How to celebrate the New Year in Bali? We find out what to do, how much to buy a tour, what tourists advise in their reviews and what prices to expect in 2020.
The desire to escape from the embrace of winter in order to meet the New Year under the palm trees often visits the inhabitants of our harsh latitudes. The island of Bali is not the closest light, but in comparison with the elite Maldives and Seychelles it does not yet require large financial costs. And against the backdrop of other popular resorts designed exclusively for beach holidays, Bali attracts tourists with its unique attractions, distinctive culture and exotic nature, very friendly to humans.
How to celebrate the New Year in Bali
Balinese people celebrate their New Year in the spring, and winter celebrations are organized for tourists. The hotels organize a traditional entertainment program with a banquet. The level of celebration is determined by the stardom of the institution, and the more there are, the more serious the preparation, some even invite Russian pop stars. A similar picture can be observed in 5 * hotels of the most "Russian" resort - Nusa Dua.
In budget hotels, they are limited to a buffet dinner and a small disco. After midnight, the official part usually ends, and all eager to continue together move to the beach or to a nightclub, if there is one nearby. This option is preferred by young people, and is most popular as a holiday destination in Bali on New Year's Eve. Kuta... There, by the evening of December 31, all city traffic is closed, and people rush to the beach to admire the festive fireworks. After deafening volleys, everyone returns to their tables in the bars.
Find out how to get a visa to Indonesia.
What to do during the holidays
Bali is very popular with surfers, but in addition to water activities, after the New Year 2020, you can fill your leisure time with exciting excursions... Sacred temples, rice terraces, ancient architecture of Ubud, parks with exotic animals and birds - you can see all this on your own, just rent a scooter. And how pleasant it is to soak up a bath with petals and spices after a stormy meeting of the New Year or bask in a thermal spring at the foot of the Batur volcano!
Those who are interested in local culture should definitely go to Ubud Is the center of folk crafts and creativity in Bali. Here you can buy unique handicrafts or paintings by one of the local artists. Gourmets will be able to taste the famous Kopi Luwak coffee on plantations where small animals are bred and get the most expensive coffee in the world.
Find out about the best excursions in Bali.
Bali weather for New Year
It is warm and rainy in Bali during the New Year holidays. Most precipitation falls in Nusa Dua, Seminyak and Sanur, warmest in Jimbaran. Air temperature + 31 ° С and higher, water temperature + 28 ° С, at night + 25 ° С.
In January, it rains less often, most of the precipitation falls at night or in the afternoon after lunch, the duration is from 15 minutes to 2 hours. After cloudy days, sunny "windows" pop up, but there will be little rains anyway. In general, the weather in Bali is good for celebrating the New Year 2020.
Bali prices
New Year is a long-awaited holiday for every Russian and is usually accompanied by abundant alcoholic libations. In Bali, it is allowed to import a limited amount of alcohol - only up to 1 liter per person. Imported alcohol is expensive and often counterfeited, but local alcohol is abundant here. Connoisseurs claim that it is of quite decent quality if you buy it in a good supermarket. The price range is from 25 thousand rupees (120 rubles) for 0.5 liters of beer to 200 thousand rupees for a bottle of rum (1000 rubles).
Over the past couple of years, prices in Bali have grown, especially vacationers from the elite resorts of Nusa Dua and Seminyak. Tourists were shocked by the Moscow prices for food in cafes and fruits in stores.
However, if you move away from the promoted tourist places further, then the price tag in public catering will be reduced at least twice. You can't count on culinary delights - traditional Indonesian cuisine with a standard set of ingredients: rice, chicken, seafood, spices.
Fresh juices cost 14 thousand rupees (60 rubles), the most popular and cheapest dish - rice with chicken - costs from 40 thousand rupees (200 rubles), in warungs for locals you can find even cheaper. And fruits and seafood should be purchased at the market or in stalls. Inexpensive shops in Bali, these are Nirmala, Indomart and Pepito stores.
Entertainment prices: Renting a kayak will cost about 1000 rubles, and a scooter - from 350 rubles. per day, 1 liter of gasoline costs about 38 rubles. Climbing the Batur volcano will cost 700 rubles. for one, a ticket to visit the Uluwatu temple - 150 rubles.
Find out also how much a vacation in Bali for two costs.
Tours in Bali for the New Year - 2020
At normal times, tours for 7-10 nights with accommodation in a three-star hotel cost from 90 thousand rubles. For New Year 2020, tours to Bali in a 3 * hotel can now be found from 160 thousand rubles for 9-12 nights of rest (departures on December 28-30).
The same situation can be traced with more expensive vouchers. Tours that provide full board in a three-star hotel, not on holidays, cost from 115 thousand rubles for 10 days. In the New Year period, similar vouchers for 10 days cost from 200 thousand. Rest in Bali on the "all inclusive" system is not very popular. As a rule, it is offered by expensive five-star hotels. For the New Year 2020, such tours in Bali cost from 280 thousand rubles.
Last Minute Tours at the best prices you can find on the services Travelata and Level.Travel - where you can buy an inexpensive ticket online without leaving your home. Want to save money? Read our 7 rules for buying tours online.
The best hotels for New Year's Eve
Accommodation should fully meet the expectations of the tourist. Below are the hotels in Bali, where tourists have already rested, were satisfied with their choice and left good reviews. More information on accommodation can be found on Roomguru (for solo travelers) and Travelata (for those wishing to purchase a Bali tour for the New Year).
Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel (5 *)
New modern oceanfront hotel surrounded by tropical gardens. There is a swimming pool, fitness center and 3 restaurants, it is a few minutes walk to Kuta beach. There is a large shopping center next to the hotel. Guests are entertained with interesting excursions and helicopter rides; on New Year's Eve, this Bali hotel organizes an amazing show. Rooms on New Year's Eve cost from $ 147 per day.
Puri Mangga Sea View Resort & Spa Bali (4 *)
The hotel is located in a quiet, secluded area close to Lovina Beach. Designed in Balinese style with Tuscan touches, all rooms have wooden furnishings. Most of the guests are British, German and French. On the territory there is a restaurant of national cuisine, you can use the services of babysitting, laundry and massage, rent a bicycle. The cost of double occupancy is from $ 98 per day.
Tamukami Hotel (3 *)
The hotel is designed in a traditional Balinese style: spacious, bright rooms and well-groomed green areas. Extremely convenient location: Sanur Beach is just a few minutes walk, the main tourist attractions of Kuta and Denpasar are a few minutes drive. There is a separate children's pool, restaurant, spa and golf course. Activities include windsurfing and hiking. The price for a double standard in this Balinese hotel directly in the New Year is from $ 79 per day.
Tropical Bali Hotel (2 *)
This small guest house is literally surrounded by exotic plants. An excellent budget option for lovers of a quiet secluded holiday in Bali in the New Year - 2020. In the reviews, tourists praise the rooms with an open terrace, rocky paths and a pool in the garden. Denpasar can be reached in 5 minutes.The cost of double occupancy is from $ 54 per day.
Reviews of tourists about holidays for the New Year
Tourists celebrating the New Year in Bali assess their vacation differently. Putting aside the eternal disagreements between "packers" and independent travelers, let's note the disadvantages of New Year's holidays in Bali:
- Some tourists did not like the fact that they had to pay extra for the drunk alcohol during a banquet at the hotel. Either the Balinese have a poor idea of how to celebrate the New Year, or whether this is a way to get money out of visitors, but such cases have been noted more than once.
- New Year's holidays bring some dissonance to traffic; drunk drivers are found on the roads. Renting scooters on the island is inexpensive, there are a lot of tourists on holidays, so traffic jams are often created in some parts of the island.
And the main disappointment is increased prices... Some products in rubles are more expensive than in Russia, and due to currency fluctuations, this difference is felt more strongly. But on the other hand, Bali is a stunningly beautiful and interesting island with unique nature and distinctive culture. It is definitely worth visiting. As a result, in their reviews, tourists come to the opinion that it is possible to celebrate the New Year in Bali - even tropical rain will not spoil the festive mood.
