The spiced flavours of Balinese cooking are virtually unknown outside of Indonesia. Rich creamy coconut sauces and fiery sambals are loaded with natural ingredients that bring the cuisine alive. Rustic in nature, Balinese cuisine is loaded with root vegetables, rice and tofu; packed with fresh herbs, farm-fresh produce and recipes passed on from generations,
Food frequently punctuates life in Bali. From tiny offerings to the gods to intricately packed fruit baskets, food isn’t just for humans. The deities need nourishment as well. Dining out in Bali wasn’t really popular and local dishes didn’t make it on to the menus. People typically grabbed takeaway from warungs (small food stalls). Warungs are the cheapest way to eat in Bali. An average meal costs USD $1.50 for rice and vegetables. Plenty of classic dishes are now in virtually every restaurant, allowing for visitors to savour the flavours of Balinese cuisine.
Base Gede
With a laundry list of ingredients, base gede is core to Balinese cooking. If Bali were a sauce, this would be it on a plate. All the ingredients work in a harmony that dazzles the taste buds. The aromatic, slightly spicy blend bears witness to the complexity of the cuisine. Excellent for making curries and soups in coconut milk, rice dishes or noodles, base gede vitalizes anything it touches.
Cap Cay
Crisp, fresh clean cap cay (pronounced chap chuy) is normally served on a bed of rice. Loaded with cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, green peas in a clear broth, this is a common dish across Bali. Cap cay is the Indonesian version of Chinese chop suey, order it as a main or side dish.
Tempeh
An indigenous Indonesian fermented soy food, tempeh characterizes Indonesia. Just as kimchi is associated with Korea and miso is with Japan, tempeh is a dominant food. The first tempeh meal was recorded in Yogyakarta in the 18th century. Tempe is produced mainly in cottage industry or home operations. Its very dense and seedy texture means it needs a bit more love when cooking.
Urap Sayur
A warm and spicy salad, urap sayur is often served as a side dish on the Balinese table. Steamed or boiled vegetables like long beans, kangkong (water spinach), mung bean sprouts and cabbage are topped with spiced grated coconut. The coconut topping is the star and it’s sprinkled generously on the salad before serving. Add tempeh or tofu for a heftier meal.
Gado Gado
Literally meaning, ‘everything mixed together,’ gado gado is comfort food. Boiled potatoes and eggs are paired with blanched cabbage, bean sprouts, topped with a silky coconut milk based peanut sauce. The dish differs across regions in Indonesia and the Balinese version of this dish is called tipak cantok. Rice cakes are added in Bali and the peanut sauce is lighter fare. Served warm or cold, gado gado is promoted as one of the five national dishes of Indonesia.
Beautiful rice terraces in the moring light near Tegallalang village, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. 
A large stone rock on the shore of the Bali Sea, against the background of a surfer on a wave in sunny weather. 
February 2018 – Ubud, Bali, Indonesia – Farmer working in theTegallalang rice terrace in Bali 
Best time to visit: April–September before the rainy season in October.
Local currency: IDR Indonesian rupiah
Best routes from Jamaica: It is always best to go directly as possible and the journey can take up to 32 hours depending on the number of connections. Here are a couple routing suggestions:
- Jamaica-New York-Singapore-Bali on Jetblue and Singapore Airways
- Jamaica-Los Angeles-Japan-Bali on American Airlines, Japan Airways, Garuda Airways or Philippines Airlines.
Accommodations
Depending on budget, you can rent any number of luxury villas, hotels or stay at a kost, with minimum amenities. Kosts are designed for the long time budget traveller to Bali. Rooms come with an en suite bathroom anda small refrigerator, and the kitchen is shared on the premises. They can cost as little as USD $25 a night.
Website: http://baligo.co/convenient-kosts-in-bali/
Where to Eat
Street side eateries named warungs are where most locals eat. Vendors fry up nasi goreng, mie goreng and serve gado gado for about USD $1 per meal. Warungs offer a ‘no fuss’ and unpretentious environment for eating. Motorbikes line the streets as locals queue during mealtimes. Some warung owners have a few plastic stools for patrons to perch as they quickly eat their meals.
For a more upscale local dining experience try:
Ibu Oka for babi guling (succulent roast pig), a Balinese speciality
Location: Jalan Suweta, Ubud Tel: +62 (0)361 976 345
Warung Bale Bali for local Indonesian fare.
Location: Jalan Kunti No. 4 BB, Seminyak Tel: +62 (0)361 732 731
Menega Café for fresh-caught seafood and dining al fresco beachside
Location: Jl. Four Seasons Muaya Beach, Jimbaran
Places to Stay
BEACH: Nusa Dua and Jimbaran area
Nusa Dua and Jimbaran are the best places to watch the sunsets on the island. Tanah Lot temple is an important and holy site to the Balinese and very popular with visitors with sunset pictures. The laid back beachy vibes and crashing waves at high tide make them a haven for surfers and beach goers alike.
Nusa Dua Accommodations
https://www.villagetaways.com/destination/villa-rentals-bali-in-nusa-dua
Jimbaran Budget Accommodations
https://www.travelonline.com/bali/accommodation/jimbaran-bay.html
MOUNTAINS AND VOLCANOES: Ubud
Ubud is the cultural heartbeat of the island. Here, you can immerse in cultural performances with the gamelan, traditional dances and consult with a village healer.
Ubud Accommodations
https://www.airbnb.com/a/Ubud–Indonesia?af=1922719&c=.pi0.pk13889989223_252300755979_c_135890699&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImO_gtZOb3wIVB0OGCh2BWQCVEAAYAiAAEgJgPPD_BwE
Festivals of interest
The Balinese calendar is ancient and does not easily translate into the Western standards. However, here are some festival recommendations and general times:
- Nyepi Day of Silence and Seclusion – March
- Galungan and Kuningan Triumph of Good over Evil – Varies according to local calendar
- Bali Spirit Festival yoga, health and wellbeing workshops – March
- Bali Kite Festival – June-August
Award-winning writer-filmmaker, Diana O’Gilvie’s work is driven by her global curiosity and distinctive approach to authentic storytelling. As a writer, her work has appeared in CNN Travel, USA Today, Ebony, The Jakarta Post, Parlour Magazine, Matador Network, Orlando Examiner and Dream Wedding Magazine. Diana speaks conversational French and Bahasa Indonesian. She is also a travel expert. Diana has written and filmed a range of topics like feeding reindeer in the Arctic Circle in Finland, going temple trekking in central Java, running away from an active Anak Krakatau volcano during a 5.3 earthquake and drinking freshly brewed kopi luwak coffee in the mountains of Bali.