If you ‘ve looked up flight costs to Bali in the past, you’re probably wondering just how we’re nominating this Indonesian destination as our choice for an affordable break in Southeast Asia.
But stay with us a minute: once you’re there, you’ll be able to step off the plane and into a chauffeur-driven car at just about ¥ 4,000 a day. Or you could swing an even cheaper deal by choosing to navigate the sweet, single-laned streets of Bali yourself with a self-drive car. While Thailand portrays itself as the best place for a cheap and cheerful holiday, you’ll find Bali’s got great bang for your buck too. Sure. Thai street eats are great, but you might find you spend less in sit-down restaurants in Bali than similar ones in Thailand. You can easily eat a casual yet gourmet meal in Bali featuring highlights like a prawn, mango and chilli salad for around ¥ 400.
And the roadside satay chicken and rice shops are also great for a lighter (on the pocket) bite. Bali also has a host of comfortable midrange hotels available for as little as ¥ 2,500 a night. You can find these more easily by opting for less touristy towns: choose Munduk’s big skies and forested hills over the more popular artistic hill town of Ubud, skip the expensive resorts of Nusa Dua and head to the quiet fishing village of Amed instead.
What we do recommend you spend your cash on, though, are the experiences: Taman Nasional Bali Barat features vast acres of protected forest, coastal mangroves and a spectacular 70sqkm of coral reefs.
