Hotel only.
Day 4 Eastern Ubud (Elements by Westin Ubud)
Elements is one of the brands of Marriott which gives free breakfast without any Bonvoy status so we had our breakfast in the hotel. The hotel surprisingly had an Indian section but was serving Cauliflower with gravy for breakfast! So we instructed the chef to make us some aloo paranthas and we finally got aloo stuffed breads
which we gulped with some tea and coffee.
For lunch, I had already finalized an Indian Restaurant en route named Qnara Indian Food from where we got our breakfast packed and had it en route since it was a long route today. The food was surprisingly good.
We had skipped Lempunyang Temple since we had to get up before 5 AM to be there in time else the queues get long for that iconic Instagram picture that you must have seen. So we first went to Taman Ujung Water Palace and after that, to Tirta Gangga Water Palace both were very scenic water gardens you can spend a lot of time just sitting around the water bodies and feeding the fishes around. After this, we had plans for a place named Lahangan Sweet which is a very beautiful picture spot but skipped it since it required a bit of a trek on a rough patch. So a tip for this day is to leave really early if you want to explore this side of Ubud completely.
Finally, we went back to Central Ubud to explore the central Ubud Market and it was way more beautiful than the Kuta Market. We bid our driver goodbye for the day since we wanted to explore the areas on foot. Ubud is definitely the cultural centre of Bali and should be the centre point of your Bali Trip. For dinner, we again went back to the Natti's Restaurant by booking a cab. Also, keep in mind that app-based cabs are not allowed pickup in certain areas of Bali we had to retain our cab till we completed our dinner and the guy charged us almost one-fourth of what we paid for a full day.
Day 5 Nusa Dua (Sofitel Resort)
If you want to shop the famous Bali bags or decorative items then Ubud should be your destination. The next day we had planned on taking the free hotel shuttle service to explore the monkey park but we skipped it to explore the local market which is just outside the Elements Hotel. After breakfast, we set out on foot for some shopping.
On the road outside the hotel, you will get to explore the big shops from where you can buy the famous Bali bags at non-touristy prices. We bought so many bags and dream catchers from outside that our luggage had started exploding! When it comes to Bali bags always ask for Grass bags instead of Rattan if you want high-quality and durable materials. We also purchased some wooden wind chimes from a workshop nearby which was manufacturing and dealing in wooden decorative items. We checked out from the hotel and I had paid 46,000 MB points for two nights including complimentary breakfast which I must say is a steal deal! Had there been a availability I would have booked this for the second night as well since I prefer budget hotels when I am out all day exploring. But Westin was also an experience in itself.
We set out for our next destination which was the Iconic Sofitel Resort on the beaches of Nusa Dua. En route, we bought beach hats from the iconic Big Hat Bali store. After having a South Indian lunch at Sunshine Inn we checked out into the hotel.
In Sofitel, I had booked a pool room with Club Milesmile Access which gives exclusive lounge access even if you are not an Accor Platinum member. Here I also redeemed my celebratory cake voucher which I had got with my Accor Plus membership. Here also I received two welcome drink vouchers which I redeemed in the lobby bar. The day was spent in the pool doing nothing as planned followed by an Italian dinner at the inhouse restaurant Curcina. I also accessed Club Milesmile during the evening cocktail hours for some snacks.
Day 6: Nusa Dua (Sofitel Resort)
The next day after exploring the beach in the morning and lazying around in the pool we had our breakfast and ordered Lunch again from the Sunshine Inn. The beach was not enjoyable since the waves were not crashing close to the point accessible to us. Later in the afternoon after some snacking in the Club Milesmile lounge, we went to see that Kecak Dance at the Uluwatu Temple for which we had booked a package including transfers which cost around Rs 4000. The show was very engaging and lively and should not be missed at any cost.
Day 7: GWK Park and Seminayak (Kuta Heritage Hotel)
The next morning after lazying in the pool we checked out after having our breakfast. You can also book this resort using Stay Plus if there is an availability. But since I had spent too much time finalizing my itinerary I had missed them and had to book by points. I paid around 43000 points and 150Rs for 2 nights which includes a paid dinner and some poolside drinks.
We explored the recently completed Garuda Wishnu Kencana Statue which is 122m tall and can be accessed via the inbuilt lifts. Paid around 1700 for the entry ticket and another 2800 for the Statue Tour for 2 persons. For this day I had again booked a full day cab but since Mr Wayan wasn't available he had sent someone else. After completing the tour we went to Samasta Lifestyle Village to shop for some souvenirs and had lunch at the nearby Movenpick Resort which is an Accor Group property where I again received a 50% off on flashing my Accor Silver card even though I was a non-resident. Finally, we went to the Seminayak Market in search of some T-shirts and they were quite expensive and really not worth the money hence we skipped them. Finally, we had our dinner at Namaskar Thali which is a vegetarian Indian restaurant and landed in our last property situated on the Legian Beach called Kuta Heritage Bali. The idea was to stay close to the airport since we had an early morning flight back home. I intentionally wasted my second stay plus voucher for this night since I had no plans before their nearing expiry.
Day 8: Denpasar Airport To New Delhi
Since this was a stay-plus booking no breakfast was included so we accessed the Concorde lounge at the Denpasar Airport for our breakfast. After buying some souvenirs from the airport we finally bid goodbye to the tropical paradise until next time!
On the way back enjoyed the hospitality at Krisflyer SilverKris Lounge courtesy of Business Class tickets at the Changi International and the Encalm Arrival Lounge at Delhi T3 using the Priority Pass of my Axis Reserve which used to give free access to it last year.
P.S. - I am also attaching my itinerary in PDF format so that it helps all our readers plan their trip to this beautiful island.
Flights Booking
I had booked an economy ticket using Singapore Airlines from New Delhi to Denpasar Airport since my dates weren't flexible and Business Saver weren't available on my dates. In return, my ticket was done in Business Class using SQ only. I redeemed 40,000 KrisFlyer miles for the onward journey and 86000 KrisFlyer miles for the return journey with around 10K in taxes for two people.
Day 0 New Delhi to Denpasar (Novotel Airport Hotel)
I had a morning flight from New Delhi to Changi International and luxury airport transfers with priority check-ins were all taken care of by my Axis Reserve card.
After having a light breakfast and tea in the Encalm Lounge, we boarded our flight. The food quality and service were both exceptional as expected from the SQ. Since there was messaging wifi on-board it didn't feel like a long flight, after a long layover in Changi in which we explored the vast airport we finally reached Denpasar International Airport around 12 midnight. After doing the on-arrival visa formalities we finally checked into Novotel Airport Hotel which is bang on the airport only. I paid 5536Rs for the visa for 2 people, including some surcharge for a credit card.
I also purchased a local sim for my data needs from Axiata which cost me Rs 1357 for 18GB data and 30 days validity which was way more than required. For my Indian Sim, I had already activated IR so that I could get all my OTPs and calling.
Day 1 Legian Beach (Pullman Bali Legian Beach)
I checked out from Novotel Bali Airport Hotel and settled my bill of around 8500 which included ala-carte dinner and complimentary breakfast using 4000 ALL Accor points and the rest using my card. Since there was an inhouse ATM hence I used my NIYO DCB Prepaid Card to get some Rupiahs!
For the first day I had planned to explore the Kuta area hence I booked a cab using GoJek. In Bali Grab and GoJek are the two most popular online ride-hailing apps. After walking to the pickup point we were now roaming the cities of the design capital of the world. We checked in at Pullman Bali Legian Beach which was booked using my Accor Stay Plus night. Being an Accor Silver I was given two welcome drink vouchers for every check-in we did since the room was not ready we had our lunch along with drinks till then.
After a long rest, we enjoyed our evening at the famous Beach Walk Mall and had our dinner at a local Indian Restaurant called Punjab Grill and I will ask everyone to please avoid it at all costs. And if you have the patience to endure the traffic then an evening at Tanah Lot Temple can also be a perfect start to your trip.
Day 2 Central Ubud (Westin Ubud)
After a quick swim in the infinity pool, it was time for a grand breakfast! Although a stay plus stay doesn't include complimentary breakfast, the hotel staff had made it complimentary for us due to the delayed check-in we had got the previous day. I just paid around Rs835 in cash for the lunch we had last afternoon! Wondering why such a meagre bill! Well as an Accor Plus Member courtesy of Axis Reserve, I am entitled to 50% off on all my meals at any Accor restaurant.
Bali is best enjoyed with a self-drive scooter but since the traffic is a nightmare we decided to take a private cab for all the days. So I booked a cab for all the days from Mr Wayan Adi (+62 812-3810-3577) he can be contacted on WhatsApp. He is a damn punctual, young, jovial and honest guy who will take you to all the places you want in Bali. You can surely depend on him! To give you a rough idea a 10-hour cab per day costs around 4000-5000 INR a day and this will prove to be much cheaper than Klook or Get Your Guide any day.
Firstly we started our day with Alas Harum which is a coffee plantation in a jungle setting and houses the swings, ziplines and tours. After purchasing entry tickets and exploring we had a quick lunch in the in-house cafe called Cretya.
After this, we went to the famous Tirta Empul temple where one can participate in a purification ritual as per Balinese Hinduism. Finally, in the evening, we went to Penglipuran Village which is an ideal Balinese Village and looks straight out of a set of a Sanjay Bhansali Movie.
Finally, we checked in to Westin Ubud and the staff gave us a grand Balinese-style welcome with a local welcome drink. I had booked a Garden View room but was given an upgrade to a pool view room. The room was quite fantastic. For Dinner, I ordered some Indian Starters online using Grab since there was no Indian restaurant in Westin.
View attachment IMG_2106.MOV
Day 3 Western Ubud (Elements by Westin Ubud)
Early morning we went to the pool and it was the most beautiful pool out of all the stays we had in Bali. The pool is totally in a natural setting and also has an open-air jacuzzi which was a mindblowing experience. I paid 31000 Marriott Bonvoy Points transferred from my AMEX account for one night since I had booked really very close to the stay date else earlier it was going for 25K Points a night.
Since I don't hold any status with Marriott there was no breakfast in our package and since we hadn't had a soulful meal till now after landing in Bali we went to a nearby Indian restaurant by the name of Natti's which is located inside an exotic resort named as Kenran Resort and is located in Ubud.
After this, we started our western Ubud Tour and covered Ulan Danu Beratan Temple which is the most famous temple attraction in Bali and is literally a temple situated in heaven.
After this, we went to Wanagiri Hidden Hills which is basically a selfie spot with enchanting valley views and different photo setups.
On the maps, we had already zeroed in on our lunch spot which was further some km ahead. Finally, we reached a place called The Botanist which was an urban cafe amidst the jungle and I can say that this was the day when we got lucky when it came to food since we hadn't had a bad meal since morning!
After this, we went to Handara gate which is basically a beautiful entry gate to a golf course and has become such a major tourist attraction that you need to pay even just to click pictures there. Finally, we had dinner in the Elements Hotel only.
Day 4 Eastern Ubud (Elements by Westin Ubud)
Elements is one of the brands of Marriott which gives free breakfast without any Bonvoy status so we had our breakfast in the hotel. The hotel surprisingly had an Indian section but was serving Cauliflower with gravy for breakfast! So we instructed the chef to make us some aloo paranthas and we finally got aloo stuffed breads
which we gulped with some tea and coffee.For lunch, I had already finalized an Indian Restaurant en route named Qnara Indian Food from where we got our breakfast packed and had it en route since it was a long route today. The food was surprisingly good.
We had skipped Lempunyang Temple since we had to get up before 5 AM to be there in time else the queues get long for that iconic Instagram picture that you must have seen. So we first went to Taman Ujung Water Palace and after that, to Tirta Gangga Water Palace both were very scenic water gardens you can spend a lot of time just sitting around the water bodies and feeding the fishes around. After this, we had plans for a place named Lahangan Sweet which is a very beautiful picture spot but skipped it since it required a bit of a trek on a rough patch. So a tip for this day is to leave really early if you want to explore this side of Ubud completely.
Finally, we went back to Central Ubud to explore the central Ubud Market and it was way more beautiful than the Kuta Market. We bid our driver goodbye for the day since we wanted to explore the areas on foot. Ubud is definitely the cultural centre of Bali and should be the centre point of your Bali Trip. For dinner, we again went back to the Natti's Restaurant by booking a cab. Also, keep in mind that app-based cabs are not allowed pickup in certain areas of Bali we had to retain our cab till we completed our dinner and the guy charged us almost one-fourth of what we paid for a full day.
Day 5 Nusa Dua (Sofitel Resort)
If you want to shop the famous Bali bags or decorative items then Ubud should be your destination. The next day we had planned on taking the free hotel shuttle service to explore the monkey park but we skipped it to explore the local market which is just outside the Elements Hotel. After breakfast, we set out on foot for some shopping.
On the road outside the hotel, you will get to explore the big shops from where you can buy the famous Bali bags at non-touristy prices. We bought so many bags and dream catchers from outside that our luggage had started exploding! When it comes to Bali bags always ask for Grass bags instead of Rattan if you want high-quality and durable materials. We also purchased some wooden wind chimes from a workshop nearby which was manufacturing and dealing in wooden decorative items. We checked out from the hotel and I had paid 46,000 MB points for two nights including complimentary breakfast which I must say is a steal deal! Had there been a availability I would have booked this for the second night as well since I prefer budget hotels when I am out all day exploring. But Westin was also an experience in itself.
We set out for our next destination which was the Iconic Sofitel Resort on the beaches of Nusa Dua. En route, we bought beach hats from the iconic Big Hat Bali store. After having a South Indian lunch at Sunshine Inn we checked out into the hotel.
In Sofitel, I had booked a pool room with Club Milesmile Access which gives exclusive lounge access even if you are not an Accor Platinum member. Here I also redeemed my celebratory cake voucher which I had got with my Accor Plus membership. Here also I received two welcome drink vouchers which I redeemed in the lobby bar. The day was spent in the pool doing nothing as planned followed by an Italian dinner at the inhouse restaurant Curcina. I also accessed Club Milesmile during the evening cocktail hours for some snacks.
Day 6: Nusa Dua (Sofitel Resort)
The next day after exploring the beach in the morning and lazying around in the pool we had our breakfast and ordered Lunch again from the Sunshine Inn. The beach was not enjoyable since the waves were not crashing close to the point accessible to us. Later in the afternoon after some snacking in the Club Milesmile lounge, we went to see that Kecak Dance at the Uluwatu Temple for which we had booked a package including transfers which cost around Rs 4000. The show was very engaging and lively and should not be missed at any cost.
Day 7: GWK Park and Seminayak (Kuta Heritage Hotel)
The next morning after lazying in the pool we checked out after having our breakfast. You can also book this resort using Stay Plus if there is an availability. But since I had spent too much time finalizing my itinerary I had missed them and had to book by points. I paid around 43000 points and 150Rs for 2 nights which includes a paid dinner and some poolside drinks.
We explored the recently completed Garuda Wishnu Kencana Statue which is 122m tall and can be accessed via the inbuilt lifts. Paid around 1700 for the entry ticket and another 2800 for the Statue Tour for 2 persons. For this day I had again booked a full day cab but since Mr Wayan wasn't available he had sent someone else. After completing the tour we went to Samasta Lifestyle Village to shop for some souvenirs and had lunch at the nearby Movenpick Resort which is an Accor Group property where I again received a 50% off on flashing my Accor Silver card even though I was a non-resident. Finally, we went to the Seminayak Market in search of some T-shirts and they were quite expensive and really not worth the money hence we skipped them. Finally, we had our dinner at Namaskar Thali which is a vegetarian Indian restaurant and landed in our last property situated on the Legian Beach called Kuta Heritage Bali. The idea was to stay close to the airport since we had an early morning flight back home. I intentionally wasted my second stay plus voucher for this night since I had no plans before their nearing expiry.
Day 8: Denpasar Airport To New Delhi
Since this was a stay-plus booking no breakfast was included so we accessed the Concorde lounge at the Denpasar Airport for our breakfast. After buying some souvenirs from the airport we finally bid goodbye to the tropical paradise until next time!
On the way back enjoyed the hospitality at Krisflyer SilverKris Lounge courtesy of Business Class tickets at the Changi International and the Encalm Arrival Lounge at Delhi T3 using the Priority Pass of my Axis Reserve which used to give free access to it last year.
P.S. - I am also attaching my itinerary in PDF format so that it helps all our readers plan their trip to this beautiful island.
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