During our last vacation in Bali, my boyfriend and I agreed that this is a place where we want to try coming back every year. Unfortunately, there are so many other places on our travel bucket list, so we found ourselves back in Bali only after two whole years.

Especially after all the recent hiking trips, I really needed a “real vacation” to just relax, enjoy fine dining (but only pay a fraction of what would cost in Singapore), and drink a 30,000 rupiah (3.00 SGD) beer under the sun - alcohol is too expensive in Singapore!

The weather in Bali took us by surprise. We were expecting to sweat buckets but it was strangely chilly that time of the year (end of July). Usually, that kind of weather is greatly welcomed, but this time we only packed beachwear - imagine how cold we were on the motorbikes. Safe to say, I am never going to underestimate the weather of a tropical country again.

Below are some of the highlights of our trip, and how we embraced the art of doing nothing.

Surrounded by paddy fields, NOOK is a perfect getaway and a breath of fresh air away from the busy Seminyak streets. I had a tough time deciding what I want from the extensive menu that just seemed to have every single dish you can get in Bali. Usually, I don’t expect much from places that have a huge menu - cos c'mon, how could you be good in everything - but I was proven wrong. We had the Big Breakfast and Ahi Poki to share - both were simply delicious! I was especially impressed with the poke because it was so fresh and the seasoning tasted very similar to what I had in Hawaii! Till now, I have yet to find poke in Singapore that tastes as good, so imagine what a pleasant surprise I had!


Location: Jl. Umalas 1 Gang Nook No. 1, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung (about a 10 minute drive from Seminyak) 
Operating Hours: 8am to 11pm



We met up with my friend at Finns who happened to be in Bali at the same time. Because Finns wasn’t on our itinerary initially, I did not know what to expect. When I think of beach clubs in Bali, I can only think of Potato Head Beach Club, which is my favorite spot to hang out in Seminyak.

I was blown away by the great vibes it had upon stepping into the club. There were so many things going on at the same time - in a good way - and I just didn’t know what to focus my attention on. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for long because we had dinner plans, but I really enjoyed the good music and great atmosphere while we were there.

The downside to Finns was how difficult it was to get a ride back to Seminyak. Getting there is easy, though. Finns is located in Canggu, which is about 30 minutes away from Seminyak. There were very limited, almost no cabs in that area and for some reason, Uber drivers refused to pick us up because “the area is too dangerous." I would advise you to arrange your own transport to and fro in advance.

Location: Jalan Pantai Berawa, Tibubeneng, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung (about a 30 minutes drive from Seminyak) 
Operating Hours: 9am to 12am

I had high expectations of the food here because of the many, great reviews online. Honestly, I didn’t think it was anything special, but the pasta was still delicious nonetheless. My Prawn Aglio Olio was cooked perfectly al dente and the prawns were very fresh. The restaurant has a very romantic atmosphere with the dim lighting and views looking out to the beach. Do make reservations in advance because this is a really popular place among tourists.

Location: Pantai Petitenget, Jalan Kayu Aya, Kerobokan, Kuta Utara, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung 
Operating Hours: 9am to 11pm


Granted the breakfast wasn’t the best we had, but the cafe is so cute that it is excusable to head down just for an Instagram moment.

Location: Jl. Petitenget No.99 X, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung 
Operating Hours: 7am to 4pm




I cannot love this place enough! It is my absolute must-go place in Seminyak and I would go back again, and again. Beware of the super long wait for the day bed though; we were placed on the waiting list for 4 hours before getting one. I recommend going early in the morning to put your name down and then head out to somewhere nearby for a massage or shopping. They will only hold the day bed for 10 minutes so make sure you don’t wander off too far! I know it sounds like a lot of work, but the day bed is worth the wait. We were there for practically the whole day, just catching up on our books reading, chilling and eating! The food was amazing; everything just tasted so good, especially the Fish & Chips!

Location: Seminyak, Jl. Petitenget No.51B, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung Operating Hours: 10am to 2am


Being Asian, I can’t survive too long without my noodles & soup. I was super excited to try the food at Fat Gajah and it gave me a reason to. The Smoked Duck Noodles were simple but tasty, and the dumplings were scrumptious with a unique blend of ingredients you don't normally find elsewhere - my cravings were well satisfied.

Location: Jl. Raya Seminyak No.21, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung
Operating Hours: 11am to 11pm

I'm a little late into the Eat, Pray, Love rave but after finishing the book, I needed to visit Ubud for the perfect laid-back, hippie weekend. I wasn’t expecting Ubud to have more tourists than in Seminyak but it turns out that you have to make reservations in advance for everything!


You can’t say you have been to Ubud without visiting the famous Tegalalang Rice Terrace at least once in your lifetime, even if it is not your kind of thing. To be honest, I feel that if you have seen one rice terrace, you have seen them all. The best time to visit the rice terrace is early in the morning or late afternoon when the sun isn’t scorching hot. It is bound to have a lot of tourists but don’t worry, the rice terrace is big enough to house everybody.

Location: Jalan Tegallalang, Tegallalang, Kabupaten Gianyar
Operating Hours: 7am to 5pm


Situated on top of a hill overlooking the treetops of Ubud, I cannot imagine a better location for a yoga studio. While practicing yoga, we could even hear the sounds of nature which were, for once, not coming from the radio - how calming! Since the classes are based on a first come, first served basis, it is best to arrive about 30 minutes early to get a slot. 

Location: Jl. Raya Tjampuhan, Penestanan Kaja, Sayan, Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar
Operating Hours: 12am to 6pm, 8pm to 12am


I read that Taco Casa gets real busy during dinner time, but thankfully we went there for lunch and didn’t have to wait. My boyfriend had the beef fajitas and I had beef tacos with crispy taco shells with freshly squeezed lime juice. The food was real yummy! This place is great if you are bored and tired from eating all of the Balinese food, and crave for some freshly-prepared, reasonably-priced and authentic Mexican cuisine.

Location: Jl. Raya Pengosekan, Ubud, Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar
Operating Hours: 11am to 10pm



It was difficult deciding where to stay in Ubud but we finally decided to go with Sunset Hill because of its gorgeous infinity pool overlooking the lush jungle. We spent an afternoon just relaxing by the pool; it was so peaceful and serene. If only they had a heated pool - actually, if only every pool in the world were heated - it would have been so much nicer because it was cold AF, but I guess that’s too much to wish for. I still loved it, though!

With our accommodation being located a bit outside of Ubud, we decided to get a moped to get around everywhere. Renting a motorbike from Sunset Hill was really convenient and helpful since I was too lazy to walk to town. If you come to Ubud, you should definitely rent one to explore the area.

Sunset Hill is situated at the top of the famous Campuhan Ridge Walk. It is about a 30 minutes drive to town, but you can also choose to do a 20-30 minutes walk via the ridgeway, through Monkey Forest to the centre of Ubud.

Price: 117 SGD per night at the 1 Bedroom Deluxe
Location: Jl. Bangkiang Sidem 88, Banjar Bangkiang Sidem, Ubud, Ubud, Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar

I am stoked to share with you my most recent trip to Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen, Indonesia! I have seen many beautiful pictures of East Java, but only by experiencing it myself, I could witness two of the most magnificent landscapes I have ever seen in my life.

My partner and I booked a 3D2N Bromo-Ijen tour with OurTrip1st, which cost us about 2,700,000 rupiah (290sgd) per pax. The package fee is inclusive of accommodations, entrance fees to Bromo/Ijen and all other transportation. You can choose to explore Bromo/Ijen without a tour guide, but I would not recommend that as you will have to find your own transport, which isn’t easy to navigate. Each ride can be as long as 4-7 hours; just imagine how uncomfortable it will be!

Day 1 
Surabaya's weather - Hot (felt like 34 degrees)

We landed in Surabaya after a 2-hour morning flight from Singapore. Our local tour guide Barley brought us to get some cheap local grub before setting off on a 4-hour car ride to our accommodation at Cemoro Lawang village.



Cemoro Lawang's weather - Chilly (felt like 20 degrees)

We stayed at Cafe Lava Hostel, which was surprisingly pleasant. I read some crappy reviews about the hotel, so I was expecting the worst, but it was actually okay - except for the toilet, which looked quite disgusting.





Day 2 
Gunung Penanjakan's weather - Extremely cold (felt like zero degree) - Bring your winter wear, gloves, scarf & beanie

After a wakeup call at 3am, we had to prepare for our sunrise hike to Gunung Penanjakan (Mount Pananjakan). Of course, the sunrise wasn't until 5.30am, but the jeep ride up the mountain took about 45 minutes, and we needed to arrive early to get a good viewing spot as well.

There are two viewing points at Gunung Penanjakan - there is one at the front, but you can walk to the end to the right to get to the second one, which has lesser people.

Tip: About 5 minutes before you reach the viewing point by the jeep, there is an open area to view the sunset - which is perfect, since you don’t have to climb over any barrier, nor squeeze with the crowd. Too bad we found out of that spot only as we were driving down. 






Mount Bromo’s weather - Chilly (felt like 22 degrees)

After sunrise, we rode the jeep to The Sea of Sand, passing by the Teletubbies Hill. From there, we chose to pay 250,000 rupiah for the two of us for a pony ride to the foot of Mount Bromo. Otherwise, it is a 15-20 minutes walk. It was my first time on a pony/horse - quite an experience! As I am very petite, my feet could not even reach the stirrup - it was quite scary when we were going downhill as I had no support!










After we were done with Mount Bromo, we were sent back to our accommodation where we had breakfast, checked out, and prepared to set off for our 7-hour car ride to Bondowoso. We left Cafe Lava Hostel at about 10am, and reached our second accommodation in the late afternoon.

Bondowoso's weather - Hot (felt like 34 degrees)





Day 3
Kawah Ijen's weather - Cold (felt like 15 degrees)

The wakeup call was at 12 midnight, and we checked out straight from there. Upon reaching Paltuding trekking point, we met up with our local guide and started our 2-hour uphill climb to the top of the crater.

There are no toilets along the way - only “nature toilets” - so make sure you’ve done your “business” before the hike.

It is advisable to layer your clothing, instead of wearing just one thick sweater. It is very cold before you start the hike, but as you climb up, your body will start to get warmer. I was wearing 5 layers at the start of the hike, but 30 minutes into it, I was wearing only a spaghetti top. Of course, as you reach the top of the crater, it starts to get cold again, so you have to start putting on more layers.

We managed to catch the electric blue flames of Ijen that appear from the combustion of sulfuric gases but only from a distance. It was monsoon season and the government banned visitors from going too close to the sulphur lake as it was producing a high amount of CO2.


The view of Ijen was stunning. I have never seen anything like this.







On our way down, we saw some miners carrying heavy loads of sulphur, which weighed about 75kg. Most miners carry these sulphur stones up and down the crater twice a day, but only earn $11 per day. Although the job is physically demanding and hazardous, they depend on it for their livelihood. 



My legs were feeling like jelly by the time we reached the bottom, but it was all worth it.

Things to note:
1) Bring many layers of clothing, as the weather will vary from hot to cold. Uniqlo’s Heattech shirts are perfect as they really keep you warm, despite being so thin.

2) As both hikes start before sunrise, it is advisable to get a head lamp. I got mine from Decathalon for only $3 - cheap and good!

3) You don’t need a pair of good hiking shoes for the hike up to Kawah Ijen, but it is best to wear one with good grip as you may slip while going downhill.

4) Bring along some entertainment and snacks for the long journeys in the car.

5) Bring an insulated bottle and fill it up with hot water - it will really help when you are freezing from the cold.

6) If you plan to climb down to the rim of Ijen Crater to get close to the blue flames, make sure you rent a gas mask to protect yourself from smelling too much of the sulphur. Bring along some N65 masks for extra coverage!